A treasure trove of Noob Questions
 

Hey guys new to the forum and new to ecu tuning, I have loads of experience with carb tuning but I'm not confident at all with tuning an ecu since I have never done it before. So to start I have a 99 miata nb and I'm planning on putting a turbo on it so I'm going to order a prebuilt megasquirt ms2 pnp from diyautotune which Im sure I could do it cheaper but I want it where I can just easily buy it and not have to deal with any hassles of building something. I figure I want to learn to use and be comfortable with the megasquirt before I turbo the car so I'm not stuck with a car that doesnt start etc. So my questions are where do I even start with how to use the megasquirt, what should I pay attention to, how hard is it going to be to get it to run like stock (rev changes with steering, a/c, etc). Which tuning program should I use, Should I get someone to tune it for me even though I rather learn myself. How hard is it to install and do I need any sensors (I'm very mechanically inclined to the point of building and fabricating hot rods and various motorcycle projects so nothing in my opinion is to hard but I still want an idea), what all do I need (harnesses etc) Also is there a better place to get the megasquirt (I think I saw someone built them or something like that for cheap dont quote me on this) or should I go with a different ecu even though I'd like to stay under $900. I guess in short for right now I just need the basics so that I can get the car started and able to drive it untill I am able to fine tune it, also this car is my DD

Read this. All of it... or something: Megasquirt MSEXTRA Manual Index

You'll start to understand, or get bored/give up. It doesn't matter much which.

Once you've done some research, come back & ask specific questions about trouble you're having.

:drama:




:repost:

IF you have any soldering skills at all:
90-97 MS3 with MS3X | My Westfield MX5 90-97 MS3 with MS3X | & Megasquirt site

obviously you'd have to find a diagram or just make one for the stock 99 harness if you want plug and play, but it's not that hard. I had minimal experience with megasquirts and I've built 3 ms3x's from this guide. Thank you FRANK

or go to Braineack, who has a sticky in the for sale/trade section of this forum. Have him build you a ms3x. It's worlds better diypnp, ms1, ms2. Just do it

WOW wall of text. Use paragraphs dude.

Dann

tl;dr

Do you have a backup? I would think this is step #1. Don't turbo your DD unless you have something else to drive.

Willy,

I see you have been saving up your questions for awhile :)

The best deal going on a MegaSquirt system is from a really nice guy on this forum named Dimitris (goes by Reverent on here). His MS3 Basic will be a plug in unit that will replace your stock ECU and plug right into the stock harness. It is the latest technology at an excellent price and will come with a base map he will customize for whatever larger size injectors you decide on (you will need larger injectors).

Here's a link to the introduction thread for the MS3 Basic.

If you get the program TunerStudio (free online) and then pay a few bucks for the upgraded version, it will autotune your fueling map for your particular setup. You will learn to tinker with some of the setting regarding idle and such within TunerStudio as well. You won't need a tuner.

The guys weren't being mean when they were indicating that you should read some, either, because there is much to learn. I never read the msextra info linked in the first post, just threads and discussions on this forum. There is a great deal of good info on this forum.

I was a carburetor/distributor musclecar guy before starting into all of this, so I understand it can be daunting. I told myself I needed to learn this technology to be able to take advantage of it. One day I'll turbocharge the old '68 GTO convertible with MegaSquirt technology when money gets better.

Oh crap! I missed that one. Yeah, I wouldn't tinker with a DD without a backup ride. The turbo system install will likely involve some downtime due to small items that always need to be sourced during the install. For me it was clamps, silicone elbows, etc., that never seemed to be the right part for where I needed it to go.

Thanks six shooter yeah I have a few other cars to drive I just added the part about it being my dd cause I would like to retain the ability of using it everyday when everything is all said and done. I have a 70 nova ss with a carbed lsx motor because ecu tuning always seemed like witchcraft but like you said we have to learn it nowadays.
I'm going to try to get a hold of Dimitris then and I guess just start reading the manuals and go from there. I know my questions were general and showed i didnt do much research I just waant sure what direction I needed to go in.

Also since I'm going with bigger injectors when I turbo it should I put them in with the ecu even though it wil be na for about a month? Also which injectors (size and brand) should I go with if I'm aiming for 225 whp. I'm going to go with the fm2 turbo kit and I know their hydra kit comes with 700cc injectors and I was going to do the same but I just want to make sure thats the right direction for me.

I, was wearing purple polka-dotted crotchless panties, yellow fuzzy tap dancing shoes and rainbow knee-high socks with swirly peace signs. On my tits, I had disco pasties. I have sicc multi-colored dreads.
You, had a green goatee, and no pants. A cow patterned blazer, No shirt. Sicc tatts.
I saw you hula'n on the multi-colored flying dragon art-car as I was riding my TIGHT cruzer thru da sicc playa dust.
We made eye-contact and never saw each again! Hope the universe brings us together. Namaste.
P.s. my name is Raven.
p.p.s we saw each other at burning man.

