Author Topic: On to a new problem: My ignition isnt firing  (Read 21875 times)

Offline bcool

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 149
  • BHP: 0
On to a new problem: My ignition isnt firing
« on: October 27, 2007, 06:32:57 am »
Heres my settings from another post:

http://www.vems.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=287.0

My setup consists of a 12V 10A fused feed to the positive side of the each of the 3 coils and the negative feeds goes straight into the corresponding pins on the ECU.

I tried a trigger light on each wire. I tried putting a spark plug on one wire and firing it grounded to the motor for a visual spark inspection and i tried running a igniter on one of the coils just for a test. and still no beans. 

My injectors are firing (I keep a node light on one of the primaries when i'm cranking)

I have 3 coils 1 for each rotor. Things to start checking for?

Offline rob@vems.co.uk

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3115
  • BHP: 49
    • VEMS Forum
Re: On to a new problem: My ignition isnt firing
« Reply #1 on: October 27, 2007, 09:32:47 am »
I tried a trigger light on each wire. I tried putting a spark plug on one wire and firing it grounded to the motor for a visual spark inspection and i tried running a igniter on one of the coils just for a test. and still no beans. 

Be really careful doing this, you can get massive back EMF when the coils discharge, they could make your day go really badly.

Do you mean that you got a spark when the coil was grounded?

Can you put a resistor (1K should do it) between +12v and the coil driver, then use a scope to check that the IGBT is being driven correctly.

Which igniter are you using?  You might need to use the stepper motor driver to drive an external igniter.

Offline bcool

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 149
  • BHP: 0
Re: On to a new problem: My ignition isnt firing
« Reply #2 on: October 27, 2007, 10:38:39 am »
Well i have it set up to not use an igniter at all. I guess i'll have to try to track down a scope.

Offline Sprocket

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 867
  • BHP: 29
Re: On to a new problem: My ignition isnt firing
« Reply #3 on: October 27, 2007, 11:12:18 am »
Have you upgraded the firmware from 1.0.53?

If so, have you reconfigured the h2 table entries?

I had this where i wasnt getting a spark, yet everything was set right. It worked fine on 1.0.53 firware, but not on 1.0.71. Took me a while to work out that the  h2 entries in the tables.txt file were incorrect. The entries need moving to the 'upper' byte where originaly it may have been '01', needs to be changed to '10'. this needs to be done for all the h2 entries
« Last Edit: October 27, 2007, 10:50:19 pm by Sprocket »

Offline rob@vems.co.uk

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3115
  • BHP: 49
    • VEMS Forum
Re: On to a new problem: My ignition isnt firing
« Reply #4 on: October 27, 2007, 07:06:12 pm »
Good point Mr Sprocket, the h[2] table values changed after 1.0.7x, I've written some wordage on this here:
http://www.vems.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=120.msg1028#msg1028

Rob

Offline bcool

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 149
  • BHP: 0
Re: On to a new problem: My ignition isnt firing
« Reply #5 on: October 27, 2007, 09:58:36 pm »
My values are:

h[0]= 01 03 04 08 01 02 00 00

Does this seem right. I think i was using an earlier version of the firmware when i was getting everything set up and then i switched to the latest version.


Offline Sprocket

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 867
  • BHP: 29
Re: On to a new problem: My ignition isnt firing
« Reply #6 on: October 27, 2007, 10:41:56 pm »
Thats the h[0] table. This table is for injector outputs

Have a look at a couple of lines down at the h[2] table
« Last Edit: October 27, 2007, 10:43:32 pm by Sprocket »

Offline bcool

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 149
  • BHP: 0
Re: On to a new problem: My ignition isnt firing
« Reply #7 on: October 27, 2007, 11:02:20 pm »
Sorry didnt realize that i got them mixed up.

h[0]=01 03 06 0B 14 25 00 00
h[1]=AF 74 AF BA B1 74 AF 74
h[2]=97 24 B7 34 AF 74 AF C4



Offline Sprocket

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 867
  • BHP: 29
Re: On to a new problem: My ignition isnt firing
« Reply #8 on: October 27, 2007, 11:19:00 pm »
The bottom one is the one of concern.

Lol, i dont recognise those values, though i can see a slight pattern that would suggest they need altering. I asume you are using the stepper outputs rather than the IGBT outputs?? in which case, you'll have to wait for Rob to help you with this one.

Offline bcool

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 149
  • BHP: 0
Re: On to a new problem: My ignition isnt firing
« Reply #9 on: October 27, 2007, 11:23:27 pm »
No i'm using the IGBT's
Edit
The one on the right

« Last Edit: October 27, 2007, 11:25:32 pm by bcool »

Offline Sprocket

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 867
  • BHP: 29
Re: On to a new problem: My ignition isnt firing
« Reply #10 on: October 27, 2007, 11:26:13 pm »
Are you using stepper outputs 4 and 7 EC36 pins 11 and 10?

Have you configured any other misc outputs on ignition dirvers (I259)??
« Last Edit: October 27, 2007, 11:31:33 pm by Sprocket »

Offline bcool

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 149
  • BHP: 0
Re: On to a new problem: My ignition isnt firing
« Reply #11 on: October 27, 2007, 11:28:56 pm »
Dont know if you posted before i edited my last post but i'm using the IGBT on the right

My ouputs are

Coil 1=Pin 35
Coil 2=Pin 33
Coil 3=Pin 34

Offline bcool

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 149
  • BHP: 0
Re: On to a new problem: My ignition isnt firing
« Reply #12 on: October 27, 2007, 11:47:10 pm »
Oh i misread your post. I'm not running anything else on the I259 channel

Offline Sprocket

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 867
  • BHP: 29
Re: On to a new problem: My ignition isnt firing
« Reply #13 on: October 27, 2007, 11:54:53 pm »
Right then.

You need to set in the ignition settings menu the 'Ignition outputs in use in h[2]' to '2..0', 'Ignition driver type' to 'Dummy'

In ignition outputs menue, set 'Ignition outputs in use in h[2] table' to '2..0' unless you are using some of the  Ignition outputs for other things such as relays or shift lights, in which case it will be different. Then select which output to use on the table entries (listed in a column down the left) using the drop down boxes on the right, selecting the IGBToutputs highlighted with the EC36 pin numbers that you have wired the coils to.

Basicaly your h[2] table should look something like this h[2]=20 10 30 00 00 00 00 00 depending on the firing order.

Not being overly familiar with rotary engines, i cant help with the firing order or final set up, but i hope i have given you an idea what to be looking for.

Wait for Rob to confirm this before you try it on the engine, like i said, i havent any experience on a rotary engine
« Last Edit: October 27, 2007, 11:57:27 pm by Sprocket »

Offline bcool

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 149
  • BHP: 0
Re: On to a new problem: My ignition isnt firing
« Reply #14 on: October 27, 2007, 11:57:57 pm »
Well its pretty simple Each sparkplug fires once per rotation and my firing order is 1-2-3. Cant be much more simple than that

I'll input those settings in and see if i get any spark