newbie. 2.3 turbo Q

7t9cobra · Post by **7t9cobra** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 9:05 pm

hey guys
im new to the idea of megasquirt. so far it sounds awesome!!! i need to know everything i need to put a megasquirt set up on my car. i figure ill buy a cheap laptop to keep in the car. i would like to keep the ford sensors also. help is greatly appreciated
thanks
jeff

BTW the engine is from an 86 mekur xr4ti with 35LB injectors, small VAM
manual trans. and it is bone stock except for exhaust and air cleaner

MegaScott · Post by **MegaScott** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 9:41 pm

Connecting up to the ford sensors is a breeze, with MS1 you can either change the Bias resistors R4 and R7 to 27k or use easytherm, for MS2 you can either change bias resistors or just input the Ford sensor values in the sensor calibration wizard and your good.

I don't know which way you are going, but if you have a 79 mustang you would do good by either using the Relay board and cable, or adding fuses and relays to a homebuilt harness. The hardest part though is the fuel system, but you can get most everything off an 86 or newer EFI fox bodied Ford product.

7t9cobra · Post by **7t9cobra** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 11:49 am

i already have the swap done. i have the stock merkur harness, relays, and fuses. i have a walbro 255 LPh pump. im looking to do a megasquirt. the bias resistor talk is jibberish to me lol. im VERY NEW to this. what is a bias resistor? i basically need to know a list of things i need, and need to do to run it. i hate to sound retarded but i have no experience with MS at all. thanks!
jeff

MegaScott · Post by **MegaScott** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 8:09 pm

7t9cobra wrote:i already have the swap done. i have the stock merkur harness, relays, and fuses. i have a walbro 255 LPh pump. im looking to do a megasquirt. the bias resistor talk is jibberish to me lol. im VERY NEW to this. what is a bias resistor? i basically need to know a list of things i need, and need to do to run it. i hate to sound retarded but i have no experience with MS at all. thanks!
jeff

Dude, a little reading of the MegaManual is in order!

You need -Megasquirt MS2 with MSV30 board.
Wiring harness.
PWM Fidle transistor mod. (TIP120)

Unless you have aspirations to use a stock computer using my adaptor board, just lop off the big 60 pin connector and start splicing in the Ford harness to the MS harness. I can give you wire numbers/colors from the 60 pin to Megasquirt if you want, it should only be a few minutes to gather up for a Merkur.

7t9cobra · Post by **7t9cobra** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 4:55 am

that would be perfect! thanks a ton! i will be reading that! right now its almost 6 AM and im going hunting so ill read it when i get back lol
jeff

7t9cobra · Post by **7t9cobra** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 12:51 pm

wow. the first half of reading that i felt really dumb lol i understand it better now....much better. i could not find very much information on the FIDLE mod though. so i figure (not adding the FIDLE mod yet) it should be less than $300 to do this correct? then of course the cost of a cheap laptop. i really appreciate the help. im falling in love with the idea of doing the MS. we'll see how much i love it when i go to run it i guess LOL if anyone has any more info, tips, or anything, please share!
thanks again
jeff

MegaScott · Post by **MegaScott** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 11:39 pm

7t9cobra wrote:wow. the first half of reading that i felt really dumb lol i understand it better now....much better. i could not find very much information on the FIDLE mod though. so i figure (not adding the FIDLE mod yet) it should be less than $300 to do this correct? then of course the cost of a cheap laptop. i really appreciate the help. im falling in love with the idea of doing the MS. we'll see how much i love it when i go to run it i guess LOL if anyone has any more info, tips, or anything, please share!
thanks again
jeff

Read the manual on this page - http://www.megamanual.com/ms2/IAC.htm

Scroll down about half way down the page to the "Fast Idle Valve" section.

You can buy all the stuff needed as listed below from DIYAutoTune.com

MS1 unassembled kit - $187.00
MS2 unassembled kit - $253.00
Assembled Megasquirt 1 with V3.0 - $330.00
Assembled MS2 with V3.0 - $410.00
Assembled MS1 with 3.57SMD - $356.00
Assembled MS2 with 3.57SMD - $430.00

Ford bias resistor kit - $1.60
Fidle mod kit - $7.00
18" Megasquirt pigtail harness - $48.00

You can see that the cost is directly related to how much work you need to do. The latest MS board is the SMD 3.57 which only comes fully assembled. Also, Any Megasquirt with the MS1 processor can be upgraded to MS2 anytime for $90.

