Review of XiTech and ELM327 OBDii Readers
08-17-2011, 02:23 AM
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Review of XiTech and ELM327 OBDii Readers
Okay gang, with the purchase of the new (to me) '96 convertible I also decided to buy a new OBDii code reader. In fact, by the time I was done researching this purchase I decided to buy two, and here's my review of the products.
Before going there, though, I want to say that I'm not a fan of the paperclip method of reading codes. The idea that I'd screw something up and short out the whole system scares me more than the thought of spending $25 on a code reader. In addition, I have 6 cars that use OBDii systems, so the purchase of a scanner will help me save a lot more money by being able to work on all the cars, not just my Corvette with a paperclip.
Okay, back to the actual code readers. As I start the review it is important that I acknowledge that I am nowhere near a good mechanic. I say this because I know some folks may be a bit worried that reading codes and doing some of this work may be too advanced for them. I always envied those guys that took autoshop and could rebuild a transmission in their sleep. I'm not one, but that doesn't mean I'm totally inept at basic car maintenance. By that I mean that I will never rebuild my Corvette's engine or transmission, but I can sure do the little things like run down a vacuum line or replace a sensor.
The secret, as most of the real mechanics will acknowledge, is having the right tools and patience. In my case, the purchase of these readers paid for themselves the first time I had to use them (which was just last week).
The first code reader I bought was the XiTech XR-90 Advanced OBD2 Code Reader.
I bought this at Amazon.com for $24 (free shipping as a Prime member). For the price you should not expect a really fancy unit. If you need a unit with more bells and whistles then great, but if you're just wanting to read a code for simple repairs (or to know what to expect when you go to a mechanic) then this unit is a good fit.
With the price issue in mind, the XiTech will only do the following:
1. Read Diagnostic Trouble Codes
2. Erase Diagnostic Trouble Codes
3. I/M menu
4. VIN menu
5. Rescan menu
The system plugs in easily to the connector under the driver's side dash. Even with my arthritic knees and back it was a snap to hook the reader up and then start it. In fact, once you have a good connection the reader comes on automatically (powered by your car).
The fitting between the reader's connector and the underdash connector was very smooth. This is important, as you'll see when I review the ELM327, and I think it helps to justify the little extra expense.
NOTE: The cheapest I found this unit was $33.50 with "free" shipping on Ebay. Since I'm an Amazon Prime member I already had "free" shipping, so I bought it there for only $23.99. If you're not a Prime member then just this one purchase will pretty much pay for the membership.
Back to the review ... some of the reports I read at Amazon and other places suggested it would take as much as a minute for the unit to start. I did not find that to be the case. I initially made a mistake, though, and will tell on myself to maybe help others avoid this dum "DUH!" moment.
Initially, I plugged the unit in, it came on, and then I sat there and waited. It was supposed to go through its startup routine, but what I hadn't realized is you needed to turn the key on once it was plugged in. If you just sit there it will never actually start, even though the thing lights up. It draws power from the connector/car and for that reason the screen will light up, but it won't actually start until you turn the key on.
Once I figured that out, the device went through the startup within just a few seconds. In fact, it was so quick that I didn't even have time to see it run through all the protocols. So I was very pleased.
Of course, most of us will use the device to read and erase DTC codes, and the machine works very quickly when doing this. Once started it almost immediately identified the codes. The screen will show how many codes there are and then you use the keys to access the rest of the menus.
There are only 2 buttons, one for "enter" and one for "scroll," so it is almost idiot proof. As my pop was found of saying, "Boy, you could screw up a steel ball with a rubber hammer." So it was nice to have something that is easy.
You use the enter button to make selections and the scroll button to get through the menus. Duh!
In my case, the new '96 threw a code while on a recent outing with my wife, and when I got home I had my chance to use the new code reader. It ends up that it paid for itself the first time I used it.
The code came up for a cruise control problem, and within 30 minutes I had run down a vacuum hose issue. It took me 30 minutes because I am very slow, methodical, and don't want to screw things up. The actual time to access the code and then look it up was only a few minutes. The rest of the time was spent tracking down the right locations and then doing the grunt work under the hood.
A trip to the local parts house gave me what I needed, and within a few hours of total time I was ready to go. According to the "book time" for this vacuum line problem, I would have been charged for 1 to 1.5 hours of time in the shop. I can see that, especially since it took some extra time to trace the vacuum lines in question. jWith shop time around here running $90+ an hour I figure I saved at least $150 for this one little problem.
Even had I not been willing to fix the problem myself, I would have been able to go to the mechanic with some knowledge of what to expect. For $24 I had the code reader, another $36 bought the Service Manual on CD from an Ebay vendor, and I'm ready to do more than simply shake my head with a vacuous look in my eyes while the service writer tells me the servo motor to the edelsmith inflation tube has gone out.
Once I fixed the problem, I resent the DTC and gave the car a test drive. No lights. Fantastic! Now if only all the future code problems will go as smooth.
This XiTech did not read the VIN on my Corvette, and I'm assuming that it simply is not supported for this year ('96). If it is, then someone can chime in and correct me. If so then I either did something wrong or the unit is defective. Seeing how well it worked so far, though, I'm inclined to think that this function is simply not supported.
The rescan menu was useful when trying to track down what was wrong. When you fix something (or just jiggle it hoping there is nothing more than a bad connection) you can quickly reset the code and then rescan with this feature. I had a chance to use the reader again with my secretary's car. She has been driving with the "service engine" light on for at least 6 months, so I took my scanner to her house to see what I could figure out. Seems her problem was a faulty O2 sensor, and that worked really well for her. I didn't fix her car, but at least her husband knew what to look for when he decides to do it for her.
