Matt Cramer

I used a Goldenrod fuel filter meant for a gas pump to make a surge tank. It's not as big as that one and the fuel pump had to go outside, but the case is metal. Picked it up for something like $25 at Tractor Supply.

In that case, the Megasquirt's resets are symptoms of the main relay cycling off, not the cause. There is nothing inside the Megasquirt that can turn the main relay off (unlike many Bosch systems where the ECU can do this). The problem is either on the relay board or on whatever is powering it.

If the main relay (as opposed to the fuel pump relay) is clicking on and off, there's only three things that can cause that. Check the grounding, the 12 volt switched power wire, and the relay itself.

There's a couple ways this can go here... EDIS absolutely requires a 36-1 trigger as the pattern is hard-wired into it. There's a GMDIS system that is similar to EDIS in concept but uses a 7 tooth wheel with a specific trigger pattern that could also work. Again, the tooth pattern is hardwired in there. The MS2/Extra code is under no such restrictions and could use something a bit more arbitrary like a 12-1 wheel. It's tough to grind a tooth so the sensor wouldn't see it but it would still catch on the starter pinion; a completely missing flywheel tooth would result in a dead spot where if the engine stopped there the starter wouldn't engage. There's been a rather experimental board aimed at BMW and Audi cars that used a flywheel sensor plus a single extra tooth, but I'm not sure how far along that has come. The biggest issue is that the wheel decoding code for MS2 has been aimed at 60 teeth or less. Sure, that would work. Same goes for magnets embedded in the crank pulley. An altered shutter wheel in the distributor, modified to use a pattern that gives cylinder identification, could also trigger a DIS setup.

Normally there is no need to configure the serial port as it scans the ports and finds the LC-1 on its own. Your LC-1 definitely isn't powering up. Check to be sure it's getting 12 volt power and is grounded to the engine block. If it doesn't have any power issues, you'll want to contact Innovate on it as they support these directly.

That's an interesting idea, but first we want to come up with a way to get Megasquirt on them that doesn't involve a bunch of fabrication to add a new trigger wheel and crank sensor.

Won't be PNP, just some things to help out with the installation. To develop a PNP would call for us having to find a complete, running, 100% stock JDM car that we could keep in our shop a couple months for testing. We're just looking to cut down on the fabrication needed.

That auctioneer is really causing a lot of confusion with his generic stock photos. The coil pack in that photo looks nothing like an actual Durango coil. The application he's listed is in fact an engine with a distributor with a single coil. The coil in the picture, however, looks like it's off of a four cylinder Ford Escort, Contour, or Focus, or maybe one of the two coils from an early 4.6 (they used two four banger coils working in tandem). Those would work. Ford's stock EDIS-8 modules don't rev to 8,000 RPM. You'd be better off using direct coil control and eliminating the EDIS module. You can special order the MS-II built for direct coil control on a DIS setup. I take it you're planning for a future engine buildup, as I can't see a smallblock breathing through a stock TPI manifold at 8,000 RPM.

We've seen a lot of timing lights have trouble with the second tower on two tower coils. This is a problem with the inductive pick-up and not the coil's fault. Sometimes it can be fixed by putting the pick-up on there upside down.

I see what you're concerned about. In this case, this wasn't really a deliberate move, but ST's decision to drop the VB921 left us with a difficult time finding a replacement. The Bosch BIP series was the only thing that was really a drop-in substitute with a comparable set of features. The other things we looked at either required a change to the mainboard, created a real risk for frying the PCB, or would have been even more costly. As others have noted, it's still pretty straightforward to use factory ignition modules. Component suppliers discontinue parts all the time, for various reasons. Usually the scramble to find a new part is something that takes place behind the scenes and we come up with something that's readily available. For example, the ST323ABN chip currently used for serial communications has been dropped. You'll be seeing future kits made with a nearly identical and comparably priced chip from another manufacturer soon, but this one's pretty easy to order from electronics wholesalers. Usually these changes don't have much fanfare, but the way the VB921 proved difficult to find a substitute that let us keep all the current hardware designs made something of an exception. You can expect us to roll out some other extra items that could bring the cost up but add convenience - for example, we're looking into items that will make it easier for running Megasquirt on an SR20DET or RB motor. But you can also expect some interesting stuff coming out for the low-buck do it yourself crowd, such as a lower-priced Microsquirt variant with no case. And we don't plan on dropping things like the V2.2s as long as there's demand for them.

They're not the only option - just the BIPS were the only ignition driver we were able to find in a TO-220 package that has current limiting and thermal shutdown. There are a couple drivers that don't have the current limiting out there, such as Fairchild EcoSparks, surface mount versions of the VB921, and some comparatively expensive external modules. It wasn't easy to persuade Bosch there was a market for their transistors at the retail level. The BIP373s sell on their own for $6.50 each (that's in the service parts section of our website - the $8 kit includes a mica insulator pack and a resistor), and while I can't say what we actually pay for them, I will say that the % markup on them is actually less than on some of the other parts we sell.

This is correct as long as the MS is built for direct coil control with a BIP373 or VB921.

Did you buy it as a complete unit, or a kit the owner never put together? If it was a complete unit, chances are there's already some sort of firmware in it, so you might want to see if you can talk to it using the portcheck.exe program. Let me know if you need directions for how to use it.

The direct output to the coil is indeed for spark control, not for running fuel only.

You're not the first. I've seen times where the heat sink compound - even the white stuff we use on our assembled units - got around the mica and grounded out a BIP373.

I did. Haven't quite got it complete but the piping was what I'd best describe as "just OK." It was mandrel bent but the bends were often 5 degrees or more off what they should be. It had T-bolt clamps and real silicone couplers, but they are pretty soft silicone. Right now I haven't got the thing together so I am not sure how they will hold up to boost. I had a universal pipe set, not a model specific one.

Seems my Internet connection had hiccupped; the file's OK now. There is one setting that's off: You've set the cranking timing to "Trigger Rise" and it needs to be "calculated." Also check with a spark advance gauge in MegaTune to make sure the MS is commanding more ignition advance - it may not be.

Yeah, it probably is heavier gauge, but I'm not sure they put the added weight where it counted or not. I'd pretty much counted on designing my own brackets too (like anyone would make off the shelf brackets to fit a turbocharged Dodge Dart!), but at the time, CX Racing's ad copy made a big deal about how they included brackets with theirs and I felt they should have delivered better on that promise. The brackets should have at least had holes that were large enough for the intercooler mounting brackets. I wouldn't have been irked at all if they had not mentioned or included brackets - which appears to be what they're doing now.

Not that exact model, but I've got a different CX Racing intercooler and charge piping. Here's my impression of it. Pros: -Good value for the money -Looks pretty good -Charge pipe had T-bolt clamps and silicone couplers rather than worm clamps and rubber Cons: -Heavy for its size -Charge pipe bends aren't the most accurate -Mounting brackets included were a bad joke (two strips of metal with holes that didn't even match the bolts - I see they're not advertising the brackets anymore) Sure, it's a cheap ChinaCooler, but it's not bad for what it is.

Something's wrong with that ZIP file - it came up empty for me.

Could you post your MSQ? I'm suspecting a settings issue.

The ECU doesn't control the gauges on this car.

It's perfectly OK to install an ignition output meant for later use and not connect it to anything when you first get it running.

You sure can. It'll just need the Extra code and some internal mods to add coil drivers.

Yep, late model 4.6 Mustangs have a COP setup that works well with EDIS. http://www.diyautotune.com/tech_articles/how_to_megasquirt_your_ford_mustang.htm