HalTech ECU install on L28

[Chickenman]

Just a quick update on the Haltech project. Had a bit of a set back when I found I couldn't get any software for the ECU. Long story, but I somehow ended up with an E11-V1 ( version 1 ). Haltech only produced about 100 of these units , then recalled them all and exchanged them for a new and improved E11-V2 ( version 2 ). The version 1 apparently had an problem with Rotary engine ignition timing and an over heating problem when running a LOT of auxiliary channels. Since this ECU was the first to offer full support for boosted 3 rotor Wankel engines this was a big deal for Haltech.

Good news, the Version 1 ECU worked fine with piston engines. Bad news... Haltech has a company policy of offering Zero support for the E11 Version 1. Haltech only offered download software for E11-V2 ECU's..... or so it seemed.

Fortunately persistence pays off and I found that certain versions of the HalWin software for the E11-V2 would also work with the E11-V1 ( revision 1.62 and 1.71 ). Found this out only by scrutinizing all the "readme" files and ".ini " files after installing all of the Halwin software ( 1.62, 1.71 and 1.89 ). By a stroke of luck, version 1.62 also included the wiring pin-outs for both the E11-V1 and E11-V2. The two ECU's had different connectors and wiring. Then did a complete pin-out check with my DVM to make sure everything was wired correctly.

Next problem was that ECU firmware had to be updated. My ECU had firmware build 16 and I needed to run build 29 in order for the ECU to work with the later HalWin software. HalTech in Australia could not tell me if the Bios flash would work... but I was " somewhat " confident ( 70% ?? ) as the as the latest revision of firmware ( build 35 for HalWin 1.89 ) had a " Change log " that stated: " Detection of E11-V1" ECU has been eliminated ". Reverse logic says that must mean that earlier firmware build versions ( 29 and 32 ) " should " be compatible with an E11-V1 ECU. Ya still with me fella's??

So with much trepidation, I hooked up my Bench power supply and Laptop loaded with what I thought would be the best version of software and firmware to load. Then I pushed the big Red button... waiting to see if I had a working ECU or an expensive paper weight. Great Frackin' joy... the danged thing booted up and communicated with no errors.

Connected all the sensors, and played with programming for several days. Have a some Ignition Maps designed, with a very conservative Ignition timing mode for initial testing and Dyno runs. Don't want any detonation if it runs lean on the Dyno. Then I have a Ignition Map for 94 Octane and eventually will build a 91 Octane profile.

Fuel Maps will be the hard part, as these are based on Injector PW.. not VE. Fortunately the E11 has full Data logging and ability to monitor WB O2 sensor readings. Unfortunately, the software does not have seem to an " Auto Tune " feature built in. Instructions are a bit vague on that.... but it looks like AutoTune only came out in the HalWin 1.89 software, which is not compatible with my ECU. Not a big deal, just makes Dyno tuning a bit more involved. Also the HalWin 1.89 is known to be " buggy " and 1.62 is the most stable version, so I'll stick with that.


I'm going to install some new factory injectors and run the car on Brown Brother's Dyno with the factory ECU. That way I can get a baseline on the power the car is making with the factory Nissan " Analog " ECU. I expect that with all of the engine modifications, that I will be running lean after about 4,500 RPM . Vane style AFM goes 100% by 4,500 rpm and everything above that is strictly on a WOT Map based on engine RPM . So no fuel compensation for bigger cam, headers, more compression big exhaust etc, etc. Probably do the Dyno run in about two weeks. I'll post up results.

Edit: I'll update as we go along. Gonna take me a while and I suspect it won't be ready till mid summer.

[Chickenman]

For ignition I've gone with a 1982 Turbo ZX dizzy that I bought re-manufactured from A1-Cardone. This unit is an Optical dizzy with both the Crank and Cam signal on one Trigger wheel. If you want to run Full sequential injection and/or COP you need to change out the trigger wheel. Normally a Z31 wheel would drop right in. These have a 54 mm 360+1 trigger wheel. Hard to find so I went with an AEM 54mm 24+1 wheel, which will work fine. I also have the special oil pump drive ( splined drive ) that is necessary for this conversion. Glen at West Coast Nissan gave me a heck of a deal on this. Thanks Glen!!

I haven't decided what Ignition system I will use yet. The Haltech came wired for Direct fire with CNP and 6 LS2 Yukon coils. I also have a BNIB Crane H-6S ( Inductive Multi-Spark box ) and a used Crane H-6 ( CDI Multi-Spark box ) . I kind of like the Retro look of plug leads though, so I'm leaning towards using one of the Crane boxes. The individual coils just don't look right on the engine. The Optical dizzy will need to be used on either CNP direct fire system or the single coil system.

