ODBII fuel flow data is wonky - RESOLVED
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Tuned
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 276
Likes: 9
From: Alaska (not Anchorage)
ODBII fuel flow data is wonky - RESOLVED
I am not getting interpolated fuel flow readings anymore from my OBDII system. I've been using a BAFX ODBII reader for the past 5 or 6 years combined with Torque and have been generally impressed with the technology. I had to rebuild my Android tablet a few weeks ago and since then have been unable to get fuel flow or other related output like MPG. I swapped in the ODBII reader from my other car and still do not get fuel flow data.
Question: Would this be a sensor problem, or might one of the pins in my OBDII connector be dirty or failing? Seems like if it were the sensor I'd be getting "check engine" lights, etc.
Thanks in advance.
Question: Would this be a sensor problem, or might one of the pins in my OBDII connector be dirty or failing? Seems like if it were the sensor I'd be getting "check engine" lights, etc.
Thanks in advance.
Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 276
Likes: 9
From: Alaska (not Anchorage)
...but, I don't and have never used ForScan, I use TorquePro.
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Tuned
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 276
Likes: 9
From: Alaska (not Anchorage)
Lead Driver
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 6,340
Likes: 588
From: Amarillo, TEXAS!
The calculation is based on the milligrams mass fuel commanded per injection event, if memory serves me. In ForScan, I believe the PID is MFDES, it's been a long time since I've used Torque, and I don't remember if it's called the same thing there or not.
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Tuned
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 276
Likes: 9
From: Alaska (not Anchorage)
Thanks Pikachu. I am trying to figure out what has changed that has caused fuel flow to go from an actual value to zero. Do I have a sensor than needs replacing, or is this a software issue? I've tried a couple of different bluetooth ODBII dongles and a couple of tablets: all show zero fuel flow. This still could be the TorquePro software build, although since no one else on the 7.3 forum has reported a problem, I am leaning towards this being a sensor problem.
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Lead Driver
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 6,340
Likes: 588
From: Amarillo, TEXAS!
I'd have to lean toward a software issue. Maybe a setting got changed accidentally? I need to set torque up with a set of gauges again soon for a trip; maybe I can poke around in it tomorrow.
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Got Data?
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 4,250
Likes: 1,382
From: Lake Stevens, WA
Agree with Pikachu, I would lean towards a software issue. For instance, sometimes FORScan will push out an update, and a few of the PIDs will not work anymore. They sometimes rename them, or duplicate them with different units or something else. Torque Pro might have done something similar.
Since you rebuilt the tablet, did you download the latest Torque Pro version? Maybe try installing an older version to test this theory, or hunt for the changes in the current version.
I abandoned Torque Pro when it shut off my engine once, and because it would not reliably retrieve DTCs. Can you get trouble codes with Torque Pro on your rig?
Since you rebuilt the tablet, did you download the latest Torque Pro version? Maybe try installing an older version to test this theory, or hunt for the changes in the current version.
I abandoned Torque Pro when it shut off my engine once, and because it would not reliably retrieve DTCs. Can you get trouble codes with Torque Pro on your rig?
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Tuned
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 276
Likes: 9
From: Alaska (not Anchorage)
Had the rig in my shop for a few weeks doing frame work on it. During that time the tablet synced with the network and I allowed updates to be applied. This MAY have been the cause. It is very weird. I may pick up another OBDII dongle and see if that makes a difference.
Logistics Pro
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 4,667
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From: Muskogee, Ok
I went ForeScan and it's worked flawless for years. It just doesn't have the "pretty" gauges TP offered, but it doesn't randomly shut the engine off while driving creating serious safety hazards when towing, so hard pass. Makes as much sense as vendors still trying to sell 20 year old AE for $1500 when a $12 connector and phone app will do the same thing.
As stated there is no sensor on the 7.3 that communicates fuel pressure or flow, it's all PiD related calculations based off the mass fuel desired
Lead Driver
Joined: Aug 2022
Posts: 5,065
Likes: 1,415
From: Oologah, OK
That pretty much sums up my entire experience with TP. Randomly shutting the truck off while driving every couple days, having to completely reload all settings/pids from the ground up every time they had a new update which seemed like every 2 weeks and they never had anything to do with the 7.3 platform like a simple buzz test request by many app store reviews. Having to spend hours trying to get the settings to work and non essential gauges gone, let alone the ones we don't have pids for. Plus not being able to communicate to get codes, "Oh there are codes, well I already got your money to install the app, now I refuse to tell you what they are"
I went ForScan and it's worked flawless for years. It just doesn't have the "pretty" gauges TP offered, but it doesn't randomly shut the engine off while driving creating serious safety hazards when towing, so hard pass. Makes as much sense as vendors still trying to sell 20 year old AE for $1500 when a $12 connector and phone app will do the same thing.
As stated there is no sensor on the 7.3 that communicates fuel pressure or flow, it's all PiD related calculations based off the mass fuel desired
I went ForScan and it's worked flawless for years. It just doesn't have the "pretty" gauges TP offered, but it doesn't randomly shut the engine off while driving creating serious safety hazards when towing, so hard pass. Makes as much sense as vendors still trying to sell 20 year old AE for $1500 when a $12 connector and phone app will do the same thing.
As stated there is no sensor on the 7.3 that communicates fuel pressure or flow, it's all PiD related calculations based off the mass fuel desired
when I plugged it in, and hit the road, with the cruise at 55,
the instant I went to LIVE DATA, the engine died.
the only saving grace was, the torque converter was locked up, and about 4 or 5 seconds later, the engine picked up and kept running.... I was able to read 3 or maybe 4 different pieces of Live Data.
to say I was disenchanted with that Innova, I can't repeat the words here.
I have also noticed that TQ forgets everything when an update comes through.
same thing happens with the SONIC fast food app, it looses your credit card info
Lead Driver
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 6,340
Likes: 588
From: Amarillo, TEXAS!
I haven't had a lot of time to mess with Torque, but I did notice this:
https://wiki.torque-bhp.com/view/MPG
After reading about some of the problems Torque has been causing with randomly shutting trucks down while driving, I may set up ForScan lite to use instead. I'll still mess with Torque a bit, but may not use it as primary.
https://wiki.torque-bhp.com/view/MPG
After reading about some of the problems Torque has been causing with randomly shutting trucks down while driving, I may set up ForScan lite to use instead. I'll still mess with Torque a bit, but may not use it as primary.
Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 276
Likes: 9
From: Alaska (not Anchorage)
Got it.
Installing a new OBDII Bluetooth dongle resolved the issue. New unit is an OBDLinkLX from Amazon, ( ).
I am now getting the interpolated fuel flow numbers again. Previous dongle was at least three or four years old. I leave it plugged in, so it has basically been running for that whole duration. Thanks in advance for your thoughts and suggestions.
Installing a new OBDII Bluetooth dongle resolved the issue. New unit is an OBDLinkLX from Amazon, ( ).
I am now getting the interpolated fuel flow numbers again. Previous dongle was at least three or four years old. I leave it plugged in, so it has basically been running for that whole duration. Thanks in advance for your thoughts and suggestions.
