tahoelife

Anyone hear successfully pull data from the OBD port from a 97-99 boxster? According to the PDF link below it is possible and likely user error in the config but I followed the steps best I could and no luck. Most are saying not possible just curious what the pro consensus is? I had been running a Traq Dash that finally died this past weekend and have DL2 to use but with the imputs for RPM etc I miss my TMdash .. Am I stuck needing a "real data logger"

https://www.aim-sportline.com/downlo...-2_101_eng.pdf

ProCoach

The pro consensus is not possible to pull USABLE electronic information, K-line, CAN or serial from a pre-2002 Boxster for use in a Solo DL or a Solo 2 DL.

Your choices are:

1) a Solo 2 DL with RPM input, would duplicate your current Traqmate capability (plus allow you to import your Traqmate sessions into Race Studio Analysis to compare with the new data) and allow simple automated and synced video with the addition of one cable and a SmartyCam HD.$699 for the Solo 2 DL RPM

2) MXm, a small Solo 2 based larger display logger with four analog inputs to allow for throttle and brake sensors plus two engine sensors that you would install. $1099

3) AiM EVO4S/GS-Dash combination allowing more expandability than the MXm, $1399

Please let me know if I can help. A fair number of SPB’s have gone for each, all the way up to the big display loggers, the MXL2 (monochrome) and the MXS, MXP and MXG color loggers.

Matt Romanowski

Like Peter said, nothing usable on the OBDII for a 986. The S2DL is the minimum if you want to put a Smartycam HD with it. I should have a used setup (like new) coming in this week if you are interested in that route.

For most folks, budget plays a major roll. If you are going full dash, I would suggest a color screen like the MXS, MXP, or MXG. Feel free to email if you would like to know more about why those over the GS Dash or MXm. If budget is an issue, the MXm is solid.

I have everything in stock ready to go. I ship everything configured and plug and play. If you have any questions, feel free to give me a call 603-674-3250. I'm happy to talk data and help you figure out what is best.

PGas32

For whatever my opinion is worth, I have an MxM in my SPB and am really happy with it. I wanted a full color dash but when it came down to it I couldn’t justify the extra grand. I have inputs for RPM, TPS, brake pressure, oil pressure and temp, plus a slick tire pressure/temp system I got from Matt. For the money it’s fantastic and you’d really have to be diving in to data more than I typically see at the club racing level to utilize more sensors

ProCoach

Great post! Horses for courses.

Matt Romanowski

Perfect example of budget install and getting just what you want. The MXm is a fantastic system at the $1100 retail price. The 4 analog (sensor) inputs and the fully configurable CANbus makes adding things like TPMS, tire temps, biometrics, or even external analog to CAN setups possible. It's a very powerful dash/logger at a great price point.

tahoelife

Thank you all for the insights. It is looking like a winter project and I may be inheriting a hammy down CDL3 which is likely overkill but the right price

Again thank you Matt and Peter for your thoughts and Pgas32 for your thoughts on the MxM

ProCoach

I can help you with a CDL3 template for a spec boxster that can get RPM, Throttle and one or more wheel speeds.

Matt Romanowski

Happy to help! You can't fault jumping to a CDL3 at a good price. Post back when you get everything done!

katmeho

Im going to bump this thread since I've been working with AIM for a month to get something ironed out using a Solo 2 DL in a Spec Boxster race car (SPB) thats a new build for our team. I'd love for this thread to become and archive of the final answer for first gen 986s...and since Matt and Peter are here, I assume we can get to some truth.

Our situation - We have a 1999 Boxster. It's a first year car for us, so it's a huge development effort to get it dialed in for endurance racing. As such, full blown data and video wasn't worth the money in year one. We had a SmartyCam v2 already, so getting a solo 2 dl seemed to make sense. Our only data requirement outside of GPS and gyro was RPM, so that we could use the shift light indicators to tell our drivers when to shift based on fuel usage at a specific event / track. Purchased with OBDII cable based on AIM documentation online.

