1

refreshes these onscreen continuously, at four times

Obdiic&c Display per second.

This allows the driver to closely monitor things like IMA

Owners Manual. Software Version 010217V11 battery state of charge, IMA battery temperature, IMA
Introduction battery voltage and IMA battery current. These tell you
a lot about the condition of your battery pack and allow
If you have had your Insight for a while, you may have the driver to make intelligent choices with regard to
heard of the Obdiic&c device. It’s an Insight-specific driving style, in order that they get the best fuel
PIC-based OBD2 diagnostic code reader and economy, best performance or perhaps preserve the
information display and control unit. Obdiic&c stands battery pack life.
for ‘Onboard Diagnostics Command & Control’. (You
may also want to think of it as an OBD2 reader that has You can also monitor enhanced Honda engine data,
Command and Control functions.) including aspects like fuel injector pulse width, air/fuel
ratio, engine coolant temperature and air intake
Obdiic&c is designed and built by me, Peter Perkins, a temperature.
multi Insight owner and electronics enthusiast from the
UK. You can find me at www.thehybridexpert.co.uk The device also includes a lean burn green led light to
show when the engine is in the lean burn, ultra-efficient
mode. Just keeping this hypnotic green light on as much
as possible when driving, can significantly improve your
fuel economy and enhance your hypermiling technique.

The Obdiic&c also displays vehicle error codes, and it

checks for stored codes every time you turn on the
ignition. These error codes are displayed on screen and
you can then note them, clear them or ignore them
before setting off.
The hand-built Insight-specific Obdiic&c unit in its The Insight has a fairly insensitive engine temperature
bespoke 3D printed case. gauge display on the standard instrument cluster, so
the Obdiic&c provides backup monitoring and an
I am a regular contributor to the main Insight discussion
audio/visual alarm if the coolant temperature goes over
forum at www.insightcentral.net and have built up a
105 degrees C. It’s a lightweight aluminium engine after
considerable following for my technical posts and
all, and the head gasket does not take kindly to
devices built specifically for the Insight.
overheating.
Normal OBD2 code readers such as the ScanGauge, and
cheap Elm327 based devices, can read only basic OBD2 The Obdiic&c has lots of other functionality built in, and
information and a very limited list of engine-only a menu system to select various options. A few worth
parameters. This is because they talk to the car only on mentioning are the device’s ability to manipulate the
the standard OBD2 K-Line. IMA battery state of charge, control the IMA battery
cooling fan, and clear codes from various sub
The Obdiic&c is a dedicated PIC 18f2620 computers in the car like the EPS (electric power
microprocessor-based design, and communicates with steering unit), ABS (anti-lock braking unit), SRS (air bag
the Gen 1 Honda Insight using special protocols and system), TCM (CVT control module), etc.
extra data lines to enable the full range of vehicle
parameters to be displayed. It uses a simple but bright The Obdiic&c can also act as a host and control unit for
20x4 LCD backlit screen for general data display. The Imac&c p&p (Integrated motor assist command and
full list of information available is huge, and includes control, plug and play). This is another device made by
numerous extended engine and IMA (Integrated Motor myself which gives the driver full manual control over
Assist) system parameters that other device owners can the IMA motor system. This allows assist and
only dream of seeing. regeneration to be commanded or controlled at will.
It’s similar to Mike Dabrowski’s famous MIMA system.
So how does Obdiic&c help an Insight driver?

In normal operation, the Obdiic&c can display any eight The Obdiic&c device can count Ah (ampere hours) in
user-selected parameters from the over 250 available. It and out of the battery pack to give you an indication of
your battery’s capacity and condition. The Insight uses a
 2

nominal 4Ah 80-20% capacity window to ensure long 19. Change display units to suit location and country
life from the 6.5Ah Panasonic Nimh cells. A full battery of use.
in good condition should be able to provide around
3.5ah during an assist-only test run. 20. Adjustable display backlight.

Obdiic&c functions list 21. Adjustable display contrast.

1. Read, display and clear standard OBD2 codes. 22. Support for compatible 20x4 parallel interface
LCD, OLED and VFD displays.
2. Continuously display and refresh eight user-
selected parameters from over 250 available from 23. Display Obdii system readiness codes.
the car’s computer systems.

3. Control the IMA battery fan - high, low & off.

4. Set the IMA Battery SOC (state of charge) level to

75, 60 or 40%.

5. Display and clear IMA system codes.

6. Clear ABS, SRS, EPS and TCM error codes.

7. Display a VTEC flag showing valve operation.

8. Display a green lean burn led light and flag showing The Obdiic&c unit operating on the dashboard.
efficient engine operation.
In use, the Obdiic&c is normally permanently plugged
9. Display battery fan high, low, off status. into the Insight’s OBD2 port. It starts up and goes to
sleep automatically as you turn the car ignition on and
10. Control Imac&c P&P system for full manual control off. It’s controlled by a simple five-way button joy
of IMA motor functions. switch.

11. Log parameter data at 4hz or 0.5hz via a serial USB Future development plans include more functions, error
cable to Excel spreadsheet for analysis. code diagnostic hints, key programming, and a
Bluetooth connection dongle to display data on a
12. Engine coolant temp visual and audible alarm. suitable Android phone running a special Obdiic&c app.