If you are assembling your own kit it would be wise to buy a stimulator, of course the stim is a good investment even if you buy one fully assembled. $65.

Since you have a turbo, you may want to buy a WBEGO system, The WB sensor cost's from $45 and you can buy a JAW controller for $45, an Innovate LC-1 controller without sensor cost's $145.

MegaScott · Post by **MegaScott** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 12:37 am

Attached is an excel spreadsheet of the hookup from the Ford harness to Megasquirt.

One thing....the stock EEC measures IAT at the VAM which is incorrect for optimal operation, you need to screw in a IAT sensor into the upper intake after the Throttle body for better operation. The New IAT can be a Ford or GM sensor which will wire up to the old VAM connector.

7t9cobra · Post by **7t9cobra** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 11:50 am

i dont have the program to download that.i would love to eliminate the VAM, because its a bulky pile of crap. because imy car is a 79 cobra, the battery is mounted on the passenger side of the bay, which means i had to squeeze the VAM between the battery and motor. the drivers side is where my SS coolant reservior is going. is there another way to get the sheet??
thanks
jeff

MegaScott · Post by **MegaScott** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 2:00 pm

Sorry,

Here it is in text format, open it up with notepad or Wordpad.

I hope the formatting goes through.

7t9cobra · Post by **7t9cobra** » Thu Nov 01, 2007 12:31 pm

so thats the MS wiring harness right?? then i would splice my wires into that harness by using a wiring diagram for my motor correct?

MegaScott · Post by **MegaScott** » Thu Nov 01, 2007 4:15 pm

7t9cobra wrote:so thats the MS wiring harness right?? then i would splice my wires into that harness by using a wiring diagram for my motor correct?

The Megasquirt pin numbers are in the middle, the EEC functions and wire colors are on the right. Just splice those connections together. Any wires not used can just be stowed.

BTW the grounds on the EEC have to be connected to the MegaSquirt Grounds, I listed all the Megasquirt grounds which there are around 15 grounds in the connector you probably only have 5 ground connections in the cable, you can just split them up between the EEC grounds.

Also there are two power wires on the EEC, just splice those, 37 and 57 to the single 12V power of the Megasquirt.

7t9cobra · Post by **7t9cobra** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 4:45 pm

Since you have a turbo, you may want to buy a WBEGO system, The WB sensor cost's from $45 and you can buy a JAW controller for $45, an Innovate LC-1 controller without sensor cost's $145.

so what is that, and what does it do?

MegaScott · Post by **MegaScott** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 6:52 pm

7t9cobra wrote:
Since you have a turbo, you may want to buy a WBEGO system, The WB sensor cost's from $45 and you can buy a JAW controller for $45, an Innovate LC-1 controller without sensor cost's $145.

so what is that, and what does it do?

The Stock Ford turbo uses a Narrowband Oxygen sensor which interfaces directly to the ECU or Megasquirt. Narrow band sensors oly tell the ecu if you are at 14.7-1 afr. and no usable information when boost comes on, the stock Ford computer goes into open loop under boost.

Megasquirt can use a Wideband Oxygen sensor which will tell you what your AFR is under all conditions, much better for turbo use because you need to know what the AFR is during boost, something impossible to do with the stock Narrowband sensor.

Wideband sensors require a seperate controller, such as the JAW or the Innovate LC-1.

7t9cobra · Post by **7t9cobra** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 8:06 pm

ok that makes sense. what does the controller do? and what is the difference between the 2?

MegaScott · Post by **MegaScott** » Sun Jan 13, 2008 1:48 am

7t9cobra wrote:ok that makes sense. what does the controller do? and what is the difference between the 2?

The JAW is more DIY and less refined but cheaper.

The Innovate LC-1 is a proven unit with less guess work.

Both Wideband controllers work good, they both have some faults, the early LC-1's had problems with the output driver going out, the probs have been fixed in the newer units.
The Jaw doesn't come with a Case and is not really even designed for one, though you can put it in a small case it doesn't have mounting provisions as-is.

7t9cobra · Post by **7t9cobra** » Sun Jan 13, 2008 2:00 am

i did some reading on it. i think ill go with the JAW. i can come up with something for a case. so far i made a list of stuff im buying for the 2.3 and im up to anywhere between $1,800-$2,300. i think its time to start looking around for hot deals. anyone want to buy a jeep? LOL