[Resolution]

Hi, I'd just like a little direction on what tool and software to get to plug into 1.9jtdm 159. Never used this stuff before and don't wanna break the bank.

What sort of thing can I do with this kind of kit?

 

[kandlbarrett]

A cheap £20 ebay or from many other sites EOBD Reader will do everything that should be needed for the engine including clear codes and reset warning light but is limited to engine only. Don't expect it to do anything with the body, brakes or airbag ECUs.

Alternatively you can buy a bluetooth EOBD plug and download an app for your smartphone. This will have the same limitations to the reader above. Not sure of prices for these items.

A paid for version at 50 euros of Multi ECU Scan (MES) will do everything you will ever need with engine, brakes, body and airbages. You do need a good quality lead about £50? (send a PM to Rarebear on this forum as his are guaranteed.) You also need access to a laptop to install the software and to connect the lead to.) It can be a faff getting the lead and computer to work together but lots of threads and people here to help but it can take a few hours or, for less tech savvy, days to get it right. Some people have had the cheap ebay lead sets working but there are many frustrations if they don't work first time. My leads are cheap ebay leads but they took a while to modify as I had to read 20 or 30 forum pages before I knew that I had to take the lead apart and destroy a resistor on the circuit board - yes that is the fix.

 

[RMS159]

I'm using the paid version of multi ecu scan + ELM327 adapter which is modified as described on the forum of multi ecu scan.
With this setup I can do everything on my 159 1.9 jtdm.
Using the same software + KKL adapter for reading out fiat punto.

The adapters you can buy (for example from e bay) which are already modified so you don't have to figure out whats what.
50 euros for multi ecu scan is well worth it I think.

The whole setup costs probably less then letting the local dealer reading your car out twice.

 

[Resolution]

Comparing the Bluetooth (with phone app) to multi scan software on a laptop, do they do the exact same thing?

Will any app do the job or is there a recommended one out there as some are free and some paid for?

Can anyone post a like of there recommendations. The thanks

 

[Resolution]

I see the obvious in-app purchases to upgrade the apps to full versions etc. Which makes sense. But am I correct in seeing on eBay that a suitable Bluetooth connector is around £10? And the laptop connectors from £15 but you would need the multi scan software £50

 

[Resolution]

With my limited knowledge at the moment I prefer the Bluetooth to phone option as it seems cheaper, is more convenient and would I be correct that the Bluetooth plug can stay connected without having to keep opening the accept panel constantly. Please give the pros and cons anyone and can the laptop option do more?

 

[RMS159]

I don't have experience with the Bluetooth modules and corresponding apps.

But a laptop+ wired adapter gives me more confidence than Bluetooth and mobile apps.
Yes a Bluetooth module is nice and compact but i wouldn't leave it in the car, only when you really need to read out the car.

With the cheap wired adapter there are a lot of them which have problems.
I bought once a cheap KKL adapter with a switch build in so i can read out different sub systems of a fiat punto without using adapter cables.
It turned out it had an illegal chip, so when updating it to the latest drivers it got corrupted.
Next to that the idiots wired it wrong, so i changed it myself to get it working.

I will send you a message with an adapter that at least works for me (since i don't think its allowed to post it here).

 

[kandlbarrett]

My advice if you are going to try MES (fantastic software) is to try the free version first. Quite a few people do give up before they get it working on their computer so download the free version and the only cost you then have is the leads.

The imperative bit is to install the drivers for your lead before you plug the lead into your PC. Get that wrong and you can spend ages making it work.

I find that it seems most stable and easiest to get working on Windows XP but does work with all other versions. This may be simply due to my age and feeling more comfortable with XP than all other versions.

If you have a look at this thread you will see the frustration that cheap leads cause. Thankfully the fix for my lead was on page 25 of 198.

Multiecuscan - View topic - FAULTY ELM 327 INTERFACES DE-MYSTIFIED (READ HERE)

When the lead is manufactured wrong it is really hard to know if it is lead, driver or connector and many hour of frustration can start.

For the correct drivers to use with with USB ELM lead (if they aren't supplied with the lead) then go here:-

Virtual COM Port Drivers

Remember to install the drivers BEFORE you first plug the lead into your PC.

 

[richydraper]

Pro HGV Tech here...

i have bluetooth dongle in for 'everyday' diagnostics/sensor data reading and i have registered MES (incl. leads) for more indepth stuff.

with the bluetooth set up I have the full version of the 'Torque' app (available on Google Play store for about £2.50 and I'm assuming the (cr)Apple store too.) mainly use it for sensor monitoring and stuff, its more of a toy than an essential piece of kit, but it works well and has some pretty cool features even if it does take forever to set up the way you want it. reads and clears Engine codes.

i also have the free 'AlfaOBD' which is brilliant for anything other than ABS or SRS systems. i have noticed mine doesn't connect properly to at least the Parking sensor ECU may have issues with more but i just havent tried, yet. might be features that you get with the paid version but will read and clear Engine ECU codes and do all the sensor values in a little less of a customised way compared to torque.

