I am going to start modifying my 350 in my 1991 GTA. It looks like I need to buy new chips every time I add something new. Does anyone make a fully programmable computer that I can swap out for my current one? Kind of like how you can tune your LSX by simply plugging in a laptop.

Thanks!
Bill

 

Read the stickies on the DIY PROM page.

You should have a "730" ECM, with "8D" code, and would want to start with something like an AUJP bin. There's several chip programmers and emulators that can be had for a reasonable price. There's free and cheap software out there as well.

730 is the generic name for the speed density (MAP, not MAF) computer used in TPIs from 90-92. 8D is the GM label for the code it uses in TPIs for those years. AUJP is a calibration (with some code as well) for the 350/auto and I think it's the latest one released by GM.

This should help you a little when you start to read the stickies.
You do NOT have a "165" with $6E or 32B.

An Autoprom from moates.net is what I use, and TunerPro RT from Mark Mansur's site. It gets the job done well. There's cheaper stuff available, just figure out what you need vs your budget.

Good Luck!

 

RednGold, thanks for your response. I was asking if it was possible for me to buy a computer that doesn't require any chip burning. In other words, I want to plug a laptop into my computer and upload the values I want.

Are there any computers I can buy for my car that can do this, or not?

If not, then I'll start putsing with ROM burning.

Thanks!
Bill

 

Convert your ecm to a Prominator.
Search on it.
http://misterbill.homeip.net/products.asp

 

Has anyone used the Prominator? Is it good/bad? Can the data on the image be lost (due to a bad car battery or a bad battery in the Prominator itself?)

When I end up going to a car tuning guy, will he have any clue what to do with it? Or will he only know the standard ECM?

I like the idea that it supports multiple images. I plan on having one image for passing emissions, one image for gas mileage, and one image for kicking a**.

Any feedback anyone can offer would be appreciated.

Thanks!
Bill

 

P.S. I'm kind of new to chip burning. Is the ECM the only chip that you guys bother to burn, or are there other chips that can be reworked when tuning your car?

Will the Prominator definately work for my application?

 

bump

 

 

Checkout Craig Moates Ostrich.
Any change you make on the laptop is instantaneous, it is FANTASTIC! www.moates.net $175

 

can u use all this stuff for a 1987 tpi maf ecm or just the sd ecm ?
any what ALL does a person need to get started?
thanks

 

i have searched, but I'm still a bit confused, hence my post.

 

basically.. if you have an ecm with a prom chip you can use the ostrich in place of it and with the software TunerPro RT can load a prom image into the emulator and your ecm does not know the difference.. the best part about all of this is you can make tuning changes on the fly with your engine running. I have read somewhere that Mark "TunerPro" is working on a "self tuning" version of the RT software.. once you drive around and it tunes itself in you can then burn the image to an eprom and enjoy your perfectly running engine one day.....

 

I just finished building my Megasquirt II V3.0 board. It is affordable and you plug your lap top into it to make changes to fuel and spark. The Megatune software that comes with it also has an autotune feature that basically tunes the car for you (target AFR per the AFR table that you can set). I also am new to programing, but if you take the time to read all of the literature, it is not too difficult. You can check it out at: www.msefi.com

 

Hey Blown87

When you did the MSII did you also buy the relay board, or are you going to wire up your own relays and fuses?

 

I did not buy the relay board. I already have TPI on the vehicle, so I am going to wire it in right off the existing wiring harness. The factory harness has the relays and fuses needed for protection.
If I were putting this on a car that did not have EFI prior, I would utilize the relay board.

 

dollar for dollar, megasquirt it!

 

I second this advice. I put MS into a car that didn't have EFI. While my wiring works, it's not the prettiest and I think using the relay board makes it easier to do it neatly. It's probably a little more idiot-proof, too.

-Dave

 

Is yours also controlling ignition? If so, were you able to run it through the relay board?

 

No, not running ignition control, but I intend to do that conversion this winter. I'm not sure how I'll handle that through the relay board yet, but I'm sure it's not too big of a deal.

-Dave

 

Are you splicing into the factory harness or are you making an adapter piece?

 

Here's a pretty good deal on a new wiring harness with labeled wires:

http://www.diyautotune.com/catalog/m...32d00521e2df0e

 

a good deal is still expensive when you can easily modify a stock TPI harness to work w/ the MS. Now, if you don't have an OE harness/aren't starting with a TPI car, then, by all means...
I'm going to use my factory suburban TBI harness the MS. As long as you do it right(I'm good at wiring) it makes for a more factory, clean look.

 

I have a 20 pin connector that I will be using to attach the MS to the factory harness. So, when everything is done it will just plug into the factory harness. I will have the MS controlling fuel and spark, but I am keeping the factory ECM functional so that my cooling fans and TCC still work.
I ran into a small problem with the MS which has stalled me a few days on the install. After assembly, the instructions say to wash the board in order to remove the excess flux. Well, after I did that I was getting very erratic readings from my IAT sensor. After some diagnosing I determined that the embedded code somehow was damaged. After reinstalling the embedded code and recalibrating the AFR tables, the MS now works porperly again. I plan on installing it in the car a firing it up this weekend.

