Engine management systems?

[strudel]

Why is it that there are a lot of people not using the standard Honda ecu's? It would seem to be the most cost effective and easiest route to go. It must be all you power hungry types that need more than 125 HP over and above the original 35 or so mini horses!!!!

I say that as I have stripped out the complete wiring harness out of the Honda and plan to scrap the Mini stuff altogether. If you are starting from a shell anyway might as well use newer technology and non Lucas parts, eh? For those of you using newer and working Minis I guess splicing in makes for a bit of work to get it right?

[BassAddict]

Not much wiring in an old clubby estate to start with ! :wink: I've gone for the DTA ECU for a 'progression' of reasons - a B18 who's standard inlet doesn't fit - leading to TB's - hence ditching the Honda ECU - wishing I'd got a B16 now and saved a LOT of cash !!! Doh !! :roll:
Rich

[MiniMike]

Strudel, I used the Honda ECU and for me it was a matter of saving the $$$. I also figured if Honda already had it figured out, why mess with success. The hard part was removing everything in the harness not related to the engine management. It was time consuming and a bit scary cutting out all the wiring, but it all worked in the end!

[duck]

I was planning on using the Honda ECU, are all of the wires to the ECU still used or have you removed ones that were not needed ? just want to get an idea of what is involved.

Thanks

[strudel]

Duck, I think what MiniMike was referring to was that he kept all the wiring for the ecu. Since he kept all the other oem Mini wiring(lights,etc) he stripped out the stuff he didn't require so that I presume the harness was less cumbersome.

I personally will try and use all the Honda wiring as I have it from a complete car. There probably be a few extra wires that I won't use or possibly use for something else. I should think since mine is stripped to a shell anyway, that is the best course. The 1960 vintage cables and connectors don't hold for a reliable system as far as I'm concerned. The lighting system wasn't that elaborate and extensive to begin with!

[MiniMike]

Strudel is right. I started with the Honda engine harness and the other Honda harnesses as well, labeled everything and then stripped out all the non engine stuff, as I was using the Mini harnesses for all the lighting etc. I used the Honda harness for the ECU, the alternator, and then tied the Mini ignition into the staring circuit on the Honda harness. So the Mini key starts the car, the Honda runs the engine and charging system, and the rest of the stuff is Mini.

[FeEBLeUK]

Thats what im going to do too. I have, still connected to the brain, quite alot of the wiring. You can see which bits branch off, some to the dashboard, some to the engine, some to the door latches etc. Shouldnt take too much to work it out. Someone here should make up a guide though to become famous, just brief wire colours or something.

[MiniMike]

It's not easy to make up a generic guide, as Honda wires all the cars slightly different for each of the models. One thing you can count on though is that the ECU pinout seems to be standard, although there are 3 different types of Honda ECUs, each having their own pinout configuration. The best thing to do is order the electrical manual from Honda that matches the car your harness was removed from. They are extremely detailed and make the job fairly easy. They have pictures and pin outs of every connector, plus explanations on how things work, as well as easy to read wiring diagrams with all proper color coding and connectors identified. Have fun!

[FeEBLeUK]

Probably will do :)

I personally will try and use all the Honda wiring as I have it from a complete car. There probably be a few extra wires that I won't use or possibly use for something else.

That's exactly what i did. All the Lucas stuff had to exit. My mini is completly Honda wired...included all steering column switches and fusebox

Marko

[Minimivic]

I'm also using a complete honda wiring loom with switches and clocks to match.
Its not that dificult to seperate the wiring that isnt used, them all you have to do it sort out head lights and tail lights...Easy...

Its not that dificult to seperate the wiring that isnt used, them all you have to do it sort out head lights and tail lights...Easy...

What did you separate then?
The Honda loom has nothing extra? Ok, it included audio wiring and electric roof... but who know's maybe i use that also..

Marko

[Minimivic]

I seperated the ABS and SRS systems and lots of other electrical stuff that I wasnt going to use. Its surprising how much wire was left over.

After culling out all the non engine management stuff, there was no point in using the Honda fuseboxes as there was only a few fuses left that were actually used. i removed them and replaced them with two small after market fuse boxes that used the blade style fuses. They were much easier to fit into the car than the Honda ones. Of the 50 or so Honda fuses I onlu needed about 8 or so to run the engine.

