Megajolt - A brief installation guide
Turbo Mini Forums

I took all parts form a N reg Ford Fiesta and it cost me £20 in total including the leads, the megajolt unit itself was ordered from Brent Picasso at the megajolt site http://picasso.org/mjlj/ , I also used some 2 core shielded microphone wire to run from the edis module to the megajolt that i ordered from maplins. All software was downloaded from the megajolt site.

Software
This is my current software of choice http://picasso.org/mjlj/?q=filestore2/down...eview-a.zip.zip offering an improved run time display over previous versions, and no longer requires all the faffing around with java to make it run.
I connect to the unit through my laptop's usb port, to do this i bought a usb to serial adaptor from maplins. Once you are all plugged in and working, you may find you need to rename the port in the device manager in windows control panel (i.e change its name to COM4, or similar, if you are having problems comunicating.)

EDIS Module
This is mounted on the bulkhead of the fiesta and simply unbolts. You also want the plug and associated wiring, when cutting the wires keep as long a length of wire as possible. When mounting it should have a heat sink, this is easily done by fitting it to aluminum plate larger than the module itself, e.g. 1cm all the way round and spacing it away from the panel you mount it to.

Trigger Sensor
The trigger sensor is located on the front of the fiesta block and simply unbolts, follow the wiring and it runs right the way round the engine bay into a large group of wires.

Coil Pack
The coil pack is mounted on the back of the block of the fiesta but is easily reachable when the air filter is removed. There is also no need to cut the wiring loom from the edis module to the coil pack as it is a sensible length for the mini installation. The pack has 3 wires going to it. Pins 10 and 11 from the edis module and a switchable 12v.
I used the std fiesta leads which reach from my bracing bars to the engine no problems and ngk bpr7es plugs (make sure you use resistive plugs)

Trigger wheel and sensor mounting

Each EDIS application requires a different sensor mounting configuration. Use the following table to determine the correct sensor position in relation to the missing tooth and the engine's TDC.
On a 4 cylinder engine (mini) you want the missing tooth of the crank sensor to be 90deg before the crank sensor
So if the missing tooth is aligned with the top dead centre point the crank sensor is 90deg before it, e.g. tdc is around the 11 o'clock position, the sensor will be at 8o'clock.
The kad setup allows for adjustment on the sensor and wheel, but even if it is out then it can be compensated for in the map. My car is 4deg out, so I just took away 4 from every value on the map.

Tom Fenton from this site now offers a machined pulley and sensor bracket that is ideal! It is pricisely machined and is considerably cheaper than the KAD set up. Just bolt on and go.


Wiring

Here is a diagram of the system:


The pip/saw wiring, and trigger sensor wiring is shielded and reduces the interference. The copper core from each is soldered to the other and then 1 wire runs to the body as an earth

The std ford colours are black is 12v and brown is earth

Molex plug


The molex plug pushes into the back of the megajolt unit, it comes with it but you need to assemble the pins yourself. This isn't too hard to do, I had no real experience of soldering and everything has worked out ok.

Assemble the male molex connector by soldering the appropriate wires into the molex metal connector pins, and snap them into the male connector using the following diagram for reference, viewed towards the connector on the circuit board:

I joined the 2 12v's together and ran them to the fuse box through a 2amp fuse

Again I joined the 2 earths (gnd) together and put them to the body

Saw and pip go to the edis module

Pgm 1,2,3,4 are the programmable outputs

The shift light puts out about 3v until it reaches the point and then earths. I have a 26mm cluster led from maplins that has a 12v supply with a 220ohm resistor in series, then the megajolt wire is wired to this light as the earth

I haven't used the rev limit one yet, but this can be wired to cut power to the coil

Map Sensor
Nice and easy just run a small pipe from the inlet to the megajolt unit, im running from the vacuum point on the carb, which used to go to the dizzy



...And hey presto Roberts your mothers brother




(Pictures acquired from the megajolt site and adapted)

Edited by Nic on 2nd Oct, 2006.

Excellent Nic, just what I needed to read

I second that

Nic if you don't mind me asking, what was the total cost to have the unit shipped from the USA, all told?

