MX5Ireland

Just been given a megasquirt 1 by a mate of mine. Just needs to be fitted and programed.
If I fit it I want to get a standard ecu oem connector block off a broken or used ecu.
My car is a standard 1.8 Eunos with cheap crappy halfords filter stuck on.
What kind of benefit can I expect on the standard setup.

Thinking possably more usable bhp and torque.
Will this have much of an effect on mpg for better or worse.
(If its better mpg I can justify it to the gr. LOL)

Is it worth fitting and is there anything else I may need to do this? Eg wideband lamda?

First up you will need a wideband o2 sensor to tune it. Its recommended you remove the MAF sensor as the megasquirt uses MAP (a small diameter silicon tube from the inlet mani to the ECU) You will see a small improvement in BHP and torque when properly tuned.

Questions you need to look at are, is the MS suiteable for your mx5 model, e.g. year and displacement. if not it could be a ballache. you will need a basemap which is available free on Diyautotune, is it worth making a harness for a few bhp? if going forced induction then yes it is. you will need to do a lot of reading if you go ahead to ensure it start and runs properly, e.g. loading firmware, loading software, basic setup includes selecting injector sizes, calibrating throttle position, synching timing using a timing gun, tuning idle and fuel map.

On plus side you learn loads, and get a heap of new gauges from your engine to your laptop.!!

I'd be advising you to get your standard setup tuned up first..as for mpg, we all know that you're not gonna get great results in this department if you drive your car the way it's meant to be driven..that's the drawback i'm afraid.

John

Andrew, if not going turbo, do you need a wideband with a megasquirt? I'd have thought the signal from the stock O2 sensor would be ok?

The megasquirt 1 is a v2.2 board. It used to be fitted to a charade gtxx pushing out 180bhp.
The plan is to butcher a broken or used ecu for its connector so I can easily swap back to the original if needed.
As for mpg my current best is 33mpg and worst possibly below 20. So I'll be optimistic.
What I am looking for really is better pull in lower revs.

I rember someone telling me these engines run extremely rich and can be leaned up a bit for better power and mpg. Is this true or just throwing reliability out the window?

I don't know about the 1.8's but the 1.6 Mk1 comes with a base setting of 10 degrees from the factory which CAN be brought up to 14 (and I've even seen it at 17 on a 1.6 engine) as fuel here in Ireland is a lot better than Asia/USA.

So, if you can do a 'basic tune' without a WideBand then I'd be thinking yeah - you'll get better MPG as well as a lot more BHP.

The factory ECU is very very 'standard', just do all your homework first and it'll work out. Also - MAKE SURE that version of MS can/will run on an Mx5 1.8 !!

You can contact 'AutoCheck' here on this Forum for a ECU Harness AFTER doing the homework

(edit) If that version of MS doesn't work with a 1.8 block then BIN IT/SELL IT and don't waste your time with that rotten egg as it just won't work at all !! Do your Homework first - THEN mod

Seems be compatable from what I read.
http://www.diyautotune.com/tech_article ... _miata.htm
Says about the dwell time for the 1.6 and 1.8 being set differently. Apart from that it seems they are the exact same to install.
I really appreciate any advice I can get on this. Gona be shittin it till I get it to start for the first time off it. Just need a good day to work on it. The way the weather is lately I migh not get this done till next year. Only have my driveway to work on the car.

Been there, done that - working outside in January/February on my car...won't be doing it again

I don't think the 1.6 & 1.8 harness are the same, also, if your car is a Jap Import then the ECU PINs will be slightly different than the PINs for an EU or USA car (the fuel pump primer relay to name one in the 1.6 harness).

Draw up a pic of the PINs in your harness and also give a pic of the PINs for the MS, we're here to help out if we can.

AndyJF wrote:Seems be compatable from what I read.
http://www.diyautotune.com/tech_article ... _miata.htm
Says about the dwell time for the 1.6 and 1.8 being set differently. Apart from that it seems they are the exact same to install.
I really appreciate any advice I can get on this. Gona be shittin it till I get it to start for the first time off it. Just need a good day to work on it. The way the weather is lately I migh not get this done till next year. Only have my driveway to work on the car.

Where are you based?

AndyJF wrote:The megasquirt 1 is a v2.2 board. It used to be fitted to a charade gtxx pushing out 180bhp.
The plan is to butcher a broken or used ecu for its connector so I can easily swap back to the original if needed.
As for mpg my current best is 33mpg and worst possibly below 20. So I'll be optimistic.
What I am looking for really is better pull in lower revs.

I rember someone telling me these engines run extremely rich and can be leaned up a bit for better power and mpg. Is this true or just throwing reliability out the window?

I wouldn't do it. Not unless you really like a electrical challenge (new harness from car to MS) and don't expect much performace improvment without Forced induction. If it was ready to plug into a MX5 yes, but I wouldn't even modify a ecu from a 1.6 to a 1.8.

You do need a wideband to tune, either a dyno's wideband or your own (preferably)

Well electronics is kida a hobby, so I'll enjoy tinkering with this. Just need to distract the gf. She hates when I do anything she doesn't understand.

I'll see if I can find a wiring diagram this weekend. Should be fun. All I've come across so far is US and euro models. I need the jap one.

Have to agree with andrew, doesn't seem worth it to me, as far as I remember there is little to be gained with ECU change while staying NA. You'd be better off putting your energy into forced induction, even a basic kit is going to give you 40bhp and that can be fitted in an afternoon.