A disappointing end to this episode but all is not lost, check out this video where I perform a mk1 alternator swap : th-cam.com/video/W0cGWjW9a6A/w-d-xo.html
I believe I have experienced the exact same issue on my 1999 mx5. I installed the ME221 ECU and wideband and all was good. Ran the car multiple times trying to tune idle ect with no issues. Then, out of nowhere the car revved to about 2000 rpm for a second and completely died. The main engine fuse (80A) was blown along with the engine fuse, Room fuse and A/B fuse. I wasn't datalogging whilst this occurred but my only suspicion has to be an overcharging from the alternator blowing the main fuse and half my cars electronics along with it. The room fuse now no longer blows when I remove the immobiliser module from under the steering rack and the main fuse doesn't blow after I have replaced it however the engine and A/B fuse continue to blow on ignition. Easy to say I am more than frustrated as after seeing this I believe it is entirely possible that the ME221 has overcharged my car and burnt out the immobiliser and other modules in the process. Out of interest were Motorsport Electronics helpful? The damage done could easily cost my hundreds and take many hours of my time to fix.
Without a log it's hard to prove but certainly sounds like it. I've heard multiple cases now of this happening. Super frustrating if it's fried some electrical components as well. I can't say ME were that helpful, aside from giving me the option to send it back for testing. But then again, it was 2nd hand. I suspect if you bought a new ECU off them it would be different. My advice to anyone reading this with any NB or NBFL - convert to a mk1 alternator and forget about it.
@@FastRust great will definitely be watching it! Got my megasquirt running over the weekend couldnt wait haha. Idle and drives like stock it's great, when I auto tune it hardly changes anything! Also set up spark cut launch control and done about 10 of them already😂
@@FastRust very easy mate, there is a question mark next to everything and it has a dumbed down explanation for everything which is good haha. But apart from that, the base map that came with the ms3 mini is spot on, idles and drives perfect
Gutted for you that the person selling the ecu gas stitched you up, buying secondhand is a lottery sometimes. ☹️ good luck with the alternator workaround. I’ve just got an me221 for my mk1 1.6, with the long, long term aim to put a rotrex supercharger on it. I’ll be deleting the AFM and running it NA in the meantime, for a few extra ponies 😁
Thanks Richard. Took the wind out of the sails a bit! In hindsight probably would be better to bite the bullet and buy new. But we are where we are. You've got a good plan there mate, I think getting familiar with the ECU first is a good idea. You'll be up to speed for when you fit the supercharger. Rotrex will be wicked. Is that the Track Dog Racing kit?
@@FastRust I bet it did! I’m sure you’ll get there though. I’ll be following with interest! I bit the bullet on a new one as BOFI racing had a sale on, also got the TPS and the AEM wideband and gauge at the same time. The Track Dog kit is the one I would like, as it seems very good quality, but it’s a bit expensive with import charges etc for me at the moment, so that will have to wait for a bit. If someone developed something similar in the UK it would be great, but I think the rotrex is a bit niche in an mx5 scene dominated by turbos! I’ve wavered towards a gt2554r, with turbo installs being quite reasonable, but I’m not keen on the noise, I’d worry about the heat, strain on the drivetrain and I feel like it’s important to keep the NA throttle response. Sadly I’m not keen on supercharger whine, so I’ve backed myself into the pricey rotrex corner! 😂
I get where you're coming from on the noise. As I get older I find noise less important! Especially in a daily as this is. If the whine is too loud I have options - 2nd throttle body pre charger for one. Hands down though if money was no object it'd be a Rotrex. Best of everything.
hey, just looking for some advice, I want to supercharge my mx5 with eaton 45 or 62, not decided yet. and I dont quite understand how to connect the wideband to ecu. The ecu needs the wideband controoler. I understand that the me 442 has one built in, but I dont know if the 221 has also one built in. If I use the 221 do I need to buy AFR sensor with the controller in it and then connect it to the ecu? Can i run me221 without the AFR gauge? basically just the ecu + wideband hooked to the stock connector?
442 has wideband built in, 221 (like mine) does not. Check out the previous video to see how to wire up an AFR sensor and gauge to the 221. You can run the 221 on the stock narrowband sensor if you wish, but it's not ideal if going boosted.
I know this is a week late but isn't there a way to just cut either the voltage sensing or the alternator control signal? Or set it to a fixed/unregulated value.
