theedge

The stock boost gauge would be lost, unless you want to keep the KLR box as that controls the gauge. Its usually recommended that a better gauge be installed anyway. I trust a quick look at my Autometer a lot more than a long look at the stock one.

Boost can be done by the MegaSquirt. The wire harness broke on my Profecs stepper motor unit last night, rendering that expensive purchase quite useless. Greddy did a ****ty job on the design. Ill be using MegaSquirts boost control option a lot sooner than id wanted

The Perrin EBCS unit looks VERY promising as a boost control valve. It just gets wired up to the MegaSquirt, you configure the boost control in the software, and away you go. Only downside is that you would need the laptop to change the target boost, but some coding should solve that hopefully. It can control boost based on RPM or TPS.

Matt Sheppard

Buying a laptop for config. CAN be done for less than $100. I am shopping a used laptop for an engine management install and they can be had for $100 tired P1/266 to $400 for a wireless, CDR, new battery, . . .

You just need a 9-pin serial port as a COM. What I noticed is that manufacturers started dropping that port about 1Ghz PIII era. Keeps it cheap and does it right.

DanG

Brian, I've been reading/thinking about EBC with the MS. It sounds like if you go open loop with it, its really cheap and easy. Pick ANY vaccuum solenoid, run it at a frequency within its operating range, and just play with the duty cycle to get the max boost that you want. So its still a bit of trial/error to get the right duty cycle vs. boost level, but then its rock solid and you get the programmable ramp-up.

To run it in closed loop requires either a pretty expensive controller capable of high frequency or else it will be "lopey" and hunt up and down a few psi around your desired setting.

Dark Lightning

One thing at a time. Boost control can be handled with a $5 Home Depot Racing manual boost controller until we figure out how to control timing.

theedge

The difference between the EBC and the MBC I had was significant, to say the least It felt like a new car going from stock to MBC, then like a new car again from MBC to EBC

Ill prolly order up the Perrin EBCS in a little while.

Im watching your guys Divide by N idea, it sounds ideal. Id help, but im not good at designing circuits, building them is no problem!

Campeck

sorry to brnig this thread back up. but this is just overwhelming.
im trying to make since of it all.
i know what it does and whats its used for. its cheap so i want one.....but, all those #'s and versions and added hardware and downloading software has my head spinning.

wtf is a vr sensor and the completed kit says its jumpered for the vr sensor...ok..what if i dont want that sensor? what do you jumper then? if i need help with something. do enough ppl on here have enough experience to really help?

*pulls hair out*

theedge

VR is a type of sensor, VR = Variable Reluctance. The speed/reference sensors in 944s are VRs.

V2.2 and V3 are the two current versions of the main circuit board. The blue one I have is the latest, V3. You can do everything with either of them, but the older one (V2.2) will need more work to do it. V3 is the best/easiest way to go now.

MS1 and MS2/MSII are the two current processors. MS1 is older, slower, less memory and fewer inputs/outputs but since it was the first one to be used its got a larger code base. MS2 has more of everything, but it uses a different programming language. MS2 is really more of a testing platform/stepping stone to UltraMegaSquirt (still in development). Both these will run on both versions of the board. The difference is the main chip, MS2 is a board that plugs into the socket for the MS1.

Now, the various firmwares. The basic one is called the B&G Code. Its the original. It has fewer features, 8x8 tables, etc but its good to start with and only does fuel control. The most advanced is MegaSquirt and Spark Extra. This one is the big kahuna, complex with features out the wahzoo, harder to configure. Does boost control, lots of stuff. Then theres various ones in between, MS&S EDIS and such. Extra does most of those now as well. The CRITICAL part here is these other firmwares run ONLY on MS1. MS2 has its own, that has some good features, but not to the level of Extra.

