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Thor into an SD1
Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2015 1:37 pm
by DaveEFI
Had a query on the SD1 Club forum from a Canadian member who has bought a 4.6 Thor engine complete and intends fitting it to his SD1. Or rather having it fitted, as he doesn't appear to do any DIY. His questions were mainly about MegaSquirt as he was told he would need one - and I attempted to answer those as best I could. Basically, that he would probably need an MS3X.
What I'm really asking here is if it's possible to use the original Thor Motronic stand alone in the SD1? Obviously would need some 'bodge box' to fool it into thinking all the other peripherals were in place. Does anyone sell such a unit?
My thoughts are that to convert to MS on a one off like this ain't going to be cheap, if you've got to pay a pro to do it.
Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2015 5:44 pm
by ChrisJC
I am researching exactly the same question myself.
One answer is to get Mark Adams to sort the ECU so it runs standalone:
http://www.tornadosystems.com/shopcontent.asp?type=home
I am going to try to figure this one out, as I think it can be done by altering the settings in the ECU, but it will be 6 months before I have an answer!
Chris.
Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2015 11:05 pm
by DaveEFI
Being Motronic (It is, sin't it?) I'd have thought the same problem might have been sorted for other versions? Of course I often think wrong.
It's just that Motronic is pretty good - so not the same need to change to MS as say with a flapper or hotwire. Unless it were to cost the same to alter it to run stand alone.
Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2015 8:49 pm
by ChrisJC
It is the Motronic 5.2.1 which is used on Bimmers as well. So I agree, the problem has probably been solved in a different sphere of interest.
Chris.
Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2015 11:26 pm
by DaveEFI
ChrisJC wrote:It is the Motronic 5.2.1 which is used on Bimmers as well. So I agree, the problem has probably been solved in a different sphere of interest.
Chris.
Not sure, I'm afraid. But the Thor was a BMW development? So they'd likely have used something they knew?
Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2015 7:23 am
by ChrisJC
DaveEFI wrote:ChrisJC wrote:It is the Motronic 5.2.1 which is used on Bimmers as well. So I agree, the problem has probably been solved in a different sphere of interest.
Chris.
Not sure, I'm afraid. But the Thor was a BMW development? So they'd likely have used something they new?
Yes. It was used on the 7 series first, then the Range Rover. I am pretty sure it went on to be used on more BMW's too.
Chris.
Posted: Mon May 04, 2015 12:11 pm
by Nollywood
Motronic is pretty good. I have worked with it extensively in VAG applications, and have never found any reason to junk it.
Posted: Mon May 04, 2015 12:34 pm
by DaveEFI
I'd say it would come down to the costs of having it modified to run stand alone. There are lots of the earlier engines converted to MS, so everything needed quite easy to source. But I'm not sure that's the case with the Thor - which isn't a popular choice for alternative use anyway.
Posted: Mon May 04, 2015 5:37 pm
by ChrisJC
Mark Adams will reprogramme a Discovery II Thor ECU to run 'standalone', i.e. with a small extra box to defeat the immobiliser functionality.
Chris.
Posted: Tue May 05, 2015 6:56 am
by Eliot
ChrisJC wrote:Mark Adams will reprogramme a Discovery II Thor ECU to run 'standalone', i.e. with a small extra box to defeat the immobiliser functionality.
Chris.
For how much?
Posted: Tue May 05, 2015 7:31 am
by ChrisJC
About 500 quid all up.
Chris.
Posted: Tue May 05, 2015 9:07 am
by DaveEFI
That would certainly be cheaper than changing to MS. Snag with MA can be the lead time.