MembersPage/BlownHemi (2016-08-04 10:47:52)

After some consideration of my options, I'm almost set on going with VEMS for engine management. Anything that's cheaper is far less intelligent, anything that's more intelligent is also more expensive.

The car is an '89 S13 200SX w/ a built CA18DET engine. 1809ccm, 4 cyl, turbocharged, intercooled, multipoint sequential FI, COP ignition.


Starting attempt

Unsuccessful, won't start. Symptoms:

Will attach screenshot of triggerlog in the evening, but as described, one white pulse, and it's over, comms break.

Suggestions received from VEMS support:


WORK IN PROGRESS


Aligning VEMS with the engine:

POWER

See FSM page EF&EC - 80 for wiring diagram.

(ECCS = ECU in Nissan CA18DET terminology)

Original
The ignitions switch goes into the ECU, there it activates a low-side switch, which operates the ECCS relay. The ECCS relay supplies the actual 12V power to the (rest of the) ECU.
 colorfunction
ECU pin 16R/Bswitches on/off the ECCS relay
ECU pins 49,59,109B/W ECU power supply
ECU pin 45B/R Ingition switch, ign. on: 12V
VEMS
VEMS has no provisions for this mechanism, it just needs its switched 12V, the end. We need to add this simple switching circuit ourselves, like this. All that is needed really, is a switching transistor.
VemsPower.jpg
This is a quick and easy way to adapt one system to the other. Probably not the best one, but certainly better than powering VEMS from the Ign.Switch signal directly.
For now, I'll just solder this directly into the wiring, cover all leads in heatshrink, and then ducttape the whole thing. DIYFTW! :)
(Maybe a capacitor for filtering Ign. switch bounce? Gate resistor if a FET is used? TBC).
VemsPower2.jpg
MAIN INPUTS

Air metering

Original
MAF
VEMS
4bar MAP + IAT (already have both)
MAP will be mounted externally, close to the IM, shortest possible tubing
5V supply comes from the ECU
IAT is a BMW type, res./temp diagram TBC
Wiring changes - MAF
Cut off MAF at the pigtail, it's 3 wires (12V, GND, signal). Use these for the MAP sensor, which also takes 3 wires (5V, GND, signal).
Wiring changes - IAT
Need to look for a suitable wire that will be freed up, and goes to the throttle body area, where the IAT will be located.
  • 1 or 2 wires? Ground wire could be spliced into the ECT/TPS ground B wire, which is right there. Only 1 additional wire needed then.
  • Idle switch? 2 wires from ECU, and idle switch is not used in VEMS, but TBC.

Crank angle, cylinder pos.

Original
mounted on EX cam, disc has two concentric rings for two optical pickups with OC outputs
(pulled on up ECU side)
ca18detCas.jpg
Outer ring has 360 slits
Inner ring has 4 windows w/ lengths in slits: 16, 12, 8, 4
CHECKED no. of degree pulses for Window slits High/Low (H L H L H L H L) 16 74 12 78 8 82 4 86
CHECKED 16 pulse window corresponds to Cyl 1. According to a few Internet sources, Rising edge of 16-slit window is 60 BTDC. Which sounds logical.
For primary trigger, will either use:
  • Rising edge w/60 BTDC
  • Falling edge w/28 BTDC (window length is 16 sectrig pulses, that's 32 crank degrees)
Secondary trigger will use Nissan special trigger option, sync Cyl#1 to Window longer than 13 sectrigger pulses ("Ignore pulses shorter than" option)
cas4.jpg
VEMS
using the same CAS with the "nissan 360 degree secondary trigger" option
Wiring changes
The TDC (inner ring) and the angle (outer ring) signals are both wired double into the ECU, on pins 41+51, and 42+52, respectively. Probably a good idea to solder these together, before crimping it into a connector.
JDM swap guys and RHD M/T guys should check their wiring/colors on FSM page EF&EC - 82. It's a bit unclear, the TDC and angle signal has the same wire color (G/B). Label them before you cut.

