Aftermarket ecu for nb8a

mx5gem · Postby **mx5gem** » Fri May 21, 2021 3:50 pm

I’m wanting to get an aftermarket ecu for my NB8A, but struggling to find suitable options.

Haltech don’t do a nb8a pnp version,
adaptronic seem to be a dying duck,
Megasquirt doesn’t seem very popular with tuners outside of USA,
Motec are far too $$$$$$$$$$

ME221,Link, all don’t seem very popular.

My preferred tuner uses haltech but no pnp option kinda kills that idea.
There was talk of boomslang doing a patch harness but that seems dead in the water also,

Does anyone on here have a nb8a with aftermarket ecu, and if so which one did you use, and how have you found it? Good and bad points?

GR124 · Postby **GR124** » Fri May 21, 2021 4:14 pm

I think Haltech has a Plug n Play harness

https://www.haltech.com/overview-mazda-mx5-plugnplay/

GR124 · Postby **GR124** » Fri May 21, 2021 4:17 pm

Mazda’s popular MX-5 (Miata) NA and NB models are now supported by the Elite Plug’n’Play Adaptor Harness range. Choose from a budget-conscious Elite 750, feature-heavy Elite 1000 or the top-of-the-range Elite 1500 with Advanced Race Features.

above direct from their site

ManiacLachy · Postby **ManiacLachy** » Fri May 21, 2021 4:34 pm

Yeah, I'm pretty sure Haltech has you covered

Haltech's Website wrote:Supported models:
Mazda Miata (MX-5) NA: 1.6L and 1.8L engines with a 3-plug, 3-row factory ECU. Manual transmission only.
Mazda Miata (MX-5) NB: 1.8L VCT and non-VCT (00-04 AUS and 01-05 USA). 1.8L Factory Turbo SE (AUS), Mazdaspeed (04-05 USA) with a 3-plug, 3-row factory ECU. Manual transmission only.

mx5gem · Postby **mx5gem** » Fri May 21, 2021 4:35 pm

No, they don't have a patch harness for 99 NB8A models.
Their patch harness only fits 00-04 models ie NB8B.. The connectors are different..

I emailed haltech direct, and they replied they don't have anything pnp to suit my model.

GR124 · Postby **GR124** » Fri May 21, 2021 4:51 pm

mx5gem wrote:No, they don't have a patch harness for 99 NB8A models.
Their patch harness only fits 00-04 models ie NB8B.. The connectors are different..

I emailed haltech direct, and they replied they don't have anything pnp to suit my model.

That's weird. This copied direct from their website

Supported models:
Mazda Miata (MX-5) NA: 1.6L and 1.8L engines with a 3-plug, 3-row factory ECU. Manual transmission only.
Mazda Miata (MX-5) NB: 1.8L VCT and non-VCT (00-04 AUS and 01-05 USA). 1.8L Factory Turbo SE (AUS), Mazdaspeed (04-05 USA) with a 3-plug, 3-row factory ECU. Manual transmission only.

mx5gem · Postby **mx5gem** » Fri May 21, 2021 4:58 pm

"Mazda Miata (MX-5) NB: 1.8L VCT and non-VCT (00-04 AUS and 01-05 USA). 1.8L Factory Turbo SE (AUS), Mazdaspeed (04-05 USA) with a 3-plug, 3-row factory ECU. Manual transmission only."

It says 00-04 only, even though it says VCT and non-VCT which is contradictory..

Hence why I emailed Haltech direct to get the answer from the horses mouth and they confirmed it doesnt fit 99 NB8A.

which sadly led me to my initial post as to what other options are out there?

GR124 · Postby **GR124** » Fri May 21, 2021 5:03 pm

mx5gem wrote:"Mazda Miata (MX-5) NB: 1.8L VCT and non-VCT (00-04 AUS and 01-05 USA). 1.8L Factory Turbo SE (AUS), Mazdaspeed (04-05 USA) with a 3-plug, 3-row factory ECU. Manual transmission only."

It says 00-04 only, even though it says VCT and non-VCT which is contradictory..

Hence why I emailed Haltech direct to get the answer from the horses mouth and they confirmed it doesnt fit 99 NB8A.

which sadly led me to my initial post as to what other options are out there?

I like the Haltech brand, hence why I was steering you that way. A mate helped me build a full harness from scratch, big job. Good luck with it mate.

rascal · Postby **rascal** » Fri May 21, 2021 5:30 pm

I'm watching this intently, as I am in very similar circumstances.

I currently have an old Adaptronic e420c fitted, but no-one will tune them anymore, (unless anyone has details of a good tuner in Melb that does?) so looking for a new ECU, but also have an NB8A so options appear to be limited..

StanTheMan · Postby **StanTheMan** » Fri May 21, 2021 7:27 pm

I have a MS2PnP I ran it with the BP-4W engine N/A . worked very nicely. had all the sensors of the 99 model on mine.

Its for Sale $700 but youd have to build a harness to suit the NA6

But it has the Na6 harness

You could go Ms3 PnP . but it will cost you $2K landed.

If your trusted tuner cant do Mega-squirt.....why would you trust them to do a haltech? Its all the same sh*t. Intimate understanding of engine & sensors is required . all sensors are the same . its just presented differently in different end user software's.

If youre talking built engine with 5 billion hp.....I see your point though

rascal · Postby **rascal** » Fri May 21, 2021 10:35 pm

StanTheMan wrote:If your trusted tuner cant do Mega-squirt.....why would you trust them to do a haltech?

I doubt it’s can’t , most likely won’t.

ManiacLachy · Postby **ManiacLachy** » Sat May 22, 2021 10:32 am

rascal wrote:
StanTheMan wrote:If your trusted tuner cant do Mega-squirt.....why would you trust them to do a haltech?

I doubt it’s can’t , most likely won’t.

Yeah, it's this. So many reputable tuners won't touch Megasquirt in Australia, it's really frustrating. I think a lot of them heard horror stories from tuning sessions on the original MS1s, and self-assembled kits, and now won't attempt an official modern factory built MS2/3.

But I also get that tuners usually specialise in a small range of ECUs so they know them well and can extract a good result in short order. Taking on MS would be a new learning experience, tunes would take longer and wouldn't come out to their high standard.

As for Haltech, the '00 is also an NB8A, so it's odd they've left out the '99. I suspect you'll need to get in touch with them and find out the answer. Or you could get a patch harness made up.

Another option is to get a Boomslang patch for your car, they make them for a whole bunch of ECUs to Make/Model cars. I just checked and they do Haltech to '99 Mazda MX-5.
https://www.boomslang.com/haltech-elite.php

bartmanftw · Postby **bartmanftw** » Sat May 22, 2021 2:35 pm

I've made a patch adapter board and some harnesses to suit nb8a with elite 1500. I've got one adapter board left but no more patch harnesses if anyone is interested. Would have to build your own patch harness though.

rascal · Postby **rascal** » Sat May 22, 2021 2:53 pm

ManiacLachy wrote:As for Haltech, the '00 is also an NB8A, so it's odd they've left out the '99. I suspect you'll need to get in touch with them and find out the answer

NB8B came out in 2000, imagine that’s why they quote 00-04. (My NB8B is oct 2000 build )

OP already contacted Haltech direct and got a no..

StanTheMan · Postby **StanTheMan** » Mon May 24, 2021 11:29 am

rascal wrote:
StanTheMan wrote:If your trusted tuner cant do Mega-squirt.....why would you trust them to do a haltech?

I doubt it’s can’t , most likely won’t.

Fair call