FiST Instrumentation/Electronics Build:

[BearMetal]

Hi @M-Sport fan and @Intuit

I'm a little out of the loop. I looked up the ultra gauge, and maybe I'm looking at the wrong thing, but it just looked like the Torque app with a dedicated screen. In 15 secs of research, I would suspect this is an ELM327 based device. If that is the case, I can't imagine an ELM device causing a car to shut down. It's actually tough to kill a car over OBD2; I've tried. You can pretty easily pull a lot of codes and get put in limp mode, but there are so many fail-safes. I suppose it is possible; for example, I know you can turn off most modern GM cars over OBD2 (SW can), but your standard ELM device can't do that (not even sure you can do it while moving, I bet there is a fail-safe to prevent it).

Are these ultra gauges doing anything "fancy" that is specific to a fiesta? I'm interested for my experiments and in general. In all of the above stuff I have played with, there is no need to be sending any special messages. I'm effectively just watching the modules communicate. So far, everything other than the gear position could be found with an ELM327 app, I believe.

This very expensive ($3000ish?) is one of the only fiesta specific systems I have found: http://www.racelogic.co.uk/_downloads/vbox/Vehicles/Other/Docs/Ford-Fiesta 2009-2017.pdf
It doesn't have many data points that aren't available on ELM327. Pretty much Gear (what I'm showing above), Clutch (meh), Handbrake (the stock dash has this, but it would be nice to find it and make my screen show it more clearly). I still need to pick up a Cobb and see what data points they have found, and see if there is anything I want. Does anyone know of any other products out there that have Fiesta ST specific data points? I should probably post this question in other places, but I'm not on Facebook.

 

[M-Sport fan]

I am NOT certain what 'class' device the Ultra Gauge is, but it most certainly did shut down the car in the SOLITARY scenario which I described above, and the car re-started instantly once it was un-plugged from the OBD2 port.

You CAN eliminate thrown codes with it, (although I have not, I have a Dash Command app, and a Torque app on an old Ipod for that, but never had to use it yet on this car in 4+ years of ownership ), so yes, in that way it is similar to the Torque app.

Is gear position a regular reported PID to the ECM??
Is that what gives these tuners the ability to program for 'boost in gear' on their custom big turbo tunes?? (Always wondered about how they do that! )

 

[BearMetal]

That is very strange. Can you reproduce the failure? I'd love to see what is happening. I would also be more than a little concerned about driving around with such a device plugged in.

Pretty much. I'm planning on making a little tutorial about how I found it.

I have seen that data point in the Cobb docs I think. But yes I suppose that uses the same ID in its calculation or something similar.

 

[LilPartyBox]

My UltraGauge shut off the car within 2 minutes of starting on my drive. Car was brand new and totally stock at the time. The car wouldn't restart until i unplugged it. I then started the car, plugged it back in, started driving and it shut off at the traffic light at the end of the street. It lives in my glove now. I only use it to pull codes for friends. I'm afraid to plug it back into the FiST.

Some history....I used it in my '12 Mazdaspeed3 and in that car it was killing the battery. It was somehow still pulling power after the car was shut off. This was discovered only after several trips to multiple dealers and 2 battery replacements.

 

[M-Sport fan]

Some history....I used it in my '12 Mazdaspeed3 and in that car it was killing the battery. It was somehow still pulling power after the car was shut off. This was discovered only after several trips to multiple dealers and 2 battery replacements.

Even when the Ultra Gauge screen was totally black/blank??

Mine has been trouble free since that one incident.

But now I am wondering if it is part of the reason WHY my 96R-600 Odyssey is sometimes showing only a 55%-75% charge if I do not do a maintenance charge on it, at least once a week, since I took for granted that it was pulling NO current when the ignition was off!

(I thought it was only due to multiple start 'short-tripping', not allowing the alternator to fully re-charge it after the 'hit' of starting.)

 

[Intuit]

Not specific to the Ford or UltraGauge, there were reports that some OBD-II devices were keeping the ECU alive after engine shutoff; and that was the cause of a battery drain issue.

 

[LilPartyBox]

Even when the Ultra Gauge screen was totally black/blank??

Mine has been trouble free since that one incident.

But now I am wondering if it is part of the reason WHY my 96R-600 Odyssey is sometimes showing only a 55%-75% charge if I do not do a maintenance charge on it, at least once a week, since I took for granted that it was pulling NO current when the ignition was off!

(I thought it was only due to multiple start 'short-tripping', not allowing the alternator to fully re-charge it after the 'hit' of starting.)

Yes the screen was totally black. I gave Mazda a ton of shit which i later ate with a side a humble pie.