Scan guage 2 question

[FlexdXJ]

I am thinking of getting a scanguage 2 and wondered what you guys thought of them. I see them being talked about a lot in this forum so i thought i would get some opinions on them. Also where do you guys who have 97+ XJ's mount them in yours.

 

[egon]

I have one mounted in my Xterra for about 2 years now. Its a great tool to get additional engine health info. Mine stays set to RPM, instant MPG, intake temp, and coolant temp. Its also very easy to track gas mileage.
I also use it alot on other vehicles to trouble shoot problems especially as a code reader.

--Matt

 

[Fastdemise]

I got some adhesive velcro and stuck it between the shifter and ash tray. When in drive I can't see it but that's kinda the thing I like about it. Keeps the light out of my eyes when I'm driving at night. Worth it just for the code reading and clearing ability.

 

[TurtleBoyPW5]

I love mine, have it sitting on the far left corner between the windshield and dash on one of those no slip pads for ipods. Doesn't move at all, within arms reach for adjustments, and easy to see while driving (the mpg's will drive you crazy!).

 

[gradon]

Stays under the passenger seat, cause DC crackheads will bust a window in heartbeat just to steal a gps that they can sell to some stranger on the corner for $20 or else just take it to a pawn shop.

 

[SteveT]

I like mine a ton...so much I bought 2. Actually, the second was an accident. I was at work when I was ordering, got up to do something, sat back down, and it didn't look like the order processed. So I hit it again, and got two (well, I paid for two, also). Extra is for sale.

New, in box, $150 shipped.

Steve

 

[FlexdXJ]

I like mine a ton...so much I bought 2. Actually, the second was an accident. I was at work when I was ordering, got up to do something, sat back down, and it didn't look like the order processed. So I hit it again, and got two (well, I paid for two, also). Extra is for sale.

New, in box, $150 shipped.

Steve

hmmm.....I'll keep that in mind. I may be ordering a pistol tomorrow so I might have to wait fot a while to get one.

 

[lazyxj]

I am thinking of getting a scanguage 2 and wondered what you guys thought of them. I see them being talked about a lot in this forum so i thought i would get some opinions on them. Also where do you guys who have 97+ XJ's mount them in yours.

[FONT=&quot]I originally bought one several years ago for our motor home, for its ability to read the transmission temperature.
At the same time, I ordered an extra cable for use in our other vehicles.
In the Cherokee, it is mounted, with Velcro, on top of the steering column, next to the emergency flasher.
I leave it in the XJ most of the time and have found it useful when the CEL come on (my 01 has suffered from the hot soak problem).
It is also a code checker/clearer.
This summer I used it to help indicate which intake mods were effective in lowering the intake air temperature. Switching to a cowl intake, insulated filter box and hose made a big difference in hot weather performance, eliminating most of the hot soak problem and it sounds good too![/FONT]

 

[Ricker]

I am thinking of getting a scanguage 2 and wondered what you guys thought of them. I see them being talked about a lot in this forum so i thought i would get some opinions on them. Also where do you guys who have 97+ XJ's mount them in yours.

I like mine, keep it set to intake temp, water temp, ign. timing and tps.
My tps seems erattic at times but no code yet.
I mounted mine right on top of the dash for now.
Might try moving it all the way to the left side.

 

[whatevah]

Mine is also on top of the dash wedged against the windshield by the A-pillar. Usually set to Coolant temp, Intake temp, TPS and MPG. My TPS problems have gone away now, so I cycle through the other options with that one. I've been having a problem for the past few months where it doesn't read the ECU error codes, it just shows 00000 for all of the codes, it doesn't matter what vehicle I plug in to, I tried it on a Ford E350 ambulance at work and got the same problem. It also never cleared the codes, either. It would just reset the light and leave the codes stored. I have to use my $80 reader from Walmart to actually clear them.

 

[lazyxj]

Mine is also on top of the dash wedged against the windshield by the A-pillar. Usually set to Coolant temp, Intake temp, TPS and MPG. My TPS problems have gone away now, so I cycle through the other options with that one. I've been having a problem for the past few months where it doesn't read the ECU error codes, it just shows 00000 for all of the codes, it doesn't matter what vehicle I plug in to, I tried it on a Ford E350 ambulance at work and got the same problem. It also never cleared the codes, either. It would just reset the light and leave the codes stored. I have to use my $80 reader from Walmart to actually clear them.

