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Megasquirt Resets....Help!!!

Bumble - 28/6/10 at 09:22 PM

My wiring is now all complete (and all works!!). I have MS1 V3.0 from Extra Efi to control Fuel and Ignition on Zetec with TB injectors.

Megasquirt is all wired in following instructions from the website. Capacitor fitted to coilpack, MS grounded to engine block along with sensor grounds. I've carried out all the pre checks and this eve connected up to Laptop with a USB adapter (I've followed the setup instructions for this also). All connects up fine. Air and Coolant temps within 2 degrees of each other, TPS calibrated and very smooth. Fuel pump primes briefly then switches off as it should. All seems great but after approx 3 - 4 mins it resets. Then it resets every few mins thereafter. I've read all about the re-sets on the Extra EFi site but these refer to resets during cranking or running. Is this normal? What should I be checking. Any pointers greatly appreciated.
Cheers,
Matt

phoenix70 - 28/6/10 at 09:37 PM

If I'm understanding you correctly, you are saying with the ignition on, but not running or cranking, your ms resets. Sound very strange, Is the battery fully charged and supplying 12v to the MS Are you using a USB to Serial adapter on your computer? (these have been known to cause issues)

Cheers

Scott

matt_gsxr - 28/6/10 at 09:43 PM

anything getting warm in the MS box? have you prodded things with your finger to see if anything is hot.

you could post this in the EFI section

[Edited on 28/6/10 by matt_gsxr]

MakeEverything - 28/6/10 at 09:45 PM

Sounds like a voltage problem?

Check your battery.

Bumble - 28/6/10 at 09:52 PM

Correct...ignition in but not cranking and after 2 - 3 mins it resets. Yep using a RS232 to USB adapter (from E-bay)!!
Batt is new but been sitting around a couple of months.

Bumble - 28/6/10 at 10:20 PM

Checked batt voltage and good at 12.89v
Same at MS. First re-set always seems to be after approx 3 mins from ign being switched on. ECU feels as cool as a cucumber.
Matt

omega 24 v6 - 28/6/10 at 10:27 PM

Worried that you are leaving the ign on for that length of time before starting it. The coil will heat up especially if your dwell settings are way wrong. Also if said dwell setings are wrong then the coil drivers ( Are you using wasted spark/dispac) in the ECU could be heating up and cutting out/giving a spike/reset.
As others have said open the ecu case and try to see if there are individual componenets that are overheating/cutting out/ causing resets.

Bumble - 28/6/10 at 10:37 PM

Yep, Wasted spark.

quote:
Originally posted by omega 24 v6
Worried that you are leaving the ign on for that length of time before starting it. The coil will heat up especially if your dwell settings are way wrong. Also if said dwell setings are wrong then the coil drivers ( Are you using wasted spark/dispac) in the ECU could be heating up and cutting out/giving a spike/reset.
As others have said open the ecu case and try to see if there are individual componenets that are overheating/cutting out/ causing resets.

omega 24 v6 - 28/6/10 at 10:51 PM

Can't you run the engine?? I'd not be too worried about it till then IMHO
ETA are you not running edis on the zetec

[Edited on 28/6/10 by omega 24 v6]

Bumble - 28/6/10 at 10:56 PM

Oh, I'm so close to trying to start it...hopefully this coming weekend!! Gasket on it's way from Big_Wasa for the TB's, make sure everything is nipped up, fill her with oil and give it a whirl. Can't wait to try but nervous all the same!!
Cheers,
Matt

quote:
Originally posted by omega 24 v6
Can't you run the engine?? I'd not be too worried about it till then IMHO

turbodisplay - 29/6/10 at 08:08 AM

There is two classes of processor reset:
Internal errors, either chip dammaged or software (could be courrupt).

Next is external, is the connections good on the connector, is the voltage regulator overheating? A wrong value component could be on the board causing high current that overheats the processor.

Darren

mad4x4 - 29/6/10 at 03:36 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Bumble
Checked batt voltage and good at 12.89v
Same at MS. First re-set always seems to be after approx 3 mins from ign being switched on. ECU feels as cool as a cucumber.
Matt

SOunds like one of the 5v regulators internal to the Megasquirt is heating up and going into thermal reset.

Suggest you get the can off the ECU and start looking for hot spots. The reulators look like this or this

when I say they get hot Case of device could be as much as 120Deg C so it will burn you fingers. so watch out.....

If this is the problem then you may have sensor short. where a sensor is shorting to ground thorugh a low resistance.
or could be a faulty regulator....

[Edited on 29/606/10 by mad4x4]

Bumble - 29/6/10 at 06:30 PM

Right...spoke with Phil at Extra EFi today (turns out he works for the same group as me so that's a bonus). Phil suspected that the problem is a comms problem due to the RS232 to USB adapter and the fact that I'm hooking it up to a very new HP Elitebook Laptop. So I dusted down an old Toshiba Tecra Laptop with RS232 port and tried this evening. Turns out he's right as all works perfectly, no resets, steady as a rock.
Phil advised that if I want to use with new Lap top then PCMCIA Card is best way to go. I'll probably just stick with the old Toshiba though. Thanks to everyone for the responses, I hope this info /thread might help someone else.....just hope it starts when I try it this weekend!!
Cheers,
Matt