Fuel Consumption Chip

[Tractor Dan]

Ok. First off wasn't really sure where to put this thread, it didn't seem to fit any of the other forums. If the mods feel it needs to be moved please do so.

Now down to business. Is there such thing as a fuel consumption chip in a Ford Ranger of any year but especially a 97 with the 3.0 L V6? I have heard rumors of this and don't honestly know if it has any merit but was just wondering. I personally have never seen anything like it but i have read where it resembles this description "Inch wide, grey or black, somewhere on the firewall". I don't really figure this to have any merit, though thought i would ask. I'm still only getting about 190 to 200 miles out of a tank. Same mileage i had before the lift, maybe a bit less but a minimal difference.

Dan

 

[triumphrider-1]

Never heard of one. As I was reading I thought maybe the fuel interia shut-off switch, but outside of that I can't think of anything.

 

[daniel3507]

is it like a scanguage?
http://www.scangauge.com/
thats all that really comes to mind

 

[AllanD]

There is a data out available on most EEC4 computers the data from which can be used with the various ford "trip computers" used in high end vehicles (or atleast high option packages).

However with all the various trip computers you might aquire from various vehicles
there will be certain compatibility issues, because the engineers used certain "cheats"

For instance the "Instant Mileage" will work with most vehicles
by simply powering the display and hooking it to the data lead
"Average Economy" might not because on some of the trip computers
the display unit calculates that and "fuel used" by referencing instant
economy to it's tapped signal from the fuel level sensor (the problem
there should be obvious)

For the same reason "Distance to Empty" probably won't work

IF OTOH you have one of the later (smarter) units it calculates
"Average Econ" by totaling the fuel used since it was last reset
(Some units automatically reset themselves when the tank is refilled
because the change in the fuel level confuses it)

It's likely that "Distance to empty" will only work on another vehicle with the same useable fuel capacity in the tank AND that uses the same fuel level sensor resistance range (good luck)

I've participated in discussions in the past where people have successfully
retrofitted the mileage computer (and digital instrument cluster) from a 1988
V8 thunderbird into a 2.3Turbocoup thunderbird.

The data line from the computer IS THERE, so...

I've been playing with the trip computer from an Aerostar and if I EVER make it work I'll be sure to let everyone know.

Knowing how I'm doing "on the fly" would be useful so even "instant economy"
would be nice to have, even if none of the other functions work at all.


AD

 

[Tractor Dan]

is it like a scanguage?
http://www.scangauge.com/
thats all that really comes to mind

I honestly don't know. I just read the description i posted somewhere and figured this is the place to ask. lol. However after that there fancy link, i might have to look into getting one of thoose for the truck. Seems like it would be money well spent.

Dan

 

[triumphrider-1]

There is a data out available on most EEC4 computers the data from which can be used with the various ford "trip computers" used in high end vehicles (or atleast high option packages).

However with all the various trip computers you might aquire from various vehicles
there will be certain compatibility issues, because the engineers used certain "cheats"

For instance the "Instant Mileage" will work with most vehicles
by simply powering the display and hooking it to the data lead
"Average Economy" might not because on some of the trip computers
the display unit calculates that and "fuel used" by referencing instant
economy to it's tapped signal from the fuel level sensor (the problem
there should be obvious)

For the same reason "Distance to Empty" probably won't work

IF OTOH you have one of the later (smarter) units it calculates
"Average Econ" by totaling the fuel used since it was last reset
(Some units automatically reset themselves when the tank is refilled
because the change in the fuel level confuses it)

It's likely that "Distance to empty" will only work on another vehicle with the same useable fuel capacity in the tank AND that uses the same fuel level sensor resistance range (good luck)

I've participated in discussions in the past where people have successfully
retrofitted the mileage computer (and digital instrument cluster) from a 1988
V8 thunderbird into a 2.3Turbocoup thunderbird.

The data line from the computer IS THERE, so...

I've been playing with the trip computer from an Aerostar and if I EVER make it work I'll be sure to let everyone know.

Knowing how I'm doing "on the fly" would be useful so even "instant economy"
would be nice to have, even if none of the other functions work at all.


AD

And here I've been thinking there wasn't any Fords out there that had those. I just always saw them in Chevys.

But I assumed they measured the fuel from the rail or an injector signal, and not the tank.

 

[AllanD]

Part of the signal is from the fuel level sensor in SOME applications.

I determined that by observing that without being reset or even
shutting off the engine just adding fuel to the tank the trip computer
KNEW that the fuel level was changing

On EEC4 computers (your truck has an EEC5) Pin #6 on the 60pin connector
is a fuel flow output data connector.

Many different ford vehicles came with "Trip Minders" but they are often integrated into an electronic instrument cluster.

The Aerostars' is probably the most adaptable to othr applications
as it is mounted in an overhead console, though that console itself is
essentially useless due to it's shape the display unit itself could be
removed and a mount cobbled together.

On an Late Ranger with an auto trans swapping in an explorer full length console
and the Explorer data center would be the unit to try to adapt and the way to adapt it.

AD

 

[03ranger4x4]

And here I've been thinking there wasn't any Fords out there that had those. I just always saw them in Chevys.

But I assumed they measured the fuel from the rail or an injector signal, and not the tank.

My friends explorer had one, we made it read "99" mpg with the v8, by reseting it, then flooring it down a hill so we got up to around 70, then killed the engine...so with the short distance in its memory, and the fact it was going 70 using no fuel at all made all the digits max out hahah. it dropped down to like 16 mpg about 2 miles later...

 

[bbbb51]

It would be cool to have like a explorer center console with all the data working in a ranger.To this day what still kills me is my daughters 98 explorer with all wheel drive and the 4.0 beats the snot out of my 02 rangers gas milage by 100 miles. She gets like 360 miles to a tankfull. Duh sorry for the little rant

 

[daniel3507]

It would be cool to have like a explorer center console with all the data working in a ranger.

I think rwenzing did something like that in his ranger.