Call up ScanGuage directly. They have good customer service.
If you do, let us know the outcome.

 

[whatevah]

I'll see what I can do when I get some free time during normal business hours... working nights does have a downside.

 

[driggs]

I've been having a problem for the past few months where it doesn't read the ECU error codes, it just shows 00000 for all of the codes, it doesn't matter what vehicle I plug in to, I tried it on a Ford E350 ambulance at work and got the same problem. It also never cleared the codes, either. It would just reset the light and leave the codes stored.

I was frustrated by the same behavior that you describe until I realized that my ScanGuage II won't clear codes, or even reliably read them, unless the vehicle is shut off with the ignition turned to the accessories-on position.

Maybe yours is legitimately broken, but I thought the same thing about mine until I started shutting the engine off!

 

[whatevah]

heh, whaddya know... tried with the Key in "On", and it reset the light. It hasn't done that in months. Still wouldn't read the codes, though. Still came up as 00000.

 

[winkosmosis]

I have one, and I like it. I have it on top of my steering column. I usually have it showing instant mpg, coolant temp, intake temp, and mph.

There are some deficiencies-- the interface is terrible. For example, to show trip or tank mpg, you have to add an "xguage", which means entering some hexadecimal codes with the stupid buttons. I still haven't succeeded in doing that, because every time I try, it stops accepting inputs halfway through.
It should have that as a display option by default-- what would possess them to design a device whose main function is showing gas mileage, and leave out trip and tank mpg?

Also, I wanted to program it to show oxygen sensor readings so I could compare my old and new cat, but I couldn't tell from the manual which hex code to put in.

There are some other options you might want to look into. Bullydog has a similar device for $100 more.
Look on the instrumentation board on the http://www.ecomodder.com forum

 

[winkosmosis]

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthread.php/bullydog-watchdog-9675.html

There is a link to the Watchdog there for $240

 

[winkosmosis]

The good thing about the SGII is that it doesn't look valuable. Someone broke into my XJ and stole my iPod from the glove box, but left the SGII on the steering column. The Bully Dog Watchdog does look valuable.

 

[srimes]

I've got mine on the steering column, and usually leave it on current trip mpg. I probably get better mileage because of it. The real-time mpg jumps too much to be useful. I did use it when towing to watch for temp rise and also to see how much gas I could give it before switching to open loop. Overall I like it but sometimes it just turns itself off even when the engine is running/driving and I have to push a button to turn it back on and get it going again.

 

[driggs]

There are some deficiencies-- the interface is terrible. For example, to show trip or tank mpg, you have to add an "xguage", which means entering some hexadecimal codes with the stupid buttons. I still haven't succeeded in doing that, because every time I try, it stops accepting inputs halfway through.
It should have that as a display option by default-- what would possess them to design a device whose main function is showing gas mileage, and leave out trip and tank mpg?

It sounds like you've already written the Scan Gauge II off as something you don't like, but I encourage you to give it another chance. Perhaps you need to sit down and read the manual for it first; there's only so much "user friendliness" you can cram into a computer with just five buttons!

When you turn on your vehicle and are presented with the initial "home screen", just push the TRIP button, which is designed to show exactly what you're looking for. Pages 9 - 12 of the manual explain exactly how to show trip data including both trip and tank MPG out-of-the-box - easily!

I'm a computer programmer by trade, and even I've never had to resort to entering hexidecimal codes into the SGII, despite being a habitual tinkerer. Really, the UI isn't bad at all considering how much information it can show you out of the box and how spartan the hardware is.

The most important "tunings" required for having the SGII show accurate fuel efficiency data are:

• Telling the SGII your engine displacement (page 14 - 15)
• Telling the SGII your fuel tank size (page 15)
• Remembering to hit the "FILLUP" button when you fill your gas tank (page 18 - 20)
• Correcting for a difference between your odometer/speedometer and reality (page 16)

Link: Scan Gauge II user manual

 

[hubs97xj]

I'm not a computer programmer, and I had to enter hex codes. It seems to me that some of the optional entries would be logical defaults.