Programmable ECU

[abmunro]

Does anybody know if there is an aftermarket ECU available for the Elan. I dont want an off the shelf generic chip, I want a fully programmable ECU like MoTeC or Apexi etc and software so I can get my car mapped acurately to suit my modifications.

Cheers

Tony

[ailwyn]

Do a search on the forum for Haltech.

There's a fair bit of info floating around.

Ailwyn

[abmunro]

Cheers

I have heard about another called Megasquirt.

[dapinky]

Megasquirt is okay, as far as it goes! (it is not a stand-alone bit of kit).

It controlls the injection, but to get the ignition timing you also need the 'Megajolt' unit.

It has got a few limitations, but is programable in 3 dimensions (it may be 3 by now, it was being developed last time i was looking into it!).

The big advantage is that it is home buildable either from a kit, or just a pile of components.

I run the megajolt on the Dolomite to map the ignition, but it is still on carbs so only maps in 2 dimensions.

Its other limitation is that the 'steps' where ignition advance is changed are quite wide by comparison to other units.

It is brilliant for use on any car with a standard distributer ignition, but maybe not as advanced as a decent ECU.

The whole system was originally designed by a guy called Brent Picasso (not the artist ) and has been developed by anyone who can offer an improvement! (A bit like the LINUX alternative to Windows).

For further info, have a look here

[jackdaniel]

A programable ECU depends on your budget and if you want ignition control as well.

Megasquirt - works, but really cheap s**t.
Haltec - OK. and I think you can tune on the fly if you have a laptop
Wolf4D - better than Haltec and cheaper. http://www.wolfems.com/

Best - MoTeC
This is what I'm going to do - once the $$$$$$ become available. I dont expect any change out og $8000AUD
MoTeC M400 ECU and CDI four channel ignition control module. Along with Coil-On-Plug ignition.

Motec.doc

[Nige]

My understanding is the only aftermarket ECU that has been used with any success on the Elan is the Haltech. I further understand that all others have a problem with the wasted spark ignition system on the Elan. I have no specialist knowledge of this and Jackdaniels' post above identifies a couple of ptions I'm not familiar with so they may well work. My preference on the basis that it's proven would be the Haltech.

[bobbrown]

The Haltech E6GMX GM has one advantage over the other offerings in as much as you do not need to rip the loom to pieces or change the ECU plugs. and you can even get a patch cable to get from the standard loom to the Haltech and if needed change it back to the standard ECU.
It can be a nightmare to get tidy even trying to graft a fuel injected engine into a car that never had one, K series into a MG midget, which I am sorting the wiring on for a friend of mine.
Another point to be aware of is some ECU's require or work better with a crank sensor rather than a cam sensor and fitting one of those to an elan engine more worms.
Then the one thing people forget about is mapping the ECU and it can not be properly with out session on the rollers and you need to have all your engine work done including exhaust system and induction before you map it as any changes will effect the map. Then there is the person who does the mapping some are good some are absolute rubish to be carefull, like do they have the experience with the particular ECU.
But what ever option you pick it is not cheap!


Bob

[Dico]

Interesting topic. Keep it up.

[knoxmotorsports]

I see no reason megasquirtnspark wouldn't work with the elan. it is very advanced for what it is, and always in development (plus, it's open source), and there is a great forum for it as well.

another option would be VEMS, it is cool because it uses nicer components than MSNS (at an increased cost) and features a WIKI about the system, but the support is not near as developed as megasquirt.

Since the elan uses a cam angle sensor, you could piggy back off that sensor's outputs and include a crank sensor as well, and boom! sequential injection. MSNS can also control fans, idle valves, boost control solenoids, launch control etc.

Plus, there is the cost. It is cheap, but that's what makes it so great. You can get all the sensors, fittings, wiring, and kits necessary to build and test your own megasquirt system for ~$500USD. get it running in your garage, tune it a bit on the street, and then take it to the dyno to get it dialed. Usually we can get a car very fine tuned in 2-3 hours on the dyno when starting with a decent street tune.

food for thought

[norman lovie]

has anyone considered fitting a system from another manufacture ? - for example
The Trionic 5 system used by SAAB in the mid 90,s - is now fully supported with free software for easy ECU read / write access - either off the car or live - the software provides easy / friendly to use. for amateur mapping with minimal hardware requirements ( CANUSB toggle a cable and away you go)
the obvious challenge is to get the various sensors matched up - either by a) fitting T5 sensors ( CPS for example versus the cam sensor) / / or changing the ECU parameters to enable the ability to read the Lotus sensors
And there is the T5 Direct ignition output - matched to the Lotus coil pack

the system is limited in as much as you can not individually map each cylinder, and it can only control boost in 1st / 2nd then the rest independently
knock is evaluated via the DI unit feed back - versus mechanical sensor ( hence challenge in getting the DI Unit to fit / work)
other than that, it is fully programmable, with closed ( lambda) and open loop ( performance)
it has positive and negative adoption
it has knock signal response - boost / ignition and fuel cut back tables
and there is a fantastic, user friendly forum support for it

the system is commonly transplanted onto other SAAB,s that are not Trionic 5 - and also the GM guys are starting to use it, i.e. it can be done

about £100 would get you a complete system from a scrap car ( you probably have to buy the car to go with it )
about £100 would buy you the canusb and other hardware bits you need to communicate