At last, MX-6 ECU + KL02 vs. Probinator + JE50 dyno results.

[_-Night-Shade-_]

BEHOLD! For I have found the holy grail! Lmfao

Okay, first a bit of background: I've got a 1994 GS and I recently did the KL-ZE swap. As some of you may or may not know, 94+ MX-3s use only one coolant sensor and supposedly chipping the ECU with a Probinator chip results in the need of the second coolant sensor or you will be left with the infamous problem of the rad fan being constantly on. After talking with a bunch of MX-3 veterans (most notably solo_ryder whose input was quite benefitial as his bro had 94 Probe) our belief is that chipping an MX-3 ECU reverts it to 92-93 standards. This is fine if you have an MX-3 of that year as your harness will already have the plugs for 2 sensors. I, however, did not want to go through the hassle of ghetto-rigging up some wiring going to the 2nd sensor and ECU. We're not sure why this happens, probably only the person making the chips would know. But seeing as MX-3s aren't as dominant as Probes, the issue was never and probably will never be addressed. The interesting thing I noticed is that nobody with a 94+ Probe/MX-6 ever has this problem, which seems kind of odd, but it got me thinking... This is only speculation, but since the chip is based off Probe/MX-6 ECUs then maybe there is just a difference in ECUs? For example, maybe the coolant sensor info isn't on the EPROM chip in Probe/MX-6 ECUs but on MX-3 ECUs it is, thereby it gets altered when you chip it. Regardless, I wanted to go the safe route and not run into any problems. So I got myself an ECU out of a 94 MX-6 and ordered a Probinator chip for it using my specs:

KL55 ECU
Curved Neck IM
KL31 Cams
KL02 VAF

I am happy to say that I have no issues whatsoever! I'm only using 1 coolant sensor (the other one on the coolant neck is just unplugged) and the rad fan only turns on like it's supposed to when the engine is getting too hot. I've got no check engine light either. As you'll notice the only difference is that you'll have to run a KL02 VAF, but who cares.
You can see the chipping process in my worklog. I don't have any data yet like dyno results and I can't confirm the fuel economy yet because I've still got a few components that I need to replace, but I'll try to get this as soon as I can!
Hope this helps everyone.

-NightShade

[hppwdn]

I'm not a probinator guru, but from what I've heard his chips are designed to work on stock ECUs with the stock KL02 VAF from the KL and not the JE50. That's one of the reason his chips are desirable because they eliminate the need to source a JE50 VAF. (I know this is an mx3 forum and we all got them stock, but his main market is probes/mx6s which got the KL02 stamped VAF stock.)

If his are designed for the KL02 VAF then these dyno tests would not be very good for a comparison.

EDIT: I just realized this thread was 7 pages long and I posted after reading only the first page. Sorry if this post might not have been as relevant as I originally thought.

[eunosklde]

Funny i tryed all the setups with out going aftermarket or chipping the ecu's.I got a mx3 with the later series longneck klze and 101 heads and yes its japspec.Tryed the k8 ecu and je50 ran like crap,tryed the mx6 ecu and kl02 vaf very slow to rev out and sluggish.Found that running the stock k8 ecu and kl02 vaf runs like a dream and lot more power.The mech did the conversion couldent belive it ran so well with that setup.and he did over 20 mx3 klze conversions.strange but true...

[solo_ryder]

Funny i tryed all the setups with out going aftermarket or chipping the ecu's.I got a mx3 with the later series longneck klze and 101 heads and yes its japspec.Tryed the k8 ecu and je50 ran like crap,tryed the mx6 ecu and kl02 vaf very slow to rev out and sluggish.Found that running the stock k8 ecu and kl02 vaf runs like a dream and lot more power.The mech did the conversion couldent belive it ran so well with that setup.and he did over 20 mx3 klze conversions.strange but true...

That is stange, that VAF should not work with that ecu.

@ Andy - The KL02 VAF doesnt work with a mx3 chipped ecu, if it is a KL chipped ecu it will work.

[_-Night-Shade-_]

Funny i tryed all the setups with out going aftermarket or chipping the ecu's.I got a mx3 with the later series longneck klze and 101 heads and yes its japspec.Tryed the k8 ecu and je50 ran like crap,tryed the mx6 ecu and kl02 vaf very slow to rev out and sluggish.Found that running the stock k8 ecu and kl02 vaf runs like a dream and lot more power.The mech did the conversion couldent belive it ran so well with that setup.and he did over 20 mx3 klze conversions.strange but true...

That is stange, that VAF should not work with that ecu.

Nope, I bet it was OBDII that's why.

[solo_ryder]

Good call, I forgot about that

[eunosklde]

Thats the thing its a 92 mazda mx3 its a OBDI.I got a another white 92 mazda mx3 klze with the k31 heads and curved neck i bought of a mate for parts.Running a K8 ecu and JE50 with a blown head gasket it ran well before he cooked it.But my red mx3 im driving at the moment via the last post i was talking about has a late model jdm klze longneck with 101heads running the KL02 vaf and stock K8 ecu has beat plenty of KL31 klze off the lights and the white kl31 klze i own now when it was running strong.I know its not a KLDE or KLG4.I scraching my head too..

[unclegreg]

Thats the thing its a 92 mazda mx3 its a OBDI.I got a another white 92 mazda mx3 klze with the k31 heads and curved neck i bought of a mate for parts.Running a K8 ecu and JE50 with a blown head gasket it ran well before he cooked it.But my red mx3 im driving at the moment via the last post i was talking about has a late model jdm klze longneck with 101heads running the KL02 vaf and stock K8 ecu has beat plenty of KL31 klze off the lights and the white kl31 klze i own now when it was running strong.I know its not a KLDE or KLG4.I scraching my head too..

I've tried almost every combo, and the one that feel strongest is K8 ECU/KL02 VAF. It would be very interesting if someone dynoed this combo.

[Mooneggs]

It seems those that have OBD2 setups are benefitting from this k8 ecu + KL02 VAF combo... I'm curious if anybody with an OBD1 can confirm if that works or not? Maybe I need to get a KL02 and test for myself...

[_-Night-Shade-_]

Yeah but you would get a CEL would you not? I can see how it would work with OBDII but with OBDI that makes no sense.

[wytbishop]

I pulled a VAF off a Probe and tried it just for giggles and it ran poorly both chipped and unchipped.

[_-Night-Shade-_]

Btw if anyone has KL02 VAFs I can trade you for JE50s!

[Daninski]

KL02 VAF and an OBD1 MX3 is a no go. This has been tried and the info is available in search.

[unclegreg]

Funny, I have OBD 1 and K801/KL02 works great.
KL02 VAF did perform poor mixed with KL36 and Probinator K8

I was suprised too but right now i prefer K8/KL02 rather than KL36/JE50!

[wytbishop]

yeah mine is 93' chassis, 93' straight neck ZE engine, K801 w/ probinator. I tried the KL02 VAF with the stock ECU and my chipped ECU and it was horrible both ways.