THE ECU THREAD

[Guest]

Hi guys just want to start a ecu thread so if u have a piggy back or a standalone ecu can u list the following info.
1.Brand
2.Cost. and what u paid for it to install
3. Tuning cost and time.
4. Benefits and pro's
5. Setbacks and cons
6. Extra parts needed for install eg ignition, valves, o2 sensor's and cost's associated.

Feel free to add any extra important info.
Again there is no one solution but we can compare and come up with the best budget and or best ecu for modded vr4's.
Cheers
PLease try and do all 6 points even if you put a blank in a point to keep things easy to follow.

 

[Guest]

1 - Apexi SAFC II
2 - Approx $200 to buy, $0 to install, as i did it myself.
3 - Untuned as of yet.
4 - Reduced fuel consumption, increase in power.
5 - No timing control
6 - None

 

[Guest]

Thanks mitchy.
Will be interesting how far the safc could go and if it could handle bigger turbos?

 

[Guest]

And those with Haltechs/SAFC...... if a stock Legnum can get about 10L per 100km on a good day how much better can one with a new fuel map get? eg: 8Lper 100km???

 

[Guest]

I aqm going through about 20per 100 with 1 bar boost dumps pod filter fmic.
My next step after the brembos is some kind of ecu so will love to get more grunt and get the economy down to about 14-15per 100

 

[bradc]

The difference won't be that huge, perhaps 0.5l/100km at absolute best. Anyway, for me:

Autronic SM4
$2400 or something to buy. Probably $1k or so to tune.
Heaps of benefits, big power and can handle anything I could ever want to throw at it in the future
The only con is that it is a little stuttery below 1500rpm
No idea on the extra things required, assume I needed a map sensor and a few other things

 

[leebutts]

1. ViPec Evo4 plugin board (modified by ViPec for V6)
2. $2500 fitted and tuned (by Mark at Godzilla in Brisbane, you'd need to contact your local dealer for price)
3. see 2.
4. Full replacement ECU, uses factory harness so install is quick. Lots of features (even antilag and launch control if you're really keen). Uses MAP sensor so no need to keep air flow meter. Made in Australia, support is really good. Supports multiple boost tables i.e. I have a hi/lo switch in the cabin.
5. Waiting on firmware update to fix tacho stutter. Closed loop boost control still being developed. Only one shop in QLD doing them at the moment (Godzilla).
6. None really, I chose to upgrade to an aftermarket boost solenoid for better boost control for and extra $100 or so.

cheers

Lee

 

[naughtika]

1. Apexi SAFC-2 Limited Edition - if that makes any difference
2. Bought for $300 installed by myself so $0
3. Free tune from Mercury Motorsport when I had my belts done
4. Just a piggyback, so no timing control.. I didn't get much power increase since factory edu advances the timing a little too much

 

[Guest]

1. Haltech E11v2

2. approx $2500

3. $550 to get it re-tuned to stock (no mods so not really any point having a heavy tune atm)

4. is running stock tune so not seeing any performance gains atm, although people ooh and ahh when you tell them you have a standalone. - the main reason i bought it was that i knew that if i got the full ecu now, it would be able to handle all the mods i can think of for the future

5. disadvantages include a bit stuttery at really low revs, the tacho is not able to be hooked up atm and when you turn the ignition it takes a stupidly long time to start.

6. all the additional little bits and pieces were included in the install - 3 bar map sensor, changed the crank thingo- there were a few other things but cant remember off top of my head

regi

 

[ygoslo]

when you turn the ignition it takes a stupidly long time to start.

LOL - good old Haltechs up to their old tricks again...

 

[Guest]

LOL - good old Haltechs up to their old tricks again...

thank christ i'm not the only one who doesn't like them...

 

[Guest]

thank christ i'm not the only one who doesn't like them...

yeh tru, it makes every day a mystery - you never really know what its going/not going to do.

 

[Guest]

Interseting so far. Either about $3000 or $300 for the safc with limited function.
Would like to see a cheaper unit.
Can I throw one at you guys. My old vr4 I bought a WOLF for $1400 and had all features that you guys have mentioned with standalone's.
No one looked into a wolf yet?
I spent about $1500 on tuning the prick but I thought by now there should be someone with most tunes and only a final tune but maybee I am wrong and the tuners in OZ and NZ rape us for big bucks.

 

[mookers]

What about the guys running Haltech miniceptors/interceptors?

 

[VR4Rocket]

1. Haltech Miniceptor
2. $500 off guy on a forum
3. $750 tuned at APC but this included a weld on a pipe that had a crack in it
4. Went from 146kw to 164kw with tune
5. A bit shuddery when in idle but apart from that appears to be fine as have had no other hassels
6. Am going to get a Haltech boost solinoid so that the unit can control the boost as apparently the boost can be set through the rev range by the unit.

 

[Guest]

emanage blue and ultimate

use m-5 harness (evo)

$1200 supply fitted and tuned

thats what i am going for

fuel and ignition maps

probably the best option for price if your not looking at going past standard turbos

 

[ygoslo]

emanage blue and ultimate

use m-5 harness (evo)

$1200 supply fitted and tuned

thats what i am going for

fuel and ignition maps

probably the best option for price if your not looking at going past standard turbos

This price sounds interesting. Where are you getting that through?

 

[Madhav]

Haltech Miniceptor

Cost is about $650-700 new I think (Mine will be for sale soon if anyone is interested, am upgrading to a E11)

Mine was done as a part of the R & D project, so tuning was free for the most part, but I think a base map is now available to all because of this.

Some info I found on other threads :

The unit controls:
Ignition Map +/- 20 degrees
Fuel Map +/- 100% on the air flow meter input/output
Boost Control - full ability to increase boost to whatever your desired level

It only takes around 2 hours to wire the unit up (1 1/2 hour to wire up / 1/2 hour to get access to the wiring harness), and the car can be driven straight away on a "Zero" map setting other than boost control which will be effected straight away, although the base map we provide, will set the boost close to the factory settings.

You can't use larger injectors with it, but then again, unless you go with larger turbo's thats not going to be an issue. It has its own inbuilt eletronic boost controller, so you save there. You can't change the AFM meter, but then again why would you need to as the one on there is already large enough and again, unless you change turbos...

 

[Soldat]

I read somewhere that the GReddy Peak/Hold Boost Gauges have a MAP sensor that can be hooked into an eManage Ultimate. Anyone able to confirm this?

 

[eddyvr4]

+1 for Haltech miniceptor in mine. Easily self installed, (with legnum specific instructions provided by RPW who i bought the unit from (about $700)

miniceptor also has extra configurable outputs that can be used to drive an extra injector or intercooler spray etc. comes with very easy to use GUI windows software.

there should be no stutter at idle due to miniceptor as you can set the rpm (and time after startup) where it starts intercepting.

Disadvantage - only that if you buy secondhand off non vr4 owner you need to source a base legnum config as you would struggle to determine all the base thresholds/parameters etc without extensive knowledge. not hard to source though.