Standalone ECU Adaptronic e420c ECU I need opinions Please!

[spf_lexus]

My Hybrid 4.7 is fully wired up and ready for it's first start. All wires soldered and my laptop is installed with the software and base map. I am having trouble getting a connection from the E420c to the laptop. I use a serial-to-USB cable and I get a message from Windows saying I need drivers for serial/USB connections but I keep thinking i'm going about this wrong. I load the software from the base map and I get pre-loaded specs for a supercharged 1uz and it seems pretty close but I keep seeing "no com port detected", even tho the box lights up like a x-mas tree when I put the ignition to "ON". My builder is old school and isn;t a computer know it all and told me I needed to be connected to the internet for a connection to be made, but I know thats bogus. Also, once the specs are entered into the software and saved, will the comp display real time as soon as I turn the car over?

I only have like 2 days to fire this thing up before I need to go and everything is done, just need to get the comp and ECU to get friendly with each other :34:

 

[cribbj]

Some of those Serial to USB converters haven't worked with the AEM ECU's, so it's probably a combination of the serial to USB converter, and XP.

You may have to try a few of these converters. The Radio Shack ones are supposed to work OK, as do the IO Gear ones, but stay away from the Belkin's.

Or find an old laptop with a true serial port.

This is coming from more than one AEM tuner, so it's probably fairly reliable.

 

[spf_lexus]

Thanks Cribbj.

I almost went out and bought another cable just because I thought I threw the driver CD away... only to find it never came with one! I think I can figure it out as all USB is plug and play. I just need to dig into device manager a little more. I'll let ya know how it goes...

 

[spf_lexus]

Are old laptops that have old school serial ports fast enough to run the WARI software? The softare was only a couple megabytes... I'm sure I can find an old one for under $100 and wont need to spend that much on cables, $35/each is high for such old tech, wonder why ECU's even use them? Why not USB 2 or firewire, much faster transfer speeds.

 

[cribbj]

I still keep an old PIII Dell Inspiron that I bought in 2000 just for running the AEM tuning software. It's useless for anything else because it's so slow, but it does have a "real" serial port, and it runs the AEM software just fine.

When/if I upgrade my AEM and sell the old one, I'll throw the laptop in too!

 

[spf_lexus]

That's what I wish I had, I managed to sort my issue out a few hours ago by installing serial-to-USB drivers. I got so stoked to see the box light up and see the comp load up. I find it hilarious that a cutting edge ECU uses an interface that was killed almost 10 years ago. I suppose it was engineered back then but c'mon guys! How hard can it be to upgrade to a USB II or firewire connection? I doubt the transfer speed is necessary but in all fairness I just spent $40 w/ tax for this convertor box. I'm all done whining tho, it does what it's supposed to


Just finished priming the fuel system and tried a preliminary start that resuslted in no power to the starter. All fuses good, fuel pump works. I ended up testing my starter relay with a stethescope and it's odd that it ticks which the shifter in ALL GEARS. I'm guessing I have a neutral safety switch issue? I ran out of time to finish today but guessing it's got something to do with the trans? I remember I had a plug that filled up w/ coolant and supposed it could be inteferring. Also I installed a trans temp gauge and it's installed wrong because the needle jumps to max temp as soon as ignition is introduced. Any idea one of these is messing with my safety switch?

I also have an alarm w/ starter kill.... but almost positive I turned it off.

 

[spf_lexus]

Update

I sorted out my Starter and the problem is still unknown. I held a stethescope to my starter relay and I could hear it clicking but no power to the starter. I ended up routing a seperate line from the starter solenoid plug to the relay and it works fine now. I managed to crank the engine a few times to get the lube system working but cannot let it run until all my injector plugs are replaced. They have seen better days lacking locking clips and dirtied up with old RTV and oil. I am so down to the wire that I am calling my college tomorrow to have them allow me a week absence to finish this WAR. Then I hope to god it's reliable for the 1500mile/16hr trip :yell:

 

[stevechumo]

Before you go anywhere with this completed project, can you come down to David and let me check out the ride?

 

[spf_lexus]

of course Tim's shop is about 25min away. I just pray everything does what it's supposed to. I have a gooooood feeling tomorrow is the day, but i'v been wrong before. I'll record a vid of it on dyno rollers for it's first break in and post it when the time comes.


Does anyone know ANYONE that can get fuel injector clips for 1uzfe or 7MGE? Dealer only sells the entire harness of course, and just no luck anywhere else. Need em' ASAP or I get to rig these up somehow with more RTV. I wanted to just zip-tie somehow to get me home but there's nothing to tie it to on the backside of the Inj.

 

[cribbj]

Sean, Bruce Holt @ Five-o-Motorsports has them - only $7 or $8 each IIRC.

www.fiveomotorsports.com

He sells clips & pigtails for Honda (Keihin) injectors, Nippon-Denso type, plus Bosch EV1 and U-Car. Nice guy to deal with and real good service.

