DTE calculation question
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Cross-Country
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 81
Likes: 3
From: St George, UT
DTE calculation question
I'm trying to figure out the DTE calculation setting in the DIC. I now have 2200 miles on the truck, 650 of those towing. I was getting around 16.5 mpg average unloaded, and 10-12 towing. With about 1/2 tank of fuel, I noticed that when the DTE calculation set to "normal", DTE is 199. With the DTE calculation set to "towing", DTE is 267. This doesn't make sense. If anything, it would be the reverse.
I have one trailer programmed, and, contrary to some reports here, automatically sets to the trailer when connected, and automatically sets to "no active trailer" when disconnected. Miles seem to only accumulate on the trailer profile when connected.
Anyone have any ideas on what is going on here? I would think that as the computer knows when a trailer is connected, it can differentiate between fuel consumption while towing and not towing, and track DTE accordingly. And the DTE calculation setting would determine which of the DTEs displayed. At least that's how I, as a software engineer, would design it. This is on a Platinum F350, Job 2 built in May 2017.
I have one trailer programmed, and, contrary to some reports here, automatically sets to the trailer when connected, and automatically sets to "no active trailer" when disconnected. Miles seem to only accumulate on the trailer profile when connected.
Anyone have any ideas on what is going on here? I would think that as the computer knows when a trailer is connected, it can differentiate between fuel consumption while towing and not towing, and track DTE accordingly. And the DTE calculation setting would determine which of the DTEs displayed. At least that's how I, as a software engineer, would design it. This is on a Platinum F350, Job 2 built in May 2017.
Trailering
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 16
Likes: 1
DTE calculation
I also have some questions about DTE calculations. I have an April 18 2017 build F350 platinum 6.7 CCSB. I was not part of the TSB for fuel tank DTE. I put in a Titan tank and put 8 gallons of fuel back in my tank that was removed from the stock tank. Before the tank, the DTE showed 49 miles, after the new tank, DTE showed the same 49 miles. My trip to the station was 12 miles and by the time I got there, DTE showed 0 miles.
I filled the tank to the top of the filler neck (per Titan's instructions). My new DTE was 431 miles (my avg MPG was about 12.6, so this makes sense - 12.6 x 34 gal = 428.4) and the tank gauge showed full.
I changed my tank size to 55 gallons with ForScan and it only went to 513 - this would only be about 9.3 MPG, but I didn't reset or change anything else and tank shows full. I expected about 693.
Any ideas or anyone know how DTE is calculated? Is it based on avg MPG at the time you fill?
Thanks
FM
2017 F350 Platinum CCSB 6.7 4x4
2011 F250 Lariat CCSB 6.7 4x4 - sold
2008 F250 Lariat CCSB sold
I filled the tank to the top of the filler neck (per Titan's instructions). My new DTE was 431 miles (my avg MPG was about 12.6, so this makes sense - 12.6 x 34 gal = 428.4) and the tank gauge showed full.
I changed my tank size to 55 gallons with ForScan and it only went to 513 - this would only be about 9.3 MPG, but I didn't reset or change anything else and tank shows full. I expected about 693.
Any ideas or anyone know how DTE is calculated? Is it based on avg MPG at the time you fill?
Thanks
FM
2017 F350 Platinum CCSB 6.7 4x4
2011 F250 Lariat CCSB 6.7 4x4 - sold
2008 F250 Lariat CCSB sold
Junior User
Joined: Aug 2017
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I agree that the truck should automatically change to towing DTE when it detects a trailer is connected and I have also found that at times the towing DTE is greater than non-towing. In my experience DTE is just a very rough guide to the remaining range on a tank of fuel. There is no way for the system to take into account the 30 mile 6% grade that you may encounter further along on your route. As a rule I start looking for fuel when I hit 1/4 tank in populated areas or 1/2 tank in remote areas. Once in West Texas I was towing against a very significant head wind with my previous truck and was saved from disaster by driving at 45 mph and the 3 gallons of gas that I had left over from running my generator.
Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 2,745
Likes: 72
From: West Virginia
My understanding is that the truck computes DTE more often when towing is selected. That’s the only difference. I don’t even bother switching between the two settings as the mileage is accurately computed either way.
New User
Joined: May 2019
Posts: 3
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As far as the new fuel tank being installed, it there a way to use Forscan to show the new 55 gallon tank size in the truck?
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New User
Joined: May 2019
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I cant access the IPC module and that's where I get stuck
forum says:
Change Fuel Tank Size IPC 720-03-01 xxx* **xx xxxx xxx* **xx xxxx Change asterisks to one of the following: 4 4A=30 Gal, 5 07=34 Gal, 5 EA=40 Gal, 7 19=48 Gal, 7 65=50 Gal, 8 22=55 Gal (This parameter is programmed to accept 4 digit Liters in this format XXX.x 55gal converts to liters of 208.198L so 208.2L rounded then drop the decimal 2082 decimal to HEX equal 822.)
forum says:
Change Fuel Tank Size IPC 720-03-01 xxx* **xx xxxx xxx* **xx xxxx Change asterisks to one of the following: 4 4A=30 Gal, 5 07=34 Gal, 5 EA=40 Gal, 7 19=48 Gal, 7 65=50 Gal, 8 22=55 Gal (This parameter is programmed to accept 4 digit Liters in this format XXX.x 55gal converts to liters of 208.198L so 208.2L rounded then drop the decimal 2082 decimal to HEX equal 822.)
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More Turbo
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 737
Likes: 13
Correct, I don't remember the exact numbers, but it's something like 'normal' averages over the last 250 miles, and 'towing' averages over the last 50. So your 'towing' DTE is more volatile than 'normal' towing. Once I learned that, I switched it to 'towing' and just run that one constantly. I'd rather have a more realistic number from current conditions in my DTE than a rolling average that might have me running out of gas sooner than I think because the average is off from current usage.
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