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General => General discussion => Topic started by: danhock on 14 November 2003, 12:48

Title: PC Installed in a Car?
Post by: danhock on 14 November 2003, 12:48
Anyone tried this??

Can't see it being a problem....

Thought about mounting a small flat screen in the front,
Does the mk1 golf have an onboard computer that can be accessed??

Dan
Title: Re:PC Installed in a Car?
Post by: tinman on 14 November 2003, 13:07
you probably could connect to the ecu, although you'd probably have to reverse engineer part of it and design a rs232 interface for it. you could then use a pc to pick up and translate the signals from there.

Tin
Title: Re:PC Installed in a Car?
Post by: AdamB on 14 November 2003, 13:10
Tin, it sounds quite obvious when you put it like that! ???
Title: Re:PC Installed in a Car?
Post by: Dizzie on 14 November 2003, 15:48
the mk1 had an ecu?  ::)
Title: Re:PC Installed in a Car?
Post by: danhock on 14 November 2003, 16:26
Thats the problem!!
The Mk1 doesnt have an ECU does it???

Theres a computer thing in the dash which gives MPG and speed etc... Should be able to connect into that.

I assume its a serial connection so should be easy enough.

Also seeing as All Pc's run on 12V DC i'm guessing (with care) i could wire it up easy enough.
Title: Re:PC Installed in a Car?
Post by: Dizzie on 14 November 2003, 16:40
there's no serial connection on a golf. not that I've found anyway. There's nothing to controll if you have the K-jet injection.

what would be the point in hooking into the MFA anyway?

Title: Re:PC Installed in a Car?
Post by: tinman on 14 November 2003, 18:26
Thats the problem!!
The Mk1 doesnt have an ECU does it???

Theres a computer thing in the dash which gives MPG and speed etc... Should be able to connect into that.

I assume its a serial connection so should be easy enough.

Also seeing as All Pc's run on 12V DC i'm guessing (with care) i could wire it up easy enough.

but you dont have a mk1. yuo have a mk1 with a 16v engine, so unless your pushing it - you have a 16v ecu. somewhere.

12 volts - yes and no. there is a 5v lead needed also. and a -5 and -12 i think.

your best bet if you want to control things from a pc is to use an old laptop.

Tin

Title: Re:PC Installed in a Car?
Post by: Dizzie on 14 November 2003, 18:34
a pc needs more than just 12 and 5 volts. all the wires in the ATX plug on the mobo are 3.3 and other voltages like that.
Title: Re:PC Installed in a Car?
Post by: Overseer on 14 November 2003, 19:15
try the forums at www.mp3car.com for a start

and these lil mboards are great www.mini-itx.com
Title: Re:PC Installed in a Car?
Post by: kniterider on 14 November 2003, 21:39
get your self a nice laptop rigged up, then you can monitor what your thinking of monitoring, and if its got dvd a bangin great 14" or 15" screen, just make a custom cover for it some where, and it would look sweet, you dont want all that heavy pc crap in there get a laptop
Title: Re:PC Installed in a Car?
Post by: danhock on 17 November 2003, 11:57
Thats the problem!!
The Mk1 doesnt have an ECU does it???

Theres a computer thing in the dash which gives MPG and speed etc... Should be able to connect into that.

I assume its a serial connection so should be easy enough.

Also seeing as All Pc's run on 12V DC i'm guessing (with care) i could wire it up easy enough.

but you dont have a mk1. yuo have a mk1 with a 16v engine, so unless your pushing it - you have a 16v ecu. somewhere.

12 volts - yes and no. there is a 5v lead needed also. and a -5 and -12 i think.

your best bet if you want to control things from a pc is to use an old laptop.

Tin



Is there an ECU?
News to me!!!!

Thought it was mechanical.

Title: Re:PC Installed in a Car?
Post by: golfvr6 on 17 November 2003, 22:33
Thats correct, the 16v are all k-jets until the mk3 16v came out.
Title: Re:PC Installed in a Car?
Post by: Alexg40 on 17 November 2003, 22:46
YODA Motorsport RS Turbo (sorry!) has a PC and Monitor installed in it. Well cool and monitors all the fuses and stuff.
Title: Re:PC Installed in a Car?
Post by: mk1 on 17 November 2003, 22:55
9a 16v uses a cis system with a motronic ecu, lots of inputs with this system (as I found out ::)). Early 16v uses a "ecu" for ign timing and knock controll. Motronic systems can be monitored in real time using a scan tool. What do you want to do with the PC?.
Title: Re:PC Installed in a Car?
Post by: AdamB on 17 November 2003, 23:21
I think somebody has been watching a little too much Fast and the Furious!!! leave it to the rice burners, and Novas, unless its just to play Solitaire whilst stuck in the morning rush hour!
Title: Re:PC Installed in a Car?
Post by: golfvr6 on 17 November 2003, 23:28
9a 16v uses a cis system with a motronic ecu, lots of inputs with this system (as I found out ::)). Early 16v uses a "ecu" for ign timing and knock controll. Motronic systems can be monitored in real time using a scan tool. What do you want to do with the PC?.

The 16v didn't have knock control (if you mean KR), was the ignition timing adjustable on the KR? i thought it was. The 9A is the best of the early engines, essentially k-jet but with ecu control.
Title: Re:PC Installed in a Car?
Post by: mk1 on 17 November 2003, 23:36
There is no advance mechanism in a kr distributor, timing is "ecu" controlled and there is one knock sensor 'tween cylinders 2and3. Set the base timing and the "ecu" looks after the advance from its map, timing is retarded if it starts to pink.
Steve.
Title: Re:PC Installed in a Car?
Post by: golfvr6 on 17 November 2003, 23:41
KR doesn't have a knock sensor as standard, thats why 98RON fuel is required. Do you mean the 9A engine?
Title: Re:PC Installed in a Car?
Post by: danhock on 18 November 2003, 11:46
The reason i was considering putting a PC in my car is that is quite cheap (i work for a IT company) and its easy to setup with the Stereo for MP3 etc...

Also i could setup a DVD player in the back for my son if i wished and woulndt cost much.

just an idea really....

It would be a bonus if it linked into an ECU or onboard sensors (Fuel?).
Title: Re:PC Installed in a Car?
Post by: AdamB on 18 November 2003, 12:10
I have to say I did consider it for the exact same reasons, but the thought of leaving a ?1000 laptop in a golf cab (I presume you are putting it in your cab?) is really just inviting someone to slash the roof!! There is so much more you could do to it than make it a nice family run about with a dvd for the nipper! get him a gameboy, and spend the rest on mods
Title: Re:PC Installed in a Car?
Post by: danhock on 18 November 2003, 12:24
Thats why i was going to install it in the boot...

The space is no good for anything else!

Should be able to make it invisible to those t@ssers.
Title: Re:PC Installed in a Car?
Post by: AdamB on 18 November 2003, 17:51
The boot on a cab is good for one thing IMO - amps and subs!! Need them with the roof down ;)
Title: Re:PC Installed in a Car?
Post by: modulater on 19 November 2003, 20:40
You could install a toilet in your car, DAMN, peugeot got there years ago, bloody french.