Anybody running megasquirt?

[maxwedge]

Just wondering if anybody had any experiences good or bad with Megasquirt or similar aftermarket systems. My primary consideration is that it be cheap and tuneable. This seems to fit the bill nicely.

[Boostedballs]

I just built the V3 version with spark control a few months back for a rally car but sold the car and kept the MS box. I was then thinking about using the box on the 496 that I'm building for my boat.
There is a TON of yahoo groups devoted to the systems and some guys are really making power with them and they like to share their perameters tables with other members.
You can buy the complete box or the kit. The kit took me about 12 hours to solder up once everything was read and understood. The boxes sell on ebay for around $400 and the kit is about $250. Software is free.
I'm going to make it run with the carb and then maybe switch over once I find someone with an engine dyno locally.

[maxwedge]

How easy was the kit to assemble? I have a soldering iron, a few spare hours and a strong desire to save $150. I have been reading a few different sites, but any links you have would be great. I couldn't find any info on anybody running the system in a boat.

[Boostedballs]

Here's the best one I can find: http://megasquirt.info/
Your typical soldering iron won't do it for the tiny transisters you have to solder. You'll need the real sharp 1000W ones and some really thin flux core solder and a steady hand. Might want to buy the "stimulator" first so you can get a feel for it. The "stim" plugs into it for diagnostics. It feeds the MS box signals for throttle position, temp, etc and gives you LED's that flash to show when the injectors would be flashing. It's way easier to solder because it has no small components so if you have trouble building the stim, just buy the assembled unit.
There's enough people using MS that you could configure your setup to somone elses that have roughly the same cubes, cam, etc. just to get it running. There is a lot of tuning involved and a lot of patience from what I've heard. There are people running over 200mph on the salt flats with it though. First thing I would do is try to hook up with someone that has already done something similar so they can guide you. I would start with yahoo groups and check out some of the projects in the photo section
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/megasquirt/

[Jetaholic]

WOW! I've been considering converting to EFI for quite some time now...and being an electronics nut...this is definitely the answer!
The only issue is getting the correct size injectors, fuel rail, fuel pump, pressure regulator, etc etc...and knowing what fuel psi to run. I'll be doing some research on this matter...but this is definitely the route I'll be going.

[GAWnCA]

WOW! I've been considering converting to EFI for quite some time now...and being an electronics nut...this is definitely the answer!
The only issue is getting the correct size injectors, fuel rail, fuel pump, pressure regulator, etc etc...and knowing what fuel psi to run. I'll be doing some research on this matter...but this is definitely the route I'll be going.
Hey Jet!! Help educate us will ya? Sounds interesting from what little I've been able to read.

[Boostedballs]

WOW! I've been considering converting to EFI for quite some time now...and being an electronics nut...this is definitely the answer!
The only issue is getting the correct size injectors, fuel rail, fuel pump, pressure regulator, etc etc...and knowing what fuel psi to run. I'll be doing some research on this matter...but this is definitely the route I'll be going.
Injectors, fuel rail, pump, and regulator is the easy part (for a junkyard scavanger like myself). You can run up to 16 injectors with the MS. You can pull them from 4 banger turbo cars in the junk yard and clean them. Cleaning is easy, I have done it many times. All you need is a fuel pump hooked up to a filter, most any fuel rail with integral reg, and a small gas can full of "SeaFoam". Use fuel INJECTION hose and not regular fuel hose. Then tiewrap the injectors to the rail and run each injector into a babyfood jar or just slip hose over the nozzles and have them drain back into the gas can. I like to watch them spray into the little jars because you can tell when they are clean and you get to calculate fuel flow. Then you get to pick and choose the best ones. I heard it's a bad idea to run the injectors at 12vdc for more than a few seconds at a time. ( heard it will kill them, although I have never been able to kill one even after about 5 minutes of constant spraying.)
Fuel rails from junk cars can be cut and TIC welded to the right spacing, then ground smooth and polished. Most even have a pressure regulator on the end with the return line.
Fuel pressure is usually around 45psi for GM products and 37psi for Ford products, if I remember right.

[Jetaholic]

Hey Jet!! Help educate us will ya? Sounds interesting from what little I've been able to read.
Well as far as computers I know more about the software than the hardware itself, but I do solder and know how to follow a schematic. I'm also a wiring guru as well.

[Jetaholic]

Injectors, fuel rail, pump, and regulator is the easy part (for a junkyard scavanger like myself). You can run up to 16 injectors with the MS. You can pull them from 4 banger turbo cars in the junk yard and clean them. Cleaning is easy, I have done it many times. All you need is a fuel pump hooked up to a filter, most any fuel rail with integral reg, and a small gas can full of "SeaFoam". Use fuel INJECTION hose and not regular fuel hose. Then tiewrap the injectors to the rail and run each injector into a babyfood jar or just slip hose over the nozzles and have them drain back into the gas can. I like to watch them spray into the little jars because you can tell when they are clean and you get to calculate fuel flow. Then you get to pick and choose the best ones. I heard it's a bad idea to run the injectors at 12vdc for more than a few seconds at a time. ( heard it will kill them, although I have never been able to kill one even after about 5 minutes of constant spraying.)
Fuel rails from junk cars can be cut and TIC welded to the right spacing, then ground smooth and polished. Most even have a pressure regulator on the end with the return line.
Fuel pressure is usually around 45psi for GM products and 37psi for Ford products, if I remember right.
Should I go with a regular stock junkyard 454 injection intake or is there something more performance out there that I should go with?

[Outlaw]

http://www.***boat.com/forums/showthread.php?t=168439
This would look Bad A$$ on a jet.
I dont think you could build a system for this price.
$1700. just add your MS