scan guage

[trapper]

So my 2013 sti has a mpg meter built into the car already.
I noticed you sell one on here called scan gauge.
What make scan gauge a good method of metering mpg's ?
both take readings from the same point the data read outs of the car..
Also with all the variables such as ethanol content gas quality ( other than the ethanol) and detergents added how can either my mpg meter or this scan gauge even be accurate?
even the capacity a gas tank can hold itself can expand with heat or contract with cold weather..

Are those both just sort of guild line meters rather than actual accurate mpg meters? something to shoot for the highest number read out sort of thing and blindly believe in its accuracy lol?

Just a few questions about mpg meters in general.

[redpoint5]

MPG gauges don't rely on energy content of the fuel or fuel capacity to make their calculations. Fuel injectors are controlled by the computer to open for a certain amount of time, called the duration. For each intake stroke of the engine, the injector opens for the amount of time instructed, and that combined with the fuel pressure and flow rate of the injector allows fuel consumption to be calculated continuously. Combine fuel consumption with speed, and you can then calculate miles per gallon.

If you were somehow able to get a fuel with higher energy content, the car would simply go faster for a given fuel rate. Since fuel rate and speed are the only things needed to calculate MPG, the calculation would still be correct.

Miles per Gallon is a math formula expressed as Miles driven per (per always means divided by) Gallons consumed. Since this formula doesn't include any other parameters such as energy density of the fuel, detergent amount, or anything else, we don't need that info to do the calculation.

Suplimenting your Subie's instrumentation is helpful in monitoring other efficiency parameters such as engine load and timing advance, as well as being able to read check engine codes and clear them. Nearly anything monitored by the ECU is able to be reported on a Scangauge or UltraGauge since the gauges can be customized.

I mostly monitor engine load, timing advance, and engine coolant temperature and have alarms set to warn me if anything gets too hot.

[Ecky]

All very good info, but so long as you have some instant feedback on your driving habits, that's the most important part. You might consider an aftermarket gauge if you're going to be blocking grilles, to make sure you're not overheating or damaging anything.

[mcrews]

see the link in my signature.
Scangauge monitors 16 DIFFERENT things. water temp, load, etc It can be much more useful than judt the car mpg meter.

Don't get all caught up in the minor details.
It's about being consistent in your readings, not necessarily EXACT. You can spend all day chasing details....to what end?

[herbivor]

I`ve been using the Scangauge for well over a year and been religiously clocking the cost and MPG over the last 3 months. There is a function within the Scangauge to calibrate the estimated fuel usage against a refill, but as i car runs on a dual fuel, i have to take a bit of a guess here.
What i do find it great, in fact amazing, is how consist the MPG readings are. I have marked several waypoints on my commute, and the Scangauge is normally within 400 yards (cost vs distance) over 17 miles. I can now take into account the weather, with heavy rain having an adverse effect on cost, driving in the dark, headlights have a cost impact, if i drive behind a truck, overall speed etc. Without the accuracy of the Scangauge, it would have been so much more difficult to ascertain what was causing the fual fluctuations.

[Fat Charlie]

Get a ScanGauge, get an UltraGauge, get a bluetooth OBDII connector and download Torque. It doesn't matter, as long as you get one.

You're not going to believe how much better you can do once you have better information from your car.

And welcome!

[mcrews]

Originally Posted by Fat Charlie

Get a ScanGauge, get an UltraGauge, get a bluetooth OBDII connector and download Torque. It doesn't matter, as long as you get one.

You're not going to believe how much better you can do once you have better information from your car.

And welcome!

Ditto this^^^^^^

[trapper]

ah ok well i already have torque and a access port for my subaru in addition to the mpg meter they come with forgot to mention i had the torque and the AP lol