All in all, I'd say that the XiTech is a good purchase. The overall quality appears to be very good. The case is attractive, easy to hold while crawling around under the dash, and the cable is just long enough to reach into your lap while in the driver's seat. About the only thing I might complain about is the cable length. I wish it were maybe another 1 to 2 feet longer, but I realize that would raise the price a bit. Given the market niche these folks are shooting for, the extra $1 to $2 that might raise the price is probably not worth it.
One other item to note on the XiTech, the LED screen is bright enough to see easily in the garage, but isn't as clear in the direct sun. Most of these screens aren't, so that's nothing really surprising. Reading the screen with the device in one hand while shading it with the other wasn't that difficult.
The second OBDii reader I purchased was more of a "what the heck" purchase. It is an ELM327 Bluetooth module that I purchased through Ebay. I paid $4, plus free shipping, for the unit, and had it in my hands within 2 weeks.
NOTE: If you don't want to buy from a Chinese distributor then you probably will pay more for this unit. At Amazon, the ELM327 Bluetooth is $24, so I was able to save a bunch. That's the "what the heck" part of this deal. Had it been $24 I would have just stayed with the XiTech unit.
I bought this unit because I have both a Motorola Droid X and a Motorola Xoom that have Bluetooth capability. I'm a bit of a tech-nerd, so this was worth it just to have the toy. It is important to note that at this price you will NOT get software for the unit. Fortunately, if you use an Android system there are both free and pay programs that work pretty well (more on those in the last part of this write up).
The reader was not nearly as easy to connect, though it should have been. The reason, I suspect, is that the plastic part is not made to as nearly as close specs as the XiTech model. It simply did not fit over the Corvette's connector, and a quick inspection revealed a small plastic burr on the inside of the connector. A quick spin of the Dremel Tool took the spot down smooth and it connected with no problem.
As for the actual scan, the device seemed to work well once connected. Like the XiTech, it is powered by the juice coming through the car's connector, so it should come on right away. Of course, since it is connected via Bluetooth to another device (phone, tablet, etc.) then you'll want to make sure you have your other device turned on and ready to recognize a new Bluetooth device. I can imagine that someone not familiar with Bluetooth systems might struggle with this, but if you've used a Bluetooth wireless headset with your telephone you can easily use this device.
To test the reader I hooked it up initially knowing there were no DTCs being thrown. Once I determined that the device would communicated with my Droid I disconnected the same hose I had fixed a couple days earlier. I did this because I knew what the code should look like and that it would be something I could easily fix afterward.
Not surprisingly, the code reader did find the code and it published it quickly to my Droid. I have not had a chance to use it again, so my final thoughts on the device will have to wait awhile longer. I did get a chance to play with "fake" codes, though, and so far it seems to work okay.
Because the XiTech is so much bigger it is not something that will easily fit in the center console of the Corvette. And anyone with a convertible C4 knows that when going on a trip, even a short one, there is never enough room when the top is stowed. So I'm going to stick this little Bluetooth reader in the center console so that I have a reader while on the road. If it gets stolen or stops working while I'm on the road then I'm only out $4.
As for the software, as I noted I use the system with either my Droid X or the my Motorola Xoom tablet. It works well with both, but the Xoom is easier for me to read. I downloaded the Torque Light software from the Android Market.
The beauty of this system is that the Torque software works pretty well using the free version. Not only will the software show and reset engine fault codes/DTC trouble codes, it will also do some pretty fun things with the Droid phone. This includes ...
1. Export map/track log files to Google Earth KML / CSV
2. Engine performance data(0 to 60, quarter mile, etc)
3. Provide a Head up Display/GPS HUD mode perfect for checking your speed at night or in spots that may have speed traps.
The two disadvantages of the Torque Lite software is that you get advertisements on the bottom of the screen and it is not as powerful as the full version. Considering the full version is only $4.80 it is likely I'll buy it to load on both the Droid X and the Xoom.
The Pro version of the software has several extra features. Here's all the extra stuff the paid version will do:
Can read Transmission Temperatures (vehicle dependant)
* 0-60 speed timings - more accurate than just using plain old GPS - see how fast your car is (or truck
)
* CO2 emissions readout
* Customisable dashboards
* Video your journey using the Track Recorder plugin with onscreen OBDII data overlay - a black box for you car/truck!
* Automatically send GPS tagged tweets directly to twitter (for example if you are going on a road trip)
* Massive fault code database for allowing lookup of fault codes from many different manufacturers
* Theme support (choose from different themes to change the look of your dashboard)
* Send logging information to web or email CSV/KML for analysis via excel / openoffice
* Heads up display / HUD mode for night time driving
* Compass (GPS Based) that won't suffer magnetic interference
* GPS Speedometer/Tracking and realtime web upload capability - see what you were doing and your engine, at a point in time
* Turbo boost feature for vehicles that support MAP and MAF sensors (VW / Audi / Seat etc supported)
* Alarms and warnings (for example if your coolant temperature goes over 120C whilst driving) with voice/speech overlay
* Car dock support
* Graph data
* Able to share screenshots to Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Email, etc
* AIDL API for connecting third party apps, A simple Telnet interface for developers to talk to the adapter, and an OBD scanner.
* Works on tablet devices like the Motorola Xoom, Dell Streak, and Samsung Galaxy Tab
Final thoughts are that anyone who is willing to do minor repairs on their car MUST have a DTC reader. You can access the codes easily online, and with the Torque Pro software I can do some of the actual diagnostics right on the Xoom. So the price and convenience simply make the need for these tools a real no brainer. As for the actual devices, both are worth every penny I paid for them. I like the XiTech's feel a lot more, and had I paid the same price for both I would feel really ripped off with the ELM unit. But even at $10, the ELM unit is a good choice, especially if you want Bluetooth capability.
