Who wants to Megasquirt, full sequential fuel/ spark a 68 charger! This Guy!!

[YellowThumper]

Currently looking into why I am not getting coils to spark off. Even thru the test procedure.

Throwing this out just for you all to see there is more of us that constantly revert back to this thread for help.

Mike.

Are you using the 7-pin GM connector that bundles all the coil wires for a single side of the engine? If so, be sure pin H has 12 volts on it while you're trying the test, be sure pin A is grounded to the engine block, and be sure pin E is connected to the Low Reference/Sensor Ground (pin 7 on the MS3 connector, black with a white stripe if you used the conventional wire color code). If all this is good, I assume you could touch 5 volts (MS3 pin 26, gray) on coil pins B, C, F, and G to see if the coils fire. I say I assume because mine worked the first time I tried it,  but if it hadn't, I would have tried this.

This is fresh in my mind, as I just went through it a few days ago.

Thanks for the tips and help.
Yes I am using the GM connector setup.
Initially I had the signal return grounded to just ground. It took you, Greenfish and another on a different forum replying to finally get the bulb in my brain to light up. I now have the signal wires connected to the pin #7 (black/white tracer). It still appears now to still not be working. Prior to (now corrected #7) I tied them into another coil ground (pin #36). Now wondering if I have done damage to the coils based on something I may have done. I will test them as you have suggested. I also have one more jy take out coil that has not been used/tested I may try also. The 5v test you suggested sounds like promising direction.
As for having the full 12 volts, I should. Power is coming direct from a fused relay setup pulled right off the battery. A separate setup from the car's factory harness. I will also test it under load not confirmed 12v with tester.

Thanks again.
Will post up when I sort thru more...
Mike.

[JimG]

Yellow Thumper, at this point I think I would try what I said earlier: make sure 12 volts and ground are on the correct pins of the 7-pin GM connector, signal ground is on the correct pin of the 7-pin GM connector, then take +5 volts from the Megasquirt (gray wire, pin 26) and briefly touch the respective pins on the 7-pin GM connector and make the individual coils fire, verifying their function with a timing light.

Do you have the schematic diagram for the 7-pin connector? If not I can scan if for you and post it, although I believe it can be found somewhere in the 29 pages of this thread. Anyhow, testing the coils can be done; you shouldn't have to guess about their condition.

Good luck!

[JimG]

I believe that its the checkbox "Render Including Non Interrupt Data" on the options button on the High Speed Loggers tab.

Thanks Black Bee. I tried that, and I'm just as confused as ever. I'm attaching two screenshots of the same log; one with the box checked and one with it not checked. I cannot get a log that looks like many I've seen here - that is, with spikes for the crank pulses and a square wave for the cam pulse.

I'm really not sure if there's a problem with the megasquirt, with the software configuration, or if I just don't understand how to interpret the log.

Thanks!

[Black_Bee]

Thanks Black Bee. I tried that, and I'm just as confused as ever. I'm attaching two screenshots of the same log; one with the box checked and one with it not checked. I cannot get a log that looks like many I've seen here - that is, with spikes for the crank pulses and a square wave for the cam pulse.

I'm really not sure if there's a problem with the megasquirt, with the software configuration, or if I just don't understand how to interpret the log.

Thanks!

Sorry about that bad advice there, I went through the same issue that you are, and I would swear that is what fixed it for me.  Have you captured a new log since enabling that option, or just loaded an older log?

[JimG]

Sorry about that bad advice there, I went through the same issue that you are, and I would swear that is what fixed it for me.  Have you captured a new log since enabling that option, or just loaded an older log?

No worries Black Bee, I appreciate your willingness to help. Since I have no new ideas, and I've already tried all my old ideas, I haven't cranked on it any more to generate any new logs. I'm really close to being ready to try to start it (other than this nagging issue) so I think I'm just gonna try to get it running in wasted spark/batch fire and come back to this problem later... unless the silver bullet shows up here.

Thanks!

Jim

[JimG]

Well my engine runs... barely.

I finally gave up on the cam sensor and set it for Wasted COP and batch fire.

It's running very rich and it won't idle, but at least it runs.

Yay... I guess.

[redmist]

Well my engine runs... barely.

