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Old 1st October 2012, 14:28   #1
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DIY ECU : Megasquirting the Premier 118NE

Friends,
It all started in mid 2011 when started exporing the working of HHO converter, and people discussing the sequential CNG injection kits. My quest for a better fuel economy and a flexible control over the engine calibration started. Inbetween, a bug called CDI conversion kit creeped into my mind. But the fact that it did not have an ignition advance feature programmed into it did not impress me much. Hence the hunt still continued. Checked the websites of Landi-Renzo and similar CNG kit manufacturers. Their ECUs did need the OE ECU for logic and this CNG ECU was a slave who only governed the fuel injection & spark. Again continued with the search. Also had a discussion with Bangalore based tuners. But they wanted me to bring the car to them after equipping the engine with all the essential sensors. I had to drop down this option as it was practically not feasible for me to drive that far, and also I would lost the flexibility in having a control on my car.

After going through many success (and failure stories as well) took a daring step and procured the Megasquirt II DIY ECU kit about 3 months ago. To keep cost under control, and since this is the first time I am building an ECU from components I had purchased the Unassembled ECU kit (a CKD kind of stuff), a stimulator (also unassembled) and a relay board (after seeing this I thought I could have managed one from auto spare part shops locally). A still cheaper option is to buy the ECU mother board alone and procure the components locally, if you have plenty of electronics shops near your locality.

Resources you need:
1. This is the most important of all. Lots of patience, basic understanding of electronic components and their functions.
2. A thin pointed soldering, and lead
3. A small study lamp to illuminate your work bench while you sodler the stuff
4. De-soldering pump, in case if the component has to be removed.
5 A printed version of the assembly guide. http://www.megamanual.com/index.html

I pruchased this. http://www.diyautotune.com/catalog/m...ase-p-119.html

All components were neatly labelled and packed in individual covers.
So far I have only spent a lot of time reading the assembly instruction and soldering of electronic components. Power supply regulation, Serial communication and flashing of program have been accomplished. Yet to solder the components for driving the sensors, injectors & Ign coil.
Attached are the pictures of Relay board & ECU board.
To be contd...
Attached Thumbnails
DIY ECU : Megasquirting the Premier 118NE-20082012258.jpg  

DIY ECU : Megasquirting the Premier 118NE-20082012259.jpg  

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Old 1st October 2012, 14:41   #2
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re: DIY ECU : Megasquirting the Premier 118NE

Hey Ilangop, Great start, keep doing the great work.

Please do update this thread regularly. We will be happy to help you, in case you find anything difficult.
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Old 1st October 2012, 15:44   #3
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re: DIY ECU : Megasquirting the Premier 118NE

If you are doing this, it would be awesome, wonderful and interesting!!!

I am too naive to understand most of the stuff you wrote. I got the jist of it however. I also assume that at later stage the carb would go off and injectors would replace it.

A perfectly tuned NE by default gives reasonable mileage. Your project should take it to new highs!

Wishing you the best of best luck, I will be glued here.
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Old 1st October 2012, 16:51   #4
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re: DIY ECU : Megasquirting the Premier 118NE

Quote:
Originally Posted by funkykar View Post
I am too naive to understand most of the stuff you wrote. I got the jist of it however. I also assume that at later stage the carb would go off and injectors would replace it.

A perfectly tuned NE by default gives reasonable mileage. Your project should take it to new highs!

Wishing you the best of best luck, I will be glued here.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ecenandu View Post
Hey Ilangop, Great start, keep doing the great work.

Please do update this thread regularly. We will be happy to help you, in case you find anything difficult.
Thanks for the warm welcome and support guys. I am still keeping my fingers crossed for some more time about the ECU making it to the car. Hoping for the best.
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Old 1st October 2012, 17:29   #5
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re: DIY ECU : Megasquirting the Premier 118NE

Nice to see a separate thread for this, will be keenly following it. BTW will let you know as soon as i find the required part.
Best of luck with the project.
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Old 2nd October 2012, 10:03   #6
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re: DIY ECU : Megasquirting the Premier 118NE

Soldered some more resistors and capacitors for the input signal condition. Now I have 2 choices:

1) I can use the existing points & condensor to ignite and use the ECU for fuel control. The -ve wire of the ign coil will be used to signal the ECU to understand the RPM of the engine.
2) I can use a crank / cam position sensor to input the position / speed of crank / cam shaft.
There are jumpers available on the board, with which we can swap the choices.
Attached Thumbnails
DIY ECU : Megasquirting the Premier 118NE-01102012289.jpg  

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Old 2nd October 2012, 11:13   #7
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re: DIY ECU : Megasquirting the Premier 118NE

Wow, that is an interesting project indeed. I am impressed with the dedication you are putting into this project.

