OK everyone, mandatory pocket check. Give yourself a security pat down (Hey, watch it there buddy. We said pat, not grope) and report back. Do you have at least one electronic device on your person such as a cell phone, PDA, Blackberry, Sidekick or digital camera? If so, the i-moni is the newest electronic device to add to your menagerie of gadgets.
We all know how much people who tinker with cars like to have all the tools and gadgets known to humanity to do such tinkering. If a new product purports to improve communication with our cars, which sadly have not yet learned to talk, (but we're waiting for the day: "I'm running lean, you idiot!") we are the first to sign up to try the new baby out. A'PEXi recently introduced the new "I" series of electronics and the i-moni (i-monitor) is the first product of the line to be released. The i-moni allows the user/tuner to access crucial engine parameters being fed into the car's ECU. By connecting the i-moni to the OBD-II (On Board Diagnostic) port the information is displayed on the i-moni's LCD screen.
The i-moni meter is capable of displaying engine RPM, vehicle speed, battery voltage, intake air and water temperatures. The unit can display in either KM/H or MPH for vehicle speed. Temperatures can be viewed in either Celsius or Fahrenheit for all you metric and standard freaks out there. Each parameter can also be displayed in a peak hold function to get maximum values.
Of the five different parameters monitored by the i-moni, three are essential to proper engine tuning: RPM, intake air and water temp. The values displayed on the i-moni LCD screen are the values the ECU is using for tuning. Unlike using an external meter to monitor the engine's vital signs where, depending on sensor location and the meter's calibration, the temps can easily be off by five to ten degree Fahrenheit. Or the RPM can be off by a couple of hundred RPMs. Anyone with half a brain can tell you the effects of over revving an engine.
Installing of the i-moni meter is probably the easiest tuning part you will ever install. Just locate the ISO 14230 OBD-II port and plug it in. For vehicles without a 12-volt source at the OBD-II port you will need to wire up your own power source. Once plugged in the i-moni meter comes to life. To toggle between standard and metric readings just hold the speed or temp button for more than two seconds.
Although the i-moni we tested was the only one stateside, by the time you read this the i-moni meter should be in stock at A'PEXi. The price for the i-moni should be right under $200. Considering the meter is capable of monitoring five different parameters, that's a steal. The i-moni meter works with most 1996-up vehicles equipped with a OBD-II port. For a complete application list give A'PEXi a call.