You should install injectors with your ECU even though you will be NA. As to which, that's where you are going to have to start reading. Most members recommend FIC, ID, or DW injectors. In general, you get what you pay for. You can get some 550cc RX7 injectors for ~$60, but they are the EV1 design and very very old.

I do have 2 suggestions though. 1) don't ever use the search bar at the top of the page. Do 'advanced search' and make sure to select 'sort by relevance' in the sorting options. The other option is to search google with site:miataturbo.net <your thing you are searching for>.

Start reading, this shit gets interesting.

yeah, might as well tune in vacuum on larger injectors now, then all you'll have to tune is boost fuel.

ok nice, I guess I'll go with the 700cc dw's since that's what Fm is using for the set up. Unless anyone has a better option to go with. Also thanks Steve I was wondering about that search bar cause I used it earlier and it didn't seem to be very good

Go with 725cc Injector Dynamic injectors. ID > DW. I have ran both dw1000's and ID1000's and the ID are by a long shot better then the DW. The ID's cost a bit more, but are worth every penny.

Ok then perhaps ID725s injectors which adapters would you suggest using for the injectors? DIY solder or the pnp adapter? I'm trying to make this as painless as possible but I will choose performance and reliablility over anything. Also I saw the megasquirt can handle boost control should I use it or should I look elsewhere for a boost controller?

The EBC that the megasquirt can do will spool better than an MBC or wastegate only. I would definitely use it.

Order for a painless, staged build:

1. Install your MS, remove you MAF/AFM and install WBO2. A base tune should get you going quickly. Drive around for awhile and learn the basics. This is your steepest wall and once you've climbed it you'll gain a lot of confidence.
2. Install the larger injectors, adjust REQ FUEL and retune fuel for the larger injectors. 1 and 2 could be combined, but if you do you'll likely be starting with a rougher basemap.
3. Comfortable? Good. Install turbo. If you're a hotrodder, nothing new here. Take great pains to install reliable components, perform a quality build and control heat.

And you're off. With the power levels you mentioned, you can have a very reliable DD.

Thanks Rick that's what it seems like I'm going to do since I feel like the best way I'm going to learn is just by reading a lot and more than anything playing with it in my car. I think its kind of funny that the turbo install itself I'm not even worried about but the ecu has me dreading this project a little. Also another question I like the features and everything of the Innovative wideband controller/gauge. Does anyone have anything against it? I was thinking about an autometer gauge kit because I have a lot of experience with their stuff but the innovative's price has me at $200 compared to autometer's $300 does anyone have another suggestion? Or is the innovative all around pretty good

Reverent's MS3 Basic can control an electronic boost solenoid just fine.

When you order the MS3, just tell Dimitris the size of the injector you will be using and he will install a basemap that will get it running. You will learn to fine tune the idle and TunerStudio's VE Analyze Live feature will fix your VE (fueling) map. You will likely just keep the safe spark basemap as is because it will work just fine. After you learn how not to blow up your engine and become comfortable with the MS, you can add the turbo components. And you will be mentally prepared for them at that point.

Good luck.

Edit:
I have the Innovate and so do most of the people on this forum.

New question that is not megasquirt related but important for the project at hand, today I decided to check compression since I was bored. Now I know the accuracy is questionable with the harbor freight gauge i used but even so the numbers are pretty low in my opinion I got 135 +- 2 psi across all 4 cyclinders wet and 120 +-2psi across all 4 dry.

Now what should i have for a motor with 12x,xxx miles? I read that brand new it should be 209psi. Tomorrow I'm going to use the snap on gauge to be sure and if its funny I'll do a leakdown test. I'm guessing I would want to be around 170+psi maybe a little less maybe. The only positive is that they were almost dead even, which leads me to believe its the gauge.

So I guess the question is: for my turbo project where would you guys want to be in terms of compression?

That 209 number is much higher than I have ever seen. Your engine will be fine with those numbers you listed. If you had one that was way off I would be worried, but consistency is good. Did you do the test with the throttle wide open (I had to ask)?

yeah I did it WOT also the engine was warmed up. I saw the 209psi number for the 99 motor in another forum and thats for a brand new engine supposedly and thats what got me nervous but like you said theres not to much to be worried about since they are all almost dead even.

I've used the harbor freight compression tester too, and I remember doing my test on a 167k mile engine with compression around 170-180 with WOT.

I know the first time I forgot WOT, it was 135 or so and I was pissed until I realized I did the test wrong. This was warmed up and dry

sounds fine. at least it's consistent across the board; your rings are fine at least.