The road to Hondata, part 2

[Sonnyballs]

Part 1 is here:
http://forums.clubsi.com/ubb/Forum12/HTML/006646.html

Following up on my previous post, here is my progress with the Hondata system. Everything arrived yesterday and I just thought I'd just throw up some pics of what I got.

RC440's clipped and wired, ready to go:


Hondata interface box (aka "The Blue Brain")


Modified Hondata P28 ECU


Shift light, RPM set button (allows on-the-fly adjustment of VTEC, shift light, and rev limiter), and clips


Hondalogger software and cable (woohoo!)


Snapshot of the Hondalogger screen


I hope to have it all installed this weekend.

Sonny


------------------
Sonny Van Hook ([email protected])
2000 Supercharged Civic Si @ 6psi
1999 Tonykart/Honda 80cc Shifter

[This message has been edited by Sonnyballs (edited August 02, 2001).]

[reddelsol]

Nice stuff.

I swear, I wish I was starting out again. I'm sure I could get everything I need, be running 10psi, (and nice and smooth) and stay right around $5000.

Instead, I'm going to easily double that amount by the time I'm satisfied.

Of course, I should add, I originally set up my car with normally aspirated performance parts, almost none suited for a blown engine.

[This message has been edited by reddelsol (edited August 02, 2001).]

[JRCivic]

I should be right behind you there Sonny... I am very entheusiastic about this system. I hope it delivers what we all need.


------------------



'93 Civic Si H/B with B18C1, JRSC @ 8psi
Best 1320: 12.68 at 110 mph

[MrBrutus]

Hey Sonnyballs...did you have to put a new chip or anything in the ECU?? cuz in your pic all I saw was that wire that you plug in...please explain to me how u modified that ECU...Thanks.

[SpecFIB18]

Wait a sec, you need a laptop for the datalogger? :\

[randomwalk101]

From what I've gathered from Hondata website (installation manual), you will need to unsolder the orig. chip from the ECU and solder in the Hondata socket/chips. In my opinion, if youhaven't solder chips onto the board before, it is best to send it to them and pay the $50 or whatever for them to replace them for you.

Yes, you would need a laptop to see the DataLogging info...But with stage 2, I believe all you can do is "look" (if you have DataLogger)...with stage 4, you will be able to tune the fuel curve mapping etc...but it won't be on the fly though..you will need to burn the info onto the ROM. SpeedPro will allow you to tune on the fly. But for daily drivers, Hondata stage 2 is good enough. Correct me if i'm wrong though.
I think i'm just going to get stage 2 boost/440cc injectors and clips/ and an 8psi pulley as soon as the groupbuy deal falls through. I'm glad I didn't invest in all those Cartech/injectors/JR Map etc because they'll all have to go...Good things come to those who waits?

[This message has been edited by randomwalk101 (edited August 12, 2001).]

[Sonnyballs]

Mr Brutus: There are several small changes made to the ECU that can be made by anyone who is competent with a soldering iron. You basically add an external ROM socket, install a few chips, and the header for the cable that goes from the ECU to the Hondata "blue box". You can do all of this yourself or like randomwalk101 said, any Hondata dealer can do this for you for $50. If you download the Hondata manual from their website (see my sig), you can get exact details on what needs to be done.

SpecFIB18: Yes, you do need a laptop. Is there a system out there that doesn't require one in one way or another? I think the Haltech and PowerFC have their own built in displays, but they are tiny and the gui-based Hondata applications are part of what makes the system so easy to use. Even the Pi Research and MyChron systems I've used on my kart at least require a laptop to download the information that is stored by the logger.

randomwalk: Yes, you can actually make changes on the fly using the emulator. I saw Doug do it when he was tuning an ITR on the dyno. The emulator plugs into the ROM socket on the ECU. You can make changes on the fly and download them while the car is running. The fuel tables download almost instantly, but some other changes require a bit more time. With an available adapter, you can plug the emulator into a cigarette lighter wire to a constant 12v and tune to your hearts content without having to burn a ROM until you have "closed the deal".

Sonny


------------------
Sonny Van Hook ([email protected])
2000 JRSC'd Civic Si @ 6psi (Powered by Hondata)
1999 Tonykart/Honda 80cc Shifter

[5 Liter Eater]

That's a little misleading Sonny. Sure you can "emulate" an on-the-fly changable system as long as you have the laptop hooked up running the emulator software but like you said, once you "close the deal" you are limited to only changing VTEC engagement and speed and RPM limiters right?

So I suppose if you thought you could get more out of it than the chip you have you could run the emulator and make some changes and then send the load file for the new chip to Hondata and have them burn one?

I may be pretty far off. I'm pretty ignorant of Hondata still so please enlighten me.

------------------
Bill Winters
Houston, TX
'94 GSR w/ JRSC @ 6 PSI, Cartech FMU, AEM fuel rail and homemade CAI
(ENDYN stepper pully, GS 342 and RC 310's in the garage waiting)

[MrBrutus]

Sonnyballs: thanks for clearing that up for me....cuz I just bought the stage 2 with boost and no datalogger....and I didn't recieve any chips or sockets...all i got was the cables that you showed and the blue box...and that was it...and the manual that i received with the hondata didn't say anything about soldering anything on except for stage 4....I am gonna have to give them a call first thing in the morning.

[Sonnyballs]

Originally posted by 5 Liter Eater:
That's a little misleading Sonny. Sure you can "emulate" an on-the-fly changable system as long as you have the laptop hooked up running the emulator software but like you said, once you "close the deal" you are limited to only changing VTEC engagement and speed and RPM limiters right?


That is correct. Once the "final" chip has been burned and you disconnect the emulator, you are limited to VTEC/Launch/Rev Limit adjustments via the dash button.


So I suppose if you thought you could get more out of it than the chip you have you could run the emulator and make some changes and then send the load file for the new chip to Hondata and have them burn one?


No, that is not quite right. The emulator is also a programmer. Once you're done emulating, you make a new chip using the same box (Transtronic Rev 2A emulator/programmer). If you wish to continue tuning, you can just leave the emulator hooked up for an indefinite period of time as long as you continue to supply power to it.

Sonny


------------------
Sonny Van Hook ([email protected])
2000 JRSC'd Civic Si @ 6psi (Powered by Hondata)
1999 Tonykart/Honda 80cc Shifter