04-29-2011,
got a package from DIYautotune today :) ... the serial to USB adapter and the mount/case for the relay board... I'm still debating on using the relay board or not... I could just about start wiring up the engine just missing the ignition part of the system... and the question still is do I snag a block mount dizzy from the JY and run the dizzy or go... dizzy would prob be cheaper but the clean look and install of edis would be nice.
anyway I can finish building the megasquirt now... which I may work on this weekend... don't tend to get much wrenching done over weekends lol
04-30-2011
as is typical on weekends very little done... wanted to do something though so I did a quick bench test of the Grand National fuel pump from my buddies trash bin when he upgraded for his built engine... pulled out the alligator clip type wires and clipped it to the very dead marine battery... had to toss a charger on the battery to have enough power to turn the pump lol... but it spun and sounded healthy...
the GN pump has spade connectors... both the volvo in tank pump and s10 pump use eye mounts (although the s10 has an adapter so it can have a plug)... so I rummaged though a few bins to find a wire with some spade clips... found a wire that had em (from a large appliance before it was trashed...) cut off a bit and soldered the eye hole side to the clip mount... ran out of time so no pics of that... but it should work well...
GN fuel pump on top
stock S10 pump in middle (this is a low pressure pump so no good for most EFI systems)
the dead volvo in tank pump on bottom (another low pressure pump, volvo had a 2nd high pressure pump inline for the pressure needs of the high pressure EFI)
05-01-2011
welp... spent a little time testing the megasquirt now that I got a working USB to serial cable... as I expected I ran into a snag... the Clock Circuit & Testing didn't go as I'd hoped... will go back though checking circuits and stuff... but this is honestly what I expected for the price... could be a single component... so we'll see... heck it could be a dieing 9v lol (we can only hope)
05-02-2011
well I did some reading last night and I think I just made an idiot mistake (had run another program that used com5 so that port wasn't open)... I restarted the computer this morning and tossed a fresh battery into the stim. the MS fired right up on megatune :) ... can change imput loads on with the stimulator...
so VERY good news :)
05-02-2011
I think I found what stopped the original assemblers progress... missing components... it came with a v2 mega-stim (which is pretty old) and all the componets where from digikey (most people just buy pre-packaged kits from DIYautotune or the like now...
anyway I spent time installing what I could but missing parts I had to put an order into digikey... about $5 including shipping... so waiting on that... now back to sorting out the truck...
05-04-2011
wow digikey sure ships fast... got my last few components... now to sit down and finish assembly of the MS... well except the case... will prob get to that tomorrow
05-05-2011
I'm almost done with the MS build... cutting the end plates sucks... need to spend a little more time with the file and i'll finish up the last few components...
if/when I build another MS i will def buy the precut end plates.... but at this point my cutting doesn't count against a budget and I plan to mount the MS out of eye sight so the unsightly end plates don't really matter lol...
also I think i've decided to run edis and use the relay board... I could run without it but i'm going to just be lazy for simplicity sake
05-12-2011
spent a little bit of time yesterday preping for wiring... pulled the exhaust manifold/turbo and the alternator/bracket and installed the intake manifold support bracket (attaches to the drivers side engine mount)... took a little grinding and bending but t fits nicely... then plugged in the coolant sensor plug and w/ pigtails and injector harness and played around with some possible locations to run the harness... also figured where I want to mount the relay board (going to be lazy and use it but will leave enough of the non used wires from the harness that I could dump it and use the stock stuff down the road (aka if the challenge budget dictates)
today I got off my duff and finished up the MS... had to run to the hardware store and get the end plate screws... a huge $0.68 or something like that... plugged it to the stim and worked great... hooked up computer worked great... then it stopped... dug out a power supply and wired it up and worked again :) lol... need hit the junkyard and pick up a block mounted dizzy and a tps... also need to wire the MS up for the volvo ignition and to build my relay cable... need to keep motivated... I think driving the volvo has helped a little... it's a hoot and the s10 will be quicker and handle better when i'm done :)
05-16-2011
been yanking apart the volvo parts car a bit... I've decided to keep the exterior parts all in tact... want to put it back into storage untill I have time for it... I think it would make a great GRM challenge car or maybe lemons at some point... just not something I can do right now... but I have some ideas turning in my mind about her...
also cleaned up the storage area... trying to get things organized... I need to get things together to be sold so I can pay for some of the bigger expense things (driveshaft, wideband 02, and tires namely)
right now i'm biding my time for pay day... need to buy a battery and hit the junk yard for a dizzy and tps... will modify the MS at some point this week for the volvo spark and work on that relay board wire harness (now that i've got the wiring from the volvo)...
