Thanks mate for your quick answer!Welcome to this side of the forum!!!
I have run both of the systems that you evaluating, and IMO I would hands down go with the MS System. The quarterhorse is good, and can handle what you looking for. The issue is that its a chip on the stock computer. I have been seeing more and more people having the old 30+ year old computers failing including myself.
The MS platform will also give you more options, tuning capabilities, and better software to do more with the car.
Thanks, I should receive my new 130 amp alternator in a couple of weeks so I should be more than preparedFor a mild NA set up the MS should be an easy tune. On your set up I'd suggest going with stock pulleys esp if you are still on the stock alternator. Its weak already and will get worse adding an electric fan. I'd look at a 3g or single wire upgrade. I'm loving the microsquirt so far in mine and I've got a much heavier modded and more of a challenge to tune and loving it. If you need help getting the idle and base tune set up I recommend a tuning/training session with @a91what
Thanks mate for your quick answer!
Yes I have a bunch of friends down in the UK that have experienced bad ECUs due to the age of the components, and despite being an easy fix, I don't really want to rely on "old" tech for the future.
I'll keep the ECU of course, just in case.
The Microsquirt will be able to do almost everything you will want it to do, the only issue with the micro is it is limited in its scope. You will want to be able to tell the ECU that the AC is coming on and such. this will require a small amount of modification to the wiring [a relay to change the 12v+ signal into a ground input to the ecu for the AC input] and we can also control the fan with the MS if that is something you would like to do. For an NA car the tuning will be very straight forward.
@a91what I am at the same cross roads. I am in the process of building a 347 for my 92 Coupe and will need a way to tune it. It will be a decent N/A setup with 10.5 to 1 compression and Trickflow 190 11R Heads. I will most likely have Ed Curtis grind a cam for it. The car does have A/C and cruise and a 5 speed. Not sure if I will add an electric fan or stay with the clutch.I guess my question is I have a few options a friend has an old Anderson PMS series 4 piggy back, The next options are the EFI Source Microsquirt or Stinger PIMPXS.
I am very interested in the Microsquirt set up but my concerns are does it have a way to control the IAC for idle. If not will it be an issue to get the car to idle decent with out it, or can it be modified fairly easily to control it. I am also interested in the options or modification you have listed above to signal A/C command and fan control. I was under the impression that the Microsquirt only had one input and one output left once hooked up. Do you feel this is a good source of engine control for a fairly mild N/A setup. I know the PIMPXS has way more capabilities but being N/A I am hoping the Microsquirt will do most of what I need.
I am fairly handy I have installed a Holley dominator setup on my Big block Nova and have been sucessfull on the tuning side of things so I think with some time and advice I could make the Microsquirt work. The other question is will the mods for A/C, Fan and possibly IAC control end up adding enough to the cost that it would get me close enough to just purchase the PIMPXS?
My goal is trying to stay within the cost of the Microsquirt if I can that is what is appealing to me with it.
Any advice is apreciated
Ok cool. Yes it sounds like @a91what really knows his stuff. Were you able to control the IAC and fans with basic relays and wiring? Or did you need to buy any special modules. It seems there is way more info out there about the PIMP or MS 2 or 3 and not much about the Microsquirt so it is great to be able to talk to some people sucessfully using it. Im sure I'll have more questions.I've done a tuning session with @a91what and im using a microsquirt to control my IAC. It also has support for AC control and I also use it to trigger my dual contour fans. I get 12v to them via the coolant sensor then the ground for the fan relays is to the microsquirt that kicks them on at my set temp. I'm running a 306 HCI with a Vortech S trim. I worked with @a91what to get my cold start/idle pretty well nailed down then my IGN and AFR table built so now I can just let autotune adjust the VE tables for me and if you want to make a change can just adjust the AFR table and let it help dial it in. For the price the microsquirt seems tough to beat. I did also get the bluetooth module and then bought a copy of tunerstudio.
The iac is already wired if you buy from efi source. The only function that is not wired in is the AC sensing for idle up. It can be tuned around if you dont want to hassle with it. The micro will have 2 wires left unused (from memory here so be kind) one will be labeled fans (output capable of 3amps and boost controller ect.) The other tach (also an output can carry .25amps enough to trigger a relay)
I believe that tach can also be used as an input but that will require me to get near my pc.
hmm can one of you guys that has a micro installed please recount to me what wires are not used and are extra [eg. fans tach ] and is/are pins 10&30 populated please.
Pin 10 is the ACCS on the factory harness and is the 12v+ input from the cycling switch for the AC
Pin 30 is the NSS and is pulled to ground through the sig rtn on pin 46 [feeds all the sensors as well]
Thanks!!
@Allbizns I will say this about that, IMHO you should get a pimpxs if you are looking for a plug and play solution and have it in the budget.... The MS3 is a vastly superior operating system. they tune the same but the ms3 is much better.
Sorry for adding confusion would I be wasting my time using my buddys Anderson PMS to get the car running and dialed in a little since its almost free and then save for a pimpxs. Rather then the micro. But my understanding is the micro still years ahead of the stock ecu with a piggy back.All this talk you hear about processor speed is solely to sell you a product. Yes it does matter to a point but as long as the code written is done elegantly and is not bloated with nonsense it does not take much to execute the code for a car. Period.
You wont even use .25 of the MS3 capabilities on most builds. The holley (any of them) cannot run a coyote without add on boxes to control the vvt. The ms3evo (half the cost) can with no extras.
To your original point. There are tonnes of cars running the micro and doing it well. The ms2pnp is built using a micro processor. The issue with the cheaper pnp options (sealed case micro) is that some of the "extra" i/o is not available. They are being used for sensor inputs instead.
If you plan to run a basic 347 with Ac the micro can handle it. The only issue you will face is the AC input to the ECU. This input is only used to alter the idle strategy slightly, not a big deal. I have not personally installed one of these (all my tuning I do remotely) but I have tuned quite a few of them.
The tune would port over with some needed changes to output settings. (You have to setup what outputs are doing what)
There are many advantages to the ms3 sequential is one of them, the processor is superior as is the firmware. A sequential car will idle cleaner and can get better mileage, a 347 I tuned with a ms2pnp (micro based batch) just reported that after daily driving for a few months car is getting 18mpg.
Now if I can get one of these guys to check those pins for me... @Anti_Hero0932
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