So how 'bout that Ecometer by Auto meter?

[ezhacker1]

Originally Posted by R2D2

The ecometer calculates mpg anytime the engine is running, including while idling. You can watch your avg mpg drop as you idle. It is very accurate-mine has always been within .7 mpg or so of calculating by the "pump method" at fill up.

Today at fill up the ecometer was dead on! 35.3mpg was the ecometer reading, 35.323 was the calculated at pump. No DFCO, just lots of nuetral whenever possible, id say 20% highway rest city. I have yet to take the car on a long trip highway run. the longest iv done is 44 miles one way, got 44.52mpg that time. Car is still under 4k on the odo.

[kuyachris84]

I love this thing btw! Definite improvement in MPG when you actually get to see real time how your driving habits change your mileage. Here's some pics where I mounted mine btw.

[Mistry]

I just got a Simota SRI and was wondering if I would need to adjust the Ecometer?

If so, how would I change it? I have the instructions at home but I will be away for a while and would like to adjust it asap, if needed.

Thanks in advance.

[R2D2]

Not sure how much the intake will change things. Next fill up compare pump calc to the ecometer. To get dialed in a little faster I figure the percent difference between the two and adjust accordingly.

I don't have my instructions in front of me but I did this not long ago. To adjust the ecometer unplug it from the obd port. Hold down the left button while plugging ecometer back in. If done properly you should see EFF on the meter. Then I believe you keep pressing the right button until the percentage you need is on the screen (they range from 60 to 140). Then press the left button when done to finalize the adjustment.

I may have messed up which button scrolls through the numbers but that should hopefully get you in the right direction.

R2

[ezhacker1]

*post AFE intake update

before when i was on stock intake the ecometer was dead on with DFCO resulting into higher actual mpg then gauged, which makes sense. Now after the intake im seeing 10% over estimation, i thought the ECU would learn whats going on with the new intake, guess not.

[Sodium Duck]

If you leave it on instant MPG display, it would just display that all the time. I don't think you would never need to reset it. If you were having it display average MPG, it would be best to reset it after each fillup, but that only takes two clicks to do, so who cares.

[Twistoffate0817]

Just ordered mine from the site you guys provided. It says its shipping from NJ...which is where I live so hopefully it will get here soon! I cannot wait to try it out. :)

[ezhacker1]

More Update:

Cleaned the MAF sensor with MAF Cleaner, hopefully my mpg will improve and/or get the reading to match actual. The ecometer ONLY read wrong after my AFE intake.

[Sodium Duck]

Hmm, interesting idea. Is the MAF sensor cleaner just compressed air to blow the crap off it, or is it something specific that you get at the auto parts store? Do we have only that one MAF sensor by the intake, or is there more than one on the car that would be worth cleaning?

[ezhacker1]

Originally Posted by Sodium Duck

Hmm, interesting idea. Is the MAF sensor cleaner just compressed air to blow the crap off it, or is it something specific that you get at the auto parts store? Do we have only that one MAF sensor by the intake, or is there more than one on the car that would be worth cleaning?

i got it from auto store: Kragen, cost my 6 bucks, its sprays in as liquid but dries super fast, reminds me of rubbing alcohol. If i dont see the ecometer coinciding with actual like before i installed my AFE, ill just remove the afe and go stock to see whats up.

[Sodium Duck]

You have it set to instant MPG readouts... Read the manual more thoroughly.

When at a complete stop, you are getting zero MPG. Whatever you have read else where would be news to me...

[Falconia]

I didn't read this thread all way through, but I really don't get it what it helps to buy this kind of "meters". Cars own monitor shows the same thing (mpg) or like here in Europe litres/100 kilometres.

What's the point when cars own computer shows the same thing?

[Twistoffate0817]

Originally Posted by Falconia

I didn't read this thread all way through, but I really don't get it what it helps to buy this kind of "meters". Cars own monitor shows the same thing (mpg) or like here in Europe litres/100 kilometres.

What's the point when cars own computer shows the same thing?

I dont know about anyone else, but my Yaris in the USA does not come with an instant MPG reader. So this device does it for us.

[Sodium Duck]

Originally Posted by Falconia

I didn't read this thread all way through, but I really don't get it what it helps to buy this kind of "meters". Cars own monitor shows the same thing (mpg) or like here in Europe litres/100 kilometres.

