The Beast has its new ScanGauge installed! PICS ENCLOSED
 

Well, the scangauge arrived yesterday. I ended up taking a late lunch and camping out at the mailbox at home to get it... :) Anyway the installation was easy. I used the velcro provided to attach it to the top of the steering column. I ran the wire from the back , behind the dash, and underneath to the connector. Looks pretty good for a 2 minute installation.

https://www.fuelly.com/attachments/fo...5a0d8bec5c.jpg

Now comes the fun part - learning how driving style effects this particular vehicle. In first and second gear if you touch the accelerator at all, even a feather touch the MPG goes down to 2 or 3 MPG. Because of this I have decided that its best just to give it about 1/8 to 1/4 throttle and get into a higher gear quicker. Going about 40 - 45 mph if I take my foot off the accelerator MPG jumps to 38-40 for coasting in gear. If I shift to Neutral it jumps to 50 - 60 MPG. A lot better than I had thought considering it only drops 200 RPM by shifting into Neutral.

Another thing I noticed was that it was in closed loop all the way to work this morning, even though the water temp read 188F when I arrived at work. Certainly that should have been hot enough to enter open loop. It only had another 7 degrees before the thermostat opened to start cooling off. Maybe I need a partial grille block to warm it up faster? I'm thinking I need to do some computer hacking here, and lower the thresh hold for open loop?

I know I've got a ways to go here, and I haven't gone over 40 - 45 MPH since the SG was installed, but I am excited that I have this incredible tool to help me.

-Jay

There's no reason to guess 1/2 or 1/8 throttle... use the TPS gauge and learn exactly how far you can press it while still making MPG you like.

I find that w/ my car, however different it is from you truck.... it's generally best to accellerate briskly (25% throttle or less) when the car is warmed up, to make it to the highest gear ASAP. Lugging around in 2nd or 3rd to keep the RPM's low isn't always best.

I monitor TPS, *FIA, *Fwt, and MPG. Sometimes I'll watch GPH instead of *Fwt as well. Depends on the situation I'm driving in.

Clean install, I wrapped the cord around the steering column and plug mine in from the side, but I remove mine each time I get out of the car. I'm not risking any theives!

I think you got flipped on what is best, closed loop is when it's adjusting fuelling according to O2 sensor, with everything warm etc, using no more fuel than it "needs", open loop is where it's in hit and hope mode.

I can just take it out quick, as its just velcro, and just leave the 2 inches of wire sticking out from the dash. Right now I'm looking at Tach, MPG, Open/closed loop, and H20 Temp. I'm thinking after I have some time to play that I will set it up to do Avg MPG, Instant MPG, Open/Closed Loop, and ? (I haven't decided on the last one yet)

-Jay

Oh, I did have it backwards then... :) Thanks for correcting me.

you can also do air/fuel ratio. that requires a code from the web site. also you can look at your IAT sensor (fIA on the gauge) this is helpful if you want to do a WAI.

also you can set up your trip as a gauge so you can see trip MPG. I have it set up so that the one that resets after 3 minutes off is the one that is displayed. this way, you can see how you are doing over long distances and not just the instantaneous MPG.

also remember to go through the calibration procedure. input the engine size and tank size but also input the err reading. this is important, mine was 10% off when I first got it. now my scangauge reads pretty much what I calculate with the tank, give or take a little

I think my calibration was off by 4.3%. Now I usually get readings accurate to within less than 0.5 mile off.

I input the tank size, engine size, etc. I just bought fuel a few days before I installed the SG, so it will probably be at least a week, if not 2 before I buy fuel again, unless I take a trip to visit my parents. I figure it will probably take close to a month for me to get the calibration set just right.

One thing I noticed on my way back from my last errand a few minutes ago. I had removed the tach reading as I already have a tach on the dash and replaced it with the intake air temp. I'm thinking this truck somehow has WAI from the factory, but I don't see where it is plumbed in, and how it works. Those who have been reading my other posts know that I took an indoor/outdoor wireless thermometer and dropped the transmitter inside the fan shroud behind the radiator. Here are the temps I was reading (all at the same time) 91.7 F behind the radiator. 92.8 F inside the cab. ScanGauge was reporting 188 F water temp, and 108 F Intake Air Temp. This was all while I was going about 40 mph, RPM about 1100.

I didn't see anything coming from either the coolant lines or anything leading to the manifold to heat the intake air, where does everyone think this 15 - 20 F temp rise came from?

Also, I noticed that if I start the vehicle with SG plugged in my dashboard clock resets to 1:00. I've reset my clock 3 times today, but my radio presets are still intact.

