UK MPI Project - Some Q's and Advice Pls!!

[widebodyUK]

Hi all in Oz!! UK Newbie here / member of UK Starion Owners Club.....

I have the chance of purchasing an MPI intake manifold at a pretty reasonable cost and have read many posts on here for advice as to what i need. I cannot find a definitive list, so thought i would ask you all what i will need to purchase to get this project up and running. Car specs / details of MPI are below.......

Basically looking for advice around fuel-only ECU (make / model / where to buy - e.g. eBay) and how i go about gettig the motor tuned-up here in the UK (i/e how can i get hold of a fuel map etc. to get me going).

Car:
1987 2.0 (4G63) Widebody
High Output Coil
Manual Boost Controller @ approx 13psi
K&N filter and modified airbox
Rebuilt top-end and new head-gasket, turbo gaskets and manifold & gasket
Totally standard otherwise (standard distributor; ign; ECU etc.)

MPI on offer:
- Lower half
- Upper half
- Ignition Coil Pack with connector
- Iddle Speed Controller with connector
- TPS
- Thermostat Housing/Water neck
- EGR valve and electronic controler/plug
- 57mm Turbo TB with a 54mm buttlefly (Starion is 46mm)
- 550cc (cleaned & flowed) Turbo Injectors from an Eclipse Turbo
- Fuel Rail with banjo fittings for new hoses

MPI has been sourced from the states and will set me back about £130 to purchase and get to the UK. (just under AU$300). Am looking to run standard ignition for now, as i dont want to go sily on the power etc. just yet!

Please point me in the right direction of what i will need to buy to get up and running - its the ECU that confuses me a little.

Thanks in advance and a great forum and even better country!! :beer

[MrBishi]

Firstly, be wary of the US MPI intake. The US-spec starion is 2.6L not 2L and the engines are totally different animals.

Generally the MPI manifolds in Aus (for 2L 4G63 SOHC) are sourced from later model 4G64 (2.4L) powered vans and Hyundai Sonatas. You can run the setup fuel only running your stock dizzy, but most people prefer to spend that bit extra and go ignition too.
With an aftermarket computer you can throw away the stock AFM & box, & use a better flowing pod.

The computer definetly has to be aftermarket. Find out what the local tuning shops use, as I'm sure ECUs that are available here may not be available to you.

[widebodyUK]

Firstly, be wary of the US MPI intake. The US-spec starion is 2.6L not 2L and the engines are totally different animals.

Generally the MPI manifolds in Aus (for 2L 4G63 SOHC) are sourced from later model 4G64 (2.4L) powered vans and Hyundai Sonatas. You can run the setup fuel only running your stock dizzy, but most people prefer to spend that bit extra and go ignition too.
With an aftermarket computer you can throw away the stock AFM & box, & use a better flowing pod.

The computer definetly has to be aftermarket. Find out what the local tuning shops use, as I'm sure ECUs that are available here may not be available to you.

sorry mate - didnt make it clear, it is for a 2.0 - i think that is why it is a good price, as wont fit on US 2.6's :) Some pics - is this the right unit, or am i best to try and source from one of you guys in Oz??









RE the ECU - can this basically be ANY aftermarket fuel-only ECU? I.e, if i find a good local UK one with a local tuner, this will be ok??

Are there any specific specifications to look out for??

Glad i can then ditch my air can and AFM!!! Unsightly beast!! :D

Thanks

[Cookiemonster]

That MPI manifold will work fine.

Some advice.. get a fuel AND ignition ecu. You'll kick yourself if you don't.

The advantages of a programmable ignition will not just be power.. you get better fuel economy, better throttle response, and you can ditch that nasty 80's Mitsubish ignition which will be a source of much aggravation when it plays up.

[Starion VR4]

yea, that will fit, looks like it has everything u need on it, as for ECU, ZETEC? injection is local in UK, we use Motec, Autronic SMC2, Wolf 3D Ver4, Microteck, Haltech 2name a few, justmake sure the ECU can run 6 wire stepper motor for yr idle, and it uses a map sensor, that way U can ditch yr AFM etc. :beer

[widebodyUK]

yea, that will fit, looks like it has everything u need on it, as for ECU, ZETEC? injection is local in UK, we use Motec, Aureonic SMC2, Wolf 3D Ver4, Microteck, Haltech 2name a few, justmake sure the ECU can run 6 wire stepper motor for yr idle, and it uses a map sensor, that way U can ditch yr AFM etc. :beer

the ECU's seem to be few and far between, but there are some HKS and Greddy ones around over here. Only other one i have come across at a reasonable cost is Megasquirt, but it looks a bit naf!!! (might not be!?)

