Making a car computer?

I am brand new obviously. I am not sure where to post this, nor am I sure where to find information on this subject.

I am a car tuner, and have a pair of 300 hp Mitsubishi's in my garage. The computers are simple PROM computers, and I want to buy a new unit so I can adjust every aspect of my car. However, the software costs $650 and the ECU from the tuning company costs $400. That's a grand I DON'T WANT TO SPEND.

I opened up my box today and it looks primitive and I am sure I can make this. The top is a MAF translator [takes the signal from the intake air sensor of a different vehicle and changes the signal to something the car's original computer knows], and the bottom in the cars engine management computer. But I have some questions. Pictures below to illustrate stuff I want to make.

1. Where's a good source to study about hardware and individual components? I know there's a big chip in the middle, but seriously, I don't know anything about what it is or what it does.

2. How hard is it to get a circuit board custom made? I don't mind soldering and junk, but I seriously don't know anything about computers and circuit board stuff.

3. In case you haven't noticed that I know next to nothing, how much would it cost to make something like this below? Is it easy to find all of these parts? (It's a Mass Air Flow sensor translator if any understands that)

Any help is very greatly appreciated. Thank you!!

KJ

Building the top one might not be too bad, but the bottom one will require industrial equipment...

The big IC on the top one is this:
http://newzealand.rs-online.com/web/search/searchBrowseAction.html?method=getProduct&R=4449853

It's a microcontroller. That one functions as the CPU, RAM, and controlling circuit for that module.

One word for you. MEGASQUIRT. Look into it.

Glliw said:

One word for you. MEGASQUIRT. Look into it.

Click to expand...

Thanks for that chip info. Um....dumb to ask but.....where do I learn what does what and how to program it?

Also, what kind of industrial equipment? Is there a place I can look for them? What are the machines called?

Judging by the questions you are asking, this is way out of your league, a grand is cheap if it is what you want, soooooo

1) To understand the chip programming and to write the code for the software (because you don't want to buy it)
2) To understand what each component does and how it interacts with other components takes years of study for something that intricate, it cannot be learnt from reading a book alone.
3) A specialist circuit board like that is machine made plus the components are not inserted on the board by hand but by machine also.
4) I could go on but I don't know any more

After all your years studying and the cost of studying, then the cost of paying for your circuit boards to be made, then the cost of components. Is it worth it?

Wow sounds awesome, wouldnt mind trying this myself but it really does require a lot of research and knowledge.

TFT said:

Judging by the questions you are asking, this is way out of your league, a grand is cheap if it is what you want, soooooo

1) To understand the chip programming and to write the code for the software (because you don't want to buy it)
2) To understand what each component does and how it interacts with other components takes years of study for something that intricate, it cannot be learnt from reading a book alone.
3) A specialist circuit board like that is machine made plus the components are not inserted on the board by hand but by machine also.
4) I could go on but I don't know any more

After all your years studying and the cost of studying, then the cost of paying for your circuit boards to be made, then the cost of components. Is it worth it?

Click to expand...

Told you I am a newbie!! But if you thought I'd go "AHHH!!!!", I didn't. I've been in cars for 16 years, and really, I know how much time it took to understand what I do today. I've been looking for a new career or at least something to study that would be useful. I'm going to start attending college, so I thought this would be an interested place to start. I've always enjoyed learning really challenging stuff, so that's why I've been looking for a source on how to study up on this type of stuff.

It's worth it to me to learn something valuable like computers and computer manufacturing. I'll dig deeper unless I decide it's just too much. But thanks, that's a good place for me to start. It gives me somewhat of an idea.

How hard would that little thing on top be to make? Where would I find parts? Sorry, I enjoy learning.

I've got very limited knowledge on printed circuit boards but some are multi layered because the tracks have to cross over each other, impossible for you to make. Even a single layer board needs equipment to make the conductive tracks so again it's not a home made thing.

If by chance you had a PCB then the soldering is quite possible, all your components can be found in the worldwide store called "Radiospares" but that's only after you have identified them. Resistors, capacitors, diodes, potentiometers etc, all have different values calculated in design stage for it to work.

Then you have to find a way of programming the beast.

i get some of my small components like diodes and stuff from www.partsexpress.com. they have all kinds of stuff and i have been rather pleased with them (purchased diodes, connectors, and relays). i did have bookmarks for other places but lost them in the new computer building process.

BTW there are places where you can send this stuff off to be reprogrammed. for example. www.pcmforless.com they reprogram the engine computers. (they do gm's)

^^ and thank you for the links. This is a good starting place...for things I knew/know nothing about.

Hmm, I guess I better take a computer programing class then too.

Pretty interesting all the best with your project.

You may want to check out mp3car.com

I belong to a couple of car forums, and many guys who hav built car pc's swear by them. They have a forum as well with tons of help and info. It may not be what you're looking for, but it's worth a try.

Im thinking all you really want to do is alter the original oem computer. All you would need to do is look into how to flash/re-program the OEM "ECM?"
You could make good cash of people at school and easy. Especially 1500 and 2500 trucks. You can get some crazy performance out of them with only a computer flash. ESPECIALLY out of a diesel powered truck, like woa ;D

EDIT: They have store bought tuners/flashers for $350+. THey dont push the engine and trans too hard at all. Like if you did it yourself you would get alot more performance.
They don't sell tuners that will over due your vehicle for obvious reasons and they stop way before then too.
I had one on my 2500hd Chevy with a 6.0l vortec for a little while and it was nasty. I upped the transmission shift pressure and it was epic

Thanks for sharing the information. Image clarity is very good.