Going Megasquirt

[Daniel Jost]

Well after a long time of debating i have decided that i want to take the little known path and use MSII V3.0 with MSII Extra 2.1 they do have support for our DIS ignition systems and i have been talking with Matt from diyautotune about the wiring. I see that one other person has done this before and i would like to do it myself and hopefully be able to document everything that i needed to make it happen on a GN to start a small data base of swaping a Buick. I intend to start on the project in early January 2011, it will probably be a slower process with a huge learning curve, but im wiling to give it what i got. If anyone has info on doing the swap it would be appreciated, i have done quite a bit of research so far but i am very open if someone on the board has already done this and can give me a bit of insight.

Thanks, Dan

 

[ttypewe4jim]

Very Cool Dan,

Ive been debatinag about doing the swap for a while now... Maybe this will give me the extra nudge to completely commit to it you planning on using a relay board and custom harness or repining the stock harness to work with the MS box?

 

[Daniel Jost]

I will be retaining the stock harness, i have built the female end of my home made Plug-n-play adaptor already out of the connector from an old TBI truck ecm because they are the same, i straitened the pins and soldered and shrink wrapped wires on to them, which i will be pinning into the DB37 connector for MS2. This can also be done with the relay board and cutting off the stock harness end but then there is no going back.
I will try to update, and keep detailed info on this when I start in Jan so that maybe we can get a couple more people on the board like yourself to convert over!

,Dan

 

[Daniel Jost]

You could also use their plug and play adaptor board that they sell here DIYAutoTune.com

,Dan

 

[Daniel Jost]

Well im a bit ahead of the schedule right now, i ordered MS3 V3.0 board today along with a Jimstim and will assemble them later this week so i can get to work on setting up the ECM for my vehicle along with making the adaptor harness, so when i am by my car again in mid Jan i will be able to get down to work.

,Dan

 

[SloGN]

best if i can remember correctly the MS ecu don't read our knock sensor. so be careful.




I use to have a MS 3.0 v2 o a 91 eagle talon. i have often thought about reconfiguring it for my 84 hot-air just as something to mess with.

 

[Daniel Jost]

Im not sure about the MS2 but the MS3 has a programable input for knock sensor in going low. It takes in the output from the ESC module, they say that is is compatable with all GM ESCs from the late 80 through 90s.

,Dan

 

[Daniel Jost]

I got the Megasquirt 3/MS3X and stimulator board assembled this week and downloaded the firmware. When hooked up to the stimulator board with it outputting a GM DIS (C3I) system signal everything works great! I will be building the harness adaptor in the next couple weeks. I have already come up with the neccesary schematics for the MS3/MS3X to Stock Harness adaptor. Note that there are other connections but the ones still needed will not be done through the stock harness, like; Wideband in, grounds, 2-step input, alky control in/out, Flex Fuel switching (for E85), and switch to control Hi/Low boost and table switching, etc.. Note MS3 also has onboard computerless SD card data logging!

,Dan

 

[Daniel Jost]

So for those of you that are following this adventure, i have the MS3 assembled and have the adaptor almost completed, i still have to put on the MS3X DB37 connector and some additional grounds. I have the MS3 programmed with a base map, and have installed all the stuff needed for table switching with a switch, or flex fuel sensor. I have been doing a lot of bench testing with the simulator and everything has gone very well so far! Ill attach some pics of the progress.

Also opposing what people on this board said, the guys over at diyautotune.com, msefi.com, and msextra.com have had great support for this product. So far i would say everything has been pretty easy and strait forward.
,Dan

 

[Daniel Jost]

last pic that wouldnt fit

 

[turbobob924]

Very cool, keep the information coming

 

[Instro84]

cool i'd like to see the results also.

 

[BandAid]

really like this....i have an 85 T type that will be getting a 5.3 turbo motor...hmmm maybe your my guy to show me the ways....:smile:

 

[Scott87]

Subscribed

 

[Daniel Jost]

Thanks guys!

I cant wait to see the results either, ill be with my car doing an internship next semester at Cat in Peoria, IL doing product development (starting Jan 10) so ill be able to get it in and do some testing. Right now im getting the basics set and proven in my apartment at school.
Bandaid its funny you talk about doing it on a turbo 5.3, once i get this sytem proven on my car we may be swapping the Stock ECM we previously tuned for boost using EFI LIVE on my brothers turbo 5.3 to a MS3 for the extra options like 2-step!

,Dan

 

[Daniel Jost]

Also after the install is completed and proven i will do a complete write-up on exactly how the MS3 V3.0 board needs to be assembled to allow correct operation on our cars, along with uploading a 'Base Tune', i have also already completed a wiring schematic page for personal use that tells exactly what wires need to go where on the harness adaptor. My goal is to be able to provide support for other TB members that are interested but dont have the patientce or time to do the tedious research involved in something like this.

,Dan

 

[Daniel Jost]

Well great news guys! I have what i believe to be the first ever Grand National running on Megasquirt 3! Finally got around to plugging it in tonight after i came back home to a dead battery from a faulty turbo timer, got it charged up and cranked the key and wallah it started right up a purred like a kitten in this cold A$$ 14 degree Northern Wisconsin weather! I wanted to take it for a ride but with about 2' of snow outside the garage door and slicks i decided against it. I got a video of it but need my brother to get one on his phone and post it on youtube. Best part is the whole system i made is plug and play! I am almost jumping right now because i was very sceptical until this point!

,Dan

 

[ttypewe4jim]

Well great news guys! I have what i believe to be the first ever Grand National running on Megasquirt 3! Finally got around to plugging it in tonight after i came back home to a dead battery from a faulty turbo timer, got it charged up and cranked the key and wallah it started right up a purred like a kitten in this cold A$$ 14 degree Northern Wisconsin weather! I wanted to take it for a ride but with about 2' of snow outside the garage door and slicks i decided against it. I got a video of it but need my brother to get one on his phone and post it on youtube. Best part is the whole system i made is plug and play! I am almost jumping right now because i was very sceptical until this point!

,Dan

Very very VERY cool, one person that would be very proud if he was still around is Bruce RIP I had talked with him years ago about doing a swap but never got around to it.

One recommendation I have is to verify your timing... use a light and verify that the ecu match's where the timing is set to, friend of mine had some problems getting his MS box working right at first with that... though he was not using a waste spark ignition system.

 

[Daniel Jost]

Thanks Ttype, i will be checking as one of the steps to set the whole system up. That along with a lot of tuning! Bruce would have been a very valuable asset for me while doing this, but in his absence i depended on lots of reading and the guys from the MS boards!

Thanks, Dan

 

[WeSS]

ms3

I agree with you about those guys being very helpful. Not everything has to be fancy and cost 2 grand to work great.