Need info on SplitSecond ESC1 experiences
09-08-2006, 05:29 AM
#21
Registered User
Thread Starter
Hmmm, lemme check that calendar...
ordered 8/10, got it 8/12, started this thread on 8/16. Back & forth with Gadget online at CT on 8/17, returned to URD on 8/21, they got it 8/23. Dropped off to SplitSecond on 8/24. No communication until I wrote looking for status on 9/1, got status on 9/5.
I heard from Brian late last night.. Unit was broken and stuck in "fake the ECU mode". I asked him to send up a new one.
Pressure sensor, opamp, trimmer pot, a couple of trannys. $30 in parts. sigh...
09-08-2006, 05:47 AM
#22
Contributing Member
:chicken: 
And Mark: you should make your own simple "ESC's" and sell them for about $100-$150. Nothing wrong with a little healthy competition 
09-08-2006, 06:23 AM
#23
Contributing Member
Hummm, broken huh. $30 parts for $200 and $30 shipping, sounds about right for the web shopper blues. Any chance they test these BEFORE they ship them out? Had you added a serial cable openning to your's Mark?
09-08-2006, 06:31 AM
#24
Contributing Member
There's no serial cable attachment on it, since it isn't programmable. Yours is all fancy Dale because its the URD AFR Calibrator, for WB sensors on 99+ trucks...
Last edited by mastacox; 09-08-2006 at 06:34 AM.
09-08-2006, 09:17 AM
#25
Registered User
Thread Starter
And yeah, like Brian (this Brian, not URD) said, there's nothing adjustable in this box. It's "potted" - that's where the innards are dipped in a black epoxy so that you can't even see anything.
09-08-2006, 10:27 AM
#26
Contributing Member
Yeah mine was potted too, but it still had a serial port inside:
09-08-2006, 10:33 AM
#27
Registered User
Thread Starter
Interesting! But yeah, the ESC1 isn't meant to be adjusted - it's said that the kick-in point can be adjusted, but no sign of a pot. Well, actually, there's a sticker on the bottom that says "don't remove this otherwise Guido will come for a visit" so there's probably a something behind it. Didn't feel like there was though.
09-26-2006, 01:54 PM
#28
Registered User
Thread Starter
Update...
I got a new ESC1 (shipped straight from SplitSecond) on 9/13, I had a chance to install it this past Sunday, and I just wrote this email to URD:
I'll pass on more as I hear more, but right now the ESC1 is an over-priced POS.
I got a new ESC1 (shipped straight from SplitSecond) on 9/13, I had a chance to install it this past Sunday, and I just wrote this email to URD:
Guys;
So, I installed the replacement ESC1 last weekend... it's causing some pretty nasty symptoms.
It "appears to be working" in that when there's any hint of boost it affects how the engine runs. But, the effect is some fairly violent stumbling, to the point of the engine being an inch from stalling. An additional symptom is that the BOOST gauge shows quick "snaps" of pressure changes from 2psi -> 12psi that's in time with the engine sputtering.
The symptoms go away when I back off the gas and I fall out of boost. Disconnecting the feed to the MAP on the ESC1 returns life to "normal".
I've tried adding/subtracting fuel and timing during the boost areas but without any effect. Dropping an A/FR meter on the output of the ESC1 shows the 14.7:1 ratio during boost, so it appears to be faking out the ECU as designed.
Any ideas?
So, I installed the replacement ESC1 last weekend... it's causing some pretty nasty symptoms.
It "appears to be working" in that when there's any hint of boost it affects how the engine runs. But, the effect is some fairly violent stumbling, to the point of the engine being an inch from stalling. An additional symptom is that the BOOST gauge shows quick "snaps" of pressure changes from 2psi -> 12psi that's in time with the engine sputtering.
The symptoms go away when I back off the gas and I fall out of boost. Disconnecting the feed to the MAP on the ESC1 returns life to "normal".
I've tried adding/subtracting fuel and timing during the boost areas but without any effect. Dropping an A/FR meter on the output of the ESC1 shows the 14.7:1 ratio during boost, so it appears to be faking out the ECU as designed.
Any ideas?
I'll pass on more as I hear more, but right now the ESC1 is an over-priced POS.
09-26-2006, 07:36 PM
#31
Registered User
Thread Starter
Yeah... I also have Brian's cell phone number and contact onto the east coast as well. I could also call SplitSecond and bypass the reseller.
URD's site says email's preferred and I don't like using "extreme resources" that I may have. I'd much rather just sit, play by the rules and let this sore fester for a bit.
URD's site says email's preferred and I don't like using "extreme resources" that I may have. I'd much rather just sit, play by the rules and let this sore fester for a bit.
10-01-2006, 02:09 PM
#33
Registered User
Thread Starter
Today was the first time I had to be able to get back into the box... I just sent this off to Gadget:
It appears that one channel of my box is flakey, so I moved to the other channel and things got better. I'm finding that I have to add a LOT of fuel (in terms of cranking up the numbers in the SMT map) but that makes sense due to the ECU technically being out of the picture.
At this point I'd have to say that the box works as advertised, but it appears that SplitSecond has some quality control issues. I still don't like the cost of the box considering what I believe it to be, but I guess that's the price you pay for vertical market low-volume no-competitor type devices.
Long term results will have to wait, but at this point I can say that I'm able to run as rich or as lean as I want when I'm under boost. I think this will work out okay in a temperate climate (such as around here), but unless you like to constantly re-tune, I wouldn't recommend it for, say, Arizona...