13. Count Ah in/out of the battery to calculate capacity I release new software for the Obdiic&c several times a
and condition of pack. year, and owners can update their gauges to get extra
functionality and features using a laptop and simple
14. Activate the SCS (service connector signal) to flash
USB/serial pic programmer. The software change log
out computer module sub codes via the standard
and firmware update procedure is described in detail
dashboard display.
later in this document.
15. Perform consistent and accurate timing for
If you want a hand-built and cased Obdiic&c for your
acceleration tests between 0-30, 0-60, 30-60 and
own car, contact me at 150mpg@gmail.com They cost
50-70mph, giving reliable data for comparisons.
around $350 or about £270 + postage & paypal fees 5%.
16. Display the ECM and MCM software version
I also sell the bare printed circuit board for the device at
numbers.
$49 or £30 + postage. It’s even possible to build it on
strip board for very little cost, as the schematic and
17. Closely monitor the EGR (exhaust gas recirculation)
software for the gauge are available free to download
valve to help diagnose the common “herky jerky”
from the Obdiic&c thread. The gauge circuit board is a
problem.
simple through-hole design, and anyone reasonably
18. Display data from external I2C sensors, such as the competent at soldering should be able to build it.
DS18B20 and Melexis MLX90614 temperature
measuring devices.
 3

complete) Do not reset DTCs unless you also want to

clear the readiness tests.

Readiness tests

Rear view of the Obdiic&c printed circuit board. Readiness tests results displayed all complete.

Obdiic&c Main development forum thread The Obdiic&c now displays the seven readiness test
status flags for three seconds. They are misfire, fuel
The parts list, schematic links and tips can be found in system, components, catalyst, O2 sensor, O2 heater
this Google documents spreadsheet. and EGR system. ‘1’ means the test is incomplete, and
‘0’ means it is complete. After five seconds, the
Obdiic&c parts list spreadsheet Obdiic&c moves onto the main parameter display
screen. If you missed the status of the tests, simply
Obdiic&c instructions for use
press ‘up’ when the gauge is displaying the main screen,
The Obdiic&c is a sophisticated feature-rich device, and and it will restart. The readiness codes display on start
to get the best out if it please read these notes up may be enabled or disabled in configuration menu 2.
thoroughly. Before plugging in your Obdiic&c, please
Main Parameter display
check it, the cable, and the Obdii plug for damage or
any obvious problems.

Start up and Dtc display

The eight parameters on the main display.

The main user-selectable parameter display is the

central feature of the Obdiic&c gauge. Here the gauge
Obdiic&c plugged in, ignition off and waiting to start. will display your eight chosen parameters in two
Plug the Obdiic&c plug firmly into the OBD2 socket in columns of four. You can select from a list of over 250
your car. The Obdiic&c display will attempt to available. It updates these parameters four times a
communicate with the car and start up. It will display second, and provides an addictive information source
the splash message on screen giving the firmware date for the driver. The parameters are selected based on
and version number. (See the top of this document for the system you wish to monitor (e.g. ECM, MCM, TCM)
the version number covered by this manual) It will also and the country your vehicle was sold in. Differences in
beep, flash the red LED, and continue to try and start the programming of the OEM computers mean that
for some time. If the LCD display contrast is poor, the different regions use different parameter codes to
text is pale or too dark; you may need to adjust the retrieve the same information.
contrast control on the PCB. Remove the back from the The far right column of the main display mode is used
Obdiic&c and adjust the contrast pot (RV1) gently with to display auxiliary information flags. These indicate
a small screwdriver before proceeding. Now turn on the when a specific system is operating as per the list
ignition, but do not start the car. below.
If any DTC (Diagnostic Trouble Codes) are stored, the General information flags on right of display
Obdiic&c will display them and wait for user input.
Pushing the joy button up exits the DTC display and V = Vtec operational
proceeds to the readiness code display. Pushing the joy
f = Battery cooling fan slow
button down clears any stored DTC codes and resets
the readiness tests. (Remember, it can take several F= Battery cooling fan high
journeys and engine cycles for the readiness codes to
 4

L= Lean burn mode Display Line 3 = parameter 5 & 6

The joy button has five functions at this point. Display Line 4 = parameter 7 & 8

Up Reboots the gauge and reloads stored configuration At the end of line three in the image above you can see
information from the EEPROM. “MCM”. This means the parameter on display is an
MCM (IMA) parameter. This will change as you step
Down enters the IMA sub mode.
through the available parameters. The list below shows
Right enters the Ah counting and display brightness you what each abbreviation means.
adjustment mode.
MCM = Insight 1999-2006 MCM (IMA) parameter
Left enters the parameter selection mode.
UK1 = UK Insight 1999-2004 ECM parameter
Centre push enters the configuration and additional
US1 = US Insight 1999-2004 ECM parameter
feature menu system.
US2 = US Insight 2005-2006 ECM parameter
Parameter selection (Left)
TCM = Insight 1999-2006 TCM (CVT) parameter
First this gives a menu with a ‘Reset to default
parameters’ option. You can select US1 1999-2004, US2 HCM = Civic HCH1 2003-2005 MCM (IMA) parameter
2005-2006, UK1 1999-2004 or Centre to move onto the
HCE = Civic HCH1 2003-2005 ECM parameter
manual parameter selection described below. The
gauge will restart if you reset the parameters, and they OBD = Generic OBDII parameter.
will be saved for future use. This feature can be used as
a quick way of changing from the UK1 (firmware flash MIS = Miscellaneous non vehicle parameter
default) to a US1 or US2 parameter set. The current parameter list appears in the appendix. As
Manually selecting display parameters is probably the mentioned, parameters are divided up into computer
most difficult part of Obdiic&c operation. Take care modules, regions and years. For example, if your car is
when selecting them, and please pay particular a US 2004 model, and you want an ECM parameter, you
attention to the convention and restrictions on must ensure you scroll through the parameters list until
parameter placement. The eight default parameters are you reach the “US1” 1999-2004 ECM section.
an equal mixture of four ECM (Engine) ones on the Note the Civic parameters listed are for development
right, and four MCM (IMA) generic ones on the left of and testing purposes only at this time.
the screen. In order to allow the Obdiic&c to retrieve
information efficiently, you should keep the same type Once you press left, the Obdiic&c will display the
of parameters in the same column i.e. MCM on the left currently selected parameter for position 1 on the
and ECM on the right. screen. You can now scroll through the available
parameters for that position using the joy button.
The parameters are arranged on the display with
parameter one at the (top left), and parameter eight at Up Increases the parameter by 1
the (bottom right). Parameter eight (bottom right) Down decreases the parameter by 1
must be a valid ECM parameter for the vehicle. It is
used to detect the type of vehicle and region it is Right Increases the parameter by 16
operating in. Setting an incorrect or invalid parameter
Left decreases the parameter by 16
here may cause other functions to fail or other
unpredictable results. Centre confirms the currently displayed parameter as
the one you wish to select for this display position and
moves onto the next display position.

