Mega Squirt advice, tips, discussion... Options

[balthazar]

Hi all,

I have pulled the drivetrain out in order to rebuild the transaxle. That job will be done this weekend! YAY! I am stoked! I will go from having 2nd,3rd and 5th gears (no reverse) to a newly built transaxle! I can't wait! (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/smilie_pokal.gif)

But that's not what I wanted to talk about. I had 40idf carbs installed on my 1.7 previously. This was a marginal set-up at best. I have now removed them and I am planning on installing FI. I will be going with the MS computer, mallory dist. and a 30kv coil along with stock T-body, injecters, plenum, and intake runners. If possible, I will use the stock D-Jet sensors as well.

I have a degree in electronics engineering, and have been working in the field for 10yrs now, so I know my way around a soldering iron. That being said, I plan to build the kit myself. I have read through several sites describing the theory behind the MS set-up and even found a site describing the installation on a sand rail. All of this info was very informative, and has given me the confidence to go ahead with the project asap.

Most of the info out there is pretty general when it comes to actual applications. I have yet to find a description of a T4/914 specific install. I know a few of you out there have already done this thing.

My question: Are there any T4/914 specific tips, tricks, methods and etc...that anyone could bestow upon my humbleness? I would be MOST appreciative!!!!

[lapuwali]

There isn't really a dedicated "spark unit". The MS and MS II hardware is fairly generic, and what makes the difference is the software, which can be changed long after the unit is built. There are two major ways to have MS handle spark right now: MSnSpark, and MSnEDIS. The former uses a MSD or similar box to trigger spark from a distributor signal. You lock the distributor's advance mechanism and the advance curve is held in the MS software, programmable by the MS software using RPM and manifold pressure. This is easy to hook up, and you can use even a crappy 009 and still have a good advance curve. The latter uses Ford's EDIS system, which is distributorless, and uses a small box and a coil pack off several different early 90s Fords (Escorts are most popular). These parts can be had from junkyards pretty easily and cheaply. This also uses a crank-trigger wheel and sensor, which is something of a pain to fit on the Type IV. Dave Hunt has one on his new setup, and you can find photos of his setup by searching on this site. Perhaps this is the "spark unit" you mean?

For the MS or MS II should work on a V8 just fine, by just setting it to run on a V8. The EDIS spark setup from a Ford V8 can be used (different Ford box, marked EDIS8 instead of EDIS4 like the Escort box, and a different coil pack). Some have also run two EDIS4s in parallel on a V8. There's a writeup of these on the Megasquirt sites. Indeed, MS was originally developed on an SBC.

The most confusing part about MS right now is there are three hardware versions and three or four major software versions in development right now. Using the straight MS unit with the "extra" code is probably the easiest thing to do right now, as the "extra" code does fuel only, fuel and spark with a dizzy, or fuel and spark with EDIS. This is becoming the mainstream MS setup now, it appears. MS II is an add on to a regular MS, and will allow new development, but I don't believe the first cut will have many new features over the "old" MS. It will allow development to continue, and there will be some desirable new features added over the next couple of years. You should be able to get most engines running well with MS, so waiting for MS II isn't really necessary.