ECU/fuel/transmission questions for a turbo build (1 Viewer)

[asuddendeath]

I am getting ready to set up a turbo for my 97 LX450 in the next few weeks, weather permitting, it is the build that @Heckraiser put on his rig.

I can only find 1 ECU that would cover everything and do things that I do not need
Haltech 2500
HT-151389 Elite 2500 + Toyota LandCruiser 80 Series Plug 'n' Play Adaptor Harness Kit - Haltech - Engine Management Systems

I see the Haltech 750 can do everything I think but no knock or engine protection.

MegaSquirt2 and MegaSquirt3 Might work with the added Knock Sensing System

So running a new ECU for the engine can I leave the stock ECU for the transmission?


I know that I will need to upgrade the fuel pump and injectors should I run with
a 7mgte pump? Does that bolt right up?

As for the injectors
6 x 450cc Fuel injectors for TOYOTA 1FZ-FE LANDCRUISER FZJ78,79,105 LEXUS | eBay

 

[cjmoon]

Stock ECU will work for transmission when the engine side is removed. I did it for a few years with a diesel conversion. Eventually did a stand-alone TCU. Check engine light will be on but you can cut that lead. The TPS is the only signal you’ll have to feed into both computers

 

[asuddendeath]

Stock ECU will work for transmission when the engine side is removed. I did it for a few years with a diesel conversion. Eventually did a stand-alone TCU. Check engine light will be on but you can cut that lead. The TPS is the only signal you’ll have to feed into both computers

Did you tie into your standalone units TPS to feed the transmission computer?

 

[cjmoon]

my engine was all mechanical so I just used the original TPS and made linkage to the injection pump.

 

[cjmoon]

don't a lot of engine ECU's have the ability to run the trans? The A343F only has 3 on/off solenoids very simple no PWM which only slightly adds complexity

 

[bahamasair]

The haltech elite 2000 will do everything you’re asking for. I share the tps wire and the crank & cam angle sensors and use the stock ecu to control the trans and rpm gauge for the dash.

 

[asuddendeath]

The haltech elite 2000 will do everything you’re asking for. I share the tps wire and the crank & cam angle sensors and use the stock ecu to control the trans and rpm gauge for the dash.

Is there a plug for this or did you have to cut and splice?
Did you follow a set of instructions? This will be the first time that I ever attempt a standalone ECU.

 

[asuddendeath]

How do these injectors look?

6 x 450cc Fuel injectors for TOYOTA 1FZ-FE LANDCRUISER FZJ78,79,105 LEXUS | eBay

 

[bahamasair]

I wired mine in. I’d recommend paying for Injector Dynamics injectors. If you don’t have good data for the injectors everything else in your tune becomes a real pain to get right. Being your first standalone good Injector data will save a bunch of headaches. If your cruiser is auto you will want to wire the haltech as a parallel or piggyback and let the stock ecu run the trans. I cut the engine light wire and have the haltech using the light to show any errors. The wiring will be intimidating at first but you will figure it out with the wiring diagram.

 

[asuddendeath]

Thanks @bahamasair

Just talked with Robbie at Wolf in Australia. He is going to send me some more info along with a contract for someone in the states.
They have this ECU that also runs the trans.
Tuner Series Toyota Land Cruiser 80 series auto

He also said that his product was better then the Haltech 2500.

Any thoughts?
Maybe @scottryana

 

[scottryana]

Wait a salesman said his product was better than a competitor's?? Shocking. lol.

Who is going to tune this? What does that person think? Do you have any requirement for OBDII if so that all goes away. Do you have emissions testing if so this is a fail. If you are going standalone, why continue with the distributor? What needs do you have to change the shift points? Are you building a high revving engine? Why are you changing the fuel pump and injectors?

I don't have a clear picture or direction of what you are trying to accomplish.

Thanks @bahamasair

Just talked with Robbie at Wolf in Australia. He is going to send me some more info along with a contract for someone in the states.
They have this ECU that also runs the trans.
Tuner Series Toyota Land Cruiser 80 series auto

He also said that his product was better then the Haltech 2500.

Any thoughts?
Maybe @scottryana

 

[asuddendeath]

I know dude said that the haltech stuff does not work, shocking lol.
Not sure of who is going to be tuning, Talked to a shop in Loveland last week.
Emissions are not going to be an issue.
Dont need to change shift points, I would do the shift kit to make it smoother, point of the wolf is because no need to tie-in like you would with the haltech 2500.
For best results with a turbo a standalone is the only way to go, piggy backs don't work.
Fuel pump and injectors, need to comp if I am pushing boost as I don't think stock will take it.
High rev no.

Not going for a 900 hp build. Getting the most out of a stock head.

Wait a salesman said his product was better than a competitor's?? Shocking. lol.

Who is going to tune this? What does that person think? Do you have any requirement for OBDII if so that all goes away. Do you have emissions testing if so this is a fail. If you are going standalone, why continue with the distributor? What needs do you have to change the shift points? Are you building a high revving engine? Why are you changing the fuel pump and injectors?

