Strength to Strength
Just quickly, so not to bore you guys as busy as you may or may not be...
AutoSpeed has gone from strength to strength over the last few years. You
provide excellent advice for us simpletons and a large number of diverse
articles covering all of the performance market. I thank you for this as well as
being shown how the ‘big boys’ do it (which allows a dream or two to be
enjoyed).
All of this is great stuff but let me also say thanks for publishing the
responses when the stats aren't quite right or when there is another way to skin
a cat. The true spirit of the game.
Nigel Hornidge
Australia
UPS User
Regarding the use of an UPS for your car PC install Setting Up an In-Car PC, Part 1...
I've done it once before and I'm going to do it again on my work van. You can
run the UPS off the car battery or - as I did - run a 4WD battery isolator to a
smaller battery dedicated to the UPS. This battery is charged from the main
alternator when required under the normal operation of the isolator system.
As for the shutdown issue - yes, run the UPS software. I would also suggest
an optically isolated control device to interface to the UPS from shutdown so as
not to cause spurious intermissions of power and possible failure (due to
current loops in using some cheaper battery isolator systems). Go for the Jaycar
unit (KA1782) - they are reasonably priced and don't suffer the cheapo problems.
I’ve been down that road and thank God I have plenty of spare old PC systems to
play with - you can blow them up quite spectacularly without too much
effort...
Anyway, thanks for a great e-mag and just ignore the 2 dollar wannabe editors
who have a whinge about your spelling, etc - how the hell else ya gunna convey
the real Aussie lingo without puttin' on paper th' way we speak it? Well
done.
Scott Bell
Australia
Speedier Spacia
I have an EFI question regarding a 4Y-E equipped Toyota Spacia - don't laugh,
I have more kids than most! The restriction on inlet and exhaust is something to
be believed - it’s got throttle lag like a turbo (except without the power
benefits)... My question is, if I de-restrict the engine slightly, will the
standard computer need to be reprogrammed or is the O2 sensor loop clever enough
to compensate for increased airflow?
Damien Willans
Australia
If you improve intake and exhaust flow
there shouldn’t be any engine management problems. Modified engine management
will let you extract further improved drivability and power, but it’s not
essential – the engine should run fine without it. As always, just keep an eye
on mixtures and an ear out for detonation.
Sophisticated Squirter
I own a supercharged and intercooled 5.7 litre Commodore that I want to give
water injection.
In an article you wrote in 2000 you stated that you would be building a
dedicated water injection system. Is that going to happen? Also, I was looking
at the Intelligent Intercooler Water Spray Controller that you sell (Intelligent Intercooler Water Spray - Part 1)
- it has injector pulse and two intake temperature inputs, but it doesn’t have
variable pump speed. Any ideas how I could vary the pump speed with this
kit?
David Sharp
Australia
For a variable speed motor controller see our three-part series beginning at Motor Speed Control Module - Part 1
However, there’s another
attractive way of directly controlling a water injection system – using the IEBC
(Independent Electronic Boost Controller) to pulse a solenoid valve. This IEBC receives an input from
injector duty cycle (ie engine load) and allows you to
precisely map the solenoid duty cycle across all engine loads. Details of this system are available
in the book High Performance Electronics for Cars, available from the AutoSpeed Shop
Link Suggestion
Great articles and heaps of good stuff but I was just wondering if it would
be possible to include a link to all previous editions of multi-part articles
at the top of each iteration.
Confused?
Eg... I have just opened the latest newsletter and am now reading "Steal
Stopping - Part Three" (Steal Stopping - Part Three).
This is a great article but for whatever reason I did not read Parts One or Two
and in order to get up to speed on what was in these articles I must sift
through my emails or run a search for them on the website.
It would be great if links to all previous parts were included at the top of
the latest one - if ya know what I mean. Just a suggestion - keep up the good
work.
Marcus Towner
Australia
Thanks for that. We’ll add links to
that article series and include ‘previous article’ links in the future.
Do-It-Yourself Assembly?
Do you have information on how to make the Intelligent Intercooler Water
Spray Control module (Intelligent Intercooler Water Spray - Part 1)
or is this something that you’re not giving out?
Glen Eaton
USA
The Intelligent Intercooler Water
Spray module is available pre-assembled only – it’s not a Do-It-Yourself
assembly. You can, however, choose whether to buy it boxed. See AutoSpeed Shop
DFA Limitation
I have a question relating to the Digital Fuel Adjuster (DFA) that has been
released. It is a question that many Mitsubishi owners will probably benefit
from...
Question: Does the DFA support a "linear frequency signal" that is in a lot
of Mitsubishis and other cars that utilize an airflow sensor like the Karmann
Vortex style meters?
I am currently in a vice trying to work out whether the DFA will work for my
needs - I have a Mitsubishi Starion. If the unit does not work with these
airflow meters maybe a converter box could be made to transform the linear
frequency signal to an analogue hot wire type signal?
Ben Camilleri
Australia
Unfortunately, the DFA does not
support frequency output airflow meters. This is something the designers will
look into in the future.
Sportivo Info
I am the proud owner of a 2001 Toyota Corolla Sportivo turbo but I don’t know
anything about them. I want to know if you can provide me with some
information.
Aaron
Australia
The only related media releases we’ve
found are... Toyota Launches New Sports Brand
and Toyota Corolla Sportivo Goes On-Line
Do any readers have anything further to add?
|