[Kmvreter]

Had several enquire about this "mod" so here it is (very simple.)
Picked up a generic 12V analog hour meter at an automotive/tractor supply shop (TSC in Canada.) Tie wrapped it next to the relay box on the rear of the engine bay fuse box.

[Kmvreter]

Put a large crimp connector on the negative wire and bolted it with the others at the ground on the fender (next to the fuse box; bottom of the pic.)

[Kmvreter]

Put a small spade connector on the positive wire and ran it to pin #2 on the unused (but working) 115V AC relay slot. The meter is only on when the ignition is on so I get almost true engine time (just for curiosity sake.)

[Gryphon]

That is simple and easy enough! Thanks for the info!

This would give a bit better info on usage than a mileage reading...factoring in those time when you just sit and idle.

Plus a bit of a "coolness factor" especially if it was installed in the dash!

[Kmvreter]

Originally posted by Gryphon
That is simple and easy enough! Thanks for the info!

This would give a bit better info on usage than a mileage reading...factoring in those time when you just sit and idle.

Plus a bit of a "coolness factor" especially if it was installed in the dash!

Lets me calculate an actual average kmh (mph) for maintenance or on long trips (haven't bothered to compare it to the dash readout.)
Would have liked to put it inside but the analog has a noisy timer click to it. I might break down and get a quiet digital but haven't really looked for one. This works for me.

[Koz]

Not for nothing but, an "Engine Hour Meter". There is absolutely no need for this meter in a personal passenger car/truck. I guess some people are obsessed with any kind of mod.

Koz

[Kmvreter]

Originally posted by Koz
Not for nothing but, an "Engine Hour Meter". There is absolutely no need for this meter in a personal passenger car/truck. I guess some people are obsessed with any kind of mod.

Koz

I feel the need (to know how many hours I put behind the wheel in my baby.) Think of all the extra math you can do with that. Do I sound obsessed? Yes, I'm obsessed, probably an understatement. Aren't you? Different strokes for different folks. Some like bling, some like sound, some like motors...

[Koz]

You can get a GPS unit that will tell you how much time you spent moving and not moving, max speed, average speed, altitude, rate of decent, ETA, and about 30 other functions.

Koz

[Kmvreter]

Originally posted by Koz
You can get a GPS unit that will tell you how much time you spent moving and not moving, max speed, average speed, altitude, rate of decent, ETA, and about 30 other functions.

Koz

Got that but it doesn't give me "engine run time" = "ass time in the truck" = time between different maintenance items (ie. oil changes, tire tread usage, ~ light bulb life, spark plug life...)
Still obsessing!

[EDGE]

sweet mod, I would like to put a engine timer on that does idle speed for when sitting at idle and load speed for when driving but I doubt thats possible, their have been times when I let my truck idle for 4 hours, usually once a week, maybe twice and I put 5-8k on the oil, UOA said I could push it to 10k but I changed it, not the 4Runner.

I thought I read that the GM Heavy Duty Trucks come with engine timers

My uncle had a boat, he changed the oil every 300 hours I think, he figured it out roughly with his cars that the 300 hours was about 3000 miles but WOT going uphill all day

[nserpa9248]

300 hours in a boat is ALOT different btw..

Idk, i think any "hourly" reading would be very, very innacurate unless you could differntiate DRIVE TIME and IDLE TIME..

Now, i think it would be possible to do this, BUT it would be difficult..if you could put some sort of switch in the shifter that knew when the car was not in park..which you could prob rig up a bracket and a quiet push-style momentary switch, and that would allow the timer to go via a realy or something...

Or if the wires going into the dashboard instrument cluster had differnt wires for each indicator lights (that indicate P R N D 2 L) then you could wire up a relay again to actuate the timer..

[Jeff Kleb]

We have heavy-duty International trucks (diesel, of course) at work, and each of them is equipped with an "engine hour meter" -- since we do more idling than most people do with their cars. It helps a lot, since the "city" trucks travel fewer miles but work a lot harder than the "highway" trucks that have three times the road miles on them.

The Ford Crown Vic with the 'police package' comes with an engine hour meter as well. Seems as though Officer Friendly does his share of idling, too.

[MT4runner]

Originally posted by EDGE


I thought I read that the GM Heavy Duty Trucks come with engine timers

you thought right. my dads 06 GMC 3500 has an engine hour in the dash read outs.

[jacal]

Kmvreter - What is your total number of running hours!?


J

[charlier180]

Originally posted by Kmvreter
Lets me calculate an actual average kmh (mph) for maintenance or on long trips (haven't bothered to compare it to the dash readout.)
Would have liked to put it inside but the analog has a noisy timer click to it. I might break down and get a quiet digital but haven't really looked for one. This works for me.

Just wondering, do you do a LOT of idling or low speed driving?
Do you use your vehicle as a delivery vehicle in a large city?
I see why trucks (especially ones with diesel engines) that idle for hours might find an engine hour meter useful to determine maintenance schedules.
Just having a hard time seeing the usefulness of having this info in a personal vehicle.

Have fun with your mod. After all, it is your vehicle.

The talk about idling in this thread remids me of the time I was using my 4Runner to tow my trailer to a car show.
Long story short I sat in my 4Runner for 3 hours idling with the A/C on.
The reason I bring up that story is the impact on my MPG with almost 3 hours of idling.
To my amazement all that idling (with the V8) did not drastically reduce fuel mileage compared to other towing trips without excessive idling
Then again when you get 8-9 MPG towing how much lower can you go?