MyECU

[sign216]

Hi all. I'm on my second MyECU kit, as the first was accidentally toasted when a contact fell on the battery's pos terminal. Ouch!

 

Just finished my 2nd kit, but it's not working. Aargh. I asked on the MyECu forum, but have not gotten a response.

 

In essence, although I'm getting the correct voltages at the D1, the left legs of the FETs all show 8.7 volts, when they should be a 0.

Does this point to a specific issue for me to address?

 

MyECU offers such promise, but such work. I wonder if I should give it up for more modern fueling solutions. Thoughts?

[Kiwi_Roy]

I don't have my schematics handy but sounds as though you are missing the ground connection.

 

Cliff usually gets right back if you have a problem.

 

Roy

[Cliff]

I asked on the MyECu forum, but have not gotten a response.

 

I'd just like to clarify that you you did get a response - "I think you've lost enough time trying to get the two kits together. It's probably best to get this to me so I can sort it out for you. I want to get you on the road."

 

The mind boggles why you would ask such a technical query here.

[Mad Farquhar]

From Cliffs website:-

 

Reality check

• MyECU is the development of one individual. I'm not a company of thousands of engineers like Weber Marelli. I cannot hope to provide you with the quick response and fixes that you have come to expect from Weber Marelli.

 

 

Seems a simple and honest caveat to me.

[sign216]

( message deleted )

[Mad Farquhar]

( message deleted )

+

Sending the unit to Cliff

=

2 sound consecutive decisions

[luhbo]

My experience with building kits of any form, but mostly with electronic kits as the MyEcus, Optimisers and the like, was that, that a matching pair of reading glasses combined with a thorough reading of the supplied instructions always stood for a more powerful set of tools than any multi-meter or oscilloscope could ever become.

 

Hubert

[AndyH]

My experience with building kits of any form, but mostly with electronic kits as the MyEcus, Optimisers and the like, was that, that a matching pair of reading glasses combined with a thorough reading of the supplied instructions always stood for a more powerful set of tools than any multi-meter or oscilloscope could ever become.

 

Hubert

Well observed Hubert.

It has to be said though, that some manufacturers' instructions leave a great deal to be desired: they often assume too much knowledge/ability on the part of the user and also forget to include important information because, of course, they know what they are doing (or in some cases just think they do).

I write documentation for a living (including instructions) so when I have a new part in one hand and the paper in the other hand, I often wonder how well kit/instrument suppliers test their words out on customers before release...

AndyH

[Mad Farquhar]

My experience with building kits of any form, but mostly with electronic kits as the MyEcus, Optimisers and the like, was that, that a matching pair of reading glasses combined with a thorough reading of the supplied instructions always stood for a more powerful set of tools than any multi-meter or oscilloscope could ever become.

 

Hubert

Well observed Hubert.

It has to be said though, that some manufacturers' instructions leave a great deal to be desired: they often assume too much knowledge/ability on the part of the user and also forget to include important information because, of course, they know what they are doing (or in some cases just think they do).

I write documentation for a living (including instructions) so when I have a new part in one hand and the paper in the other hand, I often wonder how well kit/instrument suppliers test their words out on customers before release...

AndyH

What's your method for making your technical writing "idiot" proof? In my work procedures tend to be referred to by management -to explain why something went bang usually. Operators tend to use "little black books" and their experience - these are the "live" documents. Updating procedures and the management of change issues surrounding them tend to bog down the process and turn off the actual people who operate and have the real life practical knowledge.

In this case; myECU, RTFM + a modicum of applied logic is the maxim. Also when you have a problem there is a tendency to get in too deep when you really need to back off and do something else.

 

Joe has a problem which Cliff offered to resolve and pretty efficiently if I know him. Joe had that decision to make.

 

As with anything associated with Guzzis a certain amount of thrashing about in the unknown before the lamp comes on is par for the course. It's a matter of deciding whether you waste time farting about, getting in too deep and, possibly making it worse, or you bite the bullet and get help. I would suggest Joe has been in the farting about stage too long and is feeling pretty frustrated. Zapping card 1 wont have helped.

