What standalone to get??

1282 Views 25 Replies 8 Participants Last post by SXE MX6, Sep 30, 2008

SXE MX6

Discussion Starter · Sep 24, 2008

Ok, firstly, i'm a total newb when it comes to electronics......

Now, I'm looking at a MS system (not gonna be easy for me i'm sure)
but the price is good.....

or.

I'm looking at a SDS EM-3 (will be easier for me to install and tune)
but more money.....

what should I look at? and where can I get some basic's to go from or even a starting map, if I do decide to run the MS?

Thanks for any suggestions.
Mike

1 - 20 of 26 Posts

Zach

· #2 · Sep 24, 2008

I'm getting MS for fuel only on my 6, we're using Pazzer's base tune. You can find it here

Index of /pazzer/served/Files/Megasquirt/MSQ's

megasq1G330.msq that's the one I believe you want.

Mx-6Hybrid

· #3 · Sep 25, 2008

im goin with the haltech f10x fuel and ignition, found for a very good price with wire harness so hopefully this winter i could do something

SXE MX6

Discussion Starter · #4 · Sep 25, 2008

ok thanks for some of the input who put some here. I have a local guy here that has a MS (unsure what unit) I'm waiting on more info, he said it was just fuel...

I'm gonna probably go that route, since the SDS the guy has, isn't complete (no pickup, no map, just the ecu, and controller/and fuel control)
and he still wants 550+ shipping

Zach

· #5 · Sep 25, 2008

fuel only control on the MS1 kit is like 140 or so, shipped to your door and should take you about 3 hours to solder up if you're competent with a soldering iron

SXE MX6

Discussion Starter · #6 · Sep 25, 2008

Zach said:
fuel only control on the MS1 kit is like 140 or so, shipped to your door and should take you about 3 hours to solder up if you're competent with a soldering iron

I'm fully competent that i'd most likely burn myself!

Does that count?? LMAO!!!

Zach

· #7 · Sep 25, 2008

sometimes

I'm sure you can someone solder it up for you then

SiFlyBy

· #8 · Sep 25, 2008

Dude, you can do it. I ordered mine from diyautotune. The way everything is labeled, along wth the online step-by-step instructions...a retarded nutless monkey could put it together. I did it, you can too. Then when its all done you'll have that great big feeling of accomplishment. Enough guys here have done it so if you get stuck along the way there are others to help.

SXE MX6

Discussion Starter · #9 · Sep 25, 2008

SiFlyBy said:
a retarded nutless monkey could put it together.

well i'm nutless, and i've been told I was a retard before, and i've been told that I act like a monkey from time to time, so hey wtf, maybe I could do it then! LOL

zlyricist

· #10 · Sep 25, 2008

i wouldnt say MS is hard, but its a lot to take in for someone new to electronics, and new to tuning. ive learned a lot since ive taken on my MS project. its cheap and the knowledge learned in the process is priceless.

and on that note, i should be up and running here in a week or two

edit: read the megamanual intro's and faqs. that should lay it out pretty well for you to know if you want to take it on

Zach

· #11 · Sep 25, 2008

zlyricist said:
i wouldnt say MS is hard, but its a lot to take in for someone new to electronics, and new to tuning. ive learned a lot since ive taken on my MS project. its cheap and the knowledge learned in the process is priceless.

and on that note, i should be up and running here in a week or two :tup:

Me as well. I haven't had crap time to actually work on my car. That's why I'm taking tomorrow off

SXE MX6

Discussion Starter · #12 · Sep 25, 2008

see, and thats why right there, that I was leaning toward the SDS. Yes, alot more money, but most people say in a weekend you can have it up and running well.

Zach

· #13 · Sep 25, 2008

SXE MX6 said:
see, and thats why right there, that I was leaning toward the SDS. Yes, alot more money, but most people say in a weekend you can have it up and running well.

You can with megasquirt

I've just been busy with other things.

I did start it up a few weeks ago, without an 02 sensor hooked up, IAT, Map, Coolant Temp Sensor, Radiator, ya know, everything important. Let it run for about 45 seconds before I shut it down.

zlyricist

· #14 · Sep 25, 2008

the same could be said for MS. all the info is out there, you can assemble a V3 board in 6-8 hours, and build a plug and play harness in 1-2 hours and get to tuning :shrug:

gavin

· #15 · Sep 25, 2008

Just a quick note since some people may have forgotten....not everyone is as proficient as you(the generic "you") are at XXXX. I know, shocking isnt it?

SXE MX6....the answer to your question should be the same as any other thing out there. In no particular order....