Before going there, though, I want to say that I'm not a fan of the paperclip method of reading codes. The idea that I'd screw something up and short out the whole system scares me more than the thought of spending $25 on a code reader. In addition, I have 6 cars that use OBDii systems, so the purchase of a scanner will help me save a lot more money by being able to work on all the cars, not just my Corvette with a paperclip.
Okay, back to the actual code readers. As I start the review it is important that I acknowledge that I am nowhere near a good mechanic. I say this because I know some folks may be a bit worried that reading codes and doing some of this work may be too advanced for them. I always envied those guys that took autoshop and could rebuild a transmission in their sleep. I'm not one, but that doesn't mean I'm totally inept at basic car maintenance. By that I mean that I will never rebuild my Corvette's engine or transmission, but I can sure do the little things like run down a vacuum line or replace a sensor.
The secret, as most of the real mechanics will acknowledge, is having the right tools and patience. In my case, the purchase of these readers paid for themselves the first time I had to use them (which was just last week).
The first code reader I bought was the XiTech XR-90 Advanced OBD2 Code Reader.
I bought this at Amazon.com for $24 (free shipping as a Prime member). For the price you should not expect a really fancy unit. If you need a unit with more bells and whistles then great, but if you're just wanting to read a code for simple repairs (or to know what to expect when you go to a mechanic) then this unit is a good fit.
With the price issue in mind, the XiTech will only do the following:
1. Read Diagnostic Trouble Codes
2. Erase Diagnostic Trouble Codes
3. I/M menu
4. VIN menu
5. Rescan menu
The system plugs in easily to the connector under the driver's side dash. Even with my arthritic knees and back it was a snap to hook the reader up and then start it. In fact, once you have a good connection the reader comes on automatically (powered by your car).
The fitting between the reader's connector and the underdash connector was very smooth. This is important, as you'll see when I review the ELM327, and I think it helps to justify the little extra expense.
NOTE: The cheapest I found this unit was $33.50 with "free" shipping on Ebay. Since I'm an Amazon Prime member I already had "free" shipping, so I bought it there for only $23.99. If you're not a Prime member then just this one purchase will pretty much pay for the membership.
Back to the review ... some of the reports I read at Amazon and other places suggested it would take as much as a minute for the unit to start. I did not find that to be the case. I initially made a mistake, though, and will tell on myself to maybe help others avoid this dum "DUH!" moment.
Initially, I plugged the unit in, it came on, and then I sat there and waited. It was supposed to go through its startup routine, but what I hadn't realized is you needed to turn the key on once it was plugged in. If you just sit there it will never actually start, even though the thing lights up. It draws power from the connector/car and for that reason the screen will light up, but it won't actually start until you turn the key on.
Once I figured that out, the device went through the startup within just a few seconds. In fact, it was so quick that I didn't even have time to see it run through all the protocols. So I was very pleased.
Of course, most of us will use the device to read and erase DTC codes, and the machine works very quickly when doing this. Once started it almost immediately identified the codes. The screen will show how many codes there are and then you use the keys to access the rest of the menus.
There are only 2 buttons, one for "enter" and one for "scroll," so it is almost idiot proof. As my pop was found of saying, "Boy, you could screw up a steel ball with a rubber hammer." So it was nice to have something that is easy.
You use the enter button to make selections and the scroll button to get through the menus. Duh!
In my case, the new '96 threw a code while on a recent outing with my wife, and when I got home I had my chance to use the new code reader. It ends up that it paid for itself the first time I used it.
The code came up for a cruise control problem, and within 30 minutes I had run down a vacuum hose issue. It took me 30 minutes because I am very slow, methodical, and don't want to screw things up. The actual time to access the code and then look it up was only a few minutes. The rest of the time was spent tracking down the right locations and then doing the grunt work under the hood.
A trip to the local parts house gave me what I needed, and within a few hours of total time I was ready to go. According to the "book time" for this vacuum line problem, I would have been charged for 1 to 1.5 hours of time in the shop. I can see that, especially since it took some extra time to trace the vacuum lines in question. jWith shop time around here running $90+ an hour I figure I saved at least $150 for this one little problem.
Even had I not been willing to fix the problem myself, I would have been able to go to the mechanic with some knowledge of what to expect. For $24 I had the code reader, another $36 bought the Service Manual on CD from an Ebay vendor, and I'm ready to do more than simply shake my head with a vacuous look in my eyes while the service writer tells me the servo motor to the edelsmith inflation tube has gone out.
Once I fixed the problem, I resent the DTC and gave the car a test drive. No lights. Fantastic! Now if only all the future code problems will go as smooth.
This XiTech did not read the VIN on my Corvette, and I'm assuming that it simply is not supported for this year ('96). If it is, then someone can chime in and correct me. If so then I either did something wrong or the unit is defective. Seeing how well it worked so far, though, I'm inclined to think that this function is simply not supported.
The rescan menu was useful when trying to track down what was wrong. When you fix something (or just jiggle it hoping there is nothing more than a bad connection) you can quickly reset the code and then rescan with this feature. I had a chance to use the reader again with my secretary's car. She has been driving with the "service engine" light on for at least 6 months, so I took my scanner to her house to see what I could figure out. Seems her problem was a faulty O2 sensor, and that worked really well for her. I didn't fix her car, but at least her husband knew what to look for when he decides to do it for her.
All in all, I'd say that the XiTech is a good purchase. The overall quality appears to be very good. The case is attractive, easy to hold while crawling around under the dash, and the cable is just long enough to reach into your lap while in the driver's seat. About the only thing I might complain about is the cable length. I wish it were maybe another 1 to 2 feet longer, but I realize that would raise the price a bit. Given the market niche these folks are shooting for, the extra $1 to $2 that might raise the price is probably not worth it.
