Controlling an ECU

[waynne]

That sounds great - nice to hear you are making progress. Use the contact us link at the bottom to email me if you have any problems or questions. I think it would be great to have the project updates from you. If you post pictures and a writeup in a new post in the Gallery section I'll make this into a page on the main site for you as well. (Is there an arguement for a new diesel section? HDi What do you think of that?)

[malc9141]

What's HDi? (!!)

Anyway, I would like (ie enjoy) to "diarise" progress, tho' I'd have to avoid moaning. It IS like pushing a washing machine uphill. People of course aren't waiting around to help ME.

But at last there is an unglamorous expensive bit of alloy now machined. It doesn't reflect the effort getting there. Camshafts still need to be made. When we're certain where we're going, there'll be some fotos and we can see if it makes an article of interest.

So thanx again. I'll get back to you in time. It's very slow.

This is how it might read:

1. Introduction and explanation of project

2. Decisions I had to make about direction (OK: modify a single cylinder engine with a big flywheel > Lister-Petter diesl).

3. Cylinder head repair shop. Intelligent knowlegeable guys. Helpful. Start planning valve/spring assemblies. (Needed for choice of valves etc)

4. (Farce about working with a Mech Eng University dept?? instant machine shops, gas flow analysis, dynamometer, electronics expert to tune Injection - none of the above after a year of planning) (Describe details)


5. Outside machine shop. No probs. Then, "Ah wait till we've finished this batch etc." "Look, we really are too busy for this job." Eventually, standing there till the job is started gets us off first base - but not much further.(Describe details)


6. Go to a different, commercial machine shop. Progress! (Describe details)


7. Return to Cylinder Head Repair shop. "Oh no, this isn't what we expected, why didn't you.... ?etc" But they're good guys and I'm not leaving. So sort that out. (Describe details)

8. Now for camshafts. Design, etc (Describe details)

9. Meanwhile, Wayne says "try this website". Order book, Amazon. Bedtime reading is not for the fainthearted. eg ..the main fuel map plots injection pulse as a function of revs and loading. The surface chart should correspond roughly to volumetric efficiency.. (please explain, etc)

10. Clever guys offer to help with Injection . "Should come in at under £10,000 but can't promise." Who am I - Ron Dennis. (Injecting heroin would be cheaper)

11. My "assistant" offers other helpful suggestions to ward off the fact that he WAS supposed to be machining the head in the first place, and is now assigned to build a dynamometer (I've asked a company to give a quote but no reply, despite initially matey emails). The dynamometer keeps changing in concept until I come up with a crazy idea. He actually comes back with a sensible one. Always "dead easy" but not much delivery.

12. My life so far...

We'll keep in touch. I may stay sane, though it's getting doubtful.

Have a good remainder of Christmas.

Malc

[waynne]

The question is Who is HDi - I was reffering to HDI-fun our resident diesel head. You clearly know what you are getting into here. The synopsis looks good - you should have labelled the post as a "spoiler" but I'm sure there will be a few suprises along the way.