Porsche diagnostic and service software tools
 

So with the Cayman, I'm starting to dip my toe into the world of computerized diagnostic tools.

I'm thinking that I'll probably always have a Porsche with a bunch of computerized hardware onboard from now on.

With that in mind, I'd like to re-set service reminders, read codes (I already have a Bosch Enhanced OBDII code reader), re-set airbag light, etc.

I am thinking that the PCM radio/ sat nav might be a good thing to retrofit, depending on how good the navigation is. I know that using the phone is a pain once underway.

What sorts of computer tools do you guys use?

I think I might buy the Durametric, but also looking at Porsche tools such as System Tester 2, Bosch KTS 500 and PIWIS 650 & 670. The PIWIS is not something that I think anyone can buy, but maybe a no longer used KTS might fall onto the market?

Durametric is awesome and will take care of basically everything a DIY mechanic will need to do.

I'm thinking more and more about that. Will it work like a scope, and graph the four (4) O2 sensors? I guess I should go to their website, and read haha.

I'm wondering if I can DIY a PCM retrofit, and if so, if I what is the most recent version that I can add without re-flashing the DME.

You need Durametric Pro to do any coding changes, and it also doesn't limit you to three VINs. You can do data logging but I've never had to mess with it.

Have you used PCM much? In my opinion it is terrible until PCM 3.0, and even then it isn't very good. I would go with a good aftermarket navigation unit long before I wasted my time installing a PCM unit.

I haven't messed with PCM much, mostly only in loaner cars, but I have a couple year old Pioneer and it works very well in the car. Much better than the factory unit would have with more and better features than any factory unit would have had.

Oh yes, no question about it. I don't know why anyone would mess around with the amateur version with limited number of cars. The pro version is the only way to go.

Would you for example pair a Kenwood head unit, the Mod4Cars control unit, and bi-amps? I would probably do that and try to squeeze better speakers in the doors.

I do like the '17 door panels, and the way the switches are turned perpendicular to the driver.

I use a iCarsoft POR2 on my water cooled cars. It'll do everything listed for under $200 and no limit on # of cars. FYI, Amazon has it for $160.

I reached out to Rod Birch from Car Audio Innovations. I wasn't going for crazy sound, but a good upgrade. Per Rod, the stock speakers are pretty good. I'm sure upgraded speakers are better, but since I wasn't looking to break the bank, I went with a Pioneer head unit and new amp (and a backup camera). It made a huge difference to the sound and the speakers do sound pretty good to me. Our cars also require the module to integrate the aftermarket unit with the factory fiber optics. Rod sells Kenwood and kits with all of the parts, wiring, brackets, etc.... complete with full instructions. I didn't go that route because I don't have anyplace to work on my car and most of my tools are in storage.

per their website

^ $160.00 It's cheaper than my Bosch scanner was.

Interesting, I hadn't ever heard of that
iCarsoft POR II for Porsche_Porsche scanner

That makes a ton of sense actually. The extra clean power will bring the speakers to life.

What do you mean factory fiber optics?

It just came out in mid 2015, when I got my Boxster. I stumbled on it when I was searching for a tool to reset the SI and didn't want to be limited to 3 cars.

I couldn't remember the details or the name, but I think you already referenced it as the HUR. Here's a little blurb about it from a post on 6speedonline "the MOST system built into the 2002 1/2 and newer cars makes this very difficult due to the digital fiber optic link between the head unit and the amp."

The reason to need the HUR is because of MOST.

OK, I am completely ignorant about the new cars and the computers. My 1980s cars don't have much to interface with.

We have a 2017 Macan on order and it is supposed to be here mid March. The dealer wants $240 for an oil change. The parts are close to $100 from what I have read. My question is simple. Can the iCarsoft Por II reset the oil change warnings and do the things likely necessary like maybe a airbag warning light reset and such? In 21 years I have owned my 911 the airbag warning and ABS lights have never been an issue. It is like the water pump and power steering pump on the 911, never been an issue at all.

