Datalogger opinions?

[eslai]

Does anyone have any opinions/recommendations on the various dataloggers that are avaialable for these cars? I found this one that seems fairly thorough for basic diagnostics and some OBD-2-like datalogging:

http://www.durametric.com/

Not sure if folks online have a favorite of any sort or what not.

[MNBoxster]

Hi,

The Durametric software is the preferred diagnostic software aside from the actual Porsche PST2 or PIWIS which cost tens of times as much....

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

[eslai]

Thanks for the info. It looks like a pretty mature product.

[jci-joe]

This looks like a cool product but I would be interested in hearing from those who have purchased it. Did it give you the right info. Looks like it gives you the power to make changes which could be good or bad depending on your knowledge and expertise.

[z281974]

The only problem with the Durametric is that it now (since October 2006) appears to be limited to use with only 3 cars. So if you want to help a few friends out and/or get a another Porsche you may run into trouble. Its not totally clear on the Durametric site as to the interpretation of "3 cars", so i would clarify that with them before purchase.

Tom

[eslai]

Ooo... good eye, Tom. I didn't notice that the non-professional model had that issue.

"The enthusiast version stores the vehicles identification number of car it is attached to into the hardware. This limits to tool to be used on only three(3) cars. Enthusiast versions cannot be upgraded to professional versions."

That is a little... annoying, but I can sort of understand the logic. If you're buying it for club use, $600 is not a bad thing. If you have more than three porsches in your garage that you need to datalog, $600 is not a bad thing--besides you'd probably need all the different connectors anyhow.

In any other case, $250 is a good deal. Generally the cables alone can cost $100+ for even a basic OBD2 datalogger.

[derb]

I wonder if you can get around the 3 car limit by uninstalling and then reinstalling the software.
I purchased the software last May so I'm thinking that as long as I don't upgrade the software I won't have the 3 car limit.
The 3 car limit would certainly make you think twice about helping out a fellow Boxster owner.

Regards,
derb

[djomlas]

u can find plain obd2 readers on ebay for 20 bux on ebay all day long.

i bought one of those, and so far its been good, and its very small so it fits pretty much anywhere

[eslai]

The hardware stores the VIN numbers, not the software. You'd have to re-flash the hardware in order to wipe the VIN numbers.

As for buying cheap OBD-2 diags on eBay, a code reader is a little different than a datalogger, really. You get a LOT more info out of these set ups than with a simple code reader.

Also, a code reader wouldn't give you your ignition counts or anything else Porsche-specific. It would just give you what's available through OBD-2.

[Wonko The Sane]

Just to bring everyone up to speed:

I just bought a Durametric about three weeks ago.. I haven't gotten to play with it much, but I must say that I'm very impressed with the amount of information that the Porsche computers store, and that the Durametric can read out, even from my "old" 986. And for reference, I'm used to looking at the complete standalone I have installed in my Rx-7.

It even allowed me to turn off the damn airbag light, something that Advance Auto Parts' OBD II scanner wouldn't do.

As far as using it for datalogging: It seems very functional for that, though it can only record 6 (or is it 8?) Inputs at one time, such as EGT, O2, Tach, TPS, etc.. It does seem slow sampling it, but I believe that to be more related to the 986 computer than the durametric software. And again, I am used to using a completely real-time standalone.

I haven't actually saved any of the telemetry data that I've read on the software, but I plan to do it as soon as I get a chance to dump it to some of the megasquirt graphical backplot programs, to see what's going on as far as AFR vs. MAP vs Tach. Just to see that everything is functioning normally.

Overall, for the price, DEFINITELY worth it.. I haven't seen any other tools that will give you this much information, with the exception of the two MN noted, which costs lotsa go-fast dollars

If you have any questions specifically, let me know, and I'll see if I can answer them.. like I said, i haven't gotten to use it a whole lot yet.

Cheers!
~Aaron

[Rodger]

I was not aware of the 3-car limit. This is very disappointing. How else are you supposed to help someone out if you've already scanned your 3-car limit?