I have my own hoists, engine stands and a test stand to run actual engines. Designed for v8 SBC with all the basics for carb and regular electonics.

Now for the preliminaries. I don't wish to go completely beserk, but I'd love to be able to run the basic, older, TBI setups that Chevy used for a number of years. For the V8 and the V6's. These are getting on in years and often need help. Knowing its working before it gets INTO the engine compartment is a worthwhile piece of information.

Brings me to a need for information, cause I do everything myself. I will need to know the electroninc requirements and actual voltages and methods that GM computers use to run their engines via the computer. I will need a source for something as simple as to WHAT voltage and what type of current is sent to the injectors. Just a for instance. Is it just a variable amount of voltage based on 12 volts, or is there a pulsating variable voltage of the DC variety? Even model trains use both of these to some extent.

So another for instance. The information suppied by sensors. Whats are the variables and what is normal for each? Any of these can be substituted for by buildng the proper ckts. I actually know how to build what ever it is I might need. IF I KNOW WHAT I NEED. I do love the feeling of searching and discovery, but like actual construction and results far better.

Can any of you point me to some reference books that might give some or most of this information? Web sites with them for sale? I dont need theory, i need actual information, though wiring diagrams is not what I mean, cause everyone has those. It is the FUNCTIONAL limits and NEEDS of the ckts and what the computer delivers to the engine in return, that I will need.



Really, what this forum COULD use is an ENGINE electronics (not audio, video)section. Seems all the rest of the bases are coverred.

 

Are you asking how to run a computer controlled engine without the computer???

Simple answer is to run it with the computer and associated sensors. All you need is the 12v supply, switched ignition, and ground for the PCMs you are concerned with. It should be much easier to hook it up with the factory wiring harness and just supplying the PCM with the power it requires.

If it came with an O2 sensor, it needs one to function. You can't fake out an upstream O2 sensor reading, that defeats the purpose. That would be like trying to make a carb work without vacuum.

The PCM also uses the readings from the ECT sensor and TPS sensor on early TBI motors to pick the proper fuel maps. The injectors are fired off of a pulse width modulated voltage. Basically a square wave of varying pulse durations based on the rpm and other operating conditions (O2, ECT, TPS, etc).

Oh and why could this forum use an engine electronics forum more than an Audio/Video forum. A much higher percentage of visitors to the site are going to be looking for information on stereo options than on engine electronics. Not to mention that the engine electronics just keep on getting more and more complex. I'm in no way saying that it wouldn't be a worthy topic for discussion, but I don't think that it would be that popular of a forum.

 

Perhaps changing engine and internal to stock engine chat only.
And have a modified/after market mods engine talk section right below it.

And call new members strangers until 25 posts..... I'm sorry, off topic here.

blazingsadle, I hope this link satisfies what you are searching for. clickety click
Good luck, happy motoring.

 

Now I will admit that I didn't fully look through all of the links on that post, but Vintage Air is an aftermarket HVAC manufacturer... How does that tie in with the engine electronics?

 

I appreciate the link. All information is usefull. Even though it may not look directly applicable, you'd be amazed how some things get figured out. Any and all information on older cars is helpfull too, I was under my 68 this morning, changing tranny filter and fluid.

I gained a love for engines and their methods of control from my father. While he busied himself with sidedrafts and syncing in 6 or 8 single carbs for just one engine, he also worked on mechanical injection. He let me hang around as often as was possible for him to do so. Perhaps because my mom also worked. I also gained one more thing. A knowledge that I would NEVER want to do it for a living. He always smelled funny (oil and grease) and had to work way too hard for me.

So I became involved in a much more technical field. That of the many forms of communications. Have engineered and worked on various types of radio, telephone, sound, television and computer - data variations of communications. From when we built tube amplifiers by hand to the most modern forms of digital communications, and fiber optic sytems. So it may be that I find myself qualified to look for reference works on how things actually function. Hooking it up to the SOCALLED computer is way too simple for me, also much more expensive in the long run, if you ASSUME they are different for most different applications. I say SOCALLED because they are NOT computers. The simple control ckts found in a car are nothing compared to the real thing and shouldnt even be called by that name.

Finding the required information will only be complicated because people are supposed to be stupid and not learn about this stuff. We, the purchasing public will be kept in the dark as long as we choose to be. If I have to I will sit down with a scope and ..yes; I will build it from scratch.

 

Good luck.