-what are your needs for the car(today and in the future)?
-what is your budget?
-what features do you want/need("wants" and "needs" are two different things)?
-how adept are you with regards to DIY?
-do you have a timeframe for what you need?
-will the unit you get be upgradable/suportable in the today and in the future?
-what kind of knowledgebase exists for the unit that you will chose(online and locally)?

Theres other criteria out there, but that should be a pretty good framework to find what you want.

Good luck on your choice....whatever that may be.

Gavin

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SXE MX6

Discussion Starter · #16 · Sep 25, 2008

gavin said:
Just a quick note since some people may have forgotten....not everyone is as proficient as you(the generic "you") are at XXXX. I know, shocking isnt it?

SXE MX6....the answer to your question should be the same as any other thing out there. In no particular order....

-what are your needs for the car(today and in the future)?
-what is your budget?
-what features do you want/need("wants" and "needs" are two different things)?
-how adept are you with regards to DIY?
-do you have a timeframe for what you need?
-will the unit you get be upgradable/suportable in the today and in the future?
-what kind of knowledgebase exists for the unit that you will chose(online and locally)?

Theres other criteria out there, but that should be a pretty good framework to find what you want.

Good luck on your choice....whatever that may be.

Gavin

I was waiting to hear from you..............
you always give good, well thought advice.

-what are your needs for the car(today and in the future)?

It needs to get me around!! LOL Ok, seriously though, it may see some 1/4 mile time, but mainly a back and fourth vehicle to work in the summer, and to cruise around and do some race's here and there.

-what is your budget?

as little as possible like everyone else. but, I would spend around $650 or so, for a system.

-what features do you want/need("wants" and "needs" are two different things)?

It would be nice to adjust something easy, in little to no time, and somthing I wouldn't have to mess around with on a daily basis.

-how adept are you with regards to DIY?

Body/Mechanical, no problem. and, as for wireing it all in to different sensors and such no big deal at all. (dealing with maps and stuff) I'm kinda lost there.....

-do you have a timeframe for what you need?

I'd like to see if I could get the car back out for next summer again. Its been a while since the car has seen the road. I miss the old girl!

-will the unit you get be upgradable/suportable in the today and in the future?

Hope so, but then again we all hope that with everything we buy.

-what kind of knowledgebase exists for the unit that you will chose(online and locally)?

I don't know anyone in the area with a megasquirt. I also don't hang around ricers! Most of my friends drive 8 second - 13 second mustangs. I do have a local guy running a SDS EM-3 in his B2200 (F2T truck), and soon to be an FE3. He had his up and running in a day, and its 10x better now than when it was just a chipped ecu.
Again, like I said the big thing for me is all the tables and maps. Its confusing to me and I don't know why! Much like a turbo map........
I never did figure them out.

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SiFlyBy

· #17 · Sep 26, 2008

Maps, tables, settings, etc...we can help you with. God knows mine would not be running if it weren't for alot of help from Fred and Compnuts. I would gladly lend some help here if you need it. I feel like I owe the 'community' for all the help I recieved.

LARKEN

· #18 · Sep 26, 2008

I got my MS running pretty good, but i don't think its ever going to run as clean and well tuned in all conditions as the stock ECU.
It was alot of effort , but even with SDS you still have to wire up all the sensors.

How do you tune the SDS map for all range of driving ?

SiFlyBy, how does yours run on a scale of 1 to 10 ?

SiFlyBy

· #19 · Sep 26, 2008

LARKEN said:
SiFlyBy, how does yours run on a scale of 1 to 10 ?

I'd say ~9ish. I'm running fuel and spark. When we(myself and a couple friends) tuned it, we didnt really break down to extreme fine tuning. Don't get me wrong it runs very well. But I didn't want to waste a ton of time nitpicking when I'm installing larger injectors, a 255lph fuel pump and turning up the boost to 16-18psi soon.

When we tuned it I was still running basically open downpipe and it seemed harsh. After I finished my exhaust...all I can say is WOW. What a difference that made. Driveability is very nice now. Plus I can finally hear my wastegate working.

All in all, I'm glad I did it. It was the most fun and challenging project for me to date. If there was any issue with tuning, I'm sure any tuner would help for a fee.

Now that I really think about the cost though...
MS2 with wiring harness, IAT and bung ~$350
LC1 ~$200
EGT sensor/guage ~$200

Then again the last 2 would probably be a good idea for any standalone system and maybe the only comparison would be the unit itself.

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SXE MX6

Discussion Starter · #20 · Sep 26, 2008

I couldn't tell you Larken......
the MS that a local guy has for sale is:
a MS1 v2.2 with Megasquirt n' Spark Extra code loaded on it (allows fuel and timing control). I will also include the Megastim board (allows testing of the ECU out of the car) and the GM IAT and CLT sensors

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