My Microsquirt Conversion, MSQ tuning file now posted Options

[rwilner]

Ok...

I'm converting my basically stock 2.0L (stock cam, euro Ps and Cs) over to microsquirt. Microsquirt is a megasquirt-derived fuel injection computer that's robot-soldered and factory encased in a weatherproof enclosure. The I/O is implemented as a single, 35-position weatherproof connector. The whole thing is about the size of 2 decks of cards.

The system I'm installing was engineered and supplied 100% by McMark. My understanding is that he usually provides these systems for motors that he builds, but I talked him into providing one for me. Below, I will document the install details here for anyone else who talks McMark into selling them a system, or who attempts something similar someday.

DISCLAIMER: I won't provide model numbers, prices, or any other info like that in this thread -- please contact McMark directly for those types of details. All I can say is that you get what you pay for and this is a top-notch system that will work for the remaining life of the car.

The system provides the following components new:

• 4 new injectors
• 4 new ignition coils
• a MAP sensor
• a crank postion sensor (CPS)
• a crank position trigger wheel
• an oxygen sensor and brain
• a throttle position sensor
• a new custom wiring harness
• miscellaneous mounting brackets, blank-off plates, plugs, fuse blocks, etc.

The system repurposes the following items:

• intake air temp sensor
• cyl head temp sensor

the system eliminates or replaces the following stock items:

• MPS
• decel valve
• cold start valve
• AAR
• thermotime switch
• distributor
• main FI wiring harness
• fuel injectors
• a pile of vacuum hoses

This system has the following key advantages over the stock system:

• As we all know, the stock FI computer controls only fuel, and spark is controlled with mechanical and vacuum advance at the distributor. The MS computer controls both fuel and spark which allows me to optimize both power and fuel economy under all load conditions.
• This is a closed-loop system, meaning it adjusts fuel and spark in real-time based on the lambda/AFR in the exhaust.
• This system uses brand new, modern components with a brand new wiring harness.
• This system will scale up to larger motors easily -- just tune a new fuel map, same sensors, same wiring harness.
• I get to plug my laptop into my 40-year-old car, which I think is cool.

The high level install details are:

1. Drop engine
2. Remove all the old FI stuff
3. Install new FI stuff
4. Reinstall engine
5. rough tune on the street
6. fine tune on the dyno
7. drive it a lot

Of course, I am doing a bunch of "while i'm in there" stuff -- replacing motor mounts, engine bay seals, gaskets, fuel hose, cleaning things, etc. etc. etc.

OK, enough babbling, on to the install! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/chowtime.gif)

[rwilner]

I started off by removing my motor. This was my first engine drop and I feel obligated to say "it wasn't as bad as I thought!"

Note that i used Racer Chris' engine plate which made this so easy a caveman could do it. I more or less followed McMark's procedure on this site, but had a few extra steps to contend with because of my aux oil cooler, cyl head temp sensor, amplifier and other items.

Here's the car with no motor in it:
(IMG:https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-w91zZlbzXLU/ToJ8gfk2y2I/AAAAAAAAANw/L-JN9sHP19k/s800/car_engine%20removed.JPG)

Here's the motor removed, with all the stock fuel injection installed:
(IMG:https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-laWTYayYW2Y/ToJ8mSyUNFI/AAAAAAAAAN8/dB0LCeDxNIw/s800/engine_old%20fi.JPG)

Here's the motor stripped of fuel injection and induction:
(IMG:https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Z7JiPK4Waw8/ToJ8g44Bq2I/AAAAAAAAAN4/UmEGsQEWtyY/s800/engine_fi%20removed%20%282%29.JPG)

Here's the stock fuel injection wiring harness, computer, and components, ready to be retired. This stuff came off quickly and it felt good to be putting it out of service, like retiring a hall of fame pitcher that's past his prime or something.
(IMG:https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-VyFpcPghYbU/ToJ8urTZUiI/AAAAAAAAAPg/S0CI_LskCi0/s800/old%20FI%20computer.JPG)
(IMG:https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-si4iHmVasEo/ToJ8uRhOYYI/AAAAAAAAAOI/cvhrreo3FJo/s800/old%20FI%20removed_in%20box.JPG)

Here's my car, patiently waiting for its smarter powerplant:
(IMG:https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-R2aaqGA-844/ToJ8veeF4xI/AAAAAAAAAOQ/n0soxwL8wYg/s800/patiently%20waiting.JPG)

I'm correcting some items while I have the motor out, for example, I went to replace the throttle body gasket and couldn't....because when I took the TB off there was no gasket at all!! Lots of little things too, like missing fasteners in the engine tin and this flap missing from the impeller housing --> heater branch feed (that's Racer Chris' engine plate in the bottom of the pic):
(IMG:https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-l5T164Z2mLY/ToJ8oU4oVyI/AAAAAAAAAOE/YFpMjlj8vaw/s800/missing%20flap.JPG)

Next I removed the fan shroud and installed the pickup wheel and pickup. I documented my fan shroud removal adventures in another recent thread.
(IMG:https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-LlaFAsuTTew/ToJ8gsjXrBI/AAAAAAAAAN0/z8oxTJBWC98/s800/engine_no%20case_trigger%20wheel.JPG)

Here are some closeup detail shots of the trigger wheel and pickup, which show the gap (about 1mm) and angle. McMark supplied the special bracket which positions the pickup at that location. Note that this is 100% bolt-on -- no fabrication required.
(IMG:https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-H5p1EJxfYOw/ToJ83nhesVI/AAAAAAAAAOg/ZB5zW21UfBE/s800/trigger%20wheel%20close_no%20case.JPG)

