89 Rag

I understand and appreciate the advice you guys are giving me on this, but leave it to Mike to pull a rabbit out of the hat with the pocketlogger dealio!



At this point I dont see needing anything other than that, assuming that the regular functions of the ecu are still there, like fuel cut for instance. The S5 N/A's run rich as it is so while the Safc might have been enough to make the Semi p-port work, this will give it that much more flexibility and the price is hard to beat! $450.00! and I've already gone though the wiring and updated the sensors from the original resto, sounds like a win/win at this point.



What standalone could I get done for that, not any one of them I would imagine...



I went way overkill on the engine I have currently, which only has 23,000 miles on it, give or take. All the high dollar mods are already done, so its really cheap to impliment the bigger ports in the plates and the Semi P-port, mod the LIM, pin the sleeves open and compromise a little low end, bump up oil pressure (a little) and bump up the fuel pressure. I'll just have to conceide to not running a turbo for a while longer while I explore this option further.

mazdaspeed7

In my experience, the timing maps on the ecu suck *** for a high perf n/a motor. I was running a big streetport with a race ported exhaust. I couldnt get the stock ecu to make any power over 6k with it, just fell on its face. Went to a megasquirt running fuel only and the stock ecu controlling timing. Made great power through 9700 rpm, sometimes. Other times it felt down 10-20 ft lbs across the board. The fuel was tuned pretty well, and I spent months trying to figure out why sometimes Id have more power than others. It was like carbs, but more tempermental.

89 Rag

The stage2 upgrade allows for two maps for fuel and one each for leading and trailing timing, granted they are small(er) but can be adjusted WITH the fuel in the same unit. Over all it seems like a pretty cool piece of equipment. Did you look at the link?



This is stacking up to be a quick and dirty deal, that I can have done by spring easy, and if the 6speed comes with it im getting it all done for around 3 grand. 100+ more HP to the street, and 6 speed? The change outta be night and day



I remember reading the posts about the MS on your car and others, but I dont know enough to speak intelligently about them other than what I have heard, they are very DIY and require lots of fiddling, no?

mazdaspeed7

They have come a long way, and require less fiddling now. You can get pre-built ones and not have too much more work than putting in a commercial standalone, but its certainly not PnP. Tuning and maps have come a long way too, but I cant be real specific since I havent messed with one in a long time. I did some catching up not too long ago, and was impressed by what I saw though.



I wouldnt count on 220 whp on even a mapped stock ecu. Id be suprised if you managed much over 180 rwhp on stock electronics.



The RX8 runs 4.44 gears, the ratios on the trans wont be as short in an RX7 with a 4.1 rear.



As beautiful as the rest of your car is, I cant help but think of the stock ecu/harness as a duck-tape and chewing gum fix.

Rob x-7

so keep your motor- but ditch the stock ECU and its piggy backs

mazdaspeed7

You would get better hp, and much better torque by bolting a turbo to your engine and putting a proper standalone on it. 6 port turbos do just fine, just keep the timing tables a bit more conservative than a 4 port, and a few PSI less boost. 10-12 PSI would prob be perfect, and I think 14-15 would still be safe on 93 octane with good tuning.

Rob x-7

when you get bored with it- and you will- then what?

89 Rag

I dont really mind doing what I've mentioned now, and then going all the way later.



I guess the idea is to limp through now and enjoy a small upgrade this summer and then spend the next X months after screwing around with what I would hope to be the end-all in go fast goodies. So $1500, $2500 call it 4 grand grand now vs. 20 grand + over the next 15 months and all the time associated with it, being that I would do almost all of it myself, that's what I'm weighing.



My time has become more valuable too as im the sole proprieter of this business now so I can't really spend 5 hours at work and 10 hours in the garage after work playing with big boy toys anymore. As far as Ecu's go, it would be easier to say I know nothing about them instead of interjecting my limited tuning experience, especially on rotary engines, so I'm at the mercy of the information I can gather here along with a local rotary specific tuner which I have no relationship with, meaning it's a cash dumpster.



If I spend the money on a standalone for what I have budgeted for these quick and dirty mods, the car sits for 15 months guaranteed...

Rob x-7

you of all people are worried about how long the car sits?

the more time you devote to it with a clear plan for how you want the car to come out will determine how well it will drive, you will put more money into your current set up and later it will be obsolete and then you will be into it for even MORE then you are now

j9fd3s

the rx8 is basically the competition gearset with a granny gear 1st. 6th gear in the rx8 trans is SHORTER than 5th on the FC box. all the other ratios are closer, which is great on a high rpm motor.



its not a US double overdrive...