James Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 I can't remember where Andy is.I don't have time this weekend (it's my birthday plus I need to prep my car) or next (Scotland) - time after that though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 Herne bay Kent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 I'm only kidding really James I realise its a bit far to just nip round...Just seems a shame for Andy to need to quit now after all his hard work,however I appreciate its his daily driver :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Borris Posted May 26, 2011 Author Share Posted May 26, 2011 Well, to reiterate, car was running very well. Lots of poke and only one tiny flat spot, much better then on carbs.Switched the engine off after a tuning having first shut down TunerStudio, car would not re-start.Both James and Nick were right, the Tacho output was switched on, (it wasn't at this setting when the engine was switched off, obviously!). I re-set the tacho output to “off”, the false laptop rev counter reading disappeared, but the car still wouldn't start.I then unplugged and then re-plugged the VR sensor and the car started. But only as if it's only running on 3 or 4 cylinders.Yesterday when I tried to troubleshoot , it'd only run for about 3 seconds, before dying and still sounds like it's only on 3 cylinders! The timing marks are all still lined up, lined up with the crank keyway.I tried moving the TDC by 90 degrees (by about 10 degrees a time) each way using the Trigger Wizard, made no difference.It's got fuel pumping round, I'm getting a PWM reading as I crank, the cold start is working (it's not controlled by the MS anyway!). I'm getting a crank speed of about 250 RPM and it's advancing by about 20 degrees as I try to start.I can't hear the injectors opening over the cranking noise, but would all 6 fail at the same time?I've tried both maps, the initial start up map and the tuned one, but the car started without problems on both maps.And I don't know.It's very frustrating, worse in fact then if I never managed to get it running from the outset! That tuning run on the last morning it run was a joy, lots of power, responsiveness and a great noise too.I'm going to (if I can) refit the distributor and see if that helps. I'll need to have a read of the Megamanual to figure out how though! But first, I need a new starter, the one on the car has died. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy thompson Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 Come on CT - UK division - who is going to be Mr Megasquirt trouble shooter/hero. I would have hated to have this happen when so close - bound to be something simple - I had a total failure with a previous EFI iteration when a wire fell off the coil LOL - even got RAC recovered as I was convinced it was a terminal ECU fault - Andy - are you powering up your coil with the old wire that fed the coil ? Thats what powers up mine (ignition switched) - might be something as simple as an ignition switch - you need another set of eyes to help - I'd come to help but Perth is a bit of a hike away Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Borris Posted May 26, 2011 Author Share Posted May 26, 2011 Thanks Andy and everyone for all your support.No coil, I'm on EDIS, but I'm going to try using a coil. I belive I can use the SAW signal wire (pin37) to connect to the coil-ve and a a 20uF capitator? Can you recommend a 20uF cap, there's so many to choose from!MS is powering up, TunerStudio connects and I can make changes and I get the starting gauge readings too.Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 Andy,I honestly don't think that it's going to be this issue. The EDIS module is virtually indestructible. It feels like you're changing stuff for the sake of it. If it's running then it's running— even on 3 cylinders! Something is injecting and something is igniting.I don't know what it is- but you should be able to check your coil is firing at the right time and in the right place using a timing light.Diagnosis is the same as normal- just the bits that control and go bang or flash are different. Fixing it is as simple as narrowing down the component that is not working.James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 This isn't a hardware issue. For some reason the config has been corrupted when the ECU powered down or up. You've already found one piece of evidence for this - the tacho output. Something else has also changed. Something else fundamental like the required fuel setting or number or squirts per rev. Don't fiddle with the hardware, it worked - check back through the basic settings as though you were configuring the ECU for the first time and I reckon you will find another unwanted config change - maybe more than one.Once sorted, you might want to consider putting a filter on the power supply to the ECU.CheersNick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 Andy— upload your MSQ file, I will take a look through the settings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Borris Posted May 27, 2011 Author Share Posted May 27, 2011 Attached files.I'm getting a red reboot message too! And I've found a 3rd tuning file! Triumph2000first contains the settings (from ExtraEFI, who has been very helpful!) whic h got the car started.Truimph2000 current tune is (I think!) the last settings before the problems started and 2011-05-19_15.44.37.msg I dunno, didn't make a file with name so.......your guess is as good as mine.No, it's probaly better then mine! ;D ;D ;DAndy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted May 27, 2011 Share Posted May 27, 2011 Andy— can you just save out the most recent— I don't know which one is which based on what