Would this Greddy one work ok (eBay link)??

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/GREDDY-E-MANAGE-E ... dZViewItem

The cost of sourcing the parts for the ignition and quite large cost difference in getting a fuel AND ign ECU is putting me off at present...... i could upgrade in the future though, when i get some more cash..... :roll:

[boosted88]

Just fitted my MPI (L300 from Flav) here in the UK. I've gone for a Emerald M3DK ECU good software and plenty of help from Dave Walker, had it up and running before the piston let go, it's running with 2G Eclipse 450cc injectors from the US and a Walbro 255 pump from FlatFour all went on quite well even managed to de-pin the ECU connectors and fit them into the Emerald connector.

Throttle cable was fine with a new bracket at the T/B end.

All the stock I/C piping was used just cut back the steel pipe over the cam cover and fitted a SFS silicon 51-63mm hose straight on.

Few mods to the water/heater hoses required! nothing big though.

When its all back together I'll post some power figures

Picture during conversion!



Good Luck Paul.

[widebodyUK]

Boosted:

Is that ECU fuel and ignition?? If so, what mods are required / rough cost to upgrade the ignition?? Or can you run this ECU with the standard ignition and then upgrade at a later date??

From what you have said / you set-up, it would appear i need a new fuel pump £90, ECU £500 and some miscellaneous hoses / bits and bobs for the cooling / intercooling piping, say £100.

Add the MPI cost at about £130 and you are up to around £900.

Does this sound realistic?? Ontop of this, i presume i would have to pay for a rolling road session or two for the set-up and maybe purchase a map to get me going??

Any advice much appreciated - where in the UK are you?? My Staz is off the road at present - new bumper and IC hosing going on..... :beer

[Starion VR4]

If yr going to the trouble of changing the ECU it makes more sense to do the ignition at the same time, with the ECU I hav listed they all can use the std staz dizzy & coil, which U can upgrade later, price for the ECU's these prices are in AUD Wolf 3D ver4 $1295, Motec $2500-8000, Autronic SMC2 $ 2500-3200, Halteck $600-1800, as for maps, any1 on here will gladly give them to U so u can start & drive yr car to the dyno. :beer

[widebodyUK]

yea - get what you are saying.....

it's just that at the moment, money is tight and i dont want to pass-up this opportunity really - the cost of a fuel only ECU seems to be circa £200 and for ignition ontop of that, i need to add another £300-400 minimum. Something i cant afford at present.

I might have to go fuel only for now and swap later then sell the fuel only ECU on eBay.... :roll:

Will that greddy one posted above be ok?

[Starion VR4]

Do what every1 here in OZ does, buy these acceries as they come up, store them for a few mths, then do the job when U can. As for Greddy, Cant really commit on it as haven't seen or used 1. :beer

[boosted88]

Sounds about right so far I went for a Ford Zetec coil pack from Ebay (see attached pic it's were the dizzy lived even kept my 8.5mm leads)as the Emerald like many ECU's will drive that, I even used the mod from the megasquirt website to get the M3DK to drive the standard Tacho

Welded a 36-1 wheel to front pulley and mounted sensor on bracket piccy to follow




I did as VR4 says built up the bits over the winter from Ebay and places cheap!!!

I've got a wife and two kids still at least the kids like the Starion so that helps :D


Paul

[boosted88]

Here's the toothed wheel there's a bloke on Ebay has loads of types think this was 5.75 "ring-gear" style welded to the front pulley! sensor is Ford EDIS came with the wheel £22 I think.



I'm using a 2.5BAR Escort Cosworth MAP sensor you guessed it from Ebay again



Another shot showing the MAP sensor where the knock module lived, top hose has had about 2" cut off

I'm not using an IACV right now as the M3DK has an idle program that uses ignition advance to control idle speed. But if I move to a turbo antilag I will be needing something to let the extra air in, but thats for another day.


Cheers Paul

[boosted88]

Just a quick thought if you do get that manifold shipped get then to strap a piece off 2x1 along the mating flange as the end got snapped off mine in transit from Oz and I had to alley weld it back on mine went by the dizzy hole as it's quite weak there.

TTFN
Paul.

[Xentro]

Looking really nice.. almost makes me regret starting the VR-4 conversion

(bits are hard to come by here in Holland)

Using all the ford parts is interesting as they are more common here as the parts the Aussies like to use :)

Anyone have a list of parts of other (european) cars that can be used on a Staz?