Gross.
03-16-2015, 07:07 AM
#261
Edit: AAAAND I typed up a huge megasquirt addition to this post and lost it before I hit post. Le Sigh.
In my opinion there is only one choice for what to do for megasquirt on a 99. If I remove my bias I can conceed that there are actually 4 options but my own requirements for simplicity eliminate 3 of those.
Option 1 -2) Megasquirt PNP 2 or MSLABS MS2 Enhanced for 99 - This is the cheapest of the options especially if you can find one used. Plug and Play to your ecu connector, Should be cheaper, both come with great support. No VVT support and aging megasquirt software/hardware. You'll have to add a vvtuner if you want to put a vvt motor in later.
Option 3) Megasquirt PNP 3 with an adapter harness you either DIY or a dongle from boomslang. Modern ecu hardware with built in VVT support. PITA because there is no plug and play option at this time. Lots of nice features over the ms2 unit. The most expensive of the three units but domestic support if you need to mail it in.
Option 4) MS3 Basic from MSLabs - Plug and play, vvt support, sweet features, awesome support. Not cheap but also not the most expensive.
I went with option 4 because I wanted something simple and have the ability to drop any motor in my car should something happen. I actually have a vvtuner handy for when I need to pass smog or should something happen to my ecu and i have a track day coming up. I honestly don't see options 1/2, and 3 as an option at all. Getting the VVTuner setup is a pita and having to deal with it along with a megasquirt is a non-starter for me.
Reverent has been awesome to deal with for me and this ECU has been nearly as reliable as the oem ecu. I had an issue originally that turned out to not actually be an issue with reverents hardware but rather an issue all to myself. He couldn't have been more helpful, supportive etc. He checked the ecu and turned it around promptly etc.
YMMV but I think you should plan for the inevitible dropping in of a vvt motor. Doesn't matter if you're turbo or NA once you blow that 99 it only makes sense to go with a vvt head once you rebuild. At that point, it's just so much easier to have an ecu that has built in vvt support.
In my opinion there is only one choice for what to do for megasquirt on a 99. If I remove my bias I can conceed that there are actually 4 options but my own requirements for simplicity eliminate 3 of those.
Option 1 -2) Megasquirt PNP 2 or MSLABS MS2 Enhanced for 99 - This is the cheapest of the options especially if you can find one used. Plug and Play to your ecu connector, Should be cheaper, both come with great support. No VVT support and aging megasquirt software/hardware. You'll have to add a vvtuner if you want to put a vvt motor in later.
Option 3) Megasquirt PNP 3 with an adapter harness you either DIY or a dongle from boomslang. Modern ecu hardware with built in VVT support. PITA because there is no plug and play option at this time. Lots of nice features over the ms2 unit. The most expensive of the three units but domestic support if you need to mail it in.
Option 4) MS3 Basic from MSLabs - Plug and play, vvt support, sweet features, awesome support. Not cheap but also not the most expensive.
I went with option 4 because I wanted something simple and have the ability to drop any motor in my car should something happen. I actually have a vvtuner handy for when I need to pass smog or should something happen to my ecu and i have a track day coming up. I honestly don't see options 1/2, and 3 as an option at all. Getting the VVTuner setup is a pita and having to deal with it along with a megasquirt is a non-starter for me.
Reverent has been awesome to deal with for me and this ECU has been nearly as reliable as the oem ecu. I had an issue originally that turned out to not actually be an issue with reverents hardware but rather an issue all to myself. He couldn't have been more helpful, supportive etc. He checked the ecu and turned it around promptly etc.
YMMV but I think you should plan for the inevitible dropping in of a vvt motor. Doesn't matter if you're turbo or NA once you blow that 99 it only makes sense to go with a vvt head once you rebuild. At that point, it's just so much easier to have an ecu that has built in vvt support.
Still a great post.
A VVT motor is not in the cards, though, no matter how irrational it is.
