What engine management system do you use? [Archive]

mcfly

07-02-2009, 11:23 PM

It is really personal preference. If I was to recommend one for a stock gtr it would be the pfc just because it is easy to plug in and go. I made 400 wheel at 14 psi on a base map with the injectors trimmed. Cost vs value it is a good one for most setups.

The PFC downfall is that it is getting old, the maps still have enough resolution for 1600 cc injectors and 1000 wheel. You cannot rev higher then 10k with them if that makes any difference to you, to me it does.

AEM is actually a really nice one, it takes some time to get going and you have to be dead sure about timing but when it works it works good. AEM will mail you a new cas disk too if you don't want to use the paper thin 360 slot one. Nice option.

Still recommend the pfc, its simple, easy enough to use. and the controller is nice to watch everything with. just lacks logging features without additional money.

j-ran

07-03-2009, 01:17 AM

realistically i think a factor is your local tuner as well, like how well do they know the system. HKS F-Con is good, but how far do you have to go to get it tuned? I know in Kamloops, Scott at Enhanced is very good with Microtech and AEM, and that would definately sway my decision.

victoriaGTR

07-04-2009, 11:03 PM

run a stock ecu.... until you know you can afford all the problems that come with modding one of these cars.... Example....being poor.... hahaha

dawgmode

07-05-2009, 11:00 AM

PFC

Oakville

07-05-2009, 04:00 PM

Thanks Damien and everyone else for their opinions. I think PFC will be the way to go, cause from what I've heard, HKS tuners are just about as rare as flying cows. :P

j-ran

07-05-2009, 08:12 PM

Thanks Damien and everyone else for their opinions. I think PFC will be the way to go, cause from what I've heard, HKS tuners are just about as rare as flying cows. :P

Thats a safe bet for sure, and there is definately tuners in southern ontario who can set this up for you!

SRC

07-06-2009, 04:04 PM

Yup, I'm runnin PFC aswell. I just had it street tuned and it only ran me $250 bones. The car feels great now.

mcfly

07-06-2009, 04:55 PM

That's a pretty good deal for a street tune

SRC

07-06-2009, 05:40 PM

Yeah I was pumped with the price haha. It only took them 2 hours to tune my car @ 1 bar with the N1 turbo's. I really want to get it on a dyno soon to see what its putting down.

Oakville

07-20-2009, 09:03 PM

I've been wondering myself about how much more those N1s put out over the stocks. I'm sure we'd all love to see those dyno sheets when you go.

wingnut

07-24-2009, 07:57 AM

I ran a PFC in my GTR. It's a decent ECU. The Hand controller is a nice-to-have, but a Datalogit is mandatory if you want as much control as the PFC can give. Add the boost control kit, and your nearing a 1500$ package...

It's missing a few key items that most others now offer, things like Knock Control, motorsports options, configurable inputs/outputs. It's a set and forget kind of unit.

I just installed a Vipec in the Gts. I was able to put out an extra 80ft/lbs @ 4500 over my baseline, adding only 444cc injectors. It doesn't have timing issues like the AEM and Autronic do, no changing timing disks. I used the V44 pnp for the 32/33 gtr/gts, and setup with launch control triggered off a push button on the steering wheel, Flatshift triggered off the clutch pedal position, a "Pit lane" speed limiter for school zones/pits at the autox, and it has full throttle, full wideband Lamba control option too..

mcfly

07-24-2009, 10:17 PM

Most don't have to change the disk with aem, at least I didn't. But I do agree they need to work on the timing regardless. Maybe If I had called them up for a disk I would have had a easier time. This is the first i have heard of autronic having timing issues, are they bad? Bad as in AEM timing drift software issues?

wingnut

07-25-2009, 07:53 PM

Yep, drift like a pro. +/- 3 to 5 deg on a RB20. And intermittent problems that required cleaning the contacts on the main chip..

Oakville

07-25-2009, 08:53 PM

Vipec, havent heard much about it...whats the gist of it?

mcfly

07-26-2009, 07:04 PM

I'm sure you have
http://www.vi-pec.com/

Oakville

07-27-2009, 07:57 AM

I've just read about a lot of GTS owners out west putting it in, and I've read a lot of good things. From the link above, looks like the only dealers are in QC and AB, Idk about tuners for it though.

