Stuff you have fixed today

[ajlelectronics]

Now that Assembler is far easier for me to understand than Python. It's just so logical. Python left me completely cold and although I can get by in C++ I don't really like it.
I wrote an electric gate control system in Microchip Assembler many years ago with timers and all sorts. Can I get the hang of millis(); in C++ though? Not a chance.

 

[Keithmac]

Now that Assembler is far easier for me to understand than Python. It's just so logical. Python left me completely cold and although I can get by in C++ I don't really like it.
I wrote an electric gate control system in Microchip Assembler many years ago with timers and all sorts. Can I get the hang of millis(); in C++ though? Not a chance.

Yes I like assembly language, nice and methodical.

It's setting bits for certain functions and following them through multiple cycles of the code that took me the most time.

I took each state (cranking / starting / dashpot / main idle loop / closing and all important sanity check at the end to stop any possibility of idle runaway), and worked through them step by step.

I also use custom Idle VE control and custom Ignition control at idle and have to set these off with various flags.

I've always wanted to have a crack at C or C++

 

[Keithmac]

You are of course mad!

I was never happy with how the stock firmware controlled idle, plus my cams didn't help matters so I took to learning assembly language (probably 20 years back now) to sort it.

Mainly trial and error at the start!.

I dread to think of the code that goes into modern drive by wire and mechanised gearboxes. Probably majority of it is written by machines?.

I think my daughter was quite impressed when it worked!. We had been having a chat while I was writing it the night before.

 

[Keithmac]

Just for completeness, this was the end of the final code.

I added a last ditch attempt to save idle if it ever got that low.

Works well as you can actually set off with no throttle input now (if you are careful enough with the paddle clutch..).

On my previous code I added additional idleDC (Idle valve duty cycle) and it could jack up the IdleDC if you were on/off throttle quickly.

Now I have used an Increase of Idle Target RPM for the dadhpot event, feed to my closed loop Idle Valve control. No additional Duty Cycle added.

We were our for an hour trying to get it to go wrong and it didn't miss a beat.

 

[Jelly_Sheffield]

I fixed the pulley-maid clothes dryer that fell out of the kitchen ceiling.

The pulley having been directly screwed into lath and plaster for god knows how many years, finally pulled out of the plaster thankfully without bringing much of the ceiling down with it.

It now screws into a 125×125 spreader plate made from an off-cut of iroko, which is screwed to multiple laths and a joist.

I did however manage to line it up skew-diff... Which will irritate me until I have a chance to fix it, although my partner thinks it looks pretty and no-one will look up there anyway.

At least we can dry clothes and get at the sink again for now...

 

[8ob]

Untangling my 17 year old code took most of the time really. Probably 500+ lines of code to get it right.

Been out this afternoon for a good drive with my daughter (she's on laptop duty and learnt a fair bit about cars work recently).

Job jobbed!



View attachment 460669

I tried to change values on an emerald cams ecu while on the move, failed miserably because everything moved so insanely fast. Ended up back on a rolling road, got there in the end.

Bob

 

[Keithmac]

I tried to change values on an emerald cams ecu while on the move, failed miserably because everything moved so insanely fast. Ended up back on a rolling road, got there in the end.

Bob

I always datalog almost every road session then go through them with a cup of tea and make adjustments afterwards.

With my MS1 and TunerStudio the Tablet/ Laptop does all the heavy lifting and it will adjust fuel tables Live, far faster than a person could. Some cells have 10,000 plus data points and it uses all of them plus O2 feedback to make a decision on the VE for that cell.

Amazing if you know how to use it but could also be a disaster if not!.

My GTO-TT is still old school reading the logs and adjusting the fuel injection tables, always more than one way to skin a cat as they say!.

 

[bricol]

My old laptop refuses to fire up, so currently I can't communicate with the Emerald in my Caterham - must remember to dpfind something that will, 'cos you can sure when indonneed to talk to it. I won't be able to find anything.

 

[Maker]

I fixed two rolls of film, after developing and bleaching them.
View attachment 460442

I think I'm gonna finally give in and pay for Lightroom and NLP to edit the scans, I've not been particularly impressed with a single picture I've scanned so far, and I must have about a thousand by now.