 

[kandlbarrett]

Bluetooth to phone is probably the cheapest but is limited to Engine ECU. Don't expect it to work with body, airbags or brakes.

 

[halftone]

With my limited knowledge at the moment I prefer the Bluetooth to phone option as it seems cheaper, is more convenient and would I be correct that the Bluetooth plug can stay connected without having to keep opening the accept panel constantly. Please give the pros and cons anyone and can the laptop option do more?

I have a Maxiscan 903 Bluetooth EOBD/OBD2 reader that works perfectly with Torque (paid for) on Android, on my 147. Like this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/OBD-OBD2-...683122?hash=item5d5cc9bb72:g:UVwAAOSwBahVeSVE

(They come in various colours, but this one should coordinate nicely for you

Easy setup, and just works. BUT I left it in the socket for just over a week and it flattened the battery despite supposedly shutting itself down after 30mins. Well, it stops BT transmission and code scanning, but it still uses current when in standby. OK overnight, but a week and you're not going anywhere.

I since bought a 6" OBD2->OBD2 extension lead that I can leave connected to the socket, and plug the Maxiscan903 in or out without panel removal. Also on eBay.

There's stuff that Torque can't do that registered MES+laptop+a collection of cables can, but for most purposes, most of the time Torque is fine, and is always with you if you keep the dongle in the car and phone in your pocket. Long term it's probably best to have both.

 

[Resolution]

Had this message of an eBay seller for these devices:


"Hi yea, it only works with phone or tablets with Android system.
The app is "Torque"
Bella"

So I guess use with an iPhone is out. Does anyone know of a setup on Bluetooth for IPhones

 

[Resolution]

My concern with MES is that it's only registered to one computer/laptop (which I completely understand and appreciate) and if that device fails or breaks in the future I'm guessing a new license would need to be purchased for another machine to continue using it.

 

[Resolution]

I would also like to have this setup to diagnose another vehicle. The MES software from what I can see is limited to a small range of vehicles from Alfa, Fiat, Lancia etc.
Other vehicle I own is a Citroen C4 grand Picasso. If the software doesn't suit, would the cable at least connect or is that a completely different setup? The Bluetooth devices seem to support more vehicles from what I can see at the moment.

 

[Resolution]

Iv just ordered ELM 327 lead of eBay. So laptop avenue it is. Any info on the Citroen compatibility would be very helpful.

 

[halftone]

There are iPhone apps that are Torque-like, but I don't know how good they are or whether they speak to Alfas well, nor what sort of dongle they need to read codes. The dongle will need to handle EOBD/OBD2 not just OBD2.

You could set up MES in a virtual machine (VM). That way it wouldn't be tied to any particular hardware. Your VM is just one big file. You can then run it on any platform that supports the VM host.

I use Oracle's free Virtualbox for VM's - https://www.virtualbox.org/
There are versions for PC, Mac, Linux, Unixes so your Windows VM with MES can run on any of those. It's all very weird to see, but it works really well.

I've not got around to this, as the old laptop I want to use needs repair (join the queue), but that is what I intend doing, with different VM's for MES, ePer and eLearn - the latter two because they're unruly horrid s/w that really wants a Win XP with MSIE all to itself. Neither like more recent 64bit Windows or Firefox here. Well, eLearn is just about OK, ePer is hopeless.

 

[no grip]

I've swapped my licenced MES a few times when the laptop has gone pop. Just dropped an email to '[email protected]' and it gets transferred in 24hrs. I messed about with all sorts of ebay leads with limited success so eventually bit the bullet and bought the Gendan set.
I doubt it will work on a Citroen - it certaily doesn't work on my Freelander.

 

[richydraper]

... they're unruly horrid s/w that really wants a Win XP with MSIE all to itself. Neither like more recent 64bit Windows or Firefox here. Well, eLearn is just about OK, ePer is hopeless...

im having no problems running MES or ePER on Win 10 Pro x64 on my laptop. eLEARN sometimes struggles to display a small minority of the pictures but i think its more due to the way it comes out of sleep/hibernate rather than eLEARN itself. A shutdown or reboot cures it, from memory!

 

[kandlbarrett]

Resolution: for Citroen compatibility you want a copy of "Peugeot Plant." Register with the "206info" forum or one of the other Peugeot or Citroen forums and a member there might be kind enough to supply a copy. Or do an internet search and you might find your own download location.

Peugeot Planet is the full dealer software suite but it has leaked onto the internet.

 

[halftone]

im having no problems running MES or ePER on Win 10 Pro x64 on my laptop.

It may not be the OS (7x64) here, though both say they want XP32. Elearn works OK with minor image-scaling issues here and there, Eper just doesn't work with Firefox at all. In MSIE it's OK, but Eper uses the default browser and I get fed up changing that between FF and MSIE.

Neither behave nicely. Both take over the foreground and will not minimise, not even a button to do it, unless I use Taskmanager to force them to.

I have a lot of use-all-the-time business stuff on this laptop, and eLearn and ePer are a bit special needs. I want MES on a retired XP shabby laptop from 2007, that has a COM port, and the eTwins can jolly well move in there too.

YMMV of course.