For those who are interested in automotive tuning

[SolTurboLove]

This summer i picked up a JAW wideband controller from http://www.14point7.com as a fun electronics project to lightly modify my turbocharged Volvo.
Features:
-Wideband Air/Fuel ratio
-RPM sensor
-Datalogging via USB
-optional EGT(Exhaust gas temperature) and Boost sensors

I like the feeling of connecting a laptop to my car. nerdgasm

[DigitalOSH]

I'm not terribly well versed in this department, but does this connect using your OBDII port? Does it just give you readings or does it actually allow you to change anything?

[SolTurboLove]

Sorry i should've made that more clear...This does NOT connect to any diagnostic port in your car.

It's an entirely new sensor you place into your exhaust that replaces the stock oxygen sensor.

This thing is basically an air/fuel ratio gauge. It tells you if your engine is burning rich or lean, which is crucial when you're modifying a turbocharged engine.
If you're burning rich you're losing power and wasting gas, if you're burning lean you gain power but run the risk of blowing your engine.

So no, it doesn't allow you to "change anything" but it shows you what's happening when you tweak the things that need to be tweaked when tuning a car.

It's like running CPU-Z when you're overclocking.

[Tetragrammatron]

Super awesome! I snagged a PLX Kiwi Wifi dongle for connecting to the ODB II port. I used to own an iPod touch and had the app that allowed you to wireless read realtime data from the dongle about every diagnostic sensor available on the vehicle. Have you ever tried something similar? It doesn't allow you to change anything either, but for diagnostic purposes its great.

Your sensor however would be a huge addition to this as its purely dependent on what sensors your vehicle comes with.

http://www.plxkiwi.com/kiwiwifi/hardware.html

I lost my iPod touch so I wouldn't mind selling this to someone if they were interested. Sigh...I always lose everything.

[SolTurboLove]

Oh neat, that is pretty sweet...i've never really used that type of thing, mainly because i don't own any 'i' products, and the cars I tend to own don't have ODB II ports...

But on a related note, I did see a guy use an iphone app when he was at an autocross event (time attack course setup with cones). He had it outputting a sound effect proportional to the amount of lateral G's he was pulling when he went around a corner so he knew how hard he was pushing the car...really neat, and he had one of the top times too. (i'm not sure what the app was called)

[Odemia]

I will have to run this past my manager. He is a networking guy and was asking me the other day about how to connect air sensors etc on his older vehicles to car PC. He would love this.

I am not much of a car person but I have been wanting to do something like this: http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1578152. Again ODBII for diagnostics, but also I want it to be able to log gps for Open Street maps, navigate and maybe even play movies for passengers on long trips. If Captian's GSM car starter was added it would be a DIY OnStar on steroids.

[DigitalOSH]

I honestly have thought about carpcs for a very long time and don't see the advantage. You could pick up a used Pioneer Avic system (based on WinCE) and testmode mod it (details at avic411.com). I have an Avic x710bt (cost me about 600 bucks brand spanking new) and it does:
-Sirius satellite radio
-GPS nav with logging capability as well as a built in address book of just about every business in North America (updatable)
-Built in Bluetooth for speakerphone
-USB port to connect an iPhone or iPod for in dash control
-Video playback (I haven't mastered the codecs yet) via USB or SD
-has an SD card reader slot
-has video for rear view camera
-can receive and play iPhone or iPod video
-has an extra A/V input (I plan to hook up a WDTV unit)
-has capability for 2 additional video outs to overhead or back of seat video screens
-obviously has a built in amp so it can drive your speakers without needing a different stereo to tap into

I feel like that's more cost effective, better looking and better integrated than a carpc

Thoughts?

[Odemia]

I am curious about Avics, but can't get pioneers site to load to check all the specs. Looks like integrating it into the dash would be a lot easier than custom moding a plain old touchscreen or a tablet. Has it/could it be hacked to read and display ODB II and communicate with gsm dongle/gumstick? If so it is very impressive for $600.

Anyways I am not going to be moving on this anytime soon. Will be summer at least before I have the money/time.

[mattf]

Hey SolTurboLove, that is pretty sweet.
Because of this post, I impulse bought one of these:
http://www.14point7.com/SLC-OEM.php
I bought the oem eval kit, so it doesn't have a display, but the whole thing was $100! (including sensor) I couldn't pass it up! I think it should come in handy for tuning the 1973 CB350 motorcycle I'm working on this winter.

-Matt

[SolTurboLove]

Nicely done Matt!!!

Be sure to post pics when you get it!

-Sol