05-22-2011
picked up the cheapest "normal" battery I could find... today I mounted the oil t3 turbo and oil cooler bits so that when I crank the engine I don't have oil spraying everywhere...
plan to hit the junkyard tomorrow so I can get a TPS and ignition bits that I need to hook up... will look around to see if I find anything that I can't live without... going to be out of town for most of the week so won't have time for much this week...
05-23-2011
hit the JY today... 3 of em... found what I need but didn't pick any of it... was just checking stock and prices (was to freakin hot out) one of the JY was not a u pull it... but after talking to the guy he said if I came early on sats he'd let me roam the yard and pick my parts... and give me a decent price cut.
so i'll head back tues or wed and snag what I need... also was happy to find plenty of sway bars for the s10 (4dr blazer bars)... the only thing I didn't find that I really want is a '91+ turbo manifold...
looks like the cost of EDIS parts is slightly more than using the volvo dizzy... by about $5... but then I have to make or buy a bracket... and so i'm still debating that... doh
05-25-2011
went back to the JY to pick up the parts I needed... the one lh2.2 block mounted dizzy that had the internals in tact was broken pretty badly :-/... I did pull an alternator bracket and PS bracket/PS pump to swap sided of parts... also some odds and ends I plan to sell to offset the JY cost a bit...
so it's off to the used market place online to find a dizzy grr.... (anyone got one FS at a resonable price?)
06-02-2011
found a dizzy from turbobricks board member... should have it next week... getting the heat shrink and some wire loom stuff so I can start working on the harness... will also finally do the ingition mods needed to the megasquirt once I have the dizzy in hand (figured no point of having to change it again if I end up having to go EDIS)
looking forward to getting this thing cranked over ...
06-05-2011
thanks for the reminder... this info is out there just not in one convent location lol...
we're talking this right here I suppose lol...
I'm seeing a few coil ballast resistors and thats what I need for this bit correct?... any specfic part numbers? the MSD one is only 1.5ohm so not sure where to look specificly for a 1k ohm.
for the 10ohm 12v on the dizzy that just needs to be a standard little 10ohm axial resistor right? (making sure it's not a high watt rating like the resistor pack for the injectors or the coil)
anyway... finally got some heat shrink and got some of the harness wired up... the injector harness is set (had to repair thanks to some mice/rats), ran the coolant and IAT sensors, and for the TPS (do need to get the TPS installed though)
so getting little things done here and there... lots to do still but if I can keep getting a little done I'll eventually finish it lol.
06-07-2011
picked up the needed resistors today... and some JB weld... got the sensor plug on the dizzy JB welded on... will let it dry overnight... plan to get things wired up through the week... the thought of it starting up is exciting but finding it hard to get much work time in thanks to 100* temps :-/...
on the suck side... It appears the volvo 700 coils are apparently different than the 200's... the plug wire doesn't have the same kind of clip... will hit the JY and snag a coil... I had pulled an aftermarket one from a 200 and put it back when I was there last time because I figured I didn't need it and no sense in wasting money... at least it's cheap...
oh yes... also think i've found a conversion U joint so I will be able to just shorten the volvo shaft... SWEET
06-08-2011
finishing up the engine/body harness wiring... sensor wires are all proper length or just need shortened a tad and tinned and put into the relay board... also got the needed resistors wired in place so all I need to do is hook it up to the switched 12v (will use the stock s10 coil power wire for the coil and ignition module) have everything so when I put loom to it it should look about stock and be pretty simple/easy to remove for when I have to pull the engine (funny things you think of when you build a car lol)
the only thing i really have left for wiring oln the truck itself is wire the battery and the engine to frame ground... still need to get the front fuel lines run... debating on how I want to run the fuel filter though... I'm debating between running it out back nest to the fuel tank or in the frame (C channel portion)... and obviously run hoses for the fuel feed/return
relay wire harness still needs wired up and need to mod the MS for spark... prob will finish the engine bay wiring tomorrow... after that school is out for the summer so i'll be playing a lot more Mr. Dad and will have less time in the garage
06-12-2011
family in town this weekend so nothing much happening... did manage to get the megasquirt relay cable made... what a PITA... cost me about $11 in wire... I can def understand spending another $50 or so to have it pre-built... and if I ever do MS again with a relay board I prob buy one from DIYautotune... but still well under $100 in my megasquirt kit so we're on great target for the GRM$2011 budget (although being 4 months away i'm worried I won't be finished in time... but there's always 2012
06-13-2011
I re-routed the alternator wires (i'd tried to run them in front of the engine like on the 240 but I didn't like it... so around the back of the engine they go... will need a good thermal cover to keep the exhaust heat away... but the wire run looks clean.