I finally gave up on the cam sensor and set it for Wasted COP and batch fire.

It's running very rich and it won't idle, but at least it runs.

Yay... I guess.

The hardest part is done now!   

A little bit of tuning at it will all be worth it. Do you have an MS file to share by chance? and what is your engine combination?

Ryan

[Black_Bee]

Well my engine runs... barely.

I finally gave up on the cam sensor and set it for Wasted COP and batch fire.

It's running very rich and it won't idle, but at least it runs.

Yay... I guess.

Thats great that its up and running now! 

I forget if you have mentioned it... did you take off the cap and verify that your cam sensor orientation is correct?

[JimG]

Thanks Redmist and Black Bee!

Redmist, let me clean up at least one known problem before I post the admittedly elementary startup msq. I'm pretty sure my MAP sensor isn't calibrated correctly. The Megasquirt gauge cluster   gauge for the MAP only seems to read kPa, not the more-familiar-to-me in. hg, making it hard for me to tell at a glance the current reading. I did some calculations and came up with a few equivalents, and a cursory look tells me that something is wrong. Compounding this problem is the fact that I seem to have lent my Mityvac vacuum pump to someone and cannot remember who it was... gotta go buy or borrow another one so I can properly check the calibration. Like you, I'm using an external MAP and am attempting to use the mainboard MAP as a BARO sensor. Anyhow, I'm thinking that gross miscalibration of the MAP could cause this condition. It is so bad that I had to change the required fuel (telling the MS that I had much larger injectors than I actually do) to get it to even run this well. I know this is an improper tuning method, and as soon as I find the real problem I'll put the required fuel back where it belongs.

Black Bee, regarding the CAM sensor: I looked back over this thread and found the instructions for setting the CAM sensor, which I need to thoroughly re-read because they weren't entirely clear to me after one reading. But I'm thinking that even if the CAM sensor is clocked wrong, I still should have a square wave pulse for one crankshaft revolution, and then it should be off for one full crankshaft revolution, even if the square wave is timed wrong to the crankshaft. Unless I grossly misunderstand how it works, I need to get that problem addressed before I worry about clocking. Or, maybe I misunderstand how it works.

Engine is 493 CID (4.15" stroke, 4.35" bore) 10.9 CR, Eddy-heads, with an old school MP .509" cam (which I plan to replace with something modern next winter).

Thanks for all the help!

[grnfsh]

Well my engine runs... barely.

I finally gave up on the cam sensor and set it for Wasted COP and batch fire.

It's running very rich and it won't idle, but at least it runs.

Yay... I guess.

are you on fuel also? or did you keep the carb ?

[grnfsh]

setting the jeep cam sensor.

The music in the back ground is annoying but here it is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eV7ase3dcoc

[JimG]

Grnfsh:

Fuel and spark. I jumped in the deep end head first!

Thanks for the video link!

[JimG]

First ride today. Switched it over to sequential after that and got it dialed in and running running pretty good on the highway... I'm trying to get the map close before trying any autotuning. Still not getting a proper looking cam signal on the composite logger, but since the thing runs I'm thinking I need to learn more about the composite logger. You have to  beat the thing with a whip to get it started when it's hot... I'll re-read Redmist's explanation of what he did to fix this. I know he used the Mega Log Viewer and I haven't learned how to use that yet, either. I also can't get closed-loop idle to work (I have a stepper IAC, so if anyone else is using a stepper and has this feature working, maybe we can talk).

With the exception of the hot start problem and idle speed that wanders, it now runs a little better than it did with the carb, but I didn't nearly get there in the 30 minutes that I've seen some people claim. I know I'll eventually like it, but I think I need to do something else for a few days!

[grnfsh]

Glad you got her running Jim 

Hope to be there very soon on fuel. I'm not far out.

[YellowThumper]

[quote , but I didn't nearly get there in the 30 minutes that I've seen some people claim. I know I'll eventually like it, but I think I need to do something else for a few days!

[/quote

This is where I am at the moment. Had to take a step back to regain focus. Needed to have measurable progress so just jumped over to some miscellaneous changes like relocating rear bumper tight to the body.
Will be back at fire again soon.

X2 on glad you have it going. Hearing even the little success stories help.

