My MicroSquirt Install Options

[McMark]

Okay, here's the update... The MicroSquirt doesn't really run as fuel only. We had a lot of problems with the unit resetting each time a spark plug fired. So this has been sitting a bit while I develop a nice crank fire setup. Plus making the decision of whether to do Coil-Near-Plug or a traditional setup. And finally, my test motor had to leave. But the new test motor will be done next week. I'm waiting to get the crank trigger wheel from the machine shop. I'll keep ya'll posted, but we probably won't have any serious testing underway until late Dec, or in the new year.

what about the naked wires on teh back of teh ECU plug?

The only bare wire is a 'shield'. It's just for protecting EMI, not actually carrying current.

[banger]

Actually you can do coil on plug quite easily with the megasquirt. You dont need the extra board either. You can take the Ford EDIS module, and instead of having it run coilpacks, it can be wired to run coil on plug. It is still running a wasted spar system, but instead of having 1 coil fire 2 plugs, now you have 2 coils firing 2 plugs.

Re MS and going distributorless, there is apparently some board in development that would let you fire up to 8 injectors and plugs on their own. In my mind this becomes a very efficient, very nifty coil on plug system. The injector thing is cool, but you're really only getting benefit at low RPM (primarily low temp, even) because your injectors are open longer than the valves at the top end.
Anywho, I would have linked the page but I couldn't find it. Does anybody know any more about this than I?

[Mark Henry]

I'd go with the coils Tim has in his pic's, same as what SDS uses (although Tim's coils are aftermarket), basically off the shelf GM units.

[CliffBraun]

Actually you can do coil on plug quite easily with the megasquirt. You dont need the extra board either. You can take the Ford EDIS module, and instead of having it run coilpacks, it can be wired to run coil on plug. It is still running a wasted spar system, but instead of having 1 coil fire 2 plugs, now you have 2 coils firing 2 plugs.

Re MS and going distributorless, there is apparently some board in development that would let you fire up to 8 injectors and plugs on their own. In my mind this becomes a very efficient, very nifty coil on plug system. The injector thing is cool, but you're really only getting benefit at low RPM (primarily low temp, even) because your injectors are open longer than the valves at the top end.
Anywho, I would have linked the page but I couldn't find it. Does anybody know any more about this than I?

I'm aware of this, I just don't like the idea of wasted spark (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) . Not that that is really rational. I like the idea of per cylinder control, though. Still havn't managed to find the page on the other board.

Hm, on further thought with just a crank sensor you kinda have to run wasted spark, I remember MS having another method of picking up where you are in your cycle though, have to go figure that out later.

[type47]

what is the compatibility between MS and the type of camshaft? is MS sensitive to agressive cams like D-jet? the reason i ask is my "next" motor is to be a 96mm digital FI motor but i have a "race" motor on the floor that had carbs. i don't remember the specs on the cam, i have the build sheet, but i'd bet it was a carb cam. so my question is (to save me from building a motor up from the crank), can i install MS on this "race" motor?

[MartyYeoman]

What is the compatibility between MS and the type of camshaft?

This question has been in the the back of my mind for this entire thread.

Mark,
What cam type are you testing with?
It this system compatible with the stock L-jet cam?
Marty

[Mark Henry]

What is the compatibility between MS and the type of camshaft?

This question has been in the the back of my mind for this entire thread.

Mark,
What cam type are you testing with?
It this system compatible with the stock L-jet cam?
Marty

Any of the PEFI systems out there will run a stock cam fine, just don't expect any extra power just because of the PEFI.
BTW I've done SDS on both a stock 1800 and 2.0 so this isn't a guess.

[Rick_Eberle]

what is the compatibility between MS and the type of camshaft? is MS sensitive to agressive cams like D-jet? the reason i ask is my "next" motor is to be a 96mm digital FI motor but i have a "race" motor on the floor that had carbs. i don't remember the specs on the cam, i have the build sheet, but i'd bet it was a carb cam. so my question is (to save me from building a motor up from the crank), can i install MS on this "race" motor?

You can tune it around any cam. MS can be switched from "Speed Density" (Manifold Pressure) to "Alpa-n" (RPM-Throttle Position), or with the EXTRA code, a blend of the two.

[McMark]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) with both of the above. Every new cam, or more generally, every new motor combo (heads, cam, bore, stroke, CR, etc) will need a new tuning of the FI maps. So yes it's useable, but it still needs to be tuned.

I got a picture of the trigger wheel from the machine shop. A bit of a goof on two of the holes, but that's fixed on the future ones. This trigger wheel will drop on in place of the fan spacer. Once I get this in hand, I'll need to devise a sensor mount. Ideally, it'll be something that could be installed without removing the fan housing. But we'll see about that.

[ConeDodger]

Nice Mark!
The fan comes apart right? What if you took off the back piece and remanufactured it to be a trigger wheel. Then you could rebalance the whole thing. I like what you have done. This is just an idea I had and I wonder if you think it would work?

[McMark]

It would definitely work, it would just be lots more labor intensive than this. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) Actually, I think in the case of modding the fan, it would be sufficient to simply insert a magnet in the perimeter.

[toon1]

Nice trigger wheel Mark.

I mounted the VR sensor in the back side of the fan housing. It worked great. I was able to get the distance between the wheel and the sensot to about .75mm.

I took the fan housing on and off a few times to double check that things did not change and it's very repeatable.

It's been about 4k miles with no issues. Have pics if needed.

[smdubovsky]

Looks like they can be had here with a min buy of 1 for $16.75 http://www.mouser.com/Search/ProductDetail...WfMWf98IA%3d%3d

Cool. Do be aware the different colors are keyed differently. (A red wont plug into a black.) You have to get both M&F halves of the same color.

[3d914]

Jim & Marty,

I had the Web #73 cam with my 2.0/4 using Megasquirt - and that was before they had the combined Speed-density/Alph-N. Iwas able to get that cam with some overlap to idle well. The stock cam would have been a piece of cake, since it has no overlap (IIRC).

The real benefits you'll find with the new systems is the simpler & more reliable MAP sensors. No more guessing either - you get good sensor feedback in real-time. You'll NEVER GO BACK!

Keep up the good work Mark.

Enjoy,

[McMark]

FINALLY made some more progress on this install. I got the toothed wheel back from Mike Mueller, who did the mods for me. It fits just fine and I installed it on my latest 2056 during the cam break in. So it spins just fine, as expected.

I did a lot of searching in the back room of my local NAPA, opening every VR sensor box they had to find one that was small and light. This is the one that I found and I assembled a quick test bracket. The VR sensor will mount on the existing case stud so there will be no holes or other modifications made to any parts.

Installing this system will require the motor to be removed and the fan housing to be unbolted. Even though removing the motor isn't ideal for a 'bolt-on' system, I think that eliminating the need for permanent modifications is a worthwhile goal.

Anyway, here's the pics. I have a couple videos as well that I'll post shortly. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool.gif)

[McMark]

Videos!

[toon1]

Slick!!

[alex914]

That's great!

Videos!<br>

[Dr Evil]

Can you use the micro squirt without the ignition feature? I would be interested in using only the stock D-jet parameters initially: TPS, MAP. I have a friend interested in this.
Thanks and great job so far (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[jhadler]

Okay! That's super slick!

Giving me an idea for mounting the trigger wheel of my (sitting-on-a-shelf-gathering-dust) electromotive ignition...

Now that the motor is fully apart, now would be the time to make that change...

Then, if it's unobtrusive, I can leave it there 'till I decide to implement all of it.

Hmm....

-Josh2