Matt Cramer

Yep, we have a PicoScope USB scope (bought it from AutoNerdz) and it works very well for us.

Yes, it's built in. They recommend slightly different mods from the B&G version, but it can be made to work either way.

Some Megasquirt shops substituted other parts, or added nonstandard circuits. For example, Glen at Glen's Garage has a couple add-on boards that we have very little information about. One of the funnier examples - it wasn't one of Spark & Fuel's - was a guy who wanted us to copy the mods on a Megasquirt he had. When I opened up the box, I found he'd bypassed several of the short circuit protection devices, and installed six spark outputs - three 5 volt outputs, and three 12 volt outputs. Things like that have led to us having a policy that we only work on Megasquirts we built originally; dealing with a board with unexpected issues can be way too time consuming for us.

I would recommend Peter Florance in this case. You can reach him at peter@firstfives.org. He works on Megasquirts built by anybody, and is much better set up for this sort of thing. We know what's in our own Megasquirts, but the ones Gary build sometimes have a few surprises we're not quite set up to test.

If you bought it from us, PM me with the name, address, and email address used to place the order, and I will see what warranty may apply.

With the engine set to TDC, the center of the distributor rotor should be just past the center of the #1 distributor tower contact.

This sounds like a problem with your external ignition hardware. Have you checked your rotor phasing? How old are the plug wires?

Let me see if I'm reading this correctly: 1. You are getting a consistent spark from the coil. 2. The timing of the spark is correct at the coil. 3. But the spark doesn't make it to the plug wires. This sounds like a problem with the distributor phasing, or possibly the distributor or plug wires. It doesn't sound like a problem with the Megasquirt.

Yes, it really is that easy.

The program you are using should work for regular MS2 but not MS2/Extra. See here for the directions on how to load MS2/Extra: http://www.msextra.com/ms2extra/MS2-Extra_Conversion.htm#install_f

If the spark is good at the coil but not making its way to the plugs, either your timing is very far off or you have an issue with the distributor or plug wires.

With MS1/Extra, go to Spark -> Spark Settings and enter 10 in the Fixed Angle number to lock out your timing. Then adjust either the Trigger Angle (adding X degrees from it will advance the timing X degrees) or the distributor, or both, until the timing reads 10 degrees with the timing light. Then go back and set Fixed Angle to -10. This tells it to use the timing table.

Are the plugs still wet with fuel?

You'll probably have an easier time setting up EDIS with a V2.2 board than you would trying to build a distributorless ignition with direct coil control. A used EDIS module can be cheaper than the parts you'd need for coil drivers and a VR conditioner.

Make sure you are using the right loader file - it appears you may have loaded MS1/Extra code onto an MS2.

You're adding too much fuel. I would switch the cranking pulse from two point to using a full table, and set the pulse width at your air temperature deliberately low. Then increase it in 0.1-0.2 msec intervals until the engine catches.

There was only one reset - the other red line is a manual marking. The Megasquirt attempts to predict the next tach pulse. And it then tracks how accurate its prediction is when the next pulse shows up. That's the Timing Error readout.

Processor or system reset is the same thing - the different reset is a communications reset. It shows up as a red line in the data log.

It seems to have minor noise issues; there's also a processor reset. Based on how a few other variables changed such as Timing Error, I think that was a real bit of noise in the RPM signal. I noticed you're running beta code. If you go back to the latest stable release (2.0.1) does the problem persist?

Could you post the full data log? I'd like to see how some of the variables not shown in the picture acted at the time of the spike.

Did it show a pulse width when cranking? Do the injector LEDs blink on a Stimulator? Check these and let us know what you find.

If you have made changes to the VE table but not burnt them to the ECU, Fetch returns them to the values currently in the MS.

You can use certain Palm handhelds, mostly the earlier ones with a DB9 serial port, with MS. They don't run MegaTune but there is specific software for them.

This usually means the USB adapter is loose in its socket. Running it with the extension cable in place often makes it less likely to vibrate out.

Some timing lights require flipping the pick up upside down on some of the plug wires when using a wasted spark ignition like EDIS. If you still can't read a spark on these cylinders, about the only things it can be are the plugs, wires, or coil, since you are getting a spark on the companion cylinders.