280Z28 Posted November 24, 2006 Share Posted November 24, 2006 When I have the chassis for my car built, I want to make sure I meet some set of rules that will allow the car on the track. I'm looking to have a good time, not to race for a competitive season or something. Some things to remember: - My car's primary purpose is to develop/test/demonstrate my new ECU. It's a show car that I can take to the track. Whatever restrictions are placed on the car, they can't restrict what the ECU is able to do. - The motor's able to put down over 1000hp to the wheels. I'd probably have the boost turned down on a road course but not at the drag strip. Drag strip is just because I can - I have medical limitations on my ability to race. I don't want that to stop me from having a fast road course car, and it shouldn't have to. I plan to be the engineer (on the engine/electronics) with someone else driving for any demonstration/tests. As such it will see MANY more shows than track days. I'm not about to let this limit my outlook on the project and how much fun it will be to be involved with it. I do need the setup to be a showstopper though - and it's gotta be allowed at the track at least to do a demo. Sorry for rambling. Since I can't be a racecar driver myself I need some help with what to tell my chassis builder things to cover going into it. Please ask any questions you have. Remember one of my favorite answers though is "I want the car to make a great impression as a demonstrator of my ECU, so I want to go with a setup that leaves people saying 'Holy moley :drool: ' or similar." That's the point of a new product demo afterall. I'll listen to any ideas/suggestions on this aspect! Sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted November 24, 2006 Share Posted November 24, 2006 Why don't you just do time trials (time attacks)? Pretty much run whatcha brung, just need some basic safety equipment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thehelix112 Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 I say you implement a boost limit randomizer for the road course. Keep the driver on his toes. Care to get a free plug and tell us some features of your ECU? Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
280Z28 Posted November 25, 2006 Author Share Posted November 25, 2006 Why don't you just do time trials (time attacks)? Pretty much run whatcha brung, just need some basic safety equipment. Time trials are the way I'll go, again not with me driving but that's something I have to deal with or go home. As an example though, in order to do a fun time trial at a drag strip, I'll need a full cage and a parachute due to the times the car should run. I expect a road course would have some similar set of rules I'll be expected to follow? Those are the ones I really have to make sure I meet. I say you implement a boost limit randomizer for the road course. Keep the driver on his toes. Care to get a free plug and tell us some features of your ECU? Dave There's a heavy focus on gas mileage and drivability improvements in a race motor, which I'll follow with detailed work on reduced emissions levels. I'm also redefining what a driver should expect from presentation of a gauge cluster (available and usable/non-distracting information, etc). New method of boost/traction control on a gear-by-gear basis. Hopefully self tuning of certain things to a level that you won't find anywhere except a top-dollar race shop (think sponsored team). Lots is speculative at this point of course, as it's my research project. I'm currently working through a Ph.D. program with this. I really, really want to have some decent demonstrations of sections ready by the middle or end of next summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 I've never seen any "if you run xxx time, you must have yyy safety equipment" for time trials. Most of them don't even require roll bars. Of course, there is that whole self-preservation thing, so you probably don't want to run with stock belts and no bar with that kind of car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
280Z28 Posted November 25, 2006 Author Share Posted November 25, 2006 I've never seen any "if you run xxx time, you must have yyy safety equipment" for time trials. Most of them don't even require roll bars. Of course, there is that whole self-preservation thing, so you probably don't want to run with stock belts and no bar with that kind of car. Thanks! I'll definitely be checking this out to make sure, but if this is the case it'd be awesome since it allows flexibility to make sure it looks good while we're protecting the occupants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thehelix112 Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 How many years into your PhD are you? Having just finished mine, I would suggest you steer clear of here http://phdcomics.com/comics.php for sure. Your project sounds interesting. More details please. It would seem that self-tuning is entirely dependent on the resolution, accuracy and calibration or sensors. It that still manually controlled? I would be interested also to hear the research questions you aim to answer? Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
280Z28 Posted November 25, 2006 Author Share Posted November 25, 2006 How many years into your PhD are you? Having just finished mine, I would suggest you steer clear of here http://phdcomics.com/comics.php for sure. Your project sounds interesting. More details please. It would seem that self-tuning is entirely dependent on the resolution, accuracy and calibration or sensors. It that still manually controlled? I would be interested also to hear the research questions you aim to answer? Dave I got my BSEE last year specializing in DSP and communication systems. This is my first year in the Ph.D. program, and my main courses are system theory, adaptive control systems, and combustion engine processes at the grad level. My dissertation work will probably end up being some engine theory project over the level of just an aftermarket ECU. The self tuning starts of heavily as "aided tuning," which is really fine for demonstration purposes. I plan to follow a model of get the thing running ASAP with what I'd certainly call crude software, then add features while verifying that everything still works. I have several years of experience in corporate software development so my concerns lie primarily in the area of interfacing electronics (like the drivers between the ECU and the coils). I'm feeling more comfortable now and I have quite a bit of time to get the rest worked out. Much of the hardware/software core of a system that should run my motor is already finished and the motor won't even be ready until April. The sensors and measurement equipment is "state of the art" in the consumer world, obviously limited by the fact that I'm a single student and not a big company with lots of money. I have a bit of National Instruments hardware, and I'll be using Innovate Motorsports wideband O2 sensors and Optrand spark plugs, all of which is discussed more in my FPGA ECU worklog thread over in the Megasquirt forum (I use it as an aftermarket ECU forum too since we don't have one). I also have some threads on LS2.com discussing details of the electronic throttle body I'm using and the crank/cam position sensors on the LSx motors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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