Ethanol Content Gauge - suggestion and feeler thread

[Woods247]

Haha, your patience would be much appreciated.

I am anticipating roughly 6-8 weeks before launch. I will also be looking for beta testers to try the product out (at least a few 14-15 vehicles, and the same for 16-17 vehicles). I will also be offering a pre-sale at a discounted price, to lock in the first 10 sales. So keep an eye out for that!

I have a 14.

 

[Jason@dizzytuning]

Hey Jason how much variation in the mix can the tune typically compensate for? I am thinking about trying a e30 but don’t want to mess with testing the fuel mix every time.

In all honesty, it doesn’t have to be perfect. Especially with the Ecoboost ecu being so lenient and having so many safeguards in place; it’s next to impossible to do harm to the engine (on the stock turbo). But I did test “leaner” mixtures and still feel confident that the tune will compensate for any fuel irregularities.

The directions I send with the tune are very simple a caveman could do it, lol. Don’t get too hung up on it.

 

[Goingnowherefast]

PM'd

 

[allpurposeben]

I might be interested in the plumbing parts and mount for the sensor in the engine bay if you’re willing to sell that kit separate.

 

[apex1]

Watching this thread and thinking about how good this could be, I also am thinking a bluetooth solution would be very cool. It would be great to open an app on my iphone and see what my ethanol content is after each fill up. No need to track it constantly. The link posted above takes us to a company that seems to have their bluetooth sensors compatible only with android phones. Hopefully if you build one, it will also be iphone compatible.

 

[FiSTerTheGrouch]

Bluetooth for sure!

 

[Jason@dizzytuning]

Small update on the Ethanol Gauge!

I am looking into using a different display panel for the Ethanol Content Gauge. Some of you may have heard of what is called an OLED display. They are used in small personal devices like fit bits and wrist watches. In short, they a small pixelated LCD screen, that functions off of data inputs and you can make them display pretty much anything that you want. This opens up the possibility of using the fuel temperature portion of the ethanol sensor, and adding that to the display too! Maybe having the ethanol content displayed large in the center of the display, and the fuel temp in the top corner?

With some reverse engineering and a little decoding, you can unlock the data stream used to display the ethanol content on the original display, and output that same data to the OLED display. Pretty neat!

So with all this being said, we are still quite a ways out for production, but I am really excited for the direction we are headed. I am just about finished with the prototype unit, and then I will be reaching out to people for testing. The mount for the display is still up in the air, as I’ve been saving that for last. Utilizing the pocket is still my main focus, but it may fill up the whole pocket. The other option is upper half of the steering column. I would make a replaceable “top half” with display built in. Any interest in that?

 

[apex1]

Small update on the Ethanol Gauge!

The other option is upper half of the steering column. I would make a replaceable “top half” with display built in. Any interest in that?

YES!!!!! Although a pod or hood containing the hardware that sits on top of the OEM column cover might be even better.

Also, my Uniden R3 radar detector has an OLED display and you can select different configurations, data points, and colors. It is great--dimmable at night and easily seen in daylight.

 

[allpurposeben]

With some reverse engineering and a little decoding, you can unlock the data stream used to display the ethanol content on the original display, and output that same data to the OLED display. Pretty neat!

Are we talking the GM style flex fuel sensors? If so, not much to reverse engineer, it’s all published. Ethanol content is measured from the frequency on the Vout pin, temperature is low side pulse width.

If you want to use an OLED, might look into using the SparkFun Microview, integrated Arduino compatible MCU and OLED display. Plus it’s already 12 volt tolerant and comes in an easy to work with package. It’s what I use for mine.

 

[Jason@dizzytuning]

Are we talking the GM style flex fuel sensors? If so, not much to reverse engineer, it’s all published. Ethanol content is measured from the frequency on the Vout pin, temperature is low side pulse width.

If you want to use an OLED, might look into using the SparkFun Microview, integrated Arduino compatible MCU and OLED display. Plus it’s already 12 volt tolerant and comes in an easy to work with package. It’s what I use for mine.

