I just wanted to see what one of the leaders in Engine Management had to say about our ECU's. This is what Motec replied back to me with. If someone already knew any of this from them then good, but for those who never saw it I hope you find it a little informative.

Our Motec M800 computer is capable of running the Mazda RX-8 Renesis
engine. However, this complex engine is not the only thing that must be
'run' by the computer. When you remove the factory PCM from the car,
you
will loose power steering, stability control, and the instrument
cluster. These devices communicate over a CAN bus and receive
instruction from the PCM and report back to it. Once this
communications
link is broken none of these devices function. We do have a method of
bringing some of them back to life, but it is extremely cost
prohibitive
and certainly not street legal. If you are transplaning the engine into
a different project, the M800 is the required computer if you will run
all of the engine's accesories (electronic throttle, oil metering pump,
auxillary port valve, seqential shutter valve, variable dynamic intake
valve, and variable fresh air duct valve). An M400 is used in the Pro
Formula Mazda Race series cars as they do not have oil metering pumps
in
place (pre-mixing oil in their fuel) and the do not have the VFAD. In
all cases you will have to retrofit the engine with a 3rd gen
alternator.

--
Simon Wagner
Motec Systems USA
5355 Industrial Drive
Huntington Beach, CA 92649
TEL: (714) 897-6804 x 161
FAX: (714) 230-3075
So for right now it looks like a reprogram of our ECU or a piggyback unit are the only ways to go. Good Luck!

 

thanks for providing verification of what many have been saying for the last 2 years. glad our experts and yours agree.

 

I put more trust into a company that has manufactring these for decades than other people I don't know. What are the companies your experts work for? I am glad many of you knew all this. I guess then this thread would be useful for someone who didn't.

Thanks for your concearn though!

 

well while there was a little sarcasm in there because of your "If someone already knew any of this from them then good" seeming to be a little hostile, i actually meant that i was glad to hear that he agreed with people here. it has been mentioned before but its always nice to have information re-examined for newer members. i was just using my natural gift of sarcasm to poke at you. since im a mod i can get away with it more so than other members that may take affront at you tone. there really is/was no need for the hostility.

and besides the folks on here and what ever their employment is, and my own knowledge ive gained from studying this car/engine for 4 years( just as long i might ad as the guy from motec) my "experts" as you call them work at places like Racing Beat, Gotham Racing, Atkins Rotary and Pinapple Racing. Even 1 or 2 that work for MNAO

 

What I meant by experts was Engine Management experts. Those are all great companies and I am not disrespecting them. But anyway. You are right, I know alot of the newer members may not of seen any of this.

The sarcasm from others is probably why I haven't posted much on here. I guess I will just stick to reading this site and not post.