One other item to note on the XiTech, the LED screen is bright enough to see easily in the garage, but isn't as clear in the direct sun. Most of these screens aren't, so that's nothing really surprising. Reading the screen with the device in one hand while shading it with the other wasn't that difficult.
The second OBDii reader I purchased was more of a "what the heck" purchase. It is an ELM327 Bluetooth module that I purchased through Ebay. I paid $4, plus free shipping, for the unit, and had it in my hands within 2 weeks.
NOTE: If you don't want to buy from a Chinese distributor then you probably will pay more for this unit. At Amazon, the ELM327 Bluetooth is $24, so I was able to save a bunch. That's the "what the heck" part of this deal. Had it been $24 I would have just stayed with the XiTech unit.
I bought this unit because I have both a Motorola Droid X and a Motorola Xoom that have Bluetooth capability. I'm a bit of a tech-nerd, so this was worth it just to have the toy. It is important to note that at this price you will NOT get software for the unit. Fortunately, if you use an Android system there are both free and pay programs that work pretty well (more on those in the last part of this write up).
The reader was not nearly as easy to connect, though it should have been. The reason, I suspect, is that the plastic part is not made to as nearly as close specs as the XiTech model. It simply did not fit over the Corvette's connector, and a quick inspection revealed a small plastic burr on the inside of the connector. A quick spin of the Dremel Tool took the spot down smooth and it connected with no problem.
As for the actual scan, the device seemed to work well once connected. Like the XiTech, it is powered by the juice coming through the car's connector, so it should come on right away. Of course, since it is connected via Bluetooth to another device (phone, tablet, etc.) then you'll want to make sure you have your other device turned on and ready to recognize a new Bluetooth device. I can imagine that someone not familiar with Bluetooth systems might struggle with this, but if you've used a Bluetooth wireless headset with your telephone you can easily use this device.
To test the reader I hooked it up initially knowing there were no DTCs being thrown. Once I determined that the device would communicated with my Droid I disconnected the same hose I had fixed a couple days earlier. I did this because I knew what the code should look like and that it would be something I could easily fix afterward.
Not surprisingly, the code reader did find the code and it published it quickly to my Droid. I have not had a chance to use it again, so my final thoughts on the device will have to wait awhile longer. I did get a chance to play with "fake" codes, though, and so far it seems to work okay.
Because the XiTech is so much bigger it is not something that will easily fit in the center console of the Corvette. And anyone with a convertible C4 knows that when going on a trip, even a short one, there is never enough room when the top is stowed. So I'm going to stick this little Bluetooth reader in the center console so that I have a reader while on the road. If it gets stolen or stops working while I'm on the road then I'm only out $4.
As for the software, as I noted I use the system with either my Droid X or the my Motorola Xoom tablet. It works well with both, but the Xoom is easier for me to read. I downloaded the Torque Light software from the Android Market.
The beauty of this system is that the Torque software works pretty well using the free version. Not only will the software show and reset engine fault codes/DTC trouble codes, it will also do some pretty fun things with the Droid phone. This includes ...
1. Export map/track log files to Google Earth KML / CSV
2. Engine performance data(0 to 60, quarter mile, etc)
3. Provide a Head up Display/GPS HUD mode perfect for checking your speed at night or in spots that may have speed traps.
The two disadvantages of the Torque Lite software is that you get advertisements on the bottom of the screen and it is not as powerful as the full version. Considering the full version is only $4.80 it is likely I'll buy it to load on both the Droid X and the Xoom.
The Pro version of the software has several extra features. Here's all the extra stuff the paid version will do:
Can read Transmission Temperatures (vehicle dependant)
* 0-60 speed timings - more accurate than just using plain old GPS - see how fast your car is (or truck
)* CO2 emissions readout
* Customisable dashboards
* Video your journey using the Track Recorder plugin with onscreen OBDII data overlay - a black box for you car/truck!
* Automatically send GPS tagged tweets directly to twitter (for example if you are going on a road trip)
* Massive fault code database for allowing lookup of fault codes from many different manufacturers
* Theme support (choose from different themes to change the look of your dashboard)
* Send logging information to web or email CSV/KML for analysis via excel / openoffice
* Heads up display / HUD mode for night time driving
* Compass (GPS Based) that won't suffer magnetic interference
* GPS Speedometer/Tracking and realtime web upload capability - see what you were doing and your engine, at a point in time
* Turbo boost feature for vehicles that support MAP and MAF sensors (VW / Audi / Seat etc supported)
* Alarms and warnings (for example if your coolant temperature goes over 120C whilst driving) with voice/speech overlay
* Car dock support
* Graph data
* Able to share screenshots to Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Email, etc
* AIDL API for connecting third party apps, A simple Telnet interface for developers to talk to the adapter, and an OBD scanner.
* Works on tablet devices like the Motorola Xoom, Dell Streak, and Samsung Galaxy Tab
Final thoughts are that anyone who is willing to do minor repairs on their car MUST have a DTC reader. You can access the codes easily online, and with the Torque Pro software I can do some of the actual diagnostics right on the Xoom. So the price and convenience simply make the need for these tools a real no brainer. As for the actual devices, both are worth every penny I paid for them. I like the XiTech's feel a lot more, and had I paid the same price for both I would feel really ripped off with the ELM unit. But even at $10, the ELM unit is a good choice, especially if you want Bluetooth capability.
Last edited by doc_cj; 07-18-2015 at 02:49 PM.
Some great information here. Answered a couple questions I had on OBD2. 
11-27-2011, 05:14 PM
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Okay gang, with the purchase of the new (to me) '96 convertible I also decided to buy a new OBDii code reader. In fact, by the time I was done researching this purchase I decided to buy two, and here's my review of the products.
