I recently picked up a TII and want to go standalone with it so that I can eventually go monster turbo. I have been looking at Haltech(cheapest yet worthwhile) and Microtech(expensive and kind of dated). My biggest question is what are the best haltech's in order from from greatest to least greatest?

My only issue is what is the best route to go with wiring the whole thing? I am experinced with wiring and can have lots of patience with it since the final outcome is going to be well worth it.


Also is there a way i can set everything up yet keep my stock parts(this is a 10th AE) so that if i ever decide to sell the car i could put all the stock stuff back in and get more out of it. So in otherwards not hack up my original harness. Also how would i go about this? Grab another S4 TII harness i suppose to rob all the plugs off of?


I do also know i will need to have the Haltech tuned and a Wideband to tune it with. I eventually plan to learn how to tune it myself as this is the type of stuff im going to go to school for when i graduate.

 

Check Haltech's website for details on their current lineup, and see the Haltech subforum here.

It's odd that you are experienced with wiring then suggest that you are going to rob connectors off of the stock harness. Go to the auto parts store and buy new connectors instead of using the 20+ year old connectors that are going to be well worn.

Just take the stock harness off and set it aside. You'll need to grab another emissions harness to cut apart since that is where the wiper wires and coolant temp gauge wire is contained.

 

An alternative to the above is to leave the stock wires and sensors in place if they feed any of the stock gauges. Then drill and tap new holes for the Haltech sensors. Then if you want to revert the car back to original form, you can either leave the Haltech sensors in place as plugs, or replace them with plugs.

It is smart to start with the EMS. Most people don't understand this.

Microtech is the cheapest. Haltech is mid-priced. I wouldn't call either of their current models "dated", although Microtech does not offer very many functions when compared to the competition... which can be an advantage or disadvantage depending on how you look at it. FYI expensive = Motec and Autronic, and dated = carburetors, additional injector controllers, rising rate fuel pressure regulators, or an entire battery of separate 1980s whiz boxes (fuel controller + ignition controller + boost controller).

Well obviously the best route is to use Tefzel wire, Raychem DR-25 shrink, and MilSpec or Autosport connectors in place of the stock harness and Haltech harness. No offense, but are you sure you are experienced with wiring?

You may want to wait on buying anything until you have the education to make a good decision. For example, you may buy one EMS now, and then realize a month later that another EMS has a function that you really wanted. Also, the uneducated folks on this forum talk about wideband AFR meters like they are the greatest thing in the world, and it could be that during your training you realize that the dyno you will be using already has a wideband AFR meter built in, your auto shop has an $8,000 Horiba gas analyzer that makes little vehicle-mounted AFR meters look like toys, and/or you may prefer EGT tuning. Additionally, there could be bigger, better, and cheaper electronics by the time you graduate. Plus, you probably don't want to buy any expensive unnecessary car parts until you are finished with your school, established in your new job, and making all of your necessary payments. However, it is a good idea to start looking at products now.

 

Didnt realize i could buy all the connectors at the local parts place. I will check into that for sure.


I want to keep everything as clean as possible so i dont want to leave the stock harness in place.


As far as the prices I found Haltechs to be mostly cheaper but it could be i am looking at a lesser Haltech and comparing it to a better Microtech.

As far as features the Haltech so far has everything i like and then some. I am still going to shop around to make sure though. This is one thing you dont just spontaneously buy because it has cool looking software or a andonized case.

As far as being experienced with wiring what i meant was I can put anything together and make it work quite well as long as i have some sort of directions or a write up. I also know to stick with superior quality shring tubing and tapes because I dont want this to look like a hack job done by some crack addict so it looks like Medusa live in my engine bay.


I dont plan on buying anything major like a dyno or anything like that. Just some basic things. I do know that wideband arent the proper way to tune. Still for the time being i will go to KD Rotary or possibly another rotary shop nearby to have it tuned. I do definetly keep an out out for upcoming tools and things that could be useful and when i do buy something i make sure it is a proper investment not just some cheap wal-mart tools.

As far as expensive car parts. I buy them with extra money i make plus i have some scholarships lined up for school too. My biggest plan is to have both my cars pretty well set-up within the next 2 years(graduate next year then taking a year off) so that when i go to school i wont have to go without one or the other. Where i am at right now for a job i am making pretty decent money too so i have been tucking back money for the last year and a half so i should be set for school by the time i go as i plan to stay at home and commute to and from school.


Thanks for all the help and the guidance also

 

http://www.banzai-racing.com/product...ss_adapter.htm

The ECU that is best set up for that is the Power FC. You would need to get the adapter harness from Banzai Racing. the stock harness would remain and be practically untouched, including the dash harnesses, and all the factory instruments still work. All you really do is tap one wire into a connector under the dash to run the fuel pump, and then there is some wiring of the trailing coil which does not affect any main harnesses.