Installation was easy, OBD II plugged in done. ECU configured Bosch ISO 9141_2 profile, per documentation. As soon as we turned the ignition to standby, the screens that we had configured started to switch rapidly between screens. Live Measures in RaceStudio would show data on some ECU channels (mainly engine temp, MAF and RPM...so the data is there on the wire via OBD II!) but randomly all channels would go to completely blank, literally the values next to the tags in live measures would just turn all white. This reset correlated to a new log file being generated in the logs, as if it was a new session. Lap times would also start, last for a few seconds and then reset, as if the car was running around a track at hyper speed. Contacted AIM support and over the past 4 weeks, they have provided me 3 different ISO9141 ECU profile updates, one of which stopped the display madness, but the latest has returned the madness and not fixed the data logging issues. ECU map is now using OBDII9141 ver 02.00.27.

I've asked AIM over and over again if this is a faulty unit, should they RMA it and they said no, that Italy was working on it in software. To me, this means that some software developer has seen something in the data files that I have sent them to indicate that they think this is a software issue over hardware.

But I'm pretty much over this. I've asked if we could just connect up to the CAN bus and if they will send me the right cable. I'm assuming that our objective can be met with the CAN connection, but at this point don't know if thats true. It would be great if we could also log some other data like engine temp and anything else we can pull from CAN. Does anyone have the right CAN template for the first Gen 986 CAN bus to use in the Solo 2 DL? From looking online, its different than any other Porsche thats in use, although some people have gotten their 986 to work with the Cayman mappings? If there are any racers here who have tapped into the CAN near the fuse box (or heck, anywhere) on the 1st gen Boxster, we'd love a photo too. If our team goes this route, we will update the thread with install photos so we can help the SPB community out.

Thanks in advance for any and all help

katmeho

Also, if AIM gets kicked to the curb, we are considering the Cartek shift indicator as a super band-aid fix. It doesn't allow us to track over-revs, but at least would help the driver.

https://www.cartekmotorsport.com/seq...l-shift-light/

I'm assuming we could simply tap into the OBD II port (finally its useful for something) and use Pins 1(power), 4 (ground) and 9 (tach)
per these instructions - http://www.cb-racing.com/boxster_OBDii.html

Man, they even make a OBDII harness adaptor for the indicator to make it easy to pull in and out of the car if needed.
https://www.cartek-store.com/Catalog...UG-IN-CK-CC-04

Thoughts or alternatives?

Matt Romanowski

I can't say I have put a S2DL on the OBDII of a 99 Boxster. In the past, there was no useful data from that car on the OBDII, so I never bothered to do it after the first time. Long stories on the S2DL and ISO9141 in older cars.

If you think it's a bad S2DL, ask the dealer you got it from if they can lend you one to try out. But, I would stop throwing good money at bad in parts and time. Either get the RPM cable and use that or move to a dash/logger and get the connections you want. I know you laid out money on the build, but a good data system makes shaking down and setting up an easier job.

katmeho

Fair feedback for sure. I may just dump AIM altogether and move to a Vbox HD2. Any suggestions or concerns for that choice in our platform? Im assuming that we would tap into the CAN Kline with it...but when I look here

https://www.vboxmotorsport.co.uk/ind...uments#Porsche

I see no support for our car. Sweet.

Matt Romanowski

The 99 MU doesn't support much of anything. Porsche didn't have the ECU power then. No matter what system, you will need sensors. If you want AiM, I'm willing to help you out with a proper setup. If you have a SCHD already, get the RPM cable and you'll have good driver data and synchronized video for now.

ProCoach

As a longtime dealer for AiM, MoTeC and the largest dealer for VBOX in North America, I do have Soec Boxsters that get throttle and RPM, along with one wheel speed, in MoTeC CDL3 installations. I have a .ref file that may do the same for VBOX HD2, but the cars I wanted to test it on had thinned harnesses and I couldn’t find what I needed. I’ll try again.

Matt is all about sensors, and I’ve sold a fair number of AiM MXm and MXL2 systems to Spec Boxster drivers, but there have been plenty of them, more maybe, that implemented Traqmate and VBOX in their cars that got tremendous benefit without additional sensors.

These drivers get a lot of benefit from “intelligent” video (video with information on the background, speed, G’s), they get a lot of benefit out of sector time analysis and then reviewing areas of exceptional performance. There’s a lot more variability in a drivers execution than there is in the car.

Let me know if I can help, but for AiM, I stand by my original advice near the top of this thread.