Monitoring engine / transmission / battery / HVAC parameters using Car Scanner

[inline_five]

What exactly do you need with the car scanner pro. I have an old samsung S21 phone. What else? I like the scan gauge III but is pricey.

It's an android so you'd need the app (paid is $8, but you can try for free, and then pay for lifetime access to get access to all the PIDs vs a select few), a compatible OBD2 scanner and that's it. I'm not sure for Android.

This page has everything you need to know:

Choosing OBDII adapter – Car Scanner ELM OBD2

I recommend going with a higher end scanner as they tend to be faster and provide more fluid data.

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[Builder]

I'm interested in monitoring my engine and transmission temps, battery temps, and whether the a/c is engaged or not. Why? Because it's interesting and I know the a/c kicks on randomly when Ford thinks it should, but I'd like an indication it's on, personally.

I purchased, for only the 3rd time in my life, the full version of an app. This one is Car Scanner, and it was $8 for lifetime use. It's got a specific Maverick PID profile to grab lots of data coming off the OBD2, and combined it with my Vgate vLinker MC+, which wasn't super cheap but has a fairly quick refresh rate vs the cheap $10-$20 ones. Also, power draw is 3mah when sleeping, and the system turns off the OBD2 sometime after shutting down completely, so power draw is 0 when left plugged in.

This "dashboard" isn't set in stone but it's what I've got for now. For those who tow a lot, the temps could be useful information especially the transmission temp - as an example the ULV fluid temp range is up to about 215°F, and above that will start to degrade. Which means, if you exceed that temp, maybe a good idea to change it.

What's nice is you can even set triggers to certain events, or min/max value pointers, for your drive. Super useful.

First pic is engine is not operating, and you can see on bottom left, the a/c pressure is around 100 psi. When the engine indicates >500 RPM, and when the A/C pressure indicates >110 psi (tbd if that is a good setting), the background of the gauges turn green (this is customizable, as are the range and look of the graphs and other things).

I’m pretty sure that your OBD port never powers off. I have the OBDLink MX+ with a companion app that is great to monitor anything you want. It’s a bit pricy though. It sleeps after 10 minutes, post shut down, drawing 2 milliamps (69 milliamps when active) but, your OBD port is continuously powered regardless of truck shutdown.

 

[The Real Maverick]

Yeah that is pretty nice as well but the price tag of the Car Scanner Pro ($8) won out lol. Also I like the custom graphs you can make. I have a spare iPhone and may convert it into a full time gauge cluster accessory.

What temps were you seeing towing in the FWD hybrid? Coolant and transmission?

In general, towing a high profile trailer 65 MPH or less, water temps are no more than 195°F or 10 above average.

Also eCVT is about 10°F above average.
Such a non-issue I stopped watching after a while.

The weakest link is generator temperature. When that power needle is above 50% you are generating continuously to get more torque from the traction motor. Traction motor always fine tho.

 

[inline_five]

In general, towing a high profile trailer 65 MPH or less, water temps are no more than 195°F or 10 above average.

Also eCVT is about 10°F above average.
Such a non-issue I stopped watching after a while.

The weakest link is generator temperature. When that power needle is above 50% you are generating continuously to get more torque from the traction motor. Traction motor always fine tho.

The generator is the small motor, correct? Acting as an assist when needed?

On your scan gauge, how are you tracking that gen temp? What's it labeled as? I'm going through the Car Scanner PIDs and can't find one specifically labeled Gen temp anywhere. Wondering if it's a variation of the ATF temps or something else.

IIRC you had emailed scan gauge and they made an update just for you.

Also are you able to track the traction motor temp?

I found some stuff on the Mach-E forum where they are repurposing the gen temp on the Fusion hybrid so it must be on there. I'm looking in the generic "modern Ford" file and can't find it. I'm sure it's somewhere.

EDIT: Found it, gen coil:

3000lb overweight hybrid FWD tow | Page 3

And an even better post:

Monitoring Towing Temperatures

Ok, I had to select generic ford hybrid profile. Weird there are two:

Thing is, not sure I can use that for the Maverick one. I don't know how to import the custom PID. Still working. This is solid info. Thanks .

 

[Prickly Pear]

I got it last night and only drove on the highway this morning about 160 miles. Temp outside was around 65° F, so not a good measure of actual HV battery usage, but it was around 100°.

Also of note my A/C compressor did not turn on automatically at all the whole drive. Humidity levels were pretty low for NC so maybe that is why. I had it on recirc and fresh air for the 2:30 I was driving so maybe it vented enough. Even when I set temp to "LO" it did not turn on, unless you pressed it. It think in Auto mode it came on with the Auto button push though.

I'm super impressed with the variable speed scroll A/C compressor capability though.

@The Real Maverick could probably share some more data, they've done some pretty extensive testing themselves.

I'd like to get some "normal" parameter limits programmed into my gauges, for example coolant, and then add some trigger events like >250° or whatever makes it go red, same as I did with the transmission temp. I got the 215° temp from Ford for their ULV fluid specs for example.

You could also do something with the engine temp at the low end where the ICE will run till it hits that temp - I think it is around 130? Above a certain temp the ICE won't run unless the HE battery needs more charge or you are asking for more power.

 

[The Real Maverick]

In above +32F conditions as long as engine coolant is at least 120°F you can have all electric drive.

The rules often change in sub freezing but I'm never cold enough to test it.

 

[Prickly Pear]

In above +32F conditions as long as engine coolant is at least 120°F you can have all electric drive.

The rules often change in sub freezing but I'm never cold enough to test it.

Thanks - Engine temp is one of the sensors I monitor. If I can figure out how I'll make a gauge like @inline_five and use yellow for up to 120, green for the middle and red for overheating.

 

[Prickly Pear]

Is there a way to display HE battery health (SOH). I couldn't find one but thought I'd ask the experts!

 

[inline_five]

Is there a way to display HE battery health (SOH). I couldn't find one but thought I'd ask the experts!

I saw that option either in the Maverick 22-24 profile or maybe the Fusion one IIRC.

However I don't really trust it, it was showing like 55% for my Maverick and frankly I don't believe it. I would image that PID might actually be for some sort of state of charge. The reality is the battery is going to last a long time with how it is conditioned. Ford has done a good job with that.

 

[Prickly Pear]

I saw that option either in the Maverick 22-24 profile or maybe the Fusion one IIRC.

However I don't really trust it, it was showing like 55% for my Maverick and frankly I don't believe it. I would image that PID might actually be for some sort of state of charge. The reality is the battery is going to last a long time with how it is conditioned. Ford has done a good job with that.

Yeah, that sounds more like an SOC. I'm not worried about battery health (HE) either, since I'm only on my 3rd tank of gas! Just figured if it was available and reliable I'd look at it occasionally.

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