Should I replace my 1988's ECU?
 

I am reading and learning a lot on this great forum. I am curious. I have read that the ECU in the 1988 T II's is inferior to the stock ECU's in the 1989 an above's ECU's. Is this a fact? I also read somewhere that you can make a test rig, set it up, and even use it while the car is running due to it's lack of Static RAM allowing you to make a test rig if you would like and bring these ECU codes (with some LED's) into the cockpit, thus giving you real-time access to them. Can some please elaborate on this? Should I or CAN I replace my functioning ECU with a later Gen2 model?

Even if this is true, you aren't going to gain any HP from it.

Stock ECUs aren't made for power..

-M

I've seen some chip replacement posts (aka ECU reprogramming) that basically maxes stock fuel, heightens fuel cut, and allows more boost (in combination with the boost bill and waistgate I believe).

They issued a 2nd ECU in either 89 or 90 that was better quality boards to prevent some of the grounding and cold sauder joint problems.

The '89 and above ECU is not a drop in replacement for the '86-'88 ECU. However, it is true that you can display the ECU codes in real time - we have that setup in my '87 TII. Also, there is a third output that is useful, the O2 sensor output. While not as good as an A/F ratio guage, it tells you if you're leaning out, and that's very important. Check out the following site: 2ndgenrx7.freeservers.com/technical information. Look at the article on Reading Error Codes for a complete writeup. Peace!

Irv, Keith's dad

Thanks To All
 

I just wanted to thank Irv, Tboost, vaughnc out there for the comments on this ECU question. You all have very valid points here and I appreciate all of them. However, it looks like I will, at least for now, follow tboost's advice and take the path of least resistance. The ECU does after all work fine, so I may as well wait until it go's Tango Utah on me and THEN replace it or part of it with a kit that vaugh had mentioned. Oh yes Irv, I had been to that sight before and found it kinda useful, useful enough to make it my home page! Thanks for that tip and if I get the time I wouldnt mind doing such a mod. to my 2G TII. So, thanks again guys/gals for the help and I have a pretty good feeling I will be touching base with you all again. Best of luck with your "babies". By the way; are ALL RX-7 owners as "enthusiastic" as the good people on this page (including myself)? I sure hope so!

13 years and my ECU is still going, when it dies I'll go with a HALTECH SYSTEM.