Scan Gauge overheating?

[pdk]

So, it's kinda warm today. On my way home from work I noticed that my scan gauge didn't work on the way home. It shut off shortly after turning my car on, and trying to turn it on again It was quite warm to the touch, which led me to believe that it overheated.

Is this expected or is this something I should report to Ron/Linear Logic? If it's the former, is there a workaround or some internal setting I can change?

[PaleMelanesian]

On mine, the display will turn completely dark if it's been in the summer sun for a while. I'm talking about 100 degrees straight on the unit, though. As i drive, it cools down and displays like normal. It's tracking everything, but the display is overheated and not showing it.

Yours sounds like something different. You might talk to Ron about it.

[kwj]

On Saturday afternoon, my SG2 went snakey for awhile, then partially recovered. I first noticed that the letters M & G on MPG blacked out. Then I started to get some fantastic instantaneous MPG numbers, like 68. The coolant temp and TPS remained unaffected. When I checked my Trip numbers, it said I had 600 miles to empty, when I knew I had less than 50. When I filled up, it said I'd only used .8 gal for 479 miles. To set the correction took me over 550%, and when I pulled out of the gas station I could only get 2.9 MPG. So, I performed a total reset (bummer). Now I'll have to go a fair number of tanks to get things to settle out at trustworthy numbers, and pray this doesn't happen again. I took the end off a 12 pack of diet coke (the cardboard pack that has a piece you can remove to take out one can at a time), and noticed it fit almost perfectly over the SG2. I had to cut out an opening for the RJ-45 plug and cable. Hope that solves my problems.

[xcel]

Hi All:

___Just a suggestion but do not let them set on the dash with the sun shining through the window on it directly after you have locked her up tight and left the vehicle in the warm sun. Cover it up with a white cloth or remove it from the dash when you are not in the car and have buttoned it up for a period. They will begin to flake out when overheated

___Good Luck

___Wayne

[kwj]

Thanks for the input Wayne. I've been covering my SG up when parked, but this happened to me while driving, and well into my drive. The soda box top that I improvised provides a nice view of the SG display, while keeping the sun off the SG from all angles. I used a diet coke box, so I get the added advantage of a light and reflective silver surface. I'm thinking of cutting a couple of vents to help create even more of a cooling effect.

The reset of the SG was not all that painful. I recall mine was pretty good right out of the box for my vehicle. Of course I forgot about telling it to do the fuel as a hybrid, to keep from losing the display when I FAS.

If it does it again, I'll consider moving it, but it is just perfect from a driver's point of view, where I put it to the left of my normal instrumentation. I have a couple of other spots, but not quite as good for switching back and forth between TRIP and GAUGE.

[kwj]

Well, my SG checked out again, at about 250 miles into this tank. I was indicating 44.5 MPG, when the numbers and letters began to blank out or go up to 3,224 MPG (what a nice dream). But, it wasn't a dream. Once again, the tank numbers are all screwed up. So, I guess I'll take off my heat shield (today I even put in my windshield reflective cover in addition to covering the SG. About 40 miles into my trip, WHAMMO. Now I'll have to wait until I get to E to figure out what kind of tank I managed. I've got two more spots to try, and if they don't work out, well too bad for me. It was nice while it lasted.

[xcel]

Hi Kwj:

___While you are moving the SG-II around, check to see that the connector is tight onto the OBD-II port. Your drop outs sound more like a 12V pin glitch than heat?

___Good Luck

___Wayne

[kwj]

Thanks Wayne. I'll check that. Like you, I wonder about voltage problems with my car. There is a possibility that my computer is not always at peak performance. Since this has only happened since I took out the SG to help read my Brother-in-Law's check engine code, perhaps I did not get as good a contact when I reinstalled it. I hope that is it, because my other two locations are not much better. Another thing I may consider, is removing the gauge each time I park the car for the day at the job site. I'll keep you all posted.