Megasquirt

[bravo 35]

If you don't know what this is, you probably don't need it. Breifly it is a ECU replacement/Engine management system like a Link or Motec or Autronic etc that comes either preassembled, or in kit form and you assemble and install yourself. More info at www.megasquirt.info

Can manage fuel and ignition and boost control, antilag, etc etc.

I'm buying the following:

Megasuirt II CPU on v3.0 PCB (latest board and cpu) kit (Unassembled)

Stimulator Board (unassembled)

Internal USB out for plugging into laptop for tuning. (standard kit comes with serial out only).

LC-1 Wideband O2 sensor and comms.

Intake Air Temp Sensor.

Anyone who wants one of these or anything from www.diyautotune.com please let me know so we can save on freight.

On todays exchange rate you are looking at $750 for the above plus shipping.

I am going to assemble mine in a motronic ecu case, and run full stock wiring with the exception of the o2, IAT, and TPS. Should be plug and play when done. Once I have it running in my car I may offer it to selected others ready to go for a price, but if you have been thinking about doing this now's your chance to save on shipping costs.

Mops has one in his car, mike is in the process of doing his, and crshbndct has bought one. Don't know if there are any more running it on the site?

[Brennan 0]

ive actually spent my afternoon reading through the manuals etc. But not really anything e30 specific. Can you just tap into some of the wires under the dash for the existing sensors or would i have to run new everything.

This may foil my hopes for some new rims but would be alot more fun.

Edit: deleted a few questions, didnt quite read your post properly.

Edited August 27, 2007 by Brennan

[Silver Fox 43]

Interested Bravo, when are you looking at ordering, before the races or after? Wouldn't mind having a chat about it if you're coming down?

[bravo 35]

Brennan. You have to replace the Throttle Position Sensor for the variable one from an e36. You have to install an Intake Air Temperature sensor. You remove the stock AFM and put a bit of tubing in and install it there. You don't run the AFM as MS runs of a MAP (Manifold Absolute Pressure) sensor which is as simple as running a vacuum line from the intake manifold to the sensor on the ecu. If you want to properly tune it yourself you also need a wideband oxygen sensor. All of this is included in the price except the TPS and installation.

There is alot of homework to be done before installing. I have spent countless hours reading and learning to get to the point I am comfortable with what is required. I will still be learning as I go re installation and tuning.

Also, at the above price you have to assemble the board yourself - i.e. solder in all the parts. You can buy them assembled, but add US$200+ to the price. I was originally going to do this, but decided that I needed to modify the standard kit abit to do what I want, and I'd be better off knowing how it went together if I wanted to do that. Plus all the guys who have done it reckon if you are decent at soldering and can follow instructions its a piece of weasels.

You can re-run all the wiring and install new fuses and relays,but I intend on butchering an old motronic ecu, installing the MS inside the case and wiring up the stock connector. This should mean that apart from swapping the AFM back in, I could run the stock setup again with minimal work, and reuse all of the factory wiring, sensors and relays etc. Its been done before, so I'll basically be following someone else's footsteps.

David - doubt I'll be ordering before then, and yes, planning on being there. I'll wander over and have a chat.

www.e30tech.com forums for lots more e30-specific info.

Edited August 27, 2007 by bravo

[kiwi535 538]

do you need to run the o2 sensor all the time or just for set up?

[bravo 35]

I believe just for setup. They sell temporary plug in ones for tuning several vehicles. (It's used to get your AFR maps right etc. Once you have them sussed it's no longer needed.)

BTW I found out today that Your engine check light on the dash, and any OBC functions to do with fuel, and your dash fuel economy guages will no longer work (doesn't worry me).

Also, much more setup involved to run spark and control boost, but at this stage I'm following crshbndct (Nathan's) lead and getting it running on a stock n/a setup first so that I know any probs are either tuning or engine changes, not in the computer itself.

Edited August 27, 2007 by bravo

[kiwi535 538]

thats a pity i quite like the range function on the OBC esp on a trip,,,,i hate stopping at gas stations but not as much as stopping because i didnt......

[bravo 35]

Yeah - I like the fuel economy guage. But I guess I got on fine before with just a fuel guage and and odometer, plus if you REALLY wanted you can leave the laptop plugged in all the time and have data logging and realtime AFR etc. Very geek/High Octane Overboost Indians.

