MS Labs MS2E (Rev Enhanced MS2) Install, Set-up and Tuning - 2005 MSM

[Deathtrap13]

Ordered in January 2016, Installed Last weekend

it was 860$
what was included:
-MS2E ecu
-Db-37 harness
(programmable output, obd interface and digital wideband com cable)
-instructions!



First things first. physically mounting the ECU in the car.
Rev's ECU had no mounting tabs or any hardware that allowed me to get it into the OEM ECU location.

A guy that had the same ECU on miataturbo.net made these mounts out of aluminum.

I went and made some from thin steel stock and drilled holes. it took a lot of test fitting. but it works fantasticly. the mounts have 2 small holes that use the ECU Case's screws to hold it up. beware, you will probably dislocate your shoulder a few times trying to get the ECU up under the dash.

this picture is not of my mounts specifically, but i cut them out exactly like these. I had managed to get the ECU mounted under the dash. and there is no way im taking it back out to get a picture.



Installing the ECU.

the OEM ecu wire harness plugs right in to the new MS ECU.

you also should plug in Rev's db37 harness, your DB-9 tuning cable and the vacuum line before finally mounting it.

an GM IAT sensor is a must.
I took my BEGI throttle pipe to a fab shop and had them weld in a 3/8"-npt pipe bung

as seen on the top left of my begi pipe. the GM IAT sensor and connector can be found at most local auto parts stores, or on ebay.



for mazdaspeeds you need to clip the 2 wires going to the OEM temperature sensor (other side of the begi pipe) and splice them to the wires of the new GM IAT.

run a vacuum line from the back of the intake manifold to the nipple on the back of the new ECU.
mine is teed from the boost gauge sensor.

download Rev's supplied INI. file, save to desktop

Open Tunerstudio, make new project
(tuning cable is plugged into laptop now and ignition is on)

new project, choose rev's INI file (thats the firmware) and make the project. test the comm port (tuning cable) and you finish the setup (per instructions) and you can acsess your ECU on your laptop.

[DaveB]

Thanks for the useful post!

I am going to install Rev's MS2E next month too.
Can you please share a drawing for the brackets?

[Deathtrap13]

Thanks for the useful post!

I am going to install Rev's MS2E next month too.
Can you please share a drawing for the brackets?

I dont have them. I took the stock ecu out and then you can trace them with a sharpie on the metal. the ecu is just fat enough to make up for the bent part of the top bracket (triangular one). just try your best to make them like the ones in the picture above. if your holes are 1/8" off you can just use a wider washer and it will hold. The ecu is very very light

['95MSM]

I'm following this closely. I asked Reverant several clarifying questions which he ignored in his response to me. My operating mode is Analytic - I prefer to have solid data before making decisions, so at this point I'm thinking MS Labs (Reverant) may not be the best vendor for me.

[eviltwinz]

I'm following this closely. I asked Reverant several clarifying questions which he ignored in his response to me. My operating mode is Analytic - I prefer to have solid data before making decisions, so at this point I'm thinking MS Labs (Reverant) may not be the best vendor for me.

I had the same experience as you did. That was enough to give pause to my project.

[DaveB]

I'm following this closely. I asked Reverant several clarifying questions which he ignored in his response to me. My operating mode is Analytic - I prefer to have solid data before making decisions, so at this point I'm thinking MS Labs (Reverant) may not be the best vendor for me.

I had the same experience as you did. That was enough to give pause to my project.

Imagine I have second hand MSlabs MS2E

[Maduh]

I'm waiting on some parts to come in but I'll be installing my rev unit for the second time soon on my 99. Not expecting any hiccups this time around. Last time it went pretty well except for some minor timing table errors.

[Deathtrap13]

I think a couple of you should note that these kind of upgrades are not for the faint if heart. Having an ECU like this is a very big thing because you are not locked out from anything. one simple setting somewhere in your software can cause your car to become a paper weight until you figure it out. And there are going to be about 200 new things that can go wrong. I used to have an MS1 ECU in an NA miata and that is now considered to be pretty much garbage now compared to the newer models. It was very simple to tune and seems like child's play to this one, and even that took me 2 years of fiddling to really get my head wrapped around the complexity of tuning.

If you think tuning will be easier on any other ECU you may need to think again.

And my car has not run in more than a week now. Im still waiting on Rev to message me back...But the car has not physically started yet. somthing is preventing it from cranking and I have yet to find out.

Just to make sure nothing was wrong with the car, I plugged my stock ecu back in and it started right up.

Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk

['95MSM]

Rather than move on from Reverant, I PM'd him about the unanswered questions. Got a detailed response same day. I think I'm going to go with an MS2 Enhanced.

[TheDonger]

I've installed his MS3 on a NB2 and I just picked up a MS2e from Rev as well. He is very quick on his responses and always willing to help or guide you into the right direction. I've also noticed that asking him a list of questions in one post or message is not efficient. He seems to answer anything as long it's sent to him one at a time; which I can understand.

