well took the plunge and bought megasquirt. its a ms-II with a V3.57 board.

it will run fuel and spark with the help of an edis-4.

hopefully if everything goes smooth then ill make a nice and simple diy so everyone can have a fully programable ecu for under 500$

here are the pics.

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h98/kamilk69/IMG_1542.jpg
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h98/kamilk69/IMG_1547.jpg

Haven't heard of anyone playing with one on the focus yet...Lots of work ahead, keep us updated.

^^^ Will you have to build idle tables and everything with that?

yup everything from scratch its not as hard as you think, i got a good manual and megasquirt does alot of the calcultations and adjustments on its own.

There are maps on Craig's site - http://www.moates.net IIRC and a couple on the MS board.

I can't remember who made them though, but I do recall seeing some. If you can't find it let me know and I'll do some digging.

The files on Craig's site are here - http://www.moates.net/documentation.php?documentation_id=19

But I don't have access to them any longer, not sure why. I think Tom might still though, not sure. I can't find the other ones right now.

What made you go with a megasquirt system?

This tells me you have very limited knowledge of tuning the Focus there is many many more things that need adjusting then just timing and fuel , for 250.00 more you could of had FULL controle over the Factory ECU with the SCT PRP

What are you going to do about the Factory ECU and its adaptive learning , Idle controle ,Knock sensor ,rev limit , speed limit and much much more

Send it back why you can and get something that will give you proper tuning

Tom

^^^and the law has been laid down. :)

I agree with Tom... there are SOOOOO many things that you WONT be able to control with the squirt.

yup everything from scratch its not as hard as you think, i got a good manual and megasquirt does alot of the calcultations and adjustments on its own.

^^^ I"ve done dyno tuning on cars ( wrx sti's) and its alot of work to generate all the beginning stuff ( idle tables etc.), nightmarish in fact. I thought the squirt was used more by drag guys that really only needed to be concerned with WOT?

I figure using a reflash or a tuner over what Ford already supplies would be better. Why bother building idle and part throttle non-boost tables and all that?

This tells me you have very limited knowledge of tuning the Focus there is many many more things that need adjusting then just timing and fuel , for 250.00 more you could of had FULL controle over the Factory ECU with the SCT PRP

What are you going to do about the Factory ECU and its adaptive learning , Idle controle ,Knock sensor ,rev limit , speed limit and much much more

Send it back why you can and get something that will give you proper tuning

Tom

agreed...

they are a PITA...i used one on my saturn, and it was a bitch. i wanted to scream every day.

get SCT software and send the MS back...

woow you guys just love the damn sct. the megasquirt can do everything and more. rev limit, launch control, iac valves, knock control, electric boost control, nitrous control, launch control the possibilities are endless. the the sct have the capabilities to run a touch screen 7" lcd that displays any sensor reading in the car.

yes its not a plug and play system but that the whole fun of it. working on your car an achieveing something.

just buying a programer and programing is for people with a lower knowledge of automotive performance.

i know a few guys that run megasquirt in daily drivers. and one is in a v6 contour. and they run no worse then when they came stock.

you guys need to step our of your sct comfort zone and expirament and accept new thing.

the way i see it Sct runs the whole focus tunning market, its time for some other options.

I say go for it man. Thanks for posting up your plans.

DIY computer controls sound fun to me also. The Neon guys use these a lot, Neons.org has a thread devoted the Megasquirt. Maybe you could find some useful info there also?

i say go for it-- there are so many things you can learn from this adventure

This is getting interesting. [popcorn]

how is this interesting??? yeah he can go and get a xcal and be done with it, but then again anyone can mod their car but what kind of real car experience do they really have---- i have like 80 some odd posts and still know alot about the focus, but the majority of my knowledge is wrench time--- bloody knuckles and all---- i say go for it!!!

