P38 Diagnostics/Troubleshooting

**Sydr** · 21st February 2012, 01:16 PM

Originally Posted by Hoges

I don't have an "Extreme" model ..I have the earlier one (SV1). My understanding of the "Extreme" is that the onboard screen contains most of the necessary info to describe faults/clear them etc as well as do the EAS calibration (?) without the necessity for a computer screen

I have a dedicated 10" netbook (HP)($250 special) running XP pro SP3. I store the netbook AC adaptor and Faultmate with serial/USB cable etc in a small bag tucked away in the boot.

The netbook is loaded with Faultmate's Vehicle Explorer, RAVE, Microcat parts database, lots of "how to" web content from various P38 websites and Storey wilson's EASUnlock software. It is also handy for connecting a $60 USB "snake" camera with its own L.E.D. illumination for examining for water leaks, inside cylinders, diff housings...

I also use the netbook with a CANBUS adaptor and software etc to maintain the wife's Astra 1.8 AH model...

you get the idea...

thanks for reminding me that the post is a year old...damn that time went quickly!

Thank you, your information is very helpful. The mischief in me cannot resist pointing out that it is not just the post that has aged a year . . . . .

or that the very good thing about getting older is that it certainly beats the alternative

**Sydr** · 22nd February 2012, 06:18 AM

Originally Posted by PaulP38a

I have a MSV-2 Extreme in a Pelican Case of cables, netbook PC, power supply/leads, EAS Unlock Cable, EAS Kicker Lite and a Nanocom Evo II with P38 software loaded.

Since playing with the Nanocom for about 6 weeks now, I usually leave the Pelican Case at home. If I was starting out again, and only wanted to cover P38, Disco 2 and Defender, I would probably buy the Nanocom. There are a few minor annoyances with the current software, however BBS are improving functionality and rectifying the teething issues at an impressive rate.

When you buy a MSV-2 with a single vehicle P38 licence, it locks itself to the VIN of the car. The Nanocom Evo 2 is multi-vehicle for each unlock code you purchase. i.e. you buy the P38 GEMS unlock code, it will work on any P38 with GEMS, if you buy the P38 Motronics unlock code it will work on any P38 with the Bosch/Motronics engine management system.

You can buy the Nanocom Evo 2 direct from BBS. I don't believe resellers are stocking it at this stage AFAIK... me included.

Cheers, Paul.

Paul,
Thank you for your even handed, fair comment. Especially since you seem to have a commercial interest in the larger unit.

The recommendations for both the MSV2-Extreme and the Nanocom Evo 2 on the forum are pretty even, so I called BBS last night, spoke to Ron, explained my requirements and he strongly advocated the Nanocomm for exactly the same reasons as you did. I've ordered one, now I will have to learn to drive it.

Thank you all for your interest and guidance.
Syd

**PaulP38a** · 22nd February 2012, 10:31 PM

Happy to help Syd. Here are a couple of pics of my Nanocom being used for real-time monitoring of my P38 last weekend.

There is a useful feature in the Instrumentation settings that allows you to calibrate the speed reading for tyre size. I run 33" tyres so set the calibration to 1.15 and the Nanocom reading was pretty damn close to my GPS speed. The car speedo is still out by 15% though.

there is a lot of info to view in the various instrumentation screens... I am still trying to figure out what most of it means

I don't recommend going in to the EAS diagnostics while doing 110km/h on the highway. Had an "O golly" moment exiting the live values screen and the EAS decided to "return"(?) to high setting.

Cheers, Paul.

**Sydr** · 23rd February 2012, 06:06 AM

Thanks for the information and photographs. I'm Interested in your comment about using GPS for road speed; I use mine to try and stay out of trouble given that most speedometers have a built in fudge factor.

So, I use the GPS display as "dead accurate" to drive to. I 'may' decide that a discrete (small, conservative) amount over the posted limit (in NSW) would be so small that Mr Plod would probably deem it not worth his while to pull me over. So far, so good, and he hasn't.

Question is, how accurate is the GPS speed display?

2nd Question, how much slack is Mr Plod likely to allow?

What of employing this tactic in ACT, Vic, or SA? Or even the Republic of WA?

**Hoges** · 24th February 2012, 10:28 AM

The Vic govt doesn't need poker machines...they use speed cameras. half the width of a speedo needle above the limit could be enough to get you filling the coffers

**PaulP38a** · 24th February 2012, 07:59 PM

I sometimes have 2 GPS' running to check against each other and they are usually within a couple of km/h of each other.
So far, the GPS method has served me well with the multitude of fixed and mobile speed cameras around Canberra and Queanbeyan.
Cheers, Paul.

