Operation TLC

ndragun · Postby **ndragun** » Tue Dec 30, 2014 12:29 pm

Question for the megasquirters; how are you currently connecting your ECU to your PC? Via a serial to usb cable or wirelessly?
Are there any common issues with connecting via serial to usb?

I'm trying to connect with a cable bought from Jaycar and its not happening at the moment. Using the MS portcheck.exe tool its telling me that the port is available etc, but then with TunerStudio all connection options are failing.

Any thoughts from anyone?

Magpie · Postby **Magpie** » Tue Dec 30, 2014 2:20 pm

gslender those ones from Jaycar you linked are Weather pack connectors and they need a special crimper and pin removal tool.

plohl · Postby **plohl** » Tue Dec 30, 2014 2:39 pm

Yeah.... I hate those weather pack connectors... Deutsch connectors FTW. I usually use the DTMs.

Thanks for posting the link to the kit ndragun. Seems like a pretty good buy! I get all my connectors from a guy in geebung at a pretty awesome price. I got complete 4 way, 3 and 2 way DTM connectors + pins and sockets for <$20. The guy is generally pretty busy though, so it could take a few days to get an order ready. http://www.yellowpages.com.au/qld/geebung/camerons-electrical-cables-accessories-ceca-pty-ltd-12005023-listing.html

ndragun · Postby **ndragun** » Tue Dec 30, 2014 3:26 pm

$20 - that's pretty good. Anyway - each to their own I suppose. I don't have very steady hands so juggling all those bits and pieces with weatherpacks I'd end up dropping half those rubber grommets down the back of the engine...

Anyways - for me everything is pretty well ready to go save for currently not being able to connect to the ECU - which is a pretty fundamental problem unfortunately

plohl · Postby **plohl** » Tue Dec 30, 2014 5:44 pm

Some of the usb to serial stuff needs to be set to a specific coms channel. It's some magic number that is randomly assigned whenever something is plugged into a usb port...

I'll stop typing... check these links.

http://plugable.com/2011/07/04/how-to-change-the-com-port-for-a-usb-serial-adapter-on-windows-7

http://www.megamanual.com/connect.htm

gslender · Postby **gslender** » Thu Jan 01, 2015 12:13 am

Magpie wrote:gslender those ones from Jaycar you linked are Weather pack connectors and they need a special crimper and pin removal tool.

Wrong, have used them and never found them to be any hassle or require special tools. Ever. If you can buy better brands / styles easily and have the tools than sure, do it. But there are other options.

gslender · Postby **gslender** » Thu Jan 01, 2015 8:08 am

ndragun wrote:Question for the megasquirters; how are you currently connecting your ECU to your PC? Via a serial to usb cable or wirelessly?
Are there any common issues with connecting via serial to usb?

I'm trying to connect with a cable bought from Jaycar and its not happening at the moment. Using the MS portcheck.exe tool its telling me that the port is available etc, but then with TunerStudio all connection options are failing.

Any thoughts from anyone?

I have my ms setup to work from serial usb and Bluetooth depending on what I connect to the db9 from the ms3/2

What specific problems are you having? Sounds like the serial usb isn't showing up correctly in Windows 7 etc. check through device manager. Be confident that com7 or whatever is indeed the serial port and then focus ts to use that. You can be battling issues with serial ports that are fine and the ms2 isn't working due to some reason. I'd bench test the ms2 before connecting to the car. Incorrect wiring can stop the ms2 serial port from working.

G

ndragun · Postby **ndragun** » Thu Jan 01, 2015 8:23 am

Specifically, I have 2 USB ports on my laptop. The cable is successfully recognised as either comm 3 or 4 depending on which I use. But then running portcheck it lists the port but says "no connection made" with ignition on.

I'm tending to think I've miswired somewhere. Just would be nice to do some checks or something on the ms2 board first with it in situ. Agreed I should be bench testing it and have had a brief look online at stims but am limited with time now. My third child was born yesterday so car is wrapped up and on hold for a bit!!

