rusEfi: DIY ECU

[rusefi]

DIY as in real Do-It-Yourself from scratch.

I am Andrey, I am involved with www.rusefi.com - that's a project to develop an open-source DIY engine control unit. I hope that this might be relevant - if you have full control over ECU logic and firmware you can potentially implement all kind of fuel-saving features, starting from alternator charging control to maybe shutoff @ stoplight?

Anyway, back to rusEfi. This is all still pretty alpha version, we only have two engines running this. We have our Frankenstein board we use for ECU hardware:



And we have a wiki/forum website. Oh, and as I said - we have two engines running this, another one can join maybe later this week:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-qqHQ-quFg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neGVmxol0Gc

So if anyone would be interested I would love to help with setting you up for rusEfi DIY ECU

Another thing - there is a KickStarter project behind this: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/312898525/rusefi-gpl-automotive-engine-control-unit-ecu-firm

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Would it also work with Diesel engines? A fully stand-alone ECU would caught the attention of the folks willing to use some of the newer-generation Diesels for swaps instead of the good old Cummins 4BT...

[rusefi]

While gasoline and diesel have a 90% overlap, there is that 10% difference - so, rusEfi would support diesels only if someone would go and implement the missing functionality.

For 2014 focus is definitely on older gasoline engines: I know that GDI is too advanced for us, same issue with CDI.

[P-hack]

Just wondering if you were aware of the megasquirt (open source also). This sort of thing was kickstarted a long time ago.

[rusefi]

Originally Posted by P-hack

Just wondering if you were aware of the megasquirt (open source also). This sort of thing was kickstarted a long time ago.

While I am definitely aware of megasquirt, I am afraid it is not open source.

AFAIK it was never "free open source" - older versions were "you can see the code but you have to use authentic hardware" and current version is plain closed sourced. That's why I believe there is space for a GPL open-source firmware.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

None of these commercially-available stand-alone ECM setups are open-source.

[NachtRitter]

Saw your project featured on Hackaday... very cool to see you join here too! Would also enjoy seeing a diesel engine implementation

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by NachtRitter

Would also enjoy seeing a diesel engine implementation

After seeing so many Diesel conversions using all-mechanical Diesel engines into vehicles newer than '95, which is technically illegal since the engines should be compliant to OBD-2 for such application, there is an enormous marketing opportunity for a Diesel stand-alone ECM. Some folks consider using Mercedes-Benz engines out of Sprinters but the integration of all the vehicle's electronics is a major PITA.

[P-hack]

Originally Posted by rusefi

While I am definitely aware of megasquirt, I am afraid it is not open source.

AFAIK it was never "free open source" - older versions were "you can see the code but you have to use authentic hardware" and current version is plain closed sourced. That's why I believe there is space for a GPL open-source firmware.

Ah, I was meaning that anyone can build/modify/compile firmware for one for personal use without much concern (indeed there are clones). GPL would be better.

[rusefi]

Originally Posted by P-hack

Ah, I was meaning that anyone can build/modify/compile firmware for one for personal use without much concern (indeed there are clones).

That's MS-2 then, 2005 design. It is 2014 here in Chicago.

MS-2: 24 MHz, 4 kB
rusEfi: 168MHz, 192kB

While you can run an engine even on 8MHz, the extra speed and RAM makes the source code much easier to modify & extend, it's just a different level of comfort for software developers.