You continue to select parameters and move through

all eight display positions. Once you have made your
eight selections, the final Centre push will save the data
and restart the Obdiic&c gauge.
Screen showing parameter $0A in screen position 1.
Special parameters
Display Line 1 = parameter 1 & 2
The parameter list contains a number of non-vehicle
Display Line 2 = parameter 3 & 4 related entries at $199, $19A, $19B and $19C. These
 5

relate to i2c type temperature sensors. They can be IMA Mode (Down)
connected to the i2c expansion port on the back of the
Obdiic&c PCB for monitoring of remote, user-specified
parts of the car e.g. the exhaust manifold or the IMA
motor. They require special sensors, either the Melexis
infrared MLX90614 or the generic ds18b20 type. IMA mode sub menu.
Further information on this function can be found on
the forum by searching for the sensor types. This mode gives access to the IMA SOC, battery fan
control section, and the IMA DTC clear command.
XXXX (Note: The IMA DTC display section is still under
construction and is only included for development use.)
Selecting incorrect parameters will not harm the
Once you are in the IMA mode main screen, you have a
Obdiic&c or the car, but will result in the display
number of sub options.
showing “XXXX” on screen at that position, as the car
will not recognise the information request. Most US Up display IMA DTC
users, when they first plug the gauge into the car, will
see XXXX displayed for all the ECM parameters, as they Used for development only and displays the IMA DTC
are set to UK by default. US users must change them to memory area. Errors are signified by a 1 in any position.
the US ones they wish to display.

Ah counting & display brightness (Right)

Ima error memory displayed. No errors present.

Ah/Wh and elapsed time display screen. Down clear IMA DTC

This Ah counting section displays the total charging Ah, Clears the IMA DTC memory area and resets IMA error
discharge Ah, and the total Wh in and out of the pack codes. If you are trying to reset IMA codes, it is
since the last time reset. It measures the battery important to remember that some codes will return
current once a second and calculates a running total for immediately if the cause of the issue has not been
each value. rectified. Therefore, this feature cannot rid you of those
codes if the IMA is disabled for safety reasons. If you
The cumulative Ah can show you the capacity of your also have a CEL (Check Engine Light) then in order to
pack when used with controls to command assist or clear both you must clear the IMA code first, turn off
regeneration. the ignition for ten seconds, turn it back on again, and
then use the Obdiic&c boot up CEL display and clear
The Ah/Wh values and time factors can be reset with
mode to clear the CEL.
button presses. Note the counting of the current, Ah
and Wh takes place only when the display is active on Right set SOC sub mode
the main eight parameter display screen.
When you enter this mode the current battery SOC is
Up Reset Ah/Wh time counter displayed along with the available options.
Down Reset Ah and Wh total counter

The display brightness for standard backlit LCD is

controlled by a pulse width modulation switching signal
controlling the 12V supply to the backlight.

Right Increases the display brightness Set SOC sub mode.

Left decreases the display brightness The battery SOC is able to be set at three different
levels, 40% low = down, 60% medium = left and 75%
Centre exits the Ah/Wh counting brightness mode and high = up. Use the button to select the value you
restarts the gauge require, then press centre to return to the IMA mode
menu.
 6

This feature is useful if you have grid-charged the car Menu 1 options.
from a low SOC and want to set the SOC to 75% before
Up Controls the SCS (Service Connector Signal) line.
driving off, therefore avoiding the car force-charging
Enabling this option causes the dashboard error lights
already full cells. This mode is also used to compensate
to flash out the error sub codes for each system: IMA,
for those with bigger capacity packs, as they can simply
SRS, EPS, ABS, TCM, etc. Note this feature is dependent
repeatedly reset the SOC to 75% for as long as their
on the brown SCS wire being present at your Obdii port.
pack lasts. See also the AsoOff function in menu 6.
Unfortunately, on some cars (including UK ones) it is
Left set battery cooling fan speed not present, so this feature will not function. If you have
Imac&c p&p installed, then this can also activate the
The fan is normally automatically controlled by the
SCS signal. Default is SCS disabled.
BCM, but this override feature is especially useful for
those in hotter climates, or who are pushing the car and Down This sets the temperature mode for all
IMA system hard. It can also be used to test the fan, as parameters to either Celsius of Fahrenheit. Default is
it is very difficult to hear operating in normal day-to-day Celsius mode.
running. Setting the fan to fast makes it easier to hear.
Right This sets the amp calculation compensation mode
to either normal or +30%. It allows the gauge to
compensate for those operating with current hacks
enabled. Default is normal mode.

Left This sets the speed display mode for all parameters
Battery fan control sub mode. to either MPH or KPH. Default is MPH mode.