What's the point when cars own computer shows the same thing?

American models do not display this information.

[Twistoffate0817]

Okay so it shooting from 15 mpg to 140 is normal? I duno how to change my driving style if at every second its going from 20 mpg to 40, then to 70, then to 20. Its sort of odd. Shud I leave it on average MPG?

[Sodium Duck]

Originally Posted by Twistoffate0817

Okay so it shooting from 15 mpg to 140 is normal? I duno how to change my driving style if at every second its going from 20 mpg to 40, then to 70, then to 20. Its sort of odd. Shud I leave it on average MPG?

When you are coasting down a hill or to a stop and your foot is not on the gas, it would stand to reason that your instantaneous MPG would be very high (yes 140+ MPG) as the car is in motion and it is barely using any gas.

When you are at a stop, or just beginning to accelerate, it would also stand to reason that your instantaneous MPG would be very low (yes <15 MPG) as the car is not moving very far or fast and you have your foot buried in the gas.

Switch it to average MPG, this will coincide more closely with what you envision MPG to be.

OR, again, you could read the manual. For example, I keep mine on average MPG, and have the light ring set up with a MPG goal of 40. Such that, when the light ring is not displaying green, I know I am getting <40 MPG and should back off of the throttle. But at the same time, I am not distracted by all the wide fluctuations of the instantaneous MPG readout. When the light ring is displaying red, that means I'm getting <10 MPG, and when about 1/4th of the light ring is lit up green, I'm getting >100MPG. Just before it starts lighting up orange is 40MPG.

I hope that explains some of your concerns. It's funny how people think MPG is this constant static thing that barely ever changes. There's this weird disconnect I've noticed -- people don't understand the farther you push the pedal to the floor, well, the more gas your are dumping into the engine. Yes, your MPG ranges very widely, but when you average ALL that data out, you get a nice normal number that you can relate to.

I've seen a few posts/product reviews like this online. One where the guy even returned it because he thought it was broken.

[R2D2]

Twistoffate,

The instant mpg readings you reported are exactly what I would expect (and get on my own unit). The "instant" setting is exactly what it says-the fuel economy you are achieving that instant, updated every half second. It should read zero when stopped and the reason it can jump to 140-200+ mpg when you release the pedal is DFCO. I don't use the instant setting much as the ecograph around the perimeter of the display accomplishes the same task so I tend to stay on the avg mpg mode.

It sounds like what you want is the average mpg mode which will be more "stable" and will drop while idling at a light.

What you need to do is reset your EFF to about 95% to start. Next fill up reset your average mpg and track it from there. You can fine tune the accuracy with your EFF setting if needed. I also recommend setting the ecograph to display your target mpg which is covered in the instructions.

Review the instructions again and please ask away here if there is something we can clarify or help you out with.
Once you figure it out I think you will be happy with it-there are a bunch of us here with ecometers and they are very liked from what I've seen.

Good luck!

R2

[Twistoffate0817]

Originally Posted by R2D2

Twistoffate,

The instant mpg readings you reported are exactly what I would expect (and get on my own unit). The "instant" setting is exactly what it says-the fuel economy you are achieving that instant, updated every half second. It should read zero when stopped and the reason it can jump to 140-200+ mpg when you release the pedal is DFCO. I don't use the instant setting much as the ecograph around the perimeter of the display accomplishes the same task so I tend to stay on the avg mpg mode.

It sounds like what you want is the average mpg mode which will be more "stable" and will drop while idling at a light.

What you need to do is reset your EFF to about 95% to start. Next fill up reset your average mpg and track it from there. You can fine tune the accuracy with your EFF setting if needed. I also recommend setting the ecograph to display your target mpg which is covered in the instructions.

Review the instructions again and please ask away here if there is something we can clarify or help you out with.
Once you figure it out I think you will be happy with it-there are a bunch of us here with ecometers and they are very liked from what I've seen.

Good luck!

R2

Thanks for explaining! :) I will have to play around with it, and today i kept it on Average MPG which I like better. I changed the EFF setting to 70 because at first it was reading too high. I guess i will change it to 95 and keep adjusting after fill ups. Is it safe to leave the ecometer plugged in and left in the car everyday? Its not going to be damaged due to the cold or heat right?