Your best bet is to try and compare them all as best you can, to see what has the features you need want, then go from there. Since you seem to want to do just fuel control, not ignition or anything else, the basic firmware will work. Or you can upgrade it to Extra, or to the MS2, which will both give you 12x12 fuel maps and will work fine controlling fuel only.

johne

Theedge,
Very nice breakdown of the MS seriers. It is always nice to hear from someone familiar with a piece of equipment

Campeck,
As another option you could program your own chips. There is a lot of info in the archives if you search. Mark944turbo has provided many helpful post on the subject. It would only cost you ~$200 for a chip programmer and eraser (www.xtronics.com has a good one that I use). It is also advisable for you to get a Wideband O2 sensor whenever you are doing your own tuning (www.zeitronix.com has a good one for cheap that I use). This would give you full control over ignition and fuel for cheaper than the megasquirt.

Good luck in your quest,
John

Campeck

thank you so much!
nono! i want fuel /igniton and all that. so i should get the MS1 (slower) and then get EXTRA? which just downloads to the board?

theedge

You wont have to worry about the speed of it. Itll do just fine.

Basically theres a jumper on the board. Short that out, power it up with the serial cable plugged in, and theres a little DOS program that guides you through it. Took me a few minutes tops.

Play around with the basic B&G code first, so you can get an idea of the layout, datalogging, etc. Then upgrade to Extra after a while. Will also be a good idea to get a laptop, and do all your MegaSquirt related stuff on that ONLY, to keep all the config files and such in one place. Also start exploring the forums (www.msefi.com), theres lots of good stuff to read. Im on there as thedge.

Since you seem to be going with fuel only, your setup will be a lot simpler than mine, DanGs, or prolly Darks. Dan and I are going standalone almost right away. With fuel only, you have fewer needed sensors, etc and no ignition control stuff to worry about.

theedge

For a dedicated laptop, you just need a pentium with reasonable RAM (64MB will do fine).

As several people suggested already, get a wideband. Dont bother doing ANYTHING until you have that. Theres a new program someone created that can do some simple "autotuning"/"learning". You enter in the AFR you want at each cell, then go driving. This program will fill the fuel tables with data based on what it gets from a wideband, then you can fine tune and tinker from there.

Ill be using a Zeitronix ZT2, wideband with EGT. Its supported by that program and by MegaSquirt itself.

DanG

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What he said.

Part of me wants to say its cheaper and easier, or just a whole lot less headaches to go standalone from the start. The only thing you have to keep p-car specific is the sensors and wiring connectors to them. And even at that, you can replace a sensor or two with the "standard" GM sensors MS is pre-calibrated to use. Recalibrating for your own sensors is easy, the benefit is now your "parts bin" is a whole lot bigger, easier to find, and loads less expensive.

I picked up an e30 ECU box with the right connector to plug and play with the stock DME harness, but I haven't decided if I'm going to use it yet or not. I might just go to generic connectors since it would take a ton of work to try and make the whole thing plug and play, and I don't picture myself going back to stock DME/KLR boxes in the future.

I picked up a Innovate Motorsports LC-1 kit w/ Bosch LSU WBO2 sensor for just under $200. Plays perfectly with the MS.

theedge

Take the connector shells off the DME/KLR connectors and use male spade fittings. Supper easy!

Campeck

the edge.

i DO want full control IE standalone.

but. to make it easier or me. your saying i could get an MS1 with fuel only. put that on my NA. tune it to my desire and get used to it. then (Still NA) download EXTRA and play with even more stuff.

then go turbo and ill know pretty much how to do it?

theedge

Ah, so you do. You were talking about the SDS 5th injector controllers and such, which are using a butter knife to chop away at a sirloin IMHO at least.

Yes, what you could do is BEFORE you do all the turbo stuff, run it in fuel only mode and play around. Get a base tune and some experience with it, then add the turbo and you at least have your off boost tuning done. Or add spark control, get that tuned, then to the turbo and just play with your maps at above 100kpa, instead of trying to do everything in one shot. Always good to take the chance to pace yourself if you can. At least if you cant get it running you just go back to the DME and you can still get to work/etc

I cant do that as easily, since my engine is well beyond what the APE chips can do. I plan to start it up with the DME/KLR in there, so I can get all the oil flowing, check for leaks, pump up the lifters, etc, then switch to the MS and go from there. I doubt the APEs will handle much more than idling and a drive down the street.