-Jay

just to let you know, my air temps run from 130 to 150 and I have seen as high as 179.

I remember that post about the intake from the fan shroud. you were talking about a makeshift ram air. I think you would be better to just make a WAI. before I put mine on, I was running a few degrees(about 5) over the outside or ambient temp for the day.

the clock thing is wierd. they do say that the scangauge can cause some funkey things with your vehicle sometimes. is it an aftermarket radio or is it factory?

Its a factory radio, but when the SG is connected when I start the clock resets to 1:00

-Jay

I've witnessed similar behavior using a basic OBDII code scanner with my truck. They do funky stuff when the OBDII port is in use, I guess. I think also if I plug it in while I'm driving, the whole dash goes dead for a second, then lights up everything as if I had just started the truck, and keeps the speedometer and odometer dead for a few seconds after...

note to self: don't plug the scangauge to my truck!!!!!!!!

No damage, it's just disconcerting the first time...

What flavor truck?

-Jay

I personally have a 2004 dodge dakota, reg cab, short bed, 5 speed, 4.7 liter, 2wd with power nothing.

I have put a CAI on it, ported throttle body, IAT resistor mod (did it myself), true dual exhaust with flowmasters (no X-pipe either) and 4.10 gears in the rear, the last thing I did was put toyo proxs S/T tires on the rear (closest to racing slicks that would fit my factory rims).

she will run about a 14.5 sec qtr mile and she gets 18 mpg on a good day.

I have had this truck since dec '03 and she has 17,500 miles on the odo. I ordered this truck because nobody wants the V8 with the stick. I don't do much with it anymore because of gas prices but can't bring myself to get rid of it either. I think about it sometimes but it only takes one drive to change my mind. she used to bark the gears all the way to third but then I got the sticky tires (no more 3rd gear barkin). she looks stock and will catch you off guard if you aren't careful. I have burnned quite a few hondas in this truck, mostly punk kids withe their momma's car thinking it is a tuner. I realize that someone with just a little effort could probably dust me pretty good but that is the joy of my truck, it doesn't look like anything special.

sorry, I went off on a tangent.

Sounds like fun... :D Am I right in assuming that means no A/C as well? If so that sucks, otherwise that sounds like a great truck. When I went to the dealer to buy a new truck I was looking for a full size with a 5 speed, there weren't any in the area. When I look online all the full size trucks with 5 speeds seem to be in Texas.

-Jay

it does have a/c. I can't go but so far out for the power. I still need to be comfortable.

I originally wanted a 1500 with the hemi and the 5 spd which you can't get. the closest they could do me was a 2500 with a hemi and stick but that is a BIG HEAVY TRUCK kind of going the opposite direction I wanted to go.

mine is like 3400-3600 lbs. I really need to get it weighed. oh well, all this talk about it makes me want to drive it. good thing the weekend is upon us.

if you are interested (and I haven't been over there in a while) I was on www.dodgetruckworld.com for a while. same user name "beef" maybe "the beef" I am not that hard to find. they may have taken me off by now though.

that truck is my baby.

I did find one user there I thought might be you, "BeefyRide3". Black Dodge p/u w/ a 5 speed. If that's yours it looks really nice.

-Jay

[QUOTE=Jay2TheRescue;110605]I figure it will probably take close to a month for me to get the calibration set just right.

One tank is all it took to calibrate mine it has been very accurate since. As I said before less than 0.5 mile mpg variation in figuring it the old way. At 45 mpg 0.5 mpg off is just over 1% error. Can't calibrate it by percentage just by the amount of fuel added.

I figure it could take me as long as 2 weeks to finish the current tank of fuel, and then up to 2 weeks to finish the second, so I'm right close to a month to get it calibrated, and another tank beyond that to double check everything is set right.

-Jay

EDIT: I was just thinking... I could take 2 weeks off this by just filling it tonight. I know it will be a short fill, but it will take at least a week off of my calibration. I don't think the 24 oz of methanol is doing anything positive for me in this tank anyway, might as well dilute it some. As of right now I've only logged 31.1 miles on the current tank, and the fuel gauge needle appears to be falling sharply.

SO Jay2 does the scangauge say "LOL" when you press the pedal to the floor?
sorry, I couldn't help it :)

:) I haven't run WOT in quite some time. I've seen SG report 1 MPG at half throttle though.

-Jay

I think I figured out where my WAI is coming from... GMC was ingenious... the truck has solar WAI! Let me explain. This morning even after the truck was warm my intake air temps were still right at ambient air. When I noticed the high intake temp yesterday I had only driven about a mile, and the truck was parked in a nice, sunny parking lot for about 30 or 40 minutes. The intake air is ducted through the passenger side fender. Right now I'm pretty sure if I had taken the truck on the highway after a few minutes the IAT would have come down to ambient, or really close to it.

