PCU Questions

[simplicity05]

1) What are all the different PCM options for a '99 mtx?

2) Which one is good, which one better, and which one best?

3) If I swap to a better PCM, is a chip from SCT going to help or just be redundant?

4) Can a SCT chip replace the time and effort of tracking down one of those higher end PCU's?

5) Is the car drivable with a fresh PCU, or should I take the car to a dyno/tuner before installing?

[ZX2Fast]

You can put a chip on the worse PCM and get the same results as putting a chip on the best PCM.

[simplicity05]

So chip > PCM upgrade?

[Canuck]

Yes and no.

Chips are custom programmed and often need some dyno time to fine tune. I never used one so I could be wrong.

PCM is plug and play. Just plug in and go!

Also, you need a 6 wire MAF (early 99's had 4) for the better PCM's out there such as XHG3, CWQ3, LXQ1, or NGP0.

[simplicity05]

Seems either way you'd end up at a dyno, chip or PCM upgrade. I just don't want to go around chasing an NGP0 for 6 months to find out an SCT would have gotten me the same results in 2 weeks.

[Canuck]

Yep SCT can get you the same results.

[simplicity05]

Prices about the same for both?

[ZX2R]

Yes and no.

Chips are custom programmed and often need some dyno time to fine tune. I never used one so I could be wrong.

PCM is plug and play. Just plug in and go!

Also, you need a 6 wire MAF (early 99's had 4) for the better PCM's out there such as XHG3, CWQ3, LXQ1, or NGP0.

He can use the 4 wire MAF. He just needs to modify the a/c high pressure sensor and a newer (99+) CCRM. I have an early 99 with 4 wire and NGP0.

[ZX2R]

Yep SCT can get you the same results.

QFT. It will cost more than a pcm, but can be better down the road.

[simplicity05]

Went to their site. I like the fact that you can get 5 different tunes and switch them on the fly. Keep the performance package on most of the time, but if I'm either broke or going on a road trip, switch to an economy tune. This is what I'll be doing for sure!

[mechtech]

If you have the $, SCT can be very rewarding.

[simplicity05]

They way I like to do things is if there is option A and it's good and costs $100, but option B is great and $300, I'd rather go with option B, instead of buying A and wanting B so bad that after I've wasted the $100 I spend another $300.