Scan Gauge II Audible Alarm?

I was wondering if it is possible to get an audible alarm out of the San Gauge II? I am monitoring the DPF regen temperature and it would be nice if I could get an audible alarm to go off when the regen temp starts to approach the regen temperatures. I was driving home from work last week and I almost arrived at home when I looked and saw the regen temperature rising to the 1100-1200 F range and so I kept driving until the temperature dropped back down to the normal range. It took about another 10 minutes of driving. If an alarm could be set I would not have to always look at the temp before I shut off. I've started recording the mileage of the regens. Happens about every 750 miles so I know about when to start monitoring but still an alarm would be nice.

A good idea! A foolish question, maybe... what ScangaugeII temp is it that you monitor to indicate regen? Something you added as a special, or is it already "in there"?

A Scanguage can display the post-cat EGT temperature which clearly indicates when a regeneration is in progress. You will see about 400-700F during normal running (depending on engine load) and it will rise to 1100-1200F during a regen. As above, the process takes about ten minutes or so.

You can use the following data to program the post-cat EGT readout (in degrees F) to your Scangauge, the procedure is in the manual under 'Programming an X-Gauge'.

TXD: 07DF013E

RXF: 0441053E0000

RXD: 2810

MTH: 00090032FFD8

eralimited57,
Have you had any sort of DPF or SCR/DEF issues that make it important for you to monitor a
completely autonomous system/function with your Scan Gauge II?
I'm pushing 500,000 miles in Blue-Tec Sprinters and so far the emissions systems have never had
an issue beyond the structural/mechanical brackets on my OM-651 DPF breaking and allowing the flex
pipes to break. Completely handled by the 100k emissions warranty.
Beyond that, I simply respond to low DEF notifications by adding 2.5 gallons of Terra Cair Ultra Pure
DEF fluid and fresh diesel every 300-500 miles.
Service intervals are at the recommended 15k miles, at an authorized MB Sprinter Dealer (Commercial Sprinter shop).
Roger

Roger, No, I have not had any DPF related issues with my 08 sprinter. I am only wanting to make sure I don't. I would rather allow it to complete an uninterrupted regen cycle rather than a partial one.

Eralimited57:
Ultragauge has audible alarm . I bought Ultragauge just for monitoring regen , but it is not working on my 2014 van . Audible alarm works , but UG does not show cat temp. I now use my old SG II . And yes , it is good to monitor it and not shut engine off , because if you do so - you get x2 fuel injected , which ends up in engine oil .

Thanks, era. Haven't yet fiddled with the programmable portion of the Scangauge, but feel as you do it would be nice to avoid interrupted re-gens.

I understand wanting an audible alarm. I'd tie it to engine coolant temperature.

As Roger already mentioned, I don't understand worrying about the regen process. It happens when it happens. From my understanding, as long as you get out on the highway regularly the regen just works. The problems I recall being mentioned here on the forum are with Sprinters that see only city service or short trips. And of course, using the wrong engine oil.

4wheels said:

... because if you do so - you get x2 fuel injected , which ends up in engine oil .

Click to expand...

I don't agree.

The additional fuel addition happens while the regen operation is taking place. Even if the engine is shutdown in the middle of a regen operation the fuel injection stops. Where is the extra, extra fuel coming from? How do you improve the situation by extra driving to "complete" the regen process?

I don't see where a partial regen operation is much different than a completed one. What doesn't get burned out of the DPF waits until the next time. No different than the new particles accumulating before the next regen cycle.

I have no data.

vic

"Getting out on the highway" does not mean anything w/r to getting a full uninterrupted regen. The vehicle is set to regen at mileage intervals (namely about every 750 miles or so).

So, for example, you could get out on the highway and drive 500 miles but then pull off and drive surface streets and be about ready to pull into a parking spot and a regen cycle begins and you shut the engine off.

So taking it out on the highway every so often doesn't mean you are getting full uninterrupted regens. Not sure where this idea comes from?

eralimited57 said:

...

So taking it out on the highway every so often doesn't mean you are getting full uninterrupted regens. Not sure where this idea comes from?

Click to expand...

I didn't state my point very well.

