Messing around with my 1.6 SOHC - got some cheap HP

[rukick]

I have seen some discussion on here about putting a Protege DX 1.8 SOHC computer on the 1.6 MX 3 RS. I tried it and I noticed a small difference. THen I put the old one back in. THen I put a TB from a Protege LX on and agian I noticed a small difference. THen I put the 1.8 computer back on with the new TB and the difference was much more dramatic. I cannot prove it with a dyno but I am thinking the two mods together add atleast 5 hp, and maybe closer to 10. My RS used to lag in axceleration from 2500 to 3500 RPM compared to 1000-2000 and 4000-6000 RPM. now that lag is greatly reduced and there seems to be more power over all too. I think the combination of extra air from the TB and extra fuel from the computer is the reason. I also have extra air coming from a higher flow air filter and cold air intake. I am not sure the difference would be as good without that. Does that sound right to anyone else?

<small>[ September 20, 2004, 05:54 PM: Message edited by: rukick ]</small>

[Marlon]

no
use your stock ecu

[mxprecidia]

why doesnt it sound good? and whats a "TB"?

[rukick]

TB = Throttle Body

Why does that not sound right to you? I asked Derrick at Cork sport and he thought it was a good idea but he suggested also using the injectors from the protege DX too. (Which I have not done yet)

[Limegreen mx-3]

i tried that a while back with the list of mods i have. i swap the ecu out for the protege DX ran it like that for a month nothing really happen no codes or engine screwing up. there was a difference in preformance pick up a lot more,rev a little higher 6600-6700. but i didn't post it cause i didn't feel like getting ridiclued with dumb a$$ remarks. i was testing to see what happen (weekend car) i put the stock ecu back on but never ran it to see if it really made a difference. time wise. laters

Drifter MX-3

[torpedan]

Originally posted by Javier Munoz Jr:
i tried that a while back with the list of mods i have. i swap the ecu out for the protege DX ran it like that for a month nothing really happen no codes or engine screwing up. there was a difference in preformance pick up a lot more,rev a little higher 6600-6700. but i didn't post it cause i didn't feel like getting ridiclued with dumb a$$ remarks. i was testing to see what happen (weekend car) i put the stock ecu back on but never ran it to see if it really made a difference. time wise. laters

Drifter MX-3

Its actually a easy way to raise the redline. Which can be the problem because you woudl be overreving the motor.

There are a lot of pros and ocns for the ECU thing. I intend to do swap a few things around that i dont really wanna make public till I have a solid running model.

[rukick]

What does it usaully cost to have your car put on a dyno? I checked into that once and I was told $100 bucks. That seemed like a lot to me so I did not have it done. I would like to get some solid numbers for these mods but I am at a loss for how to do that without having to drop a C note every time. Any suggestions?

[Limegreen mx-3]

Originally posted by torpedan:

Originally posted by Javier Munoz Jr:
i tried that a while back with the list of mods i have. i swap the ecu out for the protege DX ran it like that for a month nothing really happen no codes or engine screwing up. there was a difference in preformance pick up a lot more,rev a little higher 6600-6700. but i didn't post it cause i didn't feel like getting ridiclued with dumb a$$ remarks. i was testing to see what happen (weekend car) i put the stock ecu back on but never ran it to see if it really made a difference. time wise. laters

Drifter MX-3

Its actually a easy way to raise the redline. Which can be the problem because you woudl be overreving the motor.

There are a lot of pros and ocns for the ECU thing. I intend to do swap a few things around that i dont really wanna make public till I have a solid running model.

which is why i never made it public on swaping out ecu i thought i waited till someone spit it out didn't think it be that short. when i did it i rarely redlined it pros it had extra power u didn't have to nail it to get speed or speed up a bit. idle was stedy never showing the up and down symdrome. when i hual *** for a while the gas would be suck up like a V8. but when u drive 2000 rpm shifts like a old man was good on gas. toruge streer was a little worse. but these where some of the things i notice when i had it one for a month. laters

Drifter MX-3

[rukick]

Well I am tierd of guessing about HP. I went and put my car on a dyno over my lunch break. I got 75.8 whp and 86.6 Torque. The first 2 runs the guy had the AC on and did not notice. THe last run it was off. The car had the 1.8 SOHC ecu in for these runs. I will put the stock ECU back in and do it again later this week. THe guy told me that the Air/Fuel was not the 17.5 that it says on the sheet. He ran a seporate test and got 15. He said that it was too lean. When I told him about the computer he said that he thought swapping ECU's was a bad idea. He says that the ecu thinks the engine is not moving enough air and cuts the amount of fuel way back. He gave me 6 runs for $65.

I have to admit I was hoping for better whp. I saw in a different post that atlantamx3 got 65.7 whp and 70.9 on a 1.6 SOHC that was almost stock. THere is some improvment over that. As far as the ecu question - I will know for sure after the next set of runs.For Dyno Results Click Here

<small>[ September 21, 2004, 02:49 PM: Message edited by: rukick ]</small>

[torpedan]

when you swap ECUs you have to retune the MAF.

We have run a 1.6dohc of a Festiva Computer for a while. (dont ask)

[rukick]

Well I am officially full of crap. Many of you probably knew that already but I just found out for sure. I had my car on the dyno again and I went from 75 whp with the 1.8 Protégé ECU to almost 79 whp with the stock ECU. Better air to fuel ratio too. Conclusion - straight 1.8 ecu swap is a bad idea. The guy at the performance shop said that it may have taken awhile for the new ecu to adjust to the new information. That might explain why I thought the car drove better the first day I put the 1.8 ecu in. Anyway I am happy that I have gone from 65whp to almost 80. I hope to have both dyno sheets posted on my web site later today.
my web page

<small>[ September 28, 2004, 11:08 AM: Message edited by: rukick ]</small>

[papa roached]

atlantamx3's car is an auto too

[atlantamx3]

Originally posted by papa roached:
atlantamx3's car is an auto too

Well.. It was at the time of that dyno chart anyway. (just completed the auto->manual conversion) I think that was part of the problem, actually.. . its very hard to get an accurate dyno reading on an auto because you have to trick it into staying in gear, and have a really good dyno guy.

[papa roached]

if your up to 79 at teh wheels thats a gain, stock is 88 at the crank

[rukick]

I am happy with 79 whp with the mods that I have. My new engine is being shipped this week. I am going to dyno with every new thing I do. I worked out a deal with the dyno guy for $15 per pull. He also told me that I should try to get my fuel/air ratio under 14. Does that sound right? Does anyone know of a piggyback ecu that will allow you to regulate Fuel/air? I want to do something with this ecu but the only thing that I have found so far is what cork sport does. They told me that they will attach the chip from an rx7 and that will give you more HP.