Software for bluetooth OBD2 reader.
 

I bought one of these Bluetooth OBD2 readers as a cheap addon to another order from Amazon.

Well, when it arrived another item in the box had moved around and broke the little CD-R. :( Was going to try it on my Taurus today but can't. Note to Amazon. Two little air pillows will not restrain a 5" diameter by 3" thick steel gear! (It's for the back gear shaft on a LeBlond metal lathe that's probably 100 years old.)

Amazon gave me a refund, don't have to send the gizmo back, but now I have no software for it. I have a phone with Android 4.1.2 and a tablet with 4.4 to try with it.

Anyone have one of these and could send me a copy of the software that came with it or know where to download it? I don't know what software is on the broken disc. It was just packed in an anti-static bag.

The gear was factory packed in its own box with plastic wrap and expanding foam. Brilliant. Pack the indestructible item like it's egg fragile and don't pack the somewhat delicate item in anything tougher than a plastic bag.

Are you trying to use the Dongle with a android device?
Pay $5 and get Torque Pro.
The software on the disc was for a PC with Bluetooth and was garbage IMO.

Its all freeware and can be downloaded.

+1 on Torque app, its what I use and its awesome!

Turns out there are a ton of these Bluetooth "OBD2" dongles that don't actually support all protocols. They are CAN only and thus only work on 2005 and later and the few 2004 models with CAN. Of course I got one of them.

Got an Amazon link for one that is for certain actually OBD2?

I have used this one with success on CAN and K-Line vehicles. All kinds of years, makes, models.

Should have mentioned I'm a person who always shops for the best deal. For a bluetooth dongle for OBD2 for my own use it won't bother me a bit about data rate etc. I just want it to work with 1996 to 2004 OBD2 and be cheap. Would be nice if there weren't a bunch of lying sellers with CAN only ones falsely labeled as supporting OBD2.

I managed to buy all new and good quality bearings and drive belts to rebuild a variable speed drive on a milling machine for under $100 by finding deals on ebay and amazon. Just lobbing cash at machine tool parts vendors for the exact same parts would've cost several hundred.

Same deal with a JET 9x20 metal lathe I'm converting to CNC. The lathe is like new, no wear at all. Got it for $50. Picked up stepper motors, a ballscrew, a ballscrew linear actuator (that happened to be the exact right length), a linear slide rail (that will find some other use), a very sturdy table and various other bits and bobs for $300. The Star Linear actuator (made 2 or 3 mergers ago by an ancestor to Bosch Rexroth) now retails for well over $300 by itself.

Patience, and eventually a deal on most anything can be found. I did drop $2K on a proLIGHT PLM2000 CNC mill that merely needed one wire soldered to fix it. Ones like it in running order tend to sell for 4K to 4.5K. So after that splurge, I don' wanna spend $100 on an OBD2 dongle I'll use maybe twice a year, if that often.

That's the one I got, It was under $20 even with shipping. It has worked on every car I have put it on form a 1995 and 2005 Jeep to a 2011 Town and country. 1998, 2000, and 2002 Subarus, A 2009 Buick, a 2008 Aspen. A 2006 Impala, and probably others I have forgotten.

I'm not positive this was the seller but this is the device for $11.29 and free shipping
http://www.amazon.com/Bluetooth-Inte...etooth+adaptor

Anyone having experience with open source phone apps?
I see a ton of them to choose from, but I'm not sure if any is mature enough to be worthwhile. I'd like to know that before hardware purchase.

Some Android apps:
github*com/theksmith/CarBusInterface (available in F-Droid, should be usable)
github*com/pires/android-obd-reader (available in F-Droid, should be usable)
github*com/fr3ts0n/AndrOBD (available in F-Droid, should be usable)
sourceforge*net/projects/obdchat (PriusChat supported)
www*socialledge*com/sjsu/index.php?title=F12:_OBD-II_Android_Monitor (at least they show something)
code*google*com/p/obdroid (seems frequently forked, but is dead)
github*com/takyonxxx/ECU-Obd-Elm327-Bluetooth
github*com/pandoraxy/OBDMonitor
github*com/search?q=android+obd+bluetooth&type=Repositories (a dozen of apps)
github*com/search?q=android+obd&type=Repositories (even more for the adventurous)