Torque Pro and my Samsung Galaxy Note 6 Android tablet... wow!

BigDanS

With a 12 year old vehicle, stuff starts to happen. Right now I am dealing with the secondary air system, part of the emmission system when the truck is warming up, and getting codes P1442 and P1445. Having that darn check engine light come on and not knowing what it is is unnerving to say the least.

In addition, I am preparing for the cross country move and tow behind if my home ever sells. My 2005 truck has a lot of sensors through the OBD2 interface, but has mostly analog gauges. I would really like a transmission temperature gauge.

Enter Torque Pro... and app for Android, or other devices. I have an iPhone but decided I would get a tablet and dedicate it to this. $99 for a Samsung Android based 8 GB tablet with a 7 inch screen, is like adding a digital dash to the truck.

So the app, Torque Pro... https://torque-bhp.com/

It's $5.00....

Here is a sample or what you can do with it... I really only wanted a transmission temperature gauge.



I bought a wireless digital OBD 2 scanner, a decent one with security. You can go cheap for $20, but I decided to get a recommended one that is less "hackable" for $50 ...

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00H9S71LW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1



It works great! I now have a digital transmission temp gauge, and scan my own codes in a flash, plus a ton of other info if I want it, and I can scan any vehicle with an OBD 2 port.

Software / APP: $5
Tablet: $110
OBD2 Scan tool : $50
Car mount for tablet: $20

So for $185 I added a digital dash to the truck and can move it from vehicle to vehicle. If you have an android phone and car mount already, you can get an OBD2 wireless reader as cheap as $20 , plus $5 for the software and have a real tool for $25.00

D

BAMAAK

That is pretty cool. I take it the scanner bluetooths to the tablet? Can you pick and choose what gauges you display? Set alarms?

BigDanS

BAMAAK wrote: »

That is pretty cool. I take it the scanner bluetooths to the tablet? Can you pick and choose what gauges you display? Set alarms?

Yes, and yes.

And if you are handy and know how to set up the formulas you can make your own gauges. It charts, tracks, clears codes, makes dashboards, and a lot more. I am just getting to know it. All I wanted was to clear my check engine light, read codes and get a transmission temperature gauge.

D

Teach

Does it have its own tool box, or does somebody actually have to hold onto a wrench when a part needs to be changed? What happens when a mouse chews a wire bundle and gives it a bunch of garbage information due to shorts, opens and unintended grounds?
:uhm:
Jerry

BigDanS

I bought a windshield suction cup style mount.

Rocketman

Go home Dan. The scheduled rain has come for your parade.

BigDanS

Test run today over 45 miles in 88 F heat, at highway speeds engine coolant temp 190 F, transmission 140 F. I don't know if these are reasonable values under no load but it is a baseline.

D

Teach

You're over-cooling the transmission. Hopefully once you get the load of the trailer on it the fluid will get hot enough to boil off any contamination. Transmission fluid normally runs at the same temp as the coolant, or slightly hotter.
Jerry

BigDanS

Teach wrote: »

You're over-cooling the transmission. Hopefully once you get the load of the trailer on it the fluid will get hot enough to boil off any contamination. Transmission fluid normally runs at the same temp as the coolant, or slightly hotter.
Jerry

Thanks Jerry. I don't know what the actual transmission fluid temp is, because the "gauge" is calculated. Here is the formula used:

OBD2 Mode and PID:
21D9

Long Name:
Transmission Temperature (Method 3)

Short Name:
ATF

Minimum Value:
0.0

Maximum value:
250.0

Scale factor:
x1

Unit Type:
Degrees F

Equation:
((((E*256)+F)*(7/100)–400)/10)

OBD Header to use:
left blank[/QUOTE]

The good news is it registers and appears correctly and changes temperature with idle, travel and stopping after traveling in a manner that seems consistant and appropriate. My truck has a transmission cooler / radiator from the factory and I had the system flushed about 6000 miles ago. It shifts smoother and seems to perform better.

The bad news is I have no idea if the formula used is correct. I got it off the Tundra Solutions forum from another user. Is there a way to spot check it? I could use my laser infrared thermometer to check the case temperaturefrom under the truck. Would that be a decent approximation to check against the sensor? Since it would be an exterior temperature should I add to it? subtract? I can get to the pan and check the exterior temp there.

Thanks!

D

BigDanS

Sort of answered my own question this morning.

Cold start, ambient temp outside is about 80 F, transmission and coolant temp were both about 82 F on the digital gauges. Close to air temp on on start.

D