We all know its near impossible to get a nice stereo upgrade in the older XJs due to the dash layout, particularly the inability to install a DD stereo with touchscreen and all the fancy features. I'm personally not going to take the time to MAKE a DD stereo fit in the dash of my 96. By building my own, I feel like I can probably get it to fit easier since I dont need to have all of the electrical components shoved into 1 box the size of a DD stereo. I can install the USB ports wherever I want (in a switch panel) in the jeep and run wire to them. Or install the actual "CPU" behind the glove box and run wire to the "head unit" portion. Basically spread out the components so its not all stuffed in the dash. Probably even install some stuff above the pedals, under the dash and run wire. No big deal to me. I run wire and do that kind of crap all the time.
Having a little bit of electrical background (I work for Lockheed Martin, building and testing electrical components for the different kinds of satellites in space, mostly defense), I think it would be fun to build a "carputer" that can function in the XJ and have all the crap I want on it, like AM/FM, USB, Bluetooth, GPS, a camera or 2, OBD-II code scanning, and whatever else I can figure out how to wire in, like air/fuel tuning or something stupid like that, that would have no use in a stock XJ hahahaha.... I suppose fidgeting with the air/fuel mixture across the whole RPM and power band wouldnt hurt, but other than that just getting real time data and codes is sufficient enough. Maybe even power and relays for accessories like lights and such.
Anyway, there are no results in the search for "Raspberry Pi", so I'm not sure how many people get futuristic with their old XJs, but if anyone has, do you have any advice on it? Not so much the build of the "carputer", but any info on using it with an XJ, and what to use it for besides a stereo and camera screen. The one article I skimmed through said the "carputer" connects to the vehicle via OBD-II port

 

I hear ya and I don't know anything about the Pi. However I do know someone who does and he has an XJ. Tony Muckleroy had a podcast called the Jeep Talk Show. I haven't listned to it for awhile because of a slightly antiquated computer. But he has a phone number for the show.

530-675-4102

Try giving him a call. He was doing some things with it related to his Jeep I think.

 

https://www.joyingauto.com/single-di...o.html?cat=197

 

I have one of my old phones doing the codes and gauges part of this in one of my cars. Android, load TorquePro, elm327 to the OBDII. So if carputer is a Pi image set up around this job you should have no trouble doing this. You would probably need a USB hub so you have enough USB ports to add a USB sound card with ampifier, USB GPS, USB storage, and cameras.

There are starting to be commercial products that are basically this, but they are DD. They are nice in that they come with the patch cable to connect it to your factory harness. I have one in my 2009 300 because I wanted TorquePro and I didn't want a $2000 head unit. Perhaps, warranty notwithstanding, you could get one of these and take it apart to get parts to fit your nonDD dash.

Still it's a good project. I'm interrested in where this goes.

 

Add gpio relay board you may be able to use it to control your air locker/ compressor/ fog light, save some trouble finding place to install switches

 

That was kind of the plan with auxiliary things like lights, 115V outlets, or whatever. I think that would be sweet..... controlling things from the screen rather than old school switches in the dash, although that's cool too.
I have to do a lot more reading about the Rasp. Pi and its GUI's for things like that. I'm completely unfamiliar with what they have, what it can do, and what I can make it do. Can't be THAT hard....

FYI this is something I'd love to do, but usually ends up taking forever to accomplish because of schedules. Work, kids, kids school, daily house chores, necessary vehicle maintenance, blah blah blah........ and the kids aren't exactly old enough to help, unless it's just "can you get me the tiny screwdriver with the red handle that's next to the soda in the white can? (Miller Lite)
Not to mention I'm less than halfway through replacing the headliner with insulation underneath, and still have half a dozen other smaller projects I have to finish on the jeep before I start a project like a Raspberry Pi.
LETS GOOOOOOOOOOO MOTIVATION!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I also have future plans of using a r. Pi in my xj, definitely not high on my priority list though. I have always been interested by the idea of taping into real time vehicle data directly from the various sensors, likely using a analog-digital converter to record samples from different sensors. I figure then I will be able to start making sense of the data and maybe use it for something. Probably way easier to just hook up to the OBDII, but I have always taken issues with electrical systems that have unknown circuitry and programming involved, much rather have my own software that I can actually access. I think the key to any electronic/programming project like this is to focus on a small portion of the project and add functionality once the basics work.
Best of luck, It would be great to see any updates if you make any progress

 

I think Johnsharkey on the instagram is doing this exact thing.

 

I'll ask my wife if I can use her instagram account to see it.

 

So I've added a Raspberry Pi setup (my "JeePS" system) to my 91 Laredo in place of the clock panel to the right of the cluster. It's pretty basic at the moment, I'm coding the whole thing from scratch while not knowing much about coding lol. Mainly it acts as a Bluetooth streamer for my phone, so it will display current song info, with play/pause/ff/rw functionality, it outputs to an aux cable that I have wired into my factory radio. Its got a functional, albeit crude, navigation system based on the Navit open-source software. It displays vehicle information such as fluid capacities, fluid types, and engine/trans/transfer case models - basically a digital version of the manual. I would love to get it to display real-time data, but my Jeep is OBD1 so that adds a layer of difficulty in there. I have settings to change the background color of the screen to a handful of preset color choices, as well as the ability to pair other Bluetooth devices for when my girlfriend wants to play music directly from her phone. The whole system has an auto shutoff board to prevent any data corruption when you turn the key off, and it uses the stock clock plug so no custom power wiring necessary


v1 next to the stock clock - custom CNCed brackets/faceplate

v1 next to the stock clock - ive refined the hardware layout significantly over the last few months so it currently looks very different from this

homepage

Song info

Nav system

Vehicle Info

color choices

 

This sure looks interesting, maybe have to tag along to learn something!

 

Thats such a clean setup there rizzo, has to be super satisfying to use. I'm guessing it's programmed in python? What are you using for an operating system?

 

Thanks, Red! It really is, this is something I have always wanted to add so getting it up and running has been super satisfying. It's coded in python and uses Raspbian Buster as the OS. I want to get it out to other XJ owners as a kit, but the Raspberry Pi 4 and the auto-shutdown circuit boards have been non-existent for the past year, hoping that changes soon!

 

Hmm…I’m not too sure about the pre-97 years, but I got the replacement dash piece & wiring kit from Metra a put a Kenwood unit in mine. It was expensive but man, it’s one of the best upgrades I’ve ever done. Wireless CarPlay, CD, DVD, hands free phone capabilities, backup cam with the ability to add 3 more…probably more that I’ll never fully learn. 😆

 

This is awesome to see that Rizzo has been working on a project like this. When I first had the idea, this is the video I watched. He has his as 1 unit, and its too big for a pre '97 XJs. But I doubt thats a huge issue. It looks like he custom built some of it. Maybe he has an answer for the parts you cant find Rizzo.


I havent even gotten started on mine yet