[Chickenman]

I've also built a handy little " Trim Module" . Haltech sells a plug and play module that allows you to quickly adjust the Fuel and Ignition programs Plus Or Minus a certain percentage to make initial tuning easier. They have a quick connect terminal built into the main wiring Loom for this.

HalTech wants $79 USD for this, plus shipping. After some research I found it is nothing but a 10K Pot in a box. Went to a local electronics store and bought everything I need for $12 CDN.

[funwithmonkeys]

I'm interested to see the difference in performance you get with the HalTech and other mods. Will you be doing a dyno run with just the stock ECU and the HalTech back to back? I have seen what the MCM guys have done HalTech and it looks like there is a lot to be had with just a proper tune over the what the manufacturer does.

[Chickenman]

Yes, that is my plan. Not on the same day, but on the same Dyno. The Dyno at Brown Bros is a Dynapak hub Dyno and it is very accurate and repeatable. It's a full load cell Dyno with water brakes, not a roller inertia Dyno like a Dynajet. Fully automated and is the Cat's Meow for tuning.

I'm pretty sure there's HP to be had there... although I must say, seat of the pant's wise, this engine is strong on the stock ECU. But I'm sure it's running lean on the Top end. AEM WB AFM is just one going in as well. It has both a NB and WB auxiliary outputs that can be read and logged by the HalTech.

[funwithmonkeys]

Nice. I look forward to updates. I went there to get my car byno'd on your recommendation. They were great.

[Chickenman]

I'll post all the Dyno logs of course. Hope to get on within 2 weeks.

[Chickenman]

Some screen shots of HalWin 1.62. This is an old program circa 2005... so not very fancy.

Bench Testing:


Baseline Safe Ignition Map:


Baseline Fuel Map:

[Byron510]

Having gone the SDS route in my car many years ago, I'll look forward to reading about your much newer technology and the advancement of the stand alone programmable EFI installation. Loosing the OEM air flow meter with a few other external modifications will clean up the installation, I'll read on with interest. What are you plans for engine modifications outside the engine management system?

Byron

[Chickenman]

One of things I'm glad I did was hook it up on a Bench Tester.That way I can get familiar with the programming and play with things a bit. I've already discovered a couple of " quirks " in the software that would have driven you nuts if you were trying to sort them out while tuning a car.

I also discovered that not all sensors are the same. When I hooked up the CTS and ATS they were reading about 15 F over actual ambient ( in my living room ). HalTech uses the generic GM sensors which is SOP and I'd picked up some new BWD ( Borg Warner ) sensors. At 70F ambient the BWD specs for both of these sensors calls for approx 3,400 ohms. These were measuring around 2,800 ohms. GM specs only allow a 7.38% +/- variance, so these were well out of spec. I exchanged the BWD CTS sensor for a genuine Delphi CTS sensor and slapped the DVM on it at 70 F ambient. Wow... what a difference. Delphi specs 3,555 ohms at 70F for the CTS ( =/- 7.38% ) and this one measured 3,600 ohms. So almots bang on. Hooking up the Delphi CTS sensor to the HalWin program now showed an ambient temperature of around 71 degrees ( sitting on carpet on floor ). So that was pretty accurate. The ATS was still the BWD ( same calibration factors ) and it was showing about 10 F higher. Interestingly, the BWD sensors seemed to " burn in" and get closer to spec as they were used.

I didn't really want to return the BWD ATS sensor , as my supplier had to special order it and they always give me excellent pricing ( B&J Parts in PoCo). Fortunately the HalWin program has a sensor calibration feature that allows you to " Fine Tune " every sensor's resistance table values. So I adjusted the resistance values of the ATS sensor to make it read the same as the CTS at 70 F. Extrapolated that correction factor to a couple of levels above and below 70F and good enough. Air Temperature compensation on a Normally Aspirated car is not nearly as important as Coolant Temp, so a little inaccuracy on the ATS is not as critical.

[Chickenman]

One of the issues with the HalTech E11 version 1, was an overheating problem. This only seemed to manifest itself on Rotaries and when a lot of high current Auxiliary channels were used. Later versions solved this issue so I decided to have a peek inside.

