Megasquirt MS2/Extra Loading firmware and Upgrade Notes

MS2/Extra - Loading firmware and Upgrade Notes

Introduction - Megasquirt 1 (base) - Megasquirt 1 (MS1/Extra) - Megasquirt 2 (B&G) - Megasquirt 2 (earlier MS2/Extra) - Downloading and installing - Alpha/Beta/Release versions

** If you are new to Megasquirt and this is your first install, skip to downloading and installing. **

Introduction

This page is intended to help those already familiar with earlier Megasquirt products to upgrade their settings to MS2/Extra or be aware of what settings have changed. If you are new to Megasquirt and this is your first install, then everything is new so skip to downloading and installing.

For all installations, ensure that the jumper from S12C to JS9 (+12V) is installed. This is required for the stepper outputs to work. See the build manual step ~25 for details.

Megasquirt 1 (base)

Do not try to load your old Megasquirt-1 settings into Megasquirt-2.

If your fuel VE table is well tuned, then retain it. Otherwise start from scratch (online) as it a new user.

To transfer you VE table

Open up your tuning software and load your Megasquirt-1 tune.

Open the VE table. Export as VEX.

Close tuning software.

If you are swapping the Megasquirt-2 card in place of the Megasquirt-1 processor you may well want to add the 12V feed to the chip. (Notes to be added.)

Setup Tunerstudio and create a new project for the Megasquirt 2.

Power up your Megasquirt 2 and open the tuning software.

Ensure that you see the default settings i.e. it isn't all blanks or zeros.

Open the Fuel VE table.

Import the VEX you previously saved.

Whether you imported a VE table or not, you now must go through all settings to configure for your engine. e.g. number of cylinders, ReqFuel, ignition triggering, spark and fuel hardware in use.

Megasquirt 1 (MS1/Extra)

Do not try to load your old MS1/Extra (also referred to as Megasquirt'n'spark or MSnEDIS) settings into Megasquirt-2.

If your fuel and spark table are well tuned, then retain them. Otherwise start from scratch as it a new user.
Follow the steps above in Megasquirt-1 to export and import your tables.

Key differences

Almost all other settings are somewhat different between MS1/Extra and Megasquirt-2.

The wheel decoder now requires a single "Tooth #1 angle" and automatically calculates the triggers itself and enables the required number of spark outputs depending on how many cylinders you have and your selection of single coil, wasted spark, coil-on-plug or dual-dizzy.

Spark A,B,C are available on the LEDs (not FIDLE)

Sparks D,E,F have moved

Launch pins are different

Nitrous pins are different and the wiring method has changed

Water injection is not supported

3 stage shift lights not supported

Spare ADCs the same.

12V power feed to the chip to enable the stepper driver (Caution! Do not refit the Megasquirt-1 CPU with the 12V feed in place.)

Whether you imported a VE table or not, you now must go through all settings to configure for your engine. e.g. number of cylinders, ReqFuel, ignition triggering, spark and fuel hardware in use.

Megasquirt 2 (B&G)

Do not try to load your old Megasquirt-2 settings into Megasquirt-2.

If your fuel and spark table are well tuned, then retain them. Otherwise start from scratch as it a new user.
Follow the steps above in Megasquirt-1 to export and import your tables.
Although the MS2/Extra code evolved from an early Megasquirt-2 code, many settings are somewhat different and many new features exist.

Key differences

Ignition mode selection is direct, chose you tach input source.

Check your spark output! JS10 is standard on MS2/BG, D14 is standard on MS2/Extra

The regular wheel decoder requires a single "Tooth #1 angle" instead of skip teeth etc. It automatically calculates the triggers itself and enables the required number of spark outputs depending on how many cylinders you have and your selection of single coil, wasted spark, coil-on-plug or dual-dizzy.

PWM idle valve duties work so that 0% means fully closed.

Stepper idle valves work so that 0 steps is fully closed.

An alternate wall-wetting transient method "EAE" is available.

Rev limiting is changed

Larger fuel and spark tables.

Many new features.
Note that if your Megasquirt is already wired up and working with MS2/BG code then you should not need to change any of that wiring when moving to MS2/Extra - carefully review your settings for input capture and spark output polarity and bring them across.

Megasquirt 2 (MS2/Extra) non-sequential

You can mostly load your MS2/Extra 2.1.0 tune into MS2/Extra 3.0.x

Key differences

Sequential fuel supported (with hardware mods.)

Accel enrichment TPSdot values 10x larger.
Be sure to alter these values in the Acceleration Wizard. Open up the values table for the TPS based AE curve and multiply all values in the rate% column by 10. Find TPSdot threshold and multiply that by 10.
These are the default settings:
default AE values

The PW adder values will need to be tuned to suit your injector size and engine behaviour.

Download and installation

The 3.2.4 release code is recommended for all users, it is the current release.
It available for download as a self extracting file here
Then follow the next steps to load the firmware onto your Megasquirt. (These notes were written earlier, so the filenames are slightly different.)

The following is a stepwise approach to downloading and installing firmware.

1. Install TunerStudioMS if you do not already have it (setup page)
Version 2.04 or later is required.

2. Create a folder/directory for MS2. e.g. C:\MS2
(Use "My Computer" or "Windows Explorer", open Local Disk C: and Create New Folder, name it MS2 ).

