In lieu of readable gauges...

[workingonit]

So far, I'm not a fan of my new-to-me '01 X5 3.0i's gauges and controls; the misleading coolant temperature gauge on the dash first among them. Instead of trying to reprogram it using Greek-to-me "hexadecimal coding" via inpa/ista/wink/etc. PC-based K+D Can cables & magic, I set up a spare phone with Torque Pro app, and an engine coolant dial on the screen.

However, it takes awhile to get it up and running each time, so I'd rather have a built-in or add-on gauge ready to go. Can't find one except for $50-60 obd2 HUD dashtop chinesium stuff. And, the ones that show coolant don't show oil pressure or transmission temperatures (I'd like all 3).

I am also looking at B-tool app , which might work if I used a K+D Can cable ( plus OTG for the android phone); has anyone tried that app to get the info I want displayed?



Sent from my SM-G955U using Xoutpost.com mobile app

[Fifty150hs]

Originally Posted by workingonit

So far, I'm not a fan of my new-to-me '01 X5 3.0i's gauges and controls; the misleading coolant temperature gauge on the dash first among them. Instead of trying to reprogram it using Greek-to-me "hexadecimal coding" via inpa/ista/wink/etc. PC-based K+D Can cables & magic, I set up a spare phone with Torque Pro app, and an engine coolant dial on the screen.

However, it takes awhile to get it up and running each time, so I'd rather have a built-in or add-on gauge ready to go. Can't find one except for $50-60 obd2 HUD dashtop chinesium stuff. And, the ones that show coolant don't show oil pressure or transmission temperatures (I'd like all 3).

I am also looking at B-tool app , which might work if I used a K+D Can cable ( plus OTG for the android phone); has anyone tried that app to get the info I want displayed?



Sent from my SM-G955U using Xoutpost.com mobile app

Highly recommend installing an AVin Avant 4 with the IBUS app. It will give you a ton of modern abilities along with the IBUS ability to give you all the info about your engine. Probably the best $350 I've spent on my X.

[workingonit]

My X5 came with these option codes, per the VIN:
Multimedia
S640 Preparation F Tel.Installation Universal
S645 BMW US Radio
S650 CD Drive
S661 Radio BMW Business (C43)
S676 HiFi Speaker System
S691 CD Holder
S692 Preparation, BMW 6-CD Changer I-Bus

but when owner #2 acquired it (to prepare it for swapping it to me, for my old race car), there was no radio in it, nor signs of a CD drive, telephone, or "I-bus" module/wiring, as far as I can tell, only the front speakers and CD holder (in the console armrest) are still extant. Previous Owner #1 must've had trouble with the equipment, moved it to another car, or sold the items. There is a bunch of unused connectors & wiring behind the left trunk access panel, though.

PO #2 bought and installed a cheap Blaupunkt Seattle 660 6.2-inch Dash Touch Screen Multimedia Car Stereo Receiver with Bluetooth unit off E-bay or Amazon, just to fill the hole in the dash, and provide me with tunes. It works fine for my limited needs (radio, USB stick, CD player), but no more than that. Blaupunkt used to be a good German brand, but since then some of their stuff isn't so good. I had two different Blaupunkt 8-track players in my '67 Dodge Monaco 500, and my '73 Volvo 142, back in the late 60's and early 70's.

So, though installing an Avin Avant 4 HU (with I-bus) might give me access to BMW (hidden) data, and other capabilities, I can't see ripping-out the unit recently installed in the dash, working fine, just to get the other features other than data. I'm used to work-arounds, and I was looking for using what I've already got, and just adding the bare minimum to achieve my goal. Maybe later, I can install something that can do it all, but not now.

[wpoll]

The Blaupunkt is all well and good - until you want to set the car's clock or check your fuel consumption/mileage etc.

[workingonit]

Originally Posted by wpoll

The Blaupunkt is all well and good - until you want to set the car's clock or check your fuel consumption/mileage etc.

Though there's no MID still present, the Board Computer still allows me to check some things like fuel consumption & mileage, and I have multiple devices onboard to tell me the time. Three devices replace the NAV functions my Blaupunkt cheapie radio doesn't have.

All I'm wanting to add is a way to always monitor (at a glance) the coolant temperature, oil pressure and/or temperature, and transmission temperature. Whether or not the information I want to view full-time is readily available thru an Android app (I'll keep trying new ones), or via an add-on OBD2-powered dongle device (cheap-ish), I'm going to find a way to do it.

