frojoe

iTrader: (10)

This is waaaaaay cool. Several years ago I had done a similar amount of research into EPS like you had, but there just wasn't enough info at the time that I could find to make me press play on starting the project. I wanted to dive into Arduino/CANbus fabrication and figure out my own communications and tuning to the EPS, but I simply had too many other higher-priority things on the To-Do list. This info is fantastic and has sparked my interested in EPS again as a parallel project... maybe in time for next winter's redo of my wiring harness (when I'll be moving my relocated chassis fusebox from the steering column area over to the passenger side footwell). Cheers! -Joe

G Atsma

I think that as EPS is becoming far more widespread, more cut and dry solutions to different apps will be available. It is so nice to do a steering system that does not depend on another belt driven accessory to operate, besides assuring that the alternator is big enough.

Michael Yount

iTrader: (1)

JayinMI

I ran an Arduino in my car for like 3 or 4 years. It held up fine. I plan to use one in my current project to read the '89 S-10 Cruise control signals, and convert them to something that will work with my Gen 3 6.0L PCM.

Jay

Michael Yount

iTrader: (1)

I had to look it up....

https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials...an-arduino/all

gofastwclass

iTrader: (2)

It's cool stuff. A guy at work is into them. I've been tempted to buy an Arduino kit and start experimenting in my spare time I just haven't made it happen.

Michael Yount

iTrader: (1)

Educate me. So what, exactly, would you/could you use something like this for? I, admittedly, don't have a clue.

TipsyMcStagger

iTrader: (1)

Michael, in the interest of not derailing this thread too much, go back to SparkFun, Google or Youtube. Here's an extensive thread regarding an Arduino solution for the E46 CAN driven instrument cluster.

The same guy from that thread made an Arduino module for my E36 swap to provide a serial A/C request signal for my E40 PCM.

Lots of uses for these devices.

Michael Yount

iTrader: (1)

Project GatTagO

iTrader: (7)

Today I received the CAN simulator from Blake and last Friday I got the necessary connectors to build the harness.



I got the two Molex connectors for the box itself along with an OBDII connector.

Blake also emailed the pin-out diagram.

I am still sorting out exactly how I am going to do the wiring, but I am hoping to wire things up temporarily tomorrow and see what sort of trouble I get myself into.

If the power steering comes on when the CAN simulator is turned on, then I know it is working.

The other part of this will involve hooking up an OBDII scanner and seeing what codes are being sent by the steering ECU. I am hoping that I can do that with my BlueDriver Bluetooth dongle and my cell phone. Hopefully it will also let me reset the codes.

Wish me luck!

Andrew

Project GatTagO

iTrader: (7)

Today I was able to do some testing. I didn't want to wire everything up permanently only to have to chase things down later. So today I simply wanted to see if Blake's box works. The definition of "works" is, will the steering ECU turn on when it sees an RPM signal over CAN. I wanted to do more, but I didn't have enough terminals for the little connector that plugs into the steering ECU. There is a Prius at a junk yard not to far from me. I plan to take a trip and see what I can rob off it.

I connected the CANHi and CANLo at the steering ECU (on the D31 connector) to the CANHi and CANLo on Blake's box, making sure to twist the wires. I installed the wires into the Molex connectors for power and ground, ran the ground under the dash and had the power wire ready to connect to a temporary power source.

I turned the ignition ON, and as expected, there was no power assist. As soon as I applied power to Blake's box, almost instant assist. Blake said that his box should come online in less than a second, and that's about right.

I then went for a drive, not really expecting any difference, but to my surprise, there was a difference. At low speed there is considerably more assist and as speed increases there is a noticeable drop in assist. So contrary to my previous proclamations, and counter to the results that some people have done with bench testing, I don't believe that the speed sensitive steering is active if there is no CAN signal. This makes sense, because in the Yaris FSM it clearly states that if there is a CAN communication error with the engine ECM, it defaults into "failsafe" mode (fixed assist at the middle level). The RTC was about the same, but I expect this to improve once I get the OBDII connector wired up, scan and clear any codes, and perform the torque sensor zero point calibration.

Progress is being made.

Andrew

Michael Yount

iTrader: (1)

As mentioned before, if anyone can get to a well working solution, you can Andrew. The documentation here will help others I'm sure.

TipsyMcStagger

iTrader: (1)

At the risk of asking a dumb question; why did you make sure to twist the wires? Are you simply stating that you made sure the connections were solid?

Or is there some kind of voodoo regrading CAN signals and twisted wire pairs?

Michael Yount

iTrader: (1)

I assumed he meant he created a twisted-wire-pair as I think he's dealing with a speed-related signal --- and those are often twisted from the manufacturers.

Project GatTagO

iTrader: (7)

Part of the CAN physical layer specification is that the wires are to be twisted together. I am just following the instructions...LOL
Looks at the backside of your new car OBDII sensor and you will find two of the wires twister together. Those would be the two CAN wires.

The speed signal wire is not twisted, nor does it have to be. Although, I see a lot of two wire VSS sensors have their Hi and Lo signal wires twisted. Presumably this is to cancel out noise. This is common practice in any sort of data communication wiring standard.

Andrew

TipsyMcStagger

iTrader: (1)

I didn't know that. Thanks.

Michael Yount

iTrader: (1)

G Atsma

Is that just to keep them together or is there some sort of inductance thing going here?

Michael Yount

iTrader: (1)

G Atsma

Thanks Michael! Learn more every day! Even around here if you don't watch out! LOL