Jump to content
SAU Community

standard ECU


rsx84
 Share

Recommended Posts

my r32 rb20det has no rpm signal from the ecu? this was confirmed by the auto elictrican who fixed up some other bits for me, i have two questions

1st is can this be fixed without replacing the ecu?

2nd is will this effect the install of my safc

the sparkie said he can get the signal from somewhere else

oh yeah the engine isn't in a r32 anymore...

Cheers Matt....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What exactly is the problem?

I think someone has this arse-about. If anything, the engine generates a rpm signal for the ECU.

from my understanding the ecu rpm signal wire is linked to the tacho, thats what i'm talking about, from the ecu to the tacho theres no signal at all which is why i'm concerned about the safc install as well...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So the problem is the tacho doesn't work? And you want to know how to fix it? Have you tried connecting it up to the input from the CAS to the ECU? Or bridging the tacho feed to the ignitor?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My ecu didn't produce an rpm signal until i'd replaced my s13 tacho mechanism with the r32 mechanism. I still had my SAFC installed before then though, can't remember if i'd had it tuned before i fixed the tacho.

how exactley do you go about replacing the mechanism? i have the exact same problem, my tacho reads very slowly...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My ecu didn't produce an rpm signal until i'd replaced my s13 tacho mechanism with the r32 mechanism. I still had my SAFC installed before then though, can't remember if i'd had it tuned before i fixed the tacho.

toward that it's a simple 4 cylinder tacho mechanism (180sx) getting a six cylinder pulse from the ECU, voltage is different or something, when it came to the SAFC the rb20 ecu had a signal that went to the safc where as my rb20 ecu just dosen't have a signal at all, sorry mate thanks for the help though..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, if it is a 180sx the tacho won't work with rb20 ecu, difference impediance and voltage signal, Same as if you do a S13 CA18 non turbo to a S20Det the tacho won't work either.

You have to invest in a different tacho system eg Digital or Shift Tacho.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The tacho signal wire (pin 7) generates a signal by shorting to ground through the ECU.

If you were to connect this wire to an oscilloscope (and nothing else), the voltage waveform would be a flat line at 0V, ie the pin is being switched by the ECU between ground and 0V.

To get a signal other than a flat line, you need to connect a voltage source to pin 7, so then the ECU is switching pin 7 between (say) 12V and 0V and therfore generating a square wave.

I'm pretty sure the gear that provides a voltage source to pin 7 is integral with the OEM tacho and I think this generates a 0-5V waveform.

Also different tacho's are deisgned to work with different voltage waveforms, some are universal but others are designed to work at say 12V or hundreds of volts (ie direct from the coil).

You can generate a 0-12V square wave by connecting pin 7 to a 12V rail. Because no-one knows the current limit of the circuit for pin 7 a pull up resistor of say 10k ohms is usually connected between the 12V rail and pin 7. This limits to current to a small amount so you don't burn out that part of the ECU.

The pull up resistor method will only work for tachos which can use a 0-12V signal tho and it won't solve your problems if you need to modify the frequency of the pulses for different cylinder engines. If the tacho doesn't work, you will need a device that can generate a voltage signal that your tacho can read. These are commonly referred to as tacho boosters. Sixworks in Newcastle sell these devices (approx $50 or $100 depending on which you need).

These take about 5 min to install, I can put you in touch if you like.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What I remember doesn't agree with any of your comments. I'll check my service manual when back at home.

BTW, my comments are all for the R32 RB20DET.

Sorry, I was looking at the r33 Pinout diagram, The 32 Diagram for Rb20,

Pinout put 7 is Speed Sensor, which yes you can use for the RPM Signal.

Thats the problem with having too many Wiring Diagrams !!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

my question was for the r32 rb20det, http://www.rb20det.com/ecupinout.html  thats a pinout diagram for the r32 ECU,  

if i can get the tacho to run from somewhere else on the engine would that signal be ok to hook up the safc to aswell?

Yes just tap into that wire pin out from the ECU with your SAFC and that will give you a reading for your RPM, Simple as that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

IMO the sixworks booster is the go.

The ~$50 one has 4 wires - Pin 7, 12V, GND & Tacho output.

