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      04-25-2008, 04:48 PM   #1
F104
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Belgium
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Drives: E92 320D M-sport
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: belgium

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ODB reader install in E90/92

Hi folks - my very first posting..hope this works.

I wanted at least coolant temperature in my E92 (diesel), turbo boost, and battery voltage (as the ECU decides when to charge the battery - this will need analog input though I believe). As I like the uncluttered look of my dashboard, multilple gauges were out of the question. Thus I looked at OBD readers, and chose the Dynoscan as i believed it would (just!) fit in the sun glass holder (ash tray for the smokers amongst you). Not just that, it has analog input options, dynanometer feature, user programmable warning lights etc. I did look at others, but design/dimensions were not interesting to me. The very flat DG 200 looked interesting initially, but as an OBD tool I understand in will not display the gauges etc. The Dynoscan has a gauge functionality as well, and it only takes seconds to get bored of it (sorry Auterra..). Plus the dynoscan does a lot more then for example the Scangauge, and for us bimmer folks at least the buttons light up similar to the car's amber lights. Ok the screen is not amber but one can't have it all..

Thus I installed in the the sun glass holder. There is another thread on how to remove the panel, after that 4 screws to take the sun glass holder off, and then you need to take out the dremel.

I did cut out the back of the tray (the vertical panel in front of the lid when opened, and the bottom (while leaving the back 1/2 inch in place for some structural rigidity of it all. The try an error bit will be the front side (towards the gear selector). Mine is cut out such that it leaves 20 mm depth. This allows me to just slide the unit (upright), rotate it, and with a little bending of the front wall to lock in position. This is with wedges (from laminated flooring, high side is 6mm / 1/4") put on with double sided tape on the bottom of the dynoscan. The back of the unit (or wedges) sits against the horizonal bit left in the sun glass holder, the bottom sits with again double sided tape on the plastic structural bit underneath the holder. For me this works well. I'm 8.5 tall, seat positioned well back (E92) and all the way down (electric seat adjustment, doesn't go down as far as the manual ones), and i can read the screen well. The unit fits also in without the wedges (then almost dead horizontal) and is the borderline visible. Contrast/Brightness settings do a lot, but i like the slight angle with the wedges as seen in the pictures.
One might be tempted to leave the back wall of the ash tray in, I found the 1/4" or so you gain by taking it out gives great access to the lower keys - and the "menu" key on the low RH side is one of the most used and needs to be easily accessible.

I've also looked at removing the bottom half of the dynoscan, but it won't help. A) you void the warranty, B) it's clear the bottom half provides structural support to the connectors, and C) it really leaves an odd shape to try and fit in.

And yes.. mine is a manual, so access to the connections of the dynoscan is dead easy by taking the gear lever gator off. The unit fits within a mm or so(whatever that is in inches), no way you can slide it in with attached OBD cable. However by removing the gator, and detaching the cables, I can easily remove the unit for removing the memory card, (another neat feature) and/or programming it on the PC. I can't comment on auto transmissions, but guess it should not be more difficult

An at last Auterra support is just great.
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