Scangauge KR

You can adjust the rate at which it updates. Just change it to fast and you will get INSTANT mpg........and save almost $50 at the same time. Don't pay extra for a name. Oh, and the D version has a cost per mile. Its listed as CPM

 

The lowest RPM possible. On the newer engines, the peak torque is around 1000-1100 RPMs. You may go slower and downshift more, put a huge fuel savings over time.

 

That's standard on the Scangauge D. There are no differences in the two products except for price $50 approx. and the letters KR.

 

Accelerate just fast enough to get the job done
Cruise as slow as practicable
Upshift as soon as there is sufficient power in the next gear
Coast down early for speed limit changes/off ramps rather than maintain speed & then brake
Use Air-conditioning only when needed -- use vent otherwise

^ Doing the above will put you in top 0.5% of drivers for mpg and none of it requires the scangauge.


However, I did see a statistically significant increase in fuel mileage after getting my scangaugeKR, going from a 7.25 6-month average to a 7.31 6 month-average -- the later months also included winter-blend diesel. At 130,000 miles/year, that translates into 147 gallons saved -- so yeah, it pays for itself in fuel the first year.

The difference? I learned that the Maxxforce 13 produced 180hp just a little bit more efficiently at 950rpm than it did at 1280rpm (175hp was enough to get the job done so I'd limit myself to that on most grades). So in a direct-drive 10spd with 2.50 rears, I downshifted from 10th to 9th at 44mph instead of 49mph (which was the 1050rpm recommended in the Maxxforce owner's manual). Perhaps driving like that would shorten the engine life, but my Maxxforce made it to the 400,000 trade-in point while many others engines in the fleet didn't see 300,000...


The real benefit was the lamely-named "Xgauges." I could see intake pressure at 3 different points -- before 1st turbo, before 2nd turbo, and at manifold. The first reading gave me an idea how clogged the air filter was & comparing the last 2 readings could be useful in tracking down a boost leak. I also could monitor the percentage the EGR was open, the DPF pressure, the DPF temp, the Dozer fuel flow rate, the crankcase oil/air separator rpm, and tons of others (there are about 40 options on the Maxxforce, but the scangauge can only save 25 of them). These proved to be very useful when diagnosing tough issues with a dealer and it got to the point I could see that my dozer was beginning to clog well in advance of developing any external symptoms (during a regen the fuel flow to dozer would be below normal, DPF EGTs would be lower than normal, and overall the DPF would begin to clog faster and faster). That allowed me to convince my company's road service to have the dozer cleaned at my next convenience -- a relatively simple process that had me back on the road in half a day rather than winding up with a much bigger multi-day work order 1 month down the road... This also prevented me from missing a single delivery appointment, even with the most unreliable of the CARB 2010 engines.

And there is the ability to see & clear error codes (many of which won't trigger the malfunction light)



As for the Scangauge D vs the Scangauge KR: the main selling point of the KR was the smoother instantaneous mpg readings. However I still found them too course, even on the longest time setting. So instead I just use the trip function to get an average over 1/2 mile or mile (something you can do with the D). Profit per mile could be useful, but the "D" model has cost per mile so you could just do the difference in your head.

 

At 55 miles an hour, how does an ac compressor affect fuel economy on a 400 horsepower engine?

 

I purchased the ScanGauge KR for a few reasons; 1) because it has a boost gauge, which my truck has as well but, it is too far to the low left of my dash. 2) I heard a lot of people on the show and here that have been using it, that were happy with it. and 3) because I respect KR for what he does. It seems some people think that for a person to help someone, regardless how they do it, that they have to be perfect. Never make mistakes, oh and have done everything in life before they can give advice. I believe 100% that KR is doing what he does to help O/O's keep more money in their pocket. Do I believe he is doing it for free, and that because he isn't, that he is a bad person,,,,NO! He would be an idiot to give free advice. I am confident that he gave plenty of free advice in the beginning of his career. I just don't understand these people that HATE KR so much, maybe because they didn't think of some of these things before KR did, or they did but didn't come up with their own show. If there is anyone out there giving great advice to drivers that want to succeed at being in business, please enlighten us. I know OOIDA has some great webinar's and if you go on YouTube, you can find some good video's of driver's giving advice.. There is some great advice on here as well.. Other than that, a driver has to find out all this info on their own, which can be done but, a whole lot easier when someone has a show I can listen to while driving.

I also use KR's Profit gauges and fuel gauges. Let's also remember, just by using these things we tend to pay attention in more detail to our numbers...is that not a good thing?

I like to consider myself a loyal customer as well, been doing it for a long time. I live in a small town and I will drive the extra mile's or pay more, just to shop at a particular place of business that has treated me fairly and honestly. KR will get my money for the same product that I could buy somewhere else because, I believe he is doing a service for all truck drivers. Smart people listen and use what works for them. Not so smart people don't....

 

I would imagine that it is so minimal that it would be nearly un-measurable.

 

The Maxxforce 13 A/C compressor used 0.5-1 horsepower (650rpm vs 1300rpm). At 55mph on flat ground, I'd be turning 1180rpm (0.91hp) and I'd need 90hp to reach the road. So the engine would need to make 90.91hp. That is about 1% -- which would bump me from 8.8 to 8.7mpg at 55mph...


This is one of the things a scangauge is pretty good at. Not the instantaneous display, but the trip meter -- reset trip, drive 1/2 mile or 1 mile with AC on. Reset trip, drive 1/2 mile or 1 mile with vent on. Reset trip, drive 1/2 mile or 1 mile with windows down.

Pro tip: When it is really close, switch to metric units. The scangauge only displays 3 digits and 71.0, 71.1, 71.2, and 71.3 liters per hour will all display as 18.8 gal/hour...

 

I don't think that you are taking the fact into consideration that the compressor is not "engaged" all of the time.

 

Which is why you take the average over a longer period of time. When the compressor is actually running it is more like 4-5hp, but like you said, it cycles...