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Mini Cooper R53 PNP - Best set up


Mini34

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Ok, so I have bitten the bullet and have a Link G4+ ready to install in my track mini.

This is a 100% dedicated track car and a new engine in the build, aiming for 19 psi or more with + 270 HP ATW (1,000 cc injectors) , current engine runs 16 psi and around 215 Hp ATW on 98 (550 cc injectors).

The question is what extra's should I add for the best results.

Plan to run the car solely on E85 but was thinking of a Link Ethanol sensor just in case I couldn't get E85 and had to run a mix of 98 at some stage.

Is there any value for a track car on having a wide band AFR sensor feeding the Link.

I also have an AIM dash currently running of the OEM Can + / - with Oil pressure sensor.

What is the best way to set this combo up before going to the dyno?

Any help is appreciated.

Cheers

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Hi,

Some things worth considering if you have not already:

  • Bigger injectors
  • Bigger fuel pump
  • Individual coils per cylinder for Knock control
  • Fuel Pressure sensor

Yes, a good idea to use an ethanol content sensor. Have the ECU tuned on the 'Modelled Multi-Fuel' mode. This way you can run 98, E85, or any mix.

Yes, a good idea to have an O2 sensor installed at all times if possible. This allows for closed loop fuel trimming and also good for logging or diagnosing a problem should you have one.

Aim dashed have been used with our ECUs before. Attached is a document outlining the configuration of the ECU and dash.

Scott

 

CAN - G4+ to Pista MXL.pdf

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Hi Scott

Yes steping up from 550 to 1,000cc injectors and up'd the in tank pump. 

 

Just wondering how these extra sensors are wired up to ECU?

 

Presuming I'll need the Expansion loom?

 

I have seen a few minis running the individual coils but understand it is a bit more effort to tune and set up. 

Would these work with the standard OEM knock sensor?

 

Cheers for help so far. 

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  • For the Fuel pressure sensor you will need an Analog Volt channel, +5V, and sensor ground
  • For the Ethanol content sensor you will need a Digital Input channel in the range of 1 to 8, +12V, and sensor ground.
  • For the wideband O2 sensor you will need an Analog Volt channel, +5V, and sensor ground,  or alternatievly a CAN bus connection. Which you need depends on the wideband controller you have and how it is able to output data. If you have a choice the CAN communication would be a better option.

The expansion connector will provide sufficient analog volt and digital input channels as well as +5v and sensor ground. Another option is to sacrifice OEM inputs. Ones you might consider include:

  • An Volt 7 - Pin 9 - Usually narrowband O2 signal 1.
  • An Volt 8 - Pin 109 - Usually narrowband O2 signal 2.
  • Digital Input 6 - Pin 101 - Usually a button on the steering wheel.
  • Digital Input 5 - Pin 99 - Usually a second brake switch input.
  • Analog Volt 9 - Pin 90 - Usually A/C Pressure sensor signal. You will need this if still running A/C.
  • Digital Input 2 - Pin 54 - Usually a cruise control signal which is not used by our ECU.

Scott

 

 

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Thanks Scott much appreciated.

Sounds like a good idea to use either the expansion or the unused OEMs.

No buttons on Steering wheel and no air conditioning, so there are a couple if need be.

and no cruise control, there is another.

I was thinking of using the new Link wideband over the CAN bus.

 

 

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The Link CAN-Lambda unit is a good one. Receiving that Lambda data over CAN avoids the problem associated the 'ground offset' that is sometimes seen on traditional wideband O2 controllers. Also the Link CAN-Lambda uses the Bosch LSU 4.9 sensor, this sensor does not require a free-air calibration like the earlier Bosch LSU 4.2. So far it appears to have a better life-span also.

Scott

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  • 4 weeks later...

 Ok, so ECU is in and car is up and running on E85 and making good numbers. 

With the standard ECU one problem I had is when you remove air conditioning (which I have) the pressure switch for air con gas sets the high speed radiator fan to run constantly. So I intercepted and ran a relay with manual switch. 

But now with the new ECU I thought I might be able to code out the air con (BMW coudlnt) and get some automatic fan settings bag at much lower temps than standard. 

This was briefly lookedat while on dyno but could find a solution. 

Does the above sound doable and any hints on how to go about it?

Cheers

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We need to get the air conditioning to be OFF in the ECU, as I think the pressure sensor limit it overriding everything and has the high speed fan on permanent. Without this I think we are in the same situation as with the OEM ECU, fan on high speed all the time.

I can only see the clutch output, this is still on at moment.

