Modifying cruise control to flow lph instead of maintaining speed

[Everett]

I have a 2000 mustang gt and I was wondering if you could reprogram the computer to only flow a specified lph instead of trying to maintain speed.Has anyone done this and what would it take to do in my car

[kit352]

kenne bell made a boost-a-pump a while back that could control the voltage going to the fuel pump. it was meant to dial up the flow but it did have a limited ability to dial it down. Im not sure if its made anymore or if itll even fit your car.
Why are trying to do this anyway? youll end up smoking the motor in the end from staving it of fuel.

[Jay2TheRescue]

Sounds like you're looking for a throttle lock, not a cruise control.

[i-DSi]

What you're looking for exists in the Honda Insight 2010. If you push the 'ECON'-button the cruise control settings change in such a way that the car will automatically go rather slow to the desired speed and will not open full throtlle like most cruise controls.
If you don't push the econbutton, the Insight reacts like a normal car: full throttle till desired speed.
But....euh...that does not answer your question. I have no idea how to adapt this to an exisiting system.
Edit: on the Insight it is not set as lph, I'm sorry for misunderstanding. It only influences the reaction on the throtlle. Why should you want a restriction on lph? It will limit your speed, and even become very dangerous (strong uphill e.g.)

[trollbait]

Driving with load can be an effective way to hypermile. On flat terrain, you just use cruise control. Which won't work on slightly hilly terrain. You want the car to lose speed going up hill and gaining it going down, leaving the throttle in the same position. With longer stretches, and learned instinct to give the car more gas going uphill, it can be challenging.

Setting the cruise control to the throttle would simplify this. It does introduce other risks, like quick slow down on steep hills, that the driver has to now take into account. That goes for driving techniques.

[bobc455]

I've pondered putting a solenoid near the throttle bracket, so that I would maintain a fixed throttle position. Doesn't create perfectly steady airflow, but it's pretty close. I could adjust the soldnoid for a given speed on a flat highway, then use my foot if I'm going up a hill that requires some extra juice.

One consideration would be safety - the solenoid (or whatever you do) should disengage in the case that there is an accident or you hit the brakes or whatever, similar to a cruise control. Don't just install a toggle switch, without other "logic" in the circuit.

-BC

[i-DSi]

Originally Posted by trollbait

Driving with load can be an effective way to hypermile.

I agree, but it's dangerous (sudden steep uphill, slow uphil on highway but enough to not make it able to maintain minimum highway speed...) if it's controlled by cruise control. that's why it does not exist.
I prefer by far my own driving skills on a not-flat terrain if it's about a healthy balance between safety and economy.
If you set your board computer to instant consumption you can even drive yourself 'with load'. Just keep the indication steady.

[Everett]

Well I was thinking about consistent fuel mileage and there aren't many hills here in saskatchewan. I was just wondering if it could be done and how. When I get my car dyno tuned I will see if it's possible to reprogram it to work like that. Unless you guys can feed me a how to. I would rather build it myself. The cool factor of the homemade part. Keep the ideas coming

[kamesama980]

dyno tuning is a totally different can of worms from changing the cruise algorithm. Dyno tuning is using all of the same parameters and controls already there, but substituting numbers on the map. You're talking about rewriting the cruise program to look at a totally different parameter with different units, different signals, etc. For a shop to do it, they'd have to be thoroughly familiar with ford's code and willing to alter it in weird and untested ways (liability). To do it yourself you'd need the hardware , software , and in-depth knowledge of ford code.

By software, I don't mean the usual tuning software that changes the parameters of the existing programming, I mean rip the code out by it's roots and re-write it in whatever language they used.

[FrugalFloyd]

Most cruise controls adjust speed based on a voltage signal from the vehicle speed sensor. All you have to do is figure out the voltage limits from the VSS, and input another similarly limited voltage input in place of the VSS.