I'm going to make my final decision once Ed and i hash out a price he likes. It'll either be his MS2e or an MS3 Basic for this car.
I'm probably being confusing asking seemingly two different megasquirt questions in this thread and the Megasquirt thread, and it's because i am. There's two cars at play here. THIS car, i want a PNP. The other car, hell no.
Thanks!
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03-16-2015, 07:47 AM
#262
Cpt. Slow
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EErockMiata, don't forget the other PNP option, which is the MSPro. It's not released yet, but they only have to change a few pins and tweak the base map, so I'm assuming it's not far behind the pros for the 90-97 and 01-05.
Little more spendy than a pnp2 and/or Rev's MS3pnp, but you are getting a pro.
Little more spendy than a pnp2 and/or Rev's MS3pnp, but you are getting a pro.
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03-16-2015, 08:39 AM
#265
That doesn't really scare me much. I've played with a few of Rev's ECUs and have been nothing but impressed. Any of the MS Labs or DIY Autotune options will have plenty of support and documentation for my purposes.
We're really just talking about an n/a non-vvt BP that will be unlikely to ever run on anything but pump 93. Nothing crazy. The knock control requirement is the only thing keeping me from just buying the cheapest thing i can find.
For the moment, the most benefit i'd see out of a megasquirt would be to remove all the bullshit that the factory ecu needs to stay happy.
We're really just talking about an n/a non-vvt BP that will be unlikely to ever run on anything but pump 93. Nothing crazy. The knock control requirement is the only thing keeping me from just buying the cheapest thing i can find.
For the moment, the most benefit i'd see out of a megasquirt would be to remove all the bullshit that the factory ecu needs to stay happy.
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03-17-2015, 08:36 AM
#266
EErock, i'm just pretty much ripping off your setup, except i chucked everything 949 sent me except for the 3-way in the trash.
btabor and i worked on it for awhile yesterday, unfortunately it seems Autozone gave us the wrong flare tool, so that sucks. Going to try to find the right tool today after work so we can re-do those lines and flare that rear line you see floating around and dump it into the prop valve.
This method gave us no adapters other than the necessary ones to get the Wilwood stuff from 1/8npt to 3/8-24 inverted flare. Me gusta.
Also: btabor installed clutch line, slave cylinder, and clutch master cylinder for me because he's the man. And we drank shitty beer.
Brake progress by concealer404, on Flickr
btabor and i worked on it for awhile yesterday, unfortunately it seems Autozone gave us the wrong flare tool, so that sucks. Going to try to find the right tool today after work so we can re-do those lines and flare that rear line you see floating around and dump it into the prop valve.
This method gave us no adapters other than the necessary ones to get the Wilwood stuff from 1/8npt to 3/8-24 inverted flare. Me gusta.
Also: btabor installed clutch line, slave cylinder, and clutch master cylinder for me because he's the man. And we drank shitty beer.
Brake progress by concealer404, on Flickr
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03-17-2015, 05:43 PM
#276
Supporting Vendor
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Except...
Agree 100%. I couldn't wait to dump my AEM. YMMV but with curly around and MT.net online I'll take the megasquirt any day.
These go together.
See above. But yes, for $150 more this really makes the MS3 Basic silly, though the fact that they're in stock at TSE does help the cause (as opposed to waiting for one to ship from Greece). But that's absolutely where I arrived before my car got totaled. I was preparing to buy the MSpnpPRO for the MSM.
Less than 1050?
Agree 100%. I couldn't wait to dump my AEM. YMMV but with curly around and MT.net online I'll take the megasquirt any day.
These go together.
Less than 1050?
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03-17-2015, 05:59 PM
#277
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Si, but I'm a special case. I got in on a very VERY early group buy or something for the MS3-E before the MS3 Pro was announced, thus necessitating an entire architectural redesign, so I switched over to the MS3-B after waiting for like 14 months. Maybe I didn't pay less? I refuse to look it up.
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