New 'Hobby' Project, carb tuning gone high tech Options

[McMark]

EDIT: I know about tube-and-water setups. You can't drive with those. I'm building some different.

I've been pondering this project for awhile, and now I'm finally getting ready to start. Every time I synch carbs I think about how terrible and approximate the process is. What I'm going to try is using a small, programmable computer called an Arduino. There are add-ons called Shields to expand the functionality, and I'm using a LCD screen shield. I'm going to hook up 4 to 6 MAP sensors to the Arduino and output their readings on the screen. Using this tool, I'll be able to numerically evaluate the relative balance of the carb throats.

One possible shortcoming is that the intake pulses may create fluctuating values that are difficult to interpret. Although, I have some ideas that may deal with this. Some sort of averaging could help. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)

Here's what the Arduino looks like (this is the Uno version)
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.adafruit.com-419-1381898348.1.jpg)

Here's the screen shield
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.adafruit.com-419-1381898349.2.jpg)

Here's the MAP sensors I'm going to start with.
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/thumbs4.ebaystatic.com-419-1381898350.3.jpg)

I'm also probably going to have to make some plates that will go between the carb and manifold with a vacuum port on it. This would be the easiest way to access manifold vacuum since I can't count on carbs to have vacuum ports. Oh, and this will also be useable while driving to evaluate dynamic synch.

[r_towle]

Cool project.
To bad the sensors are so large...
Would be nice to have the whole system hidden.

[McMark]

Cool project.
To bad the sensors are so large...
Would be nice to have the whole system hidden.

I found small sensors I'm going to try.
Not my hands. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/icon8.gif)

[AE354803]

Cool project.
To bad the sensors are so large...
Would be nice to have the whole system hidden.

I found small sensors I'm going to try.
Not my hands. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/icon8.gif)

Nice project. I'm surprised how well it is reading the individual vacuum pulses.

Just a thought, if you are having issues with filtering/averaging the vacuum waveform into a stable value, adding a length of tubing between the manifold and the sensors should help equalize the pulse, especially if there is a reservoir of some sort in that line.