Hi Peter. We tried many different things, we set it to Manual Duty (effectively fixed value), did not make a difference. I tested the wire from the ECU at the alternator which gave the same voltage no matter what setting we tried. This with the fact that it worked fine when I put the stock ECU back is why both ME and Alex came to the conclusion that they did. The mk1 alternator mod I'm currently working on involves some wiring modifications similar to what you've suggested (effectively cutting the ECU out of the circuit). Hopefully it works 🤞🏼
A disappointing end to this episode but all is not lost, check out this video where I perform a mk1 alternator swap : th-cam.com/video/W0cGWjW9a6A/w-d-xo.html
I believe I have experienced the exact same issue on my 1999 mx5. I installed the ME221 ECU and wideband and all was good. Ran the car multiple times trying to tune idle ect with no issues. Then, out of nowhere the car revved to about 2000 rpm for a second and completely died. The main engine fuse (80A) was blown along with the engine fuse, Room fuse and A/B fuse. I wasn't datalogging whilst this occurred but my only suspicion has to be an overcharging from the alternator blowing the main fuse and half my cars electronics along with it. The room fuse now no longer blows when I remove the immobiliser module from under the steering rack and the main fuse doesn't blow after I have replaced it however the engine and A/B fuse continue to blow on ignition. Easy to say I am more than frustrated as after seeing this I believe it is entirely possible that the ME221 has overcharged my car and burnt out the immobiliser and other modules in the process.
Out of interest were Motorsport Electronics helpful? The damage done could easily cost my hundreds and take many hours of my time to fix.
Without a log it's hard to prove but certainly sounds like it. I've heard multiple cases now of this happening. Super frustrating if it's fried some electrical components as well. I can't say ME were that helpful, aside from giving me the option to send it back for testing. But then again, it was 2nd hand. I suspect if you bought a new ECU off them it would be different. My advice to anyone reading this with any NB or NBFL - convert to a mk1 alternator and forget about it.
Keep up the build mate, installing my megasquirt next week on my nb1
On with it, new vid next weekend 👍🏻 Good luck with megasquirt install.
@@FastRust great will definitely be watching it! Got my megasquirt running over the weekend couldnt wait haha. Idle and drives like stock it's great, when I auto tune it hardly changes anything! Also set up spark cut launch control and done about 10 of them already😂
No messing about! Is Tuner Studio easy to get in to?
@@FastRust very easy mate, there is a question mark next to everything and it has a dumbed down explanation for everything which is good haha. But apart from that, the base map that came with the ms3 mini is spot on, idles and drives perfect
Gutted for you that the person selling the ecu gas stitched you up, buying secondhand is a lottery sometimes. ☹️ good luck with the alternator workaround. I’ve just got an me221 for my mk1 1.6, with the long, long term aim to put a rotrex supercharger on it. I’ll be deleting the AFM and running it NA in the meantime, for a few extra ponies 😁
Thanks Richard. Took the wind out of the sails a bit! In hindsight probably would be better to bite the bullet and buy new. But we are where we are. You've got a good plan there mate, I think getting familiar with the ECU first is a good idea. You'll be up to speed for when you fit the supercharger. Rotrex will be wicked. Is that the Track Dog Racing kit?
@@FastRust I bet it did! I’m sure you’ll get there though. I’ll be following with interest! I bit the bullet on a new one as BOFI racing had a sale on, also got the TPS and the AEM wideband and gauge at the same time. The Track Dog kit is the one I would like, as it seems very good quality, but it’s a bit expensive with import charges etc for me at the moment, so that will have to wait for a bit. If someone developed something similar in the UK it would be great, but I think the rotrex is a bit niche in an mx5 scene dominated by turbos! I’ve wavered towards a gt2554r, with turbo installs being quite reasonable, but I’m not keen on the noise, I’d worry about the heat, strain on the drivetrain and I feel like it’s important to keep the NA throttle response. Sadly I’m not keen on supercharger whine, so I’ve backed myself into the pricey rotrex corner! 😂
I get where you're coming from on the noise. As I get older I find noise less important! Especially in a daily as this is. If the whine is too loud I have options - 2nd throttle body pre charger for one. Hands down though if money was no object it'd be a Rotrex. Best of everything.
hey, just looking for some advice, I want to supercharge my mx5 with eaton 45 or 62, not decided yet. and I dont quite understand how to connect the wideband to ecu. The ecu needs the wideband controoler. I understand that the me 442 has one built in, but I dont know if the 221 has also one built in. If I use the 221 do I need to buy AFR sensor with the controller in it and then connect it to the ecu? Can i run me221 without the AFR gauge? basically just the ecu + wideband hooked to the stock connector?
442 has wideband built in, 221 (like mine) does not. Check out the previous video to see how to wire up an AFR sensor and gauge to the 221. You can run the 221 on the stock narrowband sensor if you wish, but it's not ideal if going boosted.
I know this is a week late but isn't there a way to just cut either the voltage sensing or the alternator control signal? Or set it to a fixed/unregulated value.
Hi Peter. We tried many different things, we set it to Manual Duty (effectively fixed value), did not make a difference. I tested the wire from the ECU at the alternator which gave the same voltage no matter what setting we tried. This with the fact that it worked fine when I put the stock ECU back is why both ME and Alex came to the conclusion that they did. The mk1 alternator mod I'm currently working on involves some wiring modifications similar to what you've suggested (effectively cutting the ECU out of the circuit). Hopefully it works 🤞🏼