Ultragauge/EDS/OBD2 Fuel Usage

[Boinzo]

Hi all.
I have a question for all you knowledgeable peeps.

I have a 2015 GU CRD Auto Patrol that I have pretty much setup for touring.

One of things that drives me nuts is the lack of an onboard trip/fuel economy computer. I just really want a broadly accurate distance to empty. It's how my super cautious brain works.

So. I bought an Ultragauge. I followed all the directions to calibrate it. It's instant fuel economy is so ridiculously wrong it makes no sense. It tells me I average around 32l/100. Which is nonsense. Because the maths on distance travelled/litres actually added comes to around 16l/100 (fully loaded). I re-calibrated. I measured distance with my GPS and entered the calibration. I made sure it was 3L engine. I tried putting just the size of the main tank. Or the long-range sub + main combined. Nothing changes the crazy instant fuel consumption. It is convinced that I use almost exactly twice the fuel I do. Everything else about works great.

So then - in a fit on anger I bough an EDS from 4wd Super Centre. It doesn't even do fuel (despite the ad saying it does!). So I get fuel economy of 0.0L/100. Always.

So I'm no closer to my goal of having device that will give me distance to empty.

Now. To my question.

Is there anyone here with > 2007 CRD GU and an Ultragauge that actually gives them a sensible fuel economy number? And if so how the hell did you make it do that!

And if not - does a Scan Gauge do it?

And if not does a Bluetooth OBD2 like XTool do it?

And. Does anyone near Brisbane want a Super Centre EDS for a carton of beer?

Cheers blokes.

[the evil twin]

I had a Scangauge II on my 07 CRD and it was virtually spot on for fuel, speed, coolant temp, boost etc once calibrated.

IMHO instantaneous fuel is of little value so I didn't use it much at all after first getting an idea of how much throttle meant how much fuel is being injected if that makes sense
This meant I found out that the CRDs (well, mine anyway) like to be driven harder and give better economy if accelerated firmly up to speed and then cruise along rather than Miss Daisy style driving.

When I set mine up it did have a "Diesel A" and a "Diesel B" setting, one gave stupid numbers and the other spot on.
The book said try one and if it doesn't work try the other.
Dunno if the Ultragauge is the same tho

[Boinzo]

Thanks Evil. Good to know one of these things works ok for someone!

I raised instantaneous consumption only because it is just so whacked on my Ultragauge that I suspect that's the problem. The distances actually look pretty right - give or take a % or so. But the economy is almost exactly twice what it should be and twice what I can calculate it to manually.

I did try different settings and so on around fuel type / tank size / cur off etc. None of it seems to make any difference at all.

Everything else on it works great - except the one thing I bought it for....


I had a Scangauge II on my 07 CRD and it was virtually spot on for fuel, speed, coolant temp, boost etc once calibrated.

IMHO instantaneous fuel is of little value so I didn't use it much at all after first getting an idea of how much throttle meant how much fuel is being injected if that makes sense
This meant I found out that the CRDs (well, mine anyway) like to be driven harder and give better economy if accelerated firmly up to speed and then cruise along rather than Miss Daisy style driving.

When I set mine up it did have a "Diesel A" and a "Diesel B" setting, one gave stupid numbers and the other spot on.
The book said try one and if it doesn't work try the other.
Dunno if the Ultragauge is the same tho

[the evil twin]

Don't want to tell a bloke to suck eggs so if you have done the following pls excuse...

Forget your first interpretations and have another close read of the cal procedure again just in case a comma or a word was missed.
Don't skip things like "menu exit" as often doing that stores a value and moving on to the next parameter means it doesn't.
Changing Tank size won't affect instant or average fuel figures, tank size only impacts DTE.

Out of the box..these OBDII units work by getting the injector timing, distance, etc, from the ECU and 'calculating' a ball park figure.
The distance you adjust with a known reference like your GPS so you have done that.
The initial tank gives you a fuel used number which then lets you adjust the figures to suit your vehicle.
Mine had a chip so it used more fuel than the ECU/Scangauge initially thinks.

Sooo... to display correct LPH then the gauge needs to know engine size (easy), calibrated distance/speed (GPS) and fuel type (Diesel obviously but which one is a guess) then after the first tank you will have a difference between what it thinks and actual.
Adjust the gauge for the actual amount and it should be very close and a few more tanks you can tweak it further if needs be.

[Boinzo]

Haha. I don't mind mate. I'll suck eggs all day if I can get this thing to work!
I did think I'd been pretty diligent in following the directions. I've tried 3 times, but I'll give it another go and see what happens.
Otherwise I might have to just shell out for a Scan Gauge instead!
That way I will have tried every possible variation of expensive obd2 device!



Don't want to tell a bloke to suck eggs so if you have done the following pls excuse...
.....
Sooo... to display correct LPH then the gauge needs to know engine size (easy), calibrated distance/speed (GPS) and fuel type (Diesel obviously but which one is a guess) then after the first tank you will have a difference between what it thinks and actual.
Adjust the gauge for the actual amount and it should be very close and a few more tanks you can tweak it further if needs be.

[the evil twin]

Haha. I don't mind mate. I'll suck eggs all day if I can get this thing to work!
I did think I'd been pretty diligent in following the directions. I've tried 3 times, but I'll give it another go and see what happens.
Otherwise I might have to just shell out for a Scan Gauge instead!
That way I will have tried every possible variation of expensive obd2 device!

Try contacting the manuf before you shell out many more $.

It may be coincidental but if your gut feel is that it is out by a factor of 2 it may be an easy setting change/fix.

Dunno about the Ultragauge but the Scangauge you can 'program' your own parameters if needs be so there may well be other options... the manuf will know for sure.

[Makka]

i got a trip meter on mine and a fuel gauge and when the fuel light comes on i know i need fuel if thats any help ;)

[the evil twin]

i got a trip meter on mine and a fuel gauge and when the fuel light comes on i know i need fuel if thats any help ;)

Does the trip meter have Pub Mode and tell you what you tripped over or only the number of times?

[Makka]

na thats on the harley ET

[Boinzo]

There's a fuel light? ;-)


i got a trip meter on mine and a fuel gauge and when the fuel light comes on i know i need fuel if thats any help ;)

[Makka]

yeah on me gq lol