Vettett15

Hey, over the past 4 or 5 years I've been doing track support for the SE30 group and quickly got tired of the continuous issues we had with the bosch AFM. This led me to developing a digital drop in replacement which has performed extremely well in some pretty demanding environments (sebring middle of summer).

I was curious if you guys have had similar issues and if anyone had a bad one laying around I could take measurements on to see if my design would drop in.

I have some details on the design here
Design ppt

Thanks
Pete

Zirconocene

Hi Pete-

I think this is a great idea and that, indeed, there are reported issues for these cars. I don't have a bad AFM, but mine is currently out of my car and could be used for testing and analysis. If it works with what you've developed, I would love to install one in my car, if you're willing.

Let me know; I don't know if you can PM people given your post count, but maybe we can find a way to communicate if you're interested.

Cheers

tempest411

COOL! I'd love one of these. It would add reliability, but OE appearance and performance wouldn't freak out the tech when I have to get my car smogged.

Vettett15

Cool good to hear the feedback. The main guy for spec944 but never heard back. Do you guys know if you have the 12v or 5v version? I was told from a spec guy that most guys use the 5v version and conversion from the 12v to 5v is easy and common.

I'm really hoping Bosch was smart and only adjusted (if necessary) the resistor values for the different cars.

I don't think I can PM now but you can contact me at peter.ruggiero gmail com

T&T Racing

Great engineering and bread board evaluation testing.

jeyjey

I don't have a bad one for testing, but I'd be interested in the product when done. We have a saying in Ireland "better looking at it than looking for it".

tempest411

It would be a good idea to market both the early and late versions of the AFM. Although converting between the two might be easy in some respects, it does require changing out the DME, the power-train computer on these cars, which could present an extra obstacle to sales of this sort of product. Some potential buyers might be put off by having to hunt down an entirely different computer just to use a late style AFM. I have an early style 12V AFM if you want it for testing purposes. I'd really like to see this product come to market.

Vettett15

Tempest, certainly not against making one for the 12v but I'd need to make some measurements on the car itself. If I remember right the 5v versions were well regulated whereas the 12v had more variance in the input voltage.

Do you know the version of ECU used on the early models?

tempest411

Looking at the factory parts catalogs, it looks like the early models (12V) have a base number of 944-618-111. The late (5V) models have a base number of 944-618-121, so just off by a single digit. I'm not an expert on these by any stretch of the imagination, so others may have more helpful information. Here's a link for an archived version of a really informative website that had been owned by F.R.Wilk years ago. You may find the information useful. I didn't know the man, but he knew his way around these computers like few others did.

The944.com

floatingkiwi

This is a great idea. Also google vanagon AFM testing for a better understanding of how the original system works, or more accurately how adjusting the spring tension and wiper arm affects the curve response. https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/vi...aae3f441552d4b

maybeillbuyit

Sounds very interesting. Id be interested in something for the early cars. I see you raced an e36. Any chance this would crossover to BMW Bosch AFMs? E24s, e12s?

Vettett15

Good info, I'll have to spend some time going through it. Yes I believe it would be easily adaptable to those BMWs. I think at least some of those years are 5v systems which means it is likely a drop in replacement. 12v systems would take a little work to make happen.

maybeillbuyit

Ok thx for the info. I think a lot of 80s BMW guys would be happy to hear this. Cheers

928 DesMoines