data acquisition

[Menty]

I'm an automotive student on a break, I'm trying to get a job at a racing team, and i'm trying to design a system to do some data acquisition. I'm trying to find out how its possible to get real time information from the management system, and how you can record it so you can edit it.
It would be a basic system for engine speed, oil tempreture, and gear.
So we can get some information about curbspeeds, and some driver information...

if anybody can help, i would be very pleased

Thanx

[GreenV8S]

Sounds like you need to find out about ECU communication protocols. Do you have any particular ECU in mind?

[Matt_T16]

Menty said:

I'm an automotive student on a break, I'm trying to get a job at a racing team, and i'm trying to design a system to do some data acquisition. I'm trying to find out how its possible to get real time information from the management system, and how you can record it so you can edit it. It would be a basic system for engine speed, oil tempreture, and gear. So we can get some information about curbspeeds, and some driver information... if anybody can help, i would be very pleased Thanx

I think you'll find that every aftermarket management system and some OE ones offer data logging so you may be trying to re-invent the wheel.

However if its any help
RPM - Coil or Crank Posistion Sensor.
Coolant Temp - Coolant temp sensor
Oil Temp - Sump Oil Temp easily got by using Temp Sensor in place of sump plug.
Gear - You'll have trouble with this unless you have a dedicated gear indicator output. I suggest you use some sort of G meter to measure decel/accel then work out the gear based on that.

Matt

[Pigeon]

Or if you have a speed input you can work out the gear from the ratio between speed and rpm inputs.

[steve_D]

I suspect the question is more about how to get the info from the car to the pits.

First you need a radio and a licence for its use.
There are walkie talkies available but I suspect they will not have data input sockets so you would need to find a business radio type of system. Try radio spares.

You will then need a device called a TNC. This will take data from say your management system and periodically trigger the radio to transmit it in a short data burst. The radio and another TNC at the other end will dump it out to your computer.

The data sent could also include:
The cars position taken from an onboard GPS.
Accelerometer data for braking and cornering.

Steve

[annodomini2]

Here are a few questions/points for a) to help us here answer your questions and b) help you gain direction with your project:

1) Make a list of what you want to measure! (This makes it so much easier)
2) How do you want to measure the data? (e.g. After a race, while it is running round the track? (radio etc))

3) When do you need it to be completed? (This affects the complexity and if the project feasable)

4) What sort of vehicle is it for? (personally at this stage i would pick one car and work specifically to that as the time scales you will hav available may not allow for multipl vehicles)

5) What equipment do you already have? (CAN interface can make this a lot easier). This will affect the approach you can take based on your budget.

Hope to hear more ano

I have experience with a number of automotive electronic systems (design and development) so I may be able to help.

[Menty]

First of all I would like to thank everybody for the response.
I've found out some things myself during the weekend... But some things aren't clear yet:

is it possible to get the data straight from the sensors with a datalogger system? and won't this interfeer with the motormanagement system?

or do you need to use a interface that can communicate with the motormanagement system?

In other words what hardware do i need to make such system

most important thing the system has to do is record the crankshaft sensor the rest of the sensors i'm trying to record are simple dc signals

the problems with the gears i could solve by a simple count up, - down system because of a sequential gearbox (like in a bike pull it back for the next gear push it for the previous gear)

[joust]

Start here

www.pocketlogger.com/
www.lotus-carlton.fsnet.co.uk/PC_ECU.htm

then have a *good* look at

www.andywhittaker.com/ecu/aldl_hardware_cont.htm

Then

www.techedge.com.au/vehicle/aldl160/vn_aldl.htm

and finally

www.onboarddiagnostics.co.uk/allcon.htm

Once you've done that you should be able to work out what is feasible and what isn't.

Happy reading!

J