Build you own fuel controller

Ryan had first done an eec swap and I assume with a Merkur harness. Then he got the MS and I built the harness from scratch for it. The EEC is still controlling spark, I brelieve with an LA series computer. The MS is only controlling the fuel. I think we could have gotten a much better curve contolling spark as well but he just wanted to get it up and running. Power is there, I'd just like to get the whole combo to be more reliable. The tuning (though needs much improvement) has proved reliable as of late. Now it's other parts breaking.

Being able to cheaply carry a spare ECU could definately be a big benefit.

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Mike Hymbaugh
"Converted" drag racer
Castle Rock, CO
http://www.four-banger.net/first.html

I've been reading through parts of my Merkur factory service manual recently and the diagrams for the wiring harness are pretty damn cool. Especially considering my other experience with wiring diagrams has been Audi A4 stuff mostly. Amazing that a 20 year old Ford manual has an better manual than a 5 year old Audi manual. I'll probably pull the whole harness from my car eventually to do the MS. I want fuel and spark control though. Do they have anti-lag yet on MS? Not that it's needed in my opinion (when you don't have a soda straw in front of the turbo), but it's fun for Park Expose.

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Grant Hughes

I think that there is an anti-lag-sorta feature in MegaSquirt'n'Spark-Extra - but that it's quite experimental.
However, I can't really find a link to it - try a search on the forum: http://www.msefi.com/

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Brgrds
Brian

The XR enigne harness is really nice for swaps into other cars. It doesn't have a bunch of non engine related stuff running through it.

At least one XR guy is running his MS through the factory harness. I am fairly certain you can buy a connector to plug right into the factory eec connector and you terminate it on the computer side yourself. I'd prefer new wire though so I know it's in good shape, but it seems like most of the XR hanesses I have messed with were in good shape. On some turbofords, the harness is a complete mess. Insulation falling off, etc...

Here's some posts about antilag code for MS.
http://www.msefi.com/viewtopic.php?p=74145&highlight=antilag#74145

http://www.msefi.com/viewtopic.php?t=9827&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=antilag&start=0

lots more when i did a search.

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Mike Hymbaugh
"Converted" drag racer
Castle Rock, CO
http://www.four-banger.net/first.html

Holy 8 pages! Thanks Mike. I've actually spent the last hour or so reading different things on Megasquirt. Mostly Ford EDIS related though. I came across a guy selling some EEC to Megasquirt connector during all that. Decided I didn't really like it though and the wiring harness is 20 years old.

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Grant Hughes

Oh yeah? Do ECUs go bad pretty often?

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www.rallyrace.net

Yeah the XRati "electrical and vacuum troubleshooting guide" is terrific.

The loom itself is a monstrosity though... wires everywhere!! Brake pad sensors, parking light sensors, bla de bla. It's so 80s I'm suprised it didn't have an LED speedometer.

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www.rallyrace.net

Skye Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Oh yeah? Do ECUs go bad pretty often?
>
> ______
> Undercover Canadian evildoer
> Rally car's almost done I swear...
> www.rallyrace.net


Well, homebuilt ones do... Sorry, couldn't resist.

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Mike Hymbaugh
"Converted" drag racer
Castle Rock, CO
http://www.four-banger.net/first.html

Oh Skye. You fell right into my trap. No, ECUs don't go bad too often, but I figure since Ford carried a spare ECU in the Escort WRC cars so should I. And a spare turbocharger. Hahahahaha. But really, with a home built ECU that costs a couple hundred dollars I'd have no qualm about carrying a spare if it keeps me from DNFing an event I just paid $3000 for. Hey, did you every go to Otago Rally while you were in NZ?

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Grant Hughes

John R. Car 306 was running a Megasquirt in his Mazda engined Fiesta with pretty good reliability. I have looked in to getting a Megasquirt and running the Gaylant with it but just couldn't get myself to do it. Nothing against Megasquirt though, I heard nothing but good things about them.

John R. knows a lot, an I mean A LOT, about Megasquirt, he would be the one I would contact if I was going to build a Megasquirt.

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Cheers
M.Samli
Phoenix AZ
Gaylant VR4
EVO III GSR (Stolen)


Rallies are no place for traitors

I know this thread is a bit on the old side, but I've started going all the way back to the last page of the forums, here, lately to read and catch up on some things. Been learning a lot.

For the record, one of the projects I'll be attacking once this damn Gaylant is running will be the completion of my MSnS installation in the Talon. My internet home, if you will, is 2GNT.com, a site dedicated to the non-turbo DSMs. In the last few months, we have set up a section of the forum specifically for the discussion of all things MS on our cars. We have had members running anti-lag, boost control, traction control, nitrous injection, water/alky injection and kinds of cool shit with these things. It's not the end-all stand alone, in fact, it's more like a stand-along, but it's allowing guys to do things never before possible on their cars. Very cool shit, indeed.

To give you an idea, if you're just browsing this thread, this is what my kit set me back:
MS unit - $350
/*full fuel and ignition control, stutterbox, 4BAR MAP sensor (overkill)*/
harness - $100
/*purchased a kit from RSautosport w/ nicely labeled/color coded wires*/
sensors - $100 (at most, don't honestly recall)
/*GM IAT and CLT*/
laptop - $50
/*used P2 lappy w/ serial port for connectivity*/

I've also got a Zeitronix Zt-2 wbO2 sensor semi-installed (controller only) to be tied into the MSnS so that it can actively keep AFRs where I want them on the fly.

Basically, the open source nature of the code and the availability of parts and options for this thing make it a great idea for the average joe. In my research on doing an ITB (individual throttle body) conversion on the Talon, I found a fellow in the UK who converted his V8 TVR over to ITBs and used MS to run it. We have guys tweaking code to generate large format gauges on the screen during datalogging for information at a glance. Like I said, all kinds of cool shit. On top of all that, as I read elsewhere in this thread, for the price of the MS box, you can build and keep a spare in the service vehicle in case of failure. All your maps are on the lappy, so five minutes could be more than enough time to swap out ECUs, load up a new map or two, and be on your way.

My direct experience with MS is still rather limited, but I've been around it for more than a year and it's a part of my daily vocaublary. If anyone were to want to consider running MS, I could very easily put you in touch with a half dozen people who could likely answer any question you could possibly come up with.

Thought I would contribute in my own little way. I have every intention of running this on my Gaylant before it sees a stage. :thumbsup

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Brian Driggs | KG7KCA | PHX, AZ | 89 Pajero
alterius non sit qui suus esse potest