Hello,

MrGone & I have rigged up an LED for the variable intake on our cars. You guessed it, it lights up when the valve for the VI is open, and turns off when it's closed.

Wiring wasn't too difficult, as I just spliced a wire onto the wire for the solenoid that controls the VI and ran that to an LED, then connected it to a 12v source (I'm using the cigarette lighter in my setup). The ECU supplies 12v current whenever the VI is closed (to keep the solenoid closed), and grounds it when it's open (which makes perfect sense). I have the LED mounted right behind the plastic grille that is to the left of the stereo.

Here's a quick video of it in operation: http://launch2k.com/maxima/vi/.

 

Let me be the first to say awesome job. That gets a 10 on the cool factor. Just another thing that seperates us from the far inferior 4th gens out there.

 

Thanks man. I'll have more pictures of the setup and a small writeup posted up later.

It's late and I'm lazy. I don't want to go outside in the freezing cold to take pictures.

 

yeah guys, its pretty cool because you know more about whats going on inside your engine. I am also thinking about making a switched VTC ground (Spipedong90 did this recently too), and also possiably a LED for the VTC's just to see whats up with them

I'm not too sure yet, but I suspect the VI works more on engine load/throttle position than it does based on engine RPM (like the 4th gens). I try doing the same thing to a 5th gen because it is factory, while a US 4th gen isnt.

Really though, it is really cool. I dont think the video captures its functionality because you cant pickup the engine load/throttle position from the camera. Also the LED is brighter than the camera shows, I think the stereo took away from the intensity of the LED.

 

Crazy Alpine and its crazy bright buttons.

 

New picture and video have been uploaded.

Please see http://launch2k.com/maxima/vi/.

 

That's an excellent idea, fellas!! Congrats!

 

could even wire it into that spare orange light onthe dash that craig brace explains about on his site!

Nice work though guys!

Be sure to post if you get an LED going for the VTC's, cause that would be a cool light to have for us plebs with autos

 

yea i just thought of that. GREAT idea. ill wire an LED to the one of the spare spots in the dash, you know, where the high beam, abs, seatbelt, ect lights are..humm that would be sweet think ill do either a red or white led.

 

Awesome idea, very innovative!!

 

I was going to move the LED up to the console so I could see it easier, but then it'd be coming on every time that I would be more than half throttle in the low end. That might get kind of annoying

 

You so craaazay!

Next mod I'm gonna do is a light in the dash that tells me if the turn signal bulb is on......oh....wait.

I can see how this would be irritating if it were in the dash cluster, but it would be totally bling if it were, say integrated with another gauge in a gauge pod.

Also, I thought the 3rd gen VI was controlled by vacuum, not electrical signal... obviously not.

edit: here's craig's howto as well: http://www.geocities.com/craigbraceg...uge_light.html

and finally, I've been thinking about the VTC light for a while, and I think I've figured it out. I'm getting off work early today and I'm going to test the idea. It's a bit strange to accomodate my manually switched VTC's.

 

The ECU sends an electrical signal to the solenoid which sends a vacuum source to the power valve actuator.

But, an easier way to rig up this light would be to find the wire going into the ECU harness connector. All the ECU does when it wants to activate the VI, is to ground the wire just like Shawn said. So, you can do it all from that single wire going into the ECU.

I wired up my cooling fan switch this way ever since Jime gave me this great idea. Check out the schematic in a FSM and how the ECU activates it, then you will be able to figure it out. But most of the ECU functions are by grounding the source. Others are by changing the voltage, which is another issue.

 

Actually... last I checked... 4th (and early 5th) gens have VI available to them. Granted not stock but it is a JDM piece that many of them have gotten and installed. It's actually a very popular mod...

 

All 5th gens have a VI, VQ30 or VQ35 does not matter, they have VI's. Also the VE30DE-k (00-01 5th gen) as a composite intake manifold that is actually is better than the 4th gen MEVI (Middle Eastern Variable Intake).

Next on the list is to wire up LED's so I know when each coil is firing, and then I might do the same for each injector.

 

If the LED is plugged in to the ECU wire...then the ECU could be sending the signal but how do you know that it is "really" opening?

 

Lol at that point the glare from the led's won't let you drive at night. It will be a giant light show inside the max.

