Vote for standalone!
 

Which one would you recommend for 1.6L with target of > 340whp? Criterias to consider:
- Reliability
- Support for large (>= 750cc) low-z injectors
- Ease of installation
- Ease of tuning
- Cost
- Additional features (flat shift, traction control, WI control, etc)

im personally trying to decide whether to dump $1600 into AEM, $1k into Haltech, or $400 into MS2. Problem with MS2 is lack of REAL support...

If you're not very familiar with tuning, I'd go with a Hydra for a Miata. I think you'll get much better support; especially if you buy it from FM.

On the other hand, I'm quite pleased with the AEM so far myself but I have to rely on my tuner to use any of its features. :mad:

im not going to tune it myself. a client of mine is doing tuning for me (DC Performance: Proven Performance)

- Reliability
- Support for large (>= 750cc) low-z injectors
- Ease of installation
- Ease of tuning
- Cost
- Additional features (flat shift, traction control, WI control, etc)

looks like you can get all of these from a properly set up megasquirt. PNP would be a great choice for you

MOTEC is 100% the best on that list, but something most here will never play with. I'd love to have a MOTEC unit on my Miata, but I don't want to spend the $$$$

mspnp does not have support for low-z injectors.

yea i wasnt sure about that. you can easily put resistors in or do a DIY megasquirt setup.

i would NEVER put a resistor box on low-z injectors. it kills the purpose! also... having spent WELL over $20k on this car so far... whats another $1500? :)

Motec for sure. I have Mspnp now...

I thought that was only true for those of us running the hi-res firmware?

Find someone to build you a custom MS2E setup w/ the injector driver board. And get a custom made 36-1 trigger wheel setup for ignition input. Then you'd have a badass setup. But it's finding someone that will make it for you that will be hard. But it would be cheaper.

That is my understanding as well.

My Motec didn't do much more than any of the other choices. Then again it was the M4 that has been replaced with the M400 I think.

For support, you'll probably be the best with the AEM or Hydra.

Frank

yeah... but then again... would you want to run low resolution code on $20k+ car pushing way north of 300whp?


i would LOVE to run ms2 but i just cant find anyone who would build me a setup! i mean... id love to dump $600 on it if someone would make me one that i could just plug in, set timing, dwell, and tune my idle. from there i would have my tuner do the rest.

Point taken. I don't really understand what the disadvantage is of high-Z injectors so until I'm enlightened incompatibility with low-Zs seems a moot point.

well if you have the money to do better than absolutely cross megasquirt off that list

motec!

i have about $1500 to dump on proper engine management. less is better obviously.

I'd recommend a Haltech E8. If you can't find a cheap one in the states, ebay Australia usually has a couple dealers selling them cheap - and remember that the Aussie dollars are worth much less than the US dollars.

If you are very budget minded, skip the wiring harness and build one yourself.

I'm not too happy with the AEM support but then again; I live overseas.

i didnt mean support as from manufacturer itself but support by tuners, etc

Ms ...

Yeah, I'd have to add a vote for MS2. The $1,400 that you'll save goes a very long way.

The -=> only <=- downside to the MS is that it definitely falls into the "weird and scary" category. There are three PS-side executables you need to make it work (well, only two with MS2) and you occasionally have to open and edit .ini files with notepad. Plus of course you gotta be able to get down-n-dirty with the hardware, even for basic functions like spark out. Of course, DIYAutoTune will do all the hardware mods for you.

Capabilities-wise, it'll do pretty much anything that all the rest of them will.

Support-wise, I can't think of a more well-supported system (in current production) than the MS, at least within the Miata community. Just look around! I really wish we had a sort of registry of all the MS Miata users. I may start one here just out of curiosity.

Microtech LT10s from CorkSport Mazda Performance - 360.260.CORK: CorkSport is Mazda Performance.: Home This will cost $980 shipped and you will be very happy.

Neither does the AEM* even though I still voted for it. I enjoy my AEM EMS a lot, but I have not played with the Hydra or MS. I've seen Paul do some fun stuff with the MS software, but I'm so baller I'd pay extra for the "features" of the AEM that I don't use anyway.

* AEM has a low-Z add-on box but I doubt it's cheap.

You might want to talk to your tuner as well. You could easily use up another $1000 while he "learns" how to program and setup a new format plus dyno time on your dime. As you are going to turn it over to him, if he has experience on one or another, it may sway the decision.

again, im not paying for dyno time or tuning... thirdgen: cant find Microtech on corksport site

Best advice is right there.

I went with the Hydra because I knew absolutely nothing about tuning and didn't plan on having it tuned on a dyno. Now that I have changed my mind about having it dyno tuned, I'm having trouble finding someone who's competent and willing to tune it.

I meant the same thing Urban. Let me give you an example: I'm facing issues with my AEM right now: I still can't turn the A/C on because my idle will not work properly and I'm having issues with my AFRs and I can't find local help.

That's what I mean by not having "support".

You have plenty of tuners close to you. I can only count on 1 and I'm at his mercy. :mad::vash::bang:

again... my tuner is among the best in town. he tunes $200k+ cars which push well over 1000whp every day. i dont think i will ever trust anyone besides him to tune my cars. also... he knows how to tune most common ecus including haltech, motec, megasquirt, aem, and what not...

and yet again: i would love to get MS2 but i just cant find anyone who would build me one! if i ever do find someone, ill jump right on it! until then i have to look to see what else i can find because my car will be ready for ecu installation and tuning in just a month or so...

I must say Jay that your statement surprises me. Here's why: I voted for the Hydra (even though my car has an AEM) because I thought the Hydra was much better supported in the US (I mean FM) than the AEM.

Can't you call FM?

If you had the choice now; which one would you buy?

I voted for AEM because I find the interface easy to use, much more so than the Hydra. But, if I was going to buy one today it would the Motec because it's my tuners favorite. I only recommend the Hydra to someone with a common setup that has no intention of getting the car dyno tuned.

For the OP, since your tuner is familiar with all of them, you can't go wrong with any of them. Go with whatever fits your budget and leaves you room to grow.

I won't do anything else to this car after I pick it up early next year. Most probably I'll be selling it closer to mid or end of next year to get a Porsche and/or to pay off my 350Z.

So far my choice is AEM... Still looking for that deal on MS2 though...

So I talked to my tuner yesterday and he said to go with AEM because they have a huge discount with them :)

Hey man i sent you a PM, read it when you get a chance