IceY2K1

iTrader: (3)

www.pocketlogger.com

It's an OBD-II Scanner for a Palm or Handspring for $175 + $20 for the optional cable. You can view/clear codes, monitor Real Time sensor values, and data log for viewing later all withOUT hauling around a laptop.

Someone want to be the guinea pig? They're contact info lists their phone number and I believe it's a LOCAL area code, so I will try contacting them and see if a Group Buy would be possible.

SteveChicagoSC

I've used it for over a year now without difficulty on my 4th gen.

IceY2K1

iTrader: (3)

Is it user friendly?

Will I be able to mount my Palm Pilot on the dash and view sensor data easily?

How understandable is the GRAPHING feature when monitoring 3-variables at a time?

Sorry, for all the questions, but I want to know all the PROS/CONS before I plunk down $200 for something I already have, but requires I fire up the laptop.

I think the convienence is worth it, if the logging and graphing is fast enough.

y2kse

iTrader: (1)

The key, I suppose, is whether the serial cable will connect properly to the Consult port. There's only one way to know for sure. If the company is local, take your Maxima to them and see if they can hook it up.

IceY2K1

iTrader: (3)

I know that will work, it's OBD-II. The only thing different would be the sample rate and this system is adjustable.

No concern there.

y2kse

iTrader: (1)

OK, I'm learning something here, IceY2K1. So what you're saying is that an OBD-II connector from one manufacturer is identical to an OBD-II connector from any other manufacturer, just like a printer cable or a serial cable. Every OBD-II connector will have exactly the same physical connector, the same number of pins, the same pinouts, etc. So I could presumably take a Nissan Consult II and connect it to the OBD-II data port in a Mercedes Benz or a Ford or a Ferrari and the Consult would work. The only thing I might have to do is adjust the sample rate (assuming the sample rate in a Nissan Consult II is adjustable) in order to send and receive data properly. Is that right? If not, how can you be sure that the supplied cable will physically connect to your Maxima's OBD-II data port, let alone transmit the proper signals on the proper pins?

IceY2K1

iTrader: (3)

No, a Consult-II($4K+) is NOT an OBD-II reader(~$100-$300) for ALL types of vehicles.

The Nissan Maxima Consult-II port has additional capabilities ONLY the Consult-II can "tap" into. Nissan likes it this way. They can trouble-shoot and control systems on the car that NOBODY else can, thus local mechanics don't have a chance at easy diagnosis on complex issues.

The OBD-II systems on all US bound '96-2001(2000?) have a government mandated set of information it must provide, but each couple years there are more requirements they must support. Some manufacturers provide the minimum, some provide more, but how the manufacturer provides this information is up to them. Check the SAE website or OBD II websites for the different protocols, manufacturers tend to use.

y2kse

iTrader: (1)

Cool. So if I understand you properly, there is a BASIC set of OBD-II signals that can be read by ANY OBD-II reader and EVERY OBD-II data port, regardless of manufacturer, uses the same type of physical connector. So if I have a PocketLOGGER with an OBD-II cable, I should be able to read OBD-II data from any OBD-II compliant vehicle in the world by connecting to the vehicle's data port and adjusting the sample rate. That's good to know.

IceY2K1

iTrader: (3)

No, no, no!

1) Yes, the physical shape of the OBD-II plug is the same, but NOT all pins of the plug are used so it depends on the design of the OBD-II convertor that MUST come with the Scan Tool.
2) The different manufacturers choose one of the SEVERAL already available protocols(software "language") or come up with their own, thus the OBD-II scan tool MUST be programmed to receive/trasmit in that protocol inorder to work.
3) Not the world. Only US '96+ years. Some earlier year vehicles came with OBD-II, but the US mandated ALL '96 US destination vehicles have OBD-II. Other countries are not included, but may have the system, I don't know.

y2kse

iTrader: (1)

Yup. I figured it couldn't be that easy.

K Pazzo 6

iTrader: (6)

I'm lost....& dont get what this is

IceY2K1

iTrader: (3)

Read the website for more specific details.

Basically, you can:
1)Reset the MIL, Malfunction Indicatior Lamp(aka check engine light).
2)If you have a MIL, you can see the code and some information about what caused it.
3)Monitor engine operating parameters such as RPM, Engine coolant temp, O2-sensor values, timing, knock sensor, Mass Air Flow readings, Load, etc... Basically, almost ALL sensor data.
4)Monitor/store all the data with ONLY a Palm Pilot, instead of a bulky laptop.
5)Lots of possibilites with BEFORE/AFTER runs and mods.

K Pazzo 6

iTrader: (6)

thanks....I guess I skipped the link, to learn more

Sly

I tried it around October of last year. It does not work on 5th gen Maximas for some reason. I tried it on my friend's '99 Sentra and it worked fine. I don't know if the problem has been fixed since then. You might want to e-mail the guy and ask before buying.

woosh

Hey Icey2k1,

Correct me if I'm wrong, but
Since you already own a system with a OBDII <-> serial connector. I think you could download free palm software from any of these sites that offer it and it would work fine once the software supports the ISO protocol (our cars). This way you'd save shelling out cash once again. Or, does this software have a specific feature you'v been on a quest for.

If I could only borrow one from someone, I'm pretty sure it could be reverse engineered (I know, I know) but its the best way to learn sometimes.

Hey, do you own the Alex peper setup? Share likes/dislikes if yes.

turbo dreams
woosh

02MaximizedVQ

I have a Pocketlogger and cable with the OBDII software and it will NOT WORK with my 2k2 Maxima. I used it for my Eclipse that I sold, and I was fully expecting it to work with the Max, but no such luck.

Jesse

KLOOGY

iTrader: (12)

Pocket Rocket ??? === Pocket Logger ??

woosh

The only reason I can see that it wouldn't work: mitsubishi probably does not use ISO9141-2 (our cars protocol).

SSandMaxima

Georgia has just started using OBDII in their emissions inspections. A *BUNCH* of cars ... mercedes, volvos, etc.... are not passing because the state's obdii scanners cannot establish a connection to the on board systems. The state is blaming the car manufacturers, and the car manufacturers are blaming the state's software and scanners. The citizens are getting fu(&ed... either they get a waiver or are told to spend $500 to get if fixed and come back (of course, there is no fix and the car manufacturers wont even acknowledge it is a problem). This is the first year that they have used obdII in inspections, and nobody is (the state or the manufacturers) is giving an inch. Sounds very similar to the Pocketlogger problem, eh?

IceY2K1

iTrader: (3)

Yeah, I have the Alex Pepper scanner.

I tried what you said already using the Alex Pepper OBD-II convertor, the Palm cradle, and one of the Palm software scanners, but it didn't work.

I believe the convertor has some internal logic to keep the ECU talking to the scanner, so the software is customized to work with that convertor ONLY. Therefore, the convertor from Alex Pepper will NOT work with someone elses software. Either that or there is some password protection mode, but it seemed to try and communicate, it just didn't receive a valid response through the convertor.

I like the Alex Pepper software, but it could be a little more user friendly. My only dislike is that the real time graphing function is worthless. It graphs up to three parameters(sometimes if you change the parameter it doesn't stop graphing the old one, so more than three), but on different graphs. Therefore, it's difficult to "eyeball" what points are occuring at the same time. Maybe, I'm trying to get too much out of the software and the data sample rates OBD-II supports aren't good enough. Anyways, Alex Pepper told me how to export the logged data to Excel, so now at least I can plot the data into a more readable and useful form.