If your stock harness is utterly trashed then you would need to replace it with at least a good condition used one. That's what I did. The Power FC is not particularly susceptible to electrical noise. It doesn't need a pristine harness with perfect shielding and a bunch of redundant grounds for the ECU to run right.

Advantages of the Power FC

-- fuel and timing control like the other standalones

-- ease of installation, no major electrical problems to worry about if your harness is ok

-- works very well with stock sensors if they are still working right, although IAT and MAP sensor have to be replaced anyway

-- controls A/C, BAC valve, OMP (s5)

-- can control boost if set up properly, just need one pin added to the adapter harness

-- handheld display is nice to have despite its dated 90s look

-- large support network of tuners and information. it is the most common EMS on high horsepower 3rd gen cars.

Disadvantages

-- certainly no cheaper than the other options. You have to buy the unit, the adapter harness, and the datalogging interface to do any serious tuning. It won't be less than $1000 for all that even if you go used on some stuff

-- not really much switchable outputs except for an electric fan

-- not much support from the manufacturer in terms of updates. what you see is what you get

-- if your stock TPS or water thermosensor are bad you need to replace them separately

-- closed loop is basically useless unless you are about to go for an emissions test

-- great for beginners but more advance tuners may be frustrated with some of the limitations

 

Well all this is making me think i should wait until i am 100% decided if i want to keep this car or not. If i am going to do all this work I might as well do it on one car im going to keep for a long time if not forever.

 

arghx makes very valid points for your application.
For others reading my advice is to always seek the person to tune the car first and ask THEM what you should get.

I got my Wolf V500 dirt cheap because the person who bought it did not have a tuner nearby who wanted to tune it, meanwhile the Wolf software is fantastic. Go to thier website and download the software and check it out, simple windows like layout and a great "help" function as well.

 

Microtech pricing includes the wiring harness. Haltech pricing is usually just the ECU, and then you need to buy the wiring harness, connector kit, and sensors separately. The harness is usually around $200-350 plus $80 for the connector, the MAP sensor is about $100, and then there are the other various sensors if you want them. Sometimes vendors include these items in a package, and sometimes not, so read the fine print before you buy.

Wolf makes a plug-in EMS for the FC RX-7. It is more expensive than the Power FC, but it has better capabilities. Wolf customer support is lousy, but then again so is just about every other EMS customer support other than Motec and Electromotive.
http://wolfems.cart.net.au/cat/32988.html

I would imagine that the new Haltech EMS products would eventually offer a plug-in kit for the FC RX-7, but since everybody knows that we are cheap, maybe not, lol.

Personally, I would prefer a universal EMS with a new harness and new sensors as opposed to a plug-in EMS. The OEM Mazda harnesses are just too brittle nowadays.

I think this shows the importance of local support, especially for those who are not skilled at tuning.

Wolf has always had the best software... which is why Haltech and Motec tried to copy it as best they could.

 

oh crap I forgot about the wolf plug-ins for the FCs.

I actually have a S4TII-wolf plug in harness if your interested. The better thing about the wolf is at least it is still currently in production and being improved.

I think when it comes to the customer support you are better to go to a dist. rather then then the manufacturer, Wayne/Waynespeed is very helpfull and quick with his advice.

 

Well i see now through some research that the new platinum series 1000 haltech is a plug and play setup. I have since decided im 95% sure im going to keep the car so im not worried about replacing anything in it. Just going to keep the exterior and most of the interior stock. Then go all out on the rest.


I also found a haltech e6k for $800 with a laptop and all the stuff to hook it up in an FC but from what i see that ECU has been discontinued and is getting older. So would i be better off with the Platinum 1000 series or the e6k?


As far as tuning goes i will end up taking it to KD rotary for now.

 

I would prefer a new EMS to a used EMS, especially if the used EMS would only save about $500 hundred dollars vs. a brand new PNP Platinum. The main problem with a used EMS is you never know what kind of shape it is in, and risking the high price of a blown engine usually isn't such a great idea. Additionally, you would probably want someting with factory support and some type of warranty. However, a lot of people really liked the E6K, and it would run your engine just fine if you do not need any of the newer, fancier functions. You may want to check with the Haltech sub-forum and see what they think about the E6K nowadays. Also, $800 seems a little high to me for a used EMS that is 2 generations behind the company's current product line.

 

I figured the price was a bit high. It does come with coils and everything set up to just drop it in and tune. The main thing i dont like about the e6k is that the interface looks like its for DOS or something. I really like the new layout so i may just hold off and get a new platinum series. Especially since there are a few places selling them with free sensors.