Hydra EMS Forums

[schmoo-msm]

This is a copy of the email I've sent to AiM support. Hoping Hydra Support Staff can also weigh-in ASAP. Thanks.

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Subject: MXL Pro & Hydra EMS 2.6: Setup Issues

Hi,

You nice folks recently tested my MXL Pro and shipped me a new SmartyCam, a modified harness for the cam, and 22-pin harness for the connection to my Hydra EMS Nemesis v2.6 ECU via RS-232. Thanks very much again!

I’ve got everything roughly installed and in doing the initial configuration I’ve hit a couple of snags so I’m hoping you can point me in the right direction.

1. Data from ECU

The two units are communicating, but some values are a little wonky:

- HYDRA_WATERTEMP is displaying impossible figures -- reading over 250F even if the engine is cold and not running. When I put Race Studio 2 into * mode with the logger and click on “Show ADC Counts”, I see ERR displayed at HYDRA_WATERTEMP. The Hydra * always displays expected water temps (cold engine, cold water, etc).
- HYDRA_MAP is displaying figures, but interpreting them is difficult as the engine is in vacuum while sitting in my garage, so I’m wondering how the system will display vacuum if I choose psi as the display unit. Will it show psia when in vacuum and psi when in boost? I’m happy to recalibrate my brain to new units, but would like to know how the unit will display what it gets from the Hydra and whether the unit choice in the Hydra * will have any effect. Note that the Hydra * has a separate data points for boost and for vacuum.

- HYDRA_BATTVOLT reads about 0.8v lower than the MXL built-in BATT reading. Not sure which to trust. When I put Race Studio 2 into * mode with the logger and click on “Show ADC Counts”, I see ERR displayed at HYDRA_BATTVOLT.

In addition, a few of the readings are flashing on the display, rather than appearing steadily. This affects HYDRA_BATT, HYDRA_LAMBDA, and HYDRA_WATERTEMP. HYDRA_WATERTEMP is worst as it will be blank for a few seconds, display a value for a second or two, and then vanish again for several seconds. All the other values display nice, clean, stable digits.

2. SmartyCam Integration

The two are talking, but there appears to be no way to access LongAcc values. I can only find LatAcc in the various drop-down menus. I was under the impression that the SmartyCam would measure LongAcc.

General Context

In case some additional context might help you in responding, I’ll add the following:

- SmartyCam is new
- MXL Pro and 37-pin harness were tested and updated by AiM support in California in the last month
- 22-pin harness is new and was modded by AiM to work with the SmartyCam before it was shipped to me
- The 37-pin harness’s red power wire and its ground wire are connected to the cigarette lighter’s power and ground wires, respectively, using Scotch Lock connectors. Nothing else on the 37-pin harness is connected
- The Hydra and MXL are connected using a custom serial cable and crimp connections as per this document
- When I attach my laptop to the Hydra using Hydra’s *, the values are displayed in Imperial Units (fahrenheit, psi/mmHg, volts, AFR, mph). I can switch the values to metric (Centigrade, kpa, volts, AFR, kph) in the *, but that switch affects all values at once. I’ve selected imperial values on the Hydra and in my MXL configuration.
- MXL Firmware, SmartyCam Firmware, Race Studio 2, and SmartyManager are the newest versions listed here as of June 16, 2010

Thank you for your attention. I’m really looking forward to getting this system working nicely.

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2004 Mazdaspeed MX-5 with FM Big Enchilada

[schmoo-msm]

HydraEMS-NA, Hydraems Tech,

Any insights?
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2004 Mazdaspeed MX-5 with FM Big Enchilada

[HydraEMS-NA]

The power and ground should be supplied by the hydra to prevent noise through the line. You can use C1 for power and C2 for ground. Just t the wires into the hydra harness.

As for value descrpencies, there is not much that can be done at this moment since we are now working on the 2.7 development and 2.6 development has offically stopped about 6 months ago.For the 2.6, we were using standard Aimsports protocols that might have had conflicts in the translation and was a little buggy.

I suggest you upgrade to a 2.7 CAN enabled ecu when it is available. That will allow you to have both aim sports dash and laptop tuning at same time. Also the 2.7 will have our own protocols to be giving to aimsports that will have everything the laptop data-logs to be displayable on the aimsports dash.

[schmoo-msm]

So despite the announcement that Hydras will work with AiM dashes, you're essentially saying its buggy and its not getting fixed? Moreover, you want me to take on faith that if I * for the 2.7 upgrade everything will work fine?

Back to my current situation. To make sure I understand, you're suggesting that I get power and ground from the Hydra's serial connection and attach those those the logger?

AiM gives this as the connection protocol:

To connect AIM loggers to HYDRA EMS 2.6, connect the cables as follows:
• AIM cable labelled “RS232RX” to pin 2 of the DB9 female connector
• AIM cable labelled “RS232TX” to pin 3 of the DB9 female connector
• AIM cable labelled “GND” to pin 5 of the DB9 female connector

AiM's instructions for the connection: http://www.aim-sportline.com/*/ecu/racing/aim_Hydra_Ems_2.5_2.6_100_eng.pdf

Since you're suggesting C1 for power and C2 for ground, I'm assuming C1 and C2 are not on the serial connector. Could you further elaborate on where these connections are?

Thanks.
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2004 Mazdaspeed MX-5 with FM Big Enchilada

[schmoo-msm]

Hello? Anyone there?
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2004 Mazdaspeed MX-5 with FM Big Enchilada

[MR Controls]

C1 and C2 are on the big blue connector on the hydra. Pull the connector off and remove the blue retaining clip and you will see the pin labels.
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http://www.mrcontrols.com