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terbow
03-31-2005, 03:41 PM
To Start, Anyone who has something negative, or unconstructive to say please leave the thread. I really, really don’t want this to get shut down because someone has a problem with MPI, MPI TUNER, NICK, or NJ in general. This is about MY experience and I want to share it because it’s positive which can be a rare thing these days.

The drive down, Sucked. Apparently there’s traffic 24 hrs a day on the cross Bronx expressway. Couple that with thick London fog and torrential downpour and you in for a good time. 5 hrs later we were there. Called CustomMSP to meet up and he mentions the new SMIC is in and to come down. Woot. So I got there and we installed it. FITS NICE. Apparently it’s much better than before. I learned something that night, no matter how many times you pull the trunk release; it will NEVER open the hood hahaha. What a noob i am. So we got that installed, and it pulled nice on the top, but most noticeably the heat soak on drives is gone. Of course in traffic it happens a bit but it’s a MAJOR improvement. So now im-guessing im at 7psi (waiting for leadfoots bezel) CustomMSP even redid some of my lines for me, he’s really a great person and vendor. Goes way out of his way to help.

So now its 8:30am on tues, we drive to mpi. Which map quest is wrong! But we found the place. Met nick, and got acquainted. The shop is pretty nice; it’s pretty impressive (to me). So we get ready to go, and I noticed the STI is warming up..hehe I think we get to ride in it. But before we do he has to move the viper. Oh the viper, I don’t know what’s in it, but its MEAN sounding. So I get the car in the garage, and we get in the sti and he drops us off at the mall for the day.

Around 12:00ish I get really sick (I think I was dehydrated badly) so we go to the Sheraton (woot). Around 3 ish nick calls and the car is done, even offered to let me sleep longer cause I was feeling like shiznit. But I couldn’t resist.

So he pulls up in my car, and we go back to the shop. I drove speed limits but I can immediately tell this isn’t my old msp. We get to the shop and he gives me a complete rundown. Explains software, what he did, how it works, and some basic operations. He also mentioned my msp idles a 16ish afr. Which I saw on my stock dyno, so I knew about it. He richened it up for me but he wasn’t sure if it would throw a code or not because if u add to much the stock ecu will pull even more fuel. So after my tutorial and software delivery and such I left. I ripped on it a bit and holy SHIT!. That’s all I can say, I got about 5 mins down the road and got a light, he scanned the code and it was bank1 too lean, which he expected. So he adjusted the idle fuel down a bit so were not adding so much fuel, cleared code.

Other than that light the thing runs MINT. No startup issues, no stumbling, nothing. Pure Bliss. Ran first time, every time. The car pulls so great, now instead of it feeling like its just struggling to get into boost its just one smooth acceleration. When I step on the pedal, it responds and goes. I even mentioned it was sluggish cause I was waiting for the hesitation but it’s so smooth I couldn’t tell that’s how it SHOULD be lol.

Nick and MPI made me feel completely welcome and deliver a great product. Any issues I have he helps me with but I haven’t had anything major (just CEL). The MSP drives how it should have from factory. Its now truly an all around beast. It’s just how I want it for now. Boost will stay where it is until the engine gets built but I might work on the tuning a bit later on just so I can get it perfect, once im completely happy with my road tune ill dyno it just to see where its at.

I can say this, installed correctly, this unit is great. It will do everything you need and then some. I am by no means going to push the envelope on my car but just being tuned is amazing to say the least.

Alls I have is GHL 3” Turbo back, customMSP SMIC, and MPI tuner. And it’s a great combo. The car pulls and is a blast to drive.

geomatics_tech
03-31-2005, 03:52 PM
nice. I was considering the mpi, but now i really want it.

keep us updated.

shaun (canada)

mspeed101
03-31-2005, 03:52 PM
Awesome (2thumbs) I wish I lived close enough so I can have him tune my car. Well glad your happy with it and make sure to post some dynos when you get them done ;)

terbow
03-31-2005, 05:05 PM
will do.

hazeXban
03-31-2005, 05:14 PM
Awesome man! Congrats and I will hope to join you soon. I think this summer I will be scheduling an appointment with nick to do the same thing. Oh I can't wait!

Pete

P.S. Sorry the drive down sucked,hope the trip back was a BLAST though.

terbow
03-31-2005, 05:28 PM
yea on the way back it was much better! it was sunny and fastAr!

Demonic-Speed
03-31-2005, 05:35 PM
Good to see such a review...

on point
03-31-2005, 05:36 PM
how much to get it tuned?

mspeed101
03-31-2005, 05:39 PM
how much to get it tuned?bump! I was just gonna ask the same thing ;)

low_psi
03-31-2005, 05:41 PM
Damn, makes me want one of my own. Glad you're happy wiht it! Do you have a wideband to monitor a/f?

terbow
03-31-2005, 05:49 PM
325 installed and tuned. I have an AEM wb02 i just havent hooked up the power wire. I been driving around with the laptop on. safety first. heh

TX Speed Demon
03-31-2005, 06:20 PM
I assume that $325 is in addition to the cost of the unit itself?

