Megasquirt 2 system assembly and installation

[esde]

found time to get some more stuff done:
Got the shroud welded up and finished. Venturi ring in, and decided on a location for the wasted spark coil.

Painted it and got the flaps mounted

Bolted it all together to check the fit

The new CB manifolds must be a shade taller than the old ones, so the berg linkage arms are now too long. I'll have to shorten them and re cut the threads.

I need to one up with a location for the intake air temperature sensor. The filter top is obvious, but sort of clumsy. I'm the type of guy that breaks little plastic things that stick up, so I'm looking for a better location.
Possibly I could sneak up between the barrels here

so it would sit between the velocity stacks like this, but obviously shorter

.
And while thinking about this I discovered,

That the gaskets supplied by CB don't do what they are intended to do.
That bit of light is coming from underneath where the gasket is missing.

duh.
So, I also have to block off the fuel filter and distributor. Cut off a piece of 1/2" aluminum bar, and will machine a block off plate, and found a dead 009 to plug the hole. It actually looks like I can knock out the bushing and run a 3/8" tap in it for a breather fitting, nice!

Nice to know the no name 009 is good for something.

[esde]

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[gprudenciop]

thats some nice work! and it is coming out good!! cant wait to see it finished.
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Never look down at anybody unless you are helping them up..
Loaning someone your strength instead of reminding them of their weakness = kindness..

[clonebug]

Mario has a very reasonably priced distributor plug if you are looking for something.
They come with an AN-8 or AN-10 fitting to if you want to make it a vented plug or you can get them as just a plug......

I have the AN-8 vented plug and put a cap on it for now.

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[esde]

Yeah, I know he does. But the box of taps was next to the dead distributor, as if it was meant to be..
and it doesn't cost me squat. But I will cut it down so it just peeks out, and probably use a stock clamp to hold it.

[esde]

distributor plug done. Easy, took a few minutes on the lathe, and running the tap in after knocking the bushings free. Hardest part was digging up a new o ring

little to do finishing up the fuel pump plate

I've decided to use the big bulkhead connector for the wiring harness, so that'll chew up some time. Has anyone ever come up with a semi standard schematic for what pins are to what wires? I know it's a long shot, but..
SD

[Chip]

I ended up getting rid of my big master plug in my latest wiring redo. It just didn't provide enough terminals and in the defeated the purpose of having the main plug. Everything is looking good!

[TinCanFab]

The Molex big plug I used from page 1 has 31 terminals, and you can get different pins for different gauge wiring. There's also a 14 pin version in the same size shell. I'm going to run the Microsquirt which only has 35 pins in it's connector. What I did is make a big diagram "key" listing to go with the msextra picture diagram. It's just a big number list matching my plug wire number with the Microsquirt plug. As long as I don't lose the key it's easy peasy. I did have to improvise with pins 32-35 though.

First, I scribbled up a picture of what my harness needed to be

Then, I wrote this up to match. It's made it pretty easy while you take breaks and come back to the wiring. You just match numbers and wire color.

Like Chip said, if you don't plan it out real well you'll come up short. I was able to come up with a bunch of unused pins, that I pre-wired and labeled on my key.

I got all the stuff from waytekwire.com. I got their $23 Weatherpack/"barrel terminal" hand crimpers too. You have to be careful you get the matching stuff, it's easy to order the wrong thing. The bulkhead nut had to be bought in a pack of 5 so I have 4 extra. I can throw one in an envelope if you want and get you part numbers. Pm me if you need
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Check out my truck brought back from the dead... http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=420762&highlight=sprayed+blood

They're never really ever finished 58 rag build...
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=658092

[TinCanFab]

Oh yeah, nice work. I like how you mounted your coil too.
_________________
Check out my truck brought back from the dead... http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=420762&highlight=sprayed+blood

They're never really ever finished 58 rag build...
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=658092

[esde]

After some more turkey and a nap, tapped the top of the passenger side throttle body for the intake air temperature sensor. Tap size is 3/8npt, and the tap isn't square to the throttle body; the plug end of the sensor is tipped out slightly. I had to do it this way or you'd never get a wrench on the sensor to turn it in

So much for "always modify the cheapest part"
(which I generally agree with)

It seems like a decent location, certainly out of the way and protected

If it doesn't work out I can always put a plug in it.
SD

[andy198712]

looks nice and neat there!
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[esde]