I am using a zeitronix Eca-2 for testing.
I will most likely be building my own gauge/interface to use with a gm sensor. And Arduino is surely the way to go

 

[Goingnowherefast]

I am using a zeitronix Eca-2 for testing.
I will most likely be building my own gauge/interface to use with a gm sensor. And Arduino is surely the way to go

Arduino is great for simple things like this. Plus the coding is super easy to learn/use. Oh and cheap haha

 

[apex1]

One more thought. Many of us have deleted our symposers so the unused sound tube might provide a good way to get a harness from the engine compartment to the interior.

 

[alexwlwsn]

I did a little project like this myself actually for my MS3 - Link

It used the GM style ethanol sensor that reads both ethanol content and fuel temperature. I didn't get so advanced that I went OLED but I'm sure adding in that functionality wouldn't be all too difficult. I had almost a "loading" bar of sorts which would move back and forth according to how much E was in the tank, and in the code I could make it read a status from say, 35-55% (if you were aiming somewhere in the middle of that) in order to give increased resolution on your E content. Not that the bar increased functionality, it was just cool to me.

Here's a early on output sample from when I was working on everything:


Here's my code for the Arduino in text format:
View attachment EthanolContent.txt

This code will handle a 16*2 LCD (as opposed to the 20*4 screen above, I went through a couple screens) but its very easy to go in there and adjust for different size LCD screens. That 3 digit numerical screen though will take additional config but it's all available online.

Not sure if I can help at all but if you ever need to bounce an idea off me just let me know!

 

[Jason@dizzytuning]

I did a little project like this myself actually for my MS3 - Link

It used the GM style ethanol sensor that reads both ethanol content and fuel temperature. I didn't get so advanced that I went OLED but I'm sure adding in that functionality wouldn't be all too difficult. I had almost a "loading" bar of sorts which would move back and forth according to how much E was in the tank, and in the code I could make it read a status from say, 35-55% (if you were aiming somewhere in the middle of that) in order to give increased resolution on your E content. Not that the bar increased functionality, it was just cool to me.

Here's a early on output sample from when I was working on everything:
View attachment 17154

Here's my code for the Arduino in text format:
View attachment 17155

This code will handle a 16*2 LCD (as opposed to the 20*4 screen above, I went through a couple screens) but its very easy to go in there and adjust for different size LCD screens. That 3 digit numerical screen though will take additional config but it's all available online.

Not sure if I can help at all but if you ever need to bounce an idea off me just let me know!

Very cool! Great work! I may be contacting you in the near future!

 

[alexwlwsn]

Very cool! Great work! I may be contacting you in the near future!

There's even a little MazdaSpeed slash screen in there for when you first power on the device lol

 

[allpurposeben]

There's even a little MazdaSpeed slash screen in there for when you first power on the device lol

I did a little spinning corn cob icon for mine.

 

[denveryettie]

Definitely in for updates on this, as not having something like this is why I havent moved to E30 yet.

 

[Jason@dizzytuning]

I’m glad to see that there is interest in this! Hang tight guys, you are going to love the final product!

To update:
I will be mounting the ethanol sensor and fitting the lines (hopefully for the final revision) this weekend, and I’ll post some photos. The bracket is 3D printed and will be mounted to the ecu cover (the small plastic cover between the battery and the induction hose). I may be offering the kit with that plastic cover, with sensor pre-mounted, so no altering of oem parts are required, but that’s still up in the air.

The oem line will be used on 16-17 models, it will be redirected into the ethanol sensor. Then the return line will be plug and play from the sensor to the hpfp. The 13-14 kits will most likely do the same thing, as long as the fuel line can be disconnected at the motor, in the same manner as the 16-17. Then everything will be exactly the same. I will be looking for testers for both 13-14 and 16-17 vehicles within the next week or so.

The gauge is still under development. We’ve gone through a few iterations of the pc board but we are getting there. It is going to be a self contained unit, most likely mounted in the center space by the shifter. The pc board and all the “guts” will be sealed inside, with a nice display facing the driver. I’m planning to display ethanol content and fuel temperature both at the same time. I’m very excited for these!

 

[spdkills83]

Very interested to see what the final outcome will be.

Good luck

 

[VuDoo]

kits for 13'-14' and 16'-17'...what no love for the 15'? When you get a test kit ready for the 15' I will be glad to test it.