[LUAU] on-topic, finally!

[Jim Thompson]

On Sep 19, 2005, at 6:34 PM, Eric Hattemer wrote:

> Jim Thompson wrote:

>> The Land Cruiser (which will eventually be a hybrid) has a mini-itx
>> computer mounted in it.  Its the box on the right in this (warning:
>> quite large) photo
>> http://www.smallworks.com/~jim/LandCruiser/P8280034.JPG

> Two questions:  First, do you mean you are buying a new hybrid to
> replace this car, or you're actually hybridizing the car yourself?
> Second, what is the computer currently used for in the car?

I'll eventually hybridize the car (myself).   Right now its got a  
5.7L Vortec in it.   The mid-point
mod is to make it E85 friendly,  then to make it able to run on 100%  
Ethanol, though there are issues related to
lubrication of the valve train (and the resultant hit on longevity)  
when running on 100% Ethanol.

The engine, VCU and transmission (http://www.smallworks.com/~jim/ 
LandCruiser/PB190197.jpg) all came out of a wrecked pickup truck, so  
some potential waste there has been scavenged.

I already replaced the O2 sensors with 'wide band' versions, and the  
parts to convert the fuel injection system to be able to handle the  
additional volume requirement of running on E85 or 'pure' Ethanol are  
on order, and will be installed prior to my shipping the truck to  
Hawaii.   While rebuilding I paid special attention to the materials  
used in the fuel lines, etc, so I could use Ethanol or gasoline.   
(Ethanol and methanol will 'eat' butyl rubber.) I'll work on the fuel  
map (injector timing) and spark map issues once I get the truck here,  
and  hooked up to the computer.  (So I can download the fuel map  
while I'm on the road.)

(The fuel injection change-over is due to two reasons.  One is the  
(already) stated issue with being able to 'pulse' the injector for a  
longer duration, in order to support an E85 application, the second  
is because the OEM fuel injection system is known for sticking the  
poppets in the injectors, leading to mis-fire conditions, as well as  
the fact that they 'dribble' fuel into the cylinders.  Fuel milage is  
likely to go up by 10% or so, post change-over.)   Note that this  
substitution is GM approved for use in all 50 states, including  
California, so its "smog legal" as well.    The engine essentially  
makes water vapor while its running.

All the fluids (brake, ATF, engine oil, transfer case and  
differential) are synthetic.   Though we don't smog cars in Hawaii,  
the engine
will pass a Nevada smog test (requisite there for registration) to  
2002 standards.   (I didn't test it beyond that.)   In brief  
highway / city driving,
it gets 16mpg around town, and about 20mpg on the highway.   This is  
about 50% higher than the truck managed when 'new' (in 1974).

After that (in a few years) I'll probably be able to find a wrecked  
GM Hybrid pickup and pull the engine/control system
out of it, ship it to Hawaii, and install in in the land cruiser.   
I'm sorta waiting to see what the 2008 model GM P/U Hybrids look like.

I've also looked at what it would take to do a 'pure' hybrid, with an  
electric motor driving the transfer case.   There are quite
a few issues to be worked out there, but I've got the load capacity  
and space for a phat battery pack.  :-)

Yes, I know the 'yota is technically a "SUV", but it likely lighter  
than the car you drive.  (The entire body (cep for the fenders and  
hood) is made from post-consumer aluminum.    In fact there is very  
little steel present.  The frame is original (though its been boxed  
for strength) and (obviously) made from steel, and the engine is a  
cast-iron block, but when I replace it with the 5.3L Vortec (to get  
on the hybrid train), I'll shed 200lbs there as well.)    The  
transfer case is aluminum (though the gears inside it are steel.)    
Everything is powder coated (frame, cage, body(!).   Everything  
except the block on the engine.   The general idea is that it will  
still be on the road in 20 years when the rest of the land cruiser  
population have long since rusted into the ground.   After 20 years,  
I doubt I'll be able to get into it.  (It really wants a little  
ladder now.)

When we sell the VW, the wife and I will probably replace it with a  
Prius.

I put the heater / defroster (which you can see here, http:// 
www.smallworks.com/~jim/LandCruiser/P6290038.JPG
though its hidden now) in just in case I get to move to the big  
island and drive up to Mauna Kea on an occasional (or even frequent)  
basis.
You can also see the original case and location of the computer (when  
it was still blue) here.  So should I ever need a second CPU, its  
straight-forward to add.  Communication between the two computers  
would be via In-car Ethernet!  (a cross-over cable) :-)

Currently the computer is (will be, I have yet to ship it from Vegas  
to Hawaii) used for a couple things:

1) it will play mp3s and oggs (witness the 5 channel amp mounted next  
to it)   Rock-n-roll ain't noise pollution, but I'm more of a  
bluegrass fan these days.
2) It will have a plug to the ODBII port (ha!  its a '74 truck, but  
its got an ODBII port), allowing me to actually track things like
     fuel trim, O2 levels, engine load, coolant temp, etc.   See  
'freediag.sf.com'.    The ODBII port is located under the console  
(between the seats).
     This is technically a violation of the ODB standard (the plug is  
supposed to be within a few feet of the steering column), but its
     handy to leave the computer plugged in without a serial cable  
running across the floorboard.
3) It has a GPS connection (over USB) so I can record geo-location  
information.   I probably won't do a 'nav' system for it
     but it is nice to be able to say "I've been here before",  
independently verify vehicle speed, engine load .vs increasing  
altitude, etc.
4) I'll plug the Kenwood 2M/70cm radio in, and run APRS.  (My  
callsign is KD5FGA, for those of you who know what that means.)
5) Probably additional software for the HAM side of things.

All the issues with running from 12VDC in an automobile are taken  
care of.  (I use the iTuner/mini-box.com M1-ATX power supply,
and if you look closely the case is the iTuner/mini-box "VoomPC"  
enclosure, just sandblasted and polished.   Scott and a few other  
HOSEF folks
saw the case back when it was  still 'blue' like all of its  
brothers.  (I brought it to one of the "Talk Shop" sessions.)

The computer runs Gentoo at the moment.   Not shown is an 8" Liliput  
LCD touchscreen.   You can see the 200mW wireless card in the photo, but
that will be replaced by a 400mW Atheros card, so I can reach a  
little further and run as a AP and client simultaneously.     
Wardriving will never be the same.  :-)
I've thought about developing a convoy 'mesh' application, so a set  
of (ahem) "vehicles" going down the road can exchange data.  Semi- 
obvious military applications there.

There are semi-obvious commercial applications, mostly (in my mind)  
for fleet operations which allow you to throw out the touch screen  
and audio connectors.  Fleet owner/operators could be very interested  
in the state of maintenance of their vehicles, and any potential  
"abuse" that is occurring.  ("He sees you when you're speeding, he  
knows you've locked the brakes, he knows if you drive bad or good so  
be good for goodness sake!")   All this and a record of time/location  
could be either uploaded and maintained in real-time via a cellular  
data connection (anyone know if we've got EVDO on Oahu?) or when the  
truck pulls in to the yard for the night.   Its even possible to  
record audio and video of what is happening inside the car.

If I develop those, this is the platform.

I'm considering "GNU TOY" for a license plate.  (Its available, but I  
can't grab it until I ship it to Hawaii and register it here, so  
please don't grab it.)

jim