When you enter this mode, the current fan status is Menu 2 general configuration
displayed on screen along with the button options.
Select the setting you require and then press centre to
return to the IMA mode menu.

Configuration menus (Centre)

There are at present eight sub-menus in the Menu 2 options.

configuration system, each with several options or sub-
modes. A lot are self-explanatory, but some of them Up Turns the button beep on or off. Default is the
require additional hardware such as Imac&c p&p button beeps every time it is pressed.
installed. You should not activate them unless you are Down Turns the alarm beeps on or off. Default is alarm
certain how they operate. will sound if required.
Pressing Centre on any menu jumps to the next. You Right Enables the data-logging mode
can hold the centre button down to jump quickly to a
higher menu level. Most menu options toggle When active, the gauge outputs the parameter data as
on/off/on/off etc as you press the button. The menu a serial 9600,8,N,1 data stream via the logging port, for
system displays the currently selected option, not what import into a specially crafted Excel spreadsheet with
you will get if you select it. When you have passed macro. This feature requires a serial to USB lead and
through all the menus and exit menus, the gauge will specialised software (Plx-Daq) installed on the receiving
save your new configuration and reboot. If you miss a computer. Please refer to the data-logging thread on
menu, you cannot go backwards - you have to go the forum for more details. Note: enabling the logging
through the rest of the menus and then start again. feature adds extra load to the Obdiic&c processor, so it
should not be enabled unless logging is taking place.
Menu 1 general configuration Data logging can take place at a user selectable (Menu
7) 4Hz (Default) or 0.5Hz if you want to capture a longer
period.

Left Turns the start up readiness codes display on or off.

Default is the readiness codes are displayed for three
seconds on Obdiic&c boot up.
 7

Menu 3 performance timing Menu 4 options.

This menu displays the MCM & ECM internal software

version numbers, performs a rapid EGR (Exhaust Gas
Recirculation) valve test, and has a future key
programming mode option.
Menu 3 options.
Up Displays the MCM software version number.
This menu gives access to the four standardised pre-set
acceleration test modes. 0-30 mph, 0-60 mph, 50-70 Down Displays the ECM software version number.
mph and 30-60 mph. these are timed to the nearest
Right Enables the key programming mode. (Not yet
1/10 of a second, and use the vehicle VSS (Vehicle
available)
Speed Sensor) and PIC internal timer to calculate the
results. Left Activates the EGR test. This displays the EGR valve
internal feedback potentiometer voltage with a very
When the chosen test is activated, the gauge waits for
fast refresh rate. It is useful for those with the common
the car to move from standstill for the 0-30 mph, 0-60
‘herky jerky’ symptoms to watch for readings that jump
mph tests, or pass through the start time in the case of
around erratically, indicating the presence of the worn
the 30-60 mph, 50-70mph tests, it then starts the timer.
EGR feedback sensor issue.
When the target speed is reached, timing is stopped
and the result displayed. The two rolling start tests are
performed with the car accelerating hard past the start
speed.

This system enables accurate comparisons timings to be

made after modifications have been made, or allows
comparisons between different vehicles. An online EGR monitoring in progress.
shared Google spreadsheet is available for people to
add their results. It presently shows quite a number of Menu 5 clear SRS, ABS, EPS, TCM DTCs
interesting vehicles times and results. More are
welcome.

Performance testing thread

Performance spreadsheet

Up Enables the 0-30 mph acceleration test mode. Menu 5 options.

Down Enables the 0-60 mph acceleration test mode. This menu allows users to clear module specific DTC
codes. Normal OBD2 readers cannot access these
Right Enables the 50-70 mph acceleration test mode. modules which operate on the H-line, and require
special commands to activate. Note: if a module has a
Left Enables the 30-60 mph acceleration test mode.
serious safety critical error like the IMA codes, it may be
Centre Exits the current test mode. impossible to clear until the fault has been rectified.

Up Clears SRS (Safety restraint system) codes

Down Clears ABS (Antilock braking system) codes

Right Clears TCM (CVT control module) codes

Left Clears EPS (Electronic power steering) codes

Ready for the 0-60mph test! Menu 6 advanced user modes
Menu 4 EGR test, MCM & ECM software version, keys

Menu 6 options.
 8

These menu modes are for advanced Obdiic&c users. Left ECM & MCM compensation voltage. This feature
adds 200mV to the detected ECM and MCM 12V system
Up AGcOff/On Auto charge mode resets the battery
voltage parameters. Voltage drops in the vehicle wiring
state of charge to 75% (four times) if it is less than 70%.
loom means the system voltage at the ECM and MCM is
This is for those who have grid-charged their cars with
not the same as the actual 12V battery voltage. This
the ignition off to 100% capacity (most people). It
compensation value is an effort to rectify that problem
ensures the top 20% of the SOC is burnt off (5% at a
and bring the detected values in line with the actual
time over 4 resets) to bring the battery actual SOC into
voltage. The 200mV value is hard-coded in the software
line with the OEM displayed SOC. It also prevents a
and was arrived at after members of the forum
freshly grid-charged battery being forced charged
measured their 12V battery voltages at the terminals
beyond 100% by an OEM system which thinks the
and as reported by the Obdiic&c.
battery SOC is low.
Menu 8 miscellaneous features
Down ASoOff/On Auto SOC mode continuously sets the
battery state of charge to 75%. This is intended for
those with non-standard large capacity packs and
independent BMS (Battery Management Systems)
systems. It prevents the OEM system force-charging or
reducing assist performance. It should not be used in
standard cars.
Menu 8 options.
Right Unused at present.
Up MaxA. Enables the maximum assist kick down (Kers)
Left AFaOff/On Auto bat fan mode (Not currently mode. It is available only to those with Imac&c p&p
active). This mode will turn the battery fan on at lower fitted. When active, the Obdiic&c monitors the throttle
temperatures than the standard system. It is useful for potentiometer position, when it is pressed beyond 90%
those in hot climates and avoids the user having to it engages maximum assist for as long as the throttle is
manually intervene each time they want the fan on. pressed and the battery is able to sustain it. This is
great for overtaking and maximum acceleration, as the
Menu 7 miscellaneous features
standard system does not allow maximum IMA power
in all gears, nor does it sustain maximum power beyond
about 3 seconds at any one time. This also works with
the CVT model and gives very sprightly acceleration.
Default is off.

