Data Acquisition

[Eagle7]

I don't see data acquisition mentioned in the ITCS, other than the allowance to add gauges and instruments. It is mentioned in the SS and Touring sections.

My questions are primarily about fuel injected cars with ECUs and sensors.
Is it allowable to monitor any of the signals in the harness? One simple example of this might be connecting an aftermarket tach. Everybody does it, and doesn't seem to worry about where/how they connect it, but is it always legal? I'm not sure.

What if I want to monitor a signal from my air flow meter, or another of the stock sensors. I don't know how I'd do it without splicing into (modifying) the harness. Then there's the uncertainty of whether the monitoring device might be modifying the signal. Seems illegal to me.

What if I want to monitor the ECU? The ITCS clearly forbids "the addition of wiring, sensors, or piggybacked computers". Seems like an external device monitoring the ECU would fail this test. A monitor inside the ECU box is certainly legal.
What if I could rig a wireless connection to an logging device. Is it still a "piggybacked computer"? Is it legal? If so, how do we know that it's only monitoring, and not controlling? Or maybe wireless control is legal.

I wish I could plug my wideband O2 gauge into my ECU and connect an external logging device so I could review what happened during competition sessions, like I do on test days. On the other hand, I don't think I'd like a rule set that allowed that, because it seems like it would allow further performance enhancements as well.

[Knestis]

My wideband O2 sensor and DL1 DA system are guages - they monitor the car just like an electronic tach with a rev recall feature. I pull signals off of the wiring harness for engine speed and the MAF signal, and run the 5v output of the AFX system to an input on the DL1.
K

[jlucas]

I can try to get some clarification for you.

Kirk, where did you get your DL1....

[imported_Webmaster]

Where?, Hey .. they are a site sponsor... link is in banner rotation...

[Greg Amy]

Ditto for me. Al Seim is a great guy to work with, and the DL-1 rocks. I credit that toy with 1-2 seconds per lap each track (don't laugh, I can prove it!) - Greg

[ddewhurst]

Tangent.......................

O-well, so be it. Has anyone tried or heard of anyone using the Road Dyno? It receives a signal each time a specific plug fires along with some data for gears, tire, coeficent of drag, vehicle weight & whatever else giving one a torque/hp plot to +/- 3 hp after down loaded to a pc. It is advertised in this months SportsCar.

www.franklinracingproducts.com