Starting out with MegaSquirt
 

I've built the MegaStim and I'm confident that I can tackle building MegaSquirt itself now. Here's a pic of my MegaStim if you're interested.

Okay just to make this clear, I'll need to get the MegaSquirt itself and the Ford IAC Valve Control 'Mod-Kit'. The mod kit mentions the relay box but since I want to make use of as much of the factory stuff as possible, I won't need this, right?

So here's my shopping list:

MS stuff:
http://www.diyautotune.com/catalog/m...ase-p-108.html
http://www.diyautotune.com/catalog/p...dkit-p-74.html

GM IAT sensor:
http://www.diyautotune.com/catalog/o...tail-p-62.html

I'll also build or purchase something like this so I can make it plug and play:
http://www.boomslang.us/extension.htm

Is anyone using the factory coolant sensor with any luck?

Apart from a straight through DB9 cable and laptop, can you think of anything else I'll need to get up and running on MSnS-E? Anything I've said here not needed or incorrect? Maybe we can come up with a few scenarios to make it easier for people to go with MegaSquirt (as in NA6, NA8, NB8A etc).

I wouldn't bother with the boomslang thing. It is not difficult to wire in the megasquirt, I don't think that would make it any easier either.

The relay board is just a central wiring spot for the MS, so you don't need to use one unless you really want to.

I'm using my stock coolant sensor, it's working just fine.

Thanks for the feedback! Did you have to do any additional mods to the MS hardware to get the MX-5 coolant temp sensor to work over the GM one? Did you use Easy Therm, and if so what values did you use?

i have never been happy with the Mazda coolant temp sensor with MS. I have a GM one that will be going in when I do my coolant re-route.

Fot your idle mod, all you need is a TIP122 which you can get at Jaycar, Dick Smith etc.

I purchased a used Miata ECU and stole the connector. Makes it plug and play with the OEM ECU. But, if you remove the MAF the OEM ECU won't run correctly.

I got a deal on a relay board if you want one.

That sounds like a really cool idea, but I was going to leave the OEM ECU in to run all the little things other than spark and fuel, like the fans and charcoal canister purge. Do you think my idea is stupid?

Not stupid at all, this is what most... if not all of us did.

http://www.diyautotune.com/catalog/s...tune-p-67.html

Or if your using a serial to serial

http://www.diyautotune.com/catalog/m...thru-p-35.html

Also make sure you have a really fine tip soldering iron, those transistors can be quite close together. I just soldered them on and then extracted the excess solder w/ my 45 watt desoldering iron/bulb combo..

I'd still buy a spair ECU and wire the megasquirt into the ECU. That will still make it a plug and play ordeal.

Adam