I Love my Scangauge!!

[evilbean42]

So heres my smart MPG before the scangauge: 34 city / 37 highway
and my smart MPG after installing the scangauge: 40 city / 50 highway

Honestly I bought the scangauge because I love gadgets and it looked cool, but I'm amazed at how much I was able to learn from it. I don't even need to watch it anymore to get amazing mileage, I have just learned what my smart likes. I highly recommend it for anyone looking to get better MPGs, this thing will pay for itself.

[Dave777]

True statements. It's instant feedback to show what works and doesn't work for mileage.

[jwight]

So, my obvious question is: what works and what doesn't. How about sharing some of your mileage extending techniques with us? Thanks!

[RussBarnes]

My 2 cents from my application - on a grade with your foot held still you can see the mpg drop and by quite a lot just to hold say 60 mph. However easing off the pedal like there was a raw egg between your foot and the pedal will not drop the speed much (1-2mph) and the mpg really climbs. And on a long straight highway it is possible to play with your speed (depending on the traffic flow) so that you always try to reach the maximum mpg. Also for me it was easy to see that in manual I wasn't nearly as fast or smart as the computer to select the shift points, so now 100% auto. I also found when coasting to a stop that the gauge gives the 9999 as the computer shuts down the fuel supply and in the past there were times I bumped N to roll to a stop so that I didn't work the engine as hard, fuel flow kept up at idle vs. the fuel shut off by the ECU. I know, shouldn't bump N, but done it with stick shifts longer than many of you reading this have been alive. Now I am looking at sitting at a light. Fuel flow seems to drop lower by bumping N than staying in gear while not moving, but I'm still evaluating that, it eventually goes down in gear, but seems to take longer. Of course I could do like hybrids and shut it down. What is the result? Hard to bet a steak dinner on, but the mpg on mine has gone from 39 without to 44+ with, however I admit that the engine also has broken in and that improves mpg. Basically it makes you more aware of what precious fuel you are using, it doesn't do anything FOR you.

[brobesky]

How is this installed in the SmartCar? A photo would be nice.

Thanks.

[jwight]

Originally Posted by brobesky

How is this installed in the SmartCar? A photo would be nice.

Thanks.

A search for Scangauge will reveal threads with several photos of different mounting solutions.

[nscaler]

Go for near the mirror

[factor9]

Originally Posted by jwight

So, my obvious question is: what works and what doesn't. How about sharing some of your mileage extending techniques with us? Thanks!

John, Besides all the hypermiling techniques and Russ' comments along with those that I hope evilbean42 posts, I came across these techniques that might also help us all at the pump. They've been around for a while, but I think they're worth repeating:

Only buy or fill up your car or truck in the early morning when the ground temperature is still cold. Remember that all service stations have their storage tanks buried below ground. The colder the ground the more dense the gasoline, when it gets warmer gasoline expands, so buying in the after- noon or in the evening....your gallon is not exactly a gallon.

When you're filling up do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to a fast mode. If you look you will see that the trigger has three (3)stages: low, middle, and high. In slow mode you should be pumping on low speed, thereby minimizing the vapors that are created while you are pumping. All hoses at the pump have a vapor return. If you are pumping on the fast rate, some other liquid that goes to your tank becomes vapor. Those vapors are being sucked up and back into the underground storage tank so you're getting less worth for your money.

One of the most important tips is to fill up when your gas tank is HALF FULL or HALF EMPTY. The reason for this is, the more gas you have in your tank the less air occupying its empty space. Gasoline evaporates faster than you can imagine. Gasoline storage tanks have an internal floating roof. This roof serves as zero clearance between the gas and the atmosphere, so it minimizes the evaporation.

Another reminder, if there is a gasoline truck pumping into the storage tanks when you stop to buy gas, DO NOT fill up - most likely the gasoline is being stirred up as the gas is being delivered, and you might pick up some dirt that normally settles on the bottom.

These days, every drop counts.

[jonnysan]

Originally Posted by factor9

John, Besides all the hypermiling techniques and Russ' comments along with those that I hope evilbean42 posts, I came across these techniques that might also help us all at the pump. They've been around for a while, but I think they're worth repeating:

Only buy or fill up your car or truck in the early morning when the ground temperature is still cold. Remember that all service stations have their storage tanks buried below ground. The colder the ground the more dense the gasoline, when it gets warmer gasoline expands, so buying in the after- noon or in the evening....your gallon is not exactly a gallon.

When you're filling up do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to a fast mode. If you look you will see that the trigger has three (3)stages: low, middle, and high. In slow mode you should be pumping on low speed, thereby minimizing the vapors that are created while you are pumping. All hoses at the pump have a vapor return. If you are pumping on the fast rate, some other liquid that goes to your tank becomes vapor. Those vapors are being sucked up and back into the underground storage tank so you're getting less worth for your money.

One of the most important tips is to fill up when your gas tank is HALF FULL or HALF EMPTY. The reason for this is, the more gas you have in your tank the less air occupying its empty space. Gasoline evaporates faster than you can imagine. Gasoline storage tanks have an internal floating roof. This roof serves as zero clearance between the gas and the atmosphere, so it minimizes the evaporation.

Another reminder, if there is a gasoline truck pumping into the storage tanks when you stop to buy gas, DO NOT fill up - most likely the gasoline is being stirred up as the gas is being delivered, and you might pick up some dirt that normally settles on the bottom.

These days, every drop counts.

This statement is BS from someplace and it's been on here before. As quoted...

<<<<Only buy or fill up your car or truck in the early morning when the ground temperature is still cold. Remember that all service stations have their storage tanks buried below ground. The colder the ground the more dense the gasoline, when it gets warmer gasoline expands, so buying in the after- noon or in the evening....your gallon is not exactly a gallon.>>>

Fact: Ground temperatures do not fluctuate enough to say so from sun up to sun down....according to meteorologists and geologists, it stays at a constant 55-56 degrees all the time.

POint #2...

<<<<If you are pumping on the fast rate, some other liquid that goes to your tank becomes vapor. Those vapors are being sucked up and back into the underground storage tank so you're getting less worth for your money.>>>
What other liquid?? Some OF the liquid~~

What could possibly be sucking the vapors back into the tank when there is only one hose and its the one pumping positive pressure liquid INTO the tank??? No such thing on any pumps I've used in NY anyway....some kind of evaporative emissions device at the pump??? Please educate me on this one.
Sounds like a bit of *hooey* to me.

I do agree with the statement suggesting that fast fills will aerate the gasoline as it enters the tank and that air does take up some space but the one concerning the fillup from half a tank also sounds like hooey to me. The air gets expelled from the tank when the liquid displaces it, coming out around the fill nozzle to atmosphere.

These things CANNOT make that much of a difference in a 7-8 gal fillup...not 5-8 mpg worth, anyway.

[brobesky]

Originally Posted by jwight

A search for Scangauge will reveal threads with several photos of different mounting solutions.

I'm sorry, I guess I wasn't clear. I am not interested in how it's mounted, but how it's installed. That is, where do you plug it in?

Thanks.