PLX Kiwi Wifi, Dash Command, iPhone 4

spearfish25

So I've been looking to better monitor and follow what's going on with my car, and I stumbled across the PLX Kiwi Wifi OBD-II module. Then my App Store genius suggestions included the program Dash Command. Putting two and two together, I decided to buy them both and try them out. I've borrowed a friend's Scangauge II and it's nice but simplistic. I'm into aesthetics and like the visual experience Dash Command gives, so I went that route.

While waiting the two days for my Amazon Prime ordered PLX to be delivered, I started reading the PLX and Dash Command forums. Frankly, I freaked out. Every post in those forums is about a problem such as how the PLX and Dash Command don't communicate, the interface is too slow, the car's PIDs aren't recognized...the list goes on and on. I was sweating bullets waiting to see where I'd fall in that problem heap.

So the PLX arrived today and I downloaded Dash Command. The PLX was $150 and DC another $50, so I was nervous about my questionable $200 investment. Well, fear not my friends. The PLX plugs right into the OBD-II port and comes with a ~6ft cord. I popped the side footwell panel off (the one that incorporates the fuse box access door) and the plastic cover off the side rail along the bottom edge of the door and ran the wire behind these. It's simple to run the wire and have it exit the side rail at about mid-driver's seat. Then I Velcro'd the PLX control box to the side of the driver's seat. It gives easy access to turn the PLX on/off if you choose (OBD port gives full time power, so a long storage could kill the battery if you leave the PLX on), and I can just rip it off the velcro if I need to look at it. Install complete!

Setting up the iPhone is as simple as turning on Wifi, connecting to the PLX and entering a static IP and DNS. Then you fire up the DC program and click 'Connection'. It found my PLX immediately and I was off and running.

First thing I noticed is that the RPM doesn't read instantaneously and has about a 1 second lag. Frankly, this is not as big a deal as people make it to be...no one is going to look at RPM on this device instead of the RPM dial in the dash directly in front of you! DC logs information well and has a robust default interface with impressive MPG calculations and just about every gauge you could desire. There is a trick though to get full functionality. You have to enter a vehicle setup for your specific car. This is easy to do on the second screen of the DC menu. It takes a little time, but you enter the curb weight, wheel circumference, gear ratios, redline rpm, idle rpm, drag coefficient, etc etc. Once you do this, DC will then calculate as many variables as possible and display information in many more of the available gauges.

As I just got this, I'll be using it more over the next few days/weeks and will report back. The only down side I can see to this thing is that you have to actively turn it on, connect, and use it when you're in the car. The alternative is ScanGauge II where you just plug it in and it turns on/off automatically requiring no user intervention. The trade off is a very appealing interface on DC. Everything comes at a price.

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2013 Cadillac V-Wagon, RIP Z

TreeSemdyZee

Sounds pretty cool. Just curious. Where does the Wifi come into play? Is it between the unit and your iPhone. I know. Dumb question, I'm trying to visualize the setup.

supunna_picta

I just bought this setup but it was the Kiwi Bluetooth version and an android powered phone running Torque (~$5US, pretty cheap for the power the app has). Look into other apps in the iPhone market as I think there were about 4 or 5 on the kiwi website but for different platforms.

The logging in Torque is pretty cool for monitoring vehicle stats on trips or at the track with a OTA upload as an excel file. I think I even saw other software for track map overlays that when coupled with the GPS, OBDII Data and accelerometer in your phone/kiwi gives you a buttload of track data as you do lap after lap.

For android users: Torque — OBD2 Performance and Diagnostics for your Vehicle

The wireless OBDII connector:
PLX Kiwi Bluetooth Buy Now- Connect your Droid mobile device to your car's OBD2 OBDII Port

There should be some settings for interval/smoothing for RPM and other 'fast' data (like g-meter). Have you noticed any cool, unexpected PID's for the Z? I've only used mine on our WRX (picking up my Z on Friday).

