Well i have an old laptop kicking around and i was wondering if anyone has used one to monitor/log things like EGT's a/f ratio temps and whatnot.

At the moment the closest thing to a computer on my car is the cd player so this would be a build from scratch thing. I have seen systems on jegs with all sensors and the brainbox but it was like $5k and i want to go cheap.

Any ideas on who makes a cheap kit or ideas how to make something like this?

 

You should do a search in the DIY Prom section. I have succesfully scanned engines with an old 266 IBM thinkpad and a home made cable.

 

Only one problem. ECM = Gonzo and all sensors except oil/temp. This cars has a carbed 350 and like i said, closest thing to a computer in it is a cd player.

 

Well that really doesnt matter since the DIY prom section delves into stand alone home built A/F ratio boxes and of the sorts. Dont be afraid to look.

 

OK maybe im searching for the wrong things but i went through about 50 threads and found nothing that relates to what im trying to do.

 

Did you try and post a question? It may not be so difficult you know. Try searching for Wide Band O2 since they have a stand alone units that will check A/F ratio for reasonable price and are extremely accurate. Maybe Im missing the point of your question but Im just trying to help you.

 

If i didnt post a question you wouldnt be posting here

Im looking to do alot more than monitor a/f. I want everything!

I want to be able to watch in real time on the laptop RPM /af ratio /temps/oil pres/knock sensors/multiple EGT's and anything else i forgot.

 

I meant post a question in that section and give someone a chance to answer it. Those guys have lots of knowledge and may be able to help you better. Im just trying to point you in the right direction. Its up to you how you take the advice. The wide band controller is a very powerful tool I wouldnt just shun it aside.

 

anyone else got sugestions or info?

 

You can't monitor what you don't have (sensors.) The GM ECM is as close as you're going going to get to a cheap kit.

 

Obviously i would buy the sensors compatable with whatever system i will be running...

 

You got quite a few responses. I dont know what else your trying to get because the stock ecm will pretty much give you everything you seem to be after for practically nothing. Other than a very accurate Wide band O2 A/F ratio controller I fail to see what else your trying to get out of this. With all the responses you should be able to monitor just about every vehicle system imaginable.

 

a ECM isnt a crap idea but, like i said i want to do more than just the basic. I dont know of any vehicle that came stock with multiple EGT's and wideband O2. Other than that everything else i want to monitor is on any basic system.

 

Well what did you expect for low buck? BTW the WBO2 solutions people discuss in the diy prom section are very affordable.

 

I would look at some units like this.

http://search-desc.ebay.com/search/s...e=search&fgtp=

 

wow, i could melt down 3 engines for the price of one of those

Im not looking to do this on a $20 budget but $300 for just a O2 gauge is a bit out of my ballpark.

 

Good luck finding anything cheaper as the Wide band O2 sensor itself is in the $200 range. I challenge you to find one cheaper. Cheaper than 5K right. The stock O2 sensor has very little in common with this and is no where near as accurate. You might want to do some research before responding. Stock O2 is a one wire narrow band sensor. While a wideband sensor has an additional reference voltage.

 

Theirs no doubt in my mind the wideband sensor is alot more than an OEM but i would rather spend a lot less and get a sensor to hook up to this "thing" im trying to build.

BTW it is a far cry from $200...

Bosch wideband O2 sensor = $98.75ca
OEM style narrowband sensor = $26.18ca

 

Im not a fan of ths bosch units. I believe the units that use the bosch sensors are still priced in the same range.

 

Its the same bosch unit innovative motorsports uses in the standalone kit you reccomended.

You might want to do some research before responding

 

Ok im done helping you. You have alot of ***** man. The Innovate can use other sensors im not sure if any other unit will use a variety of sensors.

 

This doesn't sound like a bad idea. I've grown to love the datalogging from my TPI.
It's very nice to see how things are running.
The biggest difference here is that mine is controlling the engine where you just want to monitor it.
Not that difficult, just don't wire up the outputs and use the feedbacks that are transmitted on the serial output.
You could do:
TPS, IAT, MAT, MAP, RPM, Battery volts, Speed (If you connect VSS), and knock counts could be used if you put on the sensor to see what RPM and MAP they occurr so it will help with your tune.
Wide band O2 support is out there for many of the different sensors.
I'll be using the Innovate LC-1 ($200 complete) that can be wired directly into the 730 ECM. There is a great code patch already released for it to work right out of the box. The DIY-WB is also a good option.

