mobythevan

You can check the volts on either of the LC-1 outputs with a multi-meter and they should read according to your AFR. I did this for a while before I got a gauge: Programmed LC-1 output to be 1volt = 10AFR and 2volt = 20AFR, then connect the multi meter and start the car, if multi meter reads 1.5 volts for example, then AFR is 15, if it reads 1.2volts the AFR is 12 and so on. That works well. I would suggest you hook up a meter like that and also hook up the LC-1 to logworks and make sure the logworks readout matches the multi meter readout. Then you know you are good. reading 28mv all the time does not sound right. BTW, do all of this without the LC-1 connected to megasquirt. Then if you connect it to megasquirt and it measures 28mv again you know the problem is in megasquirt

Maybe I'm just yellow, but I want a wideband at 15psi(assuming you meant 15psi from later in the post). On a budget? I would spend $150 and put MSnS v2.2 board in it and buy the LC-1 wideband for $200 for tuning. Unless there is a particular feature you want from the name brand EFI units (I admit the feature you want may be as simple as tech support, megasquirt doesn't offer that)

And the O2 input works correctly with the stimulator board? That would remove any question about the megasquirt hardware. Then use the software that came with the LC-1 to read the AFR while running using a PC. That way make sure the megasquirt works correctly on stim and the LC-1 works correctly by itself. The LC-1 has two outputs, I hate to ask the obvious but you are using the output you programmed right? The other snag comes when you calibrate the LC-1 with the wideband sensor in the exhaust pipe (bad), did you calibrate with it out of the pipe? And are you sure calibration wasn't accidently kicked off since then when it was in the pipe? I hit the button on accident with mine one day and had to remove the sensor and go through calibration in free air again.

I have read other places that without the current limiting resistor the circuity on the megasquirt side overloads the LC-1 A/D converter?? Mine did not work correctly until I added the resistor.

Just to add more info to this post, I drove home last week 30 miles through town with a 300watt inverter running my laptop and connected to the MS through a 25 foot serial cable coiled in the passenger floor, so I could watch IAT and coolant temps. Not to discount what mario said, but just to relay my experience with the inverter. I would also recommend looking at the circuit for the serial communications in the megasquirt board. Bad caps in the circuit? Bad solder joints? Solder joints always get broken on the connectors from plugging/unplugging causing the pins to tweak. If those check out I would replace the serial com chip.

Sure, the oil drain and supply are small, but I just wanted to list one example, there are several small things like that and kind of like the nickel and dime issue they take some time to finish. Not a big deal for most people. The piston and rings are the same(as far as ring land thickness), I have seen that myth dispelled with side by side comparisons of the two, maybe that was a comparison between the 280z and 280zxt(not 280zx piston). Compression would be another issue. In the end I think you will be just as happy with a NA turbo vs the stock turbo. Several people have built them and I have not seen anyone that I remember off hand complain about their NA setup, but maybe some will chime in if that is the case. I think Bleachzee is saying it is easier and cheaper 90% of the time to find a 280zxt engine and swap it in. If so, I agree with that. But that depends on what parts you come across first and what your goal for the car is.

I personally would go whichever path presented itself first. In other words, if a donor car shows up for cheap, buy it, but if you come across a turbo header/turbo/etc first then go that route. I don't see a problem at all using the NA motor from a theoretical standpoint. It is nice if you want the car up and running quickly to have all the pieces. With the NA you have to mess with oil supply line/oil return line just as one example, that kind of little stuff just seems to drag on and on. My priorities are mainly driven by lowest cost and quickest time to hit the street.

I have never taken the time to use the configurator, I am still use to the old days when you had to copy the msns_extra.ini file yourself. I still do it that way and it seems to work well. I was all set up to use 029xx code but chickened out and stuck with 024s13 so I am interested to see what you guys sort out.

My friend has one setting in a chassis for a 32 plymouth in his garage. We are suppose to be getting it up and running with the factory ECU, but haven't had time. I think he paid right around 5K for it out of a truck that was wrecked. I think it is 2005.

well, I do have the Talon now, so you never know. I was more interested in seeing how you made a 1G reliable, nevermind being fast

My msq file in the map sharing post for MSnS_Extra_021u code was using 450cc injectors on the L28et. I would just tell you the pulse widths but I don't have the correct setup right now to open that file.