(IMG:https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-3lTPjzHme_E/ToJ88DqZS5I/AAAAAAAAAOk/QJ-EFeP0ISc/s800/trigger%20wheel%20sensor%20pickup.JPG)

(IMG:https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-9mZpy-7HwOo/ToJ83knRdJI/AAAAAAAAAOc/tv46etuyruE/s800/trigger%20wheel%20pickup%20angle.JPG)

(IMG:https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-3jFRclo3ENg/ToJ8z-j0K5I/AAAAAAAAAOU/1OYz-fj7N7Y/s800/trigger%20wheel%20close.JPG)

(IMG:https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-KFBoIF0KU70/ToJ80yuOiOI/AAAAAAAAAOY/6c2y0GUBiGc/s800/trigger%20wheel%20case%20installed.JPG)

Note that before the fan shroud goes back on, you need to connect the magnetic pickup to the wiring harness. I used a dremel to make a notch in the engine tin around the passenger side J tube, put in a grommet and ran the sensor cable through that. The pickup wire runs along the same basic path as the oil temp sensor wire.

That's it for now, my goal is to have this on the road by the end of October...

More pics to come as I make more progress!

[Porschef]

Jeez Rich,

How bout a little degreaser in there... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/evilgrin.gif)

Not gonna say anything bout them galley plugs....


Very curious to how it's gonna work, especially with the butt dyno....



Joe

[rwilner]

I know joe, a little embarassing...Believe it or not, that's after a single pass with simple green!

Deep cleaning is something I am saving for the rebuild. Just want to get this guy back on the road ASAP.

[type47]

subscribed! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) I think McMark will get alot of orders for this, I'll be gettin' in the line, I know...

[sean_v8_914]

I winder how big we can go with the stock plenum, tb and intake runners

[rwilner]

I winder how big we can go with the stock plenum, tb and intake runners

I think Mark told me 2270, which is the size I'm targeting for my eventual rebuild.

[ConeDodger]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) McFuelInjection is going to really catch on... Are you going to go with my distributor replacement idea? Or are you going to stay stealth and have your distributor in place?

[ConeDodger]

I winder how big we can go with the stock plenum, tb and intake runners

I think Mark told me 2270, which is the size I'm targeting for my eventual rebuild.

Sean isn't talking about displacement. He is wondering how big the air delivery to the displacement can be. I would guess it will depend on the sensors you choose to run your system on. Vacuum signal becomes undependable with big cams and overlap. Get too big with the runners and velocity may become an issue.

[rick 918-S]

I winder how big we can go with the stock plenum, tb and intake runners

I think Mark told me 2270, which is the size I'm targeting for my eventual rebuild.

Sean isn't talking about displacement. He is wondering how big the air delivery to the displacement can be. I would guess it will depend on the sensors you choose to run your system on. Vacuum signal becomes undependable with big cams and overlap. Get too big with the runners and velocity may become an issue.

Ya, same old issue, maybe a flow bench is in order.

This is very cool!

[sean_v8_914]

my question was aimed at displacement. max rpm would be a factor. I was thinking about a 95mm x 80mm and keep the rpm below 6000.
wouldnt a MAF (instead of MAP) overcome the vacuum signature issue?

[ConeDodger]

my question was aimed at displacement. max rpm would be a factor. I was thinking about a 95mm x 80mm and keep the rpm below 6000.
wouldnt a MAF (instead of MAP) overcome the vacuum signature issue?

many pardons...

The vacuum signal issue is two fold. I know you know this Sean but for others reading the thread the problem is getting rid of pulsations caused by the 4 different intake runners by using a common plenum and the low vacuum caused by performance cams. I think you're right Sean, a MAF would be an answer but I can't use one with SDS and I don't know if you can with Mega and Microsquirt.

With SDS the common solution is to operate with TPS or throttle position sensor as your fuel control. This is no better than carbs when it comes to altitude as you have to retune for altitude changes.

Sorry for the hijack. Your Microsquirt system will work. Mark has used it before... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[sean_v8_914]

Porsche used a vacuum plenum to get a usable vacuum signature

[sean_v8_914]

each throttle body is vac tapped to the plenum. this vac sig is used to modulate fuel pressure regulators under load
no MAFs in teh 80s yet
you can use a MAF and 2 air temps to calc density. solves altitude issue. (theoretical speculation since I have not done this config yet)

[sean_v8_914]

car porn hijack...
my next 914 engine (IMG:style_emoticons/default/aktion035.gif)

[rwilner]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) McFuelInjection is going to really catch on... Are you going to go with my distributor replacement idea? Or are you going to stay stealth and have your distributor in place?

Distributor is out, never to be installed again (if all goes according to plan). Mark is making one of these plugs for me now... should have it installed next week.

[sean_v8_914]

Marks set up is super-clean. no dizzy, no vac lines webbing everywhere. I cant wait to see it

[tradisrad]

I'll be watching.

[r_towle]

I must agree I expected cleaner....lol
We joke in fun Rich...(IMG:style_emoticons/default/poke.gif)


Rich

[904svo]

I ran into problems trying to use MAP, the vacuum was not steady enough to tune the VE table. I had to pass a Two Speed Idle test for inspection. I then try to use TPS instead, this also failed inspection test. The TPS/VE table did not know the difference between no-load and load. I then went to MAF using a Ford MAF sensor,
the car now passes inspection as the MAF measures the air flow which is difference
between load and no-load. The engine also runs great now it idles at 600 RPM's and is smooth as silk.

All these changes were made on a stock 1.7 ltr engine using Megasquirt running MS1-extra software.