TPC SuperCharger - Page 2 - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

tranceatlantic · 08-07-2012, 07:55 AM

I think I missed Softronic so I just sent them an email. I had contacted APR and FabSpeed and didn't get any good news from either. They suggested that I'd have to stick with the solution originally offered by TPC (who didn't have much to offer in help - sorry guys).

I briefly looked into a MegaSquirt solution. That was a little scary and I think Id need some help from someone who has tried that path on a similar project.

My local tuner seems to want to work with the one control system they know best and they don't think it would be compatible with my old ECU. But I don't think they really wanted to get involved as they have enough work keeping their Evo's and STI's on the verge of exploding.

sgt brad · 08-07-2012, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gilles

How hard would be to adapt a Mega Squirt to properly work with a FI P engine?
Can you find the base maps to get you started..?

.

megasquirt has an autotune feature that gets you in the ballpark.

pk2 · 08-07-2012, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gilles

How hard would be to adapt a Mega Squirt to properly work with a FI P engine?
Can you find the base maps to get you started..?

.

I can't imagine any problem with it. The last time i looked at it though, I thought it had kind of a crappy interface. I picked up a thing called SMT6, a little outdated but it's plenty powerful. O.K interface to. Plan to swap it in soon. All the thing has to do is read 2 or 3 (however many you want) 0-5v signals with some accuracy and spit out at least one 0-5.0v signal (more if you want). It doesn't matter really what it's all blowing into.

As far as the mapping, I'm going to data log with the little box that came with the sc and use it as a starting point to set up the smt6 (gode me into doing it and I'll share). I think the SMT6 will drive 6 injectors but I'm not going to bother now. Conceptually it's not a huge trick to tune from scratch though, get EGT and wideband O2 sensors, should be good to go.

The earlly TPC boxes were crude, semi analogue (at best). Pretty hard to not beat.

Regards, PK

tranceatlantic · 09-15-2012, 07:24 AM

I got an SMT6 from Virginia Speed new for $225. It did not come with a USB or serial cable so Ive got to get one off those to allow program changes.

Next step: Get an EGT, air/fuel gauge (not read anything about these yet but I get the theory) and the wide band O2.

One thing Im not sure about: does the wide band o2 replace and existing sensor and feed its output to both the ECU and the piggy back computer? Or does have to be mounted in a separate location? If so where?

Does anyone have any recommendations for these sensors?

The plan is to install all these and get baselines. Id be happy to share my results.

pk2 · 09-15-2012, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tranceatlantic

I got an SMT6 from Virginia Speed new for $225. It did not come with a USB or serial cable so Ive got to get one off those to allow program changes.

Next step: Get an EGT, air/fuel gauge (not read anything about these yet but I get the theory) and the wide band O2.

One thing Im not sure about: does the wide band o2 replace and existing sensor and feed its output to both the ECU and the piggy back computer? Or does have to be mounted in a separate location? If so where?

Does anyone have any recommendations for these sensors?

The plan is to install all these and get baselines. Id be happy to share my results.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yes, do share your results, be good for a lot of people I'm sure.

Usually the A/F gauge comes with an O2 sensor.

You can weld in a separate stainless steel bung (from ebay) or, replace an existing NB (narrow band) sensor with the WB (wide band) sensor. There are pros and cons to each method. The O2 gauge/sensor setup will fake a NB signal to the ECU. So ya, it replaces it.

E bays a good source for egt sensors. There are a couple different (types...E,J,K) or something). Every little Cessna has at least one. The simplest is just like a hose clamp with the probe/sensor stabbing in towards the center. Really easy to put in. There's another kind that's like a washer that slips over the business end of a spark plug. Again, there's pros and cons.