 

[Lextreme II]

Shawn,

I have some at home you can have, but sorry i wont be back until end of this week.

 

[spf_lexus]

No worries David, I think the problem will get solved, Tim comes up with good ideas so if I cannot find them tomorrow morning something will float to the surface..

Cribbj's website reference looks promising, and they say they carry turbo 7M pigtails so I think I can make it work. I spent the entire day calling around like a maniac to find these. im just going to crack out a single injector and bring it with me.


Cribbj
Thanks for the link, could not find anything close to them all day! Driving direct

 

[stevechumo]

There's a cheap alternative to the injector clip. I cut the existing injector wires, used the electrical female butt connector and slid the wire in then soldered it. Then plug that into the injector. I used a small butt connector that's crimped at the opening where the injector pin goes inside, so it'll stay snuggly and tight. A force will be required in order to pull it out. This method worked on all of my previous Honda engines with no problem. Also, the butt connector has the plastic covering its body, so it insulates itself from the other injector pin, nor any water can go inside it.

I didn't try this cover method, but if you want to be safe, you can use a rubber plug to cover the entire injector plug. The plug will need to be drilled to slide the wire through, however. The big rubber plug can be sold at PepBoys. The plug is similar to the photo below.

 

[spf_lexus]

Good suggestion for the terminals, never thought about that. I don't get the plug idea, is that to seal everything up? I can get weatherproof terminals like that but would feel much safer soldering everything. Problem with crimping and pressure fitting is that once heated they loose their grip and loose connectivity and that can spell diaster by a leaned out injector. If I get the pigtails I also get 6 inches of wire for connections so it's easy/foolproof. Well foolproof besides the job of finding them lol.

Hows your new engine/setup running? Any good kill stories lateley? C'mon Steve I need some good 1uz stories to get my motivation going!

 

[spf_lexus]

Update

I solved my injector clip issue today at a local dismantling yard. M&M dismantlers in Fontana CA, off Cherry street. If anyone is curious the Hyundai Sonata 4cyl has IDENTICAL injector plugs as 1uz. To be exact I sized my 7m supra 315cc injectors and they fit perfectly. So once I double checked my timing belt we tried firing it up, but with no success.


The car wants to turn over, but just stumbles and after a few tries I could smell fuel and assumed flooded engine. I initially had a batch firing sequence but turned it off and the engine came closer to turning over but still no go. I only had 2 hours to play with it and ran out of time but thinking it's either the spark map or the fuel pump setup. I plan to test my pump tomorrow with a stethescope, but don't know much more to check into.


Has anyone had their engine not want to turn over like this? Any particular inputs I should be looking closer at?


Sean

 

[stevechumo]

..Hows your new engine/setup running? Any good kill stories lateley? C'mon Steve I need some good 1uz stories to get my motivation going!

I'm still in the process of re-painting my car (by myself and it turns out really good so far on finished parts), so no stories lately. Anyway, there'll be a 1/8 track event coming in Irwindale on 9/27/09 that's sponsored by Longo Lexus. There'll be around 140 Lexus attending so far. I'll take my car there for the track run along with many other Lexus to see which is the fastest Lexus out there. You can join us if you want, but you'll have to register early because the spaces are running out.

Here's the link: http://www.lextreme.com/forums/showthread.php?p=110351#post110351

 

[spf_lexus]

I doubt i'll make it. School starts for me Aug 24th... but buying myself another week of time. My ECU just needs to be fine tuned I think. Came very close to cranking over but falls short. I'll be there all day tomorrow working on it

 

[spf_lexus]

Ok getting fed up with the little tidbits that need to be sorted out to make this baby breath but I think I got the jist of it.

The car was not turning over because since I have my stock ECU linked to the adaptronic I need the stock one to still read the removed MAF sensor. My builder and I both missed the part where a 1k and 2k resistor was used in it's plug, so every time I try and fire it up it's getting fuel (I.E. mad fuel smell!) but no air to even it out. Now that the resistors are placed I needed a GM IAT (Inler Air Temp) sensor and a GM pigtail to suit. I went to NAPA and they had both of these items in stock, and if anyone is looking for the right numbers here ya go:

GM IAT Sensor #25036751
GM IAT Sensor Pigtail #121026


I also need a rising rate fuel pressure regulator and ended up purchasing an AEM Universal unit as it seems to support mad flow and has an 1/8NPT fitting for a silicone gauge.





Tomorrow i'm fitting the IAT and the regulator is in the mail until Monday.

 

[stevechumo]

I've been thinking the Adaptronic is the standalone ECU, and I'm wondering if it can advance the timing. On my SC with stock ECU, unplugging the MAF will cause the fuel to be dumped and the engine will stall. On the opposite side, some people say unplugging their SC or LS makes the car drive better. This is where there's a confusion because mine and yours behave the same, while theirs behave completely different. I strongly believe all ECUs from the same cars should be programmed the same.