Thread: Monitoring engine?

I have no real interest in this - my engine is a Storm not a Puma. But I have to say... Wow! That Ultra gauge is good value. It cost me nearly 3 times that much for an EMS2, then you have to fir the thing.

29dino, I would guess its the same. Coolant, boost, egt. Maybe oil pressure?

Originally Posted by Lorryman100

For every day use I have an Ultragauge fitted. I used to use the scangauge but the Ultragauge allows you to monitor the MAF airflow as well as giving you the option to set a multitude of alarms and it is smaller in bulk compared to the scangauge.





Very reasonably priced as well:

UltraGauge Automotive Information Center and OBDII Scan Tool

HTH Brian.

How'd ye run the wiring up to the unit?

Just wondering would that also work on my Discovery 3 TDV 2005?

Originally Posted by Lorryman100

For every day use I have an Ultragauge fitted. I used to use the scangauge but the Ultragauge allows you to monitor the MAF airflow as well as giving you the option to set a multitude of alarms and it is smaller in bulk compared to the scangauge.
HTH Brian.

Thanks for the heads up Brian - the website says that it gives distance to empty figures, do you use this function and is it accurate?

Originally Posted by 29dinosaur

So what are you monitoring with your ultragauge that is really critical?

(Sorry I'm only asking this as I am new to pumas. My son drives a 300tdi and he monitors egt, coolant temp, turbo boost... and he has a coolant alarm...)

I monitor 8 systems that are displayed on the first screen of the Ultragauge, though on the Puma IIRC there are 48 sensor outputs that the Ultragauge can read.

1. Engine Temp: This sensor is located in the engine head and is called the CHT (Cylinder Head Temp) sensor and it does not measure the coolant temp but the head temp. It remains steady for me at about 86-90 degrees C, this then rises up to the highest I have seen it at 104 degrees C towing my boat up a rather steep hill. The ironic thing is that the IPAC temp gauge won't start rising into the red area until 105 degrees C. Reasons for monitoring this temp is mainly when towing a heavy load as it allows me to ease of the throttle when needed. Also the EMS uses the information from this sensor to bring in the programmed overheating strategy to put the Puma into limp mode if the engine overheats.
2. Air Intake Temp: I use this mainly to tell me the outside air temp and confirm that the hot film for reading air temp within the MAF sensor is working as it should.
3.MAF sensor air flow (MA1 g/s): This gauge allows me to see the MAF failing over time. The MAF sensor uses a hot film element that cools as air passes over it and the voltage required to maintain 200 C plus the ambient air temp is how the EMS measures the Air coming into the airbox. As the sensor fails the Puma will start using more diesel in the burn to compensate for the lower air intake reading from the MAF even though the same amount of air is entering the engine, its just that the EMS doesn't know this.
4. EGR % Flow: I don't use this function any more as my EGR is disabled through an Alive remap. This gauge allows you to see how the EGR is operating throughout the engine rev band. So say you had the throttle wide open yet the EGR was showing anything other than zero and the Puma drove like a bag of spanners then by looking at this gauge you would ask yourself why the EGR valve was open?
5. MAP psi: Manifold Absolute Pressure psi, I monitor this because the MAP sensor is located just before the inlet manifold and after the EGR gas return pipe. If there was a leak anywhere in the boost system then the readings at the MAP would be on the low side including vehicle power. As I have a remapped Puma I have seen the MAP give readings up to 35psi under heavy load. Also as the MAP is located after the EGR gas return pipe it gets gummed up with black gunge and will give a false value if not kept clean, just remove it and spray clean it with carb cleaner.
6. Baro kPa: Barometric pressure in kPa, I use this to work out the boost PSI the old fashioned way, MAP psi minus Barometric pressure gives you boost psi.
7. FR PSI; Fuel Rail PSI, This sensor measures the fuel pressure in the common rail. If there is to much pressure the limiting valve can let go or the rail dumps the pressure causing the Puma to enter limp mode and a tested DTC of P1169 being logged in the EMS along with the MIL lamp.
8. BST PSI: Boost PSI, this is just the actual Boost pressure that is being reported to the EMS.

By monitoring the above gauges it can give you a heads up when something happens whilst driving, overheating, fuel pressure on the HP side, Boost hoses, sticking/failing EGR etc etc.

I also have one alarm setting and that is for the CHT sensor. This gets classed as a coolant alarm but it is not as the CHT gives head temp though it is the coolant that maintains this temp in the first place. I live in Scotland and the lower temp alarm is just as important as the high temp alarm




HTH Brian.

@29dinosaur: I just ran the cable between the windscreen and the dash and the down the drivers side of the dash into the fusebox and plugged in the lead to the OBDII socket.

@iClick: Sorry never used that function as the Puma has all the aerodynamics of a three bedroom semi and fuel returns to prove it!!!!

Just checked and the Ultragauge can read 48 sensors on the Puma out of a possible 87.