 

This is needless and a shame for his overall myECU experience. Been there, done that - got the t-shirt.

Hopefully the outcome will be more positive.

[Cliff]

I'm glad this topic is provided some constructive debate.

 

Joe is a tireless promoter of small blocks. I see his informative posts on the yahoo group just about everyday. So I'm very keen to get Joe on the road and experience the MyECU the way it should be experienced. It's a shame that Joe has not had a pleasant journey so far. His journey would rank up there amongst the worst, especially given he was so close the first time. The distance, time and costs involved with sending goods around the globe doesn't help.

 

I don't believe that anything can be made fool proof. You can have all the information out there but even then it will be missed. You can engineer against failures but in the end you just add all this complexity and move the failure modes elsewhere. Those who have compared the look of the My16M against the original ECU would readily agree that the original appears much more complex than the My16M. Yet it was the weakness of the original ECU that kicked off the MyECU. I'll stick to the KISS approach.

 

As to making the MyECU available as a kit ( I'm talking generally now and not of Joe ), if you want to make a kit that will be the ECU of your bike, you should be pretty sure of your abilities both in construction and also basic electronics. I quiz people about their abilities if they show interest in the kit. This a response I recently got from someone ( truly )

 

"Yes I do have experience with electronic kit assembly...just as long as it does not involve any soldering.

I have built a few computers in my day."

 

I'm going to assume the best and think he is a comedian but unfortunately some think that the required skill in kit construction is that of turning on a soldering iron and being able to melt solder ( again talking generally).

 

Anyway, whether making the MyECU available as a kit is an option I have been thinking about for a while now.

[luhbo]

 

... Anyway, whether making the MyECU available as a kit is an option I have been thinking about for a while now.

 

I found that rather tough right from the first time I read about this box and its availability as a kit! Nevertheless I'd be really sorry should you decide rationaly and put it off your list. For me the DIY idea has been the biggest thing with MyEcu.

 

Hubert

[Mad Farquhar]

... Anyway, whether making the MyECU available as a kit is an option I have been thinking about for a while now.

 

I found that rather tough right from the first time I read about this box and its availability as a kit! Nevertheless I'd be really sorry should you decide rationaly and put it off your list. For me the DIY idea has been the biggest thing with MyEcu.

 

Hubert

Ditto.

 

Fitting "a box" is not the same in terms of ownership and the learning process. I can, however, understand why you would stop the kit option.

[sign216]

Despite the pain and trouble, I still prefer the kit.

 

Not only does it make the price competitive, but it gives MyECU an appeal that can't be matched by the other devices on the market.

 

There's no other ECU mods that really gets as hands-on, down in the trench, as a MyECU kit.

[PDoz]

Clif, I've gotta say it's very impressive watching the level of support you've offered both here and via the myecu forum. I'm farly sure I know what I'm getting for xmas.

 

Mind if I throw another question your way? Is there anyone in se oz that can do the finetuning ? ( I live in gippsland victoria but would travel interstate to get the job done well) . A previous owner fitted madaz pipes to my 03 lemans, so it'd be a one off map I presume.

[Cliff]

Mind if I throw another question your way? Is there anyone in se oz that can do the finetuning ? ( I live in gippsland victoria but would travel interstate to get the job done well) . A previous owner fitted madaz pipes to my 03 lemans, so it'd be a one off map I presume.

 

I know of a tuner in Winton near Benalla who has recently done a Ducati 916 racer with a My16M. He made use of a dyno in Whorouly. Unless you're after race track performance that is overkill. It usually only takes a few iterations of map adjustments to get on par with the OEM but without the issues you might be having now. If you want to take it further, adding a lambda sensor and tuning yourself will give you excellent results for less money and greater satisfaction. Its even easier now the Android app I have developed and a bluetooth connection to the MyECU.