Engine coolant temperature

Original
NTC regular type, 2.5kOhms at 20*C, 300Ohms at 80*C
VEMS
using the same

Throttle position sensor/switches

Original
Idle switch, closed when pedal released
TPS ~1kOhms - ~9kOhms for fully released, fully pressed, respectively
VEMS
using the same, except idle switch is not normally considered (although it can be connected to a free analog input of course). Mixing in idle switch (pulling to GND, but through 10..20k) into TPS signal (for a voltage "step") is superfluous and should not be justified, TPS has all the information without this anyway.

Knock sensor

Original
1 channel, piezo type, mounted between #2 and #3, shielding grounded to ECU ground
VEMS
using the same

O2 sensor

Original
N/A, stock narrowband removed, Bosch 4.x installed
TBC 4.2 or 4.9
TBC for any special requirements for an extension cable, twisting, shielding, etc., or just simple wiring
VEMS
using the Bosch 4.x WBO2 directly
MAIN OUTPUTS

Ignition

Original
Individual coil on plug, ECU outputs logic 5V signals for each cyl.
  • 5V signals go to power transistors mounted in engine bay, these drive the individual coils
VEMS
using the same, putting out 5V logic signals

Injection

Original
lowZ injectors with dropping resistors mount in engine bay
VEMS
need possibility to drive either highZ or lowZ-s injectors, so "active flyback" option required
Q: do low-Z injectors still need dropping resistors?

Idle Control

Original
no idea, probably the same as any other Japanese vehicle from the same era, 2pin terminal, 12V PWM
VEMS
using the same
  • I would suggest to replace it with something simpler - i.e just one PWM valve. The original system contains 4 separate items: 1) A mechanical valve that closes when the coolant heats up; 2) A mechanical screw for adjusting the base idle; 3) A PWM valve that only changes the revs about +-200 rpm when hot (too little to use just that); 4) A valve for extra air when A/C kicks in.
  • Thanks for the info, didn't know the idle valve was too small, now I get why all that extra mess is there. I've planned to get rid of the on/off AAC (no A/C) and the mechanical air regulator, too.
    • How about running both IAC and AAC off the same PWM signal? Would that work and have the capacity to regulate idle across the whole range? (I don't want to buy/build anything extra I don't necessarily need.)
    • Or, is there a cheap, off-the-shelf or junkyard idle air valve from another make/model that would work in place of the mech. air regulator? I could install that in the parking lot.
      • Seems like a BMW M43-M50-M52 idle valves would almost work, except one of the 2 air hose diameters are not the same, as the CA18 air regulator. Would have to stretch the silicone over it.
Most engines have suitable idle air valve:

Fuel pump control

Original
low side switch
VEMS
using the same
Q: any "modern" features, like 6V operation, PWM closed loop w/ fuel press. sensor?

Questions so far:

Flyback type: which one for lowZ, lowZ+R, HighZ?

ETC: for 2wire ETC, where is the 2nd wire connected?

Triggers:


Questions round #2

How difficult to add inputs later, oil pressure, EBP, VSS, etc. ?
I need a WBO2 extension cable. Any special requirements for this? Get one from ebay, or build it myself?
Does VEMS use free-air cali. or the built-in resistor?
What is the current version of the genboard (2016 May)? (which schematic should I look at, if needed)
IAT, MAP, TPS, CLT... ground? Can all be common? Is any one of the grounds preferred for a sensor ground?
Injector flyback compatibility table, is this correct?
 30V flybackactive flyback
High-ZYN
Low-Z+RYN
Low-Z in PWM modeNY
::How difficult to convert later from one to the other? (I'm intrigued by the idea of PWM-ing my Low-Z injectors, but I don't know if I'll need other Hi-Z injectors later or not.)
Tach. signal - Nissan RPM gauge needs a voltage level. Any DAC outputs, or should I just add a properly sized RC filter to a PWM output, e.g. EC36 pin 4?
On second thought, it may be PWM, FSM is foggy about this. Maybe I'll try without the RC first. Is there a test-mode to play around with the RPM signal before the engine is running?
Purely what-if, theoretical questions
How complicated to convert to 6-cyl later?