Before going there, though, I want to say that I'm not a fan of the paperclip method of reading codes. The idea that I'd screw something up and short out the whole system scares me more than the thought of spending $25 on a code reader. In addition, I have 6 cars that use OBDii systems, so the purchase of a scanner will help me save a lot more money by being able to work on all the cars, not just my Corvette with a paperclip.
Okay, back to the actual code readers. As I start the review it is important that I acknowledge that I am nowhere near a good mechanic. I say this because I know some folks may be a bit worried that reading codes and doing some of this work may be too advanced for them. I always envied those guys that took autoshop and could rebuild a transmission in their sleep. I'm not one, but that doesn't mean I'm totally inept at basic car maintenance. By that I mean that I will never rebuild my Corvette's engine or transmission, but I can sure do the little things like run down a vacuum line or replace a sensor.
The secret, as most of the real mechanics will acknowledge, is having the right tools and patience. In my case, the purchase of these readers paid for themselves the first time I had to use them (which was just last week).
The first code reader I bought was the XiTech XR-90 Advanced OBD2 Code Reader.
I bought this at Amazon.com for $24 (free shipping as a Prime member). For the price you should not expect a really fancy unit. If you need a unit with more bells and whistles then great, but if you're just wanting to read a code for simple repairs (or to know what to expect when you go to a mechanic) then this unit is a good fit.
With the price issue in mind, the XiTech will only do the following:
1. Read Diagnostic Trouble Codes
2. Erase Diagnostic Trouble Codes
3. I/M menu
4. VIN menu
5. Rescan menu
The system plugs in easily to the connector under the driver's side dash. Even with my arthritic knees and back it was a snap to hook the reader up and then start it. In fact, once you have a good connection the reader comes on automatically (powered by your car).
The fitting between the reader's connector and the underdash connector was very smooth. This is important, as you'll see when I review the ELM327, and I think it helps to justify the little extra expense.
NOTE: The cheapest I found this unit was $33.50 with "free" shipping on Ebay. Since I'm an Amazon Prime member I already had "free" shipping, so I bought it there for only $23.99. If you're not a Prime member then just this one purchase will pretty much pay for the membership.
Back to the review ... some of the reports I read at Amazon and other places suggested it would take as much as a minute for the unit to start. I did not find that to be the case. I initially made a mistake, though, and will tell on myself to maybe help others avoid this dum "DUH!" moment.
Initially, I plugged the unit in, it came on, and then I sat there and waited. It was supposed to go through its startup routine, but what I hadn't realized is you needed to turn the key on once it was plugged in. If you just sit there it will never actually start, even though the thing lights up. It draws power from the connector/car and for that reason the screen will light up, but it won't actually start until you turn the key on.
Once I figured that out, the device went through the startup within just a few seconds. In fact, it was so quick that I didn't even have time to see it run through all the protocols. So I was very pleased.
Of course, most of us will use the device to read and erase DTC codes, and the machine works very quickly when doing this. Once started it almost immediately identified the codes. The screen will show how many codes there are and then you use the keys to access the rest of the menus.
There are only 2 buttons, one for "enter" and one for "scroll," so it is almost idiot proof. As my pop was found of saying, "Boy, you could screw up a steel ball with a rubber hammer." So it was nice to have something that is easy.
You use the enter button to make selections and the scroll button to get through the menus. Duh!
In my case, the new '96 threw a code while on a recent outing with my wife, and when I got home I had my chance to use the new code reader. It ends up that it paid for itself the first time I used it.
The code came up for a cruise control problem, and within 30 minutes I had run down a vacuum hose issue. It took me 30 minutes because I am very slow, methodical, and don't want to screw things up. The actual time to access the code and then look it up was only a few minutes. The rest of the time was spent tracking down the right locations and then doing the grunt work under the hood.
A trip to the local parts house gave me what I needed, and within a few hours of total time I was ready to go. According to the "book time" for this vacuum line problem, I would have been charged for 1 to 1.5 hours of time in the shop. I can see that, especially since it took some extra time to trace the vacuum lines in question. jWith shop time around here running $90+ an hour I figure I saved at least $150 for this one little problem.
Even had I not been willing to fix the problem myself, I would have been able to go to the mechanic with some knowledge of what to expect. For $24 I had the code reader, another $36 bought the Service Manual on CD from an Ebay vendor, and I'm ready to do more than simply shake my head with a vacuous look in my eyes while the service writer tells me the servo motor to the edelsmith inflation tube has gone out.
Once I fixed the problem, I resent the DTC and gave the car a test drive. No lights. Fantastic! Now if only all the future code problems will go as smooth.
This XiTech did not read the VIN on my Corvette, and I'm assuming that it simply is not supported for this year ('96). If it is, then someone can chime in and correct me. If so then I either did something wrong or the unit is defective. Seeing how well it worked so far, though, I'm inclined to think that this function is simply not supported.
The rescan menu was useful when trying to track down what was wrong. When you fix something (or just jiggle it hoping there is nothing more than a bad connection) you can quickly reset the code and then rescan with this feature. I had a chance to use the reader again with my secretary's car. She has been driving with the "service engine" light on for at least 6 months, so I took my scanner to her house to see what I could figure out. Seems her problem was a faulty O2 sensor, and that worked really well for her. I didn't fix her car, but at least her husband knew what to look for when he decides to do it for her.
All in all, I'd say that the XiTech is a good purchase. The overall quality appears to be very good. The case is attractive, easy to hold while crawling around under the dash, and the cable is just long enough to reach into your lap while in the driver's seat. About the only thing I might complain about is the cable length. I wish it were maybe another 1 to 2 feet longer, but I realize that would raise the price a bit. Given the market niche these folks are shooting for, the extra $1 to $2 that might raise the price is probably not worth it.