Would you say overall a better fit? for say a near stock GTR?

victoriaGTR

07-28-2009, 12:54 AM

for a stock gtr .... run a Apexi Neo.... get an extra 50 ponies for cheap.and a boost controller.... why waste money on management if you are going to run stock?
for the money you save on not buying that you could pick up a GTR in a bit better condition...

Oakville

07-29-2009, 08:13 AM

this is true. Well, I'm looking for one thats bone stock, and will slowly start to build on the engine. My goal is 500awhp, but again this is when I buy the car, im thinking next spring/summer is when ill have the money, and Im just looking for a good place to start when it comes. thanks.

mcfly

07-29-2009, 09:19 PM

I would never buy a stock car again.

victoriaGTR

07-29-2009, 11:52 PM

me either....might as well buy a built one... all the boltons cost the $$... i would buy a fully built car.

Oakville

08-08-2009, 02:10 PM

The problem with buying a built car is that I would have to wait quite a bit more time to buy it, of course. I'll be just squeaking buy with a stock one, I figure one day down the road when I'm working full time I'll be able to slowly build it up. Even if it costs me more in the end, I'd like to know whats been done to the car, and how its been done. I want this to be a big learning experience, so I can know my way around the car if something we're to happen.

Crazy 88

08-14-2009, 12:42 AM

It's always better to buy a built car. I've been building cars from scratch since I was 15 and have never gotten my money back on any of them. My current GTR has about $25k worth of work done to it and I only paid $10k for it. When you factor in what the car cost new there is about $80k worth of car (in 2009 dollars) sitting in my garage. I just got back everything I have lost on cars in the last 20 years with one purchace.

Jon.

Oakville

08-14-2009, 11:48 AM

What happened to the dragon humper alias? lol

yeah, I've realised as great as building the car up from scratch would be, I could pay 4k more for a car and get 10k worth of parts that I would be buying anyways. I still have a year to wait/look, I'm sure by that time I can find something suitable.

mcfly

08-14-2009, 02:56 PM

I love pre built cars
the car themselves.

The engine tends to be one of the cheaper things at the end of the day

Skym

08-17-2009, 04:30 PM

Powerfc is good. Most hp with MAP PowerFC is close to 1500hp at engine.

I use Nistune modified stock ECU.

A guy I know who builds racecars for a living told me along the lines of, if you want a racecar buy one that is near completion or finished, as it's cheaper than a building one. He has seen so many try to build a racecar, but never finish their project's due to $$$ problems.

Sometimes people sell cars with prebuilt engines due to problems with engine or it needs a rebuild / refresh. Seen a few who have bought GTR's like that and had to rebuild / refresh engine. But like you have already said, the bonus is the bolt on parts.

Allan74

08-23-2009, 02:50 AM

I am currently back to using an OEM ECU once again, as I sold my Power FC D-Jetro.

I have an AEM EMS sitting here brand new in the box that will eventually make it's way into my car and I believe that it was a solid choice after reading about it's features, over my old Power FC.

The thing about the Power FC that scared the crap out of me was the lack of Knock maps/control/protection......NOTHING.

I want safety as well as features and the AEM just seemed to fit the bill.

Alot of people will also argue that the ViPec is the new King....but only time will tell. I would rather go witha time tested system like the AEM any day of the week and not have to join the 'secret' culture that is ViPec...lol

Any product who's price you can not find ANYWHERE in print, without having to actually pickup the phone and call a dealer (which opens the door for pushy salesman) IS NOT FOR ME. I wanna window shop, not volunteer myself for a sales call that I never wanted to take part in, in the first palce.

If I were to stay with MAFs, I might even try the Nistune, as it seems to be a solid little system for the money.

Allan

Skym

08-23-2009, 04:53 AM

OEM R32GTR ECU is good. Nistune for OEM ECU is cheap and does the job. Motec ECU would my next choice if I had the $$$.

From what I understand from what I have read, PowerFC was meant to be a competition ECU and they thought that knock maps were not needed due to stock ECU dealt with engine destroying knock after it happened. Basically the way they saw it, is knock could be prevented with a good ECU tune hence PowerFC didn't have knock maps, etc.

From what I understand knock maps are for road use, when there's low octane or bad batch of fuel, as not every service station has high octane fuel or high quality fuel. It's more of a longevity / save engine / make engine last the 100,000km warrenty period with OEM ECU.

