[hems77]

Hi

Recently been using the hidden menu in my car to keep an eye on the coolant temp - it is a pain to access it though each time.

I wondered whether any members use other readers or gauges that shows this information easily, all the the time and in clear view. I came across this - http://www.scangauge.net/ which sounds pretty good.

Anyone else have any other suggestions or recommend what they use???

Cheers

[Alpina_B3_Lux]

The best choice for this is in my opinion the Rixster boost gauge. The latest version is connected to the CANbus and integrated into the left vent - looks OEM and you can display all kinds of useful information (coolant temp, timing, exhaust gas temperatures, boost...). However I do not know whether it's also compatible with other cars besides the 335i - you would have to enquire.

Alpina_B3_Lux

[hems77]

Thanks for the reply. Think I saw this before too, looks cool! But aren't these more expensive? Was thinking of something bit cheaper. Also I have a 320d so will it work with this or is it just for 335i?

Cheers

[F104]

I have the dashdyno. I like it since it has user (multi) programmable alarms thru 3 bright LED's. They tell me when a regen takes place. And no, it doesn't simply fit where i have it, there's not much left of the inner bits of the tray. The buttons light up to nearly BMW red at night.

One piece of advice: be sure the OBD reader shuts down upon key off. If it doesn't, it will keep the engine ECU alive for 30 minutes and potentially cause a low battery . You'll know when the stop/start button remains on. I've been there, the dashdyno guys have been great and provided me with a beta version to shut it down on seeing zero rpm, which is now a selectable option

[m1bjr]

The DME will NOT drain a starter battery in 30min.
It's consumption is in the order of hundreds of mA.

I have used a Scanguage 2 on a couple of cars. A very neat unit and would be ideal for you.

[F104]

Originally Posted by m1bjr

The DME will NOT drain a starter battery in 30min.
It's consumption is in the order of hundreds of mA.

Not quite. I agree it should not harm a healthy battery, my battery had already a problem, and this simply aggrevated it. But it's also not that simple. Atter switching engine off and closing the doors the DME goes into sleep mode in 3 steps:

1) first stage is when the start/stop light remains illuminated. Should go off after 30 seconds, or when closing doors/trunk/hood, 30 seconds after this. During this time about every unit in the car is alive, and it pulls 4 Amp from the battery. This is what i highlighted, if you hook up an OBD reader that stays on as long as there is data, the DME won't shut down either as it sees activity. This will then take exactly 30 minutes,upon which the DME shuts down anyway. And then the OBD reader too. But if say two hours later you open a door, trunk, or whatever, the DME comes alive, the the OBD reader too, and they go into another 30 minute round, instead of 30 seconds, again pulling 4 Amp all the time. Now 4amp in 30 minutes is only 2Amp-hr, and we have a 90 Amp-hr battery. But go into you car a few times and it adds up

2) second stage it will fall back to much lower Amps, and another time interval (i forgot these values)

3) Lastly it will go to the full sleep mode. If that would be hundreds of mAmp you couldn't park your car for two weeks. It should be 40 mAmp max, value kindly provided by BMW, but really around 20 mAmp. Mine is at 18-22 mAmp