Need help deciding MSPNP, AEM, or Hydra
 

I'm looking to turbo my 1994 1.8 in the spring. Right now I'm trying to do as much research as I can to prepare. When it comes to the ecu I'm stuck, kind of. (insert Hustler joke here) I really like the idea of the MSPNP and I like the price. I've looked at the software for both the MS and AEM and the MS stuff seems like it's something I could handle with more reading of the Megamanual and questions here; the AEM software seems a little more daunting. I couldn't seem to successfully download the Hydra software... Also, from reading the forums for all these ECUs it seems none of them are exactly plug and play, and all require some tuning (so the MS price is again more appealing).

My concern is that what seems daunting to me about the AEM software, and I assume the Hydra is that it has a lot more options and flexibility than the MS at first glance. Daunting to me but may be more powerful in the hands of a capable tuner. Does the MS leave anything on the table that the other ECUs would make use of?

Also can the MSPNP keep the A/C or do you have to run it in parallel to the stock ECU?

I don't have a lot of free time and the miata is my DD. Are any of these something I could safely street tune enough over a weekend to drive to work without issue and smooth things out over time?

Lastly, I don't need to pass any CARB or OBD2 tests but I do have to pass a tailpipe sniffer test in NY. Are any of these going to make that more of a problem then another?

Sorry for all the questions, I know I have more reading to do.

Anyone regret getting the AEM or Hydra and wish they got MSPNP?

Thanks guys.

if you can soder, just build a MS, they are really easy to make.

Personally, if I had the choice, I would have bought the AEM for my car, over the Hydra. However, the AEM wasn't available PnP for my car.

AEM pricing is much more attractive than Hydra.

What year car do you have? There's an AEM for 90-95 for mad cheap in the classifieds.

MSPNP keeps all stock functions, including A/C. Nobody's really sat down and hashed out the differences between it and the Hydra, but I don't think there are very many.

1994, from his post.. He should jump on that shit, it's a super deal.

haha that post is long man. I forgot the first sentence well before I got to the last.

$1150 shipped!! That is a screaming deal on an AEM :)

Kiss up to Braineack and he might put an MS together for you. I still have to install mine because I'm a huge slackass... okay, just waiting on my Stripes Pipes really... but I got all the extras on mine, big MAF, Knock, boost, blahblahblah and it only cost me... I forget but it was less than $800, less than $700 if I remember correctly.

MS, its cheaper and you get excellent support from this board...

MS gets the job done, and I haven't seen anyone regret the purchase. I'm not an expert on SEM by any means, but I've learned a ton from playing with MS and getting it tuned from scratch on a friends 3.2 swap e30. I'm going to install and road-tune my mspnp this weekend.

m.net will tell you that MS blows up motors, because its inexpensive.

Who is going to tune your car? Are you going to do it? if you're going to have some tuner you know do it ask him about WOT's AEM. He's selling it for dirt cheap. No way anyone is going to get a price similar to his and it would be PNP for your car.

Plus you'll get WOT's support which BTW is outstanding!

i think that is the big question right there. if you want to build your car yourself, MS is the way to go. if you want to just have a shop do everything for you, get AEM.

just got back from Thanksgiving... I've done all the work on the car so far, enjoy doing it and would really like to do all of it including the turbo and the tuning. Another reason why I liked the MS, also because of the support for it on this forum in case I ran into trouble. But tuning seems like a different animal than turning a wrench. Actually reading the MS manuals is giving me a better understanding of tuning in general. Once I have a good street tune I'd like to get it tuned on the dyno and this is where I was wondering if there was a difference in ECUs in the hands of a capable tuner (ie, not me).

Thanks everyone for being helpful so far. So from some of the responses here it sound like street-tuning the AEM would be more difficult than MS. Again though, are either of these something I could have tuned enough to drive safely to work after a weekend of messing with it or does it require much more time? (Obviously I wouldn't be racing or something after a weekend of tuning, I'm not that inept.)
Reading on this forum has actually got me considering doing a full DIY job with the turbo instead of just buying a kit. Damn you. (sorry for another long post)

the tunning isnt too big of a deal. just use someone else's map, richen it up, retard the timing some and tune from there with a wideband. its not like you are starting with nothing

true, I hate to admit it but it's the numbers that scare me. The idea of tearing down the whole car and putting it back together makes me less apprehensive than a math problem.

Sure, but in this case, the math problem could cause to to tear the whole car down.

Go with the AEM EMS, every respectable speedshop/dyno will be able to tune it for you.

Plus the one for sale BNIB in the classifieds is a smoking deal.

I have a megasquirt sitting on my desk, that was in my car earlier this year, all PNP and everything, and STILL I am tempted by that AEM EMS.

Well I'm not an idiot. I have average math abilities it's just daunting.

I tune for a living. The AEM is an AMAZING piece, it will do absolutely everything you could ever want out of EM. That said, I have a MSPNP in MY car... If you are not pushing for every last hp, or have some huge need for some of the extras in the AEM, you are not really giving anything up with the MSPNP.

They can all be made to pass emissions.

The support HERE on the MSPNP is probably worth more than the extra features of the AEM. If you have a great shop near you that it REALLY experienced with the AEM, and money isn't an issue, by all means, get the AEM. But for near HALF the cost, with all the support here, the MS is certainly a good decision.

Siegel

that's the kind of opinion I need to push me. Thank you.