uploaded.Go in to TunerStudio and do a Save As Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted May 27, 2011 Share Posted May 27, 2011 Andy— what firmware are you using?I thought you were using MSExtra 3 but your config files say 2.1James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted May 27, 2011 Share Posted May 27, 2011 Andy— what firmware are you using?I thought you were using MSExtra 3 but your config files say 2.1James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Borris Posted May 31, 2011 Author Share Posted May 31, 2011 Now running on 5!Dodgy spark lead (which I've always known about), I think!I think the ECU wasn't happy with the extra direct to battery feed from the altenator, it was giving the ECU a re-programing fit!I spotted most of the re-sets, but missed a couple.Phil from Extra EFI, who soldered the ECU spotted the couple I missed.Off to Halfrauds to buy some leads.Thanks everyone.AndyP.S. I think I'll leave up-dating the firmware for a while ??) ;D ;D ;D!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRAJ Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 Nice one Andy, spark plugs don't seem to be quite as good as they were when the cars were current, NGKs once flooded (common on a pi!) won't self clean like they used to. You have to physically take them out and wire brush them. Still plenty of time until the National, should be running fine by then. Well done for not giving up mate.Colin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRAJ Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 Just re read your last entry and it was a lead not a plug! :XJust ignore the first bits, but well done anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 Top man Andy!Glad you kept going 8) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Borris Posted May 31, 2011 Author Share Posted May 31, 2011 CRAJ wrote:Just re read your last entry and it was a lead not a plug! :XJust ignore the first bits, but well done anyway.Colin, you're psychic!Some of the plugs have gone bad too, guess it happened while I was trying to start it and failing.Drove it back to mine on 3!Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 Glad to hear it Andy.It's always bound to be something "simple"— it's just a big learning curve to know all the simples :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Borris Posted May 31, 2011 Author Share Posted May 31, 2011 Yes James, especially if you're working with a non digital brain! ;DI'm going to re-instate the Alt to Batt direct feed, but with a 40 amp filter in the MS live feed. The battery struggled to gain enough charge before the direct feed was added, don't really want to go back to taking off the battery every night to charge it.I live on the 3rd floor and those batteries get heavier as you climb!If it still causes problems, I'll re-think the power supply for the MS.Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 The MS version 3 hardware has a much better supply circuit than the MS2, but even so, an in-line power filter (as used by the ICE boys) is a good move. Also, as I've commented before, some of these old alternators give a really filthy, spikey output (I've seem peaks well over 20v before as recorded on the MS data log) so that is a possible area for improvement if problems persist.Dodgy plug leads are also a prime cause of interferance. You need either resistive leads or plugs now....... As mentioned I can also confirm that NGK plugs don't recover from a soaking, especially when new it appears :(.Well done for persevering :)CheersNick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Borris Posted May 31, 2011 Author Share Posted May 31, 2011 I guess the alternator spiked as I switched off after the tuning run and a BIG spike too!I'm using the EDIS leads that came in the box, because my EDIS is a V6 one, some of the leads are much too long, now got 4 new Focus (Halfords!) leads and two 2nd hand USA EDIS leads. So I think the leads weren't the cause of the re-set.One thing I noticed, the spark can now jump over about 2 inches, without counting how far from inside one of those deep spark plug caps it must travel! Big, bright and fat too.On a side note, when BMW in the 80's supplied engines to the Brabham F1 team, they got a very sweet set of settings during a tuning session on the dyno, 20 hp more then the previous best and more tractable too.Unfortunately the engineer hit the wrong computer key, delete, rather then save and they never got the engine as good again!Still had over 1000 hp though, but the dyno only read to 1000 and the needle was always on the end stop, so they never knew exactly how much hp the engine made.ANDY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bainzy Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 Wouldn't be surprised if this is what killed my cheap ebay electronic ignition. If you find a way of stopping spikes thats cheap and effective, please let me know Andy as I'm really reluctant to fit the replacement module I was sent for fear it will happen again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Borris Posted June 1, 2011 Author Share Posted June 1, 2011 I know that jump starting will kill those as well.It's just a noise filter that goes into the live feed, the same type of filter that's used on a car stereo, the bigger the better!Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Moore Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 Surely replacing the Lucas alternator with a modern one like the Nippon Denso lightweight versions will give a cleaner power supply? It's not original, but then again neither is megajolt! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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