Arduino reads 0-5v. Right now I'm just reading the voltage from the Arduino (5v) and running it through a potentiometer to vary the output from 5v all the way down to 0v. I just scaled it based on 14v to make it look more "car" like.

To get it to read over 5v you need a voltage divider to drop your voltage down to safe levels for the Arduino. See here: http://www.clarenceho.net:8123/blog/...test-voltmeter

Everything is analog and Arduino converts it to a scale from 0-1023. So 0v = 0 and 5v = 1023. You can then scale it to what you're measuring via programming and changing the resisters on the voltage divider circuit.

 

man thats awesome. probably be cheaper then real gauges too!

 

Lets see... Arduino Uno was $15, the screen was $10. I'm using resisters now to drop the voltage from 5v to 3.3v that's required by the LCD. Line converters are better, so $4 for those. So $29 plus some wire to hook it up.

Given the possibilities are only limited by your imagination I'd say that's a win...

Oh, for those that missed it in the other thread, here's the mockup of the dash/cluster...

 

More...

 

Interesting. I am still more of a believer in staying with something I can get parts for in BFE rather than a system that has only a limited number of sources. I also don't want to use two separate computers in my truck, I have dealt with that on Chrysler products and plan to again on my next Turbo project. It will have a 1990 SBEC for the engine and a ETAX for the A604 I plan on adapting to the 2.5L w/SRT 4 top end.

I am waiting for a reply back from Adam Marrer on the EEC-V box for my truck, all my part is done, inside and underhood harnesses are ready, inside is installed. What he is setting up will run the engine with only the two front O2 sensors since I have no catalyst (never did).

TBI, no thank you, if I am going to have the potential problems the EFI can have, I want all the benefits, not a pressure carburetor.

 

personally i do like needles better then numbers, but the needles need to point to numbers, i had them cyberdine number digital guages and the numbers changed so much it was hard to read!

 

It's possible once I learn more about bitmap programming that I can make a needle gauge with number overlay. Gotta walk before you can run...

85, I don't mind two computers. As long as they're not dependant on each other and communication between each other. The only thing the two computers will share is a TPS and VSS input.

Have you thought about a straight up 2.4L swap and run the dizzy off the cam? Then you just need the proper tune for the SBEC. I know guys love the hybrid's though... 4 valves are where it's at with those cars though, however you get it. TIII, Hybrid or full 2.4L swap.

Yeah, getting parts at the part store is a nice feature but I've talked to guys who have systems with over 100k miles on them. The oldest one I know of is a 258ci engine in a CJ7. 7 years and 150k+ miles. Also, I built it so if something cooks and isn't too bad I should be able to replace it. It's not just a black box, I know where the ignition circuit is, the fuel circuit, the com circuit, etc.

 

David, first, on my truck I'm far enough down the road on it that going back and redoing all of it would be a royal PITA. (see my thread here: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...n-86-f350.html) Since I already had the later dash in the truck, adding the additional circuits for the OBD-II system was pretty easy, particularly with already having most of the stuff off the 1996 PSD F-350.

On the Chrysler, partially it is driven by available stuff. I bought a 1989 LeBaron coupe for front body parts for a same year convertible (coupe has a bad steering rack and no title, it was abandoned at a shop I do some part-time work for. I paid $50 for it) It has a good running 2.5L Turbo engine and automatic. I traded the cam for a new battery cable set. I picked up the hybrid parts from a guy in WV who tried to make it work on a 2.2L block and was using two head gaskets. For some reason he could never get it to seal. He included everything except the head gasket. I purchased a used socketed 1990 SBEC from Turbovanman who delivered it across the border to Seattle on his way to a bike drag meet. I had a friend who had gone out there to bring his daughter back East along with all her junk.

So far I have (knock on wood) only had one EEC failure, it was in my Taurus. A visit to my favorite parts source (Pete's Used Auto Parts) and I had a good one (free like just about everything I get from him).

