[Mike N.]

Has anybody come up with a mod' to add an LED to indicate the ICE (internal combustion engine) is running. It's tuff to try to run in stelth mode with a rough road and the radio on.

 

[USK]

Hi Mike N.:

I use a digital fuel meter which is with the LED injection monitor, it is similar about ICE, may be.
It light red when it run the injection, It light green when it stop the injection. It is very useful for to control the fuel.

The meter show the consumption of the fuel with very accuracy by a 1ml(0.00026gal.)

It is developed by an owner of original NHW10 Prius before 2000.
His name in internet is tamasu.I got a finished goods from him.

For DIY,
He open the circuit diagram and the program list in the WEB.
There are the following URL which show you correctly some photos and some figures but the Japanese letter parts change to no meaning big letters.

http://www.hal.ne.jp/tamasu/nen/nen.html

The circuit
http://www.hal.ne.jp/tamasu/nen/nen_5.html

The program list
http://www.hal.ne.jp/tamasu/nen/nen_8.html

USK
Bordeaux mica 2001
My every mileage/tank are showed in URL
http://eshy.s22.xrea.com/cgi-bin/nenpi/nlist.cgi?hn=USK
__ mi = 0.62137 * Km ____ MPG = 2.3521 * Km/L ____ gal = 0.26417 * L

 

[ken1784]

Hello Mike,

Would like to introduce simple one.

It is shown for Estima minivan Hybrid Japanese only model, however you can do it for Prius too.

http://eshy.s22.xrea.com/esdiy7.html

The engine signal is came from Pin#9 of DLC3. The DLC3 connector is located below the steering wheel of Japanese Prius.
Please find the picture of DLC3 at below site.
http://ha2.seikyou.ne.jp/home/Longfield ... wtacho.htm
The site is written for Digital Tachometer developed by Tamasu same as above shown by USK.

Enjoy,
Ken

 

[charlieh]

Coastal E-tech (http://www.coastaletech.com/) has made such a kit for the Classic for some time and it works great! It was easy to install and does not interfere with any other operations of the car. I have been bugging them about wanting one for the '04, so maybe if we all bug them at the same time...

 

[04preius]

I was wondering the same thing about a tachometer. The Prius has everything else, why not a tach? The driver would know not only IF the ICE was on, but they'd know its RPM.

 

[04preius]

I was wondering the same thing about a tachometer. The Prius has everything else, why not a tach? The driver would know not only IF the ICE was on, but they'd know its RPM.

 

[USK]

Hi 04preius:

Yes, you are right.
The meter is more setting up a tachometer than a fuel meter among Japanese owner.
http://www.hal.ne.jp/tamasu/taco/tacs.html

Tamasu had developed the tachometer in the first, then he had added to it the injection LED monitor.

I think, the prius is often to stop the engine, so to feel like knowing ICE state on real time.

USK
Bordeaux mica 2001
Life time 58.3MPG (at 19,717miles)
Longest mileage in [Album] : [Best Mileage]
Every mileage/tank in following URL
http://eshy.s22.xrea.com/cgi-bin/nenpi/nlist.cgi?hn=USK
__ mi. = 0.62137 * Km ____ MPG = 2.3521 * Km/L ____ gal. = 0.26417 * L

 

[Daniel]

If you set the display to show the power-flow diagram you can see if the engine is delivering power or not. I don't know if this necessarily tells you whether it's running or not. Maybe it's idling and not delivering power. But it does not require any modifications to the car.

Similarly, if the instantaneous mileage shows 99.9 mpg, it's probably not running.

It's pretty cool to be cruising along a thoroughfare at 35 mph and see 100 mpg on the bar graph, or see all the power coming from the battery.

I'm going to take a guess here: Toyota chose not to include all these indicators because they want you to just drive it! The computer decides what's best for the situation, and although careful tweaking of your driving style can net you increased mileage, Toyota is aiming for transparency.

Having said that, I think an ICE-on/ICE-off indicator would be cool.

 

[ken1784]

Hi Daniel,

I agree yours.

I think we can divide drivers into some categories...
- Normal driver - just drive it.
- Mileage interested driver - is interested in ICE is running or not.
- Mileage Freaks - would like to know ICE speed as well.

Bad thing is...
- The Multi Display usually has some delays, 2 seconds, about the ICE status.
- The Multi Display sometimes lies. ie; ICE is not running over 44MPH and warming up process.

Therefore, I like to have ICE indicator which has no delay and is honest on over 44MPH and warming up.

That's all.
Ken

 

[charlieh]

Coastal E-Tech has in engine run light in the works for the 2004 Prius. There is a sneak preview out on their web site, http://www.coastaletech.com.

I have one on my Classic and it is a big help.

Apparently, the one for the 2004 will be a brake/engine run light which will be even better.!

They also have some other neat options coming, including a remote hatch release using the standard Prius fob.

As info, I have no connection withe Coastal E Tech.