Suggestions would be appreciated. 

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Try setting the A/C clutch output to OFF, as the fans will come on when they see the clutch aux output turned on. Although the settings Adam refereed to should take care of this.

Also try setting the AC Clutch Control Mode to OFF and ANV9 to off.

AC_OFF.thumb.PNG.38b2423b2d2afcb8963d01b

Scott

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Hi,

If the reverse lights have stopped working I'm guessing the OEM ECU must send some CAN data that the Link ECU does not. Although it seems weird for AN ECU to handle this. I'm guessing you have a manual transmission?

My understanding is that OBD2 port on a mini R53 does not have a CAN bus connection. This may need to be established (2 wires from ECU to OBD2 port). What are you plugging into the OBD2 port to read RPM?

Scott

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Hi Scott

Thanks for the prompt response.


Yes a manual transmission. Cant tell you on the reverse light as this is removed, track car save weight :-)

The Shift light is set up using the instructions for the OEM JCW lights, so connecting to Pin 9 in (Red / White) in the OBD lead / plug. This I believe is engine speed. 

I think the easiest solution is to pick up engine speed from another point, possibly in engine bay.

 

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Hi, I misunderstood you earlier regarding the external 'rev' lights :lol:

Normally the pins on the OBD2 port are not for specific data (like engine speed) but are used for different communication protocols. The following link gives an idea of how each pin is used:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On-board_diagnostics#OBD-II

I believe the OEM Mini R53 ECU sends data to the OBD2 port using K-line. Attached is a pdf showing how a Link ECU is able to send data over a CAN bus to an OBD2 port:

Scott

ECU to OBD2 port wiring.pdf

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I just done some google.  On most BMW's, OBD2 pin 9 is as you say an engine speed signal.  That likely would have come from the engine ECU so you have probably lost that.

Looking at the help file on your PNP ecu it appears that you should have "Aux 1" available on the expansion connector.  You may also have some of the other Aux's available if for instance you no longer use the purge solenoid.  You will need to connect your shift light RPM wire to on of these spare Aux outputs and set it up as a tacho output.  I think they will be 2 pulses per rev.    

 

Edit:

Added later; Sorry, replied same time as you Scott.  These shift lights appear to me to use a normal "analog" tacho signal - not CAN or K-line.  If you look at pin 9 on that wiki link you gave you will see BMW use this pin as a tacho signal.

Edited by Adamw
merged post messed up
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Funny thing is the centre tacho still works fine.

Thanks for chiming in Adam. So you are saying I could reconfigure an obsolete output from the ECU and standard wiring harness and reconfigure for an RPM output i.e. Narrow Band heat or something.

I am all new to ECU's so a little cautious at fiddling with setting for fear of screwing with actual tune but sure I will get the hang of it.

TBH I am just thinking of picking the RPM signal of the low side of the coil. I think that will work

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Thanks Simon, yep dash is CAN based both centre console and main dash, which is now a AIM MXL feeding from CAN. This I will obviously change to feed of the Link CAN at a later date.

I was reading a bit about CAN systems last night as I was wondering how I would connect two to three things to the ECU CAN at same time but looks like a series of CAN can be connected via one chain feed. The minis CAN is terminated in the centre dash so to remove it looks like your terminate with a 120 ohm resistor. 

So for future I want to run my MXL and a Link Wideband of CAN, then if you want to connect a PC to the ECU, how do you do this?

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The green wire on the OBD will not read engine speed once the link is fitted. We normally tap into the coil wire to have a anolog RPM signal.

Also disconnecting pressure sensor plug that plugged into the air con will make the fans run constant. We just unscrew the sensor and plug it back in and the fan's work as normal.

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Two can interfaces in the plug-in ecu, Can2 is hardwired into the oem electronics for oem dash, wheel speeds etc.   Can1 is available on an expansion connector.  

You'll need to use Can1 for the Lambda and AIM dash.   Suitable connector to get the expansion is the CANPCB and then either the CANDASH cable or CANF field connector.

Both the ECU and AIM dash have fixed terminating resistors, so if you run a long twisted pair of wires between them (such as the CANDASH cable), just take a shorter branch off for the Lambda and don't wire a terminating resistor to the Lambda.

 

That way, you'll get RPM to the dash through the CAN and not need a tacho signal.

Edited by scraggles
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Hi Scraggles

Thanks for this I will keep in mind when doing the change for Wideband and dash at end of year and before new engine goes in.

Still need old school engine speed / RPM for 2nd Shift lights up high on dash, MXL lights are a little obscured but steering wheel.

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