 

As far as running the dizzy of the cam, the head I have is actually for a coil pack engine, and yes I have along with maybe using a different oil pump system using the balance shaft drive chain like a Mercedes-Benz V8 does. That way I can get a better wrap on the cam gears and do away with the intermediate shaft altogether.

The 1990 SBEC is the first year of sequential injection on the turbos and the first year for the CCD buss. The A604 ETAX will power the buss.

 

I wasn't saying for you to redo your work. There are lots of ways to convert these trucks to EFI and add additional features. For me, what I'm doing is the best. I've wanted to build and use a MegaSquirt system on something since I first heard about it 10 years ago. Since I have one that's not being used it make more sense to use it. I know people like to claim "oh it's better to have something you can get parts for" and I generally agree, however our computers are 20+ years old and mostly still work. Unless I do something wrong hooking something up it should work just fine for a long time.

Having multiple, independent computers doesn't bother me. If they were dependent on each other and a failure in one would cause problems in the other or noise in the communications between them would cause problems, etc, like what we have in many of today's new cars... That I don't want... The trans computer will work the trans and the engine computer with work the engine and they won't talk to each other but they will share a couple inputs... I'm ok with that.

As for the turbo dodge, with all the SRT4 stuff that's out there I personally didn't see the point in a hybrid. I know a lot of guys that have them though with good success so I'm not saying anything bad about them. I was just talking to someone you may know, Brian Slowe... He's got a Hybrid Shadow that's run in the 8's in the quarter... He has to get a new head and I asked him what he thought of just running a 2.4... "Oh HELL no!" was his response... At least not in the BSX1...

I like DIY, I like open source, I like slightly off the center from the norm... If MegaShift was further along I'd be considering that...

Oh well... Off to clean up the code on my little Arduino Gauge project so it's ready to read other inputs... Then maybe I'll work on some bitmap programming so I can get a sweep gauge. The way I see it in my mind it will default to a volts display but with a push button I can cycle though Oil Pressure, Coolant Temp and Trans Temp. I've got 6 inputs and assuming 1 is for the switch that leaves 5 available inputs. So that's 4 out of 5. Maybe an Outside Air Temp for 5?

 

I know its off topic of Fords, but you got me intrested in how you are going to adapt the A604 to the Chrysler 2.5L engine. I though about that with my 85 Plymouth Caravelle to get better(hopefully) MPG with OD a604 tranny.


I read through some info there's lot more people using the EDIS now with MS. Even with a Chrysler 2.5L someone used MS with EDIS on it.

 

My MS is setup to read the crank wheel off a 2.4 and drive the coils directly in wasted spark fashion. If I was to do it over again I would seriously look at EIDS-4. EIDS takes care of all the heavy lifting so to speak and MS just tells the EIDS module what advance to run. Default is 10°. The only downside I see is that the VR sensor needs 400+rpm before it comes on line so it looks like 10° is the default starting timing. So no start retard from there. But 10° initial isn't bad given that most high compression, cammed up, hot rod engines use more initial than that.

And now that the topic came up I'm looking into MegaShift again... It's been a while and while there's no 'official' support for the E4OD it looks like it may be doable if I decide to chart my own course...

I should just start a drug habit... It'd be cheaper and easier...

 

10* BTDC is the normal minimal base timing for Fords...

 

The 2.4L 41TE (A604 basically) supposedly only has one bolt hole that doesn't line up. The bigger issue would be the starter. On the 2.2L and 2.5L engines the starter mounts on the back side of the block, on the 2.0L and 2.4L it mounts on the front. The area where it mounts on the 2.0L and 2.4L is where the oil fittings are on the 2.2L and 2.5L. Until I can actually get all the pieces in one place I won't know how it will work. I may end up using a roughly 1/4" steel plate to provide a starter mounting and provide the 4th bolt hole.

 

@Sidewinder, I know that. What I was getting at is I don't think there's a way to do start retard with EDIS. I think 10° should work fine but there's no way to go lower from what I understand.