My intention wasn't that regen automatically happens out on the highway. Regen needs to achieve certain exhaust temperatures. The DPF problems highlighted here in other threads sometimes relate to engines which never get run up to proper exhaust temperatures. Regardless, I don't recall even one post here where DPF problems were traced to an interrupted DPF cycle.

vic

I have no data, too.
Let's say regen lasts about 10 min . It starts and ECU sends more fuel to achieve hi temp . Injecting fuel happens at the BEGINNING of the regen . You shut the engine off , let's say at the end of regen . What happens ? After next start - ECU starts regen again and sends fuel again - that is how you get x2 fuel in oil .
Roger says he put 500k in Sprinters , yes very good , but we know he had 3 Sprinters and that is very different vs 1 Sprinter with 500k . It is like running a marathon - gets harder and harder ( I never did ) Not to mention that Sailquik had his DPF replaced at 99k with brand new one .

4wheels said:

... Injecting fuel happens at the BEGINNING of the regen .

Click to expand...

Yes. And that actually that fuel continues to be injected and *mostly* burned during the process of getting and keeping the DPF components up to higher temperatures.

4wheels said:

...You shut the engine off , let's say at the end of regen . What happens ? After next start - ECU starts regen again and sends fuel again - that is how you get x2 fuel in oil .

Click to expand...

What data do we have that says an interrupted regen cycle needs to take over where it was cut off? Has anyone observed/recorded that exhaust temperatures climb to DPF regen levels immediately after an interrupted DPF cycle and subsequent re-start?

In my world the exhaust system would cool during the shutdown period. The partial regen is logged as one event. From there the time/monitoring countdown to next regen begins again. I've read nothing that indicates an interrupted regen process needs to be immediately re-initiated.

Then again, I have no data, AND I don't even have a DPF. I can say that there are few people who have performance monitor devices on their Sprinters, and even fewer who monitor exhaust temperatures/regen cycles. Many DPF equipped Sprinters must be shut down in the middle of DPF regen cycles all the time. The laws of probability alone would support that.

vic

You say that again injected fuel "mostly " burned . We all understand what that means.
And yes , I do monitor regens and I see temperature climbs again , after interrupted regen.
I have 175k , 80- 90% hwy driving . Checking ash content and it is very very low - 0.06 now and used to be 0.05 , BUT I noticed that my regens are not every 700 miles anymore , more like every 500 or even less - so I really do not want to shut the engine off in the middle of regen .
My friend has 340k on his 2014 om642 . He used to laugh at my " monitoring " and my SGII . Original DPF , 100% hwy . But he said it was in regen mode every 300 miles ( after 250k ) untill he cleaned it with Das Xentry C4
My 1 cent

4wheels said:

...
And yes , I do monitor regens and I see temperature climbs again , after interrupted regen.
... My 1 cent

Click to expand...

Sounds like data to me.

vic

FWIW my jeep Cherokee tells me that it's in a regen and to keep driving till completed

Bob

"Roger says he put 500k in Sprinters , yes very good , but we know he had 3 Sprinters and that is very different vs 1 Sprinter with 500 K."
Actually, I have more than 500K, and yes, a couple of the NCV3 OM-642 V6 Sprinters only had 100k miles on them when deer crash damage caused me to trade the them in on a newer model.
The point here is that none of them had any sort of DPF or SCR/DEF issues.
I believe this was because they were driven in a manner that kept them from having these fairly common emissions systems issues, and of course they were always serviced by the same authorized MB Sprinter commercial shop with the recommended best fluids and parts.
"Not to mention that Sailquik had his DPF replaced at 99k with brand new one".
The original DPF was working perfectly......it was only changed because the flex pipes on both ends had cracked/failed due to the brackets that hold the DPF in place breaking.
The original would still be functioning @ 145k miles if there had been way to repair the flex pipes.
I had no choice in the decision to replace the original DPF.
It was fixed under the emissions warranty and that's the way MB Sprinter USA/Daimler Vans USA
Engineering has determined to repair DPF's with broken flex pipes.
The point here is that driven correctly, with consideration for the well known engineering deficiencies, it's possible to reduce or eliminate emissions control device issues/failures.
It's the individual driver's choice.....my Sprinter being my only vehicle, and with my busy
schedule I need a completely reliable vehicle, and my Sprinters have always had that level
of reliability, probably because of the way I interact with the onboard systems, rather than
drive with no consideration for known issues.
Roger