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Data Capture OBD2 port data? Any Engineers out there?

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Old 06-16-2008, 08:46 PM
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Smile Data Capture OBD2 port data? Any Engineers out there?

I remembered reading way back when, in a C Class forum,
someone changed the fuel settings, and while getting less power, also managed 37mpg, on a pullied 2.3 M111, which typically gets around 22 overall.

I've been in contact with that person and they confirmed the info, but at the time they weren't that interested in mpg, they were looking for power.
Gas was a buck 50.

It occurs to me that if some sort of small data storage device could be integrated into a OBD2 scanner, or some type of device that could simply record the data, and emulate it,
you could make a small device to switch your car from "normal" which has more power and requires premium, to Stage 3 ( I believe thats the one)
fuel adaptation setting, which runs on regular.
No need to run out and buy a new car to increase mileage, just this handy dandy preprogrammed device!

This would result in much less power, but on a long trip it would pay for itself. Top up with premium, plug in the pocket size device, (or maybe an OBD hand hald scanner could be used and reprogrammed?)
Push the "normal" button, wait for the green light telling the programming is complete and viola! You're back to the normal and hi power setting.

Is there anyone who is qualified to comment on this?
Basically hijack one function of the SDS system, and set up to do A or B.
A for days you wanna drive fast, B for commuting and long trips and cheaper gas.

Anyone? I'd gladly buy one if someone can make it.

Last edited by C230 Sport Coup; 06-16-2008 at 08:49 PM.
Old 06-17-2008, 06:43 PM
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Check with the guy selling the Brooklyn Bridge or the guy selling teflon oil additives.
Old 06-17-2008, 08:12 PM
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You seem to be confusing the OBD port with the ECU. It's the ECU you'd have to reprogram, and you can't do that through the OBD. People have programmed ECUs with dual-programs, triggered by a little switch hidden somewhere. If there were a huge need for such capabilities, all tuners would do it. But the reality is that most people who are into performance don't want to waste energy on saving gas. But the tuners know how to optimize for economy if customers wanted that. They wouldn't need any diagnostic data from the OBD port.
Old 06-17-2008, 08:26 PM
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I'm not the expert you're looking for but thought about your idea, which is very good. Found this about the settings on another thread: "1 is slightly enriched, 2 is more so and 3 is much richer and is designed to combat pinging on poor quality fuel." It would be like an hp mod that is easily and quickly reversible.
Old 06-19-2008, 12:34 PM
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Originally Posted by mleskovar
I'm not the expert you're looking for but thought about your idea, which is very good. Found this about the settings on another thread: "1 is slightly enriched, 2 is more so and 3 is much richer and is designed to combat pinging on poor quality fuel." It would be like an hp mod that is easily and quickly reversible.
According to Buell he got 37mpg on stage 3.

This is not ECU chipping, this is utilizing settings in the SDS.
There were pics online but I think they were in the now dead mbklasse.

At the time they were trying to see if they could coax more hp out of
a pullied m111 and also looking at AF ratios since the pulley makes things run a little lean, but apparently not too bad since theres people out there with pullied m111's with over 160K miles.

As we approach (I'm sure it's already in some places) the $5 a gallon mark,
it would be VERY nice to be able to switch between the normal fuel setting, with it's higher power (and lower mpg) to the 87 (91 RON) fuel setting.
It results in much less power, but much improved mpg, perfect for those long trips on I5 or commuting in traffic.

What I'm saying is, it's not feasible to carry a DAS unit around.
How about modifying at code reader to load just the needed code to switch just between these 2 settings, "Economy" & " Performance" (normal power).
Or some small device that could be plugged in, with just like 2 buttons and a couple LED's?

Anyone here with an idea how that could be accomplished?

EDIT: I sent emails to a couple semiconductor companies...see what they say!

Last edited by C230 Sport Coup; 06-19-2008 at 01:18 PM.
Old 06-19-2008, 04:43 PM
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Originally Posted by C230 Sport Coup
....Or some small device that could be plugged in, with just like 2 buttons and a couple LED's...
As long as you're wishing why not make it accessible from the buttons on the steering wheel? The code is already in the ECU, all the DAS does is provide an interface to access and toggle it. That's what happens when you chip a car. The hardware microcode is altered to change parameters.
Old 06-24-2008, 01:40 PM
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BMW E30. I've turned to the dark side.
FWIW, i had a bad maf a while back in my ML430. it set a check engine light and had a noticable lack of power. the flip side is that it consistantly got around 15mpg in town. I replaced the bad maf, check engine light went off on its own (the code was for rich stop - p0170) and i had the original power level back. mpg's dropped to a 12-13mpg around town immediatly after and has remained so for the last 6 months. i now wish i had saved the old sensor- because as a tech, i couldn't care less if the check engine light is on as long as i know what the problem is.
what i'm getting to here is the 5v signal out of the maf sensor could pretty easily be messed with (ricers have been doing it for years with piggy-back fuel controllers) but it would require screwing up the signal enough to not allow M.E. to correct it. once out of adjustment range, theoretically you could lean it out all the way untill it burnt holes in pistons. adding slight voltage to both the maf signal and o2 signals could keep the cel off and lean out the running overall.
i'm just thinking out loud here and there are a plethora of bad consequences that could result from doing this, including melted pistons, scored walls, cooked catalysts etc, not-to-mention many possible reasons why this just wouldn't work.

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