But I will be installing my MS2e on my MSM as well and ill document it somewhere in this forum. But right after I finish up the timing belt and various other mods.

[TheIglu]

My MS3E showed up yesterday.

[Deathtrap13]

Rather than move on from Reverant, I PM'd him about the unanswered questions. Got a detailed response same day.

He is very quick on his responses and always willing to help or guide you into the right direction. I've also noticed that asking him a list of questions in one post or message is not efficient. He seems to answer anything as long it's sent to him one at a time; which I can understand.

The only reason I have not become upset with him yet is because I have reason to believe he may be on vacation or dealing with something....His last reply/post on miataturbo.net was on the 21st....but then it said his last activity was today....hmm. could still check stuff on his phone, but maybe cant deal with it until he gets back....IDK

I'll give it one more week maximum before I actually take more serious action...Just in case I didn't say, its been 9 days now with a non-running car and 3 messages sent to him with logs and descriptions of the issues, and plus one message yesterday as a reminder that I sent the past messages.

[TheIglu]

I've heard nothing but overwhelmingly positive reviews on the other sites for his helpfulness and responsiveness. That's why I ordered mine from him. The communication thus far from him has been certainly not up to the standard I've read about.


I asked twice before my unit was built to have dual MAP sensors (baro and MAP) as well as wanting to run my AEM UEGO via digital means vs analog (via additional CANBUS module if necessary for added cost). Then I also requested that on the build questionnaire.

He never even acknowledged either request. I said I'd pay extra for whatever is needed.


We'll see when I get it plugged in, but I'm not expecting the CANBUS to have been implemented. From what I've read, his CANBUS module is a different unit that can't be mounted inside the box. Reading on his site, it says that the unit has the onboard BARO, but it should would of been nice for him to just say it outright to ease my concerns after asking two times.

[Deathtrap13]

Updates!:

This Post is being copied from my thread over at MiataTurbo.net....so read this in sequential order.

Finally, Finally, Finally, it runs.
Rev sent me an email and it was just a setting that was wrong.

Turned out in ignition settings > "ignition input capture" was set to "Falling Edge" Rather than "Rising Edge"
took a few turns but then it started.....finished setting base timing....then it was running lean, but very close in RPMS (about 600-900 oscillation)

went to Fuel/VE table and highlighted the entire table and added +5...wanted to keep the same interpolation that he had. idles very steadily now 850RPM +/- at 14.8 - 15.2 AFR.... thats good.

Now, still have one big issue... The wideband is not communicating with Tuner studio....I have an Innovate LC-2 that is wired "stand-alone" from the ECU (gauge and controller powered from fuse box)
The gauge in the cabin works fine...But I'm using revs digital wideband com cable wired into the DB-37 harness... that is plugged into the DB9 "OUT" port on my wideband controller...Tuner studio's Calibrate AFR table recognizes that it is LC-1/LC-2 by default, and in CAN1 (Enhanced mode) under Digital wideband / EGT port it is set to Innovate MTX....But I have nothing...the gauge in TS just reads 14.7 all of the time.
also in AFR/EGO settings I have "Single wideband" selected, and "Remote ADC '0'" selected

UPDATE 2: (Shortly after)

Rev believes the problem is that he forgot to solder a bridge between the pads on the circuit board that results in the DB-9 digital wideband COM port to be inactive.

I undid my wires for the LC-2....Then re-wired as:
LC-2 Black wire > DB-37 Blk/yellow wire
LC-2 Yellow wire > DB-37 Yellow wire
LC-2 Red wire > DB-37 White/Red wire
LC-2 Brown wire > Innovate Gauge white wire

Then connected to my wideband controller on LM-Programmer (Innovate's software) and re-programmed both outputs to be the same
So now both the yellow and brown wires on the wideband controller use AFR and have 0 - 5 volts (7.35-22.39 AFR)

I think tuner studio sees 1-4v for LC-2 controllers though...I think it's the same linear curve, but I will make sure before moving forward.
Anyway, its working now (after going into "Fuel settings" > "Ego control" > "1st ego port" > Change to "Local")

So now as a temporary fix, the wide-band is communicating to the ECU via the "old fashioned" analog wire method...not the digital output.
Reverant told me that he can instruct me on how to install/solder the bridge that is missing, but this will require me to take my ECU back out and take it apart.

[Deathtrap13]

Just got back from my first on the road runs.

I got to run VEAL for probably over 30 min of run-time.

The VE table provided ran super rich...pretty much everywhere...it took a few runs for me to get it into a drive-able form because of how rich it got on any throttle at any rpm in any gear.

I read earlier today about a guy whom got an ECU from Rev (back a few years ago) and he said he had to UN-plug the VTCS Solenoid...he was getting a weird bog over 4k rpm and rich conditions...I think I may have been encountering these same symptoms, but I dont know If I am just suspicious over reading his blog.

If any of you current MS users chime in. Did you have to do anything related....It felt like I had trouble getting over 4-5k and it felt really boggy...but also my AFR's were like 9.0-10 so it could have been fuel cut.