Free trial of Lightroom and Negative Lab Pro has convinced me they're worth paying for, the results are worlds apart from what I could do in Darktable, GIMP or DxO. It'll convert a whole roll of negatives in one click too, where Darktable would take me ten minutes per image and they'd still look a bit naff.

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

A few simple servicing jobs.

New pick up braids, motor serviced and wheel bearings.

Juts a service, new braids and new tyres.


The motor in this age car is fantastic.

 

[Melvyn Best]

My old laptop refuses to fire up, so currently I can't communicate with the Emerald in my Caterham - must remember to dpfind something that will, 'cos you can sure when indonneed to talk to it. I won't be able to find anything.

I have the same problem , I’ve been wondering if it would be possible to load the program onto my iPad and use a Bluetooth device on the ECU? Maybe next time I’m passing Wotton I might pop in to Emerald ?

 

[Beanwood]

Just for completeness, this was the end of the final code.

I added a last ditch attempt to save idle if it ever got that low.

Works well as you can actually set off with no throttle input now (if you are careful enough with the paddle clutch..).

On my previous code I added additional idleDC (Idle valve duty cycle) and it could jack up the IdleDC if you were on/off throttle quickly.

Now I have used an Increase of Idle Target RPM for the dadhpot event, feed to my closed loop Idle Valve control. No additional Duty Cycle added.

We were our for an hour trying to get it to go wrong and it didn't miss a beat.

View attachment 460720

So… how does writing your own code maps go down with the insurance companies?

 

[ajlelectronics]

So… how does writing your own code maps go down with the insurance companies?

With classic insurance, there isn't usually an issue with reasonable modifications unlike 'bike insurers like Bennetts. They use any excuse, including becoming retired to void a current policy.

 

[Keithmac]

So… how does writing your own code maps go down with the insurance companies?

It's all listed, all mods declared. As a coincidence I have just insured both my heavily modified cars on a multi-car policy with no issues.

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

This toasted sandwich maker came my way.
Yes it was skanky.


But, when we went to test it it, we found an issue.

Did I say it was skanky?

A good dose of oven cleaner.

New cable, recycled plug and a quick PAT

 

[bricol]

A friend sister avoid the shonkyness by simply liberally washing hers under the tap after every use . . . how she never got a shock at the next use . . .

 

[dobbslc]

New cable, recycled plug and a quick PAT

And it still looks disgusting!

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

And it still looks disgusting!

True.
But ir is now someone else problem.

To Quote, Hitchhikers Guide.
It is SEP.

 

[Keithmac]

CBR1100xx major service and brake disks all round..

Did a lot yesterday and wasn't looking forward to this morning to do the valve service.

A ball-ache to get in and a ball-ace to re-fit the cam cover but all valve clearances within +/- 0.02mm at 36,000 miles so at least I didn't have to take the cams out!.

Just can't understand why the ran the loom where they did, made it almost impossible to re-fit the cam cover even after bonding the gasket in.

Ended up carefully cutting the I insulation tape around the loom supports and cable tying them back afterwards. Trying to remove these "Christmas tree" fasteners almost always ends up in breaking them..

I would have completely removed the throttle bodies but the closing cable was inaccessible.

 

[Keithmac]

Death by powerdercoating..

On with a F800 GS.

Customer came in and said they'd had their F800 at a "Specialist Restorer!" and weren't happy it was safe (fork oil everywhere and he avoided their calls and wouldn't fix that problem).

Well...

Any time you have 2 mating surfaces together (brake disk against wheel, brake Caliper carrier against fork leg etc) it's not a good idea to have a massive sandwich of soft powdercoat between the two..

Had to go all through it removing powder coating from various mating surfaces.

Worst but was the forks, chunks of chrome chipped off the stanchions, presumably they used a steel tool (screwdriver) to fit the bushings and seals?.

Two new stanchions required at £190 each.

Not been near the wiring yet bit that looks as bad as the rest of the work!.

Again this just puts all us mechanics in a bad light and there's no need for it really.

Feel sorry for our new customer really, not a cheap job but they want it right before a European trip..