Does MSM need a wideband?
 

Hello friends, i am new to the forums and have a quick question. I have done some searching around but cant find a clear answer so do Mazdaspeed Miatas(2004) need a wideband or do they already have them? I have seen on FM they include an o2 modifier with thier kits, is that the same thing? Any help is appriciated guys, plan on getting an aftermarket ECU soon.

They do not have a wideband. An aftermarket ecu will require one to tune

It doesn't *need* one till you put an aftermarket ecu on there.

O2 Modifier (Guessing voodoo unit) is to assist with boost. A wideband is required for tuning an aftermarket ecu.

However on a stock setup a wideband is just simply letting you know what the stock ECU is doing. An aftermarket ECU is able to connect to a wideband directly and make slight changes so that your car is running a safe mixture at a given rpm.

he's talking about the o2 modifier FM makes for their little enchilada to help with the terrible lean spot and stumble when getting into boost mid-rpm band.

not the doodoo box

but it still sucks

get a proper aftermarket ecu and proper wideband

Thanks for all the info guys, i was not sure if since it had a factory turbo it would need a wideband. Now its cleared up, thanks again!

Since you said you are adding an aftermarket ECU in the future, just get the wide-band recommended by- or sometimes bundled with the aftermarket ECU.

The biggest change to my MSM was with the addition of an aftermarket ECU. It will transform how the MSM uses its fuel and power. The factory ECU does a lot of good things to make the car pretty nice to drive under certain conditions, but it was poorly programmed for a turbo and it lets the car go lean when you step on the gas before deciding to dump a ton a fuel. An aftermarket ECU (Hydra or Megasquirt) allows you to tune the car to really enjoy the power it naturally makes and allows for upping the power levels with additional parts added (larger injectors, fuel pump, free flowing exhaust, better spark system, crossflow radiator, oil cooler, etc). The 02 modifier sold by FM tricks the factory ECU, somewhat, to smooth out lag that occurs with the factory ecu to add fuel. It does not help a great deal. The intake and exhaust bits from FM in the enchilada packages are top notch and add about 50-70 whp. An aftermarket ECU will allow a good tuner to add up to 20 more whp safely to your car on top of the gains from an aftermarket exhaust and intake depending on the health of the motor, your desired usage, and wallet. Most important thing is to set the car up with the ECU, tune and parts that match what you primarily use the car for.

Fantastic explenation, i will keep this in mind. Just wondering but what ECU did you go with? I went to the megasquirt website and entered my make and model(2004 MSM) and it is telling me i need the pro pnp megasquirt which runs around 1200$ vs the hydra or normal megasquirt going for 800$. Do i really need the pro or will an older megasquirt work as well? I noticed my ECU is actually under the steering wheel instead of on the pasanger side like on older models. Thanks alot.

The ECU's for the NB miatas are located under the steering wheel area in the footwell above the pedals attached to a bracket. The one from my 2000 is there as well.

I think curly is actually selling a megasquirt for a MSM. You might want to contact him here: https://www.miataturbo.net/miata-par...sm-ms2e-92086/

It's not the newest and bestest megasquirt, but it's also listed at $525 which should make it a very attractive option for you. You can likely buy the ECU and get the car tuned by a pro for the price of the other models.

Singular also makes a very nice bracket that would keep the aftermarket ecu in the stock location instead of making you attach it with zipties or such.

Megasquirt or Hydra are the way to go. I am currently using DIY's MSPNP pro but am switching to a Hydra as my tuner is a hydra dealer and can tune it much more quickly, which will save some $ in the long run for me. Getting everything dialed in on any aftermarket ECU requires a good deal of knowledge, experience, and time, none of which I have in sufficient amounts. Once I get switched over to the hydra, I will be selling the megasquirt unit which is in excellent shape. Best advice I can make is to make sure you identify a local tuning group that has considerable expertise with the ECU platform you wish to purchase. The ECU forum on the MT site is very helpful, regardless of the ECU type but it also takes time to post your tune and log files and wait for a response. Since the track season starts in earnest here soon I am opting to go with local expertise. It stinks when you have an issue at the track that is caused by the tune that makes you miss a session. I want to focus on driving not the tune.

Finally, definitely consider the one Curly is selling, it is a generation older than the PNP-pro but still very capable and he is selling it at a very good price.

And unfortunately sold!

Alright thanks for the info guys, i will definantly opt for an older version of the ECU to save money. Looks like i just missed curly's but i will look around for another good deal. This place is much more friendly then /o/.

The community is friendly if you contribute and participate in it instead of using it to sell shit and ask dumb questions. I'm relatively new here and I don't think I'd know an iota of what I know without the help from folks here. So much help...