I'm looking into it now cause with my mods my car should be putting down much better numbers than it is. Sometimes being unflashed sucks.

terbow
03-31-2005, 06:25 PM
yes, 325 + unit cost. Vaires by options for unit cost. I didnt get extra injectors cause i dont need to go above 7psi right now :)

TX Speed Demon
03-31-2005, 06:27 PM
^^ cool, I've just started researching now that all my bolt-ons are in place. JDM Sam wants me to get one though cause he's had good results tuning it for our friend Jake's car.

BTW - your wife is cute ;)

terbow
03-31-2005, 06:33 PM
lol thanks, ill tell her. ;)

yea i love the MPI. As long as its installed correctly and used correctly its a wonderful unit. I could have installed it myself but i hate wiring and i wanted it just to work right from the get go. And thats exactly what its doing.

ca_deal1
03-31-2005, 06:47 PM
good for you.

hazeXban
03-31-2005, 06:53 PM
BTW - your wife is cute ;)

Agreed.

More importantly to me though is the satisfaction you are getting out of the MPI tuner. I am REALLY interested. Thanks again for all the info and sharing your experience of the whole process.

Pete

terbow
03-31-2005, 07:01 PM
no prob. it was just a great expierience all around.

jeffmsp
03-31-2005, 08:50 PM
man i cant wait to get mine tuned. you must be loving it!

FSDET
03-31-2005, 09:02 PM
PLEASE dyno ur car asap. i havent seen any dynos with Turbo back,uograded IC and mpi at stock boost. im really curious. btw do u have hardpipes too ?

goku4658
03-31-2005, 09:16 PM
this is coooooooooooooooool...i got a fmic, i got a 3" turbo-back exhaust, i live in new jersey close to nick...makes me wish i had some money :)

terbow
03-31-2005, 09:35 PM
no, no hard pipes, stock everything except whats noted. ill dyno it once im comfortable i have a safe tune. :)

acidbbg
03-31-2005, 09:36 PM
Congrats..on the tuner..i am sure you will find it very easy to use..since it was installed properly...and you had time to road tune w/ nick.

chas

jurgs01
03-31-2005, 09:44 PM
PLEASE dyno ur car asap. i havent seen any dynos with Turbo back,uograded IC and mpi at stock boost. im really curious. btw do u have hardpipes too ?

I'll be doing a dyno in a few months.

FSDET
03-31-2005, 09:48 PM
u have a MAM mani

mspeed101
03-31-2005, 09:55 PM
u have a MAM maniso subtract a few whp from the mani and there ya go ;)

warrier04
03-31-2005, 10:06 PM
glad to hear about such a postive experience with a vendor, and even better to hear how much you enjoy your car now!

once you do dyno, you might find that hardpipes will sustain boost a bit better .

think an intake would also give ya a little more kick?

those 2 things seem to be the last *bolt on's*

RyanJayG
03-31-2005, 10:09 PM
To Start, Anyone who has something negative, or unconstructive to say please leave the thread. I really, really don’t want this to get shut down because someone has a problem with MPI, MPI TUNER, NICK, or NJ in general. This is about MY experience and I want to share it because it’s positive which can be a rare thing these days.
NJ sucks!!!!

ok, jp :D

glad you got it all working well for you.... proper tuning makes all the difference, I'm sure you'll be happy

terbow
03-31-2005, 10:19 PM
NJ sucks!!!!

ok, jp :D

glad you got it all working well for you.... proper tuning makes all the difference, I'm sure you'll be happy

lol

mazdaspeed75
03-31-2005, 11:30 PM
Guys let me tell you get the mpi if you have a Msp It is like night and day . I cant wait to dyno . Sam really thinks i could be close to 230 whp with the 9 psi map that he tuned We will see soon . I still need to fine tune some probaly . Wre also have the tm comeing on late i think we left it like that because my a/f were off the chart rich until like 5500 rpm it went to like 11.5 or so . Pulls so hard I can timagine what 12 psi would feel like. It might be too much whp for my setup. Yopu can tune only so much and then the rods want handle it . So i may go dyno first see whp and then if its not close to 230 turn it up to 10 or 11 and see were its at . I have room with the a/f now to do that but i want ot dyno first . MPI IS GREAT GUYS ILL SAY IT AGAIN IF YOU HAVE A MSP GET THE MPI FOR THE NIGHT AND DAY CHANGE . Nick why dont you sponser me . Hahahahhahahahahah.. I have like 10 plus Msp here .

terbow
03-31-2005, 11:46 PM
good luck to ya on that! too close to the edge for me. I think im gonna pay off the car before i do anything major. Keep me updated on how u dyno and such.

daedalus
03-31-2005, 11:54 PM
Terbow - Great to hear!!! Glad nick is as nice a guy as I have heard. LOL at the NJ SUCKS!!

