AA80E 8-speed

[Bernard Fife]

Jim,

PE1 (the table switching input) is digital output capable (though I haven't tried it as an output, there should be no issues).

Lance.

[Bernard Fife]

JIm,

I have been thinking a bit more about this. It looks like some things to do in the code would be to:

- Leave ISS (currently on PT5) where it is (currently PT0 is VSS, PT2 is PC, PT3 is TCC, PT4 is the speedo output, PT6 is Paddle Up, and PT7 is Spare Output 1).

- Move the Paddle Upshift button input from PT6 to PAD04 at user's option (PAD04 was the line pressure sensor input). This is so that PT6 can be used as an output, which PAD04 can't.

- Make PT6 into Spare Output 4 (to go with Spare outputs 0, 1, 2, & 3) at the user's option, defaulting to the Paddle UP but including selective clutch capabilities and PWM.

- Make PE1 into Spare Output 5 (to go with Spare outputs 0, 1, 2, & 3) at the user's option, defaulting to the current Table Switching input but including selective clutch capabilities and PWM. (The table switching input can already be optional switched to PE0 in the current code when PE1 is used as Input4.)

The line pressure sensor input (currently on PAD04) would be unassigned at this point, though. The line pressure input value isn't used in the code, it is there simply for monitoring purposes. If you do wish to keep it, it has to be on one of the ADC channel pins (PAD00:07). Currently PAD00 is Input1, PAD01 is Input2, PAD02 is temperature sensor, PAD03 is Input3, PAD04 is line pressure sensor (and will be a Paddle UP option as discussed above), PAD05 is the non-CANbus load (so if you are using CANbus, this might be a candidate for the moving the line pressure sensor), PAD06 is Paddle Down, PAD07 is Brake Sense.

Lance.

[Jim Blackwood]

Lance, I'd have answered sooner but I didn't realize we'd started a new page until this evening.

I think that works. I do not intend to use the line pressure as an input since it is only used as a fault indicator and does not output pressure but instead is a switch indicating the presence or absence of pressure in one solenoid circuit. Not really useful to us at this time.

So to list them out we have:
PAD00 = Drive switch
PAD01 = Reverse switch
PAD02 = Temp sensor
PAD03 = Neutral switch
PAD04 = Paddle Up
PAD05 = Non-CAN input
PAD06 = Paddle Down
PAD07 = Brake sense

PT0 = VSS (SP20, 74 teeth, Hall sensor)
PT1 = S. Output 3 (Clutch 4) Sol: SL4
PT2 = PC (Line pressure) Sol: SLT
PT3 = TCC/Brake 2 Sol: SLU
PT4 = Speedo output
PT5 = ISS (NT0, Hall sensor)
PT6 = S. Output 4 (Shift Trigger, 100 ms pulse) Sol: SR
PT7 = S. Output 1 (Clutch 2) Sol: SL2

PM2 = S. Output 2 (Clutch 3) Sol: SL3
PM3 = LED2
PM4 = LED1
PM5 = LED3

PE0 = Auto mode/kickdown switch
PE1 = S. Output 5 (TCC/Reverse, On-Off) Sol: SL
PE4 = Output (Clutch 1) Sol: SL1

PA0 = Output (Brake 1) Sol: SL5

PB4 = LED4

If this all checks out with you then it will make me very happy. I wasn't sure about the labels on the last two outputs and if I have any other labels in the wrong places feel free to move them or relabel.

Jim

[Bernard Fife]

Jim,

At a glance it looks right to me. I have started work on implementing the two additional spare outputs on PE1 and PT6 (with clutch mode, etc.). I'll post again when I have something for you to look at.

Lance.

[Jim Blackwood]

OK, if we are in agreement on the port assignments I will begin to solder on the jumper wires, since I don't have enough removable jumper wires to do the job. Whoever is next to build one of these may be able to configure the conditioning circuits to use more of the block jumpers and less of the longer ones if it makes sense to you.

