1985 Dodge Omni GLH Turbo Microsquirt

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tryingbe
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1985 Dodge Omni GLH Turbo Microsquirt

Post by tryingbe »

I have a 1985 Dodge Omni GLH with lots and lots of modifications, staying 2.2L block and 8 valve cylinder head. It made 290WHP at 20psi on E85 couple years ago on a socketed 1987 Dodge logic module ECU that I programmed. I was experiencing electrical issue with my car and decided it isn't worth my time to troubleshoot the issue, since there is only two possibilities, computers or wiring, none is available new. Wanting to keep the car, aftermarket ECU is the only option and Megasquirt / Microsqurit sounded so good.

For simplicity sake I went with batch firing injectors and wasted spark ignition system, so the compact\slightly cheaper Microsquirt would work fine for me as I will only need one crank sensor and a 36-1 wheel welded to my crank. Factory Chrysler's 2.2/2.5 hall effect sensor/distributor setup is broken on MS.


My Microsquirt input/outputs are the following.

Inputs are:
crank/hall sensor, shielded from the shielding of a coax cable.(no need for cam sensor)
coolant temperature sensor (Chrysler sensor)
air temperature sensor (open element Chrysler sensor)
throttle position sensor (Stock Chrysler sensor)
ethanol sensor (GM sensor)
o2 sensor (AEM Uego with 5v output)
manifold absolute pressure sensor (GM 3 bar map)
Bosch wideband knock sensor with lilknockmeter installed. lilknockmeter can display light, has headphone output, has on/off digital output, as well as analogue output... :yeah!: [/i] Dodge 2.2/2.5 are very noise engines. Stock ECU consider .8V is a knock at 2000rpm, while it consider 4V is a knock at 4000RPM. So I need something that can give me an analogue output.
Clutch Switch for launch control and flat shift.


Outputs are:
idle control (on/off solenoid, not the stock stepper motor)
Edit: MAC valve (same valve people used for boost solenoid) internal opening is too small, only raise idle by 500-100rpm, not enough for my a/c needs. Trying a different valve/solenoid

Edit2: New idle on/off valve is found one bay. 1/4" SS 12V DC Solenoid Valve STAINLESS Steel / VITON/FKM S20V N/C
Edit3: Upgraded to a Ford PWN idle valve, should have used this in the first place
tachometer
two set of Ignition coil (goes to 420a coil)
two set of injectors (75lbs low impedance injectors with a Volvo injector resistor)
a/c cut off - works great
fan relay wire - works great
fuel pump

Boost control is handle by my HDi electronic boost controller, and I am very happy with that.
Added an external voltage regulator from a 80's dodge truck for the alterantor, super easy to do.
Changed all factory fusible links to PAL fuseblock, and added a blade fuseblock for Microsquirt with an relay for ignition switch on

I have almost $1500 into Microsquirt related parts

Microsquirt + 8 ft harness $369
36-1 wheel $32.00
Weld 36-1 wheel to crank $100 - Going to have the wheel fully welded and balanced, tips from a racer that did the same thing and broke his wheel off once due to spot weld and broke the crank the second time due to balancing.
crank sensor $43
QuadSpark $89.00
MAP sensor connector $8.50
MAT sensor connector $10.00
ECT sensor connector $10.00
TPS sensor connector $10.00
420A wires $20
420A coil $20
Wiring Connector packs $30
USB to serial $15
Misc wires $40
Uninsulated crimp $20
Crimp tool $13
Shrink Wrap $10
Misc bolts $15
Relay $15
Fusebox $25
Fuses $5
E85 sensor + connector $80
lilknockmeter $120
bosch knock sensor, connector, stud $40
Injector resister $30
wire loop $20
MAC valve for idle control $30
3m tape $6
Tuner Studio + MegaViewer $79.95
etc...

Separating engine harness with body harness.
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Welded the 36-1 wheel to my crank pulley
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Microsquirt and Quadspark at stock ECU location
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Some people have coil on plug, I have coil on distributor!
Mounted my 420a coil on my distributor, after taking all the moving parts out of the distributor.
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Welded some 1/4" thick metal for my crank sensor bracket.
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Injector resistor, on/off idle solenoid, and 3 bar map under the solenoid
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E85 sensor
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Boost control solenoid, hobbs pressure switch, (opens at 0psi to control the solenoid that allow blowby to from Valvecover to pre-turbo piping), PCV blowby solenoid
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Fuseblocks, PC680 battery, and Volvo radiator fan relay
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Wiring mostly cleaned up
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Last edited by tryingbe on Mon May 27, 2019 6:03 pm, edited 11 times in total.
1985 Dodge Omni GLH Turbo MicroSquirted 367whp http://www.msextra.com/forums/viewtopic ... 04&t=67324
Matt Cramer
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Re: 1985 Dodge Omni GLH Turbo Microsquirt

Post by Matt Cramer »

Did you try the Chrysler 2.2 ignition settings on the current release? They change the code for these a lot when the 3.3.0 code came out and others have reported the new version works.