Switched 12VsB/W, 49, 59, 109all come from ECCS relay, connected inside the harness
Grounds50, 60 and 110, 20,07,108,116these go to body ground in 2 groups

GROUND LAYOUT (ORIGINAL HARNESS)

ECU pinfunctionproposed usagenotes
50<br />60CAS GND<br />Air.Reg. GND<br />Shdg. CAS<br />Shdg. NBO signal<br />Shdg. KS<br />Shdg. MAFtie to Sensor GNDgoes to Engine Ground 1
10 20 107 108 116FICD GND<br />Ign. Trans. GND<br />Inj, Idlevalve, NBO heater returns, probably<br />seems like a Power GNDuse as Power GND TBC how thick? goes to Engine Ground 2
26MAF GNDtie to Sensor GNDoriginated from ECU
30TPS GND<br />ECT GNDtie to Sensor GNDoriginated from ECU
[Orig. Ground Wiring](HUGE)

Wire assignments (that I already know):

ECU pincolororig.funclocation of remote endVEMS pinnew functioncomment
1R/WIgn.1d/cEC36 pin 35 TTL output req.
2R/YIgn.2d/cEC36 pin 33 TTL output req.
3R/GIgn.3d/cEC36 pin 34 TTL output req.
11R/LIgn.4d/cEC36 pin 36 TTL output req.
101W/BInj. 1d/cEC36 pin 7  
110Y/BInj. 2d/cEC36 pin 19  
103G/BInj. 3d/cEC36 pin 8  
112L/BInj. 4d/cEC36 pin 20  
41G/YCAS TDC strobesd/cEC36 pin 27primary trigger
51""""""
42G/BCAS degree pulsed/cEC36 pin 13secondary trigger
52""""""
18B/Pfuel pump relayd/cEC36 pin 15 low-side switched
54Y/WIdle sw. -TB left sideEC36 pin 28  
27G/BMAF signalfront of engineEC18 pin 6  
26BMAF groundfront of engineTBD was common with other B pins in Nissan ECU
57Yidle switch +left side of throttle bodyEC36 pin 2IAT 
48LG/RTPS supplyd/cEC36 pin 29  
38LG/BTPS signald/cEC36 pin 1  
30BECT+TPS groundat TBEC39 pin 5sens. comm. GNDQ
7Y/Rtach. signald/cEC36 pin4 voltage level or PWM?
106SBidle control valved/cEC36 pin 17idle control valvepicked Inj_H channel for this (PWM)
23Wknock sensord/cEC18 pin 1  
28L/ORECT signald/cEC36 pin 14  
16R/BECCS relayd/cn/a own switching circuit, see top of page
45B/RIgn. switchd/cn/a own switching circuit, see top of page
58RConstant 12Vd/cn/aEC36 pin 23FLYBACK, direct path to Injector common (resistors common)
29WLambda sensord/cn/aEC18 pin 13WBO2 (Nernst) signal 
115Llambda heaterd/cn/aEC18 pin 18WBO2 heater 

New wires to be laid for new functions

 LBWBO2 pump+WBO2 areaEC18 pin 9
 YWBO2 pump-WBO2 areaEC18 pin 7
  'TBD' MAP +5Vrear of intake manifoldEC36 pin 28
  'TBD' MAP signalrear of intake manifoldEC18 pin 6

Wires still needed for new functions

Oil pressure. sensorwill add later
EBP sensorwill add later
Water temp. sensorwill add later
Water pressure sensorwill add later

Wires freed up (no equivalent function on VEMS, or not YET assigned to a VEMS function):

ECU pincolorfunctionlocation of remote endcomment
6G/YA/C relay? a harness around the exhaust sidelow side switch
17?Check Connector? inside
32?Check Connector? inside
33?Check Connector? Inside
43ORstarting signal? key, probably
44G/ORneutral switch?probably merges into harness around firewall
46L/GA/C switch? inside(A/C switch + blower on) -> 0V
47?Check Connector? Inside
53Y/GVSSfrom gauge cluster
56?A/T control unit?could be missing
111PUPR control solenoidnext to ign. power transistorslow side switch
115Llambda heater?O2 orig. location

[NOT YET FINISHED]