Many cars can be connected to a notebook computer via the VAG or OBD-II connector for in car montioring (and recording) or engine information. This could open up tons of possibilities if the empeg via it's serial connector could interface directly with the car computer. The display could show throtle position, rpm, turbo boost level, intake temp, etc, etc...

12gig Mk. II BLUE
Detroit, MI USA
www.PfeifferBeer.com

Hmmm... The first thing I thought of on reading this... YES, that would be WAY cool..

But you know.... I REALLY don't want to have a stereo interfaced directly to the computer controlling my mixture and other engine parameters. Sure it PROBABLY wouldn't be bad... But I'd really hate to have a GPF at 80 because of a stray bit, or a checksum that doesn't match *MY* interface exactly when the engine is in an operating state at x rpm, etc... It's not that I don't think the EMPEG is stable and all.... Just risk versus benefit comparisons come to mind...

ODBII won't allow you to mess with the engine like that. It will let you monitor and watch what's happening -- monitor how fast you're going, how quickly you accelerate, how much gas is being used, that sort of thing. The possibilities it allows are miles per gallon indicators, you can monitor how many times the car breaks the speed limit, say, if you lend the car to someone, ... :)

Calvin

This is a kick ass idea. Got me to lookin... and i found this:

http://www.nls.net/mp/josh/autodoc.html
looks way outdated, but it looks like it's working.

other stuff:

http://www.andywhittaker.com/ecu/
http://www.obdii.com/
http://www.jeztek.tierranet.com/interests.htm
http://www.dgtech.com/


|| loren.cox || 080000446 ||

Read only definitely returns it back to the cool, kickass catagory.

Read only definitely returns it back to the cool, kickass catagory.

Well, if your really worried about it, you could always clip the send wire for the in car serial port...

This is a kick ass idea.

I am pretty sure that that somebody was working on interfacing car information to the empeg last year, and that Rob Schofield (aka: schofiel) had actually started working on hardware to make it come about. I don't recall hearing much about how he made out with his lunatic scheme but maybe he'd tell us?

You'll find a little more information here.

tanstaafl.

"There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch"

Ahh, there it is. I knew there was a thread on this before. Thanks Doug.


|| loren.cox || 080000446 ||

Well, if your really worried about it, you could always clip the send wire for the in car serial port...



I was under the impression from reading some of these sites that it behaved closer to an snmp type interface... ie, you query for a section, it returns the information. IF all it's doing is outputing data strings, then certainly, that is the preferred solution. If not, you can't do that...

In any event, I don't know enough about what it really is doing to have an intelligent discussion about it.... Much less plug into it randomly.


But it sounds cool...

Well, I built the sensors, installed it all in the Mini....

...and haven't heard from Patrick since.

In between changing jobs a few times, I have since got started on my own engine management computer for the Mini (VROOM!!) which has got spare channels available to A/D conversion on what the suspension and Accelerometer sensors put out. I want to start playing with the board to simply record data before actually writing the main software to do the engine management itself. If Patrick's PIC board had come along in time, I'd have used that for the data acquisition instead and written a background App for the empeg to do the collection and presentation. I am still aiming to do this, but I haven't got the facilities to draft a board and etch a PCB for it.

Patrick, oh Patrick, where are you when we NEED you????

One of the few remaining Mk1 owners... #00015

Patrick, oh Patrick, where are you when we NEED you????

I believe he's available for freelance work *grin*

There is a request response aspect to it. You have to tell it what data you are monitoring, and then it will send that data to you. Some of the requests, for example, for status of certain solenoids may trigger a "test" of the solenoid in order for it to return a "valid" status back. But you can't use it to alter engine timing or stop the flow of gasoline or something. You might be able to trigger a minute test of the fuel flow solenoid but nothing to harm the operation of the engine.

Calvin

Hi everyone,

Hmm, afaik the Audi's have the OBD-II connector, and it surely used to adjusting settings in the car. Several of the more fancy stuff (windows close when you arm the alarm etc.) are set in this manner. Also resetting the service-counter and other things are done through this interface.



Lars

Patrick, oh Patrick, where are you when we NEED you????

This invocation works better on the correct day (March 17th), but even so, I am here my child.

I've been sort of busy over the last couple of months, what with trips to Canada to visit family, chest infections, freelance design of interesting additions to empegs, a brief but unpleasant spell in hospital, and a couple of other things. Some of these even happened concurrently.

Anyway, my infection is nearly over, the surgery has healed up nicely, and I'm back in the UK. I'm still interested in doing a PIC board of some sort to plug into the empeg, pretty much as originally intended lo, these many many months ago. I still have electronics to design (for money, therefore pretty important!), silly kit cars to supercharge, and LPG conversion systems to invent, so time is a little tight, but if anyone has any reasonable ideas for other things to add, let me know and I'll see what I can do.

By the way, does anyone in the UK, preferably in the vicinity of the Southwest, know where I could get:

(A) A cheap but running Ford Scorpio 24v 2.9I engine, and/or

(B) A very cheap used Nissan Micra automatic (N-CVT) gearbox and electronic clutch. I need this last before I can finish building the BMW turboshaft powered gokart, you see. (Only 60 BHP, but you wouldn't believe the torque. Or the noise. Or the fuel consumption)

Patrick. (Not actually St., but really quite nice anyway)


Opinions expressed in this email may contain up to 42% water by weight, and are mine. All mine.