Help with Setting MSS: Cams not activating

billc · 02-09-2005, 07:40 AM

This is the final step of the VE install for my B13. (Is it ever the final step?)

I've got the MSS wired as follows:

red -- 12V+ switched at fuse box
orange -- 12V+ constant at fuse box
black and grey - grounded on the intake manifold
brown -- RPM signal from green/yellow wire at coil
yellow and green -- one to each solenoid

The other wire on each solenoid is connected to 12V+ through 2 separate 10 amp fused circuits -- taken directly from the battery.

As you can see from the wiring, I'm just looking to activate the cams based on RPM -- no TPS or speed hookups.

I have the MSS programmed as follows:

Intake on and off at 4800
Exhaust on and off at 5000
Warning signal at 7050

Also, the speed parameter is programmed at 0 (I can't figure out how to make this go away.) None of the other parameters are programmed.

At this point, the MSS will display the RPM but the display does not indicate that the cams are activating (the 1 and 2 do not come on at the RPM values programmed) and the warning function does not work either.

Please help with any tips on how to set the MSS up. If we can figure this out, maybe you can help me program my VCR.

Thanks in advance for any help -- I'm about to drive the car into the river.

Bill Conner

Rockwood · 02-09-2005, 01:09 PM

lol. i felt the same way....

i posted this in my "Pics of the DE/VE" thread:

advice? don't set the solenoids to say "SP1" or "SP2", leave it @ ON. the one that says "C" is for cylinder count, so it should read "C4" or your RPM signal will be off. hold down "MODE" to go to between the setup screens. hold down "select" to adjust brightness. make certain to push in the rotary knob every time you change something or it wont save it. to set the RPM at which it engages, hold down "MODE" until it goes to a screen where it has an RPM readout (probably 0), then hit "MODE" once. this will go to solenoid 1 setup. push the rotary button to change the values, push the "select" button to go between parameters (RPM, voltage, temp, boost, etc). push "MODE" again to go to solenoid 2 setup.

there are some other settings i can't remember, but basically, the one labeled "Pr" from the other mode screen (not the RPM readout) needs to have the little dash mark on the top. i am pretty sure you leave the others alone.

SE-R-2-Go · 02-09-2005, 02:13 PM

Did you set your tps parameter?

garyd · 02-09-2005, 06:12 PM

He said hes not using tps

Rockwood · 02-09-2005, 06:52 PM

i didnt.

SE-R-2-Go · 02-09-2005, 07:19 PM

I know he's not using tps however the parameter for it may still be set at x volts. I'm just saying make sure it's set to activate at 0v and above.

billc · 02-09-2005, 07:31 PM

I did not set any value for the TPS. I have inadvertently set "Speed" for "0" and can't get that to go away. Since it is not getting any data for "Speed" I'm wonderding if it is not triggering the cams because it's waiting for validation that "Speed" is greater than "0".

Anyway -- keep the thoughts coming. I'm going to try Rockwood's suggestions tonight. If I cut all power to the MSS, will it forget everything and allow me to start fresh?

Bill

Stabone · 02-09-2005, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billc

Anyway -- keep the thoughts coming. I'm going to try Rockwood's suggestions tonight. If I cut all power to the MSS, will it forget everything and allow me to start fresh?

Bill

Nope the info is stored on EPROM. I know this because I use a rocker switch hooked up to the battery so I can cut power to the MSS when I want. But doing it this way I have remember to turn it on and off.

garyd · 02-09-2005, 07:44 PM

yeh it has an eprom. thats why u dont need a constant power source

billc · 02-09-2005, 08:23 PM

Thanks for the suggestions and insights so far.

OK, I tried Steve's approach and it didn't really change anything. Sorry - I was supremely hopeful!

Then I was fooling around and switched the C4_ to C4- (with the line up high). All hell broke loose. The car wouldn't idle and ran rough up until about 3500 RPM. When I switched it back all was well again. Did this activate the cams at all RPMs? If so, at least my wiring works.