Menu 7 options. Down VfdBri. This is a special vacuum fluorescent

display brightness control feature. These displays have
Up MdmOff MDM (Motor Drive Module) voltage different brightness control mechanisms to LCD ones,
compensation mode. This is used by those who are and require special control codes to be sent to vary the
voltage hacking and have added extra sticks to the brightness. This option steps through the four available
system. The compensation is fixed at 1.4 x the MDM brightness levels. Do not use this option with a
voltage, which is equivalent to eight additional sticks standard Lcd display fitted or it may be corrupted.
being added. (This was the maximum number I tested in
my voltage hacking trials.) This value is hard-coded into Right ImaErLst. This mode displays the IMA error sub-
the software but could be modified on special request. code list details. Pressing up/down once the list is
Default is off. active steps through the various codes and their
explanation. Pressing centre returns to Menu 8.
Down LogPot mode toggles the data logging serial data
stream polarity. Default is 9600,8,N,1, (Inverted) Left C&cMode. This option is the main configuration
enabled is 9600,8,T,1 (True). This can be used by those setting for those with an Imac&c p&p unit fitted.
who need to invert the data stream for their logging There are four possible options, and pressing left
device. rotates through them in turn. You must ensure you
Right LogRate mode (not shown in menu pic above) have selected the mode that matches your Imac&c p&p
toggles the logging data output rate between 4hz and hardware setup or you may experience unpredictable
0.5hz. This allows users of earlier versions of Excel to results.
capture longer periods of operation.
 9

C&cMo=Off Means an Imac&c p&p is not fitted. This is The OBD2 socket in the car is protected by a fuse; if this
the default setting. is blown, the gauge will not receive any power.

C&cMo=Joy Means the official Imac&c p&p joystick is Users with a PIC programmer can reflash the device
fitted to the car and wired to the Obdiic&c i2c firmware to return it to normal if it gets corrupted.
expansion port.
XXXX on the display means the car is not responding to
C&cMo=RBut Means the user has connected three that parameter request. This is usually caused by users
simple remote buttons, and they are connected to selecting parameters from the wrong car region or year.
Obdiic&c i2c expansion port. Some cars occasionally require parameters from
different zones or years than you would expect to
C&cMo=LBut Means the user wishes to utilise the
operate correctly.
Obdiic&c 5-way joy button to control Imac&c p&p
functionality. Operation in this mode is limited, and not The OBDIIC&C uses a precision internal timer to
recommended for road use due to the difficulty in calculate Ah/Wh in/out of the IMA battery. When the
operating the Obdiic&c joy button on the move. It is gauge is heavily loaded such as when logging data, or
useful however for basic testing. controlling the IMAC&C manual IMA control system it
can slow down to the point that Ah/Wh calculations
Imac&c p&p specific error flags that may appear on the become inaccurate. This is signified by a momentary
far right of the main Obdiic&c display. They include: blip/flash of the red led. If the blipping is regular please
report it via the main OBDIIC&C forum thread.
 T or t = Imac&c communications timeout
Failure of the gauge to shutdown correctly on ignition
 C= Imac&c checksum error off is sometimes caused by users turning off the car
when it is not in the normal parameter display mode, or
 E= Incorrect 8th parameter turning the car back on again before the gauge has
shutdown correctly. (Shutdown takes about 5 seconds.)
Please refer to the separate Imac&c p&p instruction
If this occurs, either turn the car back on again, allow
manual for detailed information on Imac&c button
the gauge to initialise, then turn the ignition off again,
functionality and full operating instructions.
or unplug the gauge until the next time you need it.
Additional notes and troubleshooting tips
The Obdiic&c gauge is covered from the date of
Certain display parameters, internal functions and flags purchase by a three-year, return to base warranty. If it
are linked. For example, the AFR (Air/fuel Ratio) fails in normal use, I will just send out a new unit on
parameter is linked to the operation of the green lean receipt of your broken one. The warranty does not
burn LED. So the AFR parameter must be one of your cover accidental damage caused by dropping it, etc.
selected parameters if you wish the green lean burn
Firmware updates
LED to operate. Likewise, the ECT (Engine Coolant
Temperature) must be a selected parameter if you want
The Obdiic&c can be updated with new firmware
the red LED temperature warning light and audible
quickly and simply by the user. The procedure requires
alarm to operate.
a USB pic programmer and suitable computer running
Problems with the gauge are generally caused by the PICkit 2 programming software.
incorrect user settings, or a poor connection at the car
ODB2 socket. The programmer recommended is the (icp01). It can be
ordered, and the software required downloaded from
If the gauge is completely blank and does not beep or this webpage link.
respond in any way, then check the wires linking the
gauge to the car. Open the Obdiic&c case and check the Pic icp01 programmer
connections for the cable on the Obdiic&c PCB, and in
the plug at the other end of the cable. The firmware update process should be carried out with
the Obdiic&c unplugged from the car. On the back of
The pins in the Obdii plug can sometimes be forced the Obdiic&c PCB in the bottom right corner is a sil 0.1”
back into the plug housing, resulting in bad 5 pin connector J2, labelled “ICSP”. It has a small “1”
connections. If this occurs, open-up the plug, push the near the bottom right pin. If you have the official 3d
pins forward and then superglue them in place. printed Obdiic&c case there will be a cut out in the back
of the case over this connector. The pic programmer
plugs into a USB port on your computer, and connects
 10

