project on hold due to water leak and rain delay
 

I tried the K-line USB adapter again, yesterday, on all three of my Android devices, including the tablet. The cheap ($100 three years ago), spare phone, an AT&T-sourced Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017) (J327A) was the only one able to connect. It still locks up on "service functions" and must be disconnected to restart. So, it is not very useful, being only able to give me coolant and oil temperatures (Torque Pro gives me coolant temp); while engine oil temperature isn't really useful as long as I know the coolant temp, I still want transmission temperature, unavailable by any method I've tried so far.

Results

• OBDLink app - free with OBDLink LX $60 dongle (this app only works with this dongle, but unable to give me any BMW info),
  
  
• Torque Pro - $5 app, using the OBDLink LX dongle (or Bafx $16 dongle) (gives me coolant temp on all devices),
  
  
• Bimmer Tool full version app $16, useless using either of the above listed dongles, but now the USB K-Line direct connection $31 gives the best results (only on the cheap phone)

While testing, I noticed a wet floorboard, so I'm endeavouring to find/fix the leak. https://xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-forums/...ide-floor.html It's due to rain for up to three days, and since my X5 sits uncovered on dirt in the rear driveway, I've covered it with a tarp for the duration (no use adding to the leak). Stay tuned later, for any progress on the gauge substitute hunt.

I've been using Torque Pro, cheap phone, & OBDLink LX dongle
 

Since my last entry in this thread, I've been more concerned with SES lights that've shown up https://xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-forums/...-codes-me.html

I've been using the Torque Pro Android app,my cheap backup phone, & OBDLink LX dongle to monitor coolant temp and short & long-term fuel trims when I drive the X5. I replaced the exhaust cam position sensor, and went 30 miles without any codes (!), finally. Good enough for now.

I really haven't felt like experimenting lately, even though I would like to try the Deep OBD app I downloaded. However, I'm not technically up to understanding it quite yet. So back to the "I-bus/Android" device as an OBC monitor plan.

While outside today, checking my vehicles & their battery maintainers, I finally got a closer look at my X5's hifi amplifier in the left side of the trunk.
Attachment 81564
I've been trying to find the correct wiring diagram to find an I-bus wire I can splice into, so I can use a Resler USB adapter + I-bus app + my 8" Android tablet as an OBC monitor only (not ready to spend $500 for the Android radio). I can't make heads nor tails of the WDS and NewTis wiring diagrams, and my downloaded service manual isn't indexable, and a bear to find anything on. I'm not even sure if I'd have to tap into White/Grey/Yellow or White/Red/Yellow spots (both were listed on the E46 forum as I-bus wiring).

I also have other unused connectors back there, that I can't seem to positively identify.
Attachment 81566

Second connector (behind the spare wheel) is for the trailer connection loom. You add a trailer module (in the cubby next to the battery) and the trailer connection loom to this connector and you have the correct trailer wiring (monitored bulbs, modified ABS/DSC modes, disabled rear PDC etc.).

3 plug loom on the middle is for PDC module. Single connector with large round pins is for towbar electrics.

thanks; more info to mull over
 

More circuits to try and decipher. A little bit at a time.

damned if I do anything, it seems something always goes bad
 

It's been awhile since my lost post on this thread; sadly, my "progress" is marching steadily backwards.

Using the set-ups listed above, here are my worsening results:

• 1) OBDLINK LX dongle with OBDLINK app...no connection ever, just connection faults,
  
  
• 2) On my last 3-4 trips in the X5, I tried using OBDLINK LX with the Torque Pro app, thru the "old phone", with coolant temperature and short-term & long-term fuel trims (both banks) as my "dashboard gauges". Three problems:
  • a) it is taking me up to 15 minutes to get the Torque Pro app to connect, even though the OBDLINK LX dongle is already paired to it,
  • b) short-term fuel trim bank 1 cuts in/out, then finally doesn't register at all,
  • c) the app loses connection with the dongle, sometimes, and won't reconnect 'til I spend 15 minutes working on it, after arriving back home, and
  
  
• 3) Bimmertool app via K-line/OTG direct plug-in to "old phone" never connects, either.

I thought I had made enough progress to hold me over until I could get the Resler Ibus adapter & the Ibus app, tap into the Ibus wire under the console (at connector X4545),
Attachment 81753
and use my 8" tablet to display the data needed. But, I'm running back & forth to doctors everywhere lately (just discovered I'm diabetic), so I'm gonna have to reconfigure my bluetooth dongles to see if it's a bad phone or a bad OBDLINK LX dongle (I have a spare LX, plus a BAFX).

A question: why should the short-term fuel trim bank 1 PID suddenly, and permanently, go away, and not the others? Anyone know if it's the O2 sensor going wonky, or the DME not transmitting the data to the Torque Pro app.? I'm still getting P0171+P0174 after every second start/drive cycle.

Service Engine Soon light turned off on its own today
 

I've never seen it happen, so it took me by surprise.

I went on a 4-stop, 5-start/drive cycles trip with the wife this a.m. Since I haven't found out why my Android apps/cell phone combos aren't working right, I just didn't use them. I trusted my electric fan to work, even though I couldn't monitor coolant temp.

As usual, the SES came on during the second start/drive cycle I mentioned in the post above; but, during the final start/drive cycle, it went off by itself. I've never had that happen before. I'm sure the recurring P0171 & P0174 didn't correct themselves.

I'll go outside later and us my Foxwell to check it out (and try out my other Android dongle & device combos...again). And maybe hook up my Blackvue Power Magic Pro device (battery run-down protection, for after key-off running of the E-fan).

thoroughly weird results with my apps/dongles
 

I used the Foxwell to confirm that it STILL had P0171 & P0174, so the SES light should've remained on. I cleared the codes, and finally was able to also clear two KOMBI codes that I never understood the two-letter code for, that had been there since I got the X5). The passenger seat occupancy light on the dash still remains.

So, I took all three Android devices out there as well, and found that the OBDLINK LX dongle wouldn't connect, even after an update, but its' twin (used in my pickup) works OK with the spare phone using Torque Pro. My Samsung S8+ worked with the Bimmertool app, using the USB/OTG/K-line hardwire to the OBD port, and the 8" tablet worked with the OBDLINK app (even after the P0171&P0174 codes were cleared, this app still said the MIL light was on, when it wasn't).

I even got the spare phone automated to connect when the Torque Pro app is switched-on, so it'll be the quickest to run with... just jump in and go. The more detailed Bimmertool app gives me oil temperature, not available on the other apps, so I might use it during summer heat. For some reason, OBDLINK app no longer gives me as many PID's to monitor as does Torque Pro (not even coolant temp), so it'll just be a backup. Their update must've screwed something up.

I'll need to replace the other OBDLINK LX dongle, though my 10-year-old BAFX dongle should still work on my pickup, so I don't have to switch them between vehicles. I still intend to tap into the Ibus, eventually.

the automatic power run-down prevention device works
 

I took some time hooking up the device, using scraps of wire left over from other projects. The device had 24gauge wire and all my rolls of wire seem to be 10-14gauge. A mishmash, as all my wiring seems to be.

But the device works, shutting off the fan either at the 12.5 vdc cut-off point I set (I thought 12.0 vdc was too low) and at a maximum time of 6 hours (it won't run that long, ever). It'll shut off earlier, if the thermal switch says to stop. I might adjust the thermal switch to shut off a bit lower, if need be.

Sounds like that should cover just about situation and never leave you stranded. :thumbup: