Its a like a gear and prox. There are four windows in the cam sensor. The sensor is basically a distributor shaft with the gear on top instead of a rotor. The pickup sees the windows as cam timing events and sends the signal back to the ECM. Its like two windows then a skinny window then a really wide window. The different size gaps tell the ECM where the cam is.

No I cant run the opti spark without figuring out the cam drive and water pump arangment. I didnt go that way because of the horror stories I read online about the opti's failing an leaving people stranded.

Here's the Vortec piece. They are $70ish new but I can either get one from the junk yard of find one on Rockauto and have my brother price match it at Autozone with a 20% discount added in. Guess which way I'm going?

 

Well I have bench tested the snot out of the ECU. I cant seem to get the injectors to fire on the sinulator but it think thats my fault and not an issue with the ECU. The problem is there isnt any info out there on exactly how to route the jumpers on the simulator and I dont want to cook anything so I have only tried what I can prove works. So what I have got done is RPM, CTS, TPS, MAT, and the O2. So the tuning software is seeing all these things. The sim isnt seeing the output of injectors. It does kick the fuel pump on. I can also watch the coil fire on an LED. I should be able to go to my next step and bring the Stealth Ram in and hook up the actual sensors and see if the software sees them.

 

Sounds like success to me! Sure it would be nice to see everything test out good but I'm sure you're not far off from it. Probably an ignorant question but will this setup you're working on include the addition of an OBD port? Or is that basically what you're creating without needing something like that? I have a Bully Dog in my Cadillac that monitors driving habits plus has built in performance measuring capabilities. It's not an actual tuner but It has a simulated drag race tree that will measure 0-60, 1/8 mile, 1/4 mile, HP, torque etc. and I keep wishing that I could install it in the Camaro (I know I can't) to do my own ballpark dyno test. I realize what you've got is completely different but it would be awesome to be able to do see your own performance numbers also.

 

The Megasquirt uses a USB to connect to my laptop. Older versions used a DB9 9 pin connector. I have an app for my phone that when I get the bluetooth adapter will send info to my phone. It uses GPS and the phone own accelerometer to give G forces in in all directions. It pretty cool. I cant tune with it but there are guys working on it. I have see remote starts set up with the Megasquit too.

 

UPDATE! I was outside cleaning up my garage. I'm still not done from when I said I was gonna do it months ago. Anyhow I put my motor back on the stand. I bought a 140 AMP chrome alternator from Summit. It is Summits house brand and the freaking chrome is flaking off all over. This alt hasn't even been rotated let alone on a running engine. Never even been outside. I'm kind of pissed. I expected to not last long without up keep but I also thought I could let it sit in the garage until I polished it.

I doubt they will take it back, I wont even try. Just giving everyone a heads up. These are the cheapest chrome I have ever come across. They didn't even take to time to copper plate before chrome. The spots that flaked off are bare aluminum and its oxidized too. I doubt the amperage is up to snuff either.

 

I pretty much consider myself the authority on returned Summit brand alternators if you remember my ordeals of the last year and a half? If it's less than 1 year from purchase they will take it back and/or replace it for you no questions asked. I returned 4 of them... Mine weren't chrome though, they were polished aluminum and NONE of them were very exciting to look at. Give 'em a call, you'll probably be surprised!

 

I will thanks. I can deal with polished aluminum. I almost never buy anything chrome. You may remember I worked a polisher as a younger dude and my dad taught me. I can fix the cheap Chineseum polish job. Cheap crome required a complete tear down and strip.

 

I wouldn't hesitate to return it, but make sure you call them and get a return authorization first. I've purchased items from Summit and not even opened them for over 6 months, and then find a problem. They've always been great about fixing the issues, regardless of what they are.

 

Well I havent done much due to lack of money after the holidays so this is it.

My crank trigger wheel should be here tomorrow but I didnt have the money to buy the Vortec dizzy. Well I could have but just wanted to cobble up something first to see if I could. The dizzy is for a cam sensor only. I figure I can make that out of a VR sensor and an old dizzy, so I did. I had an 8 pin HEI from an old truck so I gutted it and adapted a crank position sensor from a Ford Escort of all things. Actually I will be using the same sensor on the crank shaft too. No need for fancy (read expensive) stuff here. I picked it because its shape is perfect and the price is 16 dollars. Really 16 bucks, some are well over 100 and are mostly the same inside. So here is my creation.


I stripped it to the shaft and there was a nice little notch. to fit a piece of steel in. Then I used two 1/16 NPT brass water pipes cut in a lathe to the right length to sit the sensor at the right height. Thats it! Drilled two holes and bolted the sensor down with .075" feeler gauges between the two and I was set. I will hook it up the the ECM when I get a chance so I can look at the signal. The software lets me see the trigger like an oscilloscope.



Not bad for 20 bucks total? I will be modifying my balancer and crank pulley soon to fit the 36-2 trigger wheel. This should be a little tougher to get a mount for the sensor and get the wheel to run true and straight while not throwing the whole crank out of balance.

 

throw a dial gauge on it and peen it if it isnt true