What is the best ECU to be used on 172/182 turbo coversion?

[Kelman70]

Hi Folks

Another question regarding turbo conversions

Been looking back through older threads regarding ecu's for turbo conversions on 172/182

Omex 600 seems to be a popular one but seems a bit dated in terms of technology.

I believe the EC-1 is good if you want to retain the original renault dash and rev counter/speedo etc. (not to bothered about this as intend to fit a digital dash at some point)

Are there any ecu's which are available today that are deemed better than the two mentioned above?

Regards

Martin

 

[Chip-mk1]

Depends on your budget, personally my favourite ECU currently is the Autronic SM4, although its quite dear.

My Clio turbo runs on a Mtec V4, which is a commercialised development of the megasquirt project, but sadly these are no longer available.
Real shame because it makes the Omex look like an antique and was only 600 pounds new

Adaptronic is quite popular, thats very well featured too.

The MOST important thing if going high boost on a FWD turbo car is the boost control, Omex 600 is terrible at this, in fact so much so that I tend when mapping boosted Omex 600 cars to not use it and use the aux output so at least I can put TPS into the mix, but then you lose the ability to map it against rpm, having to choose one or the other like that is rubbish, you really need a 3d map of TPS vs RPM = boost output



Other things like sequential or semi sequential etc are unlikely to matter unless you are trying to build something with 1000cc injectors (ie a 700bhp engine!)

 

[Westyfield2]

Most people have their personal favourites TBH.

What's happening with M-Tech these days? Heard something about motorsport electronics IIRC.

 

[Chip-mk1]

Most people have their personal favourites TBH.

What's happening with M-Tech these days? Heard something about motorsport electronics IIRC.

They got into a row with megasquirt where megasquirt wouldnt license the ECU because Mtec had changed it too much or something like that.
So they have stopped making it.

Motorsport Electronics is a seperate company, but one of the guys from Mtech (matt) is a director of it.

I had a long chat with Matt a few months ago with regards to what features I want on the new ECU etc, as he views me as a bit of a "tame mapper" for such things and their new ECU so far looks on paper to be absolutely awesome but I dont think it will be out on sale this year and obviously until Ive actually installed and mapped one I will hold judgement on if it lives upto what it looks like it should do or not.

 

[Ph1 Tom]

I've been recommended a few ECUs but it depends on what the tuner/dealer favours really.

I've got a DTA S40 as it was well priced, had better features than the Omex 600 and my local mapper deals with DTA so I got a better price on the ECU, wiring, mapping etc.

I've run Megasquirt in the past, IIRC it was MS2 V3 and it was a very capable ECU. I ended up mapping it myself from a base map and it was easy to work with too.

If you want a nearly new second hand ECU I might be selling my DTA S40 Pro.

 

[Westyfield2]

They got into a row with megasquirt where megasquirt wouldnt license the ECU because Mtec had changed it too much or something like that.
So they have stopped making it.

Motorsport Electronics is a seperate company, but one of the guys from Mtech (matt) is a director of it.

I had a long chat with Matt a few months ago with regards to what features I want on the new ECU etc, as he views me as a bit of a "tame mapper" for such things and their new ECU so far looks on paper to be absolutely awesome but I dont think it will be out on sale this year and obviously until Ive actually installed and mapped one I will hold judgement on if it lives upto what it looks like it should do or not.

Ah, shame. Matt's always good for a cuppa and a chat so I'll have pop over sometime.

I've been recommended a few ECUs but it depends on what the tuner/dealer favours really.

Good point. With the Zetecs/XEs in Westfields everyone has a favourite from DTA/Emerald/Gems/Omex/MegaSquirt/MBE (shoutout to SBD Motorsport)/etc. but you don't want to buy one and then find your pet mapper refuses to touch it!

 

[mi16chris]

Gen90 or link g4 storm or haltech ps1000 , if it was me it would be link, best ecu I've used and comes with just about every extra u could want and the software is very very easy to use

 

[Chip-mk1]

Yes link or vipec is another good option.

​

 

[Chip-mk1]

PS

Find someone to map it first, and use their advice to select an ECU.

