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V6 VT Commodore standalone parts list

Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 1:02 am
by sidquick
G'Day everyone, I was just wondering if anyone had ran a megasquirt standalone to a 3.8 V6 ecotec VT engine, i believe its a gm L36 engine? I have the engine out and sitting in my shed now, I plan on dropping it into my 89 4X4 Hilux I have already sourced all the mechanical bits I need, its just this electrickity I'm stuck with. I could of got a bcm simulator and used the original ecu, but it was auto etc etc etc + if I can learn how to use megasquirt on this it opens up heaps of new path ways for me to play with new designs and stuff. I have a pre assembled MS230-k megasquirt-11 programmable ems.PCB3 with daughter board and version 2 soft ware installed. I have also bought "performance fuel injection systems" by Matt Cramer to help me along. :RTFM:

If anyone could feed me some information on how they have set theirs up that would be great
:D

cheers,
Sid

Re: V6 VT Commodore standalone parts list

Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2011 12:04 am
by wagon
I think a couple of the lads on here have done those motors. Search away...

Re: V6 VT Commodore standalone parts list

Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2011 3:32 pm
by long283
Welcome to the forums Sid,

Most of the parts you will need should already come with the engine, most of the work will be in the wiring and configuring the MS2. Didi you get part of the original harness so you can use the connectors?
* The Ecotec v6 uses a hot-wire MAF (Mass Air Flow) sensor or you can remove this and use the MAP(Manifold Air Press.) sensor built into the MS2.
* The v6 uses a hall-type CAS which outputs two signals so you will have to modify the MS2 for a second signal. Luckily the hall-sensors have a nice square wave output which is easy to adapt to. I used a simple transistor buffered input.
* The MAT and coolant temp sensors will work, just wire them straight up.
* You can wire the injectors to be fired in seperate banks. If you want to run semi-sequential injection there is a bit more work and you need to modify the MS2.
* The igniton system uses 2 or 3 wires to comunicate with the igniton module the has the 3 coil packs sitting on top. http://www.megamanual.com/ms2/GM_DIS.htm
* There are also knock sensors on the engine but you might be better off tuning the engine properly so it won't ping in the first place.

Also have a look through the GM Success Strories http://www.msruns.com/viewforum.php?f=8 ... 48d46023e3 for other people who have converted v6s. viewtopic.php?f=74&t=22969

The trickiest bits will be the CAS wiring and working with the coilpack/ignition module but these have all been done before.

Re: V6 VT Commodore standalone parts list

Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2011 2:58 pm
by long283
Any progress on the v6?

Some good news for you, from what I've read the ignition system should be capable of reading the crank sensors for you and controlling basic ignition for start-up then the ECU takes over to controll the ign-advance;
http://easyautodiagnostics.com/gm_ignit ... dule_1.php
And here's a bit in the manual on GM DIS
http://www.msextra.com/doc/ms2extra/MS2-Extra_HEI.htm

Other bad news is that the GM MAF sensor has a frequency based output and won't work with MS2 but the good news is you already have a MAP sensor built into the MS2.

Re: V6 VT Commodore standalone parts list

Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2011 3:16 pm
by long283
Here's a wiring diagram for the VT Commodore v6;

http://www.oldholdens.com/temp/carstuff ... iagram.pdf
Thanks to OldHolden.com

The Ignition and crank/cam sensors are on the lower left side.

You can have two inputs to MS2:
- Cam signal out.
- Crank reference out.
The two putputs from MS2 to the ignitoin module:
- Bypass control(for when the engine is cranking, the ignition module controls the spark)
- EST signal in ( this controls the spark & advance when the engine is running.)

As well as connecting ground, power and the CAS.

Re: V6 VT Commodore standalone parts list

Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2011 10:55 pm
by sidquick
Firstly, thank you very much for your help long. You seem more interested than me.
I have just about finished all the mechanical side of things and now have spent 2 weeks trying to decide weather to hack the standard Delco, or go with the Megasquirt. Due to me wanting to turbo it later on, the simplicity of the wiring (not having to touch the hilux loom for all the lights, and having a seperate engine loom) and the cool factor I've chosen the ms2 I have (V3 board).
I've been reading and re-reading everything about the ignition system (The new GM DFI module isn't really explained in the megamanual) and am at the point were I think I get it.
The main thing confusing me is; [insert long list :lol: ]
That I don't understand, or have missed which pin to connect the cam sensor output as well as the crank reference from the DFI to the ms2. I have read http://www.msextra.com/doc/ms2extra/MS2-Extra_Dual.htm and still don't understand very well. I have to connect these to don't I or else the DFI wont know how to fire the coils from the est signal.
Sorry for my novice,
Cheers, Sid

If everything fails I could probably retrofit a Ford EDIS from a EB Falcon couldn't I? mechanically it would be harder but much simpler electrically (I'm better at using hammers then multimeters :lol: )

Re: V6 VT Commodore standalone parts list

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 1:21 am
by VHV6commodore
The holden V6 uses the Buick version of DIS, known as C3I in the US.

Follow the mods and setting from here: http://www.msextra.com/doc/ms2extra/MS2-Extra_HEI.htm, except choose Rising Edge instead of Falling Edge for Ignition Input Capture.

The MS1extra manual shows how to connect the C3I to the Megasquirt http://www.msextra.com/doc/ms1extra/MS_ ... al.htm#c31

CA