Finished the engine harness tonight. It took a while as I wasted a few of the weather pack terminal ends learning how to use the crimper, and then I didn't have enough of the 20 gauge pins for the bulkhead connector..
Here's an OK crimp on one of the terminals

I didn't fork out $100 bucks for the real weatherpack crimp tool, I bought the $45 knock off. It's entirely possible the right tool makes the job a little easier, but I doubt it. You have to hold the wire in terminal, AND the silicone seal, keep the stripped end in just far enough (all this with one hand mind you) and then line it up with the jaws of the crimper, which is stepped, and then quickly hope you get it right. I imagine it's impossible if you have bad eyesight or shaky hands.
Then pick what wire goes where, click it home, and make sure the corresponding wire is in the correct spot.

I made a little chart, will add it to my notes.

Checked all of the wires for continuity, everything is good.
Here's the finished product:

So, I have to finish a bus project to free up my lift. Then I can get the car on, finish the fuel system lines, and start the actual installation. Hopefully I hear from Mario in the next few weeks so I can get a base tune to start the car.
SD

[clonebug]

[esde]

Pulled the beetle out of it's winter storage spot and got started this past weekend. Fortunately I've just gotten a lift and it makes some of the tasks much, much easier.

I had started working on the tank before I sent the car away months ago. I am using the CB tank outlet that is just one AN-8 fitting, and have my walbro GSL392 pump mounted in the same place the old carter pump was. Here you can see how the lines will route around the steering. I wanted to put the filter here also, but space is getting tight. It might go under the rear shelf where the hard line transitions to braided.

For a return I added an AN-6 bulkhead fitting to the top of the tank

In this location, you can reach a 3/8" flex head ratchet into the tank to tighten it, and it misses the sender arm.
And I have cut two openings into the tunnel, to help install both 3/8" stainless lines

Little at a time. SD

[esde]

Thought about a few ways to run the hard line, and came to this. I've brought it out of the tunnel where I cut the access, and routed it between the frame horns and trans, and then under the package tray. The connection to braided hose will be at the firewall.

In the front I brought it out on the passenger side

I would have preferred a different angle, but bending the 3/8 stainless without kinking it, and guiding it in the tunnel, well I'm just lucky to have gotten this piece in. Waiting on a 90º AN-6 union to complete the supply plumbing, and then I'll do the return.
SD

[esde]

I've been working on this evenings and lunch hours, it's at the point where there are a thousand little things to track down and complete. I have the fuel lines in completely, the pump fired up, and only one leaky fitting to deal with. It's on a short hose that I can remove to fix easily.
I brought my fuel lines out of the tunnel right before the nose cone mount, and they go up between the trans and frame horn, and strap to the underside of the parcel shelf. It looks vulnerable, but is bent pretty tight, and I welded a piece of steel over it for good measure

The return is on the driver side, with a short hose to the regulator

You can see the 90º bend that is not connected behind the fuel rail, this hose connects both fuel rails. I had to change this end out for a 45º end to make it all fit nicely. If I had a stock cooler it would fit, but the extra width of the type 4 cooler makes space tight back there. Here you can see the front connections. The return comes out just behind the beam, and loops up through the steering box access cover to the tank. The pump is connected to a 10 micron filter

Here is the shot from underneath. I have to make a bracket to hold the line from the tank to pump secure to the stabilizer mount so there's no chance it rubs the tie rod

Wiring harness is in the car, finally. I had a dyslexic moment and drilled this hole on the passenger side before realizing I F'd up. D'oh!

I originally was going to use the injector bosses in the CB throttle bodies, but realized that the fuel rails would end up wider than the engine bay. So, I made some plugs for the unused ports. I was going to use some orings and set screws, but hell I have a lot to get done, so they got epoxied in place.

O2 sensor bung welded in, and sensor mounted again. Ran the wire from the sideband back to where the megasquirt will live, driver side under the rear seat.

Throttle bodies are just set in for the pic here. I have to trim the Berg linkage rods by a half inch, as for some reason they are too long now. It's probably the manifolds..

Anyway, getting closer. I'm struggling with using the MS and mac together for some functions, like loading the tune, but I will get it. Soon man, soon, spring is around the corner…

SD

[ps2375]

Looks nice.

Always has to be 1 mac user in the office.

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