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Author Topic: Any plug and play ecu for our cars? + Stock ecu question  (Read 2311 times)

Aus Capri

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    • 1989 Capri Turbo
Any plug and play ecu for our cars? + Stock ecu question
« on: February 17, 2021, 09:52:40 AM »

Hi does anyone know if there are any plug and play ecu's for our cars mine is a 89 turbo b6t.
Does megasquirt do one?

Also wanting to know if there is a way to raise the rev limiter on a stock chipped ecu? It has a fueltronic chip in a soldered on socket. I would like to take the limit up to at least 7800 maybe 8100. Motors built and has a giant turbo that spools at 4500-5000rpm and needs more rev range. Check it out in the builds section if your interested there are some links to pics and run down of the build. It's the one called took the motor out to do rings and got super carried away!

Any help or info anyone can offer is always greatly appreciated! Thanks you y'all in advance, Dave robbo
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EShepherd

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    • 1991 Capri XR2, 1991 Capri XR2 Rusted out Shell
Re: Any plug and play ecu for our cars? + Stock ecu question
« Reply #1 on: March 12, 2021, 09:16:05 AM »

Hey, I'm not sure how much this'll help, but here goes. I reached out to the folks at diyautotune about a month ago (they are the megasquirt guys). I was told Microsquirt could be made to work with our cars, but there's a caveat. Our factory ignition system must not be supported, because they told me I'd have to swap to a later style Miata ignition system. I think that's what they said to use. If you dig around their website, there's a ton of different ignition systems that can work with it. It's all batch fire because that's how microsquirt works, but should be fine. I took it to mean, if I swapped my plug wires and distributor with the coil on plugs and ignition control module of a supported vehicle, I could run it all through the microsquirt box.

So, no it isn't plug-and-play. However, I don't think it would be all that difficult to figure out. Those guys are super supportive and got back to me very quick. The only other issue I suspect I'll run into, if I chose to go with the microsquirt, is finding a basemap. Maybe someone has a base tune for a 1.6L Miata with a small turbo, and that might get me close, but who knows. It might be difficult just getting the car to idle, even after figuring out how to install the damn thing. That's why I'm leaning more towards Rocket's chip. Much, much easier. Just limits what you can do. Can't get a bigger pump and injectors, raise the pressure with a boost referenced fuel pressure regulator, and push out 300hp. You'd need something stand alone for that.

If you look into it, let me know if you learn anything. I'd definitely at least email them, if not call them, if it's something you're interested in. With the modifications you've already done, stand alone is for sure your best bet at this point. I haven't found anything cheaper, with better support, than Micro Squirt. Good luck, and share your findings.  :P I'm going to try to dig up that email I got from them, if I do I'll edit this and quote it in.


Edit:
------
I found the email. It looks like I was fairly correct in my recollections. So I told them I'm looking for a cheap stand-alone ecu that would give me control over both timing and fueling, and I wanted to be able to control boost through the box as well. This is what they emailed me. (Note everything after this is copied verbatim from my email):

Quote
The notes I have on this car indicate that the ignition uses a centrifugal and vacuum advance, and so the timing is not under ECU control. Would swapping to a Miata distributorless ignition or a computer controlled distributor off an Escort,  323, or Protege from the same year range be an option? If so, I'm thinking a MicroSquirt would be your best bet:

$388.00 MicroSqrt8:  Assembled ECU (includes 8 ft / 2.4 m harness & tuning cable)
$67.00 GM3bar-map: MAP sensor
$12.49 GM3bar_piggy: Pigtail connector for MAP sensor
$22.49 IATwPiggy: Intake Air Temperature Sensor
$9.49 38NPT-Bung_A: Aluminum bung for IAT sensor (Also available in stainless steel)
$58.00 EBC_Sol_kit: EBC Electronic Boost Control Solenoid Kit
$28.99 USB-2920: USB to serial adapter (Only needed if your laptop doesn't have a true DB9 port)
$586.46 Subtotal without wideband

The wideband oxygen sensor system is optional, but a very useful tuning tool. We carry the Innovate line.

Wideband Options:

$189.00 (Special sale price - $166.00) LC-2 without gauge (you can still view real-time AFR and datalog AFR through your laptop)
$219.00 (Special sale price - $209.00) MTX-L Plus digital gauge system
$219.00 (Special sale price - $209.00) LC-2 with DB digital gauge (available in red, green, or blue)
$259.00 (Special sale price - $209.00) MTX-AL analog gauge system
$349.00 (Special sale price - $279.20) LM-2 basic data logger with one sensor
$399.00 (Special sale price - $333.00) DLG-1 dual wideband package with digital gauge
$479.00 (Special sale price - $383.20) LM-2 deluxe kit with one O2 sensor
$669.00 (Special sale price - $535.00) LM-2 deluxe kit with two O2 sensors