 

[Kelman70]

PS

Find someone to map it first, and use their advice to select an ECU.

I agree with you there, i'll talk to my mapper and see what he can/will work with, ideally i'd like the tps vs rpm map to control the boost as you say otherwise the car would be pretty much undriveable with high boost or low boost for that matter.

I never realised how many ecu options there were!

I'm not particularly tied to a mapper either as i can travel when i'm home on my time off.

Time to do some research.............................

 

[Chip-mk1]

Are you sure that a boosted clio is for you?

There are downsides, especially to a high boost one.

I think they make terrible dailys for example because:
you are risking reliability of gearbox
you end up spending more money on fuel
engine rebuilds on forged engines are much more frequent than standard


Not trying to put you off, I really do love my high boost turbo clio, but just making sure you are "eyes wide open" as to most people a major bonus of the clio is a car is its broadly reliable and very economical, you are going to detract from both of those. as well as it going from a couple of K car to a 10K+ one.

 

[Cup_Phil]

I'm not sure "what is the best" and "what can I afford" overlap very well on boosted cars

Omex 600 and DTA S40 are some of the most used because they are cheap, but to be honest both are too slow really and lack 3d boost control

As Chip says find a mapper you trust and go with their advice, get the best you can afford

Where abouts are you based?

 

[Chip-mk1]

I'm not sure "what is the best" and "what can I afford" overlap very well on boosted cars

Omex 600 and DTA S40 are some of the most used because they are cheap, but to be honest both are too slow really and lack 3d boost control

As Chip says find a mapper you trust and go with their advice, get the best you can afford

Where abouts are you based?

I disagree slightly on the wording about omex and DTA being "slow" as an ECU.
They arent slow as the processors (which are rubbish) dont get bogged down with doing a lot, so what little they do they manage to do quite quickly.

 

[Cup_Phil]

Sorry yes - but they're slow when you try to do boost control with them as they're not REALLY designed for that

They're perfectly fine for the purpose they were designed for (like running my car LOL)

 

[Kelman70]

Are you sure that a boosted clio is for you?

There are downsides, especially to a high boost one.

I think they make terrible dailys for example because:
you are risking reliability of gearbox
you end up spending more money on fuel
engine rebuilds on forged engines are much more frequent than standard


Not trying to put you off, I really do love my high boost turbo clio, but just making sure you are "eyes wide open" as to most people a major bonus of the clio is a car is its broadly reliable and very economical, you are going to detract from both of those. as well as it going from a couple of K car to a 10K+ one.

Going from the car i had to the clio i'd say i'm more than familiar with what i want, i've just spent the last 3 years building and maintaining an 400+ BHP Evo 4 with fully forged engine, big turbo, fancy diffs etc. last turbo when it failed was 2k on its own.

I understand that a turbo clio will be more expensive and will have the potentail to break more often will need more maintanence etc. I'm used to breaking gearboxes & transfer boxes on the evo now and again at sprints and hillclimbs which isnt cheap.

The car will be used mainly as a track toy, but will remain road legal for spirited drives now and again. I'll be saving on costs by doing the majority of the work myself and can take my time and do it as and when i can afford it.

As mentioned before i'm just sussing out the options, i may stay low boost pressure and i'll be happy with that. I'll just have to se how it goes!!

I may be happy with a tastefully modded 172/182 but like the fact that a turbo'd clio is something a bit "different"

Martin

 

[Chip-mk1]

Going from the car i had to the clio i'd say i'm more than familiar with what i want, i've just spent the last 3 years building and maintaining an 400+ BHP Evo 4 with fully forged engine, big turbo, fancy diffs etc. last turbo when it failed was 2k on its own.

I understand that a turbo clio will be more expensive and will have the potentail to break more often will need more maintanence etc. I'm used to breaking gearboxes & transfer boxes on the evo now and again at sprints and hillclimbs which isnt cheap.

The car will be used mainly as a track toy, but will remain road legal for spirited drives now and again. I'll be saving on costs by doing the majority of the work myself and can take my time and do it as and when i can afford it.

As mentioned before i'm just sussing out the options, i may stay low boost pressure and i'll be happy with that. I'll just have to se how it goes!!