Overall, this looks like a very cool build. Thanks for posting it up!
Matt Cramer -1966 Dodge Dart slant six running on MS3X
tryingbe
Experienced MS/Extra'er
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Re: 1985 Dodge Omni GLH Turbo Microsquirt

Post by tryingbe »

Matt Cramer wrote:Did you try the Chrysler 2.2 ignition settings on the current release? They change the code for these a lot when the 3.3.0 code came out and others have reported the new version works.

Overall, this looks like a very cool build. Thanks for posting it up!
Do you mean did I try the factory distributor/HEP setup with MS? No, I did not. Chrysler's no longer available 2.2/2.5 hall effect pickup sensor, often DOA aftermarket HEP sensor, its 30 year old wiring connector, distributor, plastic welded shutter wheel, single coil setup, are all weak points in my opinion. I was happy to get rid of all of those parts. :yeah!:

https://web.archive.org/web/20160912225 ... quirt.html

I was lucky my friend has access to a waterjet machine and he cut a 36-1 wheel and welded to the crank pulley for me. I offered his service to the Dodge community, and so far I have zero interest.
1985 Dodge Omni GLH Turbo MicroSquirted 367whp http://www.msextra.com/forums/viewtopic ... 04&t=67324
jsmcortina
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Re: 1985 Dodge Omni GLH Turbo Microsquirt

Post by jsmcortina »

A 36-1 wheel will give more accurate timing than the stock setup ever could.

James
I can repair or upgrade Megasquirts in UK. http://www.jamesmurrayengineering.co.uk

My Success story: http://www.msextra.com/forums/viewtopic ... 04&t=34277
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New users, please read the "Forum Help Page".
tryingbe
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Re: 1985 Dodge Omni GLH Turbo Microsquirt

Post by tryingbe »

jsmcortina wrote:A 36-1 wheel will give more accurate timing than the stock setup ever could.

James
You are very correct.

When I set base ignition timing with the factory computer and HEP, timing will jump from 10 to 12 to 14 to 12 and so on. After the switch to Megasquirt, timing is dead on at whatever number I set it every time.
1985 Dodge Omni GLH Turbo MicroSquirted 367whp http://www.msextra.com/forums/viewtopic ... 04&t=67324
tryingbe
Experienced MS/Extra'er
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Re: 1985 Dodge Omni GLH Turbo Microsquirt

Post by tryingbe »

I've been asked about the knock system I use, so I thought I write it down.

MS2/Microsquirt only accept knock sensor with a knock module, and most of the knock modules has only a output of 0-5V digital on/off. I wanted something more, and I found lilknockmeter.

Features of lilknockmeter are:
A set of LEDs from green to yellow to orange and red, giving you the severity of knocks (LED lights is adjustable via software)
Audio jack output (use headphone to listen to knock!)
0-5v on/off digital output
0-5v analogue output
Software to calibrate the lilknockmeter

I was very happy to find lilknockmeter, you will not find another product with all these features and this low price! Product is made in California, great support from the Leonard, the lilknockmeter creator!

I used the parts below for my install.

A knock module call lilknockmeter made by Insane Import Performance
a VW BOSCH knock sensor 0261231038 (3 wire knock sensor, signal, ground, and ground for the shielding)
VW N90905502 m10x1.5 to m8x1.25 stud, $2-$3 at VW dealer
M8x1.25 washer
M8x1.25 nut
3 wire BOSCH sensor connector, https://www.ebay.com/itm/B1-Rectangle-B ... 2749.l2649

Stock Chrysler knock sensor is mounted on the intake manifold between number 2 and number 3 runner.
The knock sensor is now mounted at the AC bracket at the block between the 1st and 2nd cylinder.
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Lilknockmeter is wired up in the car with 12v, ground,0-5V analogue going to Microsquirt, and the shielded cable going to the knock sensor.

