Suggest you have a word with BMDiag, might just be a case of a change of firmware and possibly a new interface cable. Certainly the more expensive models can work with multiple marques, the ISCAN ones may only do one at a time though.
OBDStar near York if anyone needs stuff. Have done various diagnosis stuff and service light on 1200 Enduro, also service light on a SuperSport.
One thing the OBDStar won't do is activate the Bluetooth module on a Panigale V4 EU5. They now have to be activated using a code from Ducati that ties the VIN number to the module and activates the dashboard Bluetooth menu option. Used to be able to 'enable/disable' bluetooth with the OBDStar on older Panigale V4's but not now. Trip to the dealer for me then.
Is anyone here using their OBDSTAR unit for actual maintenance or service work? For instance activating ABS during brake fluid flushes, or periodically resetting electronic interfaces to physical things like throttle control or variable valve timing or inertial sensing units? The unit seems very powerful, but I don’t want to trial and error stuff that could mess up an otherwise perfectly running bike. Thanks for your time to consider a reply. Dave G. Bailey, CO USA
I use Texa for maintenance & service work but I do get a good few questions from Ducati owners here in ROI who have bought OBDStar and, in my experience, some of the terminology used with OBDStar is a little misleading. To answer your questions. ABS - assuming we’re talking about Ducatis here, there’s no need to cycle the ABS pump when doing a brake fluid change. Certainly in Texa (who make Ducati’s DDS) there isn’t even that option. Just bleed as per non ABS brakes but remember you need a lot more fluid as the pipes go from the lever to the ABS unit to the callipers. Fly by wire throttles. There is a relationship between the sensor at the twist grip and the valve motor at the throttle body but unless it goes out of sync leave it alone. iirc @Keith_P had an issue on his bike in this regard which he fixed using OBDStar. but, don’t just reset it for the sake of it. Variable valve timing. I assume you mean a Multistrada DVT Testastretta? There’s nothing you can do here (other than run tests to check their performance/operation), there’s nothing to reset. There’s a set relationship in crank angle degrees on a cold engine between the position of the inlet & exhaust camshafts in relation to the crank position. There’s a map in the ECU which controls how that will vary depending on a variety of parameters eg engine speed, gear, torque demand, but you can’t change that map or reset it. I’m interested to know what OBDStar offers regards to a ‘reset’ of this. Inertial Measurement Units. These are set at the factory in what’s known as an End of Line procedure. That procedure should only be copied if an IMU is faulty and is replaced with a new one. Again, I wouldn’t start prodding buttons just to ‘reset’ something.
Thank you so much for your time in making that detailed response! Is it accurate to say there's no need to use the OBDStar for any maintenance work on the 2016 MTSPPE, other than to reset the alert light? That'd be great news for me, being a mechanical type who's super comfortable lashing desmo valves, but much less so manipulating bits and bytes. Thanks again! -Dave G.
When it comes to routine maintenance the diagnostic tool is useful to see whether or not there have been any stored errors in any of the various control units on the bike, but you then need to understand why those errors arose. It’s also necessary to reset the various service indicators, e.g. annual inspection, oil & Desmo. I don’t think it’s necessary to use it for anything else unless you encounter an engine management light or some other dashboard warning when you’ll then need it to diagnose what’s going on. If it’s a routine service do the service and disable the light.
I tried to cycle the abs pump in my Panigale using OBDStar. It did not work. Bled as normal. You can always cycle the pump manually by stamping on the rear brake and then re-bleeding if you can be bothered. I’m not.
Perfect! Thanks again for your time to confirm. The OBDscan is a great tool and I wouldn’t be without it. I’m using it as you described. Just wanted to be sure I wasn’t missing any further potential. Again, very much appreciate your time to help me fully understand the potential of the tool. All the best, Dave G.
There really is no need to cycle the ABS pump (even if you could), just bleed the brakes as per a non-ABS bike. Although it’s much more complex than this just think of the inside of the ABS unit as a reservoir of brake fluid with a piston at the bottom of it. That piston is actuated by a solenoid and can move down (increasing volume in the system and thus decreasing pressure) or up (decreasing volume and increasing pressure - useful for Hill Hold). All you’ve got to do is to flush through the fluid that’s in the lines and the small amount in the reservoir. Even if you could make that piston go up and down it’s not going to make any difference to the fluid you’re changing.
Yes Paul, I agree. But as I have recently got the OVDStar I thought I would try it out. It hooks up to the bike fine but won’t cycle the abs. Bit frustrating to find a feature that should work but doesn’t but no sweat obviously.
Actually, although I replied to you, it was more of a general reply, not really directed at you specifically coz you know your stuff. There’s some weird things in OBDStar so I’m discovering whilst remotely trying to help AN Other.
Thanks Paul! I understand how the ABS works and the basic attributes of the system are never the issue. It's always down to the implementation and whether the body is designed to be self purging or has a tendency to trap air/fluid. If the one on the multi is a flow through or self purging design, then that's fantastic and Ducati has really done their homework in the implementation. Others I've worked on were not so nice and the piston chamber and surrounding flow paths could trap air or old fluid, thus the need to move the piston a bit to eliminate the trapped offending "fluid" whether liquid or gas. Forgive me if the gyrations required to purge the rear brake lines and caliper might have made me suspicious that the Duc engineers mightn't have dotted all the "i"s as regards making the ABS block fully self purging. ha ha! No worries at all though, and didn't mean to hijack the thread. As above, just wanting to be sure I wasn't missing something s regards use of the OBDStar. Thanks for your time to set my mind at ease! If nothing else we limbered up the server to remember how to access this thread. All the best, -Dave G.
I’m not sure tbh. I’m familiar with Texa and the displayed parameters therein, OBDStar displays a few other parameters that get a bit confusing. Although to be fair for 95% of the time and for what most people want it’s good. We may disappear down a rabbit hole so due notice is given but te confusion lies, in this instance, where Texa gives TPS values, on Track 1 sensor and Track 2 sensor for each throttle body as expected. OBDStar gives those values too but also adds in another few lines which are TPS Sensor Adaptive values on Track 1 and Track 2 sensor but with different values than the TPS Sensor values. I did warn you, see, a rabbit hole
Have any OBDStar users used it to investigate TPS voltages? He asks from the bottom of his rabbit hole
Not specifically yet but happy to help be of service if you need a peak at another bikes behavior or something. Dave G.
Please do plug your bike in, let me know the bike and let me know what the TPS Track 1 & 2 readings are on each throttle body plus what the “TPS Adaptive values” are. I nee to know if you see something like this please. ok it’s off a V4 engine hence the ‘bank’ and ‘cyl 1-2’ etc but let me know what you get. Thanks a million
