Do you have to use the Bluetooth Obd connector or will one with a USB connection to the laptop work?
Thanks

 

USB won't full work. THe bluetooth unit that I believe is in the instructions in the Forscan thread is the one you want.

 

I've researched both the Bluetooth and wifi version of the obdlinkmx. I would like to use the wifi version so I can use it with my iPhone. Has anyone had any problems with it versus the Bluetooth version?

 

I've been looking at the two different models of the obdlink mx, the Bluetooth and the wifi. Has anybody used the wifi and are there any issues with it over the Bluetooth model? I'd prefer the wifi version simply so I can connect it to my iPhone.

 

wifi won't work. need the bluetooth.

 

Everyone has said ONLY THE BLUETOOTH MX. I tried a cheaper one, no go. I bought the BT MX and works every time.

 

Thanks guys. Looks like I'll get the Bluetooth mx version

 

Also note that while you can monitor with your iPhone using Forscan Lite, you can't make any changes. For that setup you can indeed use a cheap WiFi ELM 327 adapter. To make changes with Forscan, you need the full windows version of the program and a BT adapter.

 

Good to know karl4cat. Maybe I'll buy the cheap wifi one too. I think it would be handy to monitor as well. Too bad someone didn't make one that worked for both

 

I hear you Richard. I keep a cheap wifi one in the truck for monitoring and code clearing if needed but had to buy the fancy $80 BT unit to make my changes.

 

I'm about to embark on the ForScan journey. I've been doing some reading on the subject. This is the 1st time I came across:

Can someone elaborate a bit on "BT Unit", a link would be great. Up until I saw this post I thought I was going to go with the

OBDLink MX Wi-Fi: OBD Adapter/Diagnostic Scanner for iOS, Android & Windows

Or

Ford VCM II for Ford VCM 2 Diagnostic Tool V101 professional scanner With Wifi

Or

ELM 327 USB FTDI chip with switch for Ford HS CAN and MS CAN car diagnostic

The Ford VCM 2 one is $300.00 which I'm not all that worried about laying out if it allows me to get at all the modules and allows me to update. Still researching but found that there are different protocols - UBP, OBD, ISO/SCP, HSCAN and MSCAN. Have been able to determine that our trucks use either HSCAN or MSCAN depending on the year - haven't figured out what years use which protocols yet. I would like to use this on my 2002 and 2003 Thunderbirds as well so probably need both.

I think to get to both HSCAN and MSCAN you need a switch like is in the ELM327. Now it's possible OBDLink MX and Ford VCM II can detect which protocol the OBD interface is using and dynamically change.

I've also read that there are different modules - APIM Module, BCM Module x 2, and PAM Module are the ones I came across so far, I understand there are a bunch more.

Either way, if someone could help with

I would appreciate it

 

This is the one I use, and see most everyone else using that works without issues for ForScan mods: http://a.co/6ErTbdY

HTH,

Bob

 

That one. Buy the 426101 and that's all you'll need.

 

Funny story:

I just bought a new 2017 F350 Platinum CCSB PSD last week.

A couples days before I picked it up (before I had actually bought it), I brought my ODBLink MX dongle with me and hooked it up to the new truck to make sure there weren't any issues.

I FORGOT about it and left it in there and didn't think about it.

Two days later when I bought the truck (and post dealer preparation of the vehicle, including a interior clean/prep), I got back in the truck and there it was, plugged into the OBDII port. The porter never noticed it. LOL.

 

Why do you need bluetooth? Why doesn't the old fashioned USB dongle work?