[MiniMike]

The last post was mine...didn't realize I was not logged in..Mike

[Minimivic]

I decided to go the route of using all the honda switches and instruments. By using the honda fuse box it was just plug and play. All the comectors are colour coded and only have 1 place to go.
The fuse box also contains an intergrated control unit for wipers and indicators, so if going the complete honda wiring I recommend using the honda fuse box and as many of the standard switches you can get away with (might be dificult if you want to kep the mini look, I didnt).
If you are just going to add the engine to a car and link the honda engine loom into the mini then it should be a matter of a few wires to connect.
The UK cars have a transponder key imobiliser which is very hard to bypass, the transponder is linked to the output of the ECU and will not let the injectors pulse (so paul if you cant get injectors working your mates bypass didnt work). If someone can supply me with good wiring diagrames from a UK honda civic say 96-99 i will be willing to write a guide on how to use the honda ECU with mini electrics.

[FeEBLeUK]

Id also find that VERY usefull!!! YES PLEASE :)

[james]

i have got a honda v-tec engine and i want it in my mini clubman has anyone got any information or specs to help me do it?

[PaulC]

Minimivic, I remember seeing this on another post HTTP://www.honda.co.uk/owner/workshopmanuals2.html It was posted by Bassaddict. It has electrical sections but i don't know what they are like,as i can never open pdf's on my computer.
But if they are any good i would really appreciate a wiring diagram on how to join the mini and honda looms together.

Thanks Paul C

[Minimivic]

Mintec,

The info on honda's site is no good for what we need, its god for other bits though.

I am willing to help you do your wiring and it will help me make the write up. Can you let me know what year your engine and wiring is and also any info that you have about it.

BTW:

HAPPY NEW YEAR

[duck]

Minimivic a couple of questions as you have used the honda ECU:

Looking at the wiring diagrams, are you using a speed sensor ? if you are what/where is it ?

Does the ECU function correctly if connections such as the rear defogger, a/c switch, check engine warning light are not connected ?

Are you using all of the vacuum connections i.e charcoal canister, purge cut-off, pressure regulator etc

I think I may have under estimated the parts I will need to use the Honda ECU, I did not get the injector resistor, main relay or speed sensor.

Thanks for any info you can give us

[Minimivic]

Duck,

I am unsure if I am using a speed sensor unless it is part of the Speedo system, I dont think the UK cars had this so I'm probably not using it.

I dont use the charcole filter but most of the other bits are as honda intended.

My engine check light function properly but I have disconnected the ABS and SRS waring lights.

Remember Im using most of the Honda wiring and it made life a lot easier than intergrating with the mini electrics.

Where in somerset are you?

[duck]

Minimivic I was looking at the diagrams mentioned on the honda site, they have a good one that shows all of the connections to the ECU (pin numbers and what they connect to) and that is were I saw the speed sensor:
http://www.honda.co.uk/owner/CRXManual/62sh222/6-9.pdf

Once I open up the loom it will become a bit clearer I think.

I am in Chard, not to far from you I see.

[Minimivic]

That diagram looks easy, it must be from an early car.

The wiring I had to contend with was a lot more complicated.

If yours is the same as that I will be no problem, i dont understand why there is a connection to the ecu for Brake switch, Rear fogger and A/C though :?
The injector resistors are probably part of the engine loom or solered into the injector plugs, so probably dont need to worry about them unless you are building an engine loom as well. :shock:
I have a spare main relay if you havent got 1

[PaulC]

Happy new year!

Minivic,

As yet i haven't got an engine and loom mainly because i have little space to put them and also i am trying to find a whole car because that way i can hear the engine running and everything i will need is there. Plus scrap yards want £800 Plus vat and then i still need the driveshafts and injection etc etc. So if anyone knows of any civic vti's ( the 160 BHP one) then please let me know.

Also i was going to draw some sort of wiring diagram when i do it for other people to use.

Paul C

[FeEBLeUK]

Think mine is from an earlier model too because i the whole ecu still dangling connected to the engine/fuse box etc, and theres not that much left over, other than cut off parts that went up the door pillar for inteerior lights/dashboard/doors.