Am guessing you would need to set the ecu up by trial and error. Would love to see how this project works out. I am bad at stuff like this but love seeing the results.
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Old 2nd October 2012, 12:56   #8
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re: DIY ECU : Megasquirting the Premier 118NE

Hi Ilango! Great to know about this DIY project that you are doing! I will be glued to this thread since the car involved is a Premier 118 NE. Wishing you all the best with the project and eagerly awaiting the outcome!

Quote:
Originally Posted by ilangop View Post
Inbetween, a bug called CDI conversion kit creeped into my mind. But the fact that it did not have an ignition advance feature programmed into it did not impress me much.
There are companies who manufacture programmable CDI units where the ignition curves can be tweaked.

Example : http://imfsoft.com/hardware/products...nition-cdi.asp

However as you mentioned you can control other parameters apart from ignition with the ECU.

Regards and Keep Revving,

Rahul Waghmare.
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Old 3rd October 2012, 00:03   #9
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re: DIY ECU : Megasquirting the Premier 118NE

Quote:
Originally Posted by ilangop View Post
Soldered some more resistors and capacitors for the input signal condition. Now I have 2 choices:

1) I can use the existing points & condensor to ignite and use the ECU for fuel control. The -ve wire of the ign coil will be used to signal the ECU to understand the RPM of the engine.
2) I can use a crank / cam position sensor to input the position / speed of crank / cam shaft.
There are jumpers available on the board, with which we can swap the choices.
Option 1, sounds easier to implement. The only problem will be you won't be knowing the accurate position of the pistons while the engine is running. So you will be injecting blindly i.e, without knowing which stroke the engine is.

And for option 2, do you have these sensors with you? If yes, could you tell us which type (Hall effect/ Variable reluctance). Did you check out the feasibility of mounting those.

What about injectors?
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Old 3rd October 2012, 00:32   #10
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re: DIY ECU : Megasquirting the Premier 118NE

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Originally Posted by ecenandu View Post
Option 1, sounds easier to implement. The only problem will be you won't be knowing the accurate position of the pistons while the engine is running. So you will be injecting blindly i.e, without knowing which stroke the engine is.

And for option 2, do you have these sensors with you? If yes, could you tell us which type (Hall effect/ Variable reluctance). Did you check out the feasibility of mounting those.

What about injectors?
I plan to go with option 2. Planning to use a 36-2 toothed wheel with a Variable Reluctance Sensor (VRS). Thinking of modifying the distributor housing to accomodate the wheel and VRS. Injectors will be from M-800 MPFI, they measure about 12 - 13 Ohm across the terminals.
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Old 3rd October 2012, 00:41   #11
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re: DIY ECU : Megasquirting the Premier 118NE

Quote:
Originally Posted by ilangop View Post
I plan to go with option 2. Planning to use a 36-2 toothed wheel with a Variable Reluctance Sensor (VRS). Thinking of modifying the distributor housing to accomodate the wheel and VRS. Injectors will be from M-800 MPFI, they measure about 12 - 13 Ohm across the terminals.
Oh OK, so are you planning to control ignition using ECU as well? or is it injector alone.
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Old 3rd October 2012, 04:34   #12
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re: DIY ECU : Megasquirting the Premier 118NE

Mount the toothed wheel on the crankshaft, and the VR sensor on the block somewhere close. Should be cleaner and easier.