Go to my web page on the "links" page and grab a copy of the schematic for my ride. It will show you how to wire all of the sensors that are on my setup (90-92 speed density) with the connectors labled and part numbered in most cases.
Download a copy of logging software such as TunerPro or Datamaster (has limited recording unless you buy it) and have some fun while doing it.
Extra inputs for the EGT's "might" take some deeper investigation but there are other inputs that can be used for that if configured right.
I say Go for it!

 

I also have the 7730 ecm and will be using the Innovate unit in the same fashion.

 

Yes the ECM thing isnt a bad idea, it just wont be quite as neat as i wanted. In my other thread i posted that i will probably end up trying to use multiple ECM's to get all the sensor inputs i want.

Would any of the programs be able to read from 2 ECMs at the same time?


Edit: Holy crap, did you do up the schematic yourself? if i do go the ECM route i should be able to mod that to what im trying to do.

 

The only reason I showed you that stand alone unit is because you sounded like you just wanted something plug and play. I plan on using the 7730 ecm with the wideband patch but this requires a little more understanding and is not exactly plug and play since you will have to burn chips to get the patch to work unless you use the moates unit. As you can see you need to know some electronics and still have to expect to spend some dough.

 

About 4 months worth at the time and still adding little notes.
You can build the whole system from that little picture.
I'm very glad I did the investigation up front before I started otherwise I'd be still pulling wire Look at the pile I pulled out in the pics of the 1st year. (good for a laugh) Needless to say, its been about two years since I rewired the whole thing and have not had one electrical issue. Solder EVERYTHING!!!
Its well worth it to use the good high temp wire and not MTW poly stuff. Costs a bit more but doesn't melt.

Edit: Forgot to mention that the addressing of the I/O is there in little text so you can do some code work if needed
There are some ways to network ECMs but never really looked into it. They do it with all the different modules like ABS and body control so it "should" be able to do it with LOTS of investigation.

 

You will need to burn chips to make all this work nice though.
I took it for granted that everyone does it these days.

 

Well i couldnt really care less if it was a walmart sensor made of recycled pop cans or a gold plated titanium alloy or whatever else they can think of to make them out of, as long as it can tell me when im @ 14.7 im fine with that.

 

I fear to offer too much info because sometimes these things lose people along the way. Thats why I just try to point people in the right direction. Seems like people are ready to jump all over you if you leave a small piece of info out as well. I have been reading the DIY proms section for over two years and have succesfully burned chips and have watched all the amazing progress they have done and offered over the years. I learned most of it not by asking questions but by doing months of searches and research through the DIY section.

 

Stock O2 will get you that, just don't take it as gospel for tuning except that you are either rich or lean all the time.
It only works acurratly +/- 0.5 from 14.7 IIRC.
But just monitoring for part throttle cruzing with it is as good as any of the "store" gauges on the shelf and its probably got a bung already installed.

 

Heck, I still don't know where I'm going

Oh yea, Go Tribe !!!

 

I may be a fan of the bosch sensor after all if it works with the WB patch. Looks like possibly they got this working but Im searching and its a bit sketchy. I think this was the biggest problem with the bosch sensor in the DIY community. Looks like it may no longer be an issue though.

 

Your best bet would be an innovate unit. They have a stand-alone unit that can datalog. Costs around $400 or so to get the handheld unit, WB O2, and datalogging kit. I have one and I really liked it. Unlike the stock narrow band, the WB has closed loop temperature control, so you can be sure that the AFR your seeing is reasonably close. The sock single wire O2 is good enough to pass emmissions and keep the cat from melting down, but the 'stoich' point will vary with temperature.

 

As mentioned in this thread,
https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...hreadid=322107

Another option would be this setup.
https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...hreadid=321767
really neato stuff but the wiring and ECM is different than what I had drawn.
It would be faster data and has much more flexibility in the inputs you want.
Check it out.

 

google.com I'll post what I can find in due time because I'm looking to do the same after my engine repairs.