ECUs for ever?

[MissMoppet]

I have had many cars over the years but my current two - a Stag with Rover V8 and my R75 diesel auto - will I think remain mine till the Good Lord calls time, or we get a Real Labour govt, whichever comes first. Now the Stag Owners Club has had the foresight to invest in tooling so that at sometime in the future members will be able to replace otherwise unobtainable panels. The R75's weak heel is I suggest the ECU as there certainly won't be any new ones made. Now should I as a prudent person lay in a reserve and stack it away in the loft in case of need - or is anyone removing and storing away these from breaker's yards? No chance I presume that this excellent club could accumulate some reserves from breakers for members in the twilight of our years?

(Or is there any commonality with BMW? I am assuming of course that Big Russ and MarinaBrian are both immortal.)

[Anon3]

That's a good call.
I have to be careful what I say, but I've wondered more than once how the people/person in charge of the club actually help in any way?
It seems it's the members themselves that do all the contributing to me :shrug:

Even something as simple as the club providing some storage space for donated spares would help. It would probably even pay for itself and provide some sort of a haven, as parts aren't going to be available for ever.

[Athorpe]

I'd not worry about an ecu
There will be mechanical parts that will stop the car first. Fr people who understand electronics ecu's are easy, and parts are cheap. Most will be repairable and will be a simple component failure costing pence.
Mechanical or body parts are rarely that easy if they break and aren't about

[marinabrian]

I'm currently researching the possibilities of the conversion of E39 BMW diesel ECM units for use with R40 ;)
Brian :D

[Billy1mate]

First dibs on your Triumph Stag please.:D

[klarzy]

Its not the bits I am worried about, it is the knowledge..... each Guru should have an apprentice.... new club rule...:getmecoat:

[Paulifa1]

An excellent idea, I'm sure as members on here we can agree to arrange something between us.

I doubt the "club" itself or owner will want to do anything, as this isn't a "club" in the usual co-operative sense of the meaning. It's a for profit business.

On this matter... This is of course is all perfectly fine, and I love this resource, it's worth every penny and more of the £10 subscription, but I do wish the name could be changed to something like "The 75&ZT Owners Forum" or some such, it would save all the blow ups and misunderstandings that seem to happen periodically when some people expect the traditional "club" rules to apply ;)

[SD1too]

... till the Good Lord calls time, or we get a Real Labour govt, whichever comes first.
:laughing2:
I think the concept of a "real Labour government" is only to be found in the history books now Dave. :D

Simon

[marinabrian]

I'd not worry about an ecu
There will be mechanical parts that will stop the car first. Fr people who understand electronics ecu's are easy, and parts are cheap. Most will be repairable and will be a simple component failure costing pence.
Mechanical or body parts are rarely that easy if they break and aren't about

Err, I beg to differ.....

Most of the components prone to failure in the ECM units fitted to our cars are custom jobs.

Now even Bosch themselves couldn't source a particular IC for their replacement for NNN100692 ie NNN100693.

As a result of this, there are a considerable amount of these new ECM units held in stock by X-Part, of which their current use could be likened to that of a very expensive door stop.

Fortunately, any dead NNN100692 units that cannot be reworked into working ECM, can be used as an organ donor for the conversion of the new ECM.

R&D is the key, and I'm not often beaten.

Success was snatched from the jaws of defeat, that of Bosch, and Omitec respectively ;)

Brian :D

[marinabrian]

Its not the bits I am worried about, it is the knowledge..... each Guru should have an apprentice.... new club rule...:getmecoat:

Danger danger, my last apprentice was twelve years ago, and he lasted a whole month before I burnt him out :eek::eek:

Step up if you dare :devil:

Brian :D

[klarzy]

Danger danger, my last apprentice was twelve years ago, and he lasted a whole month before I burnt him out :eek::eek:

Step up if you dare :devil:

Brian :D

do you do distance learning o great one...:bowdown:

[marinabrian]

do you do distance learning o great one...:bowdown:

Do I look like the Open University Pete?

