Data analytics on ECM data?

[tomrasdf]

Anyone know how to stream data from a 2004 CAT C7?

Yes, I know I could get CAT ET on my laptop, but that's not what I'm after.

I'd like to get a data stream from the ECM on my bus so that I can have both live and trended views of engine data in real time.

The little bit I've seen on CAT ET is unimpressive. It's build for techs to troubleshoot/tune an engine. I want to get at the raw data stream so that I can use it to build a glass cockpit for my bus, and have full dataset from my engine to review trends in metrics so that I can stay ahead of things on PM.

I'm a business intelligence consultant by trade. I spend my working hours structuring all types of raw data for analysis and building analytical tools to help folks make better decisions based on said data. This seems like it would be both extremely useful, and lots of fun.

1. Anyone ever tried this before?
2. Anyone have insight on whether it is possible to get raw data from a CAT ECM w/o ET?
3. Does CAT have their ECM data so locked down with their proprietary software that this is impossible?
4. Any other reasons why this may be a dumb idea?

I'd love to hear your thoughts

[jjaj823]

I’ve been working on something like this as well. There are a few options:

1) the BlueFire device does have an API, but only for Android I believe, so it probably wouldn’t fit exactly what you are looking for as is. However, you could probably read the data stream since it’s probably just a Bluetooth COM port. There are libraries for python to enable reading of NMEA and various engine data strings (J1939, etc).

2) any other data reading device for your engine that connects to a computer. Basically, same as the BlueFire above, but different manufacturer. A couple I can think of are the cheap Chinese knock-off diagnostic tools and a (much) better quality version from Power Hungry Performance. I have not tried any of them in this specific use case, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work.

3) if you have a raspberry pi SBC version 3B+ or higher, there is a data hat specifically designed for reading engine data. I have one and it does work. There are a few YouTube videos I think of a British gent using it to monitor his car.

#3 would be my choice because you have the ability to add displays and you have built in support for various programming languages and I/O for additional sensors out of the box.

My hope is to get a full color eInk screen to replace my gauge cluster. Let me know if you want to discuss in more depth…this is a project I’d love to dust off. Plus, it’s always more fun with someone else.

Anyway, hope this helps!

[jjaj823]

Originally Posted by tomrasdf

[LIST=1][*]Does CAT have their ECM data so locked down with their proprietary software that this is impossible?[/LIST

Forgot to address this. There may be a few CAT specific details that are proprietary, but I’d be surprised if most data wasn’t sent via standard J1939/J1708. Note that your engine may have both types of data streaming as well. My IHC is that way.

Anyway, wanted to make sure I hit all of your points!

Jeremy

[seuadr]

if you do analytics that aren't real time - use a logger and post process:

Pick me! Pick me!

that is just a random one i haven't personally used, but, given the specs and data info they included, they appear to know what they are about. seems like 32gb could likely hold weeks worth of data given what i am assuming is a very small payload per packet. not the same field, but, when i monitor electrical or HVAC data a 4gb monitor doing 1 second intervals by 4 channels will last like, 130 some days.

you could probably set your phone up as a web host and hot spot it to have the api post - even if you did it like, daily, it'd be a pretty small file.

then you can do all of the fun data stuff you want how you want. probably even line up trouble codes with data values and things like that.

just my 2 cents.