One other item to note on the XiTech, the LED screen is bright enough to see easily in the garage, but isn't as clear in the direct sun. Most of these screens aren't, so that's nothing really surprising. Reading the screen with the device in one hand while shading it with the other wasn't that difficult.
The second OBDii reader I purchased was more of a "what the heck" purchase. It is an ELM327 Bluetooth module that I purchased through Ebay. I paid $4, plus free shipping, for the unit, and had it in my hands within 2 weeks.
NOTE: If you don't want to buy from a Chinese distributor then you probably will pay more for this unit. At Amazon, the ELM327 Bluetooth is $24, so I was able to save a bunch. That's the "what the heck" part of this deal. Had it been $24 I would have just stayed with the XiTech unit.
I bought this unit because I have both a Motorola Droid X and a Motorola Xoom that have Bluetooth capability. I'm a bit of a tech-nerd, so this was worth it just to have the toy. It is important to note that at this price you will NOT get software for the unit. Fortunately, if you use an Android system there are both free and pay programs that work pretty well (more on those in the last part of this write up).
The reader was not nearly as easy to connect, though it should have been. The reason, I suspect, is that the plastic part is not made to as nearly as close specs as the XiTech model. It simply did not fit over the Corvette's connector, and a quick inspection revealed a small plastic burr on the inside of the connector. A quick spin of the Dremel Tool took the spot down smooth and it connected with no problem.
As for the actual scan, the device seemed to work well once connected. Like the XiTech, it is powered by the juice coming through the car's connector, so it should come on right away. Of course, since it is connected via Bluetooth to another device (phone, tablet, etc.) then you'll want to make sure you have your other device turned on and ready to recognize a new Bluetooth device. I can imagine that someone not familiar with Bluetooth systems might struggle with this, but if you've used a Bluetooth wireless headset with your telephone you can easily use this device.
To test the reader I hooked it up initially knowing there were no DTCs being thrown. Once I determined that the device would communicated with my Droid I disconnected the same hose I had fixed a couple days earlier. I did this because I knew what the code should look like and that it would be something I could easily fix afterward.
Not surprisingly, the code reader did find the code and it published it quickly to my Droid. I have not had a chance to use it again, so my final thoughts on the device will have to wait awhile longer. I did get a chance to play with "fake" codes, though, and so far it seems to work okay.
Because the XiTech is so much bigger it is not something that will easily fit in the center console of the Corvette. And anyone with a convertible C4 knows that when going on a trip, even a short one, there is never enough room when the top is stowed. So I'm going to stick this little Bluetooth reader in the center console so that I have a reader while on the road. If it gets stolen or stops working while I'm on the road then I'm only out $4.
As for the software, as I noted I use the system with either my Droid X or the my Motorola Xoom tablet. It works well with both, but the Xoom is easier for me to read. I downloaded the Torque Light software from the Android Market.
The beauty of this system is that the Torque software works pretty well using the free version. Not only will the software show and reset engine fault codes/DTC trouble codes, it will also do some pretty fun things with the Droid phone. This includes ...
1. Export map/track log files to Google Earth KML / CSV
2. Engine performance data(0 to 60, quarter mile, etc)
3. Provide a Head up Display/GPS HUD mode perfect for checking your speed at night or in spots that may have speed traps.
The two disadvantages of the Torque Lite software is that you get advertisements on the bottom of the screen and it is not as powerful as the full version. Considering the full version is only $4.80 it is likely I'll buy it to load on both the Droid X and the Xoom.
The Pro version of the software has several extra features. Here's all the extra stuff the paid version will do:
Can read Transmission Temperatures (vehicle dependant)
* 0-60 speed timings - more accurate than just using plain old GPS - see how fast your car is (or truck)
* CO2 emissions readout
* Customisable dashboards
* Video your journey using the Track Recorder plugin with onscreen OBDII data overlay - a black box for you car/truck!
* Automatically send GPS tagged tweets directly to twitter (for example if you are going on a road trip)
* Massive fault code database for allowing lookup of fault codes from many different manufacturers
* Theme support (choose from different themes to change the look of your dashboard)
* Send logging information to web or email CSV/KML for analysis via excel / openoffice
* Heads up display / HUD mode for night time driving
* Compass (GPS Based) that won't suffer magnetic interference
* GPS Speedometer/Tracking and realtime web upload capability - see what you were doing and your engine, at a point in time
* Turbo boost feature for vehicles that support MAP and MAF sensors (VW / Audi / Seat etc supported)
* Alarms and warnings (for example if your coolant temperature goes over 120C whilst driving) with voice/speech overlay
* Car dock support
* Graph data
* Able to share screenshots to Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Email, etc
* AIDL API for connecting third party apps, A simple Telnet interface for developers to talk to the adapter, and an OBD scanner.
* Works on tablet devices like the Motorola Xoom, Dell Streak, and Samsung Galaxy Tab
Final thoughts are that anyone who is willing to do minor repairs on their car MUST have a DTC reader. You can access the codes easily online, and with the Torque Pro software I can do some of the actual diagnostics right on the Xoom. So the price and convenience simply make the need for these tools a real no brainer. As for the actual devices, both are worth every penny I paid for them. I like the XiTech's feel a lot more, and had I paid the same price for both I would feel really ripped off with the ELM unit. But even at $10, the ELM unit is a good choice, especially if you want Bluetooth capability.
Before going there, though, I want to say that I'm not a fan of the paperclip method of reading codes. The idea that I'd screw something up and short out the whole system scares me more than the thought of spending $25 on a code reader. In addition, I have 6 cars that use OBDii systems, so the purchase of a scanner will help me save a lot more money by being able to work on all the cars, not just my Corvette with a paperclip.