My current lilknockmeter software settings are

Frequency = 6.64kHz (I used this to calculate knock frequency https://www.phormula.com/KnockCalculator.aspx)
Gain = 2.0
Time = 240
Threshold = 0500 (0 to 1024 range, corresponds to 0-5V)
Cylinder = 4

Chrysler uses 0-5 V analogue setup, since I can only set up the LED come on at one voltage, I set it at 2.5V
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Last edited by tryingbe on Mon May 18, 2020 8:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.
1985 Dodge Omni GLH Turbo MicroSquirted 367whp http://www.msextra.com/forums/viewtopic ... 04&t=67324
tryingbe
Experienced MS/Extra'er
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Re: 1985 Dodge Omni GLH Turbo Microsquirt

Post by tryingbe »

Made 250whp at 12.5psi and 350whp at 23.5psi. :yeah!:


Image
1985 Dodge Omni GLH Turbo MicroSquirted 367whp http://www.msextra.com/forums/viewtopic ... 04&t=67324
tryingbe
Experienced MS/Extra'er
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Re: 1985 Dodge Omni GLH Turbo Microsquirt

Post by tryingbe »

Made more power when I put the boost to 26psi. Perhaps it's time to go 4 bar map sensor. :yeah!:

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1985 Dodge Omni GLH Turbo MicroSquirted 367whp http://www.msextra.com/forums/viewtopic ... 04&t=67324
4cefed
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Re: 1985 Dodge Omni GLH Turbo Microsquirt

Post by 4cefed »

Congrats OP on getting a turbo Dodge running on electronics and wiring that are not Reagan-era, I bet it feels good!

I have an 87 Shelby CSX that has been mothballed for two decades because I was chasing one electrical gremlin or another. I ordered an eMS-Pro last fall and yesterday I just got it running. I'll be reading over your build and progress and following your links, because I'm sure I'll have to deal with 90% of the same battles you have overcome so far.

I will say I managed to get the MS to use the hall effect pickup as the trigger input. It is possible. Once I get a little further into tuning and getting most of the functionality out of this ECU I'll post my own write-up on what I did. In a nutshell, I called tech support a few times and got some help with the HEP. The tech was reading margin notes from some file and gave me dip switch settings and some potentiometer tweaks. Basically, it doesn't see the input as a hall, but will see it as a VR input. I had to set my unit to enable (and NOT invert) the VR with a 5V pull up signal. Also, we did some testing with the stock turbo distributor and HEP. The turbo has a square hole in one of the shutters, and two HEPs about 170 degrees away from each other. I had assumed that one sensor was getting 4 triggers per rotation and the other was getting 1 trigger from the window per rotation, this is not the case. Both sensors see 5 triggers per rotation. The factory ECU must be configured to decipher this input.

I used a non-turbo distributor and HEP, with the settings close to what was given to me by the tech, it fires right up and idles. A turbo HEP will work, just use the black connector and not the white one. The non-turbo has 4 solid shutters and one HEP. I'll absolutely agree that using this as a trigger input won't be anywhere near as precise as a trigger wheel, but I want to use as many stock parts as I can. My goal with this car was to get it running and just enjoy driving it. Fabricating a trigger wheel on the crank pulley is logistically one of the only means of getting something like that mounted to this engine, but I wanted to try the factory HEP first. I can always get another HEP, cap, rotor, etc., but if anything happens to that trigger wheel, you are going to be down for a while.

So once again, good job on keeping the turbo Dodge lineage going. It warms my heart to see someone still interested in these things. I hope you keep us updated on your progress.

(P.S. what are you doing for an IAC valve? Did you attach a Bosch 2 wire somehow?)
tryingbe
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Re: 1985 Dodge Omni GLH Turbo Microsquirt

Post by tryingbe »

4cefed wrote:
(P.S. what are you doing for an IAC valve? Did you attach a Bosch 2 wire somehow?)

Sorry getting back to you so late, I used a ECOHTECH 1/4" SS 12V DC Solenoid Valve STAINLESS Steel / VITON/FKM S20V N/C for my idle. It is a on/off valve. Comes on at cold start and when my a/c is running, turns itself off after coolant temperature is higher than 140F. I might go to a PWN valve eventually, but no real hurry since it is 110F out here in Arizona.

Edit, upgraded to a Ford PWN idle valve for more idle control.

Ford PWN idle valve, block off plate with two hole drilled, two npt to barb adapters, a diode, and some vacuum lines later.

Edit again, upgraded to a Volvo BOSCH PWN idle valve as the ford one didn't allow enough air while my a/c was on.

Setup on my other car.
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1985 Dodge Omni GLH Turbo MicroSquirted 367whp http://www.msextra.com/forums/viewtopic ... 04&t=67324
Boomer
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Re: 1985 Dodge Omni GLH Turbo Microsquirt

Post by Boomer »

I may be late to the party here, but any chance you still have access to get the trigger wheel and stuff made up? my boss is a HUGE mopar dude, and he has a shelby Daytona 2.2T and another of the same car but he hasnt touched em in a while because the little stuff that breaks is impossible to replace. We are also local to you which is even more surprising
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