[sti robot]

**WORK IN PROGRESS**

TODO: video (what do you guys want?), finish testing out all the variables and what they measure/how useful they are, pictures of each of the main displays, and whatever else people need/want.

What it is:

An OBD II/Nissan ECU variable monitor.

What it is not:

An ECU code reader/clearer (it will however tell you how many codes you are throwing)

A dynometer like device like a with accelerometer.

Testing background:

I purchase my unit used from a member of nasioc who had it installed on his bugeye wrx for about 11k. The unit is from the first run of production. I have an 04 with no engine mods.

What comes with it:

1)Greddy Informeter-mine is white. Some come black.

2)Faceplates-these are pre-cut pieces of paper in various colors. Of note are pink, black, white, and dark blue

3)Instructions (mine came in Japanese, but they have English ones here: http://www.greddy.com/img/PHP/products/pdf/684.pdf)

4)An OBD II connector

5)An older style Nissan connector

6)A cig lighter style/12v power adapter

What will it monitor on our vehicles (04 sti):

There is a list that comes with the instructions that shows the functions that work with each car. Unfortunately this came in Japanese.

Things that are true for each variable:

-ability to view the peak (I believe it is peak positive)

-warning values medium and severe

-in some displays you can choose between 3 display styles per var

---now: 130

---now/peak: -.16 / .92

---bar: a bar graph that moves from left to right

---these all light up yellow or red when they reach the set values

-certain percentages of calibration can be set up for these variables

---ignition timing

---

---

Things that are set globally:

-audible buzzer on or off

-warning light on or off

The list:

- Speed - current speed in kph or mph - I guess an audible warning could be useful for drag racing to see if you met your target or perhaps on a road trip to keep you from exceeding a certain speed.

- Tacho - tachometer - drag racers will want this - dual stage warning light/buzzer

- Water - water temperature - semi useful to see how long your car warms up/when your car is warmed up - mild warning is set at something like 205 initially-you'll probably want to change that

- Ignit - igintion timing

- Injct (preset at 40 for red)

- Intak - intake temp - how is that intercooler water sprayer button working for you?

- Batt - voltage - the inital warning level seem a bit off for my car and it kept lighting up buzzing

- A/F- C

- O2R - doesn't work - constantly reads high

- Airflv - air flow voltage

- In-mf (boost gauge) - displays in bar and cannot display in psi - useful because it can display peak boost

note: i think it only goes up to 18.5 psi due to a limitation in the ECU.

- O2 - useless - not wideband

- Throt - throttle position - I can't figure out where this is useful, I'm sure someone else will. Maybe if we didn't have a throttle by wire it would be useful?

- WGV1 -

- WGV2 -

- AT-FL

- Gear - no reading

- 4WD - no reading - might work on an evo or a later model subaru (?)

The Displays:

single round

picture

round plus others

picture

twofold

picture

threefold

picture

round/bar

picture


Install:

Plug it in and turn the car on. Then select Subaru from the maker list.


Customizable faceplates:

These are pieces of paper and really simple to install.


Mounting Ideas:

I used double sided 3M exterior tape. This stuff is pretty darn sticky. I'll get back to you if it falls off. I used the exterior stuff.


The instructions also mention that you can mount the unit with a cell phone holder.


I've seen it mounted over on the steering column like this:




I've also seen it mounted to the left near the A-pillar like this:



He used a blitz powermeter ID mount, I believe.



Powering:

Powering via the OBD II port does not seem to work for me. I have heard that on other cars you can power it this way. The wire to the cig lighter plug is the hot wire. A ground wire is included on the OBD harness (?)



Update speed:



-Boost



-Tach

I chose to power mine off the cig lighter until I could go to the store to get a fuse piggyback unit. I then pluged this into the unused rear whiper blade slot and wired it together.



Pros:

-Flipping through the various display modes with the up and down buttons is pretty cool.

-Looks pretty good.

-Monitors several useful variables.

-Peak monitoring of all variables is very nice (Especially Boost).



Cons:

-Display is difficult to read on a very sunny day. You are able to change the colors to make it easier but I would have liked to have a day and a night mode or multiple "profiles".

-No EGT...but that's because there is no EGT probe on the car to begin with

-No A-F ratio...but that's because we need a wideband gauge. If I were doing real tuning I would get a real A-F meter I could trust anyways.

-My informeter freezes (weird screen artifacts, double vision, lack of color, etc.) if I turn it on with the car off but the ignition on accessory and leave it like that for about 5 minutes. This isn't cool for those who like to run their stereos and would like to use the informeter to watch the voltage. You can fix the freeze by unpluging the OBD plug, pluggin it back in a starting the car. I can also get it to freeze by repeatedly using the IC spray. These may be because my unit is used...maybe not.

[sti robot]

The install:

Add-A-Circuit


Add-A-circuit installed (note that the coin door did not want to shut with it in this place...it did eventually work though.):


Dongle (I love that word) (Note how the plug fits up in the OBD spot):


I ran the wire along the seam and it tucked in nicely:


Originial installation place:


Why that didn't work so well:

[sti robot]

More pictures:

The black unit would probably attract less theves:


Where it ultimately ended up(I used double sided sticky tape here but might get an L bracket from the hardware store later):

[NewShockerGuy]

I ordered mine because of the picture mounted right in front of the cluster.
I will have mine in three days.. actually looking forward to it!

I got the black one!

Overall how do you like the unit?

Rating via 1-10?

I am not worried about EGT or things like that as I already have defi's...

W00t w00t!

-Nigel

[sti robot]

A 7 or 8 I guess but that is only because of the freezing/locking up which may be due to my unit being used and all.

[LeeC]

Looks good, I never thought about powering it from something other than the cigarette lighter.

As for the locking up problem that only occured to me once or twice I just thought it might have been something with the power connection.

Hope you enjoy it!

Lee

[Trifecta]

Intak - intake temp - how is that intercooler water sprayer button working for you?

Just a heads up: The intake temp is read at the MAF, not at the intake manifold or after the TMIC. This just reads air temp after the filter and not charge temp.

[NewShockerGuy]

I just got mine!

Couple questions for ya about the unit..
The dial that you can change the colors with.. this might only be MINE but when I change the colors from like yellow to green.. etc they don't really truely look like that color... yellow looks like a light green, amber looks blueish...etc

Just want to see if anyone else's is the same way..

Also the unit to me feels really cheap... :-( Flimsy persay...

Other than that it is pretty neat!

-Nigel

[DuckStu]

=sti robot
- O2 - useless - not wideband

The front O2 IS a wideband. If the unit can read this O2, then it shold be able to give worthwhile data.

[LoveMySTI]

I am interested in this product. From everything I read, It locks up when powered through the cig lighter and water spray is used, correct? I have an '05 and I have seen someone with an '06 say they powered it through the OBD II port(eliminated the lock-up problem), and someone with a '04 say that did not work for them. Anyone know about the '05? Will wiring it through the fuse box as shown above eliminated the cig lighter/waterspray/lock up problem(if it is INDEED a problem)? Also, where is the best place to buy a BLACK one(not just price, but reputable, reliable dealer)? I know faceplates are available but I would prefer it to be less obvious from outside the car. Thanks to all in advance.