MPGuino 92 VX - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum

WD40 · 07-29-2010, 01:37 PM

I would like to know a bit more about getting and installing a MPGuino for my 92 VX .
What can you tell me about cost, installing and setting it up in the VX .
I really appreciate any help or insight you may have .
Thanks in advance, Dennis

tim3058 · 07-30-2010, 09:32 AM

It's $55, you can buy it from dcb here on this site (search for the MPGuino threads), and there's a ton of info on here from others who have installed them. Basically a battery wire, a ground wire, a fuel injector signal wire and a speed sensor wire give it everything it needs to track your mpg. If you take a look at the MPGuino wiki link it has some basic starter input values for the 'guino that you can recalibrate as you go thru a couple tanks. Works like a charm once you get everything dialed in to your car's distance/fuel signals, you can easily track lean burn mode then.

WD40 · 07-30-2010, 10:03 AM

thanks tim3058
I will read all the info and purchase a unit.

bengry · 08-17-2010, 11:04 PM

How will this track lean burn? Does it use the different injector pulse? Can it illuminate an "economy" light when in lean burn for swaps?

dcb · 08-17-2010, 11:33 PM

If lean burn is actualized by changing the pulse width of the injector, that will be reflected in the signal to the mpguino. There are of course other ways to modify the fuel delivered and I dont claim to know everything about every car.

tim3058 · 08-17-2010, 11:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bengry

How will this track lean burn? Does it use the different injector pulse? Can it illuminate an "economy" light when in lean burn for swaps?

There's a big jump in instantaneous MPG when the car is in lean burn. For instance my Civic runs around 35-40 mpg tops on the highway when its cold in the morning, that leaps to 60mpg the moment the car is warmed up and goes to lean burn mode. While in lean burn if you apply the gas while cruising there's a noticeable "step" in the MPGs from 60mpg back to 30-40 when the vacuum drops below 6in. (the lean burn threshold). Not sure if you could rig up a light bulb, I just watch the gauge when accelerating to keep it in lean burn.

NachtRitter · 08-18-2010, 12:11 AM

bengry -

The MPGuino doesn't explicitly show lean burn (as in "You are now in lean burn mode"), but between the Instant readout and the seat of my pants, it's pretty darn obvious when I'm in lean burn mode and when I'm not. Basically, when cruising in 5th gear, I get show about 50mpg or more (usually more) on the Instant MPG readout when in lean burn, and I get about 30mpg or less (along with a noticable boost in power) when I'm not in lean burn mode. I rarely show an Instant readout between those two ranges (in the 40s, for example), so it's fairly clear (to me) when I'm in lean burn.

Knowing where those limits are really makes an amazing difference in the avg FE I'm getting now. I haven't completely calibrated yet, but since I started with the calibration numbers for the VX from the wiki, I think I'm relatively close... so preliminary results seem to indicate that I've improved FE by ~10% just by adjusting my driving style based on the Instant readout on the 'guino. While I can definitely feel my Maus going *out* of lean burn, it's often hard to tell when it goes *in* to lean burn... using the Instant readout makes it very easy to verify that I'm in, and let's me modulate the gas pedal to go up to the "edge" of lean burn without dropping out of it.

Definitely the very best FE mod I've made to my Maus!

WD40 · 08-18-2010, 01:28 AM

awesome guys .. thanks for the info .. I should be getting my MPGuino soon I hope .. ordered it Jul 31

WD40 · 08-23-2010, 05:49 PM

Got it today .. now is there any play by play for wiring on the VX .
I really don't have a good record on my other wiring jobs so far .. lol
I would really appreciate any help in finding the correct wires before i burn the car down.. lol.
Thanks in advance Dennis

NachtRitter · 08-23-2010, 06:10 PM

I'll have to look tonight for the details, but it's pretty straightforward. All the connections you need are on the right side of the passenger's footwell (VSS, injector pulse from ECU, constant 12v, gnd from a 'test connector'). Get some 22-4 stranded speaker / security wire (22 gauge, 4 wire) & run it from right side passenger well to wherever you'll mount it, and I'll get you the info on the connections within the next few days.