Edited August 27, 2007 by bravo

[crshbndct 0]

hey mate, its definitely easier to get this as the first mod you do to a car. (before exhaust, filter etc) reason being that the set up is just about taken care of then as there are many base maps and things for stock cars everywhere. second, you will notice a bit of improvement with the ecu, but then you will be able to actually tune the car for every thing you do - did you know just an air filter and exhaust can lean you car out quite considerably? also then the turbo installation becomes just that: a turbo installation, not a nightmare of hard ware AND tuning problems.

there are many reasons why this should be the 1st thing you do to a car (power wise), but most of all it because for the price,and the learning experience, you just cant go wrong.

i wish mine was installed and running.

Edited August 27, 2007 by crshbndct

[mops 4]

I got ms2 running in my e30 325i around auckland for over a year now.

i Can provide help in installing/tuning

if you are serious about ems, you should consider other options... it all depends on how much $$$ you have and what exacly you want done... ms might or might not be for you.

[mops 4]

Sounds like a truck load of drama and cost for a fair probability of failure or at best mediocrity. Have a look at the MAP-1 sensor system in the last BMW mag

Same sort of money fully sorted local product with the benfit of eliminating that ugly flap thing and you do NOT need to replace it with an air flow sensor because it works on manifold pressure.

Should give heaps more flow which = power

well... it's only as good as you can tune it.

here's why afm replacements and piggybacks don't work

they work by tricking the stock ecu that there's different amount of air going into the engine that it's actually is.

so that's ok for fueling. the problem is that timing is based on the same input. so as you adjust fueling, you are aswell adjusting timing. and you dont really have control over it. one is tied to the other. richer retards spark, leaner advances it. it works 'ok' as long as you use good quality fuel and the changes are minor. Even then engine might run with less than optimal settings, i.e. you are not getting optimal power or fuel economy. it seems to run ok though.

the only bad thing i can say about megasquirt is that is had no official local vendor support. there are people who run it, have experience operating it, and can help you out (such as myself).

Make no mistake. MS is meant for DIY people, who following great documentation can install it and tune it themselves. if you dont know how/cant be bothered learning then i suggest you got for one of the commercial ECU's +install charge + tuning charge. if you change something then pay for retune. Again, make no mistake, i've seen several 'professional installations with dyno tuning' that were, sub-optimal to say at least. Decent job wont be cheap.

Edited October 5, 2007 by mops

[bravo 35]

Sounds like a truck load of drama and cost for a fair probability of failure or at best mediocrity. Have a look at the MAP-1 sensor system in the last BMW mag

Same sort of money fully sorted local product with the benfit of eliminating that ugly flap thing and you do NOT need to replace it with an air flow sensor because it works on manifold pressure.

Should give heaps more flow which = power

I'm not sure what you are on about? MS uses MAP and is a fully sorted system.

Edited October 6, 2007 by bravo

[mops 4]

I'm not sure what you are on about? MS uses MAP and is a fully sorted system.

not only that.

it can use only map or only maf or both + any combination of that with alpha-n. not many other ecu's can do that.

the algorithms are constantly developed/improved/tuned, matching and often exceeding those of high-end commercial units, user base is huge (all though not local), ms has hands down biggest beta tester community. It's all open code, so they are not trying to sell it as 'latest and greatest', but rather they tell you what it can do and what are the limitations...

I was looking for alternative ecu for my next project, but really short of spending several g's on high end motecs/autronic's/wolf's/etc there's nothing else on the market that will match it's advanced control algorithms.

[kiwi535 538]

Do the MS units come pre built or do you buy a box full of components and go for it with a soldering iron?

[Mike 1]

Both, i'd go for the kit option though. Easy enough to built and makes modifying it to suit your own setup much easier.

[mops 4]

Do the MS units come pre built or do you buy a box full of components and go for it with a soldering iron?

originally it was parts. for about about US$80-100 extra you can buy assembled and tested unit, with warranty/etc, from one of many online retailers.

[Andrew 30]

If you get an ECU to remove the AFM - it's a dumb reason.

There is bugger all gains to be made in removing it.

[m325i 709]

I seacrhed for "mega squirt" and got some very interesting reults