I say go for it man. Thanks for posting up your plans.
i say go for it-- there are so many things you can learn from this adventure
I'm with these guys - take the road less traveled! Be different.

see thats what i like to hear--- im sure you will benefit more from this than you could imagine :)

thanks for the support guys it. ill keep you updated on everything. might take a while i dont exactly have a huge amount of time right now because of the new job. but ill get her done.

and yes i might not have a ton of post but most of my knowledge come from actually working with several different cars, hondas, acuras, chevy's, fords. ive done my fair share of wrenching and just pluging in a programer and pressing a few buttons just dosent cut it for me.

ive never been one to just take the easy way out and spend a bunch of money. ive always been the Homemade diy kind of guy.

just buying a programer and programing is for people with a lower knowledge of automotive performance.


ive done my fair share of wrenching and just pluging in a programer and pressing a few buttons just dosent cut it for me.

ive never been one to just take the easy way out and spend a bunch of money. ive always been the Homemade diy kind of guy.

just by these three statements it is obvious you do not know what the PRP is all about

next time do some research before you run your mouth on us "lower knowledge" people.

[smackbum]

have a good time with the squirt I for one wont be around to help. [wave]

They say take the road less traveled by. I say go with what you know works. Why go through all the time and effort to start from scratch when you can spend a little more money and get something a lot of people already have maps for. With the couple hundred you saved your just going to throw it away on countless hours of dyno time just to get the car to idle.

it will run fuel and spark with the help of an edis-4.
What are you going to do about all the other things needed to properly tune the Focus


hopefully if everything goes smooth then ill make a nice and simple diy so everyone can have a fully programable ecu for under 500$

This unit will not give you a "fully programable ecu for under 500$" even if you get it to work and it does a few things you will never have a "fully programable ecu for under 500$"

I think your decision to be different clouded your choise of a proper way to tune , the PRP would of given you the challange you seek and the ability to properly tune you car

Tom

any updates on this ecu tuning?

More then likely pulling his hear out from lack of support and hard to use unit , I hope not and that he has been running with no issues for some time

Tom

I went the Megasquirt route. I couldn't use the X Cal or other programmers since I never had a stock Focus ecu. I went to ITBs from the start. I found the MS not bad to work with at all. Any problem I had was documented in the MS forum archives. I never had to ask any questions on the forum. The MegaManual is a little hard to find info in, only because it contains so MUCH info (lots of it is theory/educational).

It was very educational...learned just about anything I'd ever want to know about building and programming F/I, including intricate factory fine tuning methods like X-Tau, and the differences between MAP, MAF and Alpha-N. The interface screens are graphic and easy to work with. Every time I drive, I datalog the session and fine tune it while I watch TV. I had mine idling within an hour and driving OK on the first day. If you have the time, it's a worthwhile project. But if you have a factory ECU with a programmer, I can't see you getting any additional gains.

[duh]what kind of gains r u trying to get? did u put magical ninja fairy's in your intake to fart there fairy magic into your four cylinders to give u 1000 hp or something?[clap] something tells me u did all that to support a 250hp motor anyway.[screwy] i don't think u really know the people that your bashing here.
Originally Posted by 1turbofocus View Post
I had no problem making 700+HP with the stock ECU Tom [chair]

I went the Megasquirt route. I couldn't use the X Cal or other programmers since I never had a stock Focus ecu. I went to ITBs from the start. I found the MS not bad to work with at all. Any problem I had was documented in the MS forum archives. I never had to ask any questions on the forum. The MegaManual is a little hard to find info in, only because it contains so MUCH info (lots of it is theory/educational).

It was very educational...learned just about anything I'd ever want to know about building and programming F/I, including intricate factory fine tuning methods like X-Tau, and the differences between MAP, MAF and Alpha-N. The interface screens are graphic and easy to work with. Every time I drive, I datalog the session and fine tune it while I watch TV. I had mine idling within an hour and driving OK on the first day. If you have the time, it's a worthwhile project. But if you have a factory ECU with a programmer, I can't see you getting any additional gains.