Was a race against time to get it started before she arrived, but not to be! :lol:

Magpie · Postby **Magpie** » Thu Jan 01, 2015 10:26 am

You have at least 16 years to get your third child ready for life, the MX5 won't wait that long

Congrats by the way.

ndragun · Postby **ndragun** » Sat Jan 10, 2015 8:30 pm

Well after a fair bit of time late at night thinking while nursing children, and half an hour or so today prodding about with a multimeter and problem has been found. Basically boiled down to me rushing - and managed to cut the feed wire out of the main relay, so basically nothing in the engine bay, nor the ECU, was getting power. Pretty fundamental lack of electrons there.
Anyway, a quick bit of crimping and heatshrinking later, and a good sign;

And then;

Cough cough, grumble... cough... die. Admittedly this wasn't the first attempt. It took a few goes to get a bit of fuel through.

It does run at an idle - for no more than about 10-15 seconds, then gives up. Fuel pressure gauge shows zero pressure, so I think we've most likely got an electrical issue to the fuel pump.
While running at idle, the second I crack the throttles, its game over.

Anyway - my wife said "I can't drive that, it sounds like a Harley". Big cams plus no exhaust after the headers will do that I guess.
There is a fair chance she won't be able to push the clutch in anyway, so noise is the least of her concerns.

The battle continues...

gslender · Postby **gslender** » Sat Jan 10, 2015 10:22 pm

Yell if you need some assistance with tuning the ecu.... I've gotten pretty good at it after 10 or more tunes!

ndragun · Postby **ndragun** » Sat Jan 10, 2015 10:54 pm

Thanks so much for the offer G - once I get it running and 'stable' and have some time on my hands, I'd love to have you round.

Sunbaker wrote:The serial port on my MS2 is a male 9 pin, and I have a Megasquirt Bluetooth Adapter (from LDPerformance) and it is also a male 9 pin

Not sure how to connect these, looks like another adapter needed.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/9-Pin-RS-232-DB9-Male-to-Male-Serial-Cable-Gender-Changer-Adapter-Converter-/170839707311?pt=AU_CablesConnectors&hash=item27c6d70eaf

Seriously... $1.90. Can you imagine? Someone in Singapore actually has to put the thing in the bag and send it to you for less than 2 bucks including postage. I wouldn't even be bothered emailing you back and telling you to shove it for 2 bucks...

gslender · Postby **gslender** » Sun Jan 11, 2015 4:27 pm

ndragun wrote:Thanks so much for the offer G - once I get it running and 'stable' and have some time on my hands, I'd love to have you round.

Cool. Well if you struggle with keeping it running then let me know. Mine starts from cold and idles smoothly at 950 rpm and stays that way... drives like OEM and is perfect!! Never misses a beat.

ndragun · Postby **ndragun** » Tue Jan 13, 2015 5:40 pm

ndragun wrote:It does run at an idle - for no more than about 10-15 seconds, then gives up. Fuel pressure gauge shows zero pressure, so I think we've most likely got an electrical issue to the fuel pump.
While running at idle, the second I crack the throttles, its game over.

Well - as suspected, fuel pump had given up the ghost. Replaced with a Walbro 255LPH and we're up and running and revving. WOO!

Still plenty of odd jobs to iron out;
- tacho isn't working ATM :shock:

- PCV pipework not done
- remote oil filter not mounted
- rad fan shroud needs hacking up
- coilovers STILL haven't arrived so still wheel-less
- brake lines and brake bleed
- haven't finished some of the wrapping - and have already changed my mind on the colour... :roll:

Magpie · Postby **Magpie** » Tue Jan 13, 2015 6:12 pm

Tacho now that will be fun

It took me ages to get mine working and it turned out to be a very simple fix, tick the inverted box in the ECU software.

http://mx5cartalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=768741#p768741