I hate buying a tool and then finding out for a little more I could have the tool that really does what I need. But I see no reason to buy a pro version of the Durametric if the competition has a $200 version.

Glen, you don't need the pro version of Durametric to do simple stuff like light resets and reading the CEL. It's only if you need to run more than three cars or want to recode the ECU.

Glen,

There are a few threads on 6speedonline & RL about the iCarsoft Por II. It seems that it can now reset the oil change light after a code update. However, the ability seems to vary by Porsche model. You should contact them first and ask about your specific model.

Paul

Thanks. I will be waiting until after I get the Macan before I order any OBD tools. It will take a while to get a few thousand miles on it to even need a oil change. Porsche recommends 10,000 miles for the first service and that would be several years of driving for us. Likely I will do the first change after a few thousand miles. I know Porsche is meticulous in the engine build but they have to use assembly lube and the possible debris in the engine and other contaminants can't be as good as fresh oil after a break in period.

That iCarsoft POR II is not just a scanner, it appears to be similar to Durametric. I need to also call them to find out if there is a VIN limitation.

As I said, I believe that I'll be using these types of tools for many years, and certainly for more than 3 Porsches. I guess the question to Durametric will be regarding future software upgrades.

For now, I'm using a simple Bosch OBDII scanner, but it's the enhanced one. I have diagnosed many problems, and erased error codes on a few Mercedes Benz cars, including my girl's car, and my friend's BMW. It works fine on the Cayman, but won't reset the service messages or airbag light. It's either iCarsoft or the pro Durametric for me. Buy it once, that's what I say.

Looking further at the Durametric, (waiting for response from iCarsoft for same question), the Durametric will turn on and off certain functions in the car. Not sure if it will re-program the door self unlock/ lock settings. But this feature alone would make Durametric worth it.

My Porsche dealer resets the oil light for me. I do buy the oil and filter from them and generally try to be a good customer other than wanting to do the simple stuff myself.

Do they charge you to do that?

Our dealer charges $80 just to hook up the computer from what I have heard. Since there is no place to hook a computer on my 911 I have no first hand knowledge of that.

I would like to do the lock thing. It got old, the first time I drove a Cayman. 18 months into ownership, I got a beep beep telling me I have a fault in that system :mad: . I took out the fuse and unplugged the beep beep horn until I figure the cause.

Another point to consider, Durametric sells refurbished kits that come with the full warranty. I contacted them a few months ago and got pricing for an Enthusiast kit for $217 (normally $287), and a refurbished Pro kit for $547 (normally $735).

Very compelling. I'd have to move my PC into the garage to run Durametric. But that is OK with me. I like not relying on any single piece of hardware. They say you can re-install the software as many times as you like.

No charge

A parallel "test case" for OBDII scanner equipment:

The '02 Benz E320 is throwing codes. 422 and 432 "Main catalyst efficiency below threshold Bank 1 and Bank 2". Check engine light came on. I checked that the DME is operating in closed loop, and looked up the voltage values coming from all 4 O2 sensors, and even plotted them on a map using data stream and data logging over 2 mins. All 4 sensors are active and "look" to be good. I took it to a shop with a scope to confirm. I'll see what they say. Obviously an OBDII scanner can't reset the airbag light, the service reminder, cycle the brake calipers for bleeding, re-set caliper for brake pad thickness after replacement, etc.

Update on the E320:

The tech called back and said that all 4 O2 sensors are working, but the rear two are "overworking", meaning that the cats are indeed bad.

That is counterintuitive, because the rear sensors are the oldest part of the whole system. But it confirms the data that I was seeing, and the "code connect" diagnosis to replace the cats. I have to decide what to do with the car, but I guess this time OBDII did a pretty good job.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1484089282.jpg

So I just ordered the Durametric software and cable. I also had to order a laptop with Windows 7 (because I hate Win 8 and Win 10). I didn't want to have to move my desktop PC outside each time, and I have only Mac Book Pros, which won't work with Durametric for sure.

I'll post a review and data for you guys when I become familiar with the new software.