I disable the O2 by entering an rpm like the 10,000 that badjuju mentioned. I disable the accell enrichment (TPSdot) by entering 20 volts/seconds in the TPSdot threshhold. For spark, off boost, enter idle timing at around 23 degrees like factory and then ramp that up to 34 degrees by 3000 rpm and stay at 34 degrees until you have boost. Then as you enter boost remove 1 degree per pound of boost. That is a good starting point anyway. What is your timing where it bogs? And where does it bog? (aprroximate MAP and RPM value) My Talon was bogging around 2500rpm and 40 KPA (cruising) because the timing was set at 19 degrees(don't ask why it was so low). I changed that up to around 30 degrees like my rule of thumb above and that removed the bog. Always pay attention for pre-detonation of course, which is less likely under low load cruising conditions, so you can get away with timing like 40 degrees during cruising. also, I verified that EGO correction and accell enrichment are turned off by watching the realtime display and looking at logs

I don't use either one of those methods, I have my wife drive the car and I adjust the fuel tables as we drive. I have her cruise steady, adjust that area, cruise in different gears to get to different RPMs, go WOT runs in various gears. After about 20 minutes everything is tuned like I want it. 14-15AFR for cruising and light load areas, 12AFR for medium and WOT. Maybe dips into the 11's a little when boost is over 12psi. BTW, I turn off all accell enrichments and EGO correction while tuning like this(just like the megamanual recommends) That way I get to see immediate changes in AFRs and know the table works like I want right away. If you have to crank forever to start then it sounds like you need to change the priming or cranking pulse widths. What does the AFR show immediately upon startup (rich or lean) then you know what need to happen to the after start enrichment.

here is the text from the manual:

yeah, that looks pretty good since they state it is a straight through cable.

Not necesarrily, serial cables come in both fashions, cross over or straight through. Parallel AFAIK just means that there is more than 1 data line in the connector. A serial cable on has one data line and a parallel cable may have 12 or 16 data lines for example.

I went and looked at it, it doesn't give a pinout. It will work as long as none of the signals cross over? Let us know if you get one. As long as you could return it if it doesn't have all the connections, then I would try it.

To reiterate both points: Megasquirt can use a wideband unit's output to correct fuel providing a closed loop mode(target AFR tables in MSnS_Extra), but Megasquirt cannot control wideband sensors directly so you still have to buy the controller and wideband sensor.

What do you use for the trigger into megasquirt on this engine? Is it an optical CAS in the distributor like the 83 280zxt? You basically work with one number if you have a simple trigger input like an optical crank angle sensor. (you try to eyeball your trigger to occur around 50-60 degrees BTDC on the crank, I think the install guide talks about how to do this) Set your timing to fixed 10 degrees and then vary your trigger angle until you measure 10 degree BTDC on the crank. At that point if your trigger angle is less than 50 you will probably want to move the trigger sensor a little earlier (rotate dizzy on 280zx setups), you always like to trigger around 50 or more degrees early so you have allow yourself around 40 degrees of advance with some headroom. Confused?

haha, those joe mama MBC suck , I have one on my talon and then ball slipped by the spring and shut the output side permanently, had to take it apart and put the ball back in the correct place. I kept adjusting and adjusting and guess what, always too much boost, until I fixed the ball. Verify the ball is working correctly like the others say and use a compressor or something.

to turn off accell anrichment you set the TPSdot threshold (v/s) real high, usually for normal driving it is around 1 v/s, so you set it to say 30 v/s, then you would have to push the pedal like you were superman to break the threshold. Then while driving you have to push the pedal in slower to accelerate, or you may notice dead spots or stumbling, but that is pretty easy to do while tuning.

good job

There are ways I believe to mess up the processor eprom (like BIOS on a PC) so that you can never load or communicate again unless you put the processor in a programming station and redo the basic eprom file. Worst case I guess you could ask Bowling and Grippo if you can mail back the processor itself and have them verify/reprogram it again? It hasn't happened to me yet so I am not 100% sure, but if you lost power during the middle of code update??

I don't see why that wouldn't work, I guess if I was worried about hurting the crane unit, I would make a quick test setup using 12 volts and a toggle switch to fire an HEI module and make sure it works at least manually, one spark at a time, use a current limiting resistor for the test setup (like the schematic in the install guide shows for megasquirt triggering the HEI module). Also, the HEI module rpm limit is higher on a 6 cylinder than 8 cylinder, see my reply over on zcar.com

Take a break and things will clear up. Read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance if your bored, it gives a person a new outlook on why we are working on vehicles to start with. Avoid the "gumption" traps where you lose all your drive, ambition, focus. Or beer will help just as good We all have to vent, now lets get your car running.