to the 5 pin connector on the back of the Obdiic&c. The 7) V11 Added red led blip timer overflow warning.
red stripe of the programmer cable connects to pin “1”
8) V11 Reduced readiness code display time.
on the PCB.
9) V11 Internal speed tweaks.
Once the programmer is connected to the Obdiic&c,
and the software is running on your computer, the Finally
gauge may try to start up if the VDD PICkit 2 option is I hope you enjoy using the Obdiic&c as much as I do. It
ticked in the PICkit 2 software. This is normal. Now took hundreds of hours to research, design and build. It
check communication with the gauge by using the
is a product specifically built for our fascinating cars,
programming software Tools menu, and the option
and I hope it helps you get the best out of yours.
“Check Communication”. The programmer should flash
and the device type 18F2620 should appear as shown. Comments and feedback on it, these instructions, or
any of my devices are always welcome. Please use the
www.insightcentral.net forum Obdiic&c threads for all
general questions, feature requests or problems. There
are lots of experienced users of my devices in the
Insight community, and they are always willing to help
on the forum with their experience and knowledge.

Peter Perkins 06/10/2016

Obdiic&c Specifications

Supply voltage 12V DC

PICkit 2 software screenshot.
Operating current maximum 300mA
Make sure the options “Program Memory Enabled” and
Sleep current 5mA
“EEPROM Data Enabled” are ticked.
Insight specific OBD2 control device with 20x4 LCD
Now open the File menu and select “Import Hex”. Find
backlit screen
the new Obdiic&c firmware hex file you have
downloaded and select it. You should see the message Adjustable screen brightness and contrast
“Hex file successfully imported”. Now press the Write
Red and green indicator LED’s
button and the new firmware will be uploaded to the
Obdiic&c. If all goes well you should get a green Audible piezo beeper
“Programming Successful” message.
Five-way joy button control
If you wish to back up your current software and data
before upgrading, use the Read and Export options in Eight parameter, user-selectable display
the PICkit 2 software to save it 250 parameters
If the firmware update fails check your connections and Engine coolant temperature alarm
try re-downloading the hex file. Check the
www.insightcentral.net forum for further advice. EGR system monitor

Software change log Sub-module error code clearing

1) V09 Added readiness codes toggle display Battery SOC and fan control
option to configuration menu 2. Performance testing mode
2) V10 Bug fix in logging code. Imac&c p&p manual IMA control interface
3) V11 Fixed shutdown issue. Advanced user functions and capabilities
4) V11 Added reset default parameters option. Flash upgradeable by the user
5) V11 Added lcd backlight start 50%. Regular software updates
6) V11 Added Selectable 4hz/0.5hz logging rate.
 11