Okay, back to the actual code readers. As I start the review it is important that I acknowledge that I am nowhere near a good mechanic. I say this because I know some folks may be a bit worried that reading codes and doing some of this work may be too advanced for them. I always envied those guys that took autoshop and could rebuild a transmission in their sleep. I'm not one, but that doesn't mean I'm totally inept at basic car maintenance. By that I mean that I will never rebuild my Corvette's engine or transmission, but I can sure do the little things like run down a vacuum line or replace a sensor.
The secret, as most of the real mechanics will acknowledge, is having the right tools and patience. In my case, the purchase of these readers paid for themselves the first time I had to use them (which was just last week).
The first code reader I bought was the XiTech XR-90 Advanced OBD2 Code Reader.
I bought this at Amazon.com for $24 (free shipping as a Prime member). For the price you should not expect a really fancy unit. If you need a unit with more bells and whistles then great, but if you're just wanting to read a code for simple repairs (or to know what to expect when you go to a mechanic) then this unit is a good fit.
With the price issue in mind, the XiTech will only do the following:
1. Read Diagnostic Trouble Codes
2. Erase Diagnostic Trouble Codes
3. I/M menu
4. VIN menu
5. Rescan menu
The system plugs in easily to the connector under the driver's side dash. Even with my arthritic knees and back it was a snap to hook the reader up and then start it. In fact, once you have a good connection the reader comes on automatically (powered by your car).
The fitting between the reader's connector and the underdash connector was very smooth. This is important, as you'll see when I review the ELM327, and I think it helps to justify the little extra expense.
NOTE: The cheapest I found this unit was $33.50 with "free" shipping on Ebay. Since I'm an Amazon Prime member I already had "free" shipping, so I bought it there for only $23.99. If you're not a Prime member then just this one purchase will pretty much pay for the membership.
Back to the review ... some of the reports I read at Amazon and other places suggested it would take as much as a minute for the unit to start. I did not find that to be the case. I initially made a mistake, though, and will tell on myself to maybe help others avoid this dum "DUH!" moment.
Initially, I plugged the unit in, it came on, and then I sat there and waited. It was supposed to go through its startup routine, but what I hadn't realized is you needed to turn the key on once it was plugged in. If you just sit there it will never actually start, even though the thing lights up. It draws power from the connector/car and for that reason the screen will light up, but it won't actually start until you turn the key on.
Once I figured that out, the device went through the startup within just a few seconds. In fact, it was so quick that I didn't even have time to see it run through all the protocols. So I was very pleased.
Of course, most of us will use the device to read and erase DTC codes, and the machine works very quickly when doing this. Once started it almost immediately identified the codes. The screen will show how many codes there are and then you use the keys to access the rest of the menus.
There are only 2 buttons, one for "enter" and one for "scroll," so it is almost idiot proof. As my pop was found of saying, "Boy, you could screw up a steel ball with a rubber hammer." So it was nice to have something that is easy.
You use the enter button to make selections and the scroll button to get through the menus. Duh!
In my case, the new '96 threw a code while on a recent outing with my wife, and when I got home I had my chance to use the new code reader. It ends up that it paid for itself the first time I used it.
The code came up for a cruise control problem, and within 30 minutes I had run down a vacuum hose issue. It took me 30 minutes because I am very slow, methodical, and don't want to screw things up. The actual time to access the code and then look it up was only a few minutes. The rest of the time was spent tracking down the right locations and then doing the grunt work under the hood.
A trip to the local parts house gave me what I needed, and within a few hours of total time I was ready to go. According to the "book time" for this vacuum line problem, I would have been charged for 1 to 1.5 hours of time in the shop. I can see that, especially since it took some extra time to trace the vacuum lines in question. jWith shop time around here running $90+ an hour I figure I saved at least $150 for this one little problem.
Even had I not been willing to fix the problem myself, I would have been able to go to the mechanic with some knowledge of what to expect. For $24 I had the code reader, another $36 bought the Service Manual on CD from an Ebay vendor, and I'm ready to do more than simply shake my head with a vacuous look in my eyes while the service writer tells me the servo motor to the edelsmith inflation tube has gone out.
Once I fixed the problem, I resent the DTC and gave the car a test drive. No lights. Fantastic! Now if only all the future code problems will go as smooth.
This XiTech did not read the VIN on my Corvette, and I'm assuming that it simply is not supported for this year ('96). If it is, then someone can chime in and correct me. If so then I either did something wrong or the unit is defective. Seeing how well it worked so far, though, I'm inclined to think that this function is simply not supported.
The rescan menu was useful when trying to track down what was wrong. When you fix something (or just jiggle it hoping there is nothing more than a bad connection) you can quickly reset the code and then rescan with this feature. I had a chance to use the reader again with my secretary's car. She has been driving with the "service engine" light on for at least 6 months, so I took my scanner to her house to see what I could figure out. Seems her problem was a faulty O2 sensor, and that worked really well for her. I didn't fix her car, but at least her husband knew what to look for when he decides to do it for her.
All in all, I'd say that the XiTech is a good purchase. The overall quality appears to be very good. The case is attractive, easy to hold while crawling around under the dash, and the cable is just long enough to reach into your lap while in the driver's seat. About the only thing I might complain about is the cable length. I wish it were maybe another 1 to 2 feet longer, but I realize that would raise the price a bit. Given the market niche these folks are shooting for, the extra $1 to $2 that might raise the price is probably not worth it.
One other item to note on the XiTech, the LED screen is bright enough to see easily in the garage, but isn't as clear in the direct sun. Most of these screens aren't, so that's nothing really surprising. Reading the screen with the device in one hand while shading it with the other wasn't that difficult.
