Faultmate MSV-2

[TDV6]

While the AU$ was high :) against the Euro last week I ordered a Faultmate MSV2 to keep me out of strife on the next trip outback. Should be here next week then I'll get to play.

Lets hope I never need it, but if I do then, now I will have to think what these codes are really trying to tell me other than the car saying I dont want to play anymore.

Ryall

[Dirty3]

G'day,

What are these things worth and can they be used by Joe average?

[Neil P]

You need a laptop for the interesting stuff,
The standard read/clear code is read on the units display.

https://blackbox-solutions.com/shop/

[RichardK]

I have one, have just adjusted my suspension +25mm for some offroading tomorrow.

have also:


Adjusted my speedo calibration
changed my economy readout to display Km per litre
have "bong" and screen notification when going into reverse gear
remapped my ECU with a performance upgrade
and, obviously cleared any fault

Originally got it for any problems that may occur on remote trips.

[TDV6]

G'day Neil, Richard and Hedley,

Sofar I'm about $2K in the hole, for the unit and BAS remap. Re usability by Mr Average ask Richard. Re the interesting stuff there should be lots more to play with when I do get it in addition to what Richard said.

The unit I ordered has stand alone capability and a multi line display but I could have just got the fault reader just to clear faults for a lot less $.

There is lots of info on it on another forum for the D3.

Just waiting for the postman now.

Ryall

[eddomak]

Anyone with a Faultmate with multi-licence for D4 in Sydney? Want to recoup some of your costs? I might want to find you. ;)

[CaverD3]

Indeed we could do with a "wiggs" in Sydney.:D

[trobbo]

Not just in Sydney Caver

[BBS Guy]

TDV6
Don't worry, you have definitely made the right choice. What is posted and published about our system on any forum is only ever a fraction of what it can do.

We have always striven to produce nothing less that the ultimate tool and even the infamous and legendary "wiggs" is constantly discovering new capability and functionality that can be addressed and controlled by our equipment.

[CSBrisie]

You can really adjust the height for off road with this??? Can you explain a little more - does it alter automatically each of the height variants by 25mm?

[trobbo]

I have one, have just adjusted my suspension +25mm for some offroading tomorrow.

have also:


Adjusted my speedo calibration
changed my economy readout to display Km per litre
have "bong" and screen notification when going into reverse gear
remapped my ECU with a performance upgrade
and, obviously cleared any fault
Originally got it for any problems that may occur on remote trips.

On my car I can adjust the economy readout from Km per litre to litres per hundred as well as doing the same for miles per gallon.

An adjustment to the suspension does sound inteesting though.

[gghaggis]

You can really adjust the height for off road with this??? Can you explain a little more - does it alter automatically each of the height variants by 25mm?

The vehicle calibration allows each individual wheel height to be varied by up to + or - 25mm. This is principally to allow the dealers to fine tune the car such that all 4 corners are at exactly the same height (to overcome small differences due to component tolerances). Normally this only requires 2 or 3 mm of adjustment.

With the Faultmate, you can access this calibration procedure and override the default to add up to 25mm. You can also do more - you can (if you're brave, or at least know what you're doing) edit the CCF to open all the air valves, apply max pressure and raise the car to full emergency height (off-road -> extended -> emergency). Colin (BBS) can explain it better.

Cheers,

Gordon

[RichardK]

On my car I can adjust the economy readout from Km per litre to litres per hundred as well as doing the same for miles per gallon.

An adjustment to the suspension does sound inteesting though.

I have the "S" so I can't change some of my configurations through the on board computer as can the more specced up models.

I lift my height around 1" when I am going mudding, then when I go into "offroad height" I have a little extra lift. It also will compensate for the super swampers when I fit them. The other advantage is I get the extra height without the suspension lowering over 50.

[RichardK]

The vehicle calibration allows each individual wheel height to be varied by up to + or - 25mm. This is principally to allow the dealers to fine tune the car such that all 4 corners are at exactly the same height (to overcome small differences due to component tolerances). Normally this only requires 2 or 3 mm of adjustment.

With the Faultmate, you can access this calibration procedure and override the default to add up to 25mm. You can also do more - you can (if you're brave, or at least know what you're doing) edit the CCF to open all the air valves, apply max pressure and raise the car to full emergency height (off-road -> extended -> emergency). Colin (BBS) can explain it better.

Cheers,

Gordon

Must say I haven't looked at that but to do that when needed, (perhaps rarely), would be a take more time than using the jack system, and muddy hands on the computer / faultmate

[mickyd24969]

Can someone please tell me this is a safety device that is absolutely necessary if traveling in the outback?

That way I can get it past SWMBO!!!

[RichardK]

Can someone please tell me this is a safety device that is absolutely necessary if traveling in the outback?

That way I can get it past SWMBO!!!

It's a safety device that is absolutely necessary for traveling in the outback


............There I've said it:D:D:D...............

seriously though that is the reason I bought it, it wont fix my D3 or perhaps tell me what exactly is wrong but it will guide me to the problem so that I (who know little about electronics) can then begin a process of elimination to find the real cause of a failure that may stop me. I t will also clear any faults that may cause problems and hopefully they won't be permanent faults.

Having said all that I have had 2 D3's, one did the Canning Stock Route, my current one has just competed a High Country trip and I have not had occasion to use the faultmate due to vehicle failure............it is one of my safety tools, like the HF radio as we tend to get into some quite remote places.

[shining]

Thank goodness its a safety device. I ordered one today....but only the FCR. Hopefully thats enough. I accidently pulled the EPB fuse and have been getting a warning ever since.

[furrydog]

Does anyone know if you can upgrade a D3 Traction Response to the D4 Traction Response specification using the FaultMate MSV-2 or by another way or is it possible at all?

[BBS Guy]

Nah sorry Furrydog, Our MSV-2 system is now well known for it's unique capability to do some pretty amazing things in both a Disco 3 and Disco 4 (and the RRS stuff even though they don't like to think of it as a disco), including re flashing earlier ECU;s with later software to great effect, and we have had some users able to fit D4 hardware into D3's such as the TV tuner and i am almost there with a steering wheel conversion.

But mostly, as the ECU's on a D4 are 11 Bit CAN and those on a D3, 29 Bit CAN, they are just not compatible and neither is their software.

Regards the Emergency use aspect of the FCR, I have always carried a full MSV-2 extreme and laptop in the boot of my own D3. However on no less than 3 occasions now, i have been out on off road trips that have caused sporadic faults to pop up in the D3 while travelling in Convoy, and that would have otherwise been most embassing if i had not been able to so easily reach for, plug in and reset the respective systems back to operational mode with the FCR i always keep in the glove box.

I would now happily leave home without the MSV-2 but never without the FCR.

For anyone venturing out in their D3, especially those going afar or who will be going to put the D3 through its paces, the FCR really is a must have and is as likely to save your bacon as anything else you might fit costing far more.

[Nomad9]

Hi TDV6,
From a diagnostic point of view I found the Faultmate to be very useful when I toasted my transfer case module whilst washing the engine bay. The unit was able to identify the problem, clear all the faults when I installed the replacement one and reset what ever had to be reset on the handbrake mechanism. I had some guidance from Blackbox to get through it, but in the end a great result. Has also been a great unit for rooting around with the air suspension on my P38. The back up support from Blackbox is also exceptional, it's the sort of technical support you can only wish for. And no I'm not affiliated to them in any way I just like a good product that works with good support.
The unit would have paid for itself by now easily and I've only had the unit a year or so. I haven't done some of the stuff Richard is up for, I'll get there one day.