[charliex]

I helped race-technology implement the canbus stuff for the lotus, so one of the guys locally bought a setup from them, and i'm helping with the install.

I just got it up and running on the bench, it looks like a rats nest but thats all coming from the complete front side harness i have on the test bench, and i have the dash2, aim mxl and a motec all wired up (the motec isn't ready yet since i'm awaiting an adapter, hoping that one will be next)

Since its me doing it for the owner, its a complete plug and play setup, you pull off the cluster, disconnect the two plugs and plug in the dl1/dash2 and thats it.

Obviously if you need stuff the can bus or cluster doesn't support, you'll have to wire that in, otherwise you won't, you can input the various warning lights too.

And if you wanted to put the stock cluster back, unplug the dash2 and plug in the cluster, thats all there is too it (well taking the dash apart is another story)

Its a smaller unit that the Aim/Motec, but its quite clear and has a fair few options and its a lot cheaper setup.

( I get no kickback/money from race tech, just did it to help expand the options for people, i've helped with the pi research, aim , race tech and working on the motec )

 

[Brent Bauman]

shove that aside and get back to the Aim. Sorry Robb.

 

[charliex]

Hopefully when i get back from Houston the stupid parallel port adapter for the Motec will have shown up, then i can get that monkey off my back and in the hands of the owner.

Then back to the Aim so far its been the easiest system to work with.

 

[Brent Bauman]

We coming out this weekend, are you gonna be around?

 

[charliex]

i'm in houston this weekend.

 

[codymac]

What about odometer stuff?

 

[charliex]

yeah its road legal.

 

[Brent Bauman]

:wallbang:

 

[charliex]

Well i made the software work mostly, its bizzare software though, i can't get my head around it, all sorts of translations, i can't find a nice simple way to set a 1:1 on anything, blergh.

i made a CAN OBD II firmware for the 06-07 S's, it works nicely on that, just click 'obd ii' mode and off it goes, not quite the same for the regular mode though nice in that you get TPS and a few other things in that mode.

I'll have to figure it all out, since RT are talking to me about being the lotus go to guy, i'm having seconds thoughts !

 

[charliex]

Wired up and ready to go in the car, i've already removed the stock cluster.

This is totally pug and play, it connects to the harness in place of the stock cluster, thats all you have to do and off it goes, again if you need something thats not on the stock cluster wiring or can, you have to add it !

I left lots of wiring space for fitment, if i do go ahead and build more harnesses, i'll probably just cut down all the interconnects that it comes with, it'll make it a lot tidier.

 

[turbophil]

Given that I did this the hard way (or maybe the easy way since what you did seems hard to me), I gotta say that this is really cool. Wish it were around when I wired mine in...

Impressive!

Phil

 

[charliex]

It was just as my dash verison This is just a different dash, or did you use the dash2 as well , i thought you'd used a different one.

I'm currently wiring up the rest of the cluster functions, indicators, abs, oil warning, TC warning and brake light, i'm not sure if i can replicate the stock cluster 100% but i'm going to give it my best shot, unfortunately the owner will need his car back tomorrow, so i hope to be finished up with the hardware tonight.

 

[turbophil]

Ya, I did Dash2 as well...

Not sure if it helps, but don't forget to wire the lights to the HVAC controls... You probably wouldn't, just dbl checking... the Brake light is a backward switch as far as the Dash2's brake light is concerned compared to the stock dash... Everything else you can replicate if I remember right... It's pretty inclusive unit, as you know.... I must say the new racepack unit looks pretty swanky and has me dbl thinking an upgrade, but I can't really complain about the RT stuff other than that the crappy connector on the back of the DL-1

Again, looks like you've got the cleanliness of the install down pat:up:

Later,
Phil

 

[charliex]

Install test in the car, making sure everything works before i wrap it with waterproof automotive harness wrap, all the connectors/connections are shrink wrapped first.

left and right indicators work, you get two independant ones now, instead of just the one! high beam indicator works, parking brake i didn't test since the car doesn't seem to have one.

I haven't figured out a simple way of incorporating the dimmer yet, it is possible i just have to think about it a bit.

the other two boxes are from a previous unit

you can see the two main connections, the blue tabbed one is the primary cluster, the one above it white/black is just the CAN bus, all the other wiring is part of the dash unit itself.


There is no HVAC or parking brake, as this is a dedicated track car.Do you have the old DL1 or the new one, green or black connectors ?

 

[charliex]

so since a couple of the inputs are the opposite of whats needed, and even though this car doesn't need them, i figured might as well fix it.

couple of minutes routing around in the old parts bin and et voila one of the core basics of electronics the humble not gate.

two resistors and a transistor, for the massive cost of about .50c, well not even that since i actually bought those resistors/transistors from jdr microdevices in campbell, ca in approx 1997 for an entirely different project, pack rat FTW.

i'll throw a couple of sets on a bit of pcb and inline it with the signals i want to change.

 

[RichS]

i'm in houston this weekend.

Sweet! You coming out to Lemons? I'll have the Lotus there, and I'm planning on bringing the LETSA shifter kit that I got so folks can look at it.

 

[Phantom]

That's really impressive Charlie!

Could something like this be programmed to display manifold pressure?

Off subject, but any chance you might make it to LOG29?

 

[turbophil]

Ya, that's where I got, but without the cleanliness of the connectors and canbus. That's pretty neat for sure...

My DL-1 is, I believe, the newer variant with black connectors. The connector is removable from the back of the unity and has spring loaded clips for the wires. I think I'd rather have "real" crimped pins with flying leads so that I could solder or crimp the flying leads to my sensory inputs rather than the wire clip setup they use

Short of that hicky, the RT system seems pretty decent for someone that wants a street legal dash, and better yet now that you have it PnP...

oh one other problem- the ODO doesn't work off the GPS... that's not very cool IMO... I wish they would come up with a firmware update so that it would...

Later,

Phil

Install test in the car, making sure everything works before i wrap it with waterproof automotive harness wrap, all the connectors/connections are shrink wrapped first.

left and right indicators work, you get two independant ones now, instead of just the one! high beam indicator works, parking brake i didn't test since the car doesn't seem to have one.

I haven't figured out a simple way of incorporating the dimmer yet, it is possible i just have to think about it a bit.

the other two boxes are from a previous unit

you can see the two main connections, the blue tabbed one is the primary cluster, the one above it white/black is just the CAN bus, all the other wiring is part of the dash unit itself.


There is no HVAC or parking brake, as this is a dedicated track car.Do you have the old DL1 or the new one, green or black connectors ?

 

[MaineLotus]

oh one other problem- the ODO doesn't work off the GPS... that's not very cool IMO... I wish they would come up with a firmware update so that it would...

Wish they would fix that also. I'm wondering how Charlie is picking up speed...

 

[turbophil]

If I'm following this correctly, I think it all comes through CAN via the ECU...

We need to collectively call RT and make a case for that firmware update... Maybe CX can make a case for it too???