What Programable ECU should you buy for turbo conversion?

[Wiseman]

Buliding an m20 turbo, im quite drawin to a DTA P8 ecu but any advice would be great.
P.S I have heard good and bad things about megasquirt, the price is great but it just seams to cheap, any advice on that would be smashin

thanks.

[jaistanley]

I personally vote megasquirt. Buy one from a well known trader that has a good reputation. You'll have it fitted and mapped for the same price as an alternative ECU and there is so much scope for tuning/customising.

Perhaps Ant (A-Tech) should be your first port of call. He's the man in the know in these parts and has turbocharged many M20's.. Thus he'll have shedloads of advice and when supplying the kit or doing the work he'll be able to plug in very decent base maps to start from. Buying another aftermarket ECU will have you starting from scratch (unless the person that maps your car happens to have the relavent base map files for your particular ECU).

Just my tuppence worth.

[Wiseman]

Ant (A-Tech)? Sorry i have know idea who this is.
I mean i know guys up here in ayrshire that can map dta cheap no problm, none of them have ever used megasquirt, some of them have seen it at shows but say that its shit because it doesnt do closed loop fulling, does not not have an on board map sensor, etc... but i try and keep an open mind.

www.andrewgallacher.com

[e21Jason]

Hi
The DTA is good but expensive, megasquirt is only as good as the supplier and can be specced to all of the engine functions the DTA.
I got a VEMS system for my m20 popular with the big power m20 turbo’s in Scandinavia, (www.vems.co.uk) If you happing to be running a twin turbo it has dual on board wide band, plus boost control, exhaust gas temps etc.
I have seen Andrew focus on a few track days at Knock hill awesome.
Jason

[Wiseman]

Yes jason i have heard of VEMS, it has the bosch in connector so you can utilise the exsisting harness, quite the plug in and play ECU,
But it is nearly as expensive as DTA and i havent heard of anyone locally using. Andy, kenny and charlie all AGmotorsport cars use Pectel boards for there cosworth power plants in there focus but thats well out of the question, pectel is just to hardcore for my build.
But i keep being drawin towards DTA because andrew deals with a guy that can map the car set it all up for 300 pound which i thinks great.
I take it your m20 is turbocharged?
If so what did you usefor a potentiometer (throttle position sensor)?

www.andrewgallacher.com

2008 Gatebil extreme car
670bhp
shame its a ford

[e21Jason]

Hi

I did have an itb set up (for sale) but the car is back on carbs to comply with the SMRC Classic Series regs, the TPS was an e36 one with a machined spindle adaptor.

Mapping DTA or VEMS should be no poblem to a good rolling road tuner as both alter the same values.

The VEMS does all of the DTA stuff bar traction control but runs up to 2 wide band lamada without the need of an external conditionor and also has 2 exhuast gas temp sensors and knock detection.

http://www.vems.hu/wiki/index.php?page= ... FPeppesBmw

Jason

PS do you work at AG

[fowler]

hello chap i use VEMS on my big power m20B27 turbo and its very very good but as e21 jason says it can be set-up by any good tuner
works out quite expensive but it has all the goodies so to speak on it.
launch control closed loop tuning etc

On my daily 318 turbo i use megasquirt V3 as built by Ant (A-Tech 01959534718) this is also very good but it can be spec to what ever you desire as all the development work for the m20/m40 has already been done
This is the guy who really knows his stuff about turboing Bmw as he ahs quite a few now under his belt.
My 2 plus prob another 10 to his name around the country.

[Wiseman]

Cheers, thanks for the heads up on te VEMS.
Whats your setup on your m20 if you dont mind me asking


www.andewgallacher.com

[fowler]

its a 324td crank (balaence and lightened)based low comp 2.7 about 7.2:1 Cr with minor head work running a Holset HX35 large trim with customised exotic performance 6 branch manifold to house 64mm external wastegate
running 1.6 bar before more fettling began roughly 500bhp at Fly. Designed to take 2 bar
using 6 plate paddle clutch custom gearbox and E36 M3 3;25 : 40% lock up diff in e30 casing.
custom relocated oil filter housing
custom downpipe to 3 inch exhaust
Custom front mount intercooler
Custom intercooler piping
Custom inlet manifold (being built as we speak)
using Vems management ( alot of mapping done still more to be done)
with 44lbs/hr injectors (ouch)
using a Walbro fuel pump( not sure what one can't remember) cabable of 5-7 bar
all i know at 1.6 bar it was fooking quick and decided to kill a prop shaft and pull the bolts out the diff.
so dependant what you are after chap 600-700 is easily obtainable. but out only problem is that the steering wheel is on the wro9ngside to compete with the sweedes
Hope that helps chap
its bloody expensive but worth it in the end
FYI : you can run a 1 bar down a STD Low comp engine without any issues as it has been done
currently running 10-12 psi on my daily 1.8.

[Wiseman]

i thought a bar wa pos std.
I really do take my hat off to you fowler.
Im hoping just to make 350, just to beat aww these chocolate piston jap taxi's you canny avoid.
fook sake that a serious setup for the road. well done.

[fowler]

well i owe most of it to mr Ant of A-tech as it was his design i am just the free labour lol
350 is easy you can obatain that buy supercharging a M20 B25
have you thought of that route using a rotrex charger ????

[Wiseman]

Supercharged one sounds the boi, but ive already go my tig wielded tubular manifold, garret t3/4, rs 500 inercooler m5 injectors, walbro fuel pump, etc.. just need a brain.
how much are the superchargers like?
If you hear of any brains going for sale let us know aswell bud

[fowler]

will do mate the problem is i think the rs 500 intercooler is the wrong shape mate but i might incorrect
don't think the M5 injectors are big enough for the job ??? can't rember the cc of them
a complete kit for the M20 from A-Tech (only uk retailer) is some thing like 3-4K all in i think not sure that would be the big spec rotrex
brains don't really go for sale.
My car could be prised from my hands for the right price.

[Wiseman]

aye you can get the cooler in there its just a cooler after all
think the m5 injectors are 520 cc
your m20 how much you wanting for it?

[fowler]

alot mate it has cost me in excess of 10k for the whole project
what you wanting the whole car as it has all the bits you need fro a sub 10 sec 1/4 mile car
as it was a 325i touring in alpine white 2
340mm brembo 6pot brakes
all chasis strentghing around rear diff hanger
m20 b27 low comp using 324td crank
custom engine components
designed to take 2.0bar of boost and to rev to 8.5k
oil reloction kit
custom intercooler
custom exhaust
exotic peformance manifold cost me over 1k
I have built so many custom parts for this car and there must over 500 hours labour in it
i mean i have replaced everything on this car
it has been undersealed all the lot
the thing i love about it still looks stock until you look hard enough


This car has been my labour of love for over 2 years
but its time for a change me thinks
it will hopefully be at santa pod inseptember as some more fettling is in progress so i can come and run it up the pod as i will not be letting it go before i have finished it as i wwanted it to be one of the fasted e30's or the fasted e30 in the country

[Wiseman]

I see its a tourer mmm nice and its a sleeper, whites a lovley colour. ae well give us a shout when your thinkin about moving on.
I look forward to santa pod.

[fowler]

will do mate !!!