OBDII tech session

[Tool Pants]

An independent shop, rmg enterprises in Sunnyvale, California, put on a Boxster OBDII tech session today. They have a PST2 which is an expensive investment for an independent shop. Bob first explained the OBDII emission system on the chalk board. This also applies to a 996 and other cars, but they happened to have a Boxster there. Chalk talk.

So we did not all have to cram around the PST2 screen to see what going on it was projected so we could all see it while Bob explained and the motor was running.

I asked to the the revs in range 1 and 2. :o Only 2,946 in range 1 and none in range 2, on a 1999 2.5. Jeff

[skymast]

Interesting. I saw on the screen that the PST2 contains the vin, operating hours, etc. Is there a printed source for what other areas the PST2 tracks? Thanks

[Tool Pants]

There is some info in the shop manual, but not much. There is no instruction book on how to use the PST2 or the many things you can do with. The mechanics are taught at the training center on how to use it.

This was taken last year at another tech session. Most range 1 and 2 over-revs I have seen. Jeff

[skymast]

Thanks. I'm sure Porsche maintains the secrecy of the 'black' box to keep (most of) us in the dark!

I thought the hours of operation data in one of the screen shots was interesting in that it is typically associated with boats, heavy equipment, etc

With all of the posts I seen in the past year from people who have changed their full instrument clusters, I would be curious to know if the PST2 can pull the 'actual' vehicle mileage from the car computer.

BTW, I am not implying that anyone who changes their instrument cluster is doing so to alter their mileage.

[Tool Pants]

The miles are stored in the instrument cluster, not the DME. For example, I bought a used 996 cluster off ebay for my Boxster so I could have the 2 additional gauges. When I plugged it into my car it displayed 990 miles but my car has over 45k miles. But 990 miles would not be consistent with the number of engine operating hours in in my DME. Bob said the average speed of a car was something low, like 30 mph but I have heard other numbers. So if you take an average assumed mph and divide it into the operating hours you can compare it to the miles displayed. Plus the VIN is stored in the cluster.

The other thing with the cluster is that with the PST2 you can roll the miles forward if the cluster has less than 62 miles - once it is over then it cannot be changed with the PST2. So if a dealer replaces a cluster they enter the miles and VIN in the new cluster. There are companies who say the can set the miles to any number you want. Jeff

[cinto]

:(

Hi Boxster Guru,

I have a big problem...

My intrument cluster but it went partly dead. By that I mean that the ODO is not showing the mileage, and the tachomoter and speedometer stopped working. The gas gage and the temp gage and the back light is working fine though. I recently had to swap my engine and this started happening since then. It went out, then came back up and now it is gone again. Could that be a ground wire or something like that? Also, the lights for my tiptronic are flashing back and forth between D and 4. Please help!!!