I think this will give you a pretty good start in the right direction. If you'd like to place an order, you can do so at www.diyautotune.com/shop/ and it will calculate exact shipping costs (based on weight of your order) and accept all major credit cards securely. If there is anything else I can assist with, please just let me know!
Matt Cramer
DIYAutoTune Support
« Last Edit: March 12, 2021, 09:24:53 AM by EShepherd »
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EShepherd

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    • 1991 Capri XR2, 1991 Capri XR2 Rusted out Shell
Re: Any plug and play ecu for our cars? + Stock ecu question
« Reply #2 on: March 12, 2021, 10:05:21 AM »

I just did a little more research on this, here's what I found. From the factory, our car's ecm has no control over ignition timing whatsoever. The whole system is contained within the distributor. So, if you replace the ecm with a standalone, you still have nothing. However, if you look at the same year Miata as the Capri you have (in my case, I'm looking at a '91 Miata), the ignition system is different. The ecm sends out commands to fire spark on cylinders 1 & 4 together, and 2 & 3 together. It's a waste spark setup. Due to the design of the engine, when cylinder 1 is at (or near) top dead center on it's power stroke, cylinder 4 is 360 degrees out of sync, on top dead center on it's exhaust stroke. 1 and 4 fire together, so cylinder 1 will do it's thing and produce power, whilst cylinder 4 will just waste the spark since there is no fuel in there. Cylinders 2 and 3 are 180 degrees out, and are each 360 degrees out from each other. So, you've got a factory batch fire/waste spark setup that is controlled from outputs from the ecm. Perfect.

My assumption here is that if you took the 2 ignition coils from the Miata, and likely the spark plug wires, then deleted your distributor, and then replaced your ecm with a stand-alone that could give out those spark commands, you should be good. The commands are looking for both crank position sensor inputs and intake air temperature sensor inputs, which is why the folk's gave me part numbers for those in the email. You'll also need a way to measure incoming air, and we have that silly VAF thing, but what you really want is speed density. A MAP sensor. With a stand alone, you can get rid of the VAF and build yourself a nice cold air/short ram intake, hook the MAP sensor into that, and voila. No more VAF, no more distributor, no more weak and stupid ignition system.

It SOUNDS easy, but I don't know. There's no step-by-step tutorial for doing this, so it's going to be trial and error. That's why I'm still on the fence about it. I might try it, I still don't know. It'd be about $800 USD for everything you need, including a wideband and AFR gauge, to datalog and tune your car. Doesn't seem crazy steep for the amount of power and control you'll be able to get out of it, but it's still a lot of money for something that's likely to be a pain in the ass to install.

Let me know your thoughts. If you want to try it, I'm willing to give you all the help I can. You can be my guinea pig lol. If you can make it work, I'll probably follow suit. If not, $150 for a Rocket Chip I can replace in 10 minutes is sounding quite tempting.
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chrispoe

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    • 91 BP Capri GT
Re: Any plug and play ecu for our cars? + Stock ecu question
« Reply #3 on: March 12, 2021, 06:20:13 PM »

There are no plug and play aftermarket ecu options for the Capri.

The microsquirt is the standalone unit I would use along with a wireless bluetooth adaptor, but I would get the cheaper one with the shorted 30 inch wire harness instead. You can use RTV on the cover and seal the unit for mounting in the engine bay (I would mount it on top of the CAS right on the engine for wiring simplicity). You can use the miata CAS sensor or the escort GT/323 unit for the crank and cam signals (they are the same unit, the miata version just puts a cover plate where the distributor cap/rotor went.

The microsquirt is based off the megasquirt, so you can use those base maps to start with to get it running and they do offer a turbo Miata map too. The microsquirt has 2 logic level ignition outputs for a waste spark setup, but you can program it to use the WLED and ALED as 2 more ignition outputs for full sequential spark if you wanted too.

I wouldn't bother with the miata coil packs and igniter setup when you can get a superior COP setup from a Toyota Corolla for an easier/cleaner/cheaper install
« Last Edit: March 12, 2021, 06:23:18 PM by chrispoe »
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Aus Capri

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    • 1989 Capri Turbo
Re: Any plug and play ecu for our cars? + Stock ecu question
« Reply #4 on: March 18, 2021, 11:05:36 PM »

Thanks for the reply guys the microsquirt sounds like the go. Does anyone know if it offers knock control. I didn't see it listed on their website
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EShepherd

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    • 1991 Capri XR2, 1991 Capri XR2 Rusted out Shell
Re: Any plug and play ecu for our cars? + Stock ecu question
« Reply #5 on: March 19, 2021, 07:50:57 AM »

I know the megasquirt does. I don't see why the micro wouldn't, it's not (to my knowledge) a high amperage circuit.
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