For those that dont know X-Tau is nothing more then the time it takes from injector squirt to the time it takes for the fuel to evaporate from the head/runner walls a few more years and X-Tau wont even be used

Alhpa-N is just a set of maps trained to do what you tell them to do for fueling very old school in my opinion and in a time when MAF is so easy to use and so adjustable and a MAP would be the second choise before Alpha-N , Alpha-N has to many variables that come into play , the least little change in anything and you run lean or rich because in most cases the computer has no way to tell anything has changed , no linked o2 , no MAF or MAP , this is so old school I had almost for got about it

If your talking aditional HP/TQ gains maybe not but overall quality of the tune YES SIR the MS does not have the speed or the ability to come close to what the Focus ECU has the ability to do with 10% less work to get there and for the same cost or less

I understand why with ITB`S that you could not use the stock ECU but to say the MS is as good just isnt so , and we all can fine tune our tunes from in front of the TV LOL

Tom

Ha ha...yes, MS is not for everyone.

I find X-Tau useful since it compensates for the raw fuel evaporation, ie it inputs less fuel until the "pooled" fuel is used by the engine. It shows as fewer rich spikes on the datalog and saves fuel. I'm sure OE manufacturers have all kinds of methods for compensating...it might not be called X-Tau in the future, but I'm sure the concept will be programmed in for a long time to come.

Alpha-N is still commonly used by engines that can't produce a good MAP signal at idle, like engines with ITBs and large overlap cams. I was able to get a decent MAP signal with the use of a plenum connected to each ITB, so the manifold pressure tells my ecu what fuelling is needed.

The MS is plenty fast. It has a 24 MHz processor. In fact, it's the same Motorola processor you'll find in many OE systems.

The next gen MS (Sequencer) is pretty cool: Sequential injection and ignition, coil on plug ign, many user programmable channels, very compact package for around $500 built.

Like I said, if you have a Focus ECU, there's really no need to use the system. But it is a powerful tool for some. Oh, and I mentioned tuning in front of the TV because someone said you need hours of dyno time to get it to idle. ; ) That's just not the case.

woow this one came back from the dead lol. no i am not pulling my hair out in fustration. i made am adapter harness for the mega to run along side the stock ecu. i hooked the megasquirt up to my computer and played arouund with it but havent put it in the car yet. im going to finish up the exhast and manifold and fuel system before i start with the mega squirt. ill keep you guys posted on how it turns out.

Posted via FF Mobile

Ha ha...yes, MS is not for everyone.

I find X-Tau useful since it compensates for the raw fuel evaporation, ie it inputs less fuel until the "pooled" fuel is used by the engine. It shows as fewer rich spikes on the datalog and saves fuel. I'm sure OE manufacturers have all kinds of methods for compensating...it might not be called X-Tau in the future, but I'm sure the concept will be programmed in for a long time to come.
.

It wont be needed with direct Cyl fuel injection and that seems to be the direction things are going , thats why I say its wont be used much longer , like all the Mazdas now have the fuel directly sprayed into the Cyl with high Psi fuel pumps so there is no pooling to have to deal with , Most of the inside stuff I have seen they are all playing with this for futuer engine even Nascar is playing with EFI

Tom

Keep on going with the MS man, there is somewhat of a big following for the MS. Like everyone else said, be different, and it feels good knowing you did everything by yourself. Good luck and let us know the progress, ill give you as much help as I possibly can.

He could of done everything him self with the SCT Pro Racer Package with out all the wiring , pigiback unit that WONT controle all the things needed , it will do enough to get by MAYBE , things like

Fuel pump
turn off EGR , EVAP , rear o2`s and many other things that will set the CEL
Adaptive learning
Timing adders
Fuel adders
Changing the IAT,ECT timing adders

And on and on and on , this isnt the way to go using the stock ECU to still run the car

Tom

Agreed...direct injection is the wave of the future (the present in Lemans and other racing formulas).

But until someone applies that technology to my 10 year old Zetec motor, I guess I'm stuck with upstream injectors. It's nice to understand how to compensate for an imperfect system.

fuel pump is being controller by a fpr,
adaptive learning megasquirt has it.
it has fuel adders and timming adders by using iats
im still using the stock ecu which has all of the sensors wired to it, no cels will come up

and also has boost controller function, anti lag, launch control, nitrous controll. the list goes on.

megasquirt is a fantastic system.

Ok so your a return fuel system

MS had adaptive learning yes but so does your stock ECU how are you going to turn it off so it does not mess with your fueling

Yes MS has iat and ect adders/subtractors but so does your stock ECU how are you going to deal with the changes they are going to make


So your leaving you rear o2 and going to keep changing the rear o2 when it goes bad , EGR with boost will cause issues , that light will come on , evap wont like boost much so it will need to be unhooked that light will come on and on and on , by light I mean CEL , you wont be able to tell the ECU the fueling has changed so that will cause a CEL , how many more would you like

Dont forget I have used a pigiback on this ECU before any other FI focus was known to be boosted and tuned and I know how they react to a pigiback system

I could care less what you tune your car with as long as it gets tuned , in the end thats all that matters , Im just trying to let you know what your infor

Tom

you can totally turn fuel adding off and on, during crusing you can set megasquirt to lean or richen up the mixture to any degree, it can sway from 5 percent from the set fuel map all the way up to 100% change. and during WOT it only follows the set fuel map.

egr and front 02 is disabled, megasquirt will use the back 02 along with my lc1 to watch a/rs

the thing you have to remeber that im using megasquirt as a part piggyback part standalone, megasquirt takes full control over the fuel and spark while sharing signals from all the cars sensors.

the reason i decided to run megasquirt is its ability to do anything, hook up lcd displays to monitor every sensor, run launch control, anti lag are all key features why i chose mega.

yes the stock ecu is amazing and sct prp is a great package but it just does not offer the key things that im looking for in a drag car.

im not a professional tuner, ive only tuned one car using turboedit a turbo D16 civic. i know theyre is a steep learning curve but its not impossible.

plus, who else has a american focus running on megasquirt.

you can totally turn fuel adding off and on, during crusing you can set megasquirt to lean or richen up the mixture to any degree, it can sway from 5 percent from the set fuel map all the way up to 100% change. and during WOT it only follows the set fuel map.

egr and front 02 is disabled, megasquirt will use the back 02 along with my lc1 to watch a/rs

the thing you have to remeber that im using megasquirt as a part piggyback part standalone, megasquirt takes full control over the fuel and spark while sharing signals from all the cars sensors.

the reason i decided to run megasquirt is its ability to do anything, hook up lcd displays to monitor every sensor, run launch control, anti lag are all key features why i chose mega.

yes the stock ecu is amazing and sct prp is a great package but it just does not offer the key things that im looking for in a drag car.

im not a professional tuner, ive only tuned one car using turboedit a turbo D16 civic. i know theyre is a steep learning curve but its not impossible.

plus, who else has a american focus running on megasquirt. [8D]

I think the question is how are you going to turn off these functions in the stock ECU?

Your confusing adaptive learning with closed loop

How did you turn off the egr and front o2 ?

I 100% know how the MS works and feel you will have a CEL and some other issues

There is no doubt with enough time and learning that you couldnt do anything you set your mind to , never doubted that just your decision to use MS

Tom

just an update for everyone, for the last 3 weeks ive been trying to get my megasquirt to fire no matter what i did it just wouldnt start up.

then yesterday i decided to look at my edis-4 connector to test for continuity and realized i wired the damn edis looking at the top of the connector. (kicks oneself in the forehead). so instead of 1-12 i wired it 12-1. after rewiring the 5 wires i crancked the car and BAM

focus started and idled on megasquirt. WOOOOT!!!!! just have to finish making the wiring neat and i need to make a block breater plate with a 3/8 npt port.

Tom what do you think about the J-Racing design, good or improve it?

You do realize that with the SCT Pro Racer you would of been running weeks ago and by now tune long finished ?

What J-Racing design are we talking about ?

Tom

lol i do realize this, but i still wouldnt have soo many of the options that megasquirt will give me. and a big thing to doing this was to prove to myself i could do it. it was a challenge. when the car started i have happier then a pig in shit.

and its jay racing, its the plate with the sheetmetal 90 degree bend covering the npt port.

