MPGuino install 98 civic hx (pictures)

[LeanBurninating]

Ok here we go!

I have it coming in the mail, excited for it to arrive. I plan to post lots of good pictures in here throughout the install and setup. I don't know if anyone has used one of these on a obdii lean burn car, but I am hopeful that this will read instant mpg accurately in and out of lean burn no prob.

Thanks to open gauge for putting together a fairly priced product, lots of good info here, and fast shipping!

For now, I am thinking about using the cigarette lighter for a constant 12v power source. Good? Bad?

Also, check out one of my favorite websites All Electronics | Electronic and Electro-Mechanical Parts and Supplies at Discount Prices for cheap electronics and cheap tools. I will probably be purchasing one of their cases for the unit.

More updates to come soon.
Thanks!

[SVOboy]

Did you get it through DCB? Good stuff, looking forward to your install. I get my power from the fuse box.

[mobythevan]

This is great news. I just joined the forum and got my MPGuino in the mail on Monday. I will also be connecting it to my 98 civic hx so it will be nice to have another person to compare calibration setup with. I may get time to install mine this weekend and see if it works. I was going to use the battery wire for the stereo but it doesn't work on my car, I have an aftermarket stereo installed by the previous owner and I think when they removed the keyless unit it affected this wire. I will be interested to see your installation pictures.

[LeanBurninating]

Yes, I ordered through DCB, super cool guy.

Is there a good or bad place to get constant 12v?

And sweet! Great to hear I am not in on this one alone! You have me beat so far, I don't even have mine yet. But by all means, consider this your thread as well. Please post up what details and pics you can also!

Alllright!

I have a couple ideas for mounting solutions.... I think I might try to put it on a small metal bracket to mount it over the center console vents.. On top of the dash in the center is probably some of the best visibility there is, I think. For me anyways.

Cheers my brutha and happy hunting!

[SVOboy]

I think the fuse box is the best place for power just since it's made to have places for that sort of thing and if you're like me and have 5 different things drawing random power, then it's nice to consolidate.

[mobythevan]

The cigarette lighter is a no go. I checked it last night while fixing my stereo battery wire and it does not have power all the time. I think I will go with the fuse box like SVOboy recommends. I am still trying to decide what to do with mounting. I would like to have a decent looking install.

[LeanBurninating]

My MPGuino arrived today!!!!!

And.. I have a final in the morning... boo.

I don't expect to make any significant progress on this for the next week until I am done with finals and school for the summer. Sorry fellas.

[LeanBurninating]

Ok time to get some photos up. These are for all of you potential buyers out there. I am so glad I got it pre-assembled from DCB. Im not completely worthless with electrical stuff but lets just say I am not an electrician.







Now while I am working on finals I won't mind waiting for my case to arrive. I just ordered this box, I think its going to be a little bit of a squeeze but I think it will work out fine.

ABS PROJECT BOX, 3.97" X 2.12" X 1.72" | AllElectronics.com

And three (just in case) of these dudes for connecting to my car, and I think to a USB cable too... I am still new at how to get this connected to a computer so for those of you who share in my cluelessness, I will be posting up where I find more info.

4-PIN CONNECTOR W/HEADER, .10" | AllElectronics.com

Getting close!

[LeanBurninating]

Wow all this time I thought that the MPGuino had to have software uploaded to it from a computer and be calibrated by a computer!

I just read through this thread a bit (DUH!) http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...pace-2115.html

And this page: Mpguino calibration - EcoModder

And I see that the unit can be calibrated while plugged into the car, using the three buttons on it? This thing just keeps getting better!

Also, I don't want to steal mobythevan's thunder but I think he has a cool mounting solution, I am looking forward to see where his goes next.

MPGuino, for great justice!!

[LeanBurninating]

Update, update update.

It is ALIVE!!!!

Initially I tried to mount this little guy to one of the climate control vents so that I could secure him to the dash without drilling holes in the dash... I figured I could make a bracket that would screw into the roof of one of those vents and then snake around to the top of the dash. It was rather frustrating taking this whole assembly out only to put it right back in.



yikes! Luckily my girlfriends father saved me from my stupidity and advised me to just stick him onto the dash with mounting tape. I am studying engineering in school, and since engineers are really gifted with making things complicated I guess I am well on my way!

The install took me longer than I thought, but it went smoothly. Overall I got most of my install info from this page: http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...pace-2115.html

To find the VSS sensor wire on my ecu I used this page:1996 - 1998 Honda Civic ECU Diagram as referred by the previous link. As far as I can tell, it works great.

I also used the release one page to get my fuel injector hooked up. The only difference for me was that both of the wires to my injector were both reading 12v, so I had to unplug it and then one of them went to zero. Perfect.

I searched the intar webs for the most common place to find constant 12 volts in the cabin in my particular car. I decided to hook up to a white wire coming out of the fuse box under the drivers dash. This wire has 0v when unplugged from the fuse box while the car is turned off... and 12v when it is plugged in while its still off. Im pretty sure this means I get constant 12v and this wire also goes through the appropriate fuse(s) so I won't blow anything up.

I grounded to the chassis right next to my compy. Since the other wires were there already.

Aaaanyways. Here are some pictures I just took. What you have been waiting for!







I am pretty pleased with how it all turned out, except for the wire insulator deal I used... it looks better than four naked wires but it still looks like it belongs on a robot. haha. Any ideas on how I can cover up those wires more discreetly?

The MPGuino fit nicely into the case I got with the addition of a small spacer thing I made out of balsa wood. I mounted the case to that metal bracket with velcro tape so I can remove it easily. The metal bracket is on the dash via mounting tape. Noice.

I drove around the neighborhood like a little school girl, I was soo excited. It seems like it works pretty well.

Here are the setup screens I went through and what I set things to.

1. Contrast (55) default I think

2. VSS pulses / mile - I read that asian cars will be most likely a multiple of 8204... so I just set it to 8204 for now.

3. micro sec/gallon ... I dunno what this is all about. I don't remember if I changed it or what but right now it is set to 500,000,000

4. pulses/2 revs ... same story as #3... its now set to 3.

5. timeout (ms) This confuses me.. I read up on it and so I decided to set this to 300,000,000 cause google tells me that is equivalent to 5 minutes. But this thing doesnt shut off. lol. Will the screen always stay on?

6. Tank Gal * 1000 - I think I will mess with this later. Right now its 10,300

7. Inj DelayuS - same story as #3, right now its at 500

8. weight - 2200

9. Scratchpad (odo?) ... dunno what this is about. Set to 0.

10. USS delay ms .. same story as #3, set at 2.

11. Inj Trg 0-Dn 1-Up - wtf? Its at zero. Dont have a clue.

I am in the middle of a gas tank right now, so please help me out to get it ready to calibrate! And thank you DCB!