Joe Blow

More new parts for the EFI system have arrived. Here you can see the new case complete with locking waterproof connector. I need to redesign the ECU board a little so that it fits in the case. That's the great thing with open source design, I can take the design and modify it for my application, as long as it is done in accordance with the license requirements.

The ultimate goal of this ECU build is to create an ECU that is professionally packaged, easy to install and deploy and includes the basic features needed to provide fuel and spark to one of my blown set ups. This means that the costs are minimised, which in turn means that I can pass the savings on to the end user, which opens up the possibility of using EFI to many people. Of course if people want to buy an $800 megasquirt or a $2000 Haltec they still have this option open to them.

Feature-wise the ECU will have the following

- Batch fire injection
- Wasted spark ignition
- Distributorless crank fired control
- Boost referenced ignition mapping
- Idle air control
- Acceleration enrichment
- Cold start enrichment
- Closed loop Lambda control
- Auto-tune capabilities

I also received the Idle air control valve and throttle position sensor. Finding the correct components to work with both the ECU and still fit the throttle body has taken a bit of time. Standardisation of components has been an important factor as these components need to work across a range of different ECUs. They also have to be reliable and robust enough to withstand the operating environment, plus not be so obscure that they are hard to come across.

At the moment I'm busy drafting the new ECU layout. This should hopefully be ready before Christmas.