The baffle on the jayracing plate is terrible, with vac on my can and a fiter on the VC im getting a pint of oil every 500 miles... and I have the "redesigned" plate... this is not because of blowby its just because of the air moving through the case from top to bottom and out through the hole. It is worst on turns when the oil spills out of the head.

What options are you getting with MS?

well ms basically you can hook up anysensor ever created and ms will read it.

but the things i like is, launch control, flat shift, anti lag, Electric boost control, nitrous control, methonal control. the list goes on an on. the possibilities are somewhat endless and ms3 is soon coming out which will have a new faster processor.

do you have any updates on the megasquirt?

Haha, just now saw this thread. Tom you are so lost when it comes to MS, megasquirt can do everything the stock computer can and 10x's over. No you can't log into the stock computer and turn off your CEL but there is no need for a rear o2 or any of that.

I've been running MS for alittle over a month now with good results.

Kamilk, what version are you running? I'm running ms2/e w/ 2.1.0q
Current mods are fan control and boost control. Over winter I plan to put some shift lights in.

Also what did you set timing at idle? I'm right around 13 with good results but I find everyone does something different.

I work with ms a lot monthly and still do not like it , Will it do the job to run an engine YES , will it do it as good and as fast as the stock ECU NO!

Tom

I work with ms a lot monthly and still do not like it , Will it do the job to run an engine YES , will it do it as good and as fast as the stock ECU NO!

Tom

Well being that the stock ecu is already installed and all you have to do is plug into it... big difference. Not a fast as the stock ecu with sct, I agree. But once you build a car and go through all the headaches of that, putting together a stand-alone is no big deal.

I disagree that it wont tune as good, I've personally seen cars tuned far better with megasquirt then a factory ecu. Now mind you, some of those cars are not a ford product. But you can definately get more out of megasquirt then the stock computer.



I also believe its better to have a a return fuel system then the closed loop stock fuel system. I'm pretty excited to get off that dam thing.

I disagree that it wont tune as good, I've personally seen cars tuned far better with megasquirt then a factory ecu. Now mind you, some of those cars are not a ford product. But you can definately get more out of megasquirt then the stock computer.



I also believe its better to have a a return fuel system then the closed loop stock fuel system. I'm pretty excited to get off that dam thing.

Not trying to start anything here as people think if I dont agree then I am bashing and I am not

If you have seen a ms tuned better then a stock ECU then the stock ECU tuner didnt have a clue what he was doing

My opinion is (I can tune both and have on MANY diff type cars) you cant come close with the ms to what the stock ECU can do , more tables , functions mind you we may be splitting hairs here but none the less

By closed loop fuel system I am guessing your talking about a "Returnless Fuel System" You have the ability in the stock ECU to go to a full return fuel system and it works very well , SCT and Diablosport addresses this both

There is almost nothing the stock ECU wont do that the ms does do but you cannot say that about the ms but again were starting to split hairs

Like I stated will the ms run the engine and keep it safe yes , My question is with the tuning software out there why not use the stock ECU that was built around running the Zetec engine vs a stand alone that is made to run any engine . It isnt like the SCT is hard to use and you wont have the CEL on all the time and not pass emmissions as with the ms

Just to be diff I can understand ...kinda. Seems like a lot of work for no gain over the SCT software is what I am saying

Tom

Not sure about the focus ecu, but on the zx2 ecu because it sees no actaul engine running I have no cel. It turns off after so long with the car in the ON position.

Can the stock ecu w/sct datalog 20+ gpio's, run meth and/or intercooler sprayer, NOS control, tune while running without having to turn the car off, go to a larger or smaller injector with only adjusting one factor - not a entire fuel table, no more maf, run a second set of injectors (8 total) , sequential injection (lowers egt's on a boosted car and saves gas) , tune via bluetooth (no cord), datalog to a memory stick, boost control, boost per gear , run a shift light and/or warning system based of whatever variables you put in?

last I checked, it couldn't do most of those items.

Some of those things the stock ECU will do , Let me say this , I made 723HP and didnt need all those things and did a full return fuel system and did it with less time and far less labor and far less aggravation less money then you have spent with the ms

There is a list much longer then that that the stock ECU will do that the ms wont

Tom