markoc1982

Hi fellas - i'm hoping someone can help. My car has been sitting in the garage for about 4 weeks now because i can't get it running.
I've had my MS2 running for a year with no problems. I bought it second hand and the previous owner is responsible for building it. Then I reflashed the firmware to 3.2.1 and haven't been able to get it running:( My first mistake was that i put the bootloader jumper onto the main board - but when i realised my mistake i reflashed the firmware with the jumper on the daughter board. Would this cause any problems? Just to confirm from the pics that i need to load the MS2 firmware and not microsquirt? I have MS2 firmware installed and leds are on when the MS is switched on.

At the same time i reflashed the firmware one of the IAT wires going to the AFM plug came out but i connected it back into the wrong wire (black instead of black/green). This messed up the CAS signal and Tunerstudio wasn't syncing because it wasn't getting a proper CAS signal. So i figured this out after 3 weeks of late nights trying to figure out what was wrong. I thought i had solved my problem but my car still won't start. I'm not getting any spark but i'm getting fuel ok. (i can hear the pump priming and my plugs are soaking when cranking)

I put back in the Mazda ecu and the car idled fine with it. Then connected MS and it's not getting a spark. My spark output is d14 which i think is right (check pics of my board below) Ran composite logger and it's getting a clean CAS signal. Spark settings are 4G63, wasted spark, falling edge, going low. One thing i noticed is that if i choose spark output as js10, then the plug will spark once at the start of cranking - then nothing. But if i choose d14 then it doesn't even spark once.
I'm getting rpm in TS and sensor values look fine. Also all wirinng in harness to MS looks fine. I can't get my old firmware reloaded to check if it still runs with it. I tried using DIY's base map and even flashed 3.2.4 beta firmware and still nothing. Does it sound like an internal MS problem?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Matt Cramer

Can you get spark in Output Test Mode?

markoc1982

Hi Matt. Sorry I was away for a few days. I didn't even realise I could try the output test mode. Thanks for the pointer and i'll try that tomorrow and see where that gets me

markoc1982

Hi Matt, I tried using the output test mode and cannot get a spark. First of all i typed in 12345 into the top box, tab out and hit burn. The fuel pump is set to on and when i hit Burn i can hear the fuel pump realy 'click'. Then i chose test coils - up to coil D and set the interval to 10ms. I put in 65535 into injection pulse (don't think this matters for coils?) but i hit burn again and i can hear the fuel pump relay 'click' and i'm not getting any spark. I don't think i needed to hit burn a second time but just tried it to see if it gave me a spark. I'm running COP's and the Mazda ECU will run them fine if i connect it.
I had fried my old ignitors when reflashing new firmware - would it be possible that i also damaged my VB921
It just seems strange that i'm not getting any spark at all?
Any ideas?

Ben

iTrader: (33)

Test mode has very strict usage instructions. You can not hit burn a second time. To enter test mode, you enter the password 12345, then the tab key, then click burn. Do not click burn a second time at all. Use the tab key after you change settings.

Use values around 3 ms dwell period and 100 ms interval. If the ignition system works, you'll hear a tick-tick-tick from the coil (or you can see the spark if you have a plug removed)

To exit test mode, power cycle.

To test VB921's, first disconnect your coils. Grab your multimeter and test all 3 pins on the VB921. You should observe on each pin:
1: floating
2: floating
3: ground

Then invert the spark output. With the output inverted you should observe:
1: 5V
2: ground
3: ground

If you have 5V on pin 1 and pin 2 is floating, the VB is smoked. VB's are easy to kill, so replace them with BIP373's or modify the board for an external ignitor.

Ben

iTrader: (33)

Also, spark output A *can not* be set to JS10. Make sure it's set to D14. Setting it to JS10 will cause a config error.

markoc1982

Thanks Ben.
I have the MS out of the car and powered by a 12v supply. I'm testing my VB291 (Q16 - is this the only one?) and i'm getting

pin 1 0v and 1.2M ohm
pin2 5v
pin3 Ground

If i then invert the spark output and burn it to the MS - nothing changes.
Am i doing something wrong?
Cheers

Matt Cramer

What are you using VB921s for? They aren't used with a standard Miata ignition setup.

Braineack

iTrader: (62)

that jumper on r43 is going to be shorting out one spark channel.

markoc1982

Matt, the MS2 that i have has a VB921 in Q16. I wasn't aware that it was not even needed for the standard Miata ignition. The MS was already assembled when i bought it and i had read somewhere that it was possible to damage them if the wrong ignition settings were chosen and it overheated? I'm on a steep learning curve and i may have got confused about some of this?
I was hoping that this could be the problem of why i'm not getting any spark?
I still have had no luck on getting the car running.

Braineack, The jumper on R43 was always there and the car was running for a year with the MS exactly as it is now. Should i remove the jumper?

markoc1982

OK. Update!
I reflashed the new firmware and did the bootloader, again!
Guess what??? Now i've got spark!!! Happy Days!
But...When i plug the Mazda ECU in it fires all 4 COPS (I have the 4 plugs on top of the valve cover and earthed)
But when i plug the MS in and i connect 1+2 COP it will fire both - but if i plug 3 in as well then 2+3 will not fire. Then if i plug 4 in, 1+4 will not fire.

Brain, when you said that the jumper in R43 is shorting one of my spark outputs - could this be the problem? I have my ignition set to wasted spark.