an eec plan

[Tom Cloud]

what do most of us (with Fords) want?

For myself, I'd like to be able to fiddle with all the
things I used to be able to do when it was carbs and
points.  Actually, it's more fun now -- if one could
get to the software and knew what the hardware was.


I propose:

 - a "generic" eec replacement .... one that plugs onto
the cable and takes inputs and gives outputs ... one where
the software is public domain (sorta like the efi-332 project)

 - I propose that it is most logically a modified eec-iv that
will accomplish this end


advantages:

 - you could do what I said above -- and get as sophisticated
as you wanted

 - if the software was public domain, the knowledge would
spread beyond our group(s) and the sophistication of performance
freeks, in general, would go up -- and that's a good thing, though
there will be whineys that will worry about so much knowledge
in the hands of "hot-rodders"

 - we'll actually finally be free to experiment and perfect
our vehicles like we want to -- and not be limited by someone
else's contraption -- no matter how well thought out -- that
will never quite do exactly what "I" want it to (plus
I'll only have myself to blame when it doesn't work  ;-)


disadvantages:

 - replacement eec's will become very scarce  8^)

 - lotsa work to pull this together, including finding out
how all the little gizmos in different years and models
work so the software can be made to read them and so the
hardware can drive them

 - probably a major software project ??  (there's lots
of knowledge out there already)  consider that, IMHO,
probably 80% of the code in the eec-iv is unrelated to
making your car "GO" -- it's probably related to the
"adaptive learning" (darn, *I* do that now) and diagnostic
features (and who knows what else) of the eec.  Don't
get me wrong, I'd love to have all those things, but
they're not necessary.  To get yourself way up the curve
of diminishing returns, all you really need is sensors
for rpm, tps and MAP.  Then you need fuel maps or some
other way of modifying the fuel flow for specific engine
and hop-up configurations.  That's just the software.
Obviously, the hardware would be more difficult -- but
we've already got an eec-iv.  Now if only we could
know about the hardware in it and how to program it ???

 - assuming that the hardware in the eec-iv is similar
enough across all models that we can find one or several
that will work for most applications (that could be
a daunting task in itself) we'd have to have basic code
that'd run the vehicle in at least a basic mode until
refinements could be made -- but consider that even a
MAF vehicle could have a SD program in it that just ignored
the MAF (the only serious problem I see with this would
be puffers)



miscellaneous thoughts:

 - All I'm saying is that, given reasonable objectives, I
think we can crack the eec-iv and put our own code into
it and have a resultant that is superior to, and far less
expensive than, any aftermarket system (I'm not talking about
engine mods like heads and cams and stuff -- you'd have to do
those with any other system you bought).

 - This is possible using the GM controller (there's lots
of data on it and people who've already put it onto
Ford products, replacing the eec-iv -- and one I know
of (on diy-efi ... George, it's you, isn't it?) that swears
by this method)

 - heck, something like the efi-332 project controller
could be made to work

 - using a different controller would require either
cutting the connector off the harness or splicing into
it or finding a source for the eec connector


 - a major point that would determine the feasability of
using the eec-iv as the workbench for this is

        - do all eec-iv's ( regardless of the model) use the
        same, or similar, pinouts

        - how do different options (like MAF, etc) fit into
        the connection scheme

        - how much variability is there in various sensors
        ( like MAP, temp, tps, rpm pickoff, MAF, etc) and
        actuators (like injectors and throttle bypass, etc)
         ... can a single eec or other controller be reasonably
        expected to read the inputs and control the outputs
        of the diverse range of years and models and options
        that exist in the Ford line ??

Now that I've posted the op-codes for the 8061/3 and there's
an assembler written, we can begin to get to work.  Also,
remember that I've posted a collection of technical data
on the eec (and I've got a greatly revised and better version
that I've not had the time to finish that is "imminent" --
that's what I said 6 months or so ago)

A great help would be if some of the people who've pioneered
in this area, like Mike W. and others, would share a little more
(Mike's already shared a bunch) -- e.g. about the questions I
raise above (and, in particular, about the configuration of the
hardware, like the VLSI, and variations, etc on the eec and
in external hardware).

 - how different -- or similar -- are the various eec hardware
configurations ??

 - is it unreasonable to expect to find one (or several) eec's
that could be programmed to accept data from a variety of
versions of sensors and to output to the same variety ?


We need a FAQ on the eec's and on the various sensors
and actuators.

We will need a FAQ on software drivers that do various
functions

Also, some of the members of these lists work for Ford.
If you know how we can ask corporate for help to accomplish
this, I think it'd help Ford, not hurt them.  We're not
interested in pirating their code (though it is in the
boxes we own), but in playing with our expensive toys we
bought from them.

I need your help to get this going .... anyone ?


 ================================================
                      THE END
 ================================================

P.S.

I'm not on fordnatics or any Mustang, Mercur, Lightning,
T-Bird, etc list -- only BigBroncos, eec-iv and diy-efi,
so if some of you, who are on those lists, would spread this
around, maybe we can get some action.



FYI -- to join the eec-iv list (an unofficial subset of diy-efi)


 ===============

Subscription info is on the eec-iv web page at:

        http://eelink.umich.edu:80/~p-nowak/eec-efi/


or e-mail the list admin, Paul Nowak, directly at

        Paul Nowak <p-nowak at eelink.umich.edu>

 ===============

for eec-iv info, check out:

        http://www.iaw.com/~aubertin/88mgt/eec-iv/eec-iv.htm
        http://204.255.212.10/~jthorsse/eectest.html

Tom Cloud <cloud at peaches.ph.utexas.edu>