programable fuel and ignition via laptop or pendant controller

Link ECU

"thought" I was going with the SDS for sure, now filling my brain with more options and choices

My information is a few years old, but this ECU is REALLY big in the Miata community. There's a guy in SoCal that has software for the Link to literally make it a plug and play replacement for the stock Miata ECU (pre-OBD-II), or as a piggyback (OBD-II, or '96 and later). Seems to be a reliable unit. The systems at that time used the HC11 processor, and a glance at the photos of their current boards suggests they're still using it.

I'm not sure why you're abandoning the MS, though. With the Unilite dizzy, your reset issue should be gone. You already have the MS, so you can't really get any cheaper than that. The Link and the SDS both have the same problems with heat and water the MS has. The only thing they buy you is the ability to use the hand-held controller thing. Frankly, I doubt that's much of a plus, as there's no way to upload and download whole maps at a time, as there is with a laptop, and you can't datalog with the handheld. If the size of the laptop is bugging you, there are Palm versions of MegaTune.

If you think maybe your MS problems are caused by assembly errors, you can buy a pre-assembled one for about $200 from at least three different places. One of them is in Sacto, so you can even drive up and kick someone's butt if it doesn't work. I'd be willing to bet money the online support you get from MS is superior to what you'd get from Link, esp. considering Link is in New Zealand. There's someone on the MS board that's just got a truck engine running using bike throttle bodies and injectors...

I am going to use one soon.....

I am staying away from laptop versions of EFI at the present for customer's engines... Most of my customers demand simplicity and it has to be simple and has to be not too confusing.

QUOTE (lapuwali @ Apr 5 2005, 05:20 PM)

The Link and the SDS both have the same problems with heat and water the MS has.

I have my SDS mounted in the stock box..."almost" sealed, in the engine bay...No heat or moisture issues so far.

I have at least 10K+ on the SDS.

QUOTE (Mark Henry @ Apr 5 2005, 01:58 PM)

QUOTE (lapuwali @ Apr 5 2005, 05:20 PM) The Link and the SDS both have the same problems with heat and water the MS has. I have my SDS mounted in the stock box..."almost" sealed, in the engine bay...No heat or moisture issues so far. I have at least 10K+ on the SDS.

Yes, and I'm sure MS would also survive just as well in the same environment. I didn't mean to imply the SDS was unreliable because of heat, only trying to allay Mike's concerns over it wrt MS. I hope to confirm sometime later this year that MS will work the same way you're using SDS.

The fact that the Link can do BOTH laptop or use a handheld is a plus. I know some people really hate computers, and think the handheld thing is "simpler", and there's certainly some advantage to them. However, I see the SDS stance of ONLY allow you to use their handheld thing as backwards and unnecessary. The SDS would be able to use PC-based tuning software unmodified if someone took the time to write the software. The handheld thing is, after all, nothing more than a limited-function computer itself.

QUOTE

I'm not sure why you're abandoning the MS, though

i guess I'm trying to remove me out of the equation of possible failures down the road

as for the handheld/pendant thing, I do have one for the MS, I just need to put it together......

QUOTE (Mueller @ Apr 5 2005, 02:22 PM)

QUOTE I'm not sure why you're abandoning the MS, though i guess I'm trying to remove me out of the equation of possible failures down the road as for the handheld/pendant thing, I do have one for the MS, I just need to put it together......

Right. I forgot all about "MegaView", and I even have one! (also unassembled)

So, remove yourself from the assembly equation and buy one of the pre-assembled units from Rodney Sparks on the MSEFI board (www.rs-autosport.com). $270, and he does all of the MSnS hardware mods for you so you can do spark control, or $250 and you can get a fuel only unit. He even sells units with pre-made wiring harnesses.

Check the 944 turbo section of Rennlist as there are some guys using the Link system with the 944 turbo. A company called Guru Racing sells a kit. I haven't heard anything bad about it.

LOL, Mike I have Link Plus on my 911 , its gud.

Happen to be a Haltech distributor, if you like we can chat on the phone.. I did a ton of research into EFI systems before making my choices..

Lets just say timing and loyalty had some influence


And yes you can get the lil handheld tuner for the Link... its a bit of a pain in the butt though....

Also there is plenty of stateside support for the Link, Performance Deveolpment in Costa Mesa, Ca.( Perfoemance Dev is the importer). Flyin Miata, Grand Junction Co. Kiwi Engineering, Ct. etc.. Beside the Mazda motherboard replacements, they make Subaru WRX plug and play board also..

The LINK software is really easy and intuitive to use..

The Link is a really plain looking box, but it is in fact an extrusion, the cooling fins are on the inside... think heat sink inverted, Plain packaging sometime doesnt impress... no bling.. its whats inside that counts..

well....I bit the bullet...got a Link One plus some other items on the way, just signed the purchase order.......

Delivery time should be about a week....not soon enough for the WCC, which it wouldn't have made a differance anyways...too many other issues with the car right now to drag it down to So-Cal

I'm surprised that Lotto winning money stayed in my pocket for so long

How much does it cost? No prices on their site.

Link Plus is about 1200, Link One is about 800 or so, this is with wiring harnesses, and ignitors, no pickup or coils.

I noticed your in Mass, there is a Link dealer New Haven? Ct I think.. its Kiwi Engineering, Greg Hunt is the guy to speak to if your interested.

QUOTE (914efi @ Apr 13 2005, 01:25 PM)

How much does it cost? No prices on their site.

899 for the ECU, 110 for the wiring loom...I also bought a new style Bosch air temp sensor (35).....I'll use the stock CHT for warm-up fuel enrichment.

The software seems pretty darn easy to navigate which is nice and is full of nice features.....what is interesting is how much the Megasquirt tuning software mimics the Link...i know the Megasquirt is sorta based on a few different programmable fuel injection systems, so it's no surprise....

Wow prices bumped up a bit since I bought

doing some web searching tonight...found a site that the guy took apart his Link pendant...even has a schematic..hmmmm??? ??

link_keypad_schematic

It's a hand-held serial terminal. 90% of the action is locked up in the serial LCD module, which also has selection and debouncing circuitry for the buttons. You can buy the serial LCD stuff from quite a few places.