The only other thing I am worrying about is how to get the unit talking to my laptop. I am fairly useless at stuff like that, is it easy to configure a port on the computer to interface with the MJ unit?

oh yeah
It costs $150, which i think worked out about £85 plus £17 import tax (obviously this will vary on exchange rates)

I bought a usb to serial adaptor from maplins like this http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=29968&doy=15m8

i had a bit of trouble getting that working, but i downloaded some updated software from tinternet and it did the trick

Nic,

just a note on the revlimiter. On the megasquirt you can set a revlimiter that retards the ignition at a set RPM, can you do this on the Megajolt? I thought that just retarding the ignition would not make a great limiter, but it works great and is much softer.

Ben

http://www.twin-turbo.co.uk
http://www.hillclimbandsprint.co.uk/default.asp

A man without a project is like a like a woman without a shopping list.

It depends on the version you have Ben...

V2 is hard cut... the latest v3 has added soft rev limiter. Advance goes to zero degrees 100 RPM before configured hard rev limit.

Alex

AlexF

The problem with EDIS is that it is a pain to hard cut in software so you have to have a softcut or use a seperate output and then a relay arangement. I don't like the idea of the relay so I just use the soft cut. Again because of the EDIS 10degrees is the minimum you can retard it. It works fint though.

To be honest I can't see why you would buy the megajolt, the squirt does all and more than the jolt and its no more expensive

http://www.twin-turbo.co.uk
http://www.hillclimbandsprint.co.uk/default.asp

A man without a project is like a like a woman without a shopping list.

Don't you have to buy a separate plugin board for the suirt to time the ignition?
And wouldn;t that make it more expensive than the jolt for those that only want the ignition features and not the injection?

Edited by snowfruit on 16th Aug, 2005.

http://mini.twisted-design.net/blog/

Nope, nothing extra required to make the squirt work with ignition. The board is assembled slightly differently to work with the EDIS, but this is only a couple of resistors, diodes and jumpers and they fit in existing locations.

http://www.twin-turbo.co.uk
http://www.hillclimbandsprint.co.uk/default.asp

A man without a project is like a like a woman without a shopping list.

hmmm maybe i'll get a squirt then instead of the jolt...
Which one is the easier to get/build?

http://mini.twisted-design.net/blog/

mjlj is easier to build (less componants).

They both are the same to get (ie states mail order.)

Alex

AlexF

well done nic, it all seems to make more sense to me now!
i am really tempted to give this a go!

““A turbo: exhaust gasses go into the turbocharger and spin it, witchcraft happens and you go faster.”” - Jeremy Clarkson

So could anyone do a similar guide to the MegaSquirt?

http://mini.twisted-design.net/blog/

whats the magic word? LOL

ignition-wise i think it would be the same, but not 100%

anyone?

p.s. good call nic

"Turbo's make torque, and torque makes fun"

"did you know you can toast potato waffles?"

pretty please? *fluttering of eye lashes*

http://mini.twisted-design.net/blog/

Its basically much the same!

Alex

AlexF

So.... roughly how much is a megasquirt?

The megasquits I have built have cost around £80. That is for the V2 board. The new V3 board, which is not really necessary for ignition only is slightly more, but will in time offer much more so probably worth the extra money. I think they are about $20 more (don't quote me)

http://www.twin-turbo.co.uk
http://www.hillclimbandsprint.co.uk/default.asp

A man without a project is like a like a woman without a shopping list.

Where do you get the crank pulley/toothed disc from? Is there a standard place to get them from? How much are they? Are they easy to fit?

I have just received a fully built tested unit in a case direct from Brent Picasso, total cost £130.

Good value as far as I am concerned, and also I feel it is only right to support/pay the guy who has developed it, hence he got my business.

Tom,
is that just megajolt or squirt? I am gonna put megasquirt w/spark on my bimma headed engine and just been searching around for prices etc. and not really found anywhere good as yet!!

That is a MegaJolt unit. It will do everything I require of it.

Been reading about megajolt (very intresting) but can´t get this in my little head.
On a turbo engine with mega jolt is there nothing what should determ the inlet pressure ?.

should it not back the igniton when it feel more turbo boost.??

Sorry for my bad english , I know.

/ Thanx from Ola

Just to add to Nic's excellent guide-

The ECU pinout for the V3 MegaJolt boards is slightly different to the V2.



I found this out as my MJLJ would not communicate with my PC, this was because I have a V3 board, but was using Nic's pinout.