How many cylinders does the engine have? While you don't need fancy things like sequential injection and individual coils, using the aftermarket trigger setup will allow you to put these. For the record, batch injection isn't really an issue. Neither is using a distributor instead of COP.
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Old 3rd October 2012, 10:21   #13
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re: DIY ECU : Megasquirting the Premier 118NE

Quote:
Originally Posted by pranavt View Post
Mount the toothed wheel on the crankshaft, and the VR sensor on the block somewhere close. Should be cleaner and easier.
How many cylinders does the engine have? While you don't need fancy things like sequential injection and individual coils, using the aftermarket trigger setup will allow you to put these. For the record, batch injection isn't really an issue. Neither is using a distributor instead of COP.
Thank you for your inputs. This is a 4 cyl 1172 CC Nissan A12 Engine. I not planning for individual coils. Ford Ikon or Hyundai Santro's Ign coil is in my mind. Probably will go for Ford as some coil related information is available on the net. Mounting the toothed wheel on the crankshaft calls for a greater hassle in my setup. Thats why I was leaned towards modifying the distributor.Anyways I am yet to study the hardware compatibility to understand only the Cam signals. Also the injection can happen in Sync with the ignitions. So I have to go through some more Megasquirt related literature for a better understanding.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ecenandu View Post
Oh OK, so are you planning to control ignition using ECU as well? or is it injector alone.
It will be both ignition & injection.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Scarlet_Rider View Post
Wishing you all the best with the project and eagerly awaiting the outcome!

There are companies who manufacture programmable CDI units where the ignition curves can be tweaked.

Example : http://imfsoft.com/hardware/products...nition-cdi.asp
Thats bro. I went through the imfsoft products & I was surpirsed to see the programmable CDI unit for Jawa motorcycle.

Attached are some pics of running the ECU with the stimulator. I was able to input engine rpm, throttle position etc,. and was delighted to see the gauges move on my laptop screen. Also attached the pics of EFI hardware that I procured so far. On the pic you can find
1. M-800 injectors - 4 Nos with a wiring harness used in a CNG conversion kit
2. Hyundai santro's throttle body (42mm at the throttle plate) mated with a fabriocated Aluminium coupler to accomodate the 118 NE's air filter box.
3. Ford Ikon 1.3's Idle Air Control Valve
4. TMAP sensor of an Indica
5. 36-1 trigger wheel also from Indica
6. Rail pressure regulator from - M800
7. Rail fuel inlet flange
8. VR sensor from a Bajaj Rickshaw. I might not use it as it doesnt have a provision for connecting a shield wire.
A 2 feet long Aluminium pipe is at the Lathe shop for fabricating the injector bunges and the rail.

As you can see in the 3rd picture, the throttle body will be mounted in place of the carburettor. Hence there will be only a very small volume plenum. I need expert advice on this. Can I have some buffer box like a boost bottle or a resonator box connected below the throttle body to add some buffer volume between the throttle body and the runners to the ports?
For those you have the doubt "what happens to the car if the project fails?", all this mechanical fitment is checked on a spare engine brought from the scrap yard.
Attached Thumbnails
DIY ECU : Megasquirting the Premier 118NE-02102012291.jpg  

DIY ECU : Megasquirting the Premier 118NE-02102012293.jpg  

DIY ECU : Megasquirting the Premier 118NE-03102012296.jpg  

DIY ECU : Megasquirting the Premier 118NE-03102012295.jpg  


Last edited by ilangop : 3rd October 2012 at 10:35.
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Old 3rd October 2012, 17:56   #14
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re: DIY ECU : Megasquirting the Premier 118NE

Quote:
Originally Posted by ilangop View Post
all this mechanical fitment is checked on a spare engine brought from the scrap yard.
So now I Know the reason why you bought another NISSAN engine. Great to know you are venturing into Stage-2 modification. From you write-up, it seems you are doing this for better fuel economy. What is your expected mileage after this modification?
And i believe the performance will also improve? or not?
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Old 3rd October 2012, 18:03   #15
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re: DIY ECU : Megasquirting the Premier 118NE

Oh man! I seriously did not expect to see so much so early. I am understanding the big picture more clearly now (not the technical aspect).

Like the 118NE is called as remixed car (Body design of Fiat 124, Engine from Nissan, badge of Premier) by purists, the MPFIing also is a remix of fine parts you have chosen from different cars. Super stuff Anna!
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