My LCD screen project, boost, WBO2, Knock, etc

[DrGonzo]

I just read the similar message you wrote on 3si.org for me. Thanks for letting me know you bought it second hand, and it was v2 hardware with an upgraded v3 microprocessor. At least this gives me a better understanding what we are working with.

I would go back and verify that the 40pin microprocessor is fully inserted. If it's partially installed, it can do weird things.

EGRT (pin 53 on 91-93 ECU I think), is something people used to do a long time ago for monitoring 0-5volt signal on MMCd. Chrome does not use that pin for monitoring or dataloging WBO2 (hence the reason you're not reading correct WBO2 results on the LCDBC). Your best bet is to move or add another splice to the WBO2 signal, and have it go directly into the LCDBC WBO2 input. You get a speed bonus when you datalog WBO2 via LCDBC instead of ECU.

Yeah I spoke with Jester about it and we got it moved to the correct pin on the 4th 99 plug, not sure the pin. it does log properly when EVOscan is connected directly to the ECU. Not sure if your LCD accommodates that pin. Is it possible to send the WBO2 signal to both the ECU pin and the WB input on the LCD by just branching the WB signal off to both spots?

I'll check the chip seating and be sure it is all the way seated. Should know more tomorrow.

[BlackStealth]

Yeah I spoke with Jester about it and we got it moved to the correct pin on the 4th 99 plug, not sure the pin. it does log properly when EVOscan is connected directly to the ECU. Not sure if your LCD accommodates that pin. Is it possible to send the WBO2 signal to both the ECU pin and the WB input on the LCD by just branching the WB signal off to both spots?

I'll check the chip seating and be sure it is all the way seated. Should know more tomorrow.

I have an idea. I'll modify the LCDBC software to support reading pin 93 on the Chrome/flashable ECUs, this way you don't have to make any changes.

Next, I put more thought on your trouble.
(1) Did you take static electricity precautions when installing the new microprocessor? These microprocessors will act weird if your hands touched the metal pins and will require a new replacement.
(2) You may want to test if your 5v regulator is still providing 5v. If it's not providing the correct voltage, it will produce incorrect "pressure readings", and make the micro run badly.

Edit: Here's the new LCDBC software to support pin93.
http://lcdbc.xp3.biz/updates/UPDATE341.zip

[DrGonzo]

Yeah, I was grounded when I replaced the chip. I work on computers a lot and my bench is grounded with a static mat.

I checked the chip and it was seated properly and not loose at all.

Did a little fiddling with it and found found that when I disconnect the pressure sensor the warning goes away, but the display is showing pressure reading randomly going up and down. With no sensor attached at all. When I fire it up with the sensor attached it goes right into Overboost alert but now goes back to the screen and the reading are moving. Car is not running at all. Here is a video I took of it:

https://youtu.be/AoBxaCNvBdg

[BlackStealth]

Which kind of external pressure sensor do you have hooked up? And is it correctly set in the configuration? Does always trigger an overboost message during power up?

Edit: I forgot to comment on what happens when you unplug an external pressure sensor. The voltage found on the microprocessor's pin is called "floating" when nothing is hooked up and you're attempting to read the voltage from it. It is essentially a small antenna and is picking up stray EMF voltages when unconnected, so all the voltages (or boost readings) will be invalid.

[DrGonzo]

Running a GM pressure sensor. And yeah it is configured properly. When it is hooked up it now always triggers the overboost message.

Good to know about what happens when one is not hooked up.

[BlackStealth]

Running a GM pressure sensor. And yeah it is configured properly. When it is hooked up it now always triggers the overboost message.

Good to know about what happens when one is not hooked up.

Does this only happen at the start? Or does it happen randomly? And if so randomly, here are my guesses:
(1) Pressure sensor harness - wire pinched
or
(2) Pressure sensor harness connectors have bad connection
or
(3) Possible Chinese cloned GM 3 bar map sensor not working reliably. I purchased one of these Chinese knock offs to evaluate with, haven't yet hooked it up yet.

[j2k4]

Re Chinese knock-offs:

DO NOT BUY A NON-GENUINE TACTRIX OPEN-PORT, i.e. AliExpress, etc.

I bought one, it died after one flash.

[Armond30]

Hey Blackstealth, I have a general question / update suggestion. On the LCD Boost controller, the knock warning (change of light color and warning value on the main screen) will not occur unless there are 2 consecutive knock events, right? Is there anyway to make the peak knock use this same logic? On my car, I will get random max values for Peak knock which makes the feature unusable as a reference. I know I currently don't have anything to worry about because the value on the main screen didn't change and the color on the screen didn't change, but I would like to know what my max knock realistically was without the one off noises. Can that change be made?

[DrGonzo]

Does this only happen at the start? Or does it happen randomly? And if so randomly, here are my guesses:
(1) Pressure sensor harness - wire pinched
or
(2) Pressure sensor harness connectors have bad connection
or
(3) Possible Chinese cloned GM 3 bar map sensor not working reliably. I purchased one of these Chinese knock offs to evaluate with, haven't yet hooked it up yet.

Did some testing and with the sensor disconnected form the box the warn does not come on. With the wire attached and not plug into the sensor, no warn. Plug in the sensor and I got a warn. So looks like a bad sensor. Not even 2 months old and driven on for like 2 days.

So that explains the sensor issue, but what about the random lock up after 15 min or so of driving, could they be related?

And your manual does not have full instructions on how to update the software on the chip, just that you provide the software and we need the null modem cable. So assuming that the Serial/USB cable we use to log from the Box to Evoscan will not work to flash the software to the chip...

[BlackStealth]

Armond30: Give me a couple days to figure out how to implement what you want.

DrGonzo: Not sure if your sensor was responsible for locking up the LCDBC. Software update instructions are located on the last page of the user manual:
http://lcdbc.xp3.biz/EBC-Revision3.40.pdf

Or you can follow the instructions contained within the update.zip file readme. Yes the Serial/USB cable that you use to log the LCDBC with Evoscan software does work for software update for v3 firmware. Only older LCDBC units (v1 and v2 firmware) by default used the other serial port and required a null-modem cable.