Ricktalife's EPIC fails and maybe a build thread too

Okay so I know I'm beating a dead horse with this whole EMS thing, but I still haven't heard back from the shop I talked to. It's been 2 weeks and I left a message the other day with no response. So I guess I'm on my own with this thing since there are no Mazda tuners nearby. I want to make this unit work and keep it simplified until I understand it more so I don't **** up my car. I'm thinking that I should just keep it as a "piggyback" for just tuning fuel first. Then once I have some more understanding and at least a base map, I can move on to timing and such.

So I tore apart the connector leading to the ECU on my extension harness so that I have access to the terminals. Now this is just my theory so correct me if I'm wrong. I'm thinking that if I just unplug the terminals for the injectors and whatever else is needed for fuel tuning from the extension harness and wire it to the AEM, I will have full control of the fuel system while still using the stock PCM for everything else. Unlike the FIC, which uses an intercept to alter the signal, I am taking all fuel capability away from the factory ECU. It makes sense to me, but I only question whether I will have a CEL because those wires are not hooked into the ECU. If so, I will not pass inspection. Thoughts?
 
Yeah, that is my thought. The PCM shouldn't have any way of knowing whether or not the injector output signals are connected to anything.

This is what I plan to do with the Megasquirt.

I think you would only get a CEL if the PCM is reading a rich status from the primary narrowband and it trims the fuel to min output and it still sees rich, you will get a code for a rich mixture or faulty O2 sensor. But if you tune your EMS to run stoich at light throttle or load, then I don't think you'd force a rich mixture long enough for the CEL to trip.

Only one way to really find out though. If it does trip, I think my plan is to buy or build an electrical O2 simulator, which is what the F/IC was supposed to be able to do, which proved useless on my car.
 
I don't believe the EMS-4 has any specific O2 output for piggyback use, but there is a general purpose I/O that may be able to be used as an O2 simulator. I couldn't find much information for it in the user manual though.
 
I can't manage to get the terminals out of my extension harness. I don't want to break the s***, but I don't want to just cut the wire either. Judging by the size of the terminals, they would probably snap right in place with the AEM harness. That would be a dream... so there must be something wrong here lol. Hurry up and wire your megasquirt JDWK so I can copy your method haha.
 
Have you dried using a pick? (similiar to a tooth pick but has a handle and made of metal) Post up some pics if you can.
 
No I haven't used a pick, I didn't have one handy so I used a flatblade screwdriver to get the connector apart, but the terminal has me stumped. Here is a pic..

DSC00157.jpg
 
I just did this with the harness for my A/C fan switch. What you need to do is get the tiniest damn flat head screw driver you can find and wedge it in between the copper pin and the plastic housing and squeeze it inwards, and repeat this all the way around the pin. If you can get two in at the same time that would be even better, because there are two prongs that need to be pushed in so you pull the wire out of the harness.

You kind of need to see one of these pins outside of the harness to understand why.

Check this link out to give you an idea.

http://media.digikey.com/photos/Tyco%20Photos/350551-7.JPG

Oh and still bargaining with folks for their Megasquirt's. I could have bought a kit already and put it together at this point, but I hate spending money on this car so was hoping to save a few bucks. I think I just need to accept the fact I am stuck with it for life.
 
Last edited:
Well I got the terminal out of the little pocket, but it still wouldn't come out so I just said the hell with it. I don't want to screw up the harness, so I called the shop one more time and finally got hold of somebody. I should be hearing from them by the end of the week, but if not I will be giving them another call.

Basically the hold up is that they want to gather as much information on the car as they can, since they don't work on Mazda's too often and when I showed them the EMS-4 they had a puzzled look on their faces lol. Apparently I'm the first to bring one to them. I really wish I would have called them up when I had the FIC because they were pointing out cars left and right that they installed an FIC on. But I'm not going back now, so hopefully they can get me squared away because I have been trying to figure out how exactly I should wire this thing but I'm just no good at electrical stuff. Sam from Crossover offered to wire it for me, but it seems kinda stupid for me to send this stuff on a round trip and THEN take it to a local dyno. I wish guys like him lived nearby.
 
I highly doubt any tuner will spend the time and effort it requires to get your car running perfectly. I spent literally 100+ hours on the FIC and I got it running as best as it possibly could with the PCM's inputs. No tuner would have ever spent that kind of time.

As for the EMS-4, it's just going to take a lot of trial and error, phone calls to AEM (although mine were a waste of time), and mainly just patience.

I just bought Speed3.5's MSII. I am really hoping it works without too much modification from me, but if I can get it to run right, the EMS should definitely be able to handle the MSP.
 
Ricktalife said:
Well I got the terminal out of the little pocket, but it still wouldn't come out so I just said the hell with it. I don't want to screw up the harness, so I called the shop one more time and finally got hold of somebody. I should be hearing from them by the end of the week, but if not I will be giving them another call.

Basically the hold up is that they want to gather as much information on the car as they can, since they don't work on Mazda's too often and when I showed them the EMS-4 they had a puzzled look on their faces lol. Apparently I'm the first to bring one to them. I really wish I would have called them up when I had the FIC because they were pointing out cars left and right that they installed an FIC on. But I'm not going back now, so hopefully they can get me squared away because I have been trying to figure out how exactly I should wire this thing but I'm just no good at electrical stuff. Sam from Crossover offered to wire it for me, but it seems kinda stupid for me to send this stuff on a round trip and THEN take it to a local dyno. I wish guys like him lived nearby.
Click to expand...

go to radio shack. they make a tool for this. it will make your life a MILLION times easier. and the tool is like 10.00
 
True, there is tools for everything, but 9/10 it's late at night and radioshack is closed, like it was for me on Tuesday night. I wish there was a late night hobby store. Such a catch22 that businesses are only open when I am at work. When I'm home working on projects, everything is closed.
 
jdwk said:
True, there is tools for everything, but 9/10 it's late at night and radioshack is closed, like it was for me on Tuesday night. I wish there was a late night hobby store. Such a catch22 that businesses are only open when I am at work. When I'm home working on projects, everything is closed.
Click to expand...

This is why I couldn't be happier about moving to 2nd shift.
 
Received my ksport coilovers in the mail a few days ago. Now I'm rounding up the funds for a replacement shock and STILL waiting for a call back from the shop to find out whether or not they can help me with the AEM... I know they are pretty busy, but it's kind of ridiculous that I have to keep calling them.
 
Bought a purple insert for my HKS blow off valve. I'm getting tired of the original and I seem to have an addiction for buying s***.
 
Yea no insert doesn't sound half bad, but I want the lower tone that you get with the purple insert. I did see that video before but never remembered to try it out. Thanks though.
 
Please log in or register to reply here.

New Posts and Comments

R
    • Wow
2017 CX-5 2.5L Crank No Start issue
2
Replies
37
Views
1K
richpiano
R
Z
Better to get new off the shelf exhaust system or custom?
Replies
2
Views
108
sm1ke
sm1ke
Z
Is a transmission service necessary?
Replies
5
Views
207
Lazy2.5
L
Z
    • Like
Itching to customize my 2013 Mazda5
Replies
3
Views
106
Lazy2.5
L
sm1ke
    • Like
  • Sticky
Guide Mazda Firmware Update Information
8 9 10
Replies
196
Views
100K
sm1ke
sm1ke
S
  • Question Question
Camping with CX-5 Powerlift Gate
Replies
5
Views
266
ADS-B
ADS-B
View more…

New Threads and Articles

Back