 

Blown87, can you post a pic of that adapter you made?

-Dave

 

Blown87, I'm interested in the pinout routes you did. And I take it you were running MAF and switching to SD?

 

I was not clear in my previous post. I purchased the wiring harness for MS from diyautotune.com for $60. That harness plugs into the db37 connector. The 20 pin connector then connects from the MS harness to the factory wires which I cut, installed terminals on and inserted to the connector. I just did that because I do not like the idea of splicing and soldering each wire from the MS harness to the factory harness. Plus if I decide to remove MS and use it in a different vehicle I can just unplug it and plug back in the factory wiring. When I get pics I will post them.

 

wgripp said he needs to pass emissions, can a Megasquirt handle air injection & O2 feed back?
i ask because i don't know much about that system.

 

I don't think it could handle AIR/EGR functions, but you could easily piggy back it in and leave the factory ECM. Then the factory ECM could control all the smog crap and the MS would run fuel/spark mapping.

 

Which in my opinion would be a complete waste of money because you can tune the factory computer without piggybacking anything. And you maintain limp home, etc.. And it comes with a base tune. And the support on the DIY PROM is super. If you already have a TPI setup in your car, and aren't building anything extremely radical, (and even if you are building something radical and have experience) the stock ECU is quite capable.

 

- you get a free base-tune from the ms web-site, you get atleast as much tech support on the ms web-site as the DIY prom stuff, and it costs less than the prom tuning/burning equipment. It's also A LOT more capable for a "radical" motor. Plus you get real-time on-the fly tuning. True "on the fly" as in tuning fuel at a given rpm while at that rpm etc... plus you can easily/cheaply hook up wide-band...

 

Not only does it do O2 feedback, it does Wideband O2, which can be programmed all the way through wide open throttle, and any air/fuel ratio you want. The stock O2 for TPI will can only tune itself to 14.7:1 AFR, which is pretty lean for performance.

And I don't think it will do EGR or AIR, but they won't affect your sniffer test anyway. I plan on leaving mine in the engine bay for the visual inspection.

 

Hey guys. Here are the pictures of the MSII install that I promised. This is still a rough install, I will refine it later. The scotch locks on the factory harness are no longer used, I just used them during testing the MSII. The wiring harness coming in from the left is my wide band O2. I am still runnning the factory ECM to control timing. After I learn how to tune fuel properly, I will switch timing control over to the MSII and remove the factory ECM.
Since I cannot piggyback the coolant sensor, I had to dedicate it to the MSII, which means I now have no cooling fans. To fix this I have ordered a Nordskog Pro Series digital water temp guage, which has a programable output control. I will used this output to control my fan relays. As soon as I get the cooling fans working I will begin road testing.

 

One more

 

With MS-II, you should probably be able to control your fans with the FIdle signal and some very minor code tweek. I'm going to be changing mine to do it that way. Others have done it. It's free, too.

Or, just hook up your fan relay to a toggle switch until you get the MS-II code working right.

-Dave

 

I have read that some people are controlling thier fans in that way. The temp guage in the car does not work, so I was in the market for one anyway. I hate to say it , but I am taking the easy way out.

 

- the factory fan switch grounds at around 215 degrees. - not the most desireable temp, but can easily be swapped for an aftermarket switch w/ what ever temp disired. - All you have to do is hook your fan relay triggers to a key-on pwr and to the fan switch. When the motor reaches "X" temp, the switch grounds, snapping the relay, turning your fans on...how do you think we run thermostat controlled electric fans on carb cars???

 

Thanks for the advise, but my coolant guage does not work, so I need to replace it anyway. By using the Nordskog I can fix my coolant guage and solve my fan problems in one shot.
It's easy, just five wires and I will have total cooling fan control that I can adjust at any time from the driver seat.

 

That's awesome. Very motivating. So how many attempts did it take to get the first start up?

 

I think it was on the fourth try it started and idled nicely all the way up to 225F. This evening I will be completing the coolant guage install and once my cooling fans are back up I will begin road testing.

 

Here is the guage. I can now start road testing.
P.S.- wgripp, I apologize for highjacking your post.

 

On my 89 TPI, there was a plug installed into the intake manifold up front that a coolant sensor fits right into. It was a b to remove, but it's a pipe plug. It was near the other sensor if I recall correctly.

BTW, I have that car wired up for switchable control of IAC, Fuel, or Spark, any one of which can be controlled by the factory ECU, or the ECU our company made. Switching the IAC requires transorbs if you do it on the fly, if the MS2 doesn't have them already.

 

Ohhh, I get it now. You're saying that you could run dual coolant sensors so that you could use one for the MSII and the other to run the fans through the old computer.