Is the WAR chip still a viable option?

[ForcedFirebird]

It's just as easy to get a Moates Ostrich emulator and you can tune on the fly. Then you don't have to deal with chips unless you want to burn your tune for permanent installation.

[reelizmpro]

As someone who ran a WAR setup for years and has recently switched to MS, I can tell you that MS is better in every way. If you're going FI, WAR chip is nearly impossible to make run well. NA motors are easier, but tuning is still a pain because you can't do anything live; you have to take the chip out, plug it into your PC, make changes, burn it, re-install, and then test drive. Didn't work out? Start again from step 1. Compare that to MS where you just change the value and it happens instantly, with zero other steps required. And, as others have mentioned, MS is expandable in that you can add features and functions in the future if you need them; not possible with WAR. Plus getting support for MS problems is much easier do to the massive number of people on the various MS forums. Ever since the Miller WAR Room page was shutdown, the only help you'll get is from Brody or Dan at Miller itself, and that's if they have the time to talk you through it.

When they first came out with WAR I was skeptical but since they offer a PnP Alpha N kit for the S14 I thought that might overcome the shortcomings of the WAR chip and people seem to be happy...for now. I knew making changes would be a pain but not that much of a pain. I presumed there was a serial cable that you used to link to the WAR chip so you wouldn't have to remove it every single time. Isn't the Unichip like that? I had no idea that you physically had to remove it each time. As fragile as EPROM's are I wouldn't want to deal with that. After all the discussion involving the WAR chip no one has mentioned that little tidbit.

[CorvallisBMW]

As someone who ran a WAR setup for years and has recently switched to MS, I can tell you that MS is better in every way. If you're going FI, WAR chip is nearly impossible to make run well. NA motors are easier, but tuning is still a pain because you can't do anything live; you have to take the chip out, plug it into your PC, make changes, burn it, re-install, and then test drive. Didn't work out? Start again from step 1. Compare that to MS where you just change the value and it happens instantly, with zero other steps required. And, as others have mentioned, MS is expandable in that you can add features and functions in the future if you need them; not possible with WAR. Plus getting support for MS problems is much easier do to the massive number of people on the various MS forums. Ever since the Miller WAR Room page was shutdown, the only help you'll get is from Brody or Dan at Miller itself, and that's if they have the time to talk you through it.

[haaken675]

I have a feeling that megasquirt will be the way to go. I was just hoping to not do tons of wiring.

[brickdaddy]

Im running whodwho's MS setup, so no, no problems at all. Especially if you know/pay a professional tuner! Its not much more expensive than the war chip setup and its 100% programmable and stable/reliable.

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[haaken675]

Im running it on my na m20 now. Im currently converting to an m50 vtps so i can add boost in the near future! Fun things to come and with this MS setup you can do pretty much anything you want.

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So you haven't experienced any of the issues as mentioned above I'm guessing?

[reelizmpro]

I must be blind, because i don't see anywhere where there is a section just for the WAR chip...Even searched the site, google, etc. Even the miller forum is nearly dead.

It must be my old age. I was thinking about this section and the "WAR room" but I guess that's long gone. They did just come out with an Alpha N WAR chip for the S14 though.

[brickdaddy]

Im running it on my na m20 now. Im currently converting to an m50 vtps so i can add boost in the near future! Fun things to come and with this MS setup you can do pretty much anything you want.

Sent from my LG-K450 using Tapatalk

[haaken675]

From what i hear the software is troublesome at best. It ""forgets" tunes constantly and just isn't relaible. Whodwho makes a pnp MS built into your core for a very decent price. I'm running it now and after a learning curve, which I'm still at the beginning of, its pretty cool!

I could see why it isn't very popular then...Thats sad to hear. I guess its time to do some more research on megasquirt. I did a lot of reading up on it years ago, but its been so long. Looking to build a custom m50 and potentially turbocharge, or an m20 turbo at minimum...

[brickdaddy]

From what i hear the software is troublesome at best. It ""forgets" tunes constantly and just isn't relaible. Whodwho makes a pnp MS built into your core for a very decent price. I'm running it now and after a learning curve, which I'm still at the beginning of, its pretty cool!

[haaken675]

I must be blind, because i don't see anywhere where there is a section just for the WAR chip...Even searched the site, google, etc. Even the miller forum is nearly dead.

[reelizmpro]

There is an entire section dedicated to the WAR chip so yes it is still a viable option. Some people hate it, some love it. I just think more people are swapping engines and using factory DME's and Megasquirt these days.

[haaken675]

Years ago when I sold my old e36, I remember the WAR chip just coming out and sounding like such a great idea. Years later I'm back into an e30, and it doesn't really seem like people are using them? I have done some searching on this site and in general and didn't find much relevant. Did I miss something? Trying to decide on which route I take so I can slowly start acquiring parts.