That would be great.

It is easy to buy an old Windows laptop. Many would still XP or Win 7.

Did you order the pro version or the enthusiast 3 vin version?

I have Win 7 Pro at home and I like it, and all of my programs work on it. I figure they should work on the new laptop, which can be a backup computer for home stuff.

I thought about it for a while, and decided to buy the enthusiast version. While I hate the idea of being limited to 3 VINs, I guess I'll just have to refuse when friends ask to borrow the software. More than likely, by the time I use all 3 VINs, I'll be on to other software or I'll like the program enough to buy the pro upgrade. I do like the fact that I can receive future software upgrades. And then there's the uncertainty of using software that I'm totally unfamiliar with, which is why I will post a review for you guys, so you can make your own call.

Cool. Thanks for the update.

To me Durametric is a great tool for the price. I mainly use it to check for camshaft deviation to see if there could be am IMS issue on the horizon.

Here's a great video that explains both short and long-term fuel trim, and it's role relating to the O2 sensor. I highly recommend it.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5WnM_NsOtd8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

And for background, I recommend the book "Bosch Fuel Injection and Engine Management" by Charles E. Probst.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1485541013.jpg

The Durametric cable came in on Monday, and the laptop yesterday. It took longer to set up Windows than it did to install the Durametric software and reset my service reminder.

I fully recommend Durametric. A few things: they just updated the software, so you'll probably be using version 6 or later. It appears that huge improvements have been made, because the software is much easier to use than the demo videos. It follows a philosophy of sending and receiving signals. You can't just read all trouble codes at once. You open a module, ask for trouble codes for that module (for example, "DME". Or, "instrument cluster control panel", or "Left side door", etc etc.

You can then check for codes and begin troubleshooting. The pro version has the ability to send low level Porsche code language to that tested component through the software module, but the "enthusiast" version does not.

If you are an advanced user, I recommend the Pro version for this reason. If you are not, then you might stick with the enthusiast software. I figure that if I ever need deeper troubleshooting, then I'll be OK with paying for the pro version, no problem. It appears that the Pro and Enthusiast software use different cables also.

I'll dig into it further, but you can get a lot more information from the Durametric than OBDII. There really is no comparison. You can get over-rev information, way more error code information and code history, and print data logging to files. I'll look into short and long term fuel trim data logging, which alone is worth the price of the software, no doubt about it.

Yeah, that Bosch book is rad.

Thought I'd post a tidbit of info regarding Durametric.

I am TOLD that you need to buy the Pro version to do any coding changes. I did read that, but I'll verify and edit this post if it turns out to be different. I'm trying to turn "OFF" the seatbelt chime.

If it turns out that I need the Pro version, then there will be a cheap enthusiast version for sale that has one VIN code slot used.

Don't sell your current enthusiast cheap. Durametric upgrades your existing to pro for the difference in price. Best deal out there. And if you call and they have rehab units you save even more.

^ The cable is an enthusiast cable. I think they'd have to send a new cable maybe?

I took jr's advice, contacted Durametric. They credited me the price of the Enthusiast cable, which I used toward the Pro cable.

Definitely get the Pro cable! Only drawback is that I bought some cheapo crapbox Dell laptop so that I can run the software. I only have Mac laptops, and it's not pracitcal to set my desktop PC up in the shop.

The main features in both the Pro and Enthusiast versions is that you can run tests of all of the components which are connected to the DME. For example, you can run a test of the gauges, the door locks, windows, AC compressor and blower, radiator fan, even the airbags (!). Of course, you can clear the service reminder, and airbag light with both versions.

Where the Pro and Enthusiast models vary is that only the Pro lets you change the car's settings. For example, I turned off the annoying seatbelt warning completely. To do that, you have to turn off the seatbelt sensor on the driver's side. I left the passenger sensor alone. I also noticed that the spoiler activator was on, which was a mistake from the factory since the car came with a fixed rear spoiler. Is it worth the money? It is, because it will pay for itself and it works on all current Porsches, not just the Cayman S.