ViPEC ECU is like a rebranded Link G4 ECU. Same looking tuning software and ECU case. Also similar features. G4 Link ECU has gotten better feature wise, reliability wise from the first generation G1 ECU. G4 is good ECU, just look at R.I.P.S 240Z and the other 1000hp cars that his teams produced that have held together and won competitions, etc.

Link G4 ECU -

http://www.linkecu.com/products/engine-management-ecus/g4-xtreme

dustyGTR

09-28-2009, 11:24 PM

Power FC PRO same as regular power FC with the addition of two step
rev limiter and ignition cut instead of fuel cut. I just recently got datalogit
for tuning but have not had a chance to try it out yet. PFC does turn on the cat overtemp light when it detects engine knock so you get off the throttle before doing more damage lol, my car had death knock when I first got it
with Japanese high octane tune, I cheated and adjusted the cas to minimize the carnage.

Aaron

09-29-2009, 04:06 PM

I have experience with a PFC on two cars. One a gtr which make near 600AWHP. So it is definatley a capable unit.

mcfly

09-29-2009, 08:23 PM

The major limitation the pfc has to me is a 10000 rpm upper limit.
Which really doesn't effect all too many people.

Aaron

09-29-2009, 08:25 PM

That is true, but like you said... not many guys here are running over 8500RPM.

I was thinking to go with a different EMS when my RX7 is back up and running. Something with knock protection since it is a rotary.... :rolleyes:

rbs14

12-04-2009, 12:00 PM

pwfc d-jetro for me !!!

christ.deyoung

12-20-2009, 02:39 PM

My tuner likes AEM, so thats what I went with...my car's not built/tuned for it yet though.

Oakville

12-20-2009, 07:01 PM

Anyone use the Veilside ecu? My friend just bought a GTR and it came with one in it, we dont know too much about it

Skym

12-20-2009, 07:08 PM

Veilside ECU???

Retuned stock ECU or PowerFC??? I think Veilside used both (PowerFC for competition use).

Oakville

12-20-2009, 11:12 PM

Retuned stock, it had a "Nissan Remanufactured Engine Control Unit" plate on it...but it wasnt running well with said ecu...threw the stock ecu back on and we were golden

Zacho

12-21-2009, 12:24 AM

vvvvvvvvvvvvvipec for me, as you probably know.

I had my finger on the mouse to buy a haltech kit, but I just didn't want to be stuck in the deep end if I ever needed support/help quickly. Just couldn't do it.

RABBIT

12-21-2009, 09:56 AM

DrMango

12-21-2009, 10:27 AM

I like the N64 RABBIT!
I have a locally tuned OEM unit for now but it sounds like the Nistune is the way for me to go next year. I'm only building a low 300 whp car so I really don't need more then that.

Kyle

mcfly

12-21-2009, 10:51 AM

i will never understand why people still get , AEM or PFC units . its like going out and willing buying a nintendo 64 at the same price it was sold as new . old old old.
if your gonna get any unit should be either nistune ( for the low budgets) haltech ( for the people who have the cash and want to do some serious work ) or a Bosch unit ( for toes ballers out there). u can get new and better units for the same price if nto cheaper then the outdated aem and pfc soft/hardware.

i personally will be getting nistune for my car , i really dont need anything more , im going for 500(crank HP) on a rb20det with a Garrett GT3071R, ive done all the math and a 400 nistune unit will provide me with more then enough abilities then i need for my build.

AEM has the capabilities of a motec at a fraction of the cost. Plus the problems have been ironed out so it's good to go.

The PFC is a great bang for the buck, it works and has worked for a decade.

The pfc is dated sure, but the AEM is using newer components then nistune...
Last i heard nistune was the reason for a few blown engines in this past little while.

SuperHatch

12-21-2009, 11:21 AM

Last i heard nistune was the reason for a few blown engines in this past little while.

I take rumors like those with a grain of salt for one simple reason:

Cheap engine management is usually purchased by people who don't have the money for more sophisticated units. This is not always the case, but it is the majority of the time.

Those same people can't afford to hire a competant tuner or any tuner at all, so they get a "bargain" tune or try to do it themselves.

All the money they saved on engine management seems like pennies when it's time for a rebuild/new engine.