Mazdaspeed75 - What mods other than the mpi do you have?

Focus
03-31-2005, 11:55 PM
LOL @ ------> Tuned By Tom Selleck(MPI)

terbow
03-31-2005, 11:58 PM
^ woo someone saw it lol.

jersey_emt
04-01-2005, 12:01 AM
Nice write-up. I still need to stop by Nick's shop one of these days...I really have no excuse...my office is literally 5 minutes away from his shop

terbow
04-01-2005, 12:10 AM
nice!. get that MSM hookt up :)

Fast lane
04-01-2005, 12:26 AM
Terbow glad everything went well, I'm hopeing nick puts together another Mpi dyno day later on this year it would be great to meet all the tri state mpi guys..by the waywhich sti did you go in the blue or the white one and yes those vipers are bad ass, I keep tellin nick i want a ride in the twin turbo one.

terbow
04-01-2005, 12:28 AM
white one. It was fun, even my wife enjoyed it and shes not really into cars lol. I had a smile on my face like a lil school boy.

Fast lane
04-01-2005, 12:34 AM
Haha...yea i think that one just has some bolt ons...i got a ride in the blue one i think it has close too 400whp and that thing pulled like crazy that awd is sick put all the power to ground..I could just sit at nicks shop all day watching and learning(which is what i do a few times a month)..hes a good guy




white one. It was fun, even my wife enjoyed it and shes not really into cars lol. I had a smile on my face like a lil school boy.

TX Speed Demon
04-01-2005, 10:18 AM
once you do dyno, you might find that hardpipes will sustain boost a bit better .

Yeah and upgrade your BOV too. 2 weeks ago our friend Jake was on the dyno running 12psi on an mpi tuned msp. The stock bpv blew out at about 5300 RPMs and we all thought he blew his engine. (shocked)

Micah
04-01-2005, 10:35 AM
Haha...yea i think that one just has some bolt ons...i got a ride in the blue one i think it has close too 400whp and that thing pulled like crazy that awd is sick put all the power to ground..I could just sit at nicks shop all day watching and learning(which is what i do a few times a month)..hes a good guy


That is one of the things I miss most since I started working 7 days a week (going strong or just going since 2/04). MPNick is a wealth of information and is great at explaining what he is doing at the time when he's in the shop. He also has provided some of the best food I have ever eaten in a shop. The man is good stuff.

KzA
04-01-2005, 10:57 AM
lofl..Micah and I have spent hours and hours at that shop soaking up knowledge...I can honestly say that 98% of all of my automotive knowledge comes from this forum and Nick..

Fast lane
04-01-2005, 11:10 AM
He also has provided some of the best food I have ever eaten in a shop. The man is good stuff.

Yes i must say he makes some good sandwiches, and soup. Just wish these out of state guys could meet him personally and watch him work.

Kooldino
04-01-2005, 11:12 AM
He also has provided some of the best food I have ever eaten in a shop. The man is good stuff.

Just don't get the "cheese steaks" from the place across the street. Me and KzA got them one time. They totally sucked, and were way overpriced to boot. :(

terbow - glad to hear you're happy with the MPI! Now stop slacking and get that WBO2 hooked up for extra fine tuning.

NeverSober
04-01-2005, 11:28 AM
I want some kind of engine management..................maybe once I save some money up I will go with the mpi...

Chris

Fast lane
04-01-2005, 11:33 AM
Sounds like your best choice..i think most of the forum members have mpi as their Engine Management, so you have alot of Maps to go off of plus many people that can help you with tuneing, along with Nick.




I want some kind of engine management..................maybe once I save some money up I will go with the mpi...

Chris

CustomMSP
04-01-2005, 11:44 AM
Great time and nice meeting you. I'm glad everything worked out for ya. Also, try to solder all the wires when connecting the wideband.

sniper9
04-01-2005, 12:05 PM
Yeah true I went to nick aslo, great experience. Got a ride in the blue Sti, that things crazy...

terbow
04-01-2005, 12:48 PM
ill probably do the pipes and bov cause i hate, hate trying to get that stock turbo => ic pipe off, i have so much trouble with it. and im hooking up the wb 02 in a min. :)

thanks for all the comments guys. When i go down again ill have to hint for a ride in the blue sti lol

Gbourdon
04-06-2005, 03:58 PM
Terbow! Glad to hear it all worked out. This just makes me want to get the MPI even more. Its a heck of a long ride though down to NJ. It would be sweet to stop in on my way to the big east coast meet.

It was good meeting you before. Hopefully we can get a chance to kick it some time.