resonance

Hehe, yeah I've actually been 'into' electronics since a kid and spent a chunk of my teenagehood (living in the country) building electronic stuff and tinkering. I am eager to get this stuff in my car so I can lean it out a bit so when I floor it, it doesn't backfire and choke. Anyway yeah if you guys have any problems, feel free to ask. I am not 100% sure if I've soldered the LCD board to the main board correctly as well as a few other little things but I'll find out when I get a cable to test I also had problems getting the IC's into the slots but I figured you gotta bend the pins in a bit. They start out like / and you have to straighten them to like | | - I used a few books and put the IC on its back between them and pushed the books into eachother. Then I pushed the IC into its slot (holder) on a slight angle. Trying to push the pins in all at the same time caused me to bend some of the PIC IC's pins which was scary, because I'd have to get the (programmed) PIC replaced Anyway I unbent them and tried again and got it in okay. Anyway I took some photos to help out. It looks like Silicon Chip have written the instructions for these kits to be for those who are not hugely electronic literate, however I can still sense that they take some stuff for granted. They tended to just say 'yeah build it as the diagram shows' without explaining how to go about it. But pretty much you mount the low stuff first, like links - do them first. Then the resistors and diodes (black or brown things with white bands on them), and so on. There is an article in the book on building kits however, have a good read of that because it's quite good. I hate the 1% resistors (the ones the kits come with), because the colours on them are always real crap. And the bands are thin because there's 5 bands. Also, half the time you don't know which way to read them. It could be brown black black red brown which could be either 10K or 120 ohms (120R). Anyway what you can do is leave them and do resistors you are able to certainly identify, then go back and see what's left and put them in, it makes it easier to guess which one they are. The 'normal' 5% resistors are the cream coloured ones and the colours are easy to discern. Also one end band is always silver or gold so you know which way to read them. Anyway I'm getting old so I had to use my multimeter to figure out half the resistors. The ones joined together with the paper stuff are all the same value so do them in groups. IIRC, the ones in groups are 10K, 100K etc because they are common. Also make sure you read the 'Errata' bit on the instructions with the kits - it contains damn important info. I didnt read it at first and mounted all the pushbutton switches deep in but you're supposed to mount them so that the pins only juuust protrude the bottom of the PCB, this gives them height to protrude through the case. I had to go back and melt-wriggle-melt-wriggle-melt-wriggle to get them 'out' a bit. And I added some metal washers to the nylon mounts to give the buttons extra height to protrude through the front of the case so they're easier to push. Anyway here's the photos. Hopefully they help with tricky parts. This shows the extrusion of the buttons from the front panel. They're supposed to be flush to avoid unwanted pressing but I wanted them to protrude a bit. You can see those funny plastic things on the bottom of the case. I'm guessing thats where they're meant to go beacuse they fit there. It is probably for mounting the box in your car. I soldered the top of the LCD board to the DIN ('dual inline') pin block and the instructions say to solder the bottom but I'm yet to find out if it'll work or not It should because usually these 'externally connecting' holes are joined at the top and bottom layers (tracks on the PCB). This shows the height of the switches. Some are prolly a bit wonky, because I had to pull them out a bit - I'd originally soldered them in all the way in :S This shows the orientation of the reset switch, the pins go on the 'top'/'bottom' directions of the board. Also shows the way the nylon stuff goes together. Check out my ugly links! I used off-cut resistor pins to do most of them, then realised they'd supplied link wire. But I found the link wire to be thicker and harder to get in, so I kept using the resistor wire. Their length is almost perfect. With the DFA (and prolly the IEBC), I chopped off the unused mounting points in the bottom of the case. This is because pins on the bottom of the PCB would push up against them and so the board wouldn't go down far enough. I also had to shear off some of the top of the rear mounting points because the rear panel wouldn't go in properly (as it was being limited by the board not going down far enough).

Yeah, Shan's great. Got my stuff, I've already put together the DFA and HC but I gotta go get a cable tomorrow or something because I didnt have one I thought I did. Anyway pinoi - firstly I love your car man, its very schmick! And your fmic is huge. Secondly, I'll take a photo of the switch for you in the morning (when I'm not half asleep) for you.

I'll be there too. Been there before, and gf works at a Gloria Jean's near there so I'll go get a coffee before

Oh, true. It would just 'learn' it's way around the AFM signal modifications unless it was changed by heaps. Ah well, so its useless then.

It'd be good to fine-tune cruising air/fuel ratio to stoiciometric, but not for accelerating/power conditions, when you need a wide-band one.