Luckily, it keeps up the fresh supply of "built" cars with blown engines on the cheap.

Nistune is a very capable unit (I used it on my VH45DE) and when in the hands of an experienced tuner can work quite well.

That's my 3 cents...

DrMango

12-21-2009, 12:05 PM

Any numbers from the VH when it was all done?

Kyle

mcfly

12-21-2009, 12:07 PM

I take rumors like those with a grain of salt for one simple reason:

Cheap engine management is usually purchased by people who don't have the money for more sophisticated units. This is not always the case, but it is the majority of the time.

Those same people can't afford to hire a competant tuner or any tuner at all, so they get a "bargain" tune or try to do it themselves.

All the money they saved on engine management seems like pennies when it's time for a rebuild/new engine.

Luckily, it keeps up the fresh supply of "built" cars with blown engines on the cheap.

Nistune is a very capable unit (I used it on my VH45DE) and when in the hands of an experienced tuner can work quite well.

That's my 3 cents...

The issue was timing drift from what i understood. nothing to do with tuners. AEM dealt with it when it WASP first released.

SuperHatch

12-21-2009, 12:43 PM

The issue was timing drift from what i understood. nothing to do with tuners. AEM dealt with it when it WASP first released.

If that's the case than stock Nissan cars of the late 80's early-mid 90's vintage would also experience timing drift, since Nistune uses the stock ECU timing setup. Interesting...

SuperHatch

12-21-2009, 12:53 PM

Any numbers from the VH when it was all done?

Kyle

My VH, when stock longblock/untuned factory ECU, made 260WHP on a Mustang Dyno. Take that number with a grain of salt, sin the car has a 4500RPM stall converter in it and makes very interesting dyno charts.

I put a head/cam package on the VH which consited of a race valve job on the stock valves, mild port work which basically consisted of cleaning up the bowls, springs/Ti retainers, deck the heads for a little compression, reground stock cams, and adding Nistune. On a basic tune the motor made 295WHP, same dyno. On the 4th pull the motor spun a rod bearing (keep in mind, 135k mile stock bottom end) at 8000RPM. No one has really pushed these motors, and I'm confident it was the revs that killed the bearing, not the tune.

I sold the Nistune setup to a buddy in Florida, who put it on his VH that is 100% stock plus a Vortech S/C at 6psi of boost. His car made 450WHP on stock injectors/MAF. He maxed the MAF and the injectors at that boost level.

When my 240 gets put back together it will be a stock longblock, supercharged, 550cc injectors, a cobra MAF, and Nistune again. That should easily make 500WHP

Considering the car went 11.9's at 110MPH when it only put 260 to the tire, it should be a lot of fun with the new setup.

YouTube- Godspeed VH S14 goes Elevens

DrMango

12-21-2009, 05:51 PM

SuperHatch

12-21-2009, 06:02 PM

That was your setup in the vid or his? I've seen that video and it made me hard. I love VHs and would be all over a V8 skyline instead of my rebuild if my budget and time frame was more tollerant. I know somewhere in my future I will own a VH powered Nissan. Such an over engineered engine that Nissan under rated for HP. Well know for them to hold some very respectable power.

Sorry for the OT post

Kyle

Sorry for the OT post as well. That is my car, I'm driving. That car was really an experiment to see how fast stock stuff can go.

That car had complete stock suspension front/rear. The rear suspension had a complete ES poly bushing kit in it, stock springs/struts. I changed the mounting angle of the rear subframe to increase squat. The rear diff is an R32 GTR piece, GTR axles and hubs as well. The engine was a stock 92 VH, stock ECU. I made the headers myself (unequal length long tubes) and I made a 3.5" intake for it, no other mods. The trans however is a fully built TH400 with a transbrake, which is why it leaves so well. 26x11.5" MT ET Streets on stock Z32 TT wheels.

The car is getting put back together this year and will hopefully be back out next season if everything goes according to plan. Of course it never does, so we'll see what happens...

Back on topic!

DrMango

12-21-2009, 11:51 PM

Keep us updated on it.

Is there a retailer for Nistune in red deer area that anyone knows of that can set everything up for me if I send my ECU to them?

Kyle

Zacho

12-22-2009, 08:27 AM

Just contact the guys at Ztune.

DrMango

12-22-2009, 09:24 AM

Thanks