Since I have no idea what these changes mean, I guess it's a matter if trial and error until something works.

Any thoughts are appreciated.

Bill

vzrboy · 02-09-2005, 09:25 PM

Hope this helps

Click here then click on electronics and half way down the page is a wiring diagram

Rockwood · 02-09-2005, 11:57 PM

its not wiring, its the settings. i spent an entire day figuring it out...

i am going to go to my car right now and write down my settings...

Rockwood · 02-10-2005, 12:04 AM

alright, here's my settings:

Top=little dash on top
bottom=little dash on bottom

Pr - Top
C4 - Top
P2 - Top

when the 1 is shown, it says "ON"
when the 2 is shown, it says "ON"

in the actual parameter setup, i have:

1:

on 4800
off 4790
everything else is ZERO

2:

on 4600
off 4590
everything else is ZERO

hope this works for you, if it does, i think this should be in the FAQ or stickied.

BORNGEARHEAD · 02-10-2005, 12:29 AM

Thanks for posting Rockwood. Def. sticky material.

garyd · 02-10-2005, 01:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billc

Thanks for the suggestions and insights so far.

OK, I tried Steve's approach and it didn't really change anything. Sorry - I was supremely hopeful!

Then I was fooling around and switched the C4_ to C4- (with the line up high). All hell broke lose. The car wouldn't idle and ran rough up until about 3500 RPM. When I switched it back all was well again. Did this activate the cams at all RPMs? If so, at least my wiring works.

Since I have no idea what these changes mean, I guess it's a matter if trial and error until something works.

Any thoughts are appreciated.

Bill

yep sounds like you set the cams on. So its just a matter of stuffing around with the settings now

Stabone · 02-10-2005, 07:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rockwood

alright, here's my settings:

Top=little dash on top
bottom=little dash on bottom

Pr - Top
C4 - Top
P2 - Top

when the 1 is shown, it says "ON"
when the 2 is shown, it says "ON"

in the actual parameter setup, i have:

1:

on 4800
off 4790
everything else is ZERO

2:

on 4600
off 4590
everything else is ZERO

hope this works for you, if it does, i think this should be in the FAQ or stickied.

I'll try these tomorrow when I get my JWT ecu and i can VVL!!!!!!!!!!

BTW: the tps parameter thingy may be cool to watch, but it f's with the tps. I'm disabling it as well.

billc · 02-10-2005, 08:07 AM

Thanks to everyone for your help -- especially Steve. I got her working last night -- the cams come on as programmed. I can see it on the display and hear in the sound of the engine.

The car is a blast to drive. I couldn't stop running it through the gears last night.

Now it's on to the AFPR and the dyno for final tuning. (Is there ever such a thing as final tuning? -- The engine really should have a higher rev limit and and the 16VE cams.)

Thanks again for your help.

Bill

nissasin · 02-10-2005, 01:46 PM

Okay so now I scared to use the greddy mss unit. Is it really difficult to use? Sounds almost like the summit switches although lower tech are easier to set up. Whats your opinion?

billc · 02-10-2005, 02:57 PM

Given the info in this thread, I think that it's straight forward to set up the Greddy. You don't need relays, which is one benefit. I've read that the Summit switches have some wrinkles of their own. Although, I must admit that last night I was thinking about buying another switching mechanism before of got the MSS set up.

In case you didn't know (I didn't) the MSS manual is in Japanese. If we had a translation that would help a lot.

Bill

Rockwood · 02-10-2005, 04:09 PM

the MSS is easy to set up, as long as you can read japanese.

now, you shouldnt have a problem setting it up at all if you follow my directions in this thread.

i had to figure it out the hard way: i changed one setting at a time and drove it around to see. i burned about 1/2 tank of gas (the G20 has a 15gallon tank mind you) guessing and checking...