An airplane gauge is good, very high quality, inspected by the FAA every few years etc, etc. Ugly though. You can also just get an adapter that boosts the sensors output (tiny, mill-ivolts) up to a 0 - 5v signal/output. Then, there's Lots of ways to make that usable, (a DMM (volt meter will work)). Lot's of typical of the shelf gauges at a box auto parts use a 0-5v signal. You just need to match the readings from the gauge with known temp values (I.E. at idle, you read say 3.2 on your gauge, that might equal 600c, flat out you read 4.2, might =700c)

Regards, PK

tranceatlantic · 09-26-2012, 11:58 AM

I'm hoping to install the Perfect Power SMT6 within the next few weeks. Maybe this Sunday if Im lucky. I should be able to wire it up in a similar way to the diagram below and then monitor the pulses sent to the injector (which is not installed).

I will soon have a wide-band O2 sensor (for the option lambda input) thanks to pk2. According to by Bentley book, pin 44 of the 5.2.2 88-pin ECU connector is the throttle position sensor so that should be easy enough. Then there is the RPM input which I think should be ECU pin 80. Im not sure about the correct wiring for the other inputs though. Does anyone know what should be connected to the AMP input? I think its manifold pressure. Is there a wire from the ECU to the mass-airflow sensor that should be used? Maybe ECU pin 47? Or is it going to be from the output of my digital boost gauge (not installed yet)?

Perfect Power sent me a diagram but Im pretty sure its incorrect as it refers to a 55-pin connector and the book says a '99 Boxster uses DME 5.2.2 which is 88-pins.

pk2 · 09-26-2012, 04:07 PM

Good deal, thats 3 of us now, we ought to be able to it get figured.

Amp, stands for "manifold pressure mod(?)". IF you don't have it, might get a hold of the developer manual. This ones online, I've got it as a PDF (I think) along with some other stuff I gathered up back when. They have some model specific install guides with maps, (none Porsche of course) I think brushed up on some that were similar I.E. Bosch, 6 cyl, german, etc., might help.

Regards, PK

tranceatlantic · 09-28-2012, 11:48 AM

Looking at the manual for SMT6 they say they call the manifold pressure sensor AMP to avoid confusion with their timing maps. So an AMP sensor is a MAP sensor. The boxster has a MAP sensor right? So I just need to wire the SMT6 to MAP input on the ECU. That would be pin 17 I think (labelled as hot film mass air flow sensor).

I tried to install the EGT last night. As I drilled into the exhaust manifold by drill bit melted. That's some tough stuff they make those manifolds from!

pk2 · 09-28-2012, 12:34 PM

I wouldn't try to put the egt in the manifold (if it's just the probe sort). I doubt there will be any appreciable difference in the reading a few inches down the pipe. It's a little relative anyway, you'll have to do some mental calibration once you get the Porsches actual temp specs. It will help to get the probe tip centered in the pipe as best you can though.

I put mine a couple inches behind it in the pipe. If it not late, you might trade yours in for the kind I have. It just took a few minuets under the car. There like a hose clamp. if you looked at the end it's like a "Q" where the leg of the "Q" is the probe and circle of the "Q" is the hose clamp that clamps it on and seals it up. Drill a hole in the pipe, tighten down the clamp, run the wires up, done. (If yours is threaded , you can buy a threaded stainless bung (ebay) and have a muffler shop weld it on to the pipe.)

Ya I forget which, MAF (mass air flow) or MAP (mass air press.) are on these, doesn't matter though, either one is just putting out 0-5v signal that reflects how much air your sucking in to be mixed with the fuel. It definitely won't hurt SMT6, and for data logging, it ...none invasive.

Good work, PK

tranceatlantic · 10-03-2012, 06:50 AM

I have the EGT probe in and will be making an 8 hr trip to Tennessee this Friday so I'll be able to get some readings and normal running temperature. I did end up putting it in the manifold as that was the most common spot in all the how-to youtube videos I saw. Plus, its easily accessible from below but should be safe.

Here's some pics. I used a hose clamp to help keep it in place, although the screw-in plug did seem to hold it so its just a precaution. Notice the drill bit tip I melted and the tap I destroyed. The dewault bit, however, did the business.

pk2 · 10-03-2012, 09:10 PM

Can't go wrong with that. Good job. I put mine on a little after the fact, I already felt reasonably good about the kit.