Hang on until I dig out my beige safari suit and kipper tie, oh and I need to grow a beard :D

Brian :D

[klarzy]

Do I look like the Open University Pete?

Hang on until I dig out my beige safari suit and kipper tie, oh and I need to grow a beard :D

Brian :D

what you wear for the missus of en evening is now't to do with me brother....:eek:

now back on topic...

[A19_Graham]

Do I look like the Open University Pete?

Hang on until I dig out my beige safari suit and kipper tie, oh and I need to grow a beard :D

Brian :D

Think of the biscuit crumbs in a beard :eek:

[HarryM1BYT]

I'd not worry about an ecu
There will be mechanical parts that will stop the car first. Fr people who understand electronics ecu's are easy, and parts are cheap. Most will be repairable and will be a simple component failure costing pence.
Mechanical or body parts are rarely that easy if they break and aren't about

Electronic parts become obsolete even faster than cars. Its all right saying it can be repaired, but where do you source the electronic parts?

[marinabrian]

Think of the biscuit crumbs in a beard :eek:

Ok then Graham, point taken, so how about this TestBook prototype ?

http://thetvroom.com/images/pool-z/z-050/main-000-75.jpg

Brian :D

[HarryM1BYT]

I doubt the "club" itself or owner will want to do anything, as this isn't a "club" in the usual co-operative sense of the meaning. It's a for profit business.



Which is why I stopped subscribing!

I Long did long ago suggest that the 'club' might usefully use some of the subscription money, to lay in a useful stock parts, whilst they can still be had.

[A19_Graham]

Ok then Graham, point taken, so how about this TestBook prototype ?

http://thetvroom.com/images/pool-z/z-050/main-000-75.jpg

Brian :D

That's more like it Saunders :bowdown:

[Mike Noc]

Do I look like the Open University Pete?

Hang on until I dig out my beige safari suit and kipper tie, oh and I need to grow a beard :D

Brian :D

Don't forget the patches on the elbows Brian. :D

[MissMoppet]

First dibs on your Triumph Stag please.:D

I'll add you to the list, though RV8 engined Stags are not in favour now.

http://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/imagehosting/2427354fe25fa29696.jpg

[Doc Evil]

But Brian is immortal............... it's his penance to fix our cars forever:devil:

Or is it immoral
.maybe impervious. ......to wind and rain and cold
or maybe impatient .......to late night callers
or maybe important........He is that
or maybe impotent.........I doubt that
or maybe empirical........I like that:D

Doc:cool:

[marinabrian]

Well interesting results on the BMW ECM.

At first glance very similar architecture to the early manual R40 ECM, with the obvious exception of two additional injector drive circuits

Programmed up fine with a virgin R40 DDE4 file using my serial programmer.

Fitted to the test car, now for the fun bit programmed up to the car using T4 all looking good.

But once the download had completed, one fault will not clear....ECM stuck in programming mode :(

I've encountered this before, and have stepped up the pace a little with some component changes.

It's a bit late now to try another run, so this will have to wait until tomorrow morning now.

I can hardly wait, this is what I like best, a bit of structured frabblement :drool4:

Brian :D

[BigRuss]

Looking promising up to now :)

Sounds very much what I said on the phone may happen, we've been here before with the 693's ;)
Looks like I could be right about this one too.
Once a "693" type alteration is performed I think it may well do the trick possibly with also the removal of the additional injector driver components, but would be inclined to try just the usual alteration first unless there's any other component changes I can't see from the pictures ;)

Looking forward to hearing good news tomorrow.


Russ

[marinabrian]

The usual mod has been performed, programs perfectly, live data shows ok, but no capacitor voltage :(

More research required......

Brian :D

[Ps3000]

I have had many cars over the years but my current two - a Stag with Rover V8 and my R75 diesel auto - will I think remain mine till the Good Lord calls time, or we get a Real Labour govt, whichever comes first.

Ok, I'll bite (although I have a feeling this won't end well) - what constitutes a "real" Labour government and why would the democratic election of one spell an end to your ownership of two cars?