I like it because there's no chance of compromising any of the important signal wiring that the ECU uses to actually run the engine.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes just tap into that wire pin out from the ECU with your SAFC and that will give you a reading for your RPM, Simple as that.

the thing is is that wire from my ecu has no signal at all, its dead, been tested by two auto sparkies now and told no signal....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share



  • Similar Content

  • Latest Posts

    • Well.... yes and perhaps no. It depends on what you mean by "spool". For most of us, the point that we would describe as where the turbo is "spooling" is the point where the wheel speed gets high enough for it to start making some boost. This is coincidentally around about the point where it starts making noise - hence the "spooling" sound. If that is what you mean, then no - the wastegate should still be shut at this point. The boost will still be way below the point where it should start opening. If, on the other hand, you mean "spool" as "reach full boost", then yes. At the point where the boost has reached target, then boost control has already started. The wastegate is already open, and has been for some time. Some short time, definitely, but still, some time. If you have no boost controller - just the wastegate actuator connected to the boost source, then you have a mechanical system working as a pressure balance. There is pressure on one side of the wastegate actuator's diaphragm from the spring, and pressure on the other side coming from the boost measurement location (the "source"). This is not a digital thing. The wastegate does not stay shut until the boost pressure reaches the spring "pressure". The spring will start to compress as soon as you start to apply any pressure onto it. This can be controlled somewhat by adding pre-load into the spring, but you cannot add enough preload to make it into a digital switch behaviour. The wastegate will crack open and start to leak exhaust out (and therefore not though the turbine) well before you reach the target boost pressure. Electronic (and some mechanical/pneumatic) boost controllers will act to prevent the boost source applying pressure to the actuator until just before you reach target boost, thus preventing the wastegate from creeping open. And some boost controllers will apply boost pressure on the spring side to further push it shut. And this can be be necessary because the exhaust pressure in the manifold also pushes on the wastegate valve and tries to open it and you cab get it leaking even without it being connected to the boost source.
    • A stand alone boost controller will not give you the control you need, unlike a modern ECU. Your boost will always naturally target the wastegate's opening pressure first, your controller then will allow you to add more boost as required.
    • I recently discovered that I could not remove the outer bolt on one of my rear UCAs. Looked like it was seized to the crush tube. It wasn't all that long since I had last had that arm out (I dunno exactly, but certainly <2 yrs), so I was a bit surprised. I thought I had stock bushes in the rear knuckles, so I ordered some new PU bushes and resigned myself to having to do some dismantlery....and some butchery. It was clear that the seized bush was going to need to have the bolt cut out of it and then possibly some more brutality after that. Upon getting the 3x arms on each side disconnected from the knuckles (with the exception of the seized one, of course), I discovered that I had in fact put PU bushes into the knuckles when I did the subframe conversion about 12-13 years ago. So, I say "Oh, good, I might not have to swap any of these others out". We set to work butchering the bolt out of the seized arm. Stainless blade in a big-arse Milwaukee recipro made short work of it, and also damaged the arm, which added a welding and grinding and painting step to the whole exercise. During the butchery it became clear that the bolt was not just seized but bent. Head scratching ensued, as it is hard to understand how that bolt could get bent. I did suffer a broken (stock) toe control arm on that side a few months ago, and drove some miles with some significant rear wheel self steer and lack of control, which probably was the cause. But it's still hard to understand how it would bend that bolt, rather than just bend the arm. But here's the start of the real discoveries. The crush tube was rusty as all shit. I mean seriously rusty. A little on the inside, contributing to the tube seizing to the bolt (along with the bend). But the outside had at least 2-3mm of compressed flaky iron oxide jammed in between the parent metal and the PU bush. This one was brutalised and still took some effort to get the PU off the crush tube. So I thought I'd inspect the others more closely. The one on the tension rod adjacent the bent one was first. I had to use a 2-jaw puller to get the crush tube out, and it took some effort. It came out looking like the first one. All 6 of them were the same, except for one that looked not too bad. Had some corrosion on it, but was mostly OK. There was also a significant amount of corrosion on the inner surfaces of the knuckles. They took some convincing with pointy tools to let go their grip on the inside of the holes they were in. There was no sign of the original (SuperPro) lube anywhere. I and my bro-in-law have never seen any crush tube end up looking like this. It was seriously like the car has spent time putting boats into the water at the boat ramp. So, it seems like the PU might have been bonded to the steel on both sides, which would have to make them work more like stock rubber bushes (where arm deflection results in twist inside the rubber). Despite this, I have never had cause to believe that they were so tightly bound up. The suspension moved up and down much as you'd expect. The car never made any noises in those bushes that would have led me to believe there was a problem. Maybe the rusty interfaces actually were "sliding". Anyway, lesson learnt. Even quiet, non-troublesome PU bushes should be inspected every now and then!
    • the boost controller allows you to adjust the opening of the wastegate (which only has one preset spring) I'm going to see how it acts on it
    • I studied the principle of wastegate to begin with. so if I understood correctly. the moment when the turbo "spool" is where the boost control begins. When the target level of "psi" is reached the wastegate opens to regulate the exhaust pressure passing through the turbo and thus control its speed and the rate of boost
×
×
  • Create New...