3. Download the firmware zipfile
Right click and Save Target As into the C:\MS2 folder.

4. Use My Computer / Windows Explorer and browse to C:\MS2

5. Right click on the file you saved and choose Extract All

6. The defaults are ok, and just click next. (Note that Windows needlessly adds a second level of directory.)

7. You should now find the files have been extracted. Open up the folders until you see this:

(Note that the exact files might vary by release.)

8. Ensure you have saved your settings in your existing firmware (if any.)

9. Exit your tuning software and ensure nothing is using the serial port.

10. Double click on ms2loader_win32.exe (If you get a security warning, click Run)
Answer all of the questions by pressing the required key on your keyboard.

Be careful on the MS2/Microsquirt choice:

MS2 should be selected for ECUs with an MS2 daughtercard

Microsquirt should be selected for Microsquirt ECUs or DIYPNP, MSPNP2 that use the Microsquirt module.

Example:

MegaSquirt-2 Firmware Loader 3.22 2012-07-02
.
Remove the fuse powering your ignition coils.
(Spark outputs may be undefined until you re-load your settings.)
Press enter to continue...
.
Ensure that your Megasquirt/Microsquirt/ECU is
-connected to your computer
-has fused 12V power connected.
Press enter to continue...
.
Ensure that no tuning software is running.
Be sure to Quit the software, not just minimise it..
Press enter to continue...
.
Debug message Level:
1: Normal
2: More detail
3: + serial comms
4: + the s19 file as parsed
Selection (default: 1):
.
Do you want to scan your serial ports automatically? (y/n default y)
.
COM1 MS2/Extra detected
.
Do you want to use COM1 (y/n default = y)
.
.
.
Found firmware files : ms2_extra_us.s19 : ms2_extra.s19
.
1: Megasquirt 2.
2: Microsquirt, Microsquirt module, DIYPNP, MSPNP2.
.
.
File to upload (1, 2, filename, default= ms2_extra.s19): 1
.
Preserve sensor calibrations (only for MS2/Extra) (y/n, default: y)?
.
========================================================
Settings selected:
Serial port: COM1
S19 File: ms2_extra.s19
Debug level: 1
Jumperless reflash enabled
Preserving sensors calibrations
========================================================
Press enter to continue...
Sending jumperless flash command
Attempting Wakeup...
Fetching : sensor calibrations
Erasing main flash!
Erased.
Sending firmware to controller...
[========================================================>]100.0%
Sending : sensor calibrations
Wrote 105052 bytes
*** Settings not preserved. Please re-load your MSQ / tuning settings ***
Press enter to continue...
.

If this takes long than ~45 seconds then you likely need to adjust the port settings of your USB-serial adapter to reduce the latency setting.

11. Open TunerStudio. If you have an existing project, then you will likely get a message like this:

In the example shown, the project is configured for signature 2.1.0p, but the Megasquirt has signature 3.0.3r loaded. Here it is best to Work Offline and create a new Project. If you were upgrading from say 3.0.3r to 3.0.3s then it would be better to "Update Project ini"

12. If you create a new project. You will likely need to use the latest ini file that got extracted into C:\MS2\......

During creation or via File->Project->ProjectProperties, you can get to the Project Properties menu.
Tick other, click on the three dots and then browse to the ini file you saved.

13. Or if you decided to "Update Project ini" then browse to the ini file that got extracted into C:\MS2\......

14. You should now have TunerStudio running and connected to your Megasquirt / Microsquirt.

15. Calibrate your TPS, AFR, CLT, MAT, MAP, BARO tables.

16. Check your project properties / settings are correct.

17. If applicable reload your settings (MSQ) or create new settings. Note that when starting a tune, you MUST initially work online.
NEVER start from blank offline or many settings will be scrambled and you will have major troubles getting your engine to run.

Alpha, beta, release code? What's the difference?

During code development there are a number of key phase as the firmware evolves. The naming is intended to identify which stage the firmware is at.

Release - the firmware is considered suitable for general release, features are complete and believed to work as described. New users should be using release code.

Beta - the firmware is considered suitable for moderate release, features have been completed, but extended testing is required to ensure everything works as described.

Alpha - anything goes. New features, incomplete code, test code. The latest features will be made available as an alpha release, but it is up to the tester to determine if it works correctly. New users are advised to avoid alpha releases.

MS2/Extra firmwares

Code Status Comment
1.0.x Obsolete Old release code

2.0.x Obsolete Old release code

2.1.x Obsolete Old release code

3.0.x Obsolete Old development code

3.1.x Obsolete Old release code

3.2.x Current The current release code is 3.2.4

pre-3.3 xxxxx Development Development codes leading up to 3.3 release

If you have a question, comment, or suggestion for this FAQ please post it on the forum.

Code	Status	Comment
1.0.x	Obsolete	Old release code
2.0.x	Obsolete	Old release code
2.1.x	Obsolete	Old release code
3.0.x	Obsolete	Old development code
3.1.x	Obsolete	Old release code
3.2.x	Current	The current release code is 3.2.4
pre-3.3 xxxxx	Development	Development codes leading up to 3.3 release