I don't have a clear picture or direction of what you are trying to accomplish.

 

[scottryana]

Shift kit will make it less smooth, but that is how you hold more power.

Yep piggyback doesn't work, doesn't mean you can't run a standalone in parallel with the stock computer.

I am sure anything you choose will work. Haltech is smooth, polished and easy. MS is clunkier but would work. I am sure you could get Wolf to work as well. If you don't want sequential injection and ignition lets be really it is a 6 cylinder engine with a distributor there are tons of engine managements that will work. Choose one that your tuner knows. The setup and tune is more important than the box.

I know dude said that the haltech stuff does not work, shocking lol.
Not sure of who is going to be tuning, Talked to a shop in Loveland last week.
Emissions are not going to be an issue.
Dont need to change shift points, I would do the shift kit to make it smoother, point of the wolf is because no need to tie-in like you would with the haltech 2500.
For best results with a turbo a standalone is the only way to go, piggy backs don't work.
Fuel pump and injectors, need to comp if I am pushing boost as I don't think stock will take it.
High rev no.

Not going for a 900 hp build. Getting the most out of a stock head.

 

[asuddendeath]

Thanks for your help. One thing that has been holding me back from getting a standalone is engine protection, knock.
The haltech 750 seems it would do everything BUT the knock that I would need/like.
Any reason I should run the haltech 2500 over the 750?

Any write ups on running a standalone in parallel?
I think I saw @bahamasair doing something like that.

Shift kit will make it less smooth, but that is how you hold more power.

Yep piggyback doesn't work, doesn't mean you can't run a standalone in parallel with the stock computer.

I am sure anything you choose will work. Haltech is smooth, polished and easy. MS is clunkier but would work. I am sure you could get Wolf to work as well. If you don't want sequential injection and ignition lets be really it is a 6 cylinder engine with a distributor there are tons of engine managements that will work. Choose one that your tuner knows. The setup and tune is more important than the box.

 

[scottryana]

No write ups on Mud it is just now warming to the idea of turbos. But there are a lot of write ups out there. I have been running my truck like that for 4ish years.

Yeah knock protection would be ideal. It all depends on your budget. I think you can be safe without it with the right tune. But it never hurts to understand how engines work, that you need high octane, that if you use poor fuel and are under heavy load, high intake temps, etc. It would just require a level of mechanical sympathy that people had before the computers took over.

Not to mention having "knock protection" is not a guarantee. Someone still has to setup the knock detection. It is frequency based and requires that you push the engine into knock to detect it. So you need a dyno, a good tuner, a set of knock ears, etc.

Luckily Haltech has a video to show you how, does Wolf? Does Wolf have any real presence? Will you be able to get help with it after purchase? I would stick with one of the big names, AEM, Haltech, Motec, etc.

Thanks for your help. One thing that has been holding me back from getting a standalone is engine protection, knock.
The haltech 750 seems it would do everything BUT the knock that I would need/like.
Any reason I should run the haltech 2500 over the 750?

Any write ups on running a standalone in parallel?
I think I saw @bahamasair doing something like that.

 

[bahamasair]

The elite 2000 is cheaper than the 2500 and does knock control. Mine works fine. I’ve looked at the wolf and don’t like them. No one I know who have tuned them like them. There is only a handful of people worldwide that will touch them but you can let us know how much better they are than haltech when yours is done. Link has some good ecus for a reasonable price that have knock control and if I remember right built in lambda. Megasquirt is cheap and popular. There is a ton of info on setting them up online too.
Its easy to wire in parallel. Cut all the Injector wires where they come out the stock ecu and tie them into the standalone. Tap into the crank sensor and into g1 or g2 in the distributor if you want to go sequential ignition. Otherwise you can leave the distributor but if you want to do that you may as well go with a much cheaper ecu.

 

[Nigel Stewart]

asuddendeath, what did you end up doing? did you do Wolf? looks like they went out of business? I too though the plug and play auto was a candidate for my build.

scott, I see you are still pretty active on here, I'm always late to the party and do things years after everyone else has done it but I'm ready to push my turbo build to the next level and am ready to outgrow the capability of my factory ECU. Any new wisdom beyond the insight offered above a few years ago?

 

[scottryana]

No nothing really new, I still think if you are going aftermarket you should stick to one of the big names. Haltech, Motec, AEM, etc. Also understand the limitations of standalone (not passing emissions, idle control, etc) and make sure you have a really good tuner and he should be able to direct you to what his preferences are.

asuddendeath, what did you end up doing? did you do Wolf? looks like they went out of business? I too though the plug and play auto was a candidate for my build.

scott, I see you are still pretty active on here, I'm always late to the party and do things years after everyone else has done it but I'm ready to push my turbo build to the next level and am ready to outgrow the capability of my factory ECU. Any new wisdom beyond the insight offered above a few years ago?

 

[Justin metcalf]

2 years since anyone posted on this thread. Is there any new developments in the ECU world that make an update relevant?

 

[scottryana]

What exactly do you want a new ECU to do? All the ones I listed in 2020 will still do the job.