I may be happy with a tastefully modded 172/182 but like the fact that a turbo'd clio is something a bit "different"

Martin

You sound like your wishes of what you want from the car and expectations of what it will cost you are perfectly suited to a high boost clio turbo then

 

[Cup_Phil]

An evo starts off turbo'd - a clio doesn't

That makes quite a difference.
I think if I had the money you had - I wouldn't boost a Clio

But Chip will disagree with me there lol

 

[Chip-mk1]

An evo starts off turbo'd - a clio doesn't

That makes quite a difference.
I think if I had the money you had - I wouldn't boost a Clio

But Chip will disagree with me there lol

I dont think a turbo clio is always the best way to spend 10K on a track toy, a westy makes a lot more sense in many ways but I just happen to like hatchbacks in particular.

I do think a boosted car makes more sense than an ITB one though in most cases. Because boost is cheaper to get the same power from and a lot more reliable too, when talking about 150bhp+ per litre like most people seem to want these days.

 

[GrahamS]

A megasquirt can be built and save you a heap of dosh. My friends just done his for a mx5 T. With a base map you can make adjustments yourself easily from what he's said

 

[Cup_Phil]

I dont think a turbo clio is always the best way to spend 10K on a track toy, a westy makes a lot more sense in many ways but I just happen to like hatchbacks in particular.

I do think a boosted car makes more sense than an ITB one though in most cases. Because boost is cheaper to get the same power from and a lot more reliable too, when talking about 150bhp+ per litre like most people seem to want these days.

Absolutely agreed.

 

[Chip-mk1]

A megasquirt can be built and save you a heap of dosh. My friends just done his for a mx5 T. With a base map you can make adjustments yourself easily from what he's said

Unless you are extremely good with electronics I would advise against building your own ECU, might seem like it works well to begin with but one dry joint a couple of years down the line on an injector driver and bang goes your expensive engine.

A bought in properly made megasquirt is a good option though still, just make sure it doesnt use a printer parellel port as a connector, that is NOT suitable for automotive use long term IMHO (and yes I know plenty of people will argue otherwise)

 

[Ph1 Tom]

I'm not sure "what is the best" and "what can I afford" overlap very well on boosted cars

Omex 600 and DTA S40 are some of the most used because they are cheap, but to be honest both are too slow really and lack 3d boost control

As Chip says find a mapper you trust and go with their advice, get the best you can afford

Where abouts are you based?

I had 3D boost control set up on my DTA Omex can't do it though. I went DTA as it was better value for money than the Omex, had better features and I get more support for it from my local mapper.

 

[Chip-mk1]

I had 3D boost control set up on my DTA Omex can't do it though. I went DTA as it was better value for money than the Omex, had better features and I get more support for it from my local mapper.

Omex can do 3d boost control, but you cant pick the parameters it uses for it is the problem.

I was under the impression S40 was the same problem TBH, but I havent ever tried to do throttle and rpm based 3D boost control on an S40 so I might be wrong.

 

[Kelman70]

An evo starts off turbo'd - a clio doesn't

That makes quite a difference.
I think if I had the money you had - I wouldn't boost a Clio

But Chip will disagree with me there lol

Difference now mate is i dont have the money i had before hence going for something bit less expensive, a wedding, new baby & house have made a massive dent in my car/motorsport budget and although i'm looking at a turbo'd clio i'm not saying i have 1000's to throw at it but will be doing it in a sensible manner, and buying bits here and there as i can afford them.

I like the handling and performance of the clio as my mate has one he uses at trackdays and it only has a cold air intake and remapp.

The main reason for going turbo is i like the fact its something diffrent and in my eyes has the ability to make an already good car even better.

 

[Chip-mk1]

Standard Clio = amazing value and very good trackday car
Turbo Clio = poor value and slightly better trackday car

 

[GrahamS]

Agreed chip. It took him hours to build and make sure it was all perfect. It's not for the feint heated by any means. He's got a couple of spare engine laying around, waiting for the day the crank bearings collapse. For the money I'd get this.

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/bike-powered-cars/cars/mk-locost-7-2005/1442569