SuperMID - Fuel Economy Display
 

The mecca of fuel economy is instantaneous feeback. With this you can tailor your driving to absolute perfection in terms of gas mileage. There is no way, none whatsoever, to realize what's actually happening with some sort of instantaneous, accurate feedback. It also helps to have something that can log tanks, laps, and trips so that you can watch yourself improve or test various techniques and modifications.

The thing that makes the superMID special is that it works for cars that are obdII and pre-obdII alike. The other tool, the Scangauge, only works for cars running obdII electronics (most 1996 and newer models). So, when I learned that a Japanese man named Yoshi had created a device to monitor his Prius's mileage, and that this device could be used on my 1991 Honda CRX, I was justifiably happy. With this little device I have done more than I ever could have imagined, and I will go into some function in a later argument.

In the mean time, if your car is fuel injected you may be able to use this little baby!!! Send me an email if you're interested with your information and your car's information and I'll see what I can do in terms of hooking you up with one of these things. So far there are only three of us in North America that use them (how exciting)!

Purpose: To better monitor your fuel economy. A week with instantaneous feeback is like a year with tank to tank results.

Time: 1 hour

Tools:
- Wire Strippers
- Soldering Equipment (including heat shrink)
- Anything you might need to access ECU/under dash wiring

Supplies:
- MID and all install contents
- Some stranded wire
- Female/male end connectors


First thing's first (a little homage to those who helped me get this thing going):

Thanks to Dan and Yoshi. To Dan for his dedication and the ability to hit over 99.9 mpg with the prius making this little device necessary. Thanks for all your help and for giving us the inspiration to know that we can get crazy numbers through driving technique and patience. To Yoshi-dono for building this awesome piece of equipment and for providing great support. I still can't believe it came from Japan to the east coast of the US in only three days!

Now, before I start in earnest, just let me say, this thing is incredibly well designed. All the wiring is consolidated into a thin, pluggable lan cable that is very easy to work with and will make mounting a breeze! Yoshi kicks butt!

Procedure:


Here's all the stuff you get. LAN cable, MID, black box.
http://crxmpg.com/edrive-images-crxmpg-com/DSC00161.JPG
Expose your ecu. Prolly the most difficult step, but mine is always exposed, so I win.
http://crxmpg.com/edrive-images-crxmpg-com/DSC00162.JPG
Figure out which spot on the fuse box will give constant power. You'll want to power the MID from this spot so you don't lose data when you engine off coast.
http://crxmpg.com/edrive-images-crxmpg-com/DSC00163.JPG
More glorious shots of the device. Notice the red wire coming off for power, will plug up to that wire you saw coming from the fuse box.
http://crxmpg.com/edrive-images-crxmpg-com/DSC00164.JPG
Spliced the MID ground into the other ground I use for junk.
http://crxmpg.com/edrive-images-crxmpg-com/DSC00165.JPG
All wired up. Yellow to an injector from the ECU and purple to the VSS (vehicle speed sensor).
http://crxmpg.com/edrive-images-crxmpg-com/DSC00167.JPG
Temporary mount point until I fab something up to sit in the center of the dash.
http://crxmpg.com/edrive-images-crxmpg-com/DSC00168.JPG
Here's the final mounting, kinda ugly, but it works:
http://crxmpg.com/edrive-images-crxmpg-com/DSC00512.JPG

Thanks again to Yoshi and Dan!


NOTES: The speed part isn't working because I have a mechanical VSS. I am unsure if this is completely because of the VSS or some other issue, but I have upgraded to an electronic VSS and it works like a charm. Get in touch with me if you want to hear more about this and possible solution for your personal vehicle.

Its hard to do research when none of the pictures work :(

can pictures be uploaded to the site so they stay put?

I need to fix that junk soon...

I did a google search and found this:
crxMPG - Gas mileage never looked so good » SuperMID: Fuel Economy Display

There fixed.

Now price and can they be got....

Rich

Call this throwback of threads...started two years ago and last post before today was March of 2008!

On a side note, if anyone knows how to contact Yoshi please post here or PM me. He has a new gadget I saw in person (on loan to someone for testing) I'd like to get my hands on!

Just call me Doctor Frankenstine... I bring old things back to life...

Rich

Anyone know the ( ballpark ) SuperMID figures for settings on a Civic 1.5 L engine ( auto ) ?

I'd have to run through a lot of testing to get the readings right, and I'm not driving the car much at all anymore.

Thanks !

You can probably make a good guess based on mpguino settings if your car (or very similiar) is listed
MPGuino - EcoModder

So which is best Super MID or MPHGuino??

and how much and how to get a SuperMID??

