Scan gauage and lean burn

[Leeper]

Seeking the grand and infinite collaborative wisdom of the Oracles of the Insight Forum, the all-knowing, all seeing leaders of the universe. Whose powers can only be eclipse by those of Chuck Norris.

Due to a recent sale at Amazon I bought a Actron CP9575 for $61. My question is "how do I know when I'm in lean burn"? For those who will write - when the mileage indicator goes above 60MPG but I mean using the gauge how can this be determined? It is not programmable so entering the codes previously mentioned doesn't seem like an option for me. Should I be looking at the ignition timing or what?

MY2000 MT 100K averaging @ 60 LMPG

[02insight]

I also have a live OBDII reader, which I have used to show the O2 sensor readings. It seems when in lean burn, the voltage becomes 0. But I am not 100% if that is "true" lean burn.

[MN Driver]

Originally Posted by Leeper

Seeking the grand and infinite collaborative wisdom of the Oracles of the Insight Forum, the all-knowing, all seeing leaders of the universe. Whose powers can only be eclipse by those of Chuck Norris.

Due to a recent sale at Amazon I bought a Actron CP9575 for $61. My question is "how do I know when I'm in lean burn"? For those who will write - when the mileage indicator goes above 60MPG but I mean using the gauge how can this be determined? It is not programmable so entering the codes previously mentioned doesn't seem like an option for me. Should I be looking at the ignition timing or what?

MY2000 MT 100K averaging @ 60 LMPG

When you are driving and lift the pedal to get to 100mpg, it will hang there for a second and it will show 150mpg. You can then slowly add throttle until it is around 75mpg or so. Depending on operating conditions it will drop out if there is more fuel consumption than 60-75MPG as it can't produce any more power in lean-burn without dropping out of lean-burn. Usually the best way to confirm you were in lean-burn is to push down on the gas pedal slowly and if you feel and hear the engine pull out of lean-burn suddenly, you'll know you were in it. The rest you will learn as you go. IMHO If you want something to tell you or confirm you are in lean-burn, the Scan Gauge 2 with x-gauge is the best tool to use.

[red1dr]

Originally Posted by Leeper

For those who will write - when the mileage indicator goes above 60MPG but I mean using the gauge how can this be determined?
MY2000 MT 100K averaging @ 60 LMPG

I was thinking about LB indicators while I was struggling with low temps and high winds on a trip to Boston and back today. A few thoughts:
(1) Lean burn isn't a Holy Grail. You can be in LB at 75 mpg or at 125 mpg, but 125mpg is obviously "better". IOW, just being in LB isn't the answer to getting high mpg.
(2) Rather than looking for a green LED or a LB value in a ODB reader, one needs to focus on getting high mpg on the instantaneous mpg bar and keep trying to nudge the average mpg higher.
(3) If I'm averaging say 84mpg for the trip so far, being in LB at 75mpg isn't helping. Raising that average means driving at >84mpg (in LB), or coasting in a FAS.

At least around here, terrain makes it impossible to maintain a constant high mpg, it's a matter of grabbing high mpg where you can and hoping that will more than average out the inevitable low mpg stretches.

[bobmutch]

I think that a wideband gas/air ratio gauge is a good thing to use. I hear lots of people posting if your Insight gauge shows 100mpg you are in lean mode. That is silly. All you have to do is speed up to 50mph and then take your foot off the gas and you will go to 150mpg. So that proves nothing.

What a person needs is to not only know when they are in lean mode but what the ratio of lean burn they are in. Also it is good to be able to know what puts you into lean burn, what knocks you out, and what you can do to increase the lean burn ratio.

Here are some wideband air/fuel ratio gauges.
wideband air fuel ratio gauge items - Get great deals on eBay Motors, Electronics items on eBay.com!

Has any one tried any of these?

[gderian]

Originally Posted by Leeper

My question is "how do I know when I'm in lean burn"? For those who will write - when the mileage indicator goes above 60MPG but I mean using the gauge how can this be determined? It is not programmable so entering the codes previously mentioned doesn't seem like an option for me. Should I be looking at the ignition timing or what?

MY2000 MT 100K averaging @ 60 LMPG

I have recently installed an inexpensive ($60) Ultragauge. I can monitor the front and rear oxygen sensors through the OBD port. Lean burn is easy to detect, the rear sensor goes to zero. The front sensor reads low in lean burn, around 0.38 to 0.4 volt per my gauge. When out of lean burn, the rear sensor runs 0.7 to 0.8 volt and the front runs 0.55-0.58 or so.

I have the main screen programmed to also show load, throttle position, and engine temp. I can keep lean burn up to about 30% throttle and 85% load in 5th gear at 65 mph.

One thing I am experimenting with is running in 4th gear during conditions that won't support lean burn in 5th. There appear to be some conditions that lean burn in 4th is more economical than normal fuel in 5th.

Once you get the hang of it, lean burn is easily felt by the driver, the engine suddenly perks up and becomes responsive when lean burn kicks out. Plus the mileage gauge drops from 70+ to the 50s.

[bobmutch]

Winter makes it hard to get into and stay in lean mode from what I am experiencing. I did a grill mod that give me about 10mpg more.

Honda Insight Grill Mod
This mod blocks the cold air for the engine raises the engine... on Twitpic

I drove 38 miles to the Honda dealer yesterday and got 69.8mpg and 75mpg on the way back. The roads were dry, my battery was 19 bars when I started, and the temp was 29F.

Today I when back to the Honda dealer to get the Insight computer exchanged as it was throwing engine codes and it was a recall thing. Today the temp was 9F. I got 60.3mpg on the way there and 65mpg on the way back.

At this tempature even with my Grill Mod lean burn is just not working for me so toward the end of the trip I started to pulse and glide.

I didn't want to make any more mods on my Grill or rad until I get a ScanGauge II so I can keep an eye on the temp.

Here are some of the articles on Lean Burn I have read that may be of interest to you all.

Giving the Insight a Good Driver

Lean-Burn Oxygen Sensor

Honda lean burn systems

In-Car Air-Fuel Ratio Gauge Buyers' Guide - Part One

In-Car Air-Fuel Ratio Gauge Buyers' Guide - Part Two

Monitoring Factory Oxygen Sensors, Part 1

Monitoring Factory Oxygen Sensors, Part 2

$20 monitoring of air/fuel ratios