Hey man...
Well, things are better. I moved to the other side of the ESC1 (electrically) and things smoothed out, so it looks like the primary side of the box is toast.
I've driven about 200 miles with the box enabled today and am doing seat-of-the-pants tuning. It's definitely working in that it seems to keep the ECU out of the way and allow me to run as lean/rich as I want.
I should be able to dial things in better as the week goes on, but the key thing is that I'm able to run without the nasty pulsing that was happening.
Thanks for the support.
Mark
For the sake of clarity, and folks looking over our shoulder, the reference to "the other side of the ESC1" pertains to the ESC1 being a two-channel box so it will support faking out two O2 sensors. Both channels are identical in that they force the indication of a 14.7:1 A/FR under boost.Well, things are better. I moved to the other side of the ESC1 (electrically) and things smoothed out, so it looks like the primary side of the box is toast.
I've driven about 200 miles with the box enabled today and am doing seat-of-the-pants tuning. It's definitely working in that it seems to keep the ECU out of the way and allow me to run as lean/rich as I want.
I should be able to dial things in better as the week goes on, but the key thing is that I'm able to run without the nasty pulsing that was happening.
Thanks for the support.
Mark
It appears that one channel of my box is flakey, so I moved to the other channel and things got better. I'm finding that I have to add a LOT of fuel (in terms of cranking up the numbers in the SMT map) but that makes sense due to the ECU technically being out of the picture.
At this point I'd have to say that the box works as advertised, but it appears that SplitSecond has some quality control issues. I still don't like the cost of the box considering what I believe it to be, but I guess that's the price you pay for vertical market low-volume no-competitor type devices.
Long term results will have to wait, but at this point I can say that I'm able to run as rich or as lean as I want when I'm under boost. I think this will work out okay in a temperate climate (such as around here), but unless you like to constantly re-tune, I wouldn't recommend it for, say, Arizona...
10-02-2006, 05:05 AM
#34
Contributing Member
Why would it need to fake out two O2 sensors? Is it made to also support a dual exhaust vehicle or something?
10-02-2006, 05:21 AM
#35
Registered User
Thread Starter
I didn't ask him too, and honestly, if it's working then I really don't care to pull it out and try again.
You'd have to delve into Mark's (SplitSecond) mind for that answer. I figure that there must be some vehicles out there that require two sensors to be faked up.
This is the SplitSecond page for the ESC1:
http://splitsec.com/products/esc1/esc1ds.htm
Why would it need to fake out two O2 sensors? Is it made to also support a dual exhaust vehicle or something?
This is the SplitSecond page for the ESC1:
http://splitsec.com/products/esc1/esc1ds.htm
10-02-2006, 05:37 AM
#36
Contributing Member
You'd have to delve into Mark's (SplitSecond) mind for that answer. I figure that there must be some vehicles out there that require two sensors to be faked up.
This is the SplitSecond page for the ESC1:
http://splitsec.com/products/esc1/esc1ds.htm
This is the SplitSecond page for the ESC1:
http://splitsec.com/products/esc1/esc1ds.htm
10-02-2006, 09:47 AM
#38
Registered User
Thread Starter
Yeah... and I'm retracting anything good I've said about this box. I'm back to hating the POS.
It's VERY VERY flakey in terms of letting me push fuel. Yesterday things were okay and I could push fuel where I wanted to. This morning, I find that I'm back to the boost gauge pulsing at certain spots, no power under load (e.g. a 10% hill) and my A/FR is generally 15.5:1 - VERY lean.
For those familiar with the SMT modules, I have my Fuel Zero Trim set to 4, and I have _15_'s in the cells where I'm under boost. THIS IS A LOT. It's basically the equivalent of running the injectors wide open - I'm running a Walbro with 370cc injectors so I'm dumping a TON of fuel.
I'm thinking two things - 1) the box is whacked; 2) the ECU is still in the loop, the ESC1 hasn't sufficiently faked it out.
I'll look at fuel trims on the way home tonight to see if I can confirm that the ECU is still active.
It's VERY VERY flakey in terms of letting me push fuel. Yesterday things were okay and I could push fuel where I wanted to. This morning, I find that I'm back to the boost gauge pulsing at certain spots, no power under load (e.g. a 10% hill) and my A/FR is generally 15.5:1 - VERY lean.
For those familiar with the SMT modules, I have my Fuel Zero Trim set to 4, and I have _15_'s in the cells where I'm under boost. THIS IS A LOT. It's basically the equivalent of running the injectors wide open - I'm running a Walbro with 370cc injectors so I'm dumping a TON of fuel.
I'm thinking two things - 1) the box is whacked; 2) the ECU is still in the loop, the ESC1 hasn't sufficiently faked it out.
I'll look at fuel trims on the way home tonight to see if I can confirm that the ECU is still active.
10-03-2006, 05:58 AM
#39
Contributing Member
If you're dumping a ton of fuel why are you showing lean? Both of these can't be right. Either you're not dumping a ton of fuel or your A/F gauge is wrong.
Last edited by mt_goat; 10-03-2006 at 06:00 AM.
10-03-2006, 06:04 AM
#40
Registered User
Thread Starter
I pulled the vacuum/boost feed to the box last night and the truck runs "normal" (well, "normal" for me!). No sputtering, the power's back on an incline, etc.
"I love my truck", "I love my truck", "I love my truck"
