FM Voodoo Box builds?
 

Hey, anyone built with a VooDoo add on box not a full replacement ECU? Any thoughts to share: +/- points? time and mileage under the hood since you did it? WHP and what kind of turbo? Regrets?

...and before anyone says it, yes I know that an AEM/MS etc is a full ECU and the voodoo is not. I am looking for any thoughts on duplicating the somewhere near the Voodoo entry level kit but not spend the same money. My local shop has had really bad luck with MSPNP and refuses to tune it and recommended AEM, Adaptronic etc but these are all $1400 and up and will blow my budget by up quite a bit.

If you use the Voodoo with the turbo that it was programmed for at the boost level it was programmed for, it will be fine. I get the feeling based on your questions ("WHP and what kind of turbo") that you are't planning on doing that. If you try to use a pre-tuned piggyback in an application it's not meant for, you're not going to have a fun time with it IMO.

this is one of those threads most will hit "back" because he's just too dumb to waste time on

I will stop and comment. Just to agree with 18psi.

Also if your shop hates megasquirt they are doing it wrong.

I would find another shop.

I'll comment, though I'm not turbo yet. I do intend to use voodoo on my diy. Got one used at a decent price.

If you're using a similar turbo to the garrett 2554 or 2560 it's designed for you should be fine, I intend to use an sr20 t25 which is essentially a 2554. I wouldn't expect to go too much past 180-200 based on engine and turbo size and ultimately injectors, which your stock ecu can only run like 15% larger. Also fm specifically states not to exceed 9psi unless you truly understand what you're using (i recommend not turbocharging AT ALL unless you fully understand what you're doing, but that's just me). I'd STRONGLY suggest a wideband and an egt also. Also a bipes or old msd ignition retard so you don't lose what little low end you have.


Edit: in no way am I encouraging you to use the voodoo box, just get a ms. Lol.

Mr. 18 PSI,

How is asking a sincere question dumb? I mean, I am not at your level, nor been a member for a long time but I am sincerely interested in knowing if anyone used a VooDoo box outside of buying it as part of an FM kit. I would also like to know what level of success they had. This is all.

Signed, The "Dumb" Guy

Different turbochargers have different compressor and turbine maps. If you use the Voodoo with the turbo that it was programmed for, it'll work adequately. Since you're asking the question, however, we assume that you intend to use it with some random Chinese turbo you [plan to buy / have bought] off of [eBay / Craigslist / the guy you get your meth from / your sister's pimp], and since these turbos don't even come with maps, the best answer anyone here can possibly give you is "maybe, maybe not."

Thanks, this is basically what FM told me but with a "your mileage may vary caution" of course. I would love to get a MS or AEM and I am only going to start with the 7psi the TD04 puts out stock.

Get a MS3 and a wideband before you spend a single dollar on anything else. Learn to tune the car NA. Then start down the path of the turbo.

The plan is to use a TD04 off a 2004 Impreza with less than 30k miles on the unit. It was sealed up and stored in dry conditions so using it a factory made piece over an ebay model/chinacharger seems like a good idea even if it is a little small and it was free as the Impreza has some monster Garrett on it now.

My question was more along the lines - since I called FM and they have offered it would work (the Voodoo is designed to handle the T2560 in their kit) is has anyone done this and what level of success have they had.

PS For the record, I quit meth.

Wait, so you are buying a $415 voodoo box. When you can find MS1s and sometimes MS2's for $300 used? Or build your own for less?

Seems like a horrible idea.

Understood and worth looking into. However, I need to find a local shop that will support MS and knows what they are doing rather tahn says they know what they are doing. Partly the reason I seem to be asking stupid questions. At elast according to some people ^^^ there...

Buy this book and read it. Then buy a MS3 and learn to tune on your own. There is a steep learning curve, but thousands of people have figured it out.

You are asking stupid questions because you haven't really taken the time to do your homework.

Pro-tip: it doesn't take a day to "search". Or a week. Or a month.

For someone like you it will take time, cause you're completely fresh to this.

Rule #1: you never build a setup around a turbo. even if it's free. even if someone paid you to use it.
Rule #2: you don't resort to prehistoric bandaids simply because you don't have a pro-tuner readily available locally (even though you likely haven't looked for one much)

There are a lot more rules to live by if you want to do this right and painlessly, and I'll let you find them out in the coming days/weeks/months when you HOPEFULLY will do your part and try to learn.

The goal is not to sign up and start firing off every question that pops into your head, or start clicking "buy" on every crappy part that you think might work for you.

Stick around. Learn a bit. Then turbo your car properly.

Or don't. And fail miserably and be bitter about this place.

This is about as honest and straightforward answer as you'll get from anyone.

Back to the power goals you posted... TD04 at 7-8 psi. 1994 engine (IIRC). Intercooled. You don't need a pro tune for that. You don't need a dyno. Run 93 octane and use conservative timing maps available from DIY or research on this forum. Tune your own MS.

Bought, thank you.

I keep forgetting there are tactotaco manifolds for 1.8's, which is funny because I have 2 in my garage. He will definitely run into issues with the 1.8 tacotaco and an adapter with hitting the shock tower and what not.

don't worry, there's ways to fix that :fael:

My friend bought a $1500 turbo 91 that came with an Egay manifold, china charger, doodoo box, MSD, and LC-2 wideband. It worked ok for what it was, we set it up to run slightly on the rich side with 1.8 injectors and at 6-7ish PSi it mostly worked fine for the 5,000 miles or so my friend has had the car.

That said, my friend just dropped an old Link ECU in and it is already running better on just the base map on that. If you are going to buy a new VooDoo, don't. If you find a used one for $100, maybe, but I would just as soon spring for a link if you have that kind of budget for an ECU (that said, if you have that kind of budget, I think you should spend a bit more time saving!). MSPNP or DIYPNP if you can solder. Just do it, do a lot of reading. I will be putting in my MS3x shortly in my car now that the school semester is done.

There is a local car with the super, super tiny TD04-13 something or other, off a subaru. It puts out 6psi by 2800rpm or so from what the owner says. It works well, but he is running an MS and a very nicely designed system with custom manifold and charge piping.