Volla

Ok, long time yet again since I posted. I got the random stalling problem fixed but I ran out of time yet again. I am now sitting in Japan doing post grad studies. While my shark is still in South Africa.

But good news is that I did pack in the rest of the prototype units as well as all the required test inputs (except correct power supply ), so I can continue the work here.

A small update on how it is before I left South Africa:

USB feedback is 100% operational and adjustments and tuning can be made. The changes cannot be saved yet. Once power is off and back on it resets to the pre programmed defaults.

What I am going to do is I am going to finish the last of the programming that allows saving to permanent memory as well as make it capable of updating the programming via USB.

Then I am going to distribute the three remaining prototypes to three willing volunteers that can test the system for me (seeing that I cant get to a shark now). If they do testing, then I can fix the last of the bugs and give updates to them to finalise this.

I will let everyone know when I am ready for testing. I need to get a new power supply and soldering iron here (110V here vs 240V in SA).

In the meantime here is small screenshot of new interface that is actively reading the current status of the car.


==================================================
19?? VW Baja Bug (Completely custom, Golf 1.8 motor, and many, many mods) - Currently my daily drive
1988 Porsche 928 S4 Euro/ROW (Black with Ivory interior) - Under ECU surgery
1982 Porsche 924 Euro (Silver with cream interior)- Gone
1982 Porsche 928 S (Manual) Euro (Petrol Blue with Blue with black and white chequered interior) - Gone
1983 Porsche 928 S (Auto, NA spec, Red, black interior) - Gone
1994 BMW 530i Manual (Maroon, grey interior) - Gone

Herman K

Let the testing begin...

Let me know if I can help.


best H

atb

Awesome!

AO

Coolio! Let us know if we can help. (BTW, I believe Japan is 100v at 50hz)

Koenig-Specials 928

So has this dream for a plug-and-play LH replacement died?

I wonder if Volla is ok after the Tsunami?

KenRudd

Still following this thread, still hoping...

Glenn M

Wow, great thread!

I hope all is well, been a while since the last update.

Anyone in Japan by him with a car he can work with?

karl ruiter

I have not posted in this thread (that I remember) because I don't want to rain on the parade. But have done this kind of thing for a living for 25 years or so, and as I guess I would say the effort required to get something actually to the level that anyone other than the OP could use it would be measured in man-years rather than free-evenings. That is just if it is a stand alone deal. If you want it to interface to hammers and sharktuners and such it is more. Do-able, and no one part of it is very hard, but when you sweep it all together and try make sure you have all the problems resolved a pretty big project. Big Kudos to the OP, but I would not wait on this if you are in a hurry.

Volla

Hi everyone, yes I am sorry it has been a while!

Let me give you guys an update:

I have done the programming to enable a real time firware update through the USB. So when I need to fix a bug I can just email the update to the people and they can update via USB.

What I need to do: Storage of the fuel maps, At the moment you can change the maps and everything works 100% except when you switch ignition off and back on the default map is loaded.

The NVM (non volatile memory) storage I will code this weekend (already started on it) and then the work is done!

Next step is to email the stuff back home to South Africa and have one of my friends there help out to get the code on the prototype board and finish the testing.

While that is happening I will build two more prototypes and will mail them to two people who will be able to help me do final debugging and testing!

All the guys who sent me PM earlier saying that they want to help test and debug pls send me a PM again if you are still interested.

I will contact then the two people to arrange shipping etc of the prototypes.

By the end of october I will have two prototypes in other peoples cars for testing

During that testing I will make the revised version of the board that will include support for the other connector.

I will keep you guys updated a bit more now, most of my troubles here have been sorted!

Thanx for the continuous support!!!!!

==================================================
19?? VW Baja Bug (Completely custom, Golf 1.8 motor, and many, many mods) - Currently my daily drive
1988 Porsche 928 S4 Euro/ROW (Black with Ivory interior) - Under ECU surgery
1982 Porsche 924 Euro (Silver with cream interior)- Gone
1982 Porsche 928 S (Manual) Euro (Petrol Blue with Blue with black and white chequered interior) - Gone
1983 Porsche 928 S (Auto, NA spec, Red, black interior) - Gone
1994 BMW 530i Manual (Maroon, grey interior) - Gone

Volla

@hessank: Yeah, the tsunami, typhoon and flooding are nothing compared to the Japanese classes!!! But luckily I survived that lol!

@KenRudd: Keep on following! This will not die!

@Glenn M: I have a prototype here and testing equipment, a car here is not necessary, I will send the stuff back home to test there

@karl ruiter: hammers and sharktuners will not be in this board, I fail to see the need when you can just use USB and a windows app to get it all working. Dont worry, I have been doing this for years (a lot less than you but still good experience ) and I will get it going soon! If anyone needs it NOW then I agree, they should wait a bit longer or get another solution, but before the end of this year I will ship the revised boards to people!!!!


==================================================
19?? VW Baja Bug (Completely custom, Golf 1.8 motor, and many, many mods) - Currently my daily drive
1988 Porsche 928 S4 Euro/ROW (Black with Ivory interior) - Under ECU surgery
1982 Porsche 924 Euro (Silver with cream interior)- Gone
1982 Porsche 928 S (Manual) Euro (Petrol Blue with Blue with black and white chequered interior) - Gone
1983 Porsche 928 S (Auto, NA spec, Red, black interior) - Gone
1994 BMW 530i Manual (Maroon, grey interior) - Gone

Mike Frye

This is looking like a game-changer...

Great work and I am VERY interested in this development. I don't remember if the subject of also doing this or the S3s came up or not, but I'm still very excited about this. Very cool stuff.

outbackgeorgia

Fantastic!
Does anyone have a source for the connector?
I noticed in an earlier post that it will be necessary to remove the existing connecter from an old LH board.
Is there a new conector available anywhere?
I wanted to build a simple diagnostic breakout box with new connectors but haven't found a source.
Dave

AO

PM sent.

PorKen

Old ABS brains are 35-pin. I used to get them from junkyard Mercedes. (Takes some work, as ABS brains are very solidly built.)

Mercedes CIS-E brains are a good source for 25-pin.

John Speake

Some old Volvo LH ECUs from the mid 1980s are a good source for these 35 way connectors.