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Specifically, does it run great sometimes, and not other times? I know that there are mechanical nuances, but I'm specifically wondering about the undefinable.
I read that sometimes MegaSquirt can just "run funny", and you have to turn the car off, and turn it back on. It's true. Sometimes, I have to turn it off while coasting down a hill, and bump start it (in 5th), and it will run better, with better AFR. I'm wondering how many others have this issue, and what your setup is, if so.

This is why I never went with MS in my RS. This sounds very similar to issues i heard about in the past. That and not many shops are willing to tune a MS equipped car as they don't want to warranty it. In the past i thought that it was just because the tech was young, but from the sounds of the issues you have been having, it seems that that may not have changed. Plus most guys I know that have run MS have moved on to better systems for more reliability.

IDK I hope you can get the quirks figured out.

And what would be a more reliability choice for a standalone ecu?

Brands with known support like Motec, Electomotive, AEM, SDS, Greddy, Haltec, just to name a few there are others. The reason to go with a MS is solely price, I would rather pay 500 bucks then 2-3K like for one of the others listed above. I paid 1800 out the door for my SDS system in my RS and got almost every option available, other than coil packs *face palm*... I decided to go with it because 1 I did not need a laptop it comes with its own back lit lcd screen and controls, and 2 when I called around to tuning shops for input everyone knew the system and how to tune it and strongly recommended it.

I agree with Josh.

And with how much drama your car has been through, I'm not surprised it's moody lol

You know It's somehow strange paying a price for an ecu when the whole car is cost the same or even lower than that..I am not talking specific about your car.
But as they say you get what you pay for..
Btw how much does the tunning cost there?

Well generally you can get like an hour tuning session for like 100 - 160 dollars depending on the place. But if they already know the stand alone system things can go faster.

If you only knew what I have into my RS... 6K into the engine just minor machining work and parts.... plus the Stand alone. and on and on and on. Plus I have number one of a handful of street legal AWD MX-3's in the world.

Most who run systems like that tend to race them a lot or keep them for a long time. Cars are money pits, we will never be able to get out of them what we put into them. So I would rather drive around a cheep car i can modify then an expensive car I have to make payments on And I will probably never sell them just add more

I like your car.You have done a great job.I would love to have a chance to drive an awd mx3.But i think this will never happen..
You know modifying a car is like a game whith no end.What ever you do what ever you pay in the end you will alway feel that something is ''missing''.
That's why you have to put a limit on it.For example my goal is a bpt engine around 200 hp.
No more no less...
But i am sure the time will come and the 200 will feel low number..

It runs good and I like it for the most part. Except for the past month where my 02 sensors are bad and it bucks like a wild bronco.

My K8 feels sluggish sometimes, and my transmission doesn't seem to shift smoothly on cold days. Even after warmup... Now, after engine braking at 5K down a long hill, the car feels like a whole different animal. Good times.

Mine is quite moody. KLDE block with ZE insides and Colt cams and Milli manifold and KL02 ECU on a MTX MX-3 GS harness in an auto GS shell with maybe or maybe not working VRIS...

Power is hit and miss, I can never decide how it works. it seems to limit ignition in some cases. full throttle from low RPM, or full throttle sooner than 30s from start (hot start, never tried cold) and somtimes I feel like it has to do with steering angle But it never seems to follow a hard and fast rule.

I guess my DD is a bit moody, it's just that we've been in a relationship so long that I guess I just know how to work with it.

We have such a great relationship.

Yes, its moody...

Even without MS installed it's sometimes running well, other times not.
I am conviced it's not MegaSquirt that causes this. There are many many cars that do very well and reliable on MS.

Lol, it is the nature of the K series engines.

My ZE has days where it feels so smooth and powerful, and days where it sounds more like a subaru and doesn't want to go smoothly or quickly. Very annoying indeed and honestly, lately it will drive good in the morning and shite in the arvo, then vise versa.

Must be all the sensors+ECU IMO. One different reading, then the ECU adds fuel, retards timing or whatever and makes you run richer, less powerfully etc.

I've noticed that last part myself. I keep cleaning my muffler tips, and on the days where the car runs like crap(usually nighttime tbh), I'll smell a lot of fuel and find excess carbon buildup on the tips the next day.

It's frustrating, but that's 177,000 miles on an engine for you.