For 1996 to 1999 Mustang owners, staying on top of your car’s health and performance is crucial. While the stock gauges provide basic information, true enthusiasts and those looking to maximize their Mustang’s potential often crave more detailed insights. Enter Torque Pro, a powerful OBD2 app for Android, which, when combined with the right setup and custom PIDs, can unlock a wealth of data from your 96-99 Mustang.
Torque Pro is renowned for its ability to display a wide range of parameters using standard OBD2 PIDs (Parameter IDs). These PIDs allow you to monitor things like coolant temperature, intake air temperature, RPM, speed, and more, directly on your smartphone or tablet. However, out of the box, Torque Pro, like most OBD2 scanners, is limited to the data that your Mustang’s Engine Control Module (ECM) readily broadcasts. This means crucial parameters for performance tuning and engine health, such as Exhaust Gas Temperature (EGT) and fuel pressure, are typically inaccessible through standard OBD2 protocols.
Initially, many believe that monitoring parameters like fuel pressure or EGT with Torque Pro on a 96-99 Mustang is impossible. Standard OBD2 setups simply don’t provide these readings. Common forum discussions often reflect this limitation, with users correctly pointing out that Torque Pro, by itself, cannot monitor fuel pressure or EGT because the ECM doesn’t natively broadcast this data via standard PIDs. Similarly, oil pressure, often assumed to be a monitorable parameter, is usually just an “idiot light” gauge on older Mustangs, not providing accurate pressure readings to the ECM for OBD2 output.
But what if you could extend Torque Pro’s capabilities beyond these limitations? The good news is, you can. By utilizing specific hardware from PLX Devices, you can seamlessly integrate additional sensors and modules to monitor parameters like EGT and fuel pressure within the Torque Pro app on your 96-99 Mustang. This innovative solution involves the PLX Kiwi 2 Bluetooth (or WiFi) OBD2 adapter and the iMFD adapter, along with dedicated sensors and modules for the parameters you wish to monitor.
The PLX Kiwi 2 adapter serves as the bridge between your Mustang’s OBD2 port and your Android device, while the iMFD adapter acts as a hub for connecting external sensors. You install physical sensors for EGT and fuel pressure in your Mustang, just as you would with any aftermarket gauge system. However, instead of routing these sensors to traditional gauges, they connect to PLX module boxes. These modules then daisy-chain together, ultimately plugging into the iMFD adapter, which is connected to the Kiwi 2. This clever setup feeds the sensor data into the OBD2 stream, making it accessible to Torque Pro.
Once the hardware is installed and the Kiwi 2 adapter is paired with Torque Pro, adding these newly available parameters is straightforward. When you go to add a new gauge in Torque Pro and browse the PID list, you will find the custom PIDs provided by the PLX modules. These will typically be clearly labeled, such as “PLX-EGT” or “PLX-Fuel Pressure,” allowing you to easily select and display them on your Torque Pro dashboard. You might even see multiple PIDs for the same parameter if the module supports multiple sensors, offering the potential for even more detailed monitoring in the future, like adding oil pressure or coolant pressure sensors.
The result is a customized Torque Pro dashboard displaying not only the standard OBD2 data from your 96-99 Mustang but also real-time readings of EGT and fuel pressure, all within a single, convenient app. This integrated approach offers a cost-effective alternative to dedicated gauge monitors like the Edge CTS2 while providing a wealth of information for performance monitoring and diagnostics.
However, there are a few considerations to keep in mind. The update rate for these external sensor PIDs might be slightly slower compared to the near real-time data from standard OBD2 PIDs. In the example provided, the update interval was around 1.5 to 2 seconds, which is acceptable for most monitoring purposes but might be less ideal for very high-speed data logging. Additionally, some users have reported occasional “Faulty OBDII adapter” messages, although functionality generally remains unaffected with a simple app restart if issues arise. Another minor inconvenience with the Kiwi 2 adapter is that it may automatically turn off after a period of inactivity, requiring manual reactivation upon restarting your Mustang.
Despite these minor points, using PLX devices with Torque Pro to expand your 96-99 Mustang’s monitoring capabilities is a game-changer. It provides access to critical engine data that is otherwise unavailable through standard OBD2, empowering you to better understand your Mustang’s performance and maintain its health. For 96-99 Mustang owners serious about performance and diagnostics, exploring the combination of Torque Pro and PLX hardware is a worthwhile investment.
Explore the PLX Devices mentioned in this article:
- Kiwi 2 BT OBD2 Adapter: http://www.plxdevices.com/Kiwi-2-OBD2-Wireless-Bluetooth-Diagnostic-Scanner-p/897346002573.htm
- iMFD Adapter: http://www.plxdevices.com/Kiwi-2-Wireless-Auto-Aftermarket-Diagnostic-Scan-p/897346002399.htm
- EGT Sensor/Module: http://www.plxdevices.com/EGT-Exhaust-Gas-Thermo-Temperature-Probe-Sensor-p/897346002184.htm
- Fluid Pressure Sensor/Module: http://www.plxdevices.com/Fluid-Oil-Fuel-Pressure-Sensor-Module-p/897346002382.htm
- Vacuum/Boost Sensor Module: http://www.plxdevices.com/Vacuum-Boost-Pressure-Gauge-Sensor-Module-p/897346002191.htm