I thought about adding a gauge set, like I'm used to using on many past vehicles, but I'm not liking the thought of

• 1) the high price for a good set of additional sensors, gauges, and mounting,
• 2) finding a suitable gauge set to more-or-less blend-in with the interior (I'm not happy with my modifications/additions so far, detracting from the appearance of this old, but classic BMW),
• 3) there's already info available, and I know there must be a better way to access it (ideally thru the PIDs that the OBD port should be able to share, if the correct access is found), and
• 4) possible interference with other sensors and modules already on the X5, if additional analog devices or a badly-programmed digital device is added

.

I couldn't get the Torque Pro app to furnish PIDs for oil pressure & temperature or transmission temperature (the PIDs never go green), nor the OBDLink app that I have used for years on other vehicles (though some GM PIDs are missing on them, I have gauges that give me the data). I'm going to try more Android apps (my phones & tablet are all Android) to try to get what I need.

At present, I'm considering a "K+D Can cable" ($30) + my "OTG adapter" combo (to hook-in to my Androids), to be able to use the Bimmertool Pro app ($16). It says it should work on pre-2008 BMW's (some add-on devices will not).

I'll keep trying for awhile, but I will post results here, regardless of outcome...and probably, eventually try the I-bus + Android radio as previously suggested.

[nick325xit 5spd]

You're putting a lot of effort into not doing the things that you know will work.

[80stech]

+1

[Corellian Corvette]

Yeah the Avin is probably the best option. The IBUS app is faster than torque, and when you install it will also bring back the functionality of the MID. Not to mention you get Carplay / Android Auto and a bunch of cool media functions if you ever want to add, say, a backup camera or a dash cam.

And not sure what your time is worth, but given where the engine is in the X5 I can only imagine the HOURS it would take to try and tap in some sort of mechanical or aftermarket gauge. An Avin can be installed in 30 min.

And it's not my place to judge others reasons to monitor these things but I can offer some thoughts after dozens of cars and dozens of years of ownership.

The BMW temp gauge is designed pretty well. The center of the gauge is between 190 and 220 F. It's dampened so that it stays in a normal range and doesn't cause concern but it WILL move if there is something wrong. Also, the low coolant sensors will report a problem IMMEDIATELY if you have coolant loss.

There is no reason the gauge should move off the center line if the system is working. If it creeps up and goes back down (with no coolant light), you have air in the system. If goes up slowly with no coolant warning you should stop what you're doing and you probably have a short amount of time. If it goes up AND you have a coolant light you need to shut it down immediately.

Knowing the specific temp really doesn't matter because the system is designed to run between 190 and 210. Anything outside of that (above or below) is a problem, and the gauge will reflect that. If it's reading low you have something going on in your thermostat. If it goes high, problem is as described above.

Again, not my call to tell anyone what to do but I think you'll find a lot of time and effort spent to find out that the factory gauge actually does a good job telling you what you need to know.

Good luck for whatever you decide to do.

[workingonit]

I don't know what lies beneath the Blaupunkt radio,or if the PO removed all connections back there. Or if the vehicle ever had an Ibus (not sure if an Ibus came with all factory radios, or some, or none) there's no indications that it had one per the VIN.

On the Resler site I found this:

Originally Posted by Installation_guide_Resler_interface.pdf

Why do we need a Resler USB interface?
The interface serves as an interface to the vehicle K / I-BUS. If you have a BMW E39 (or E53?) and an Android
navigation radio, such as the Xtrons PB7839BAP (or an Android smartphone with a USB interface) and a
suitable app (e.g. the BMW I-BUS App)

which makes me wonder if the I-bus dongle can display info on my tablet? There's no further guide to show how it would work.

I'm not electronics-savvy (my wiring has always been iffy, and I only assembled my first PC two years ago, at 69), so I'm in the dark here. I just want to find the info I want (maybe not a necessity for others, so much) without ripping out the "new" radio, and screwing up the wiring more than it might be already.

My last resort: I can always get ahold of my friend, the EE who installed the present radio, to see if he would be kind enough to help me install either the Ibus connection to tablet, or later, a true Avin Avant or similar Android head unit.

[nick325xit 5spd]

IBUS is in all E53s.

You could always ask your EE friend if he cut the harness, or used an adapter when he installed the shitty blaupunkt.