New User with a Jeep Addiction

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rustybottoms88
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Joined: Wed Aug 07, 2013 11:17 am
Location: Arkansas

New User with a Jeep Addiction

Post by rustybottoms88 »

I guess I better make my first post and get things rolling.
First off I have a AMC360 I rebuilt last summer. Its basically stock despite being bored .060 and a HEI distributor. I have decided to take it to the next level with EFI. After looking over my options, researching, and a friend pointed me in the direction of megasquirt. I found a controler for sale on a offroad forum shortly after and snatched it up. You can see the info below:
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From what I have read thus far it will do more than I will need for this application but there is room to grow should I decide to.
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According to the previous owner he bought it new to use on a toyota and never did. I just down loaded the Lite version of TunerStudioMS and I am missing a connection cable so I will be picking up one of those to plug it in and see what I have to start with.
I have been rounding up parts and this what I have so far:
Wiring harness(came with megasquirt)
IAT and CLT sensors( came with megasquirt)
454TBI w/adjustable fuel pressure regulator

I am still reading and learning and this will be a project that will get in full swing probably in November(hopefully).
If any of you have similar setups and are willing to share information it would be greatly appreciated. I still have alot of reading to do! :RTFM: Thanks and God Bless
"Its better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it."
elaw
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Re: New User with a Jeep Addiction

Post by elaw »

Welcome!

The MS2 is a good product, and I bet you'll be making more use of its features than you expect, once you see all the cool things it can do.

Hopefully you've found it already, but there's a "manuals" link at the top of each screen in this forum that will take you to the documentation. In addition to reading the MS2 stuff, scroll down to the "schematics" section for a nice diagram of the external wiring.

The info on the sticker you photographed says two things: 1) yours is a professionally-built unit (from DIYAutotune: http://www.diyautotune.com/catalog/mega ... -p-65.html) which is good. And that it may have old firmware which is not so good.

I'd look around the docs and do some reading in the MS2-extra forums and as soon as you're able, upgrade to the latest stable firmware.

Also one tip: there's a USB-to-RS232 adapter plugged into the serial port on the unit. Rather than buying a USB cable to connect that to your computer, you're much better off plugging the converter into your computer and using an RS232 cable to connect it to the Megasquirt - USB cables are much more prone to electrical noise pickup (which can cause all sorts of frustrating problems) than RS232 cables are.
Eric Law
1990 Audi 80 quattro with AAN turbo engine: happily running on MS3+MS3X
2012 Audi A4 quattro, desperately in need of tweaking

Be alert! America needs more lerts.
rustybottoms88
Helpful MS/Extra'er
Posts: 49
Joined: Wed Aug 07, 2013 11:17 am
Location: Arkansas

Re: New User with a Jeep Addiction

Post by rustybottoms88 »

Thank you elaw I will heed your advice. The information about the proper cable to use was very useful. Sometimes its the little things that can make the difference.
"Its better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it."
rustybottoms88
Helpful MS/Extra'er
Posts: 49
Joined: Wed Aug 07, 2013 11:17 am
Location: Arkansas

Re: New User with a Jeep Addiction

Post by rustybottoms88 »

This EFi project got sidelined by a few other things that needed attention first on the jeep but I am back on it now. I picked up a Innovate LC1 wideband 02 with controller a while back off ebay and I plan to use that. Currently I am working on getting my old labtop up to snuff so I can use it as my tuning computer. It has Win Vista on it and I am thinking of canning it for the latest Ubuntu. From what I have read several people have used Ubuntu with Tunerstudios with little to no problems. I have a good friend that is alot more tech savvy than I am that is helping me along.
My tbi adapter for my BBC tbi to AMC two barrel intake should be in Wednesday. In the mean time I have alot more reading to do. :RTFM:
"Its better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it."
rustybottoms88
Helpful MS/Extra'er
Posts: 49
Joined: Wed Aug 07, 2013 11:17 am
Location: Arkansas

Re: New User with a Jeep Addiction

Post by rustybottoms88 »

The wiring harness that came with my MSII has a fast-idle wire and a pin #36 wire (I am going off my memory so that maybe wrong #). The pin #36, from what i found, is used to control spark/ignition. I do not think I will be using the fast-idle and I do not want to use the MSII to control spark at this point I just want to get it started and running. Can I just tie these wires up and leave them alone for now? Also I need to update my firmware. Is there a good guide for doing this using Ubuntu?
I am not getting any communication between my laptop and the megasquirt. I am using Tunerstudio. I have more reading to do. I am still very new to this and learning as I go.
"Its better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it."
billr
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Re: New User with a Jeep Addiction