Mike

[grnfsh]

hey Fellas,

on the throttle cable, the end fitting that goes into the TB. Did you have to change your's and if so what did you use. I have the same TB as Redmist and bought a Lokar cable. It came with a fitting that doesnt work so I need a barrel fitting but can't seem to find one. You would think this was an easy fix. 

[redmist]

hey Fellas,

on the throttle cable, the end fitting that goes into the TB. Did you have to change your's and if so what did you use. I have the same TB as Redmist and bought a Lokar cable. It came with a fitting that doesnt work so I need a barrel fitting but can't seem to find one. You would think this was an easy fix. 

I used some sorta junk yard cable out of a GM car of some sort... Hope that helps! LOL!!!

I think it was a Saturn.



Here is how I fixed my hot start issue. Keep in mind this was MY issue, you may have something else going on.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GZUNXc3pEk

[peterro]

Ha, I used a hood release cable from some full size Chevrolet truck. Don't know what year, 80's?

[grnfsh]

So I think i figured it out. I just drilled the hole out in the linkage a little bit.

[jeebus]

Great thread, and great info. I'm looking for one of these cam sensor adapters... hopefully SD Concepts can help me out.

[JimG]

GrnFsh asked me for more information on the Bussmann relay box that I used, and if it came with instructions. It doesn't come with instructions, but it's pretty easy to figure out.

It is expensive to get into the Weatherpack business initially, but if you have an MSD ratcheting spark plug wire crimper with removable dies, you can get a set of Weatherpack dies for ~$40. Otherwise, the dedicated tool from DIY is $108. The terminals and seals are dirt cheap.

The unit pictured is a two-bussed model... that is, the hot power is bussed, so one side of each fuse plugs into it, and one relay coil terminal is bussed. As it turned out, I wanted the Megasquirt to control two of my relay coils, and two just work with the ignition key. So, I bought a single-bussed model that only busses the hot power, and that is the one on my car. I am using four relays: power to the Megasquirt and the voltage regulator, coil power, injector power, and fuel pump. I'll use the relay box pictured to run my high-wattage European headlights eventually.

In the photos, I have installed jumpers from the fused side of the fuse to one of the normally open relay contacts. This unit holds five relays. All I'd need to do is install a wire from the other normally open contact to a load, and wire one side of the coil, and one relay would be connected and ready to go. The whole thing is sealed really well, both at the cover and at the wire penetrations. You can buy hole plugs (green) for any unused cavities.  I bought one of those cheesy relay boards from DIY; I'm gonna try to unload it on eBay.

I'll make another reply with part numbers for the box, the bracket, and the various terminals and seals.

[JimG]

One more photo. You can't attach but four to a post.

It should be noted that the seals are a different color depending on the wire size they are intended for. That's why the larger yellow wire has a gray seal, and the crimped terminal on the small wire has a green one.

I found the best prices at Waytek Wire.

PART NUMBERS:
1-bussed RTMR (that's the real name for it)  15303-6-2-4
2-bussed RTMR 15303-2-2-4
Mounting Bracket (sold individually, 2 req'd) B028-7012-0-J
Wire seals, 18-20 GA 15324982
Wire seals, 14-16 GA 15324980
Wire seals, 12 GA 15324981
Female Terminal, 16-18 GA 12110847
Female Terminal, 14-16 GA 12129409
Female Terminal, 14-12 GA 12110845
Cavity Plug - 12010300
Relay 75660 (this is a Waytek part number) 5 required

You'll need a pin removal tool too, and for some reason I can't find the part number for it right now. Once I do, I'll edit this post to include it.

[redmist]

Thats a nice unit, Wish I would have gone that route!

[grnfsh]

Thanks Jim, I think once I get everything running I'm going to switch to that. Much cleaner than what Im using.

[crj1968]

Well I went to Redmists house yesterday to pick up some parts. Ran into his Craigslist ad and the Dodgecharger.com forum subject came up.

The only Charger I saw was a matchbox car and the only engine I saw was in a lawnmower that he couldn't get running right.   

But seriously...Ryan it was nice meeting you, thanks again !
I am looking forward to going for a ride in your car someday! What an amazing job you've done on it.