Hi all (kinda new to the list).

I just installed a Pettit ECU (thanks tbonerx7 for the ECU and thanks folks for the great posts on remapped ECUs). Man what a pleasant surprise! I'm still bouncing from my first drive!

Performance-wise, my 95 is pretty stock except for cat-back and downpipe (and a few gauges). The car seems to build boost much faster with a nice kick in the seat.

This mod was in preparation to adding the "Thrifty Man's Intake" (or more eloquently, the Cheap Bastard's Intake [thanks adam c and pugg57 for your contributions]) Shortly after (or possibly during) I will probably do some type of boost controller mod (leaning towards the home depot). Then I'll be looking into an intercooler upgrade.

Does this sound like a good sequence? Am I missing something that I should consider? My goels for the car are to be a fun non-daily driver that I occasionally also take to the track (unless I catch the track bug after my first few times)

Thanks in advance.

 

That sounds fine. You will want to look into a better radiator, and get boost and temp gauges before the IC. Getting a boost controller without seeing what it actually does is worthless and can be dangerous.

 

I have a boost gauge (A pillar) along with a fuel pressure gauge (pre-existing my choice would have been temp or A/F), and I agree that I need a temp gauge. Just need to figure out where to put it....

(Yes I'm up after just having driven the car again...wow...different beast...I might begin the intake mod tomorrow!)

 

Yeah since you're in TX, I would recommened pumping up your cooling system.

Bigger rad, colder thermostat, maybe the fan mod, etc. Remember heat is our BIGGEST Killer.

 

Just to prevent you from wasting $60, the a/f gauge does nothing because the stock sensor is a narrow band, meaning it will tell you rich or lean...no specific values. Go with the temp gauge

Glad to hear u like ur ECU, ive got one comin to me next week as well!

 

I hate to burst your bubble, but here are the facts about the remapped ecu (Pettit, M2 etc.). They simply reprogramed the stock fuel map by increasing inj duty cycle at appropriet points for the additional mods that maybe added, it is basically blind. The Pettit unlimited ecu will compensate for all the basic bolt-ons with boost up to 15psi. This means that if you do not have all the bolt-ons and upped boost, you'll be running slightly richer than stock, if anything your performance will have a slight decrease until all the mods are done. What ever you felt is in your head, but as long as it make you happy.

 

^hes right. They also adjust the ignition timing but with stock mods you might see a loss in power. However the silver lining of the cloud is that you wont have to re-tune ur ECU everytime u do something. I dunno, i like the fact that it will take care of me up to the point of a single turbo, which is when the tunability of a PFC is really vital. And seeing RTS3GEN run for some 6-7 years on a Pettit Unlimited with zero probs related to engines, turbos, and tuning was enough to make me jump on the bandwagon

 

Thanks for the head's up. I still have my stock ECU. If I get a chance, I will do a before and after dyno. Honestly, I was a little worried about a "placebo effect" in my head, but from a sensory effect standpoint, the car really does seem to pull very much more readily. (i.e. It makes *me* happy)

I'm planning to do the airbox upgrade today, by the way. Wouldn't the fact that I already have a downpipe and upgraded cat-back help substatiate my claims of increased performance?

teamstealth please let me know what your impressions are once you get your ECU in.

Thanks.

 

Should have it installed and the boost turned to 12psi by the end of the week

And yes freeing up that restrictive exhaust would definitely help

 

Cool. At least I'm heading in the right direction...

 

install a midpipe and ASP/M2 med IC (or larger) and the fun really begins

do not run more than 10 psi on the stock intercooler, especially if you are running in high ambient temps....put your hand on the "cool" side of the stock IC after a hard run and you will see exactly what I mean: the stock IC is woefully undersized for the brutal output of the stock twins....and oh yeah an upgraded radiator is mandatory and mr. flybye mentioned

I swear these cars run so good with a full exhaust, ported motor, and big IC on the Pettit chip, one guy on here made 350 at the wheels, not bad at all! unless you are going single I really don't see the need for the PFC....I've had my Pettit for 3+ years

 

I think that Pettit will advise that you don't run a mid pipe with their ECU. I think they will also advise you that 12 psi is the limit on the stock intercooler.

Check with them to see what they say.

Good luck with the intake mod You WILL like it a lot!!

 

no I talked to Jeff at Pettit about this on several occasions...the midpipe is fine, actually it probably helps lean the car out a little on top (along with porting) because the chip dumps fuel at the top of the rpm band (by design, to keep the engine from popping)

Jeff told me up to 13 psi with a big IC is fine....14 you need race gas and 15, well that's how I popped my engine the first time on a cold night, so I keep it a 13 now....

 

Thats odd. Most places wouldn't advise that without at least porting the wastegate. You don't want boost creep, which you normally get with a mid pipe on a stock motor.

 

Located in Austin?? Me too, let me know if you need any help working on your car. I would love to get a ride in a car with that ecu, never have been in a car with a pettit.

Email me if you need help with anything, I can do most anything. Txjigilo@hotmail.com

 

Hey bee thanks for the offer. My email address is atx_rx7@yahoo.com

I just recently added the Cheap Bastard's Intake mod (nice...thanks again adam c):

https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...5&pagenumber=6

I'm thinking that the home depot boost controller (like I mentioned in the above link, I'm seeing between 12-12.5 psi...kinda worries me...what do yall [yes I'm from Texas ] think?) and a used (what do yall think about used?) Fluidyne radiator are next in my future with a Blitz intercooler to follow. Sound about right?

Thanks for all the great input!

 

12-12.5 using the Pettit ECU is fine on the stock fuel system (provided that everything is functioning ok).

As far as what you should do next, that depends on what you want. Some of the mods that made the biggest difference in my car:

* Lowering springs (Eibach)
* Intercooler (started with the Blitz SMIC)
* Pettit ECU (which you already have)
* Bonez Hi-flo cat (I would probably get one of the new metal cats now)

 

I wish I could lower the car but I don't want to do a rice maneuver over every speed bump and worry about trashing my oil pan over every pothole....it just isn't very "real world" practical, plus I have to jack up the car to change the oil

what really matters is the spring rate imo....the stock springs are just too soft and mushy

how about straight rate, stiffer springs that do not lower the car (400# front and 250# rear)...can anyone help with that? H&R? Eibach?

 

I definitely have some learning to do wrt to suspension needs <flashes newbie card>. But I will probably be adding street wheels around the same time.

Yeah that hi-flo cat (but can I shoot flames? [kidding...kidding...]) is on the list. Was thinking about mid-pipe, but Austin is getting ready to adopt stricter standards (not really even sure if I can pass as-is).

 

Was thinking about mid-pipe, but Austin is getting ready to adopt stricter standards

bah.....just run Michigan plates....at least that's my solution

hug a tree today

 

I haven't seen any springs around that are just straight stiffer spring rates without lowering but I'm sure some probably exist somewhere. Your best bet would probably be a coilover setup. Many guys around me use the Tokico's and the Ground Control Coilovers (for both street and track driving). That would give you what you needed for a pretty good price (probably just under $1000 for the whole setup).