The Bullydog Watchdog?....

[winkosmosis]

Only $255? What is the disadvantage of this vs the Scanguage and why don't we all use these instead??


What does it need vehicle weight for? To calculate horsepower?

[cfg83]

winkosmosis -

Originally Posted by winkosmosis

Only $255? What is the disadvantage of this vs the Scanguage and why don't we all use these instead??


What does it need vehicle weight for? To calculate horsepower?

About $100. I would claim that the SG was first, at least for Hypermilers/Ecomodders, so it's got intertia dibs.

I want to know about vehicle weight too. The default inputs should be a "clue" as to the MPG algorithm.

CarloSW2

[bluetwo]

That's true it's about a hundred more but you do actually get a bigger and better screen, at least it's better in that it's a color display.



And that was exactly my point with this thread wink: why don't we use these, or more to the point what is it that the Scanguage 2 will do that this one wont? And of course would I regret purchasing this instead of another Scanguage, for my other car?

[winkosmosis]

What's funny is the advertising photos for these devices NEVER show miles per gallon.

[SVOboy]

Yes, the SG has been around for years and is about half the price, so I think it's going to win over most people. Also, the screen on the bullydog is much smaller than it looks in the promotional pictures, it's not like a 3.5" gps screen or anything.

[winkosmosis]

The interface has to be better than the Scangauge. I was trying to program an Xgauge to monitor my O2 sensor before and after installing a new cat, but I just gave up. After a certain time, it just stopped accepting characters. It's hard enough entering a long hex string with those stupid buttons, but to have a "feature" like that is just ridiculous.

[SVOboy]

Well, it may be a pain in the butt, but it's not like the bullydog can actually monitor any more information due to the limitations of obd2. Furthermore, you need to wire the bulldog in separately for power and ground, which makes it more of a pain and less portable. I haven't tried mine yet so I don't know if it's worth it out not, this is all conjecture. I like my $30 mpguino

[bluetwo]

Ha ha, good point there. ^^

I know I'd love to have the 650 dollar DashDaq with the navigation built in but that's just not in the cards I guess.

[spectre]

Originally Posted by winkosmosis

What's funny is the advertising photos for these devices NEVER show miles per gallon.

The image above is not a WatchDog, it's actually their Triple Dog GT. That has all the functionality of the WatchDog, but also has a downloader built into it to tune the engine's ECU, and the ability to adjust your tunes on the fly - pretty cool (since adding horsepower generally boosts fuel economy as well). But the reason you're not seeing economy on that shot is because it's not a WatchDog.

[taredog]

SVOboy, did you ever get a chance to try the Watchdog out?

Originally Posted by cfg83

bluetwo -



I think you answered your own question. I think that the price of "plug and play" is that it is using what the OBD II spec is giving to it. I went looking for the volt/amp out of OBD II and found this :

16 pin car OBD2 special connector diagram and applications @ pinouts.ru

OBD II to USB cable pinout and wiring @ pinoutshandbook.com


Question: Can someone interpret the juice coming in from the above schematic?

I went to my car and tried to measure the amps of pin 16 but I messed up. I blew a fuse, not good! Sooooo, I do not suggest that you try this unless you know your electronics (I obviously don't, ).

CarloSW2

cfg83, that circuit will draw between 10 and 11 milliAmps at the voltages shown. At a more typical 13.5VDC battery voltage it will draw close to 12 mA. The actual maximum current rating of the PCM at pin 16 is probably out there. Somewhere.

You should NEVER try to measure the current (Amps) of an open circuit with your multimeter. It is designed to measure current in series with a device or electrical load. That's why you blew a fuse. The meter in the Amps position will have no (or very little) resistance and act like a dead short. If you do that on an unfused circuit, or even a fused one with enough potential you will ruin your multimeter. Sometimes catastrophically.

The fuse that blew might be a clue to the maximum current ability of the PCM at the OBDII port. Which fuse was it and what was it's rating? If it was a fuse on the car, the safe rated current for the OBDII port is 75 to 80% of the rating of the fuse that blew.