[HarryM1BYT]

Ok, I'll bite (although I have a feeling this won't end well) - what constitutes a "real" Labour government and why would the democratic election of one spell an end to your ownership of two cars?

I think regarding the political parties at least, what is meant is that there really is not that much difference between the politics of the three main parties.

So far as I'm concerned, they are all ticking over in neutral, promises but no real action.

[coolcat]

Think of the biscuit crumbs in a beard :eek:

'Tis why I sport one........handy food storage facilty :D;)

[coolcat]

Ok then Graham, point taken, so how about this TestBook prototype ?

http://thetvroom.com/images/pool-z/z-050/main-000-75.jpg

Brian :D

I miss a good test card..........:D

[maxxpump]

I miss a good test card..........:D

What you mean like this:

http://i.imgur.com/NPeM0n9.jpg

[BigRuss]

After a long conversation with Brian this afternoon it looks like this ECU is not be suitable for it's original intended use. ;)

I compared ecu's and the circuit boards are different ;)

However we've come up with a cunning plan which could well result in it being useful after all. :D

Brian is going to investigate further so watch this space :D

Russ

[Sector-9]

I wonder if anyone's tried adapting a PLC to run an engine?

Having said that, IME ECUs are pretty reliable usually unless killed by drowning or voltage spikes.

[klarzy]

I wonder if anyone's tried adapting a PLC to run an engine?

Having said that, IME ECUs are pretty reliable usually unless killed by drowning or voltage spikes.

Would it even cycle fast enough?

[Doc Evil]

Russ and Brian you guys are like Dr Frankensteins

IT'S ALIVE:trans:
Keep up the good work I'm sure you will get there

Doc

[HarryM1BYT]

Would it even cycle fast enough?

In my experience of PLC's, no they would be far too slow. It would have to be something much faster, running a dedicated code. How fast do modern pics run?

[DMGRS]

XPart only have 1 NNN100692 in stock at the moment... thankfully we have Brian! :D

[BigRuss]

XPart only have 1 NNN100692 in stock at the moment... thankfully we have Brian! :D

Where do you think X-part get the NNN100692SR units from Mat ;)

It's not me, but no need for panic I've got 5 in stock at the moment and am sure Brian may have some too and working on more ;)

Brand new NNN100692's haven't been around for a few years now, it took many hours of work, testing and countless late night phone calls between us to be able to refurbish them to an as new standard that would allow them to be configured correctly to cars.
There wasn't any reference to work from as there wasn't any new ones in the world even Bosch themselves didn't have one.
But we got there in the end ;)


As long as Brian and myself can get hold of good core units we'll keep doing service exchange replacements to keep cars running.

Russ

[marinabrian]

XPart only have 1 NNN100692 in stock at the moment... thankfully we have Brian! :D

They'll have a lot more in stock next week though Mat ;)

Brian :D

[rich17865]

They'll have a lot more in stock next week though Mat ;)

Brian :D

Are you using your crystal ball again Brian?

[marinabrian]

Are you using your crystal ball again Brian?

Something like that Rich :D

Brian :cool:

[cb750chris]

In my experience of PLC's, no they would be far too slow. It would have to be something much faster, running a dedicated code. How fast do modern pics run?

Hi Harry,
It depends what sort of device you are thinking of. As part of my day job, I am programming an FPGA running at 200Mhz, or capable of switching every 5 ns. This is not pushing the limits of what can be done.
As for the question of could an ecu be developed using an FPGA set-up, undoubtedly yes. In fact it is something I could probably do if I had the time, however making it talk to the diagnostic kit, and able to be reprogrammed etc, that would be more difficult.

However in honesty, what Brian is doing is probably the better option (at least in the short to medium term (until component obsoesence really bites).

Chris

[cb750chris]

In my experience of PLC's, no they would be far too slow. It would have to be something much faster, running a dedicated code. How fast do modern pics run?

Danger danger, my last apprentice was twelve years ago, and he lasted a whole month before I burnt him out :eek::eek:

Step up if you dare :devil:

Brian :D

If you were nearer I would be stepping up for this challenge :D