noch

Background

So i have been using an rtek 2.1 but i am having issues with a persistent afm code. I have tried two refurb afms that spec out per FSM and checked continuitymto the ecu. I am getting good results except the 2e pin sees no voltage ever... Its either some wiring issue or the ece has issues. I have another n333 on the way.

The car is an 88 s4 TII.

If i keep the afm (my origonal was bad) and pay rtek to switch tw chip over i am in for 300 plus. If its a wiring issue i could sell the rtek and have some cash in hand plus my 180 back on the afm and finish breaking in my rebuild on the other ecu i bought. The money is not such an issue but i just hate to keep spending on used parts.

My thought is that I will have a enough money tied up in older stockish parts and wiring to get the parts list in Aaron's writeup. I only plan to run my stock turbo and turn up the boost for now and may go hybrid later. I like to tinker and i like the idea of building the megasquirt but I just wanted some feedback if it seems worth the effort for my goals? I dont really want to have to get it tuned by someone and would like to learn how to do it myself. I have a wideband already.

Any help is apprciated in making my decision. Thanks

killalot13601

iTrader: (5)

The education and usability of the Megasquirt systems make them incredibly worth it.
If you have a track record for completing projects, I would HIGHLY recommend a Megasquirt 2 or 3.

noch

Thanks. I went from thinking about it to almost ready to order. I spent several hours today going troubleshooting my wiring and now that it is out of the car again I am thinking why not. Went to radioshack and bought one of those cheap DIY kits to practice soldering some. I am not as bad as I remember!

arran

Go for it.

I replaced a Microtech with a Megasquirt and it is fantastic.
The software is great, both Tuner Studio, and Megalogviewer, and also MS Droid - I just last night bought myself a 1 din Android car stereo with flip out screen and bluetooth so I am going to try MSDroid on it.

The scene is very active, there are frequent tweaks and enhancements. I like that it is just one box - well aside from the wide band - that does everything. Boost control, runs all factory sensors, data logging. Autotune aka VEAnalyze is great.

It isn't without it's challenges though, the flexibility also means complexity. Getting the cold start running correctly, and closed loop idle working like you'd expect a factory car takes time and much head scratching. Getting the right combo of PID parameters, After Start enrichment, taper, warm up correction, PWM cranking isn't easy and quite sensitive I find.

Part of the enjoyment is getting to grips with the problem and enhancing understand of what is going on. It is something I'm interested in, though is something most average joes don't give mind to when the key is turned, a team of factory technicians have spent months getting the factory settings sorted out and the elegance of the way it works goes unnoticed.

SCCA RX7 RACER

I used a MS 1 system in my race car for 5 years (Spark and fuel) and had only one small failure on the out put driver for the secondary coming on. But with the help of the forum guys a me using a bit of brains got it up and running. With the MS 1 I have set track records in my class and other than the one driver failing (MS not me as the driver LOL) it has not let me down. I had to learn how to tune and adjust it for my needs over time but it was do able (lots of posts with questions but had positive replies and quick).

I just step up to using the MS 3 Pro and had the race car wired and on the track in one week (About 16 hour 100% wired with electrical drawings for future references and cold start tuning included).

After going through the step by step instructions for the installations. I stabbed at a few air fuel setting at it (Flood it three times) it fired up. To set idle about 15 minutes of playing and saving files. To get the race car to drive with out throttle enrichment from idle to 7000 rpm in second gear (Limited to shop parking lot distance) smoothly about 3\4 hour. To set the cold start each morning about ¾ of an hour 4 times.


Also I can not believe how quickly I could tune it. I am still setting up the car to gain better lap times (Starting off rich and scaling back). I will be back at a track in Washington (Spokane) for a 3 day race weekend. After that I should be good for the season (Including throttle enrichments at all throttle rates) other that small adjustments for each track I run at.

I may be spoiled now by running the MS1 for so long and now stepping in to the MS 3 Pro version. It is so great to tune especially the throttle enrichment part. Get an MS 3 Pro you will thank me in doing so.

Oh you may ask why I stepped up to the MS 3 Pro from the MS1 that has never really let me down. The answer is I am a dumb *** .When I got to a newly built race track in Washington (The Ridge) I was in a hurry to get on to the track so I would not miss my first practice session. I did not remove my jumper battery from the passenger floor (Which is not strapped down). And as you can guess a battery at 110 MPH will not stop at the same rate as a race car under braking. And what stopped it was the MS1 case rubber mounted on the floor in the passenger side foot well area. The battery pushed the fire bottle forward in to the MS1 and bent the case forward by ¼ inch. It still finished three more race weekends then started to have problems so I went to the MS 3 Pro.

Kim
RX7RACER