Megasquirt question

[JazzMan]

I see Vauxhall V6 coil packs are quite popular for M20 megasquirt users, is there any practical reason not to use individual coil packs from say an M52/M54 or M3's? Or is it mainly down to cost difference?

[hoshy]

I'd imagine that there's little benefit in the individual coil packs/COPs, given that you won't have a cam sensor to sequential spark that means you'd be on wasted spark anyway but still need 6 ignition drivers - one for each coil - rather than the three you'd need for the v6 wasted spark coil pack.

[JazzMan]

ahhh I see thanks, expect more silly question from me in the near future as I look into standalone more closely

EDIT

I've been going through this page which has answered a lot of questions

http://www.extraefi.co.uk/drawings.htm

[hoshy]

No worries. I'm messing about with megasquirt myself at the moment. I've got it on my iS with the individual coil packs so I had to get up to speed on it.

Now I'm messing about with cold starts courtesy of this weather we're having

[e30_Turbo]

As Hoshy said

COP requires more work but is the way to go, that and individual injector drivers, full control!

Just buy a new coil pack, I went direct to vaux spares, 75 or so for a new one, 2nd hand are not worth it.

There is a ford option too but I couldn't bring myself to do that to my car.

[JazzMan]

As Hoshy said

COP requires more work but is the way to go, that and individual injector drivers, full control!

Just buy a new coil pack, I went direct to vaux spares, 75 or so for a new one, 2nd hand are not worth it.

There is a ford option too but I couldn't bring myself to do that to my car.

Sounds good I've read you can also you a VW pack which is shared with some of the Ford models as well.

[e30_Turbo]

Anything 6 cyl, three sets of two can do the job, I choose the GM part as Alex had already done the hard work and figured out the firing order, saved me blowing something else up! LOL

Be warned, the system and wiring can be a proper PITA to get up and running, I had loads of issues and lost many weeks to head scratching, now it's up and running it's been faultless for weeks, no spark blow out or bad running and a rock solid idle.

What MS are you using? I'm considering a MS2 upgrade with EGT and in car display

[JazzMan]

Anything 6 cyl, three sets of two can do the job, I choose the GM part as Alex had already done the hard work and figured out the firing order, saved me blowing something else up! LOL

Be warned, the system and wiring can be a proper PITA to get up and running, I had loads of issues and lost many weeks to head scratching, now it's up and running it's been faultless for weeks, no spark blow out or bad running and a rock solid idle.

What MS are you using? I'm considering a MS2 upgrade with EGT and in car display

I've not bought it yet, but it will be a MS2 Launch control looks like it might fun Doing all my research first and asking questions so I don't end up buying something twice. My brother Richard pretty much hand built the loom in the Sportster between the two of us we should be OK with the wiring

[e30_Turbo]

Good luck

I hate wiring, would pay someone else but I'm too poor

My setup causes me issues which are some of the reasons behind the problems I had, no f-ing room to fit the coil pack, ow and dodgy earths, you'll be getting a wb? if so make sure all sensors, ecu etc go to one ground, a golden rule with ms

[JazzMan]

Yup wideband is my list of stuff, great thing is it'll bolt right into the X pipe on my BTB Common ground, noted

[e30_Turbo]

Ideally WB & EGT would go on no 6 runner as that is the hottest cylinder but you aren't ramming huge boost up it so x-pipe shoulb be fine!

are you self maping?

[JazzMan]

Ideally WB & EGT would go on no 6 runner as that is the hottest cylinder but you aren't ramming huge boost up it so x-pipe shoulb be fine!

are you self maping?

Initially yes if I can figure it all out but I'll probably seek the help of a pro to polish it.

[e30_Turbo]

It's not too bad but there is a nack to it, also you will find you need big balls to proper have it on your own tune, that's when you find out if it's right or wrong! I've got it wrong twice so far right this time tho

[JazzMan]

It's not too bad but there is a nack to it, also you will find you need big balls to proper have it on your own tune, that's when you find out if it's right or wrong! I've got it wrong twice so far right this time tho

The chap who sells the units in the UK supplies them with a base map to get you going which I guess would be the most difficult part.

[e30_Turbo]

Mr Ringwood??

[JazzMan]

Mr Ringwood??

Not spoken to him yet but the website is full of very useful diagrams: http://www.extraefi.co.uk/

[e30_Turbo]

I've known him years, he certainly knows his stuff, wrote most of it himself.

The base map is more than likely one I/Ant gave him years back, it'll be 80% out of the box and mapping with WB, target tables and datalogs should be quite straight forward.

Ms is great, so many things to play with

[FlappySocks]

If your going for a wideband sensor, consider JAW. Cost effective & works with MS ok.

http://www.14point7.com/JAW/JAW.htm

[hoshy]

I'm going to test my sensor on a known working LC-1 controller - if it does turn out to be my controller that's up the duff then I think JAW will be the replacement. Looks nice plus I get to get the old soldering iron out again

[FlappySocks]

If you do get one, the LED display is a bit of a gimmick in my opinion. Its very hard to read. If you want a gauge, hook up an analogue one.

[hoshy]

Cheers for the tip dude.

I'm not one for gauges and dials though. Mate of mine put an AFR gauge on his stock 525, yes - a narrowband sensor. Why, oh why.

[FlappySocks]

Wouldn't mind modding my mpg gauge for use as an AFR meter, since it's otherwise redundant. It's a lot of effort tho.

[hoshy]

That's one possible use. Another is oil temp like the m3. But I reckon I'd like to get it back as an indicative mpg gauge. I was thinking some kind of function based around PW and Road speed.

[e30_Turbo]

I've seen the mpg gauge used as a boost gauge! very stealthy

[hoshy]

I've seen the mpg gauge used as a boost gauge! very stealthy

Yeah, but only by people with small willies:)

[hoshy]

On a more serious note.

A little switch on the dash to cycle through 3 of 4 different measurements could be a nice little mod. Again it's a fair amount of work but you could cycle through a variety of the MS outputs.

Hmm.

[e30_Turbo]

I've seen the mpg gauge used as a boost gauge! very stealthy

Yeah, but only by people with small willies:)

Makes me glad I've got a DEFI boost guage and controller, cost twice as much as my turbo it's pretty cool tho

[hoshy]

I've seen the mpg gauge used as a boost gauge! very stealthy

Yeah, but only by people with small willies:)

Makes me glad I've got a DEFI boost guage and controller, cost twice as much as my turbo it's pretty cool tho