On one side you have several high power Transistors that are bolted to the outer aluminum casing casing with a metal Bus Bar. These are likely for the high current Injector drivers ( E11 can drive low or high impedance injectors directly. No resistor boxes needed ) . On the other side you have a row of Auxiliary channel power transistors. However, these are not attached to the outer casing. You can see where they have machined a mounting screw for the metal Bus Bar, but it looks like they forgot to include it or they decided it wasn't required. Bad decision, as it turns out these Auxiliary channels were part of the overheating problem. Since I'm not going to need these extra channels, I'll leave them alone. But if they were used, the power transistors should be " Heat Sinked " to the outer case.

Now being a computer Guru, I know how important cooling is on a CPU. I noticed that the main CPU had no Heat Sink on it at all. This may be perfectly fine ( or it may not ) but since I have a selection of various electronic heat sinks kicking around, I decided to add one to the CPU. I found a nice low profile finned heat sink that I can attach to the CPU. I use some Artic-Silver Five with 4 drops of Zap Gap CA glue in each corner. Voila.. CPU now has a nice heat sink.

I'm debating on whether of not to drill the back panel to allow some Air Flow. The ECU will be mounted in the passenger compartment. Or would this allow moisture to build up inside? The car does sit in the underground parking in the winter and it does get pretty cold down there ( although never below freezing ). Any thoughts on this?

[Chickenman]

Having gone the SDD route in my car many years ago, I'll look forward to reading about your much newer technology and the advancement of the stand alone programable EFI installation. Loosing the ORM air flow meter with a few other external modifications will clean up the installation, I'll read on with interest. What are you plans for engine modifications outside the engine management system?

Byron

Ah... a fellow insomniac... LOL . Compared to the systems we have these days that will Auto program themselves, the software on this model of HalTech is pretty basic. The E11 was sold starting in 2002. Still, it is a very powerful ECU and can do anything that the current HalTech units can on the hardware level. It was state of the art in it's time. Software Interface is just a bit archaic compared to more modern stuff.

A far as engine modifications, the engine is brand new and already has the following Mods:

1: F54 block with Flat Tops and N47 head giving a CR of around 10.5 to 1.

2: Shneider 280 degree cam, with appropriate valve springs etc.

3: Long tube 3 -2 -1 headers into a 2.5" exhaust system.

4: TWM Big Bore throttle body. It's all of 60mm Big... LOL. Stock is 54mmm.

Ignition system is likely going to be powered by a Crane Hi-6S ( inductive ) or Hi-6 ( CDI ) .

Injectors are currently stock but new. They are super tiny ( 188 cc ) but I'll bump the Fuel Pressure a bit with an Aeromotive FPR. Stock is 37 psi and I'll run 43 to 45 PSI initially. Will probably still max out the IDC even with raised pressure. Later on I plan on upgrading to larger injectors. Toyota Supra NA injectors ( 295cc ) should be more than enough for the power levels I want. Fuel pump is a modern Turbine style Airtex, which has more volume and pressure than stock Roller Vane pump.

[Byron510]

Ah... a fellow insomniac... LOL .

Sort of - en route to Florida for the week for work training...


Sounds like a good project to follow. I'll be bringing home an 82 ZXT next weekend. The wiring has been played with, and I don't know if it'll be fixable. A good friend on the island does complete Megasquirt conversions with full new engine harnesses - it's an option but not sure yet. I'll wait to see what I've bought first and take it from there. In the mean time I'll watch your project and see where we can take these pointy nosed 510's anyways.

Byron

[Chickenman]

Oh, I think I'd definitely go with the MS. 350HP is not a problem at all. MS3 and you can do full sequential FI, Direct fire LS2 coils ( I happen to know where you can get some ) WB and I think the MS3 or MS3 PRO can do Auto Tuning.

[Chickenman]

Ran into a small bump in the road with the 280Z. Was replacing all of the injectors to do a Dyno run next week on the Stock ECU. Broke one of the Phenolic injector holders. One is in Ontario and it will be here by the 15th. Could have gone E-Bay route, but that would have taken a couple of more days.

On the Haltech, I've done a further upgrade to the Firmware ( now Build 32 ) and Halwin Software ( now version 1.71 ) . The software upgrade was nice as it fixed a couple of bugs and also added quite a few enhancements, including the ability to set Target AFR and have the system compensate. That makes tuning a LOT easier.

Also ordered and Aeromotive #13129 EFI FPR from Summit ( on Sale at $116.95 USD ) and a few AN fittings. Will ditch the stock fuel rail and replace it with an extruded aluminium one. Stock steel fuel rail tends to heat soak, and that causes the majority of the 280Z/ZX hot start problems.