-Jay

That's right, I forgot, my truck's intake comes in from the fender too. I wonder if dark GM full size trucks get slightly better mileage than light-colored ones...

I think its negligible as since the body gets physically hotter, this will translate into a slightly higher load on the air conditioning. I think overall light color vehicles will have better mileage, if anything.

-Jay

sorry, busy weekend. yea I forgot, I had to go with beefyride3. that is me.

like I said before, I haven't been on there in some time. the last time I was on there I was looking at a set of camshafts for my truck that would yield about 50hp and 60ft/lbs....and then gas went to 3+ a gallon. my focus was shifted at that point...and I bought a house.

the cams would have put me in the high 13s but she is still a little rocket. I still enjoy the old truck from time to time.

and back on subject, have fun with the scangauge. try out all the functions so that you can decide what is right for you. also a little trick I thought up (haven't tried it though) with another scangauge and a piece of cat-5 cable, you should be able to daisy chain two of them together to display 8 parameters instead of just 4. I can't justify the cost but it should work if one wanted to do it.

I did some more customizing... I setup an xgauge for MPG/current tank. I am now monitoring MPG instant, MPG/tank, Open/closed loop, and %load on engine. I have several 10 mile highway runs coming up later this week. I really want to see how this does on the highway.

I would say that the engine load is a pretty good one but the open/closed loop one could be changed. over time (if you haven't already) you will stop using full throttle or even more than half. that is the only time other than warm up when most cars are in open loop.

yo can also monitor throttle position which may help more than engine load. maybe in conjunction with engine load. it is a fun little gadget. I am still playing around with the idea of daisy chaining two of them together but I am pretty cheap so it probably won't happen. I would buy one if they sold one that would display 6 items at a time just because I could resell the one I have to make up some of the difference. we can always hope.

I figure throttle position would only be useful while the cruise is on. I know how much I'm pressing the pedal. I think open/closed loop is going to drop off... I'm learning it switches to closed loop pretty quick, even stone cold it switches to closed within 3 minutes A few times I had it display ignition timing advance... That was kinda cool. Not really useful though. I like having the fuel rate displayed though. That seems to be the most useful tidbit I've encountered behind the instant MPG. The one thing I really wish I had, but don't see a SG code for is an ammeter. +/- amps would be nice when monitoring electrical load on the engine and alternator. You can display volts, but to me that's not as good as an ammeter.

Maybe I'm just old school.

-Jay

you could get part of that info from the engine load. it will be a guestimation though. you can also get the air/fuel ratio but I think they are all about 14.7:1 unless you are in open loop. also you can program in horsepower which is a real eye opener. I usually run 30 or less. amazing what your actual HP is vs what your peak is.

now that the hot summer days have come and gone (may come again) and my engine didn't overheat, I am taking off the water temp on mine and I have an extra space on mine. I have instantaneous MPG and trip MPG (the one that resets after every cycle of the cars ignition) and IAT sensor reading. I used to have water temp but now I have a decision to make. I do have time though.

I also have an extra cable that I ordered. they actually sent me two by mistake and told me to keep the other one. I was thinking of selling it. I originally wanted an extra cable to have so I didn't have to undo my setup every time someone wanted me to check their check engine light.

Ouch! I wouldn't hit WOT either. But in that, you really don't have to. You have torque!

Ok, I had several highway runs over the weekend, and I have more stuff to report. If I was in 3rd or 4th gear turning on the a/c did not increase my load, and my instant MPG remained the same. A/c on did ding me when I tried p&g though. P&G, 55 mph, windows up, a/c off the SG reported 75-80MPG. The same with a/c on the instant MPG only went to 55-60. I'll probably purchase fuel this evening so I can finish the calibration of the SG, and have the instant MPG readings more accurate.

-Jay

Well, I purchased fuel last night and set the calibration on the SG. Turns out that it wasn't that far off to begin with. The variance was only 1.4% or something like that. I hypermiled like mad (mostly p&g, kept speed under 55 unless gravity took me faster) on the way home, but it still reported about 4 MPG less on the trip than I've done on the exact same route, under the exact same traffic conditions as before. I think this is because there is still 8-10 oz of methanol in the tank by my estimation. That first methanol tank really dinged me.

I noticed in one case I was drafting behind a dump truck @ 60 MPH. The draft was so good that I was actually idling faster than he was going so I had to back off some more.

-Jay