MP3 ECU reflash

[TopSecP5]

Is reflashing the MP5 ECU with the MP3 ECU worthwhile or even recommended?(thought)

 

[1FASTMP5]

yes, if you plan on staying na. if you plain on going turbo leave it alone. do you know someone who can do it? mike

 

[KYREDP5]

If you could find someone to do it, it would be worthwhile, unless your planning on going F/I, then it will just hinder you.

 

[TopSecP5]

Yeah. My Mazda Dealer Tech said he would do it for $110

 

[KYREDP5]

I'd be wary of that. Unless you know he's honest, or you dyno before and after, you really have no way of know if it was really done or now.

 

[TopSecP5]

Definitely! Hopefully there is still some integrity left in this world. Besides, he has more to lose by not doing it than I do. Usually if you speak a little engine lingo with installers they know better than to do half-A$$ work on the car.

-Has anyone tried this?

 

[Sir Nuke]

TopSpecP5,

just keep in mind that after this is done...you will be REQUIRED to run 91/92 octane in your car all the time. as the timing curve is different....and that is in fact where the MP3 gets the extra 10 HP stock over the P5.

 

[iluvmacs]

Doesn't the car run rich enough that you should never have to run premium gas, or does the MP3 ECU lean it out a bit?

 

[JCell]

i remember when mp3 ecu's sold for 50 bucks shipped...now...it's 250 plus your stock ecu + shipping...(rofl2)

 

[changedman]

Doesn't the car run rich enough that you should never have to run premium gas, or does the MP3 ECU lean it out a bit?

running rich has nothing to do with running what kind of octane.
the timing is advanced in the mp3 ecu, which requires the octane to have higher octane rating to avoid pre ignition.

 

[tgromer]

So can i just swap the ecu out of a mp3 with my mp5...is that the same as having it flashed..im not sure if i understand...also i was having trouble with my auto tranny...so i swapped the valve body and soliends out of a focus tranny..seem to pick my car up a little??

 

[JCell]

So can i just swap the ecu out of a mp3 with my mp5...is that the same as having it flashed..im not sure if i understand...also i was having trouble with my auto tranny...so i swapped the valve body and soliends out of a focus tranny..seem to pick my car up a little??

yeah.. a lot fo people swap the p5 ecu with the mp3 ecu with no problem

 

[jonlong]

What does it mean to "flash" an ecu? Does it mean to reprogram it with the info from another ecu, like the mp3's?

 

[DarkZetec]

you guys can put a mp3 computer in a automatic? i thought they were all manual. souns like the same thing us ZX2 guys have with S/R computers, but they ONLY work on manual zx2's

 

[mp3moose]

I ran 87 octane for well over a year in my mp3 with zero problems. Only moved to 93+ because of the higher compression.

 

[DarkZetec]

if you run 87 on a pcm designed for better timing you just wont be taking adantage of that timing and be basicly a regular protege

 

[Pesty]

no problems with running too low an octaine fuel, it just burns too quickly robbing
of a little power and economy. It's running too high an octaine that you have to
watch out for. That can ruin your Cat.

 

[SkinnyJoint]

so what kinda power gain are we talking from this? just the 10 hp mentioned earlier?

 

[JCell]

so what kinda power gain are we talking from this? just the 10 hp mentioned earlier?

yeah, that and the exhaust add 10 cranck hp

 

[gino]

What does it mean to "flash" an ecu? Does it mean to reprogram it with the info from another ecu, like the mp3's?

You are correct, sir. Mazda techs reflash the MP5 ECU using factory codes. I had mine done using selected MP3 codes that primarily increase the timing. Butt dyno sez it makes a difference with a 5-speed. No chassis dyno yet.