**33chinacars** · 24th February 2012, 11:14 PM

Vic " Safety cameras " give +3 kph at 100 kph. Australia standards for speedos is +/- 10 %. Not the same and no leeway

Gary

**Sydr** · 25th February 2012, 01:57 PM

Originally Posted by 33chinacars

Vic " Safety cameras " give +3 kph at 100 kph. Australia standards for speedos is +/- 10 %. Not the same and no leeway

Gary

I can hear the "Kerching" of the cash registers. But no! I must be mistaken. They are safety cameras, not cash registers.
Aren't they?

**wild_willy** · 25th February 2012, 09:05 PM

Originally Posted by PaulP38a

Happy to help Syd. Here are a couple of pics of my Nanocom being used for real-time monitoring of my P38 last weekend.

There is a useful feature in the Instrumentation settings that allows you to calibrate the speed reading for tyre size. I run 33" tyres so set the calibration to 1.15 and the Nanocom reading was pretty damn close to my GPS speed. The car speedo is still out by 15% though.

there is a lot of info to view in the various instrumentation screens... I am still trying to figure out what most of it means

I don't recommend going in to the EAS diagnostics while doing 110km/h on the highway. Had an "O golly" moment exiting the live values screen and the EAS decided to "return"(?) to high setting.

Cheers, Paul.

Hi Paul
Apart from being what appears to be a very expensive digital speedo, what else can the Nanocom do?

I am on the verge of buying one of these and would appreciate any first hand knowledge you may have on its usefulness in sorting out the P38 bugs. Does it really live up to the BBS claims? By the way does the nifty little mounting come with the Nanocom?
Thanks
Bruce from Melb

**PaulP38a** · 25th February 2012, 10:22 PM

Originally Posted by wild_willy

Hi Paul
Apart from being what appears to be a very expensive digital speedo, what else can the Nanocom do?

I am on the verge of buying one of these and would appreciate any first hand knowledge you may have on its usefulness in sorting out the P38 bugs. Does it really live up to the BBS claims? By the way does the nifty little mounting come with the Nanocom?
Thanks
Bruce from Melb

Hi Bruce

There are a bunch more photos of the Nanocom in action at my project site NanocomP38

The info at BBS covers the functions pretty well:

Product flyer at http://www.blackbox-solutions.com/do..._Evolution.pdf

P38 general coverage at http://www.blackbox-solutions.com/do...verage/P38.pdf

P38 GEMS (1995-1998) specific functions at http://www.blackbox-solutions.com/do...erage/GEMS.pdf

Motronics (1999-2002) specific functions at http://www.blackbox-solutions.com/do...e/MOTRONIC.pdf

So far, it appears to do everything that my MSV-2 Extreme can do on the P38.

As I have said earlier in this thread, I now carry the Nanocom around in preference to the MSV-2. The windscreen mount is what I normally use for my Blackberry, and I picked it up from OfficeWorks for about $30. The Nanocom just fits in it.

Yes it is a cool (but not very expensive IMHO) speedo. In instrumentation mode, it shows stuff that I don't understand yet. As a stand-alone diagnostics tool, it appears to read and clear faults in the same manner as the MSV-2... noting that I have had no significant faults yet, just the occassional HEVAC ground fault and a forced EAS fault to prove it was working.

As you may know, I am a reseller for BBS product via my hobby business Hardrange.com. I do have a commercial interest in their products so I would encourage you to "calibrate your expectations" with feedback from other users. However, I do not sell Nanocoms (yet or ever?) and I get no commercial gain by recommending them. I do sell FaultMate MSV-2 systems and make a small profit on them, so why would I be raving about the Nanocom if I make no money from them?

Primarily I am a P38 enthusiast and like to be self-sufficient in terms of diagnostics and maintenance. I love the Nanocom touch screen and the ability to view real-time data (although it could be a bit brighter in daylight). The MSV-2 can also do this when connected to a laptop, but even a netbook is awkward to mount on the dash... yes I have done it

My MSV-2 has licences for my P38's and Freelander. My Nanocom Evo 2 has licences for P38 GEMS and Motronic, Disco 2 TD5 and Motronics, Defender Td5 and Puma. Each has their own strengths and coverage. I recently tried to convince a customer to buy a Nanocom instead of a MSV-2, but he bought the MSV-2 from me for his P38 anyway as he is intending to get a L322 in the near future and I have NFI if/when BBS will add CAN-Bus RR capability to the Nanocom.

Aside - my "day job" is in consulting (doesn't matter what kind) and I believe my customers keep coming back because I give them good advice rather than what is good for my short-term gain.

Anyway, make of this what you will and I hope some other folks using the Nancom also give some feedback.

Cheers, Paul.

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