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Build Your Own Fuel Injection Computer

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the hope-you-have-a-spare-engine dept.

renaissance-redneck writes "I was searching for details on assembling a fuelie setup from junkyard parts when I stumbled across this: 'MegaSquirt is an Experimental Electronic Fuel Injector Controller for Internal Combustion engines. Its main goal was to create a simple fuel-only controller that could be easily reproduced with cost-effective components.' If you've got the time and the skills, it beats spending $2000."

12 of 282 comments (clear)

  1. Injection is nice... by Alien+Being · · Score: 5, Funny

    But I'd rather be blown!

  2. Crazy world these days by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Does this mean I'll have to gas up my computer now? The oil companies are controlling everything nowadays...

  3. Please don't knock out the server.... by Juggle · · Score: 5, Informative

    Not this weekend! I build my MS back in December but didn't get my new motor together until about a month ago. Now I'm about ready to start putting it all together and /. finally notices the project.

    So of course just when I need the site the most it will probably be overrun and unavailable ;)

    Seriously though it's a great hardware hacking project. Quite a few revisions to the basic system have been made by the users and there are even a few spin-off projects (MegaSpark, MegaSquirtAVR, MegaJolt, MegaView, MegaTune, MSTWeak3k....) all of which were created by users of the system.

    It's based on a stripped down simple version of the DIY EFI-32 project that aimed at building a homebrew version of the GM computer but was getting so complex it was turning some people away.

    If the main site does get slashdotted there's the Yahoo Group: http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/megasquirt

    The MS FAQ:
    http://members.shaw.ca/megasquirt/MS%20FAQ.h tm

    And a few photos of my own project for those of you you just want to see the pretty pictures:
    http://www.americansandassociation.org/ phpBB2/modu les.php?set_albumName=album43&op=modload&name=gall ery&file=index&include=view_album.php

    --
    --- Juggle juggle@hitesman.com
  4. I think we can by Timesprout · · Score: 5, Funny

    confidently expect to see a lot of geek car enthuasiasts being nominated for Darwin awards after this mod.

    --
    Do not try to read the dupe, thats impossible. Instead, only try to realize the truth
    What truth?
    There is no dupe
  5. Re:Interesting... by Juggle · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Actually that has been brought up already on the MegaSquirt list - and Chevy is doing something similar on a vehicle in the next year or two with an engine that dynamically changes from 6 to 4 cylinders. It was done before (by Cadillac IIRC) but didn't work out well because the technology to pull it off just wasn't available.

    Oh - and it's also a technique used in some motors alreeady. The Ford Focus will do exactly what you described if it starts to overheat in an attempt to "Limp home".

    --
    --- Juggle juggle@hitesman.com
  6. Re:Interesting... by barzok · · Score: 5, Informative
    Cadillac still has it, it's part of the Northstar system. But, it's only for use in emergencies - if you lose your coolant, it shuts down half the engine at a time to pump air through to cool it off.

    Word on the street is that Dodge's new 5.7L HEMI has or will have in a near-future iteration cylinder shutoff for when you don't need all 8 sucking down the gas.

  7. Re:Interesting... by thing12 · · Score: 5, Informative
    Cadillac still has it, it's part of the Northstar system. But, it's only for use in emergencies - if you lose your coolant, it shuts down half the engine at a time to pump air through to cool it off.

    The Cadillac 16 uses a similar engine and it switches on demand to run on 4, 8 or all 16 cylinders of its 13.6 liter engine. Very cool stuff...

  8. Other options by vsigma · · Score: 5, Informative

    They do sell other standalone setups which we use for Rallying (Yes, like you see on SpeedVision, or what you have played on GranTurismo or other Rally racing game) - examples: Link ECU, MoTec, AEM-EMS

    All of the above allow control and modification of all elements of the car via a serial link to a laptop. You can even data log and so forth.

    Depending on where you buy it and so on, it's not going to be as cheap as the product listed here - but, you gain boat loads more functionality. For Rally racing like we do - we need the control/fine tuning ability to change fuel maps, ignition timing, Anti-lag for the turbo (amongst other things) to squeeze out every bit of performance that we can to go against much better funded teams.

    -victor

  9. Here's why... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting
    The reason you would want to do this: If you do significant engine modifications, generally to increase engine output, you'll need to tell the injectors to supply a non-standard amount of fuel. Add a turbo, for example, and you can easily double your engine's horsepower -- assuming the engine's internals are up to it -- but you'll need to remap fueling and timing or the engine goes boom.

    It's a pretty cool way to get supercar performance from lesser (read: cheaper!) vehicles. My daily-driver Miata has the factory 1.8L engine, force-fed 15psi boost by turbo. It puts out 250hp/250lb reliably (up from factory 120hp or so) and, thanks also its low weight, it outperforms 'Vettes -- except for top speed, and excluding the awesome Z06, of course. But then I paid about $20k for my car, not $50k... (Check out Flyin Miata for more info, no affiliation except as a happy customer.)

    I'm not using the MegaSquirt (using Flyin Miata's Link ECU instead) but the concept is the same. There is a HUGE need for an affordable programmable ECU among us automotive tinkers.

  10. Close but it needs more... by Tweakmeister · · Score: 5, Informative

    The modern ECU's control more than just the air/fuel (by reading 02 sensors, etc.). They alter things like timing and monitor a host of things.

    Many in the Honda crowd use an Apex'i S-AFC (or similar) to attach in line with the computer to adjust various things. Additionally you can buy other controllers and the like to adjust realtime at will.

    This thing is impressive, but is no replacement, it's a piggyback, and has a long ways to go.

    --

    Colossians 2:8

  11. Re:Interesting... by realdpk · · Score: 5, Funny

    Only wankers reply to sigs.

    Ha, who would fall for that.

  12. Fancy schmancy by Ogerman · · Score: 5, Funny

    Yeah, yeah.. Who needs all this fancy engine computer stuff.. Ever since I painted my Civic bright yellow (everyone knows yellow is fast), cut off the exhaust pipe, and added a 3 foot high spoiler (have to keep the wheels on the ground), it goes like twice as fast. You can clearly hear that my car has TEH POWER when I rev the engine at red lights. I am so fast you cannot even read my decals.