I've run MegaSquirt in a couple of VWs, a fuel only 16v GTI and a fuel + spark in a supercharged 16v Corrado.
I'm also familiar with SDS (www.sdsefi.com) system as well.

Megasquirt was more difficult to setup than the SDS as it's more of a swiss army knife.
Megasquirt offered more options and was a lower cost.

 

 

Hey John-

Glad to hear you're still looking to go with TPI. I still love mine, even though I haven't had much time to work on the tune. If you keep the stock ECU, I think you'll be much happier being able to program it yourself than constantly sending away for new chips. There are quite a few pieces of hardware that will let you tune a stock ECU real-time, and the price of the stock ECU plus the emulator will be less than a Megasquirt.

Another thing to keep in mind: there are more parameters that are tunable in a stock system than in any of the aftermarket ones. This can be a good or bad thing, depending on how much you want to learn about the computer. There are plenty of "tunes" available for free download online (a tune is actually called a "bin"), and you shouldn't have any trouble finding one that was tuned for a setup very close to yours. The best place to go to start learning about fuel injection tuning is here: http://www.thirdgen.org/techboard/diy-prom/. You should also check out the C4 Scan and Tune board on this forum.

Good luck-- Once you start putting things together, I can give you some suggestions on how to run the MSD distributor with TPI, so you can keep the tach drive. I still haven't converted to electronic tach, but I'm always driving with my laptop hooked to the car, so I can just look over at the screen and see how many RPM I'm turning.

 

Hi,

Nice to hear from you again Bob.
My MSD is working perfect, I am very happy with the deal I made together with you.

Yes I am still having a “ghost” in my head screaming for a TPI setup. But now I don’t look any longer…….I got my TPI setup

It a 90-92 Corvette MAP setup, I got the TPI here in Denmark, from an other member of Corvette Club Denmark. So no shipping cost and tax on this baby

New Brodix 180 IK heads, COMP CAM CL12-467-8, Rocker arms + other nice parts, are leaving from Ohio Crankshaft within a week. Christmas comes early this year







I hope that everything is ok you and you car

BR,
John

 

I will get back to you on that one, I have TPI distributor, but I would really like if I could run with my new MSD.

Driving with your laptop where is the wife then ???

Are you using the std. chevy ECM unit?

 

Aha - there's a book I can use...I'm a fuel injection dummy so it might help.

 

John, I'm using the stock GM computer for MAF systems (1227165). I have a Prominator in place of the chip, so I can change the chip by plugging my laptop in. I use the program TunerPro RT to tune. There's a free version of the software, but I paid for the upgrade because it's such an incredible program that I felt that the guy who wrote it earned the money. Same reason I paid for a membership to this site, I guess!

 

Is this Prominator like the Moates Emulators I've read about? I'm debating whether or not to set-up my speed density ZZ4 to tune on the fly. How much did your Prominator rig cost?

 

1mpalaSS- the Prominator is basically the same as an emulator. It's a flash memory card that goes in place of the prom, and you reflash it through a parallel port. I don't remember what I paid, since it was a few years back, even though I didn't install the TPI until this year.

Funny you mention the Moates emulators, though. Here's a post from Craig Moates on thirdgen.org (search the DIY PROM threads for Prominator) that describes the next generation Prominator, with an unbelievable price tag. I am very happy with my Prominator and I'll still probably buy one of these just so I can do everything through USB, instead of dealing with a 12 year old laptop that I have to use because Prominator uses a parallel port.

I'll bring folks up to speed on the Prominator.

Bill Hitchcock approached me a few months back. He asked if I'd be willing to take over and purchase the project and design rights. This is a very amicable agreement situation, he approached me and specified the terms. We went forward with the hand-off and I have been chewing on the design a bit (no pun intended) since.

So, with that being said, here's what is in the works:

- A new device, called the PromulGator. Availability possible by September if all goes well.
- Based on the spirit and essence of the Prominator. Changes include design simplifications and ease-of-use enhancement.
- Native mini-USB, no parallel or serial. To be natively supported by TunerPro and Flash-N-Burn software.
- Keep-it-simple design, up to 64k, no bin switching, no CPLDs or FPGAs.
- Single micro and discrete logics with AT29C512 onboard memory.
- Program in-vehicle (not on-the-fly, it's disruptive) via USB. Vehicle on or off (preferably off so your ECU doesn't flip out).
- 100% SMD with removeable pin headers, can be installed wherever you would otherwise install a 27SF512 or other 28-pin chip.
- Target price sub-$100.

Again, this is something simple and low-cost. Think of it as a chip replacement that can be reprogrammed via USB without a programmer while it's in the ECU. Nothing fancy. It won't do everything the ProminatorPro was able to do, but I think it accomplishes the essence of what is needed while keeping the feature-creep and end-user cost under control.

Hope this helps,
Craig

 

Under 100 bucks for something like that sounds pretty awesome. I figured it would run $300 and up, minus the laptop. Is Tunerpro what used to be Tunercat? Hope this isn't hijacking the OP's thread, but all this stuff seems pertinent to TPI. Anyone who's tried to have a chip "burned" for a non-stock application can probably relate!

 

TunerPro and TunerCat are actually two different programs. I went with TunerPro because it supports Prominator, so you can reflash the chip without needing to save the bin and flash it with the Prominator program.

And I agree that anyone thinking of doing the conversion should look at it as well, since unless you're dropping in the entire TPI engine, the stock bin is not going to be exactly right for your setup.

 

My engine will be like this:
1969 L46 11:1 engine, with TPI/MAP, Brodix IK180 heads, Cam COMP#08-466-8, 1,6 rocker arme, headers and 2½" exhaust. Does anyone have any idea what my HP will be?

 

What is the best emulator you can get today, and why?
Also does anyone have pictures with a emulator in the ECM unit?