Rich

Where would I find that information ?

EDIT : " Right in front of your face knucklehead ! "
( I thought that was your tag line and glazed over it. :) )

I had it set up right at one time or another.

I just wish that there was a way of estimating the mileage of my car without having to go through a full tank of gas. As little a I drive now, it's going to take almost two years ( 4 - 12 miles a week ) .

I would go with the MPGuino, because it'll be easier to get your hands on and cheaper, though it doesn't have as many shiny features as the superMID.

How are the settings on the SuperMID affected by changes in the condition of your engine, weather and other factors ?
I had my SuperMID set accurately at one time or another, but now the thing is all jacked up.

Also, ( I know I asked this before ) I'd like to set my SuperMID to read accurately, but I don't know my present FE.
Without going through a full tank and several hundred miles just to get my FE, is there any way to set this thing to read accurately ?

Thanks guys

bump

So how do you get a hold of one of these super mids? I just recently bought a '90crx hf and am frantically trying to find ways to improve mpg's to make the most of it. Currently at 53 mpg's regularly driving like a grandma with no serious alterations since I got the car. Can you help me?

I also just bought a 90 HF on Saturday... would love to have a monitor but not a ton of time to R&D.. need a "turnkey" setup... has anyone seen detailed instructions on working install?

barchetta: check out the MPGuino subforum. Same idea as the MID, but more affordable and possibly easier to configure as well.

OpenGauge / MPGuino FE computer - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum - EcoModder.com

PS: unmolested CRX HF? Envious.

Yeah with 155k miles on it too.. Only one modification.. an alpine stereo but stock speakers... I scored big time.. I wont tell you what I paid cuz you will be annoyed. I was patient and it paid...

I'll check the sub section.. I've determined a monitor is #1 way to get better MPG on an HF.. and I think I am right.. its all about the right foot.... I dont even know if I have cruise control (did any HF come with it?)... but I want to do a cruise based on throttle position... saw some messages about it.. I CANNOT BELIEVE manufactures are not doing economy modes on cruise control... although I have no hard data to indicate it would have as big effect on MPG as I think it would...

thanks

Yeah, don't tell me the price.

You're right that the nut behind the wheel is the quickest path to better fuel economy, but don't underestimate the power of instant/resettable MPG feedback to help you adjust that nut.

Have fun.

Thats what I meant.. the monitor is crucial to adjust your driving habit.

I re-installed the SuperMID in my '93 Civic DX, but i'm not getting the speed setting to work. Any ideas on what i could have done wrong ?

I replaced the VSS with an aftermarket part, but I'm almost sure the VSS is identical ( electronic not mechanical ) so what could i have screwwed up ?

Coming from the VSS, there is a Yellow wire with a white stripe, a Yellow wire with a blue stripe, and a black wire which i assume is the ground.

Currently i have it wired to the Yellow wire with the white stripe.

I should mention that the readout for distance below average speed is working.
If there was a problem with the wiring to the VSS wouldn't the distance parameter no show ?

I'm bringing this thread back from the dead to ask if you guys leave your SuperMID on all the time.
It's been years since i posted a similar question, but i think last time i asked, i was wondering about battery drain.
I barely ever drive the car, but still i think the consensus was that it should be fine to leave on.
I have mine hooked directly to the cars battery.

Todays question deals with theft. Since the SuperMID is on all the time, it's like a glowing beacon for someone to take it - thinking it is a horsepower or turbo gauge .

I might add a toggle switch to turn it off, but dont want the trip data to reset each time.

My odometer and miles trip guage quit on me, but oddly enough the speedo works around 95 % of the time.
I have had issues with the VSS in the past, so i removed the SuperMID .

So what kind of a setup do you guys use ? Is your on constantly ?

Thanks.

And BTW where is SVO Boy these days ?

I use the factory installed DIC. However i'm annoyed it does not contain the digital option for coolant temperature :/

" factory installed DIC "

Eh ? DIC ?
What is it DIC ? Also, do you leave your SuperMID on constantly ?

Driver Information Center its the digital display option for cars from factory. I do not have a SuperMID.

My VSS is now up and running again, and I would like to install my SuperMID. I have a black wire that goes to a ground, a white wire which goes to the fuel injector, a red wire which goes to a power source on my fuse box ( always on ), and I have a left over wire which is purple and is supposed to go to my VSS.
I was looking over this thread again, and it looks as if I was having the same issue i am having now - I am unsure how to hook up this wire right.

Do I just splice the VSS wire from the SuperMID directly onto the yellow and white wire coming out of the VSS ?
Is it the yellow and white wire ?

Thanks !

My last post on the issue :