** Appendix A Parameter List ** "Mdf","MDM Fail Flag Status" 0x1F

* Insight 1999-2006 29/09/2016 * "Dci","DC-DC Inhibitor Stat" 0x20

"Igh","Ignition Hold Relay " 0x21

* Ima (Mcm) 1999-2006 Parameters * "Igr","Ignition Hold Return" 0x22

"Wam","W Phase Amps +/-310A" 0x00 "Abs","ABS Action Status " 0x23

"Vam","V Phase Amps +/-310A" 0x01 "Scs","SCS Line Status " 0x24

"Uam","U Phase Amps +/-310A" 0x02 "Hvr","HV Contactor Return " 0x25

"Tam","Total Phase Amps " 0x03 "Bpr","BP Contactor Return " 0x26

"Mam","MDM Amps +/-250A "0x04 "D40","IMADTC Data 16 Bytes" 0x27

"Mdv","MDM Voltage " 0x05 "D50","IMADTC Data 16 Bytes" 0x28

"Ikw","IMA Request Kw " 0x06 "D60","IMADTC Data 08 Bytes" 0x29

"Eto","Engine Torque " 0x07 "MCM","MCM Version Number " 0x2A

"Mte","MDM Temperature " 0x08 "Wat","IMA Power Watts " 0x2B

"Dte","DC-DC Temperature " 0x09 "XXX","Spare DataBase Entry" 0x2C

"Bvo","IMA Battery Voltage " 0x0A "XXX","Spare DataBase Entry" 0x2D

"Mor","Motor Speed Rpm " 0x0B "XXX","Spare DataBase Entry" 0x2E

"Soc","IMA Battery Soc 16Bt" 0x0C "XXX","Spare DataBase Entry" 0x2F

"Bam","IMA Battery Amps " 0x0D

"Bte","IMA Battery Avg Temp" 0x0E * Ecm 1999-2004 UK Parameters *

"Hvi","IMA HV Insulation " 0x0F "Rpm","Engine Speed Rpm " 0x30

"Msv","MCM System Voltage " 0x10 "Spd","Vehicle Speed Kmh " 0x31

"Spd","Vehicle Speed Km/Mph" 0x11 "Brf","Brake Switch " 0x32

"Soc","IMA Battery Soc 8Bit" 0x12 "Acs","Air Con Switch " 0x33

"Mto","IMA Motor Torque Nm " 0x13 "Vtf","Vtec Oil Switch " 0x34

"Isb","IMA Standby Signal %" 0x14 "Stf","Starter Switch " 0x35

"Alf","Assist Limit Flag " 0x15 "Clf","Clutch Switch " 0x36

"Rlf","Regen Limit Flag " 0x16 "Nef","Neutral Switch " 0x37

"Bfs","Battery Fan Slow Flg" 0x17 "Scs","SCS Open or Shorted " 0x38

"Bff","Battery Fan Fast Flg" 0x18 "Fpf","Main Fuel Pump Relay" 0x39

"Imt","IMA Trgt Amps 0-255A" 0x19 "Acc","AirCon Clutch Switch" 0x3A

"Hvc","HV Contactor Status " 0X1A "Mil","MIL Light On Off " 0x3B

"Bpc","Bypass Contactor St " 0x1B "Vts","Vtec Solenoid Status" 0x3C

"Iml","IMA Lamp Stat On/Off" 0x1C "Rfs","Radiator Fan Status " 0x3D

"Mpo","MPI Fan OnOff Status" 0x1D "Dcf","DCDC Control Status " 0x3E

"Mpf","MPI Fan FastSlow Sta" 0x1E "Aff","AFRatio Feedback Con" 0x3F

 12

"Imo","Imobiliser Run/Ban " 0x40 "Tpv","Throttle Position V " 0x63

"Ect","Engine Coolant Temp " 0x41

"Iat","Eng Air Intake Temp " 0x42 * Ecm 1999-2004 US Parameters *

"Map","MAP Pressure Kpa " 0x43 "Rpm","Engine Speed Rpm " 0x64

"Bar","BAR Pressure Kpa " 0x44 "Spd","Vehicle Speed Kmh " 0x65

"Tps","Throttle Position % " 0x45 "Brf","Brake Switch " 0x66

"O1c","1st 02 Sensor Cur ma" 0x46 "Stf","Starter Switch " 0x67

"Esv","ECM System Voltage " 0x47 "Vtf","Vtec Oil Switch " 0x68

"Sov","Soc Voltage 0-5V " 0x48 "Vts","Vtec Solenoid Status" 0x69

"Eld","Electronic Load Amps" 0x49 "Acs","Air Con Switch " 0x6A

"Egr","Egr Valve Feedback " 0x4A "Acc","AirCon Clutch Switch" 0x6B

"Stf","Short Term Fuel Trim" 0x4B "Imo","Imobiliser Run/Ban " 0x6C

"Ltf","Long Term Fuel Trim " 0x4C "Mil","MIL Light On Off " 0x6D

"Fin","Fuel Injector ms " 0x4D "Clf","Clutch Switch " 0x6E

"Spk","Spark Advance Degree" 0x4E "Nef","Neutral Switch " 0x6F

"Knk","Knock Retard Degrees" 0x4F "Scs","SCS Open or Shorted " 0x70

"Iac","Idle Air Control Vlv" 0x50 "Fpf","Main Fuel Pump Relay" 0x71

"Afr","AFR Air Fuel Ratio " 0x51 "Dcf","DCDC Control Status " 0x72

"Evp","Evap Purge Control " 0x52 "Ims","IMA Standby " 0x73

"Mil","MIL Lamp Status 2 " 0x53 "Stc","Starter Control " 0x74

"Fue","Fuel System Status " 0x54 "Ids","Idle Stop Control " 0x75

"Lod","Engine Load 0-100% " 0x55 "Rfs","Radiator Fan Status " 0x76

"O2v","2nd O2 Sensor Volts " 0x56 "Ect","Engine Coolant Temp " 0x77

"O2h","2nd O2 Sensor Heater" 0x57 "Iat","Eng Air Intake Temp " 0x78

"Cyl","Misfired Cylinder " 0x58 "Map","MAP Pressure Kpa " 0x79

"Itq","IMA Motor Torque Nm " 0x59 "Bar","BAR Pressure Kpa " 0x7A

"Bbp","Brake Boost Pressure" 0x5A "Tps","Throttle Position % " 0x7B

"Etq","Engine Torque " 0x5B "O1c","1st 02 Sensor Cur ma" 0x7C

"Ikw","IMA Request +/-9.9kw" 0x5C "Esv","ECM System Voltage " 0x7D

"Rev","Reversing Light " 0x5D "Sov","Soc Voltage 0-5V " 0x7E

"Ims","IMA Standby " 0x5E "Eld","Electronic Load Amps" 0x7F

