Hello
Now i install a FD engine with megasquirt MS3 Ms3x Board and relay board in my beetle dragster. I will post step by step my work. I hope to be able to help others. Especially if, like me, has never been a MegaSquirt installed.

I have never seen a rotary engine before
I have never seen a megasquirt before
I have never build a watercooled bettle before.
I have never build an efi system before

Good conditions to learn more.

First run German Street Eliminator series 18. May 2012 so i hope.

 

Step 1 : Read Read Read What is MS1 MS2 MS extra v3,57 ms3x ....

it takes a lot of patience and time. I have read for days.3-4 times I wanted to stop.
much is still a mystery.

buy Pre Installed
MS3 with Ms3x need no soldering
harnes with DB37 helps
relay board helps

so i found DIY Autotune.com. They offer what i'm looking for. They were kind enough to send me a package of three times to Germany. Great shop.

I've ordered

MS3 with Ms3x extansion V3.57
Megasquirt Wiring harness
Mega Squirt Relay Board
Weather Pack Kit
2 Crimper
Elektronic Boost Control solenoid
GM CLT sensor with bung
2 GM IAT sensors

Aeromotive 1000 fuel pump kit with pressure regulator and fittings
Mesiere electrical water pump
Water to Air cooler
E&J Throttle body
Intake manifiold 4port

complete FD3S engine with gearbox, wiring harness and ECU
Kennedy Adapter Kit with flywheel and adapterplate
2 row alu radiator
and something more.

My Goal: Stock engine with stock twins and E85 for the first season

 

First Day

I have installed a aluminum plate with a relay board and the MegaSquirt.
Soldering Plus, switched + and Ground looks easy.
But is ground sensor ground or general ground and what will i do with the shielded wire for the crank sensor. the relay board has 1 connection and i have black, white and shield. I can + and - interchanged at the crank sensor? The same problem i see at the cam sensor .

Download Tuner Studio. First connection to the MS3 is realy easy with usb. I ve read aaron cake and DIY. Looks like help. But there are many questions.


My answers

Groud is a good engine ground for sensor and others. Shielded wire will not connect. I hope i'm right.

More i will see tomorrow.

 

Good work!! I never instaled a ms3+msx before looking to see it finish!!

 

Sensors should be grounded to the MS's sensor ground pin, the MS should be grounded to the top of the engine using the other ground pins. Make sure to use all the ground pins on the ms3x board, and at least a few of the pins on the main board.

The crank trigger and second trigger polarity do matter, but whatever you wire it with, if it's wrong you can invert the polarity in software so that everything still works. You need to ground one end of the shielding to one of the ground pins on the MS or the shielding won't actually do anything.

Ken

 

nice

 

Ok Thanks
Next step soldering injektor A, B, C, D
and coils.

New Problem do I need the DB15 ports? What is logic output 31

Are there differences between 6 medium outputs. logic output

What are 0-5Volts inputs switch inputs I understand.

Tacho connecting to 26?


Dirk

 

OK

No. No DB15 needed most likely. Where are you seeing "Logic output 31?"

Some of the medium current outputs are capable of "hardware" PWM, and some aren't. OTher than that no differences between medium current outputs.

As far as logic output, it handles a lot less current than medium current.

Those are analog inputs for generic sensors.

If the FD is like the FC, the stock tacho should be driven by the ignitors, but someone who knows the FD better should confirm.

Ken

 

Thanks Ken

medium current means 12 volt outputs for warning lights or something else but not for hi amp fuel or water pumps.

My Tach is an aftermarket autometer unit. I think it should work at tach output.

Next step is config the Tuner studio. I have seen there are some new options in the last years. I don't found them at Aaron Cake or DIY Auto Tune instructions.

 

the engine bay

 

If I recall correctly, our medium current outputs are capable of 2A@12v

Ken

 

Thank you Ken

 

What could i do with my Pro Control Oil Pressure Gauge.
The gauge has programmable switching gnd outputs for high and low pressure. My idea is switch off fuel and spark in low oil press conditions but the megasquirt has only programmable outputs no inputs. should i shutt down the megasquirt switched power with a relay or there are better solutions

Dirk

 

I'll check into it and get back to you.

Ken

 

new questions

To check the ignition timing I need a stropo lamp. could i use a standard lamp with wasted spark ignition?

Is the timing mark at the 13b REW engine 0 degrees?


Dirk

 

I don't know about the timing mark, on the FC rotary the timing mark is at -5.

A regular timing light (without a dial) will work fine.

Ken

 

why without a dial?

 

After reseach the timing mark is -20 BTDC


The crank trigger and second trigger polarity do matter, but whatever you wire it with, if it's wrong you can invert the polarity in software so that everything still works.

Where in the software can i change it?

Dirk

 

I prefer it because it is just flashing the light exactly when it sees a pulse. The dial ones do extra work to delay the spark after seeing the signal if set to anything but 0. I have had poor results with many dial timing lights even set to 0 unless they say the support 2-stroke and are set up for that.

Ken

 

It is all on the main ignition settings page. Look for "rising edge" vs "falling edge."

Ken

 

Ken

There are some problems.
I have no spark by cranking and in the test mode. Injectors works.
The coils are FD coils. I hope they will work with megasquirt. The wiring. 12v switched on battery. Leading Spark a Trailing Front C Trailing rear D. The coils have only two conectors.

The second problem are signal failure at the composite logger. Do i need other setups for tunerstudio with my 12/1 trigger wheel.

The read out for crank 5 blue rows 1free? every 2-3 rotations are one or two missing.

My setup is a mix from DIY and Arron Cake

The main problem is - first race next weekend


Thanks a lot.

Dirk

 

First thing I notice is that you're running the 1.0.x firmware. You should be using the 1.1 beta 21 firmware if you're running on a rotary as rotary support is much better there. Once you do that I can help you further with your settings.

Ken

 

OK Firmware is now 1.1 beta21. Before i start a test. my question is do i need a ignition box to run fd coils or could i wire them directly to spark A, C and D outputs and the other side to switched 12V

Dirk

 

I believe the FD coils have built-in ignitors... So you'd run the signals from the MS to the appropriate signal inputs on the ignitors, and then wire the rest of the coils (+12v, ground) where they would normally go.

Ken

 

Ken
I have only two connections at each coil. one 12v and one other. If i wire to spark outputs i have no spark at the plug in test mode. In the megasquirt manuals i've seen :
2/3 wire COPs (without built-in ignitors)
2-wire and 3-wire COPs require an ignitor as they are simply a 'dumb' high-current ignition coil. Do NOT connect directly to the MS3X outputs. Check your service manual to determine the pinout.

For a 2 wire COP, the two wires are :
switched/fused 12V supply
output from ignitor.


I also have no rpm signal.
I send my tune to analyze the settings.

Thanks a lot
Dirk