1984 SVO, basically stock, Microsquirt or PimpXS?

[craigb]

In the long drawn out process to get my poor old 1984 SVO back on the road, I have come to the point I need to sort out engine management. The question, as the title of this thread states, Microsquirt or PimpXS?

The car came back to me without an engine, but I found one local that was from a 1986 SVO. I didn't think to get the body side of the engine harness and I didn't get the engine side with the car. They don't seem to play together and the body side is pretty worse for wear with bits of insulation flaking off the wires (a seemingly common problem with the 1984s). The engine is stock, it has a slightly ported E6 exhaust manifold, stock intake and a Chineseium T3/T4 with a .48 A/R. Reasons for not wanting to keep the engine management system stock is, I have no idea if the LA in the car is still good as it hasn't been used in over 10 years. The VAM is something I don't want to deal with, it was and always will be a technological dead end. Finally, I do plan to run elevated boost levels and would really like something other than fuel pressure to tune with and I'd like to run E85, possibly. Just because it'll keep me from running leaded fuels as I did previously.

I really feel the coil on plug would be overkill for me and I don't see needing them in the future because I really only want say 275-300 wheel horsepower, just enough to get this car into the 12s (I was super close before). Plenty quick for me for a street car.

Any guidance is most appreciated.

[Stinger]

Typically, I'd say to get a PiMPx since the two options are within $100 in price and the PiMPx is more capable and easier to install. But when you don't have an engine harness, it complicates the decision due to the much higher price to get the PiMPx + engine harness.

In your case it comes down to two decisions:
1) How much is the additional $500 a detriment to the project's completion and goals?
2) Do you plan to utilize more than a couple optional features (fan control, launch control, water/meth/nitrous control, boost control, flex fuel, table switching, etc.)?

If the answer to #1 is that it's a big detriment that can't be overcome, no need to proceed to #2.

If the answer to #2 is "yes", then the PiMPx is still the way to go as the Microsquirt will make you pick which couple of these options are most important as you don't have enough programmable I/O's to do a bunch of them.

[craigb]

Good points.

1. The $500 isn't a huge hurdle, just sets me back a bit longer. Depends on how many timing systems I install in the next month or two.
2. Probably will use fan control, launch control and boost control. Flex fuel would be good too, since E85 is something I'd like to run.

I'm also needing exhaust, since it was missing when the car came back.

Guess you've talked me into the Pimp. May be a few weeks before I order.

[Stinger]

Sounds like the correct choice. PiMPx and PM-65 harness. Note the harness is not stocked and the manufacturer's backlog is in the 4-6 week range currently so from a timing standpoint, it may make sense to get it ordered as soon as you can and order the ECU later.

[craigb]

Good to know. I'll order that today then.