"Stc","Starter Control " 0x5F "Egr","Egr Valve Feedback " 0x80

"Ids","Idle Stop Control " 0x60 "Stf","Short Term Fuel Trim" 0x81

"ECM","ECM Version Number " 0x61 "Ltf","Long Term Fuel Trim " 0x82

"Tpr","Throttle Position R " 0x62 "Fin","Fuel Injector ms " 0x83

 13

"Spk","Spark Advance Degree" 0x84 "Pnp","PNP Switch Status " 0xA5

"Knk","Knock Retard Degrees" 0x85 "Atr","ATR Switch Status " 0xA6

"Iac","Idle Air Control Vlv" 0x86 "XXX","Spare DataBase Entry" 0xA7

"Afr","AFR Air Fuel Ratio " 0x87 "Atd","ATD Switch Status " 0xA8

"Evp","Evap Purge Control " 0x88 "Atl","ATL Switch Status " 0xA9

"Evs","Evap Bypass Solenoid" 0x89 "Scs","SCS Open or Shorted " 0xAA

"Evc","Evap CVS Valve Stat " 0x8A "Brf","Brake Switch " 0xAB

"Ftp","Fuel Tank Pressure " 0x8B "Mod","Mode S Switch Status" 0xAC

"Mis","MIL Lamp Status 2 " 0x8C "Caa","Cas Solenoid A Stat " 0xAD

"Fue","Fuel System Status " 0x8D "Inh","Inhibitor Solenoid " 0xAE

"Lod","Engine Load 0-100% " 0x8E "Cab","Cas Solenoid B Stat " 0xAF

"O2v","2nd O2 Sensor Volts " 0x8F "Sin","S Indicator Status " 0xB0

"O2h","2nd O2 Sensor Heater" 0x90 "Din","D Indicator Status " 0xB1

"Itq","IMA Motor Torque Nm " 0x91 "Col","Cooling Control " 0xB2

"Bbp","Brake Boost Pressure" 0x92 "Fbl","Feedback Learn Compl" 0xB3

"Etq","Engine Torque " 0x93 "Lcc","Learn Condition " 0xB4

"Ikw","IMA Request +/-9.9kw" 0x94 "Sam","Starter Clutch Amps " 0xB5

"Rev","Reversing Light " 0x95 "Ect","Engine Coolant Temp " 0xB6

"ECM","ECM Version Number " 0x96 "Iat","Eng Air Intake Temp " 0xB7

"Tpr","Throttle Position R " 0x97 "Dra","Drive Pulley SolAmp " 0xB8

"Tpv","Throttle Position V " 0x98 "Dia","Driven Pulley SolAmp" 0xB9

"XXX","Spare DataBase Entry" 0x99 "Rat","CVT Drive Ratio " 0xBA

"XXX","Spare DataBase Entry" 0x9A "XXX","Spare DataBase Entry" 0xBB

"XXX","Spare DataBase Entry" 0x9B "XXX","Spare DataBase Entry" 0xBC

"XXX","Spare DataBase Entry" 0xBD

* Cvt (Tcm) 1999-2006 Parameters * "XXX","Spare DataBase Entry" 0xBE

"Rpm","Engine Speed Rpm " 0x9C "XXX","Spare DataBase Entry" 0xBF

"DrR","Drive Pulley Rpm " 0x9D

"DiR","Driven Pulley Rpm " 0x9E * Ecm 2005-2006 US Parameters *

"SeR","Secondary Shaft Rpm " 0x9F "Rpm","Engine Speed Rpm " 0xC0

"Spd","Vehicle Speed Kmh " 0xA0 "Spd","Vehicle Speed Kmh " 0xC1

"SeK","Secondary Shaft Kmh " 0xA1 "Brf","Brake Switch " 0xC2

"DrK","Driven Pulley Kmh " 0xA2 "Stf","Starter Switch " 0xC3

"Tps","Throttle Position % " 0xA3 "Vtf","Vtec Oil Switch " 0xC4

"Map","MAP Pressure Kpa " 0xA4 "Vts","Vtec Solenoid Status" 0xC5

 14

"Acs","Air Con Switch " 0xC6 "Fue","Fuel System Status " 0xE9

"Acc","AirCon Clutch Switch" 0xC7 "Lod","Engine Load 0-100% " 0xEA

"Imo","Imobiliser Run/Ban " 0xC8 "O2v","2nd O2 Sensor Volts " 0xEB

"Mil","MIL Light On Off " 0xC9 "O2h","2nd O2 Sensor Heater" 0xEC

"Clf","Clutch Switch " 0xCA "Itq","IMA Motor Torque Nm " 0xED

"Nef","Neutral Switch " 0xCB "Bbp","Brake Boost Pressure" 0xEF

"Scs","SCS Open or Shorted " 0xCC "Etq","Engine Torque " 0xF0

"Fpf","Main Fuel Pump Relay" 0xCD "Ikw","IMA Request +/-9.9kw" 0xF1

"Dcf","DCDC Control Status " 0xCE "Rev","Reversing Light " 0xF2

"Ims","IMA Standby " 0xCF "ECM","ECM Version Number " 0xF3

"Stc","Starter Control " 0xD0 "Tpr","Throttle Position R " 0xF4

"Ids","Idle Stop Control " 0xD1 "Tpv","Throttle Position V " 0xF5

"Rfs","Radiator Fan Status " 0xD2 "XXX","Spare DataBase Entry" 0xF6

"Ect","Engine Coolant Temp " 0xD3 "XXX","Spare DataBase Entry" 0xF7

"Iat","Eng Air Intake Temp " 0xD4 "XXX","Spare DataBase Entry" 0xF8

"Map","MAP Pressure Kpa " 0xD5

"Bar","BAR Pressure Kpa " 0xD6

"Tps","Throttle Position % " 0xD7

"O1c","1st 02 Sensor Cur ma" 0xD8

"Esv","ECM System Voltage " 0xD9

"Sov","Soc Voltage 0-5V " 0xDA

"Eld","Electronic Load Amps" 0xDB

"Egr","Egr Valve Feedback " 0xDC

"Stf","Short Term Fuel Trim" 0xDD

"Ltf","Long Term Fuel Trim " 0xDE

"Fin","Fuel Injector ms " 0xDF

"Spk","Spark Advance Degree" 0xE0

"Knk","Knock Retard Degrees" 0xE1

"Iac","Idle Air Control Vlv" 0xE2

"Afr","AFR Air Fuel Ratio " 0xE3

"Evp","Evap Purge Control " 0xE4

"Evs","Evap Bypass Solenoid" 0xE5

"Evc","Evap CVS Valve Stat " 0xE6

"Ftp","Fuel Tank Pressure " 0xE7

"Mis","MIL Lamp Status 2 " 0xE8