Yeah, I'd be interested to know this also, I've had a look at this in the catalogue and wondered how useful it would be.

Thanks funky, will get onto it. But one question - when/where is the SAUVIC meet? I've not been to any SAU meets, so I'm new to it... just been searching forums for any info on it but nothing listed I can find.

Impressive power curve there grepin What's that on? RB26/25?

Hey LowRollaBoy, The IEBC works kinda like as you said: The difference is, the boost you set is not for the whole RPM/load range. You set the 'boost' (see next 2 paragraphs) for 128 different load points. These load 'points' are derived from the injectors - how much fuel they are putting into the engine. So it's not RPM, but load that you map the boost levels against. Imagine a 2-D graph, with load on the bottom axis and 'boost' (again, see next 2 paragraphs) on the side axis. You are making the graph line by driving and 'dialling in' the 'boost' for each load point. The thing is, it's just a tuneable (variable) duty-cycle digital voltage source, and the duty cycle is set by you for each load point. It doesn't have to know what the boost is if you have tuned it using a gauge (or other means of measuring boost pressure). Once you do it, you just leave it and it'll keep the 'map' you have made. In fact it has 2 maps, a 'wet' and 'dry' map, with a switch on the side so you can alternate between them. I can understand your point, but when you really think about it, there is no need for it to be fed with the boost level if it already (blindly) knows what voltage to send to the solenoid to achieve a certain boost. I think it's elegantly simple It's kind of like if I trained you to walk around a corner to a door by telling you to walk 5 steps, then turn and walk 10 steps and turn left, then you can do it again with your eyes closed. You don't really need your eyes feedback (other than to avoid people) to reach the door because you know how the steps to take. Get me? It's more the way the mechanical part of things works that's the beauty with this EBC. Like what SK was going on about ages ago, you put the solenoid in 'series' with the wastegate actuator boost pressure line, and managing (blocking) what pressure the wastegate actuator sees, rather than just venting it out. This allows the wastegate to stay totally closed (thus causing exhaust to totally pass through the turbo compressor wheel and not through the wastegate, causing your turbo to generate maximum boost it can at that RPM/load), until you reach desired boost level, then make the solenoid gradually open to keep the boost at a given level. This means boost coming on harder (apparently much harder) and earlier than other EBCs or stock. This is all done by reading a boost gauge, holding on, and tuning in the level with the hand controller as someone drives the car through the load range. I have pretty much just reproduced what SK has been explaining But let me just say, everyone who isn't 100% sure on how this whole IEBC thing works, have a slow read of the above, and what SK said back in his first few posts as it is pretty much what I just said. I've quoted it here because it's a great explanation: As SK says, hope this helped (hehe) :headspin:

Me too funky - you got stock of the orders in yet? If not, you have an ETA on them? I believe I owe you $132 + GST = $145.20 (For IEBC + DFA + HC) Thanks

funkmeister, is it possible to pick up the units tomorrow or Friday or soonish? I can give you cash on the spot if you want, or DD, I'm ready to go. lol Jase, keep it in your pants man

Angry, check up on the way the solenoid works because basically the only requirement of it is that it is driven by a 'PWM' (Pulse Width Modulation) signal, which just basically means a voltage that switches on/off (or high/low), and the amount of time it spends in the 'on' state versus the time it spends in the 'off' state is called the Duty Cycle. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulse-width_modulation If it is, then you can use it. You won't need the pressure sensor, unless you were to hook it up to a gauge or something. The Jaycar IEBC only uses injector signal as an input, and the only output it has goes out to the solenoid. So it doesn't measure boost or know anything about it, but YOU have to, with a boost gauge. All it does is just open or close the solenoid a certain amount (which you set) for each 'load point' (which is determined from the injector signal duty cycle). I recommend that if you want to learn more about ECU's, AWD systems, boost control or basic DIY/electronics, then buy the book, I have found that just the articles about engine management are worth the 20 bucks it is. The DFA only adjusts the voltage signal, and by default doesnt adjust it at all, so it's very safe. It has a warning saying if you be silly and change points to be extreme values then you can cause damage, but otherwise you should be okay. Also, anyone needing a solenoid, I believe my mate, 'halz' on here has a RB25DET solenoid which he doesn't need any more (has a PowerFC boost control unit instead), so PM him.

