Time for an aftermarket ECU, current recommendations?

Post by **zorruno** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 3:49 pm

All,

I have finally got around to getting the Supercharger installed. It is a standard JR (belonged to Grant, from Hamilton, for those who saw it before in his car), and he built a slightly different pulley for it so it spins faster.

He built a full water/air I/C setup for it (which I have), but we have decided to not bother with it at this stage. Grant thinks it was a lot of complexity for small benefit and added lag. Don from Autoway services is installing it for me, so I might have to remove my DIY status...

My question... I now need an ECU - what are current recommendations? I guess I'd spend around 1k for the right ECU, or less if possible. I don't really need all the ECU whistles/bells, but do want a bit of tuning scope.

poison · Post by **poison** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 4:45 pm

E-manage Blue,

Benefits….
Fuel Control + & -- (the – of course is critical for good idling with bigger injectors or higher fuel rail pressures).
Ignition Control
Piggy back so it retains all the cold running etc functionality of the stock ECU.
Data logging plus a spare channel for logging of boost or O2
Easy Laptop access and set-up
Good support on-line from it’s popularity with Miata drivers
Good support from users with in the club
Tried and true Mita proven solution
And it’s a really nice blue J
I have one so it’s got to be the best choice
Slydit has one... sold what more can I say
Oh and cheap.. often to be found on TradeMe for $500 with looms and sometimes software, although you can borrow mine. If not new ones are available on eBay for about the same.

Disadvantages
The nice blue colour is hidden under the carpet
Quite a lot of wires and initial information overload with wiring diagrams, but I imagine the same for any ECU
It won’t be as cool if one ends up with an odd looking Zorruno number plate J

There are of course newer and possibly more featured ECU’s for more $$, but definitely much less on-line tired and true user experience.

Post by **jif** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 7:10 pm

megasquirt?
http://www.miataturbo.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=18

stock timing and water injection ? ;]
http://www.miataturbo.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=22

Depending on the amount of boost you run, you could even get away with
just retarding the static timing a few degrees (0.5-1.0 degree per
psi)

Maybe try your luck with #2, or a megasquirt in parallel with the
stock ECU (g33ky option). Getting a nice idle, good cold/hot restart,
consistent cold/hot weather manners etc with a standalone ECU can be
... "trouble"

hasta la vista!
-Jeff

SLYDIT · Post by **SLYDIT** » Wed Aug 13, 2008 10:32 pm

best bang for your buck for your application is an emanage blue.
youll never make more power than a blue can handle with an m45 charger.the biggest single thing it does over other cheap fuelling options is TIMING ADJUSTMENT. timing is just as important as fuelling and backing the timing off to the safest possible mark you are losing Hp everywhere else.Having said that, if you run 98 fuel i reckon youd JUst about get away with no retard at all.

youll need
an emanage blue with main harness
an ignition harness
the "support tool" which is a special cable and software
some injectors in the 270-330cc range (toyota 305cc would be perfect)

optional equipment

2 bar boost sensor (i used a GM one. MSD do one too)
wide band o2 sensor for uber geeky tuning
O2 clamp (I'll explain what this is later....much later)

ive pretty much max'd out the emanage blue in what it can do. i have lots of tricks to make it do things others thought impossible.

i know someone who has one sitting in his wardrobe and its been there for quite some time now. maybe he could sell you his?

fiatracer · Post by **fiatracer** » Thu Sep 04, 2008 9:07 am

you'll strike several 'specialists' who say they can fit and tune it for you, keep your car for days, and fail to get it to work, but still expect you to pay their labour bill. My best result by far was from the guys at Speed Factor in Tauranga - sorted out my woes earlier this week, and were great to deal with.

SLYDIT · Post by **SLYDIT** » Sat Sep 06, 2008 2:00 pm

was that you i saw the other day with Linn from speedfactor in the silver MX?

fiatracer · Post by **fiatracer** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 12:43 pm

yeah! either running to or from the dyno!

poison · Post by **poison** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 1:55 pm

Hey Fiatracer, just looking at your signature, what size injectors are you using or are you running high pressure fuel? And what boost are you running?

madandy · Post by **madandy** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 7:29 pm

What about the old FlyinMiata Link ecu?

Post by **zorruno** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 4:28 pm

madandy wrote:What about the old FlyinMiata Link ecu?

Was my original plan, but the technology is getting a bit dated compared to others (less configurable). Is is the only 'plug-in' replacement that I know of though. Also, more expensive than others mentioned.

SLYDIT · Post by **SLYDIT** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 8:59 pm

as far as complete replacement ecu's go the Megasquirt kicks the old links butt even with the flyin miata software. plus the megasquirt is less than half the price.

if the megasquirt was out when i bought my emanage id have got a megasquirt instead.

Euen · Post by **Euen** » Fri Sep 19, 2008 9:03 am

The newer Links have an adaptor available that allows direct connection to the MX5 wiring harness. Not sure of the price though. One issue I have had with my Link (LEM v5) is with the Idle Speed Control which I still haven't really sorted. Apart from that I am pretty happy with it.

SLYDIT · Post by **SLYDIT** » Sat Sep 20, 2008 3:17 pm

others that have plug and play are:
the "wolf" ecu from aus also has plug and play,
the megasquirt also has plug and play

the emanage has plug and play too if you buy a "boomslang' wiring harness.

just to let you know whats out there

fiatracer · Post by **fiatracer** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 8:02 pm

poison wrote:Hey Fiatracer, just looking at your signature, what size injectors are you using or are you running high pressure fuel? And what boost are you running?

Just fitted Mazda 376cc's I think they are- out of a 323 GTX? Yes, high flow pump and rising rate fuel regulator. Boost peaks at 9psi and tails off to 6-7

Post by **zorruno** » Fri Sep 26, 2008 11:36 am

SLYDIT wrote:the emanage has plug and play too if you buy a "boomslang' wiring harness.

OK - so where do I buy the e-manage (and possibly the harness if the price is right...)

Cheers

SLYDIT · Post by **SLYDIT** » Sat Sep 27, 2008 9:41 pm

i imported mine from the states from "mohdparts"

http://www.mohdparts.com/emanage/

theyve since shut down but check out the link for some great info.

you need the emanage, the support tool and an ignition harness.(they do a package price)
youll also need a 2 bar map sensor if your going to boost. any General motors 2 bar compatible map sensor will do (im using a MSD one)

Psycho_Dad · Post by **Psycho_Dad** » Sun Sep 28, 2008 1:41 pm

well i just bought a ms2, with a few bells and a few whistles, cost $650 all up, i still have to wire it in, but i havnt read many bad testimonials on it, maybe visit

http://www.miataturbo.net/forum/index.php

for more testimonials on ms and forced induction

its what i decided to go with anyway

i got a guy on tm to build it for me, cheap as chips but it took a few months

Peace
Psycho_Dad

Post by **zorruno** » Sun Sep 28, 2008 4:41 pm

Psycho_Dad wrote:well i just bought a ms2, with a few bells and a few whistles, cost $650 all up, i still have to wire it in, but i havnt read many bad testimonials on it, maybe visit

If it had been a few years ago I'd probably have put in a replacement ECU, or even put it together myself.

I think though I'm sold on using a piggyback now though - I like the idea of the standard ECU for baseline settings. The emanage looks like the best for this - thanks for the recommendations people have given.

I'm only really putting the SC on because I bought it cheaply, and I don't really think I'll go through any sort of 'more power' craziness in the next few years. I'll trade reliability for a few extra horsepower tweaks these days... even if the megasquirt probably would work out cheaper.

Oh, if anyone has the blue, and wants to upgrade to something else...