__________________
2011 Touring/Sport/6mt | winter: 2009 WRX

supunna_picta

DashCommand is a little pricey but has a very nice interface and dash gauges and it looks like it has a lite version of the Track mapper. Very cool - if the Android version is as good as the iPhone I might have to pick it up!

Do you know if it does 0-60 and 1/4 mile measurements?

__________________
2011 Touring/Sport/6mt | winter: 2009 WRX

Red__Zed

Should allow for a very clean setup. Interested to see how it works out.

spearfish25

The PLX gives a wifi link of the OBDII info to the iPhone via an adhoc wifi network. So you don't plug your phone into anything.

I'll keep an eye out for interesting PIDs. I did notice the software tries to break data into right, left, or average. Strangely, right and left are never the same. For example my left intake temp says 120F and the right says 80F. Same thing happens for catalyst temp, MAP, MAF, etc. Not sure where it's getting the second value from or why they differ.

No 1/4mi or 0-60 that I've seen. It is supposed to map your track laps and give color overlays of g forces. I'll keep you guys posted as I test it more.

__________________
2013 Cadillac V-Wagon, RIP Z

docaam

Any screen shots

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Old 370Z SOLD but not forgotten
370Z 40th, G37s, S30 RBZ, Hakosuka Skyline

puckshaw

I picked out the same hardware and software as you and was going to place my order in the next week or so. I had read about the troubles too and was worried it was going to be a disappointment so I'm glad to see it actually works well.

Can you list out all the parameters that can be monitored for our car? I heard that we have stock wideband sensors and can read A/F from our OBDII. Can you confirm that?

Thanks!

kenchan

spearfish- that's pretty cool. please post up picts.

djpathfinder

I've had the PLX used with Rev on my iPhone for about to read and clear codes. It's worked well with a 2002 Maxima, 2005 FX45, 2007 Z4 M Coupe and the 370Z of course. I haven't played around with all the accessory functions much, does sound like there's a lot of cool stuff.

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2012 GT-R Black Edition Jet Black
2010 370Z 40th Anniversary // SOLD

kenchan

spearfish is scratching his head how to take picture while camera (iphone) is what needs to be photographed...

spearfish25

LOL. I did have a momentary 'WTF am I going to do to get a picture' thought. Then I started clicking screen shots. I use the ProClip to hold the iPhone on the passenger knee pad...no magic there.

It looks to monitor:
RPM
Speed
Acceleration
HP, Torque (neither of which seem close to accurate currently)
Fuel flow
Fuel level
A/F ratio (lamda)
Catalyst temp
Intake temp
Timing
Fuel trims
Throttle position
MAP
MAF
MPG (calculated based on all kinds of ****)
Tracks time in each gear, Distance in each gear
CO2 emissions

Couple things that are odd or not working:
- Ambient temp doesn't work
- Torque and HP are obviously untrustworthy and calculated. The figures are just stupid and I'd prefer it wasn't included.
- It knows the gear you're in based on your drive ratios (you type in), RPM, and RPM limits (you enter the redline, min RPM, and shift point). I don't know what makes it consider the gear to be 'wrong'. I'm going to play with the shift point RPM since my 6th gear highway time is similar to the 'wrong gear time' and I was probably at 3100 RPM with the shift point set at 3k rpm. I bumped it up to 4k and we'll see what happens.


Here are some shots: You can see the PLX mounted with Velcro on the driver's seat for easy access. Also, this is the default dashboard skin. There are many others you can download, although I think this is by far the most robust. Also, you can make your own if you can figure out their software.

__________________
2013 Cadillac V-Wagon, RIP Z

kenchan

hahaha. Dayam, looks good!

fuct

wow, your in the wrong gear alot!!!!! (oops just reread your post)

and check out the time on your phones screen shots! 11:34 hell

puckshaw

Nice! Thanks for posting the details up! +rep