Hey SK, I've read all about the DFA in the SC book, and know exactly how it works (systematically and electronically). But how does a SAFC work? Does it just morph the incoming AFM voltage for differing 'load' points (AFM voltages) as the DFA does, or does it have other inputs such as injector duty cycle? Does it suffer the same drawback of causing an advancing of timing due to the ECU thinking the mixture is lean if the AFM voltage is reduced? (Which can be overcome with another DFA being used to morph the CAS (Crank Angle Sensor) 0-5v voltage, or just rotating the CAS retarded a little) I'm just wondering how it is better than an SAFC I should be receiving the kits soonish from funky's group buy so am eager to get into the tuning.

Cool, so now we need one more for DFA. Funky, I don't want the magazine/book now, I just been to Jaycar and picked it up in there so I can read it on the w/e. Had a look at the kits too, they had DFA's there So that makes my order: 1) DFA, 2) IEBC and 3) Hand Cont. Cmon, one more for the DFA and we can get this order going.

Yeah, I been meaning to ask, all you guys playing with the IEBC, do you have boost gauges? Does one need one with the IEBC?

Yeah, I was thinking today it'd be good to wait until we have 5 people, and well we have 4 so far definate (skylinegeoff, xRHETTx, tikki169 and myself) (except skylinegeoff doesnt want DFA so thats 3 for that), so we're awaiting one more (two for DFA). Anyone else, cmon I'm more than happy to wait a little while until we have 5. It's a $10 saving on each unit! Besides, the DFAs are out of stock atm anyway. Also, I didn't put in the book in my above post, so to clarify, my order is: 1) Independent Electronic Boost Controller 2) Digital Fuel Adjuster 3) Hand Controller for Digital Adjusters 4) Performance Electronics for Cars - Silicon Chip Publications

Go ahead with my order. How do we do payment? I can do cash upon pickup, or DD. By the way, does one need a boost guage to use the EBC? I may need to get myself one of them too some day..

Yeah, I'm getting the book as well so as to read more into the kit itself, and I might build other circuits that it contains (I have built circuits for years). I would guess it would contain more info about using the kit too, but then again maybe it just contains a photocopy of the Silicon Chip article like Jaycar kits have in the past. I'm thinking that maybe the book itself is also a copy of the Silicon Chip articles, but in colour of course. Can anyone verify if the instructions with the kit, and the book are the same?

Yeah, sounds good. How long do you estimate till you get the Fuel Adjusters? Thanks again.

funky, I'm after: 1) Independent Electronic Boost Controller $58 + GST 2) Digital Fuel Adjuster $58 + GST 3) Hand Controller for Digital Adjusters $44 + GST All this adds up to (with GST) $194.70, I'm in Melbourne so how much would postage be to me you reckon?

Wicked, I'll let you know what I want soon (I'm being tight so I have to budget this in!), but would the prices go down if we got together 5 or more people, on an item level? I ask because the catalogue usually has a 'normal' price and a '5+' price (as well as 10+). Thanks for this though

Sounds good SK, I think it'd be a good thing to rent this equipment for those wanting to tune at home. But I'd like to buy one of these sensors myself, I have been looking around but they seemed pretty pricey, at least when I was looking a few months back. Are you selling any, or able to get any for a reasonable price, as I'd be interested in getting one. *keeps an eye on this thread*

I'm certainly getting one, and cheap is good, so count me as one Maybe you can get the books (Performance Kits for Cars) at cost price too? I'm after one of them also

SydneyKid, you tuned the IEBC and DFA on the dyno, I just have a quick question. I have quite a good knowlege of how all this works and am planning on building the DFA kit first for my 180. My question is - do you think it's hard or easy to tune/adjust the load points on the road? Its just that I don't have access to a dyno unfortunately, or a wide-band O2 sensor I'm thinking of building an 'intelligent air/fuel ratio kit' that Silicon Chip published years ago, however still being a narrow-band O2 sensor, it won't be that accurate. But my car is very rich and so leaning by any extent can only be good Also to those who are having problems with the building of these kits, I've seen up on Autospeed website when looking at these kits (they sell them too), they also have pre-built and tested versions they sell. Might be a bit more expensive, but I thought maybe it'll help to know for others planning on getting their hands on these kits.

I drive my 180 about twice a week for about an hour or two all up, as I ride my bike to work. So I go through stuff all, maybe a tank a month? On to the topic of conversation, I used to be pretty staunch about BP Ultimate, my mate's R33 and my 180 like it better than Optimax. But now I've become a bit of a slave to their marketing and use 4c/L off dockets with Optimax I think following reading this thread, I'll go back to BP Ultimate or see if I can find somewhere around here which does Syn 8000 or something. I've had enough of being a marketing slave!@ STICK IT TO THE MAN!@!$ :cuss: