fiestaturbo.com

[Asad]

Can you guess what it is?


Clue in my sig!

[andyhardy]

Your megasquirt ECU kit - hope you have a steady hand and a decent soldering iron!

For those that don't know what this megasquirt business is all about - read up on it here:

Megasquirt website llama - wrong website to begin with! (google megasquirt and see what comes up!)

I think this would interest alot of people who have carried out 2.0 Zetec conversions and were having problems with choosing a good value for money ECU setup

Keep us updated with the project mate


Cheers,

Andy

[EvilDes]

That site has confused me somewhat, speaking of boats, and the like

What exactly does it do and how would it help a 2.0 setup? Benefits, disadvantages?

Cheers

[andyhardy]

That site has confused me somewhat, speaking of boats, and the like

What exactly does it do and how would it help a 2.0 setup? Benefits, disadvantages?

Cheers

Basically it's an aftermarket ECU system that is bought part constructed. The design is public domain (open source) meaning that you can use it without paying any licence fees.



It includes interfacing software for plugging a laptop into it allowing you to map the car yourself (this is something you will have to take some time over to learn) and also to monitor engine data in real time and also data-log your ECU readouts meaning that you can optimise the engine and fault-find alot easier than with using say something like the standard EEC-IV setup (which comes without OBD2 diagnostics or better).

Sorry - I'll have to make a glossary up for posts like that I think!

For more information on the system itself read the introduction to the manual here:

Megasquirt manual introduction

I'm not saying this is the ultimate ECU or anything, it isn't, but it's very very good value for money if you are experienced with electronics and soldering whilst having a keen interest in learning how ECU's work etc.

You may well need someone with fuel injection experience to help setup the car initially but I believe alot of the rudimentary stuff is explained within the construction/installation manual.

Cheers,

Andy

[mike_wall15]

Ok, now the important bit, how much bhp will it add?

[andyhardy]

Ok, now the important bit, how much bhp will it add?

Dunno - depends what you've done to the engine and the condition of the engine itself.

It's all very well adding bolt on bits to a standard engine with standard management but there comes a point when the standard ECU will restrict you - remember that the ECU is set for economy as well as performance so there is always more that can be had out of them, a fully mappable ECU wins over a Superchip hands down

So basically - the bhp increase will depend on the mods you do (cam durations, throttle body size, injectors)

An extra point to note - this system will not be for someone with no electronics or computer experience, it's a DIY kit for enthusiasts who want to learn more. The performance enhancements you can make with it will depend on how skillful you get and how much effort you put in

Cheers,

Andy

[Asad]

Read up on it much andy?


Yeah basically an ECU.

Im planning on connecting it to my loom and retaining the original ford ECU plug. As it is compatible with EDIS, I want to be able to swap between standard and the megasquirt.

I will hopefully be using a rolling road for setup, and as andy says, i can use a laptop.

http://www.mez.co.uk/megasquirt.html

I work with this guy and he is using it to run a twin turbo V8 so I will be picking his brains.

Beauty of this ECU is you can control all aspects, from target fuel ratio, to how much you want it to idle during warm up.

It has two injector drivers, so you could run fuel on 1 and water on the other. It has a built in map sensor for turbos as well. Plus the fact you can reprogram it over 10,000 times.

Should be interesting to learn and get it working.

As for BHP, i think it should work along the lines of a superchip, ie better mapping of the ECU to the engine. Plus, it only cost me £140 which i think is around the same for a superchip.

Really dont know how much to expect.... maybe 150bhp?


We'll have to see!

[andyhardy]

Yeah - I was reading through the manual and noticed the vacuum hose going into the ECU box itself, neat idea that 'internal MAP sensor'

Ok mate - I'd say get a 4-2-1 manifold, bigger throttle body and better inlet manifold and suitably specced injectors and then map it all up. You'll see 160bhp easily - oh and don't forget to get different cams.

With the standard engine and ancillaries you should get in the high 140s to 150 bhp - call that my prediction

Of course - if you have a carputer you could interface with that instead of a laptop

Cheers,

Andy

[mike_wall15]

Sorry Andy, my question was of humour, I should have worded it better...

Not bad for £140, is that a price for anyone or did you get it on a discount?

Get yourself a Focus ST170 Inlet manifold

[PaulC]

Let us know how you get on Asad, looks like myself and MMo will be building one sometime soon

[Asad]

Will definitely keep you updated! Hopefully it should be in one piece and running off a stimulator in a week!

Andy - at the moment I have a full exhaust and air filter. I doubt I will get much more, but my thinking was it would be useful if I was to turbo later on

Saying that, I am keeping my eye on some throttle bodies....

As for the carputer, I've already thought about it and spec'd up one! Would be great to have a live readout of what the engine is doing as im driving! Not to mention on the fly adjustments! We'll have to see!

Mike - That price is for the kit and is for anyone. I think its £190 assembled. Then you can start adding other stuff like the Megaview, which outputs to a small display which you can mount in your car.

PaulC - Sounds good! we could swap maps/ideas! Where you getting yours from?



Asad

[Ollybee]

I wouldn't mind doing this myself. FiestaZetecE has one of these and he really rates them.

[PaulC]

Asad, its nothing definate yet, just an idea I threw at MMo for just latest venture

[FezzR]

an aftermarket ecu will not "gain" you any power,

you can only "reclaim" power that your loosing from not having optimal fueling and ignition settings

you would be far better remapping the Ford EEC in my view, but you have major issues of knowledge and budget to contend with then (of which i have niether )

megasquirt has always interested me and i would have "fettled" with it long ago if i had the fund, present situation £150 is a lot of money

[Al]

Of course - if you have a carputer you could interface with that instead of a laptop

That would be quality!

[Percy!]

This looks like it could be fun.

May have a look into one for mine as it needs a setup with the cams I have.

[Asad]

Heres a screenshot of the programming/display software....



Imagine that on a carputer?


Good thing about these are the upgrades that you can do at any time.

You can add traction control (very basic), throttle change, boost control, water injection control, NOS control etc. Most just with firmware upgrade, some hardware.


It's gonna be interesting to learn! cant wait to get stuck in!


Asad

[DaveZetec]

I've always been interested in these, whereabouts did you get the kit?

I might build one for the sack, for a summer project

Dave

[Asad]

Small update -

I started on building it today!



Got the connectors on and a few diodes, caps and resistors. Will continue tomorrow and hopefully test the power.

Looking to have it done by the end of the week!

More updates soon!


Dave> I bought it from this site :-

http://www.americanv8engines.co.uk

I think he has some stock, but if you planning on doing it later, you might as well wait for the new pcb and Megasquirt II



Asad

[Zetecfiesta]

ive seen megasquirt before, it is quite good. a lad called MarkXR2-40 has it on his 2.0 mk2 fez, he was setting it up last year at the fordsport weekender,it looked so complicated but after a while of messing with it you should have seen his car go! it started not even idleing and by the end was running nearly spot on! he set it up with another lad and they got carried away setting it up on the road and ended up driving to miltonkeynes! it looks too complecated for me!

[Excursion]

Good on you Asad, that is something which I would very much enjoy doing if I had the time! Fantastic project.

Can you do me a favour and let me know if you have any joy sourcing ford EECIV multiplugs. I would like a few myself.

Cheers!
Mark

[DaveZetec]

Good on you Asad, that is something which I would very much enjoy doing if I had the time! Fantastic project.

Can you do me a favour and let me know if you have any joy sourcing ford EECIV multiplugs. I would like a few myself.

Cheers!
Mark

What about baxtered them off cheap scrappy ECUs?

[Excursion]

Good on you Asad, that is something which I would very much enjoy doing if I had the time! Fantastic project.

Can you do me a favour and let me know if you have any joy sourcing ford EECIV multiplugs. I would like a few myself.

Cheers!
Mark

What about baxtered them off cheap scrappy ECUs?

I want brand new mate. The pins are single use only anyway

[DaveZetec]

Good on you Asad, that is something which I would very much enjoy doing if I had the time! Fantastic project.

Can you do me a favour and let me know if you have any joy sourcing ford EECIV multiplugs. I would like a few myself.

Cheers!
Mark

What about baxtered them off cheap scrappy ECUs?

I want brand new mate. The pins are single use only anyway

Bah, you got no sense of adventure! Go on, live a little - three hours and a knackered solder sucker later could see you earning your wicked way with one of them

[Asad]

Good on you Asad, that is something which I would very much enjoy doing if I had the time! Fantastic project.

Can you do me a favour and let me know if you have any joy sourcing ford EECIV multiplugs. I would like a few myself.

Cheers!
Mark

Cheers mate. I was thinking along the lines of getting a dead ECU and taking it from there!

Heres an update:-

Power supply circuit is done



And the Volatge regulator, at the top:-




And finally the Serial port circuit, left hand side:-




I will be using a stim to test the circuits tomorrow, and more soldering!



Asad

[Asad]

And before anyone says "is that all...." only got and hour at lunch to do it and no stim to check my progress!

[MotorcyclesFish]

Very impressed mate, v. interested as well. How many injectors can it handle? I'd be interested even more if it can handle 8.

[Asad]

Yep

Dual EDIS!

http://megasquirt.sourceforge.net/extra/index.html



Asad

[Asad]

Another update!

I got the stimulator today, so got a chance to test my progress so far.



Power to chip is fine. Tested the Serial connection with Hyperterminal and that worked fine too!

Here is a close up of the stim:-




You can see the pentos', each representing a different sensor. TPS, HEGO etc.

I got my own iron now so I will be cracking on with it tonight and tomorrow.



Asad

[Ruishy1]

very cool matey guy i work with is building an RS500 rep with cossie v6 engine and 4 wheel drive. and running it all on megasquirt.
Keep everyone updated

[Asad]

Another update.

Fitted the CPU:-




Been soldering away, and testing step by step:-




And here is me testing the sensor circuit:-



Now all the sensors on the Stim produce an output! RPM, water temp, all working!

[heeman10]

Cool thread, good progress!

[FezzR]

good to see quick progress
only thing that puts me off about megasquirt still is the one thing that everyone loves about it! the simplicity
oh well hopefully in a few months ill have different solution for half the price and twice the intellagence

keep the updates coming

[Asad]

What you getting then? Whats it do?


Im almost finished....

Most components in place:-




This is the MAP sensor:-




Just LEDs and a couple of FETs to go!


Asad

[andyhardy]

Great stuff mate - very quick progress!