An alternative to Diagbox - Topdon Artidiag 800BT

[GiveMeABreak]

Before you go down that road, it is worth restoring your backup licence file (if you have kept it) and that may well resolve the activation issue after a restart.

[Paul-R]

APPDIAG.SYS? Almost the first thing I tried I'm afraid.

[cit-rotti]

Before you go down that road, it is worth restoring your backup licence file (if you have kept it) and that may well resolve the activation issue after a restart.

If the backup file (APPDIAG.SYS) is not successful, the following often helps:

First execute the backup file and then restart.
Then run the update 7.xx to 7.57 or a similar update again and install it cleanly.

Greetings Wolfgang

[Paul-R]

Unfortunately running the most recent update (7.57 to 7.58) didn't work. Jim at Easydiagnostics provided me with the information I needed to reinstall Diagbox so that's all done now and the urgency about our 308 has gone.

Which brings me back to my original reason for posting. Inviting opinions about the Xtool D8BT. And comparisons with the Artidiag offerings.

[Paul-R]

Well, there have been no comments and I eventually decided to order the D8BT. After a near week of no information I queried what was going on and was told that there was no stock and that they would refund me. I asked how long it would be before there was stock and they then told me that it had been discontinued! Wonderful.

Anyway I then asked about the D8W (the wireless WiFi version as opposed to the wireless BlueTooth version). It's more expensive but has a greater range and is faster transferring data. They gave me a link to their shop on Aliexpress. It always makes me gulp when buying a high value item through Aliexpress but I used PayPal to give me an extra layer of security. I got my best UK cost by setting the price in US$ and then using my UK credit card (which pays PayPal) to make the exchange (at the perfect interbank rate) between US$ and GB£. The end cost to me was a few £s under £400.

The delivery to me was exemplary, just under a week arriving yesterday lunch-time. I had a play with it yesterday afternoon on the 308. It autodetected the VIN without problem and then cleared all the error codes except for a couple on the engine ECU and one on the Combine ECU (whatever that is). My Diagbox 7.58 will clear all the engine ECU codes but not the Combine code. They come back of course!

I then tried to do something that Diagbox 7.58 can't do. Add another key as a spare. It did this with no problem although I needed the key code just as a working Diagbox would need. I think that the D8W can extract the PIN code if I've read the bumf properly and I must try that soon to confirm. Fortunately I had the key code anyway.

I then read the codes on my brother's 2005 Vauxhall Astra Estate. A much simpler system of course. It dealt with a temporary code in the immobiliser easily but not the two codes in the Engine ECU. Not unexpected as we know there are problems with the glow plugs to be investigated.

One thing I wasn't expecting was when I'd finished on the 308 I couldn't pull the VCI off the EOBD socket. It required a mighty wrench to get the VCI off and when I inspected the VCI I could see that part of the plastic surround had broken. I compared the D8W VCI with the VCI off the Diagbox and this is much better designed as there is a metal pin which obviously has more springy 'give' to allow removal whilst having enough grip to hold it in place.

I sent the two attached photos to the manufacturer and am waiting for a decent reply from them about this.

[Paul-R]

I think that the D8W can extract the PIN code if I've read the bumf properly and I must try that soon to confirm.

Found some time today and I can confirm that the D8W can extract the key PID from the car. There was an option to extract the PID if you had a working key and that was what I used. There's also an option if you don't have a working key (total key loss) but I didn't try that as it involved some programming of something and I didn't want to risk buggering things up.

I would guess that other D8 variants can do do this as well as higher range D9s. Not sure about the D7s.

If only I'd had the D8W 7 years ago I could've saved £60 getting codes for the 308 and C5 X7!

[c5_on_a_shoestring]

Would any of the Topdon range be suitable for clearing and resetting the eolys fluid low warning on a c5 2.0 litre exclusive estate 2007. Would it also be capable of detecting a diesel injector fault. I am experiencing a "surging" at motorway cruising speeds and a misfire at low speeds indicating a blocked/faulty injector i believe (on the overrun then re-accelerating a huge amount of black smoke is emitted which is indicating it over-fuelling?).

[GiveMeABreak]

The best thing to do is pose these questions to the supplier or the manufacturer.

[c5_on_a_shoestring]

Will do

[Rhothgar]

I am back in the market for a piece of diagnostic kit so this topic has been an interesting read.

I spoke to Jim some months ago about the Lexia but he said he had stopped doing them and that a new interface was coming out. Can't quite get my head around how that works. Does the pass-through cable allow you to look at live data or is it the PC software that just shows the data after a session? The screen on it looks next to useless IMHO. You want to be able to see everything at time of testing. It surely must do that.

Or is it still worth buying a full chip Lexia off Ebay?

I would have rather bought off Jim as he has been sterling over the years support-wise. Nothing was ever too much trouble. But if he doesn't sell it anymore, he doesn't sell it.

[GiveMeABreak]

The interface is out - basically it's a unit that you can buy individual lifetime licences for each marque, so the PSA one covers Citroen, Peugeot (can't remember if it also covers DS Autos), so you just buy the licences for the vehicles you need. Of course there should be live data with these kits - not much use without it. He has them in stock now.

[Rhothgar]

Do you know how it interfaces to show the live data, Marc?

If not, I’ll give Jim a bell.

[GiveMeABreak]

The same as Diagbox, via the OBD port to the diagnostic VCI to the software it uses on a laptop.

[Rhothgar]

The same as Diagbox, via the OBD port to the diagnostic VCI to the software it uses on a laptop.

OK Thanks.

As 1990’s as Lexia looks as software, I came to love it but it did have its diagnostic limitations in terms of live data visuals.

This new kit will have proper visuals no doubt but from what I can make out it doesn’t use PP2000.

Has any member got one do you happen to know?

[mickthemaverick]

Just chipping in here, if I decide to keep the C4, still in consideration stage, I will be in the market for a new diagnostic kit. I looked at the Topdon 900 and think it is a viable alternative but a bit pricey!!