ca18det stock ECU wiring as standalone

[ska69]

Hey everyone,

is it possible to wire up the ca18det ecu as a standalone, e.g in a separate harness, like when installing into a datsun or some other non CA18 car? If so, where can I find wiring diagrams for this?

any help appreciated!

[TheMAN]

in an S13, the engine harness is pretty much separate from the rest of the car anyway... there's only one or two connection points to the body and dashboard harnesses, with just a dozen or two wires... so in other words, it's very possible and seems easy enough to make it work the way you want

[ska69]

these wires you're talking about I'm concerned about. I know that the coilpack ignitor and iirc injector resistor is in the chassis harness.. I want to redo the chassis wiring and probably leave the stock ca18det ecu for now...should I just follow the FSM diagrams?

[TheMAN]

sure

[themadscientist]

The CA engine management stuff is dinosaur technology. I wouldn't work too hard to reuse it in something else.

[ska69]

cannot disagree with you I'm looking forward to replace it with Megasquirt I II or even III but at this point I think I need to start off with the stock ecu and upgrade step-by-step as I'm no electrician and have a very cloudy understanding of the stock wiring.

[themadscientist]

I'm ripping all mine out and going full aftermarket wiring engine and body. The old rats nest drives me crazy.

[ska69]

that's exactly where I'm coming from. I ripped out both engine and body harnes together with the engine s before all the body work. aftermarket body harness...I've been looking into those universal hotrod wiring harnesses and ISIS multiplexing wiring...the first one is cheap and doesn't have enough wiring for me whilst the latter one is very expensive. what's on your mind?

[themadscientist]

I don't know which body harness I'll use. I already have the Haltech to run the engine.

[ska69]

oh...thought someone could give me some advice on this matter as well...

e6x? or sprint 500?

[float_6969]

The japaneese harnesses were more isolated from the body harness than the european harnesses work.

[ska69]

if so, are you suggesting the replace the ecu and engine harness as well as the body harness? I'd do so but have have serious concerns that I'll be able to start off the megasquirt ecu right away.