[Car_Upgrade] Yet Another Mi16 1.9 Build

[Tom Fenton 1,525]

The only modern-ish car I can think of using separate coil ignitors is a mk4 golf 1.8 turbo. They use a pair of Bosch modules to do 4 individual coils, although it may well fire them in pairs as wasted spark.

[petert 550]

I don't believe it would need any software change. Your current ECU is grounding the coils, which would now be done via igniter.

HT-020006_IS.pdf

Edited October 14, 2019 by petert

[Andy 105 1 Cars]

These are the AEM coil drivers. They do the heavily lifting and ground the coils for the appropriate dwell time. They are triggered by the falling edge of a 5v pulse from the ecu, so the ecu , instead of switching to ground and sinking the coil primary current, provides a 5v logic pulse with the coil in an ‘off’ state while the AEM input is held at 5v and an “on” stage triggered by the falling edge of the pulse . Hence the change in software setting to TTL 5v . Or at least that is what it says in the AEM manual for this 4 channel igniter . Those LS1/2 coils look different. They have a driver built in  and need a ground to trigger the primary current , as per your diagram from several pages back. They are very neat coils, but as you said at the time, installation is a bit of a pain as they need mounting somewhere 

Anyway, test  time today. The ecu can plot histograms of various signals , so I will play with the coil dwell time and log the TPS,WTS, battery and other signal voltages at tickover .

 

 

[petert 550]

The pdf I attached is also looking for a falling edge. I just assumed they'd all be the same?

[Andy 105 1 Cars]

Well.TPS and WTS signals fluctuate in phase with  the battery voltage.Given  that both are supplied by a 5v stabilised supply from the ecu, how a 0.1v battery emf change can get to the signal inputs is a little puzzling . Oh, and a drive out made the ecu disconnect after 20 mins and refuse to reconnect. Got home .Put car in garage and reconnected the ecu immediately .

Frustrated ? Me? You bet . Decent weather today. Long bike ride planned . That requires not ecu connection , so everything will be fine .

[Tom Fenton 1,525]

I think I'd be hand delivering this ECU back to where it came from. Probably through their front window, Attached to a brick.

[petert 550]

I concur with Tom.

[Andy 105 1 Cars]

I have suppressed that emotion. I have ordered an AEM quad channel coil driver. Why? Because if I do return the ecu ( and that is now the most likely option ) , then using a coil driver external to the ecu ( the way that Peugeot / Bosch did it on the S16) keeps the heavy current signals away from the ecu and leaves the ecu with the ‘easy’ job of providing a 5v pulse or switch to ground as appropriate . It is also a neat wiring installation. So, whatever the ecu, life becomes easier . 

I have booked a team viewer session with ME today. To be fair to them, they have been and continue to be very helpful and supportive. I am convinced that the problem lies in the software and it’s association with the internal hardware. ME wrote the former but the latter was designed and made by a third party ( Dunno who) 

I know. To misquote the tv advert, ‘ should have gone to Emerald ‘ That will probably be a phone call this afternoon !

 Well. Must sign off. Lycra time. You can rip the piss out of me next Monday Tom. 

[Tom Fenton 1,525]

17 minutes ago, Andy said:

You can rip the piss out of me next Monday Tom. 

 

Would I do a thing like that!

Frustrating that it doesn't work, but hard to say anything other than why not stick to what is known to work!

[petert 550]

I've got a brand new SM4 Autronic for sale.........

[Andy 105 1 Cars]

Ecu on its way back to Motorsport electronics this morning. 

[Tom Fenton 1,525]

 

[Andy 105 1 Cars]

Brilliant. Thanks for you help and wisdom last evening. I went onto the mega squirt site this morning ( after packing up the ecu) Hmm. It is a clone with completely different software.

[Andy 105 1 Cars]

Update. Emerald installed. Ford coilpack and Magnecor leads running wasted spark. Cam change ( another story) and trip to the rolling road today. Curves posted later. Headline. 216bhp @7000 rpm. Quite modest really . Torque  190ft.lb @5200rpm. Delighted with the torque figure . Power and torque climb steadily from 1700rpm and cross over at just 200rpm beyond peak torque . Result is it  is a gem to drive. Possible downside is that as 5500rpm gives 190hp revving beyond is a diminishing return. Makes a glorious sound though. 
Right. Just the handbrake cable to fix( one got too close to the exhaust pipe , melted 

and seized the caliper on. One pair of cutters later and the problem was solved until I can replace it ) 

That was a slight embarrassment . Are their cheaper and easier ways to get the above output?Yep. Less exciting that an xu9j4 but much more linear power and torque delivery from a much lower rpm . Perfect for an old git like me to pop down to the post office to collect his pension .

[Tom Fenton 1,525]

Great news, glad after all the work and headache with the ECU we shall not mention, that you are pleased with the results!

 

I look forward to a ride up Baslow Rd at the next meet.

[Andy 105 1 Cars]

First page is power and Afr, second page power and torque .

[petert 550]

Well that is fantastic news. That thing will be a hoot to drive!

[Andy 105 1 Cars]

Yes.Goes quite well. Just the cold start and warmup to sort , and the handbrake cable. I have to confess that I could not stop grinning all the way home back from the rolling road, even though it was rinsing it down with rain, and I had ridden for over three hours in the above mentioned rain whilst the car was having its neck rung on the rollers .
 Note to self.Do not break this one 

[petert 550]

What gearbox/cwp do you have? I'd imagine the standard 1.9 GTi box would be perfect.

[Andy 105 1 Cars]

Nope. MI16 with an ATB . The engine is very happy to rev, so I will leave the box as it is at the moment. For long distance cruising, a taller 5th would be an option, but that would leave me with a big gap between 4th and 5th . You can try it next year Peter !

[welshpug 1,622]

8 hours ago, petert said:

What gearbox/cwp do you have? I'd imagine the standard 1.9 GTi box would be perfect.

i guess thats different to the euro 1.9 box, as that would take you to 160+ if it would pull all the way

[petert 550]

I'd use Mi16 too, but isn't the perfect gearing hitting redline in 5th?

[Andy 105 1 Cars]

I am going to play for a while and see what I think. I have two spare complete gear casings, already aqua blasted, a gearbox rebuild set and several sets of ratios , including a 1.9 set . Currently , first does feel a bit low . The box I built that Speno now has used 1.9 1st-4th , 6th gear from a GTi6 to act as 5th and the 4.1 final drive . That was a nice set of ratios for the xu9j4 engine on bodies . Oh. Hand brake cable replaced and a very complimentary note from the rolling road operator (Kevin) whom I had emailed to thank for his great work on Tuesday . Handbrake cable still embarrassing though .

Breakfast and then my first stab at cold start mapping 

[Tom Fenton 1,525]

9 hours ago, petert said:

I'd use Mi16 too, but isn't the perfect gearing hitting redline in 5th?

On a track/competition car yes I'd agree totally, but for a road car, maybe not. Having the thing revving its bag off when sat trying to "cruise" on a long journey soon becomes tiresome. Especially with this motor Andy has built with big torque.

[petert 550]

That's my point. I'm pretty sure that Andy's car will pull 7000 in 5th with a 3.62 cwp and 0.865 5th.