 

Well, it's the same thing Shawn's way. He tapped into the solenoid signal, which is the same wire as on the ECU harness. But the only way my way wouldn't work and his way would is if a fusible link between the ECU and solenoid is broken. I blieve there's a fuse inline, but I"m too lazy to look at my schematic right now.

But it's the same wire. Also, as I was flipping through my FSM last night, I found something I've never seen before. The VI opens at 4K on the VE.

 

I love 3rdGens, but did you ever hear of the MEVI? Granted, it wasn't factory in the United States, but...

 

Pervis Anathema- read my last post

Aaron- I read that too and thought it was interesting, but last night we were able to get the VI to open before 3000rpm. Just quickly jabbing the gas pedal (and this was before we were messing with the light, not that it changed anything). I think the VI is controlled based on throttle postition/engine load or something. The car was just running in neutral, I was outside watching the VI, Dave was in the drivers seat. hmmmm.

 

See that's really cool. I've always wondered the REAL time the VI opens. B/c all I read in my FSM is a way to test it with it ON the car and without a vacuum pump. The FSM ECU pin says it the ECU grounds the wire to activate the VI. And it says to test the voltage while your QUICKLY jamming the throttle up to 4K. So I just assumed it was designed to open at 4K. That's all.

But I'm very sure it has to do with throttle position and how aggressively you stomp on the gas. This is good info to know since I am going to put a VI on my VE Auto one day and probably use a Harlan switch. OR I can just flip a switch manually and I won't have to buy that expensive Harlan switch. lol

 

Twelve lights total. Heck, it would like a booster-equalizer. Somthing nice to look at though.

 

Well, I have spent a bit more time tinkering with the VI and LED setup I have in my car. Here's some of my gatherings:

Regarding the throttle position comment made above: For those of you with VE 5spd's and have a pop-charger like intake (or just simply a cone filter attached to the MAF sensor, like me), and have heard the intake whistling whenever the throttle is at like 1/3 (just guessing here), well, it's related to the VI. The VI opens when you hear that whistling.

You may also notice that between 3000 and 4000 rpm the whistling disappears, then comes back after 4000. My theory is that intake geometry in our cars just happen to whistle when it's working most efficiently (at 1/3 throttle). So, the whistling happens at 1/3 throttle, with the VI on, in the low end, and in the high end, with the VI off, also at 1/3 throttle.

Also, to hopefully rid all misinformation about this in the future, the VI is for low-end power only. If my setup is correct (and I am pretty sure that it is), if the throttle is more than 1/3 (or close to), the ECU grounds out the power control valve solenoid, (and my LED turns on), "opening" the VI, then around 3500-3600 (not exactly sure, can't keep an eye on the tach, LED, and the road at the same time) the ECU puts 12v back to the solenoid, turning my LED off and "closing" the VI. My LED does not come on after 4k RPM or if the throttle is less than 1/3 depressed.

So, in closing, I think it's safe to assume that the VI, and the VTC's too, help the VE kick *** in the low end power range.

 

Tell me something I didn't already know


hehehe, just joking bud, hehe. That's kind of wierd how the whistling is related to the VI. I wonder what would happen if you put the stock air box back on, maybe it muffles it. Actually better yet, maybe it has something to do with the resonator?

Hmmm. I need to wire up a light and play around some.

[edit]oops, I forgot to attach my spectacular sig to this post.[/edit]

 

My VE > Your VE!

What now!??!

 

 

It is RPM not RPM's...grrrrrrrr

 

lol, sorry, you're correct. I'll edit my post.

 

This is interesting. I didn't think the intake whistle was a leak, all of my fittings seemed to be tightened snug.

also, wouldn't it actually be R'sPM? :P

 

Hey Dave, when I buy the FTSB, send me a light too

 

That thing is unnecessary and I want one

 

Hm, so you people want kits?

 

Depending on price of course...yeah. It's totally useless but it would be so cool to have

 

Hey Dave, u can throw one in for me very soon!

 

Hey, where did you get that rear window wing from. That's hott!!

 

edzmax do u have a manual now. VI is also on VE not vg

 

Spazz..... Wrong.

VG's have VI's too

 

Got it from a 92 Jap Max in junk yard. Was a very good score, don't u think

 

I knew that would happen I wasn't really sure I should have said I think!

U learn something new every day now only if I really cared.

 

I need one of those rear window wings, now im gonna being searching everywhere for one of those!