I do most car maintenance and repair myself, and have built up a nice collection of tools for doing so. One item that had been on my tool “want” list for some time was an OBDII reader. For the uninitiated, OBDII is the current On Board Diagnostics standard found on most cars made since 1996. When your check engine light comes on, it’s because of the On Board Diagnostics telling you that something isn’t as it should be. The OBD does more than just trigger that little light, though- it monitors and relays data on all aspects of your engine. There’s some pretty useful information that you can get from this system- or at least it’s interesting if you’re a gear head like me.
The check engine light has been coming on intermittently in my 1998 Subaru Legacy for a couple of years. Each time it happens, we go to a nearby garage to get the code read and fork over $15-$30 to be told that it has been triggered by a minor error, usually the gas cap being not tightened properly (this is actually quite common, especially in Subies). I can generally predict that this is what the problem is, but I’m not confident enough that this is the case to just leave the light on. Guaranteed, the one time I do is the time that it will actually be something much bigger. Plus, it’s hard to impress the ladies when your check engine light is on. When the light came on again last month, I decided that I was going to finally break down and buy a reader of my own.
Shopping and Setup
Chains like Princess Auto and Canadian Tire carry a range of OBDII readers of varying complexity ranging in price from $99 to $400+, but the one that I had my eye on is the ScanGauge II, a nifty little reader that doubles as both a code reader and a programmable gauge that lets you measure real time engine performance stats, like fuel economy, power output, and operating temperatures (and, for the 17 year old boy in me, it also records things like maximum speed). The ScanGauge II has become particularly popular amongst the hypermiling set, as it lets you see exactly what mileage you’re getting, your economy trends and maximums, and the impact that changes in your driving style have on your fuel economy numbers. So basically, I get a useful automotive tool and a tech gadget in one neat little package. It’s like having a wrench that doubles as a PDA. According to the slick packaging, the ScanGauge II will “pay for itself”, which is exactly what I told my wife.
I ordered online through Gifford Automotive, the Canadian retailer for ScanGauge. I cannot say enough positive about my shopping experience with Tom Gifford- shipping was incredibly fast and service was top notch. The price was $169, including Xpresspost shipping, which was a bit more than a bare bones reader from the chains, but in line with some of the more feature filled models.
Installation was as simple as it could be- plug one end of the cable into the computer, the other end into the car’s OBDII port, and turn the key. The ScanGauge’s menus confused me a little at first, but a quick skim through the manual (I never actually read manuals) and a few minutes of playing and I got them figured out. The manual is one major weak point of the ScanGauge II- while it provides the information you need, it lacks the polish or detail that I would have expected. The manual is text only (no illustrations) and appears to be cheaply printed and bound. For a tech product with polished packaging, the manual was a real let down. For a device without onscreen help and reliant on abbreviations and codes, a good manual is essential. The reader display is text based and is quite spartan, but effective and easy to read. It’s also backlit with an endless variety of lighting colours, which might actually be cool if it weren’t for my colour blindness.
While there are any number of ways to permanently mount the ScanGauge in your vehicle, I have yet to find one that I like. My ODBII port is on the left side of the steering wheel, so if I want to gauge to be in the centre console I’ve got to run wires either over or under the wheel, and neither option is particularly attractive or inconspicuous. I may have to get a little more creative in running wires behind panels, but this would make removal and use in other vehicles much more of a chore.
ScanGauge II as a Tool
With the ScanGauge up and running, my first task was to fix that check engine light problem. I selected “SCAN”, but had no luck pulling the code- the ScanGauge kept telling me that there was no code stored, yet the check engine light was still on. After much hair pulling and about 10 minutes of doing the Google, I realized that my problem was that I was scanning with the key in the “on” position, but with the car not actually running. Once I started the car and tried again, the code came up right away. Like most basic readers, the ScanGauge just gives you the alphanumeric code, not the description of what it means- you need to then look up the code in a manual or on the internet, but they’re very easy to find. My code was P0440, which I knew right away- EVAP system malfunction. Translation: Loose gas cap. A push of a button later and the code was cleared and the light reset, each knowing we’d meet on some other day.
In addition to letting you scan and clear engine codes, the ScanGauge lets to monitor and diagnose an array of engine problems. You can detect sensor positions, temperatures, voltage draws, and tons of other data that can be useful in tracking down those elusive automotive gremlins. The ScanGauge is a little more difficult to use than some other dedicated code readers, as it’s many other uses mean many more menus to navigate through and to get confused by. Even so, it serves the diagnostics role well.
ScanGauge II as a Toy
With that little practical task out of the way, it was time to have some fun. The ScanGauge lets you choose to display up to four data readings at a time, and offers a range of stock gauge choices. Using the included XGauge programming, you can also set up custom gauges to measure all kinds of fancy things based on available inputs. I chose to view my real time fuel economy, my average trip economy, horsepower readings and cost per trip. The result? I almost rear ended a Civic while noting that accelerating quickly from a red light cost me a dime, while gradually accelerating only cost me a couple of pennies.
I’m finding the ScanGauge data quite interesting. I have been tracking my fuel economy numbers for quite some time, and it’s fascinating to see the real time data and to be able to diagnose exactly what’s going on in my engine at any given time. Prior to the ScanGauge, average fuel economy in my Subaru Legacy has been about 11 liters per 100 km (that’s about 21 mpg for the Yankees), and that was with me driving relatively conservatively. I have already lowered this to about 10 l/100km by paying close attention to the gauge and noting my engine’s “sweet spots”, and my goal is to get this below 9 l/100km, or roughly 26 mpg. I’ll report back next month on my success, although I suspect that colder weather and snow tires will take their toll.
Will the ScanGauge Pay for Itself?
The marketing for the ScanGauge says that it will pay for itself. Let’s look at my numbers to see if this is true. For the past several months I have been averaging about 150 liters of fuel per month in this car. If we assume that ScanGauge use will allow me to reduce my consumption by 10%, that would save 15 liters. At an average cost of $1.25 per liter, that works out to a savings of $18.75 per month, or $225 per year. Not bad. If you add in the occasional engine scan at $30, the savings increase even further.
Of course, there are two major flaws in this reasoning- first, it assumes that you will actually achieve 10% fuel savings, and second, that you need the ScanGauge to do it. A tool like this is only as effective as the driver using it, hence the adage “To improve fuel economy adjust the nut behind the wheel”. When I’m paying attention to the gauge, I’m driving even more conservatively, but the novelty effect of this will likely wear off at some point unless I remain determined to squeeze every inch out of a liter of gas. And despite all of the techie goodness, the ScanGauge is only giving confirmation of what we already know- driving like a pussy will save you money.
That is not to say that the ScanGauge offers no benefits- it allows precise tracking of fuel consumption and can really help you figure out exactly when your car is most efficient in a way that general fuel savings tips cannot. It is also an excellent engine diagnostics tool for gear heads like me, but this capability will be lost on most people. Ultimately, cost savings is an excuse to buy a ScanGauge, not a reason- but if the excuse works, you get an excellent little tool.
Photo by tango_28.
You might also enjoy:- Extreme Makeover - Fuel Edition...
- High on Diesel...
- Get Your Snow Blower Ready for Winter...
- Don’t Save, Spend! (or so says the Globe and Mail)...
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I have been wanting a scan tool for some time. However, I also hear (but have not confirmed) that parts retailers like AutoZone will run a scan for free, in hopes that the code will cause you to purchase an emission part. Do you have any experience with this?
I’ve heard about places doing scans for free, but nowhere in my area does this. If you can find someone who does, that’s a great option- assuming, of course, that the teenager working there knows how to use the reader!