The second OBDii reader I purchased was more of a "what the heck" purchase. It is an ELM327 Bluetooth module that I purchased through Ebay. I paid $4, plus free shipping, for the unit, and had it in my hands within 2 weeks.
NOTE: If you don't want to buy from a Chinese distributor then you probably will pay more for this unit. At Amazon, the ELM327 Bluetooth is $24, so I was able to save a bunch. That's the "what the heck" part of this deal. Had it been $24 I would have just stayed with the XiTech unit.
I bought this unit because I have both a Motorola Droid X and a Motorola Xoom that have Bluetooth capability. I'm a bit of a tech-nerd, so this was worth it just to have the toy. It is important to note that at this price you will NOT get software for the unit. Fortunately, if you use an Android system there are both free and pay programs that work pretty well (more on those in the last part of this write up).
The reader was not nearly as easy to connect, though it should have been. The reason, I suspect, is that the plastic part is not made to as nearly as close specs as the XiTech model. It simply did not fit over the Corvette's connector, and a quick inspection revealed a small plastic burr on the inside of the connector. A quick spin of the Dremel Tool took the spot down smooth and it connected with no problem.
As for the actual scan, the device seemed to work well once connected. Like the XiTech, it is powered by the juice coming through the car's connector, so it should come on right away. Of course, since it is connected via Bluetooth to another device (phone, tablet, etc.) then you'll want to make sure you have your other device turned on and ready to recognize a new Bluetooth device. I can imagine that someone not familiar with Bluetooth systems might struggle with this, but if you've used a Bluetooth wireless headset with your telephone you can easily use this device.
To test the reader I hooked it up initially knowing there were no DTCs being thrown. Once I determined that the device would communicated with my Droid I disconnected the same hose I had fixed a couple days earlier. I did this because I knew what the code should look like and that it would be something I could easily fix afterward.
Not surprisingly, the code reader did find the code and it published it quickly to my Droid. I have not had a chance to use it again, so my final thoughts on the device will have to wait awhile longer. I did get a chance to play with "fake" codes, though, and so far it seems to work okay.
Because the XiTech is so much bigger it is not something that will easily fit in the center console of the Corvette. And anyone with a convertible C4 knows that when going on a trip, even a short one, there is never enough room when the top is stowed. So I'm going to stick this little Bluetooth reader in the center console so that I have a reader while on the road. If it gets stolen or stops working while I'm on the road then I'm only out $4.
As for the software, as I noted I use the system with either my Droid X or the my Motorola Xoom tablet. It works well with both, but the Xoom is easier for me to read. I downloaded the Torque Light software from the Android Market.
The beauty of this system is that the Torque software works pretty well using the free version. Not only will the software show and reset engine fault codes/DTC trouble codes, it will also do some pretty fun things with the Droid phone. This includes ...
1. Export map/track log files to Google Earth KML / CSV
2. Engine performance data(0 to 60, quarter mile, etc)
3. Provide a Head up Display/GPS HUD mode perfect for checking your speed at night or in spots that may have speed traps.
The two disadvantages of the Torque Lite software is that you get advertisements on the bottom of the screen and it is not as powerful as the full version. Considering the full version is only $4.80 it is likely I'll buy it to load on both the Droid X and the Xoom.
The Pro version of the software has several extra features. Here's all the extra stuff the paid version will do:
Can read Transmission Temperatures (vehicle dependant)
* 0-60 speed timings - more accurate than just using plain old GPS - see how fast your car is (or truck
)* CO2 emissions readout
* Customisable dashboards
* Video your journey using the Track Recorder plugin with onscreen OBDII data overlay - a black box for you car/truck!
* Automatically send GPS tagged tweets directly to twitter (for example if you are going on a road trip)
* Massive fault code database for allowing lookup of fault codes from many different manufacturers
* Theme support (choose from different themes to change the look of your dashboard)
* Send logging information to web or email CSV/KML for analysis via excel / openoffice
* Heads up display / HUD mode for night time driving
* Compass (GPS Based) that won't suffer magnetic interference
* GPS Speedometer/Tracking and realtime web upload capability - see what you were doing and your engine, at a point in time
* Turbo boost feature for vehicles that support MAP and MAF sensors (VW / Audi / Seat etc supported)
* Alarms and warnings (for example if your coolant temperature goes over 120C whilst driving) with voice/speech overlay
* Car dock support
* Graph data
* Able to share screenshots to Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Email, etc
* AIDL API for connecting third party apps, A simple Telnet interface for developers to talk to the adapter, and an OBD scanner.
* Works on tablet devices like the Motorola Xoom, Dell Streak, and Samsung Galaxy Tab
Final thoughts are that anyone who is willing to do minor repairs on their car MUST have a DTC reader. You can access the codes easily online, and with the Torque Pro software I can do some of the actual diagnostics right on the Xoom. So the price and convenience simply make the need for these tools a real no brainer. As for the actual devices, both are worth every penny I paid for them. I like the XiTech's feel a lot more, and had I paid the same price for both I would feel really ripped off with the ELM unit. But even at $10, the ELM unit is a good choice, especially if you want Bluetooth capability.
Happy Holidays and thanks again,
Herman
07-18-2015, 10:29 AM
#5
Burning Brakes
I understand many of those are missing the components for j1850 (maybe more), and it is hit and miss if they work.
EDIT
Here is the post I found when looking at these.
http://www.ls1lt1.com/forum/pcm-tuni...ing-parts.html
EDIT
Here is the post I found when looking at these.
http://www.ls1lt1.com/forum/pcm-tuni...ing-parts.html
Last edited by aDigitalPhantom; 07-18-2015 at 10:43 AM.