Post by billr »

Sure, just tie back and insulate, with tape or such, the ends of any unused wires. If you can, try getting first com between TS and MS using a full RS-232 cable. Sometimes getting USB going can be tricky, and it would be nice to know the two can intrinsically "talk" without wondering if the USB software driver is installed correctly.
rustybottoms88
Helpful MS/Extra'er
Posts: 49
Joined: Wed Aug 07, 2013 11:17 am
Location: Arkansas

Re: New User with a Jeep Addiction

Post by rustybottoms88 »

billr wrote:Sure, just tie back and insulate, with tape or such, the ends of any unused wires. If you can, try getting first com between TS and MS using a full RS-232 cable. Sometimes getting USB going can be tricky, and it would be nice to know the two can intrinsically "talk" without wondering if the USB software driver is installed correctly.
Thank you. How do I use a RS-232 cable without using a USB adapter? My computer does not have a DB9 male or female connector on it.
"Its better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it."
billr
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Joined: Sun May 15, 2011 11:41 am
Location: Walnut Creek, Calif. USA

Re: New User with a Jeep Addiction

Post by billr »

No old desktop laying around with a DB9 serial? Then you are stuck with the USB. It can be made to work fine, I was just suggesting initial tries with the RS-232 to avoid some start-up frustration.
rustybottoms88
Helpful MS/Extra'er
Posts: 49
Joined: Wed Aug 07, 2013 11:17 am
Location: Arkansas

Re: New User with a Jeep Addiction

Post by rustybottoms88 »

billr wrote:No old desktop laying around with a DB9 serial? Then you are stuck with the USB. It can be made to work fine, I was just suggesting initial tries with the RS-232 to avoid some start-up frustration.
No, old desk top but I do appreciate your help. I found the Megasquirt 2 Setting Up quick start guide and it has helped get me going for now.
"Its better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it."
rustybottoms88
Helpful MS/Extra'er
Posts: 49
Joined: Wed Aug 07, 2013 11:17 am
Location: Arkansas

Re: New User with a Jeep Addiction

Post by rustybottoms88 »

hi thank you all for all the help thus far and thanks to DIYautotune for such a great product and support. I am really having fun with this now as I am making progress! However as i was reading the manuals and startup guides i realized I had wired up a few things incorrectly. Mainly the fact that i did not put my distributor, injectors, o2 sensor and fuel pump on the same relay. I also realized that that relay should be grounded using the MSII fuel pump wire. I also had my wideband o2 (Innovate LC1) blue, and white wire grounded in the same place, where as per the manual the blue wire(for the heat shield on the o2 sensor itself) should be grounded to the engine with the other MS II grounds and the white wire which is the ground for the WB controller should be grounded through Megasquirt. I corrected this and DL the comm drivers for my serial adapter, uploaded the new firmware and I am now communicating with my MS II and have begun tuning. The problem is my wideband o2 sensor is not powering up and megasquirt is not detecting it. I know it powered up the way i had it wired before because the o2 sensors preheat melted the protective sleeve that was over the end of the o2 sensor.
For the sake of clarity here is how i had it wired up before:
Brown analog 2 wire going to the pink wire on the megasquirt, Blue and white wire grounded on the same lug to the body(which is hardmounted via welds to the frame). The red power wire going to a relay box with its own relay and a 20 amp fuse. I just had the yellow analog 1 wire and black test wire taped up.

Here is how i have it wired up now: Brown analog 2 wire going to the pink wire on the megasquirt. Blue wire being grounded to the engine with the other MS II grounds and the white wire is grounded through one of the MS II ground wires, The red power wire is wired to the same relay that is being used for my distributor, injectors and fuel pump that is grounded using the MSII fuel pump wire. The o2 has its own 20 amp fused circuit. I tested this circuit with a test light and the first circuit was not putting out any power, which was odd because it had worked before when i had the MS II wired to it in the first wiring configuration I used. I checked the fuse on this circuit and it was good so i used another circuit and i tested it with a light and it is getting power now but still the controller is not powering up from what i can tell and the MS II is not detecting any input..
The only discretion i have found is that the LC1 start up guide suggest that both the blue and white wire be grounded in the same place on the same lug with no other lugs connected like i had before.........
Any thing you all see that i am missing? Anymore info I can provide that would help? The relay and circuit block I am using for the distributor, fuel pump, injectors, and o2 sensor is a painless 7 circuit setup like this: I just snipped the ground and conected it to the MS II fuel pump wire.
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"Its better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it."
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