Connecting to MJLJ V2 - driving me mad

fatbaldbloke · Post by **fatbaldbloke** » Mon Jul 24, 2006 9:39 pm

I have a Westfield with a 2 litre zetec engine. It has a MJLJv2.2 which runs OK. I am trying to connect to it and see what the configuration is. I have tried a new HP laptop with a Belkin USB to serial converter running XP. This insists on posting to COM6 and will not display the tab in the device manager that allows me to change it. So I've given up on that and acquired an older laptop running W2000 with a pentium 3, but more importantly this has a serial port. If I connect to the serial port I get the message, coms error COM1 in use, but there's nothing connected other than the serial lead. If I stuff the Belkin converter in a USB port it loads up into the device manager as COM4, which is good. I set COM4 in the MJLJ options, but as soon as I click on get configuration it gives me the message comms problem, COM1 in use. I've been playing with thas for 10 days now and I just have nothing left to try. HELP or the MJLJ gets it!

flashrs1988 · Post by **flashrs1988** » Mon Jul 24, 2006 10:15 pm

Hi, i know this can be some what frustrating. I have given up with USB to serial converters, as they seem to be a Little unstable, working one mint and not the next...!!!!
Serial on the other hand has always be fine for me.
Question. Have you got the correct 9 pin to 9 pin serial cable, and have you checked the connection of the pins from end to end, as it sounds as if you computer is totally unaware of the presence of the MJLT...? it is possible the you have the wrong cable...

hopes this helps..

Cheers

Steve

<img src="http://homepage.ntlworld.com/clark.rs/p ... rs1988.jpg" />
"Surrey UK"

Svein · Post by **Svein** » Mon Jul 24, 2006 10:33 pm

You probably have an internal modem occupying com1, try to tweek this to another com port (com 2) and then run the MJLJ software.

Oliver Sedlacek · Post by **Oliver Sedlacek** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 8:00 am

This message usually means that there is some software running on the PC which is trying to use the com port, regardless of whether there is anything plugged in. A good candidate is something like PDA synchronisation software, (Psions were worst offenders) which constantly scan the ports, wiating for the user to plug the PDA in. This highlights the drawback of serial ports, which is that they aren't 'plug and play'.

I would try and check out the comms without using the megajolt. You should be able to connect to PCs with a null modem cable and get two terminal programs to talk to each other.

fatbaldbloke · Post by **fatbaldbloke** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 8:50 am

It's possible I've a lead problem. Can I just check, I should be using a null modem lead? Which pins are actually used for communication?

MartinM · Post by **MartinM** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 10:10 am

Don't think it's a lead problem - it's the config inside the PC that's awry...

...but regarding the lead, you need a serial extension cable that just connects pin-to-pin ie
pin 1 - pin 1
pin 2 - pin 2
pin 3 - pin 3
etc.

A null modem lead swaps pins 2 and 3 so this is NOT what you want. Somewhat unbelievably, there's a web site all about null modem leads at http://www.nullmodem.com/NullModem.htm !!

The serial extension leads are often sold as keyboard or mouse extension leads.

The only pins you really need to be connected are 2, 3, 5 and 9. The numbers are on the connectors at each end - but they're usually pretty hard to see...

fatbaldbloke · Post by **fatbaldbloke** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 11:34 am

Right, I've tested the lead. It is a serial extension lead with all 9 pins connected, so that shouldn't be a problem. I also posted this problem on the Westfield owners site and a reply there was to download the Windows rather than Java software, which I've done, and this has the option of connecting to COM1-8, and I know the USB to serial converter on my new laptop sets itself up in COM6, so tonight I'll try that to see if the Windows software version can talk to the USB converter. I'll also download it onto my older laptop and try that again with the serial lead and ctrl-alt-del to stop all non relevant processes. Crikey, what a rigmarole. I won't know what to do in the evenings when I've solved this. A final question, do I have to have the ignition on to establish a connection?

MartinM · Post by **MartinM** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 11:46 am

...A final question, do I have to have the ignition on to establish a connection?..

Well, you certainly need the MJLJ powered up, which is probably via the ignition. Unfortunately there's no power light on the MJLJ so it's worth checking that there is +12V on the appropriate pin of the MJLJ just to make sure...

4600cc · Post by **4600cc** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 1:54 pm

<body bgcolor="#ff00ff">

A while back James here had a problem with his. Offered to help via remote assitance. Told me he'll get Belkin and it fixed the problem. Here we have a Belkin giving a problem.

Just confirms my statements before. It's not the USB-2-Serial's problem.

I can trouble shoot your problem. For that you will need a Megajolt connected to your laptop and your laptop connected to the internet with you running MSN Messenger and me connected to you via remote assistance. I would prefer if you use the newer laptop.

You can use your actual Megajolt box or you can use the simulator program, for example you can run your simulator on your P3 laptop and connect it to your new laptop using a serial cable. To get simulator click 10 most recent files, it's called MJCMSIM.

Get messenger here: <a href="http://messenger.msn.com">MSN Messenger</a>

My user name is alexc_4600cc at hotmail

This will actually help me develop a better tuner, as connecting to Megajolt seems to be a universal problem here.

<a href="http://picasso.org/mjlj/?q=filestore2/d ... ler.exe</a>

fatbaldbloke · Post by **fatbaldbloke** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 7:02 pm

Yes, I'm in! Thank you so much for the help. The final piece was downloading the windows software and not the Java. Next questions, the TPS is calibrated from 50-230, why? Is there a process to recalibrate from idle to full throttle? Where can I find the best map for a 2 litre Zetec, lightweight flywheel, twin 40's, 4-1 exhaust, etc. Should put out about 150-155bhp.

MartinM · Post by **MartinM** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 8:48 pm

Congrats!

The TPS may well be calibrated perfectly already...
With ignition on, engine off, go to the run time display.

Look at the the MAP KPa - it's actually TPS position if you've got a TPS unit by the way

Note the value at closed throttle
Note the value at wide open throttle
Plug these numbers into
http://www.cate1.co.uk/megajolt/mapping.php
and it gives you the bin values to put in the advance map.

The reason the values at the extremes are not 0 and 255 is that you are not getting full rotation of the TPS - but 50 and 230 seem entirely reasonable to me.

Easy, innit!

There's a zetec map on that same web page - no warranty given or implied. The best place to get a map is from a RR session with your engine, your carbs and your induction system...

..and you can type "zetec" in the search box in the top right of this web site and probably find more...

4600cc · Post by **4600cc** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 10:47 pm

hehe!!!!!

Autosport Labs