Your trips sounds perfect for logging some data. Around here mine never changed that much, there was idle and Highway-speed/hard acceleration (of course about 35% of the time somewhere in between). Never went over the same highway-speed/hard acceleration high mark.

Here's an idea, sounds like your going to be pretty scientific. Might try some good 100 oct. Theoretically, higher octane burns cooler (octane is a more complicated than it seems though). There's also stuff like toluene and xylene that have very high octane ratings you can add to your fuel, if you dare. I tried them all for awhile but saw no difference from the 91 oct, the best we get around here. Be interesting if you saw the same.

Good luck, PK

tranceatlantic · 10-09-2012, 01:12 PM

I can see if I can find some 100 octanne. Sounds like a worthwhile experiment. Unfortunately my gauge doesn't log data. Theoretically I can put the voltage input into an input for a OBD program and plot it vs RPM but I haven't got there yet. I can say that mine has a very fast response to load. I'm quite impressed. For example, at 75mph on a flat interstate I get about 1120F. If I hit a hit a hill at the same speed I can see it immediately respond by slightly higher temps like 1200 ish. Same RPM but greater load. The highest I managed to get was about 1240F on the interstate through Kentucky. Higher RPM due to speed (I'm not putting the number on here - ask me in a private message. Needless to say I'm a new fan off I-75 through south Kentucky and Tennessee) but not a particular high RPM. I'm sure I can see hotter temps for high revs but I was only looking at it when I was doing a constant speed.

pk2 · 10-09-2012, 06:49 PM

Fun trip I bet.

100 octane is just unleaded race fuel. Your in the south, nascar land, I just Googled and its allover the place down there (but $$). Try BP. I will say though, there's 100 oct and 100 oct. But try it, they all theoretically should cool things down.

I'll be curious just to see your highs and lows and under what circumstances you got them.

Good luck, PK

tim986 · 10-30-2012, 02:42 AM

Jim check out ebay for the super charger rebuild kit only costs about 100 bucks comes with bearings and oil

tim986 · 10-30-2012, 02:45 AM

Jim check out ebay and eaton supercharger rebuild kits only cost 100 bucks comes with everything you need

tranceatlantic · 12-02-2012, 09:45 AM

I got the wide band O2 sensor in today and wired it up to the control electronics. Everything seems to be working. I got a reading of 14.7 with the engine off. I'll know for sure when I see it heat up properly.

Next, I have to wire the SMT6 piggy back into the ECU wiring harness. Here, I ran into a problem. Although I have the Bentley manual which tells me which ECU pin does what what I dont have is the wire colour codes. Does anyone know where I might be able to find which coloured wire does what?

The Radium King · 12-02-2012, 10:36 AM

here's one for the 7.2 dme; uncertain how similar it is to the 5.x in your car:

http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/Boxster_Tech/11-ENGINE-911_Engine_Swap/Electrical_Diagrams/Carrera01A.jpg

tranceatlantic · 12-02-2012, 03:10 PM

Thanks. The diagram in the link looked familiar so I check the back of my manual and the wire colours are there.

pk2 · 12-03-2012, 08:17 AM

Not condoning this but since you can find the factory "workshop" manual with all the wiring diagrams on the all over the web, mys well. It shows all the pins and wire colors for the DME (and where they go to double check).

I think if you just only squint at the pertinent page then support your local Porsche dealer by purchasing a $3 cigarette lighter for $97, you'll be o.k.

PK

tranceatlantic · 12-04-2012, 05:05 PM

So now that I found that I have the DME wire colour codes I started looking at the DME functions more closely. Has anyone considered using the 'knocking yes/no' wire on pin 67 to wire up a knock indicator? Or am I misinterpreting what this is for? Sounds like a simple bulb to this would give you a warning.

There also a pin for oil temperature. Dose the non-S '99 986 have a oil temp sensor or is this what it would connect to if I had one? If its just the dial Im missing then Im going to want to start to plot that.