[Tack]

Has anyone installed a tachometer for the operation of the ICE on a Gen 2 Volt? I am interested in knowing when the ICE is working, especially during cold weather start-ups.

 

[colchiro]

Just this one.

Works great, but covers up the backup camera screen.

 

[Steverino]

Uh, you'll definitely know when the ICE starts up. By feel, by sound and you dash will switch from EV to ICE display.

 

[canehdian]

Scroll through your DIC displays. One of them should show engine power and battery power.
But as Steverino says, you should know it's on by feeling vibrations.
Even the quietest engines droned out by wind noise can't eliminate all vibration.

 

[Bill Step]

Just this one.

Works great, but covers up the backup camera screen.



View attachment 127906

what program is that?

 

[AtomicPowered]

Get an OBD2 Bluetooth Adapter. Plugs into the cars OBD2 port and will give engine speed as well as about 100 readings from the cars computer (like engine temperature, 12v system voltage and altitude, coordinates and bearing). Also fault codes. $10 to $100. Works mainly with Android devices.
Can be used in any car from the last 20 years.

 

[colchiro]

what program is that?

HP Tuners on a 10" Windows tablet.

 

[viking79]

It is fun to see ICE RPM, but from a usability standpoint it is useless as you have no control over it as in a normal car. There is no throttle control from the accelerator pedal.

However, if GM wanted to fulfill every nerds' fantasy, they would allow the center stack or gauge to be customized to display OBD2 information on gauges.

 

[Bill Step]

HP Tuners on a 10" Windows tablet.

you have a bigger pic of the tablet,,love to see the data you can monitor.

 

[Tack]

In fact the display does NOT switch to ICE when the engine starts on cold weather demand and it's difficult to detect when the engine shuts off.

 

[canehdian]

Switch to the Modern Enhanced view, it should show you engine power output. If it's not zero (empty bar as in the second picture), the engine is on. SEe bottom picture.

 

[Tack]

Pardon my ignorance but what and where is the OBD2?

 

[Tack]

Engine activates when outside temperature is less than -10C but the engine range bar on the right of the display is not on.

Thanks for info. Will try the Modern Enhanced display.

 

[TSquare]

Pardon my ignorance but what and where is the OBD2?

OBD2 = On Board Diagnostics version 2

The port is under the dash usually left of the steering column. Service computers are plugged in to diagnose problems and read data from the various systems.
You can purchase a small dongle that plugs in and reads some of the data available. It also requires a smartphone app like Torque or MyGreenVolt to display the info. I'm not sure, but I think both of these apps are Android only apps.

 

[2VoltFamily]

In fact the display does NOT switch to ICE when the engine starts on cold weather demand and it's difficult to detect when the engine shuts off.

On Gen 1 we can select to see the engine power up on both the driver display and the center stack. It looks like a previous post has shown you where to look on your Gen 2 although I would think you would have found that on your own in the manual.

I find it difficult to believe you cannot feel the engine running.

 

[saghost]

Pardon my ignorance but what and where is the OBD2?

OBDII is the interface standard all modern cars are required to use to communicate emissions status information to control stations with. There's a trapezoidal plug under the dashboard on the drivers side on any modern car, including the Volt, and like most of them, the Volt offers direct access to the CANBus on a couple of the pins (the CANBus is the car's internal version of ethernet.)

With a suitable device plugged into the ODBII port, you can therefore read every message flying between the various controllers on the car on that bus, including engine RPM and throttle settings and a whole bunch more (some cars, including the Gen 1 volt, and likely the Gen 2 Volt, have multiple networks, and you won't see the others from that one connection.)

Historically there have been dedicated devices for this, like the ScanGauge II (Don't use this one on a Volt, it slows the connection and causes errors,) or the DashDAQ. More recently, the trend has been towards simple Bluetooth or WiFi dongles that go into the plug, and Android or iOS software to interpret what the dongle sees.

Most of the BT dongles are fine, but we have had a few reports of problems. If you plug on in, and then get a check engine light and see a string of Uxxxx codes (you'll be able to get codes from any of these devices, too) then you've got a dongle that isn't compatible with the car's network. This can sometimes happen after it's been working fine for a while.

Here's how I used to have my DashDAQ set up, using entirely OBDII information:

As you can see, I have exact battery SoC referenced to when the engine comes one, and power flows from the battery, the engine, and both drive motors, along with RPMs for all three.

 

[Tack]

Thanks Walter

Your suggestion for a DashDAQ device plugged into the OBD2 port is the most useful that has been offered. It would provide the kind of information that I am after and much more. The only problem is the cost- $640 US for the Volt. This is a bit steep!

 

[saghost]

Thanks Walter

Your suggestion for a DashDAQ device plugged into the OBD2 port is the most useful that has been offered. It would provide the kind of information that I am after and much more. The only problem is the cost- $640 US for the Volt. This is a bit steep!

As I said, these days most people who want this kind of information are buying a $20-40 BT/WiFi dongle and using Torque Pro or something similar on their phone/tablet.

I actually have a DashDAQ I'm not actively using these days, but I wasn't trying to sell the specific solution to anyone.

 

[colchiro]

I also have one with Volt and Ford licenses gathering dust.