Which MS would be best for me?

[orava]

Hi,

I've been doing a lot of reading about MS, but I can't decide if II or III is the way I should go. Saving money is great, but I don't want to cut corners. My car is pretty simple, so I probably don't need a lot of extra stuff. I only need to control engine functions, not the transmission, etc.

I have a Nissan CA18DET engine. The CAS can only be read by MS-III, but you can always add the Ford EDIS reader and a trigger wheel.

Here's what I want to do with MS:

* LS2 coils
* MAP sensor
* Boost control
* Ability to control meth injection is a huge plus, but not a requirement.

I've never used MS before but wiring doesn't scare me. I actually enjoy it. I've never tuned an engine, but I'm mechanically inclined.

Thoughts?

Thanks

[Matt Cramer]

Either one can do what's on your list (with the cavaet that MS2 will need a crank trigger, as you noted). MS2 could run the water injection in an on/off fashion; MS3 can make it continuously variable.

[prof315]

Let me add that as Matt says for MS2 you would need a crank trigger of some sort but you are NOT limited to EDIS with it.

[orava]

Thanks everyone. I just got a Ford Escort triggerwheel today. I know that on a four-cylinder car with MS2 you need to mount the VR sensor 9 teeth before the gap when the engine is at TDC. Does it matter where on the crank the gap is? I mean, if it's convenient, when the engine is at TDC can I mount the triggerwheel gap on the top, bottom, driver side, or whatever so long as the VR sensor is 9 teeth prior to the gap? Space is tight in my car.

Also, can MS2 run on a wideband O2 sensor like MS3 can?

Thanks

[93white3400z]

Also, can MS2 run on a wideband O2 sensor like MS3 can?

Yes

[dontz125]

I know that on a four-cylinder car with MS2 you need to mount the VR sensor 9 teeth before the gap when the engine is at TDC. Does it matter where on the crank the gap is? I mean, if it's convenient, when the engine is at TDC can I mount the triggerwheel gap on the top, bottom, driver side, or whatever so long as the VR sensor is 9 teeth prior to the gap? Space is tight in my car.

Also, can MS2 run on a wideband O2 sensor like MS3 can?

The bit about '9 teeth before the sensor at TDC' is ONLY for EDIS. When using the MS2 to directly read the toothed wheel, the missing tooth can be ANYWHERE, so long as you can determine the trigger angle. Note that some engines will prefer the missing tooth in a particular zone to minimise cranking speed fluctuation, but the MS itself doesn't particularly care.

All the MS units can use WBO2 sensor inputs, but in turn all the MS units must receive that input from a WBO2 sensor controller. None of the MS units have a built-in WB controller. Hooking a WBO2 sensor directly to the MS is a waste of time, and may actually damage things. The Spartan Lambda Controller has the control circuitry built right into the connector shell, and is perhaps the smallest complete unit out there; it also has a very good reputation for accuracy and maintaining calibration.

[orava]

Thanks. I have an AEM wideband O2 sensor gauge which is about 5 years old. Do I need to order something else?

[dontz125]

I don't know. Does this gauge have a linear output that can be connected to the MS? Some 'gauges' are controllers with a display; some are just gauges ...

[orava]

I'm not sure. It's 5 years old. I'll post some pictures tomorrow.

[orava]

OK, here are the pictures. I lost the wiring guide but I found a similar one and believe it can be hooked up to an engine management system.





I can't find the same wiring guide, but I read on a forum that this is the same wiring.

http://www.aemelectronics.com/files/ins ... %20AFR.pdf

Thoughts?

[nathaninwa]

If it for sure the 5130, yes it will give megasquirt the info it needs. I've ran that same exact style before with great results

And to awnser your crank trigger location, it doesnt matter at all, as long as it's the proper tooth count or you can figure out the tooth angle

[orava]

Mine is not the 5130, it's a 35-8460, but I read on another forum that the wiring is the same. I can't find a copy of the manual for my gauge. I did the wiring years ago and there are two wires I didn't use. I'm 99% sure they are for the EMS.

Thanks for the info on the trigger wheel. I ordered one for a Ford V8 that I'm going to bolt onto the front. It's 36-1.

[nathaninwa]

It's easy to test. The wires that you didn't hook up, try them on a volt meter, making sure you change polarity while testing to see if it's a positive out or a negative out. Then you can YouTube for better visual, but with the guage all hooked up you can dowse a rag with brake clean or some other solvent and smother the sensor. The absent of oxygen will make the guage to dead rich, the pull away and the gauge will go dead lean, you'll see it in the guage itself and should see a 0 to 5 volt change in the output wire

[orava]

Got it. Thanks!

I'm really looking forward to doing this project. Hope I can make it work...

[orava]

I just found this:

http://trigger-wheels.com/store/contents/en-uk/p49.html

Would this set up work? I have a lot more clearance on top of the engine than on the crank and this would make things a LOT easier.

Thanks