Lance, I have a serial port (1/8" phono jack) installed on the case. If I power up the system will I be able to access the settings before loading your modified code, or do you think I should just wait? I'm not in a hurry, (It's pretty cold out) but think I should start learning the user interface.

Jim

[Bernard Fife]

Jim,

Personally, I think it's a good idea to familiarize yourself with the user parameters and tuning software as early as possible. Loading upgraded code is generally straightforward, and even using an MSQ settings file from an older code will transfer most of the parameters to the new code when it is loaded (you may still have to review a few of the changed and added parameters, though and in particular I am changing the meaning of one older parameter (stdin_cfg) that will definitely affect you as it will move the table switching input to PE0 in a different way than before - I will post more information on this when I post the code).

You might get nonsensical values for the inputs if the input circuits aren't in place (missing output circuits won't affect the code at all). However you can experiment with these input values by using the 'test mode' that was recently added to substitute your own values for the physical inputs (see: http://www.msgpio.com/manuals/mshift/V5tune.html#ot).

Lance.

[Jim Blackwood]

Things are coming along nicely. The Jumpers are as follows:

PE0 to VR4: Auto Mode/kickdown
AD4 to VR2: Paddle Upshift
AD1 to GPI2: Reverse switch
AD0 to GPI1: Drive switch
PT6 to EGT2: Shift trigger (SR)
PE1 to EGT4: TCC/Reverse (SL)
PT7 to VB1: spare output 1 (SL2) clutch 2

I have removable jumpers on the last four but hopefully will not have any more changes there.

I've upgraded to the most recent S19 and ini files and have mostly worked through the general configurations. Turned on CAN but haven't checked for communications yet, or done the more specific gear change configurations so that's what I'll be working on next I think, along with updating the spreadsheet to reflect the new port assignments and adding some notes.

Lance, please let me know if there is anything specific I can do to help. As I get more familiar with the tuning parameters I should be able to make some suggestions I hope.

Jim

[Bernard Fife]

Lance, please let me know if there is anything specific I can do to help.

Jim,

Not at the moment, thanks. I am working on implementing the new outputs we discussed. This is coming along, but it's a fair bit of programming to get it all in place (without affecting the exiting functions). I'll post back here when I have something for you to look at.

Lance.

[Jim Blackwood]

I've got to say that the documentation I've seen on this controller is about as good as I've seen anywhere. Megasquirt products have always fared pretty well against the competition in this area but in the old days that wasn't saying much. Now I think maybe it is. Not perfect of course, there are still configuration and tuning entries that could use more explanation. But as a whole, it is extremely well thought out and described.The volume of the material can be daunting but it isn't hard to understand so it's really just a matter of working through it. As far as the functionality and configurability of the MegaShift tuning software, that is extremely impressive, and it is pretty amazing to consider the breadth of what can be done just in software.

Lance, I'm very impressed with what you and the other guys have accomplished here. I thought I would be, but this is beyond my expectations. I've been around drivelines long enough to know them pretty well and you seem to be pushing some of the limits here that even the OEM's aren't really into yet. Kudos to you.

I'm an old, dyed-in-the-wool manual transmission guy myself, and I've been saying for a couple of decades now that it was just a matter of time before the new advanced automatics pretty well send manual transmissions the way of the old unsynchronized crashboxes (which I still love btw) and the MegaShift really is advancing that cause. I think this combination is going to work out really well.

Hope everyone is enjoying the snow this morning, quite a blizzard, eh? We were amazingly lucky here in Florence, KY. Only an inch or so of snowfall. I think it was because I got my snowblower up and running in time for it. Best insurance I could buy.

Jim

[Bernard Fife]

JIm,

Thanks for your kind words. We have not forgotten the additions we planned to make (the added outputs, etc.), and have been busy implementing them. These are surprisingly complex code alterations, but we hope to have something for you to look at in a few days.

Like you, I am generally a manual trans guy (a perfectly executed double clutch heel-and-toe downshift while dancing on the brakes and turning into a corner right on the limit brings a huge smile to my face!), but one can do so much with electronics these days that it is truly amazing.

Lance.