then I got the dizzy clocked right (I think have to verify that)... it looks like the outer portion of the crank pully has moved about 10-15* advanced over the years (which is why you don't mount a crank trigger directly to the outside of these pulleys... the rubber can allow the outside to move)
TDC on the cam pulley... also verified it was TDC for the accessory pulley and crank (with crank pulley pulled) so this is what the cam pulley looked like
and this is what the crank pulley looks like.
got the ignition module and injector resistor box mounted.... nice and clean
the wire run is fairly clean and will keep the stock "over the brake booster" run... would be cleaner running it under but that puts it in higher friction areas... will look a lot better when I get some loom covering it... right now it's still missing the TPS (have to modify the mount still to use the 850 tps)
should be able to work on it a bit tomorrow... maybe get my wiring finished up and then will be off to get the fuel system finished up so I can get her cranked.
06-17-2011
little odds and ends done...
picked up some fuel line today... so I can finish up my fuel line runs... might get off my butt and do that tomorrow....
anyway... stole the aftermarket coil from my 940 volvo and mounted it in the s10 (the stock 700/900 coil uses a different coil than the 200 series... I have a few spare 700 coils and plug wire sets so tossed that on the volvo... got the coil mounted up above the engine... i'll hit the JY next week sometime (when I have someone to watch the kids) I like it up there... i'll use the split loom wrap on the plug wire (like the s10 had for it's plug wires) I used the holes for the s10 power distribution block thing... perfect place for it IMHO
in this one you can see the stock portion of the fuel line... i'm going to run the other bit of hardline up to along the firewall so I don't have any issues with fuel lines rubbing, rupturing and spraying down my engine bay.
I've got the alternator mounted down low passenger side... need to pick up some shorter belts as it needs to tuck a little tighter to the engine but I shouldn't have any issue with rubbing on the frame rail... I can always move it to the driver side but I'd prefer to mount the s10 PS pump on the drivers side so I don't have to worry about having custom PS pump hose made (just have to fab the bracket).
and lastly I ordered the relays from DIYautotune... the price O'vancedzone wanted cost 3x what diyautotune wanted for em even after shipping... i'd rather support them anyway... going to verify everything works right with the relay cable before I mod the MS box itself... so next week some time it may be the first start up... we'll see :)
06-18-2011
well thought to check the relays on the volvos relay/fuse box and found 3 of em... one of em is even a 40a... so snagged em and did a bench test of the MS with my relay cable...
only hooked up the TPS and MAT sensors... obviously able to simulate coil triggers with tapping the 12v signal... so all looks good
used the computer exhaust fan to warm the MAT a bit...
need to get some more fuel hose hose and some hose clamps at the store before I can button up the fuel system and the engine ground system is still waiting on me... waiting for the sun to go down a bit... high 90's makes me want to stay inside with the a/c
06-18-2011
picked up my needed fuel line and clamps...
also earlier today plugged in the 14" cut-off saw and found that it worked ... very excited as I was told that it didn't work... that will make the exhaust build much easier
06-19-2011
got the fuel lines run... will have to be re-done down the road as it has to to many junctions for my taste but will work for now...
will get on the electrical system tomorrow
06-23-2011
megasquirt is wired for spark woot... going update to the MSn-extra firmware tonight and going to try to get the truck all wired up tomorrow and see if I can't get spark off the dizzy and then maybe get the truck started... that would be so awesome
06-23-2011
I keep rethinking mounting the alternator in the dropped position on the drivers side or in the passenger 240 location... that being said keeping the heater still hasn't been determined... it's ALMOST warm enough here in the winter that I wouldn't care and weight loss is always good... for now i'll just loop the heater core lines on the engine... i've done the stripped out toy before and i'm not sure i'm hardcore enough for that anymore lol...
06-23-2011
got the MS running MSn-Extra now ... painless... running though getting it set for the volvo stuff now.
