MS3 simply denotes that it is using the MS3 board in it. The X part of MS3X means it is using the official expander board. The MS3labs ECU's by reverent use the MS3 board, and then he builds his own expander board with his own circuits. The MS3Pro's use the MS3 chipset on a custom circuit board that DIY designed. It has all the same circuits as the expander board, but laid out differently and a few are upgraded.

I built it for you so you wouldn't have to do all that, just follow the installation section.

I'm not thatttt daft!

I'm asking about power and ground for aftermarket gauges like a boost gauge.

The wiring for the wideband was easy peasy thanks to you! I'm just trying to figure out:
1) How I get a tach signal to an aftermarket gauge, which in this case is an innovate boost gauge with a rpm shift light/tach indicator.
2) How do I ground these gauges to the MS3, which is what I read on MT is what I'm supposed to be doing.

re: powering gauges, I was going to use an add a circuit fuse.

Thanks for answering brain, I really appreciate it. I understandably don't want to fuck things up lol.

Ah that makes sense. So I have the same features that the X would have, but there was a different board used so it technically isn't an X in terms of hardware, but pretty much is in terms of functionality.

1. tap off the green orange wire.
2. depends on the ground it asks for -- you can wire it back to same ground as your wbo2 if it says a power ground.

:likecat: for not using zip ties :rofl:

Oh snap, I didn't know T-tap connectors were a thing so I don't even have to cut into the wire to get the signal, eh? Cool. I thought I was going to have to splice things for the tach.

Re: Ground, just splice whatever ground wires into the wire I used butt connectors on in accordance with your ms3 instructions. Got it.

Thanks for the help!

"Tap" is a concept, meaning "to draw from". It does not mean to use an in-approppriate method to do so. T-Tap's are an example of an inappropriate method.

If you purchased your MS from Braineack then you have an MS3X.

This is the MS3 chip board. All MS3* variants use this board in someway shape or form.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...4b7100af18.jpg


This is the Expander board or the X in MS3X. It is a secondary board that provides you with all the awesome circuits that give you all the neat feature the MS3 can do. Like the 8 injector and spark circuits, VVT, IDLE, Tach, Cam in, and so on and so forth. You can theoretically build all these circuits yourself and get the same features without this board. It is just a PITA and not documented well any more. The MS3X that Braineack sells uses this board. The MSLabs ecu's do not. Reverent basically builds this board on his own, in his own way. The MS3Pro's also do not use this board. They have their own similar designed one with a few circuits upgraded.
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...eff4bf58c1.jpg


*The MS3Pro's also have a different board in general. It uses all the same circuits as the other boards except for a few upgraded. DIY just redesigned it to all fit on a single board to be easier for their production.
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...8d49be0dd0.jpg

When you see it you will shit bricks.
​​​​​​​https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...cc0045c1f9.jpg
​​​​​​​:likecat:

Even DIY is embodying the feline love

I mean the first PNP unit they sold was for the 1.6 Miata. Jeremy the owner has a turbo miata. And Ben one of their workers has been active on MT since forever.

I agree with this 100%, Pick up a soldering iron - if needed i could probably assist this weekend as well.

I've posted how I'd do once before...

https://www.miataturbo.net/diy-turbo...2/#post1317100


https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1458516537


but, id honestly tap into the radio harness for pwr/ground for my gauges... that's what i did with my 3-gauge pod in the dash.

Nope. Skip the soldering iron too. Crimps ftw. I like uninsulated butt crimps with heat shrink.

from that link:

I have one. I just wanted to get things right. Like I said, I'm pretty sure I can do whatever is asked of me, but I wanted to be sure I'm not missing something. I'm always up for having someone teach me how to do things the right way though!

Fuck. This thread didn't turn up in search. I should have used the gauge model number instead of name to search.

And I actually do want to use the radio wires, but it's a rats nest back there and I'm intimidated by it. I guess I should disconnect my battery and get to work a ton of wires that are taped up behind there and actually crimp them up properly.

Yessir. That was the plan. I just wanted to make sure that I wasn't missing a way of doing things in a way that didn't involve cutting the tach output to the dash in order to get a second signal in there. I don't want to cut up the megasquirt power cable, but I guess I'm going to have to do that for the ground. I'm guessing it isn't 'good enough' to just ground to a screw or something back behind the radio. I can always run a ground wire to one of the bolts on the valve cover or something for everything since I don't want to cut up the wires for the MS3.

That's what you meant by getting ground for the MS3 right? Tapping into the ground wire? Or were you suggesting running a wire to one of the open pin slots on the harness? I'm not sure how I'd make that one a ground since the unused slots don't really have connections inside.

Haha, I swear I'm not a total idiot.

Thanks for this awesome explanation.

Can this be added to the sticky on the MS subforum?

Gimme all yer poscats ya bastid.

Found a member selling a mount for 40 shipped. It's on its way to me right meow.

I saw the ad that is why I posted. Now you have a cat...