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Welkman

Member Since: 02 Nov 2014
Location: Essex colchester
Posts: 333

Arduino/microcontroller based display question.

I have been toying with building a display for extra information that the OBD 2 port shows the CPU is measuring. I would like to be able to display:

Oil temp/pressure
Transfer box oil temp
Air temp (external)
Air temp (internal)

This would be a start, then I might add some other bits like a coolant level sensor (I did this in my old TD5).

Has anyone tried this? Is it possible? I know that apps can achieve the same thing with a OBD2 scanner plugged in, but I hate relying on a phone/tablet. I know I can build my own sensors, but it seems silly to duplicate functions that are already monitored.

I loved the MADMAN I had on the TD5, but they have got up to stupid money now. I think I paid £400 8 years ago for a full TD5 kit and now they are closer to £800 if you can find them in stock.

9th Jan 2025 12:39am

kyvlle

Member Since: 22 Jul 2016
Location: Essex
Posts: 73

2004 Defender 110 Td5 XS CSW Epsom Green

I assume you talking about the Td5 engine ECU?

There are projects out there that have already accomplished this:
https://github.com/BennehBoy/LRDuinoTD5
https://github.com/k0sci3j/BinOwl_Td5Gauge

However, don't think the Td5 ECU has sensors for the those parameters you are looking for. No oil temps, but there's a engine air intake temperature.

If you look at BennehBoy's project above, he added the appropriate sensors and read those with his microcontroller.

I'm actually in the process of making one myself, though just relying on the sensors that the ECU has, and report on -- RPM, turbo pressure, etc.

9th Jan 2025 12:55am

Welkman

Member Since: 02 Nov 2014
Location: Essex colchester
Posts: 333

Hi - no I am talking about the 2.2 puma ECU. Thanks for the links though.

I normally work on vintage valve radios and amps, alongside older HiFi stuff and some t.v. so programming has been a learning curve, but I love it.

9th Jan 2025 8:02pm

jonny

Member Since: 10 Mar 2013
Location: North Wilts
Posts: 198

Re: Arduino/microcontroller based display question.

Welkman wrote:
I have been toying with building a display for extra information that the OBD 2 port shows the CPU is measuring. I would like to be able to display:

Have a look at the https://www.canchecked.de/ devices if you want something off the shelf - they can read data from the OBD port and display it. As the puma uses 'standard' OBD not like the TD5 they should talk to each other.

If you would like a Madman style setup, I have a couple of 'equivalent' gauges without sensors somewhere. From what I understand, Madman is a rebadge of monitoring systems used in light aircraft, other variations of the same gauges are available. You should be able to add standard sensors and get it working...

9th Jan 2025 9:27pm

pistonfields

Member Since: 29 Mar 2022
Location: Zurich
Posts: 76

I wanted to do the same thing for a while now but haven't found the time, sadly. I think it would be pretty neat to have an open source solution, not only limited to Defenders. There are several projects involving Arduino and OBD2 protocol but I haven't checked for a while if there's a nice one-fits-all-solution.
Reading and displaying values is pretty straight forward, but the moment you want to make it pretty (e.g. use a round display in place of the original clock, with two buttons, nice gauges and so on) it becomes tedious work.

21st Jan 2025 2:04pm

MadTom

Member Since: 10 Sep 2013
Location: Olomouc
Posts: 670

Having lot of numbers and/or indicators is nice, but for real use some sort of settable alarms is important. Just to warn the driver inmediatelly, that something wrong happened. Not waiting for driver to look on the particular value. Settable to be able to customize it easily. "Drobek" = The Small One - Discovery 2, "Blufínek" = The Blue Thing - Defender 130, and for me at least Ford Mondeo

23rd Jan 2025 12:22pm

steveww

Member Since: 05 Jan 2022
Location: Malton
Posts: 607

2015 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 XS CSW Bronze Green

There are commercial products available that do this already: Scan Gauge and Ultra Gauge.

However, it is more fun doing it yourself

A good place to start is https://www.adafruit.com/product/4759
There's displays and software libs to drive them available too.
Finding the right CAN codes is a challenge

I started such a project but have yet to finish it, I'm happy to share any notes I have.

2nd Feb 2025 9:16pm

macfrank

Member Since: 05 Nov 2015
Location: somewhere in the north
Posts: 1124

2015 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 SW Keswick Green

This from a German guy: https://github.com/posmanet/DeCANder
He is reporting updates in a German forum: https://www.blacklandy.eu/blboard/vb5/node/156965/page9
Last update a year ago, which hasn't been sync'd to github but you could send him a message.

3rd Feb 2025 7:32am

khamuul

Member Since: 14 Oct 2017
Location: Teutoburg Forest
Posts: 26

2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 SW Tonga Green

German guy sync'd his update to github, finally.

6th Jun 2025 5:11pm

macfrank

Member Since: 05 Nov 2015
Location: somewhere in the north
Posts: 1124

6th Jun 2025 5:36pm

khamuul

Member Since: 14 Oct 2017
Location: Teutoburg Forest
Posts: 26

khamuul wrote:
German guy sync'd his update to github, finally.

Now the german guy cleaned up the mess in 2.6 and posted 2.7 .

15th Jun 2025 3:52pm

psglas

Member Since: 20 Jun 2019
Location: Aviemore
Posts: 22

2012 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 SW Firenze Red

I've been working on something similar but it has a series of external sensors to add other capabilities. Just now I have the following developed :

GPS Speed
GPS Position
Compass
Pitch and Roll
Internal and External Temps
OBD Engine data
Type Pressure sensor data (not shown)

I'm also planning to add parking sensors but I'm just starting on that screen. The display shown is built into one of the double DIN switch panels with a switch to rotate screens. I also have an HDMI version to display on a double DIN input and I'm going to do a separate screen that can be suctioned onto the dash. If anyone is interested in testing this let me know as I'll make it available at some point. I've had a version in one of my Pumas for the last 4-5 months but pulled it out last week to do more development.

Click image to enlarge

17th Jun 2025 9:46pm

Screbble

Member Since: 26 Apr 2015
Location: Lancashire
Posts: 2270

2004 Defender 90 Td5 XS CSW Zambezi Silver

Very impressive

17th Jun 2025 10:39pm

steveww

Member Since: 05 Jan 2022
Location: Malton
Posts: 607

Excellent idea using the switch module. It's always where my projects stall, putting them in a box.

Which display are you using?
Which processor, Arduino?

How about showing fuel economy or is that irrelevant when driving a Defender?

18th Jun 2025 1:24pm

psglas

Member Since: 20 Jun 2019
Location: Aviemore
Posts: 22

It's actually a raspberry pi zero 2, not an arduino, with a round hyperpixel display. The display is very sharp and looks great in real life.

I'm just in the process of figuring out the available OBD data from the Puma Defender's. I have an early 2.4 and a 2.2. The data from the 2.4 is fairly limited.

18th Jun 2025 9:29pm

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