1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

OBD-II Bluetooth Auto Diagnostic Tool

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Accessories and Modifications' started by itengineer, Nov 18, 2013.

  1. itengineer

    itengineer Member

    Joined:
    Oct 23, 2011
    83
    25
    2
    Location:
    Minneapolis
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    I just picked up this from eBay for less than $10.

    Super Mini ELM327 OBD2 OBD-II Bluetooth CAN-BUS Auto Diagnostic Tool

    Along with the Torque App on Android, it appears to work well and now I see the coolant temp.

    Since I am doing the grill blocking in 25% ambient. I saw a 88%C temp on coolant

    is this normal?
     
  2. john1701a

    john1701a Prius Guru

    Joined:
    Jan 6, 2004
    12,747
    5,243
    57
    Location:
    Minnesota
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Advanced
    195°F is the norm for full warm operation, the usual sight for summer driving.

    Your observation of 190°F (88°C) is typical this time of year here. (I'm in the Twin Cites, like you.) It may or may not get higher. That all depends upon the conditions outside, travel speed, distance, stoplights, heater & defroster use, etc.

    Having an aftermarket gauge showing coolant temperature allows you to know what will happen when, allowing you to take advantage of heat that otherwise may have been assumed was unavailable. Avoiding engine use causes some owners to make unnecessary sacrifices. Watch what happens at 145°F in NORMAL mode with the heater on. The engine will start when it dips below that. Simply by switching to ECO mode, the engine shut back off. It's because that mode lowers the threshold to 114°F. Did you know that?

    Blocking the grille helps with heat retention. You'll discover how valuable that is in 2 months, when the bottom drops out on the thermometer. Fortunately, Prius still delivers great efficiency, despite low temperatures outside. In fact, watching coolant on the gauge, you'll see that EV is available even then.

    Add RPM values to display on the app. You'll find the MG1, MG2, and Engine values quite informative. The system is much more dynamic than most people realize. Those two motors interact with the engine in a variety of ways and their RPM frequently changes. The system takes full advantage of having a power-split-device.

    Enjoy that new tool for learning more about what happens behind the scenes while driving a Prius.
     
    mrbigh likes this.
  3. mrbigh

    mrbigh Prius Absolutum Dominium

    Joined:
    Sep 6, 2005
    3,686
    699
    2
    Location:
    Long Island, NY
    Vehicle:
    Other Electric Vehicle
    As always, you are providing a magnificent explanation on the Prius operation.
     
  4. itengineer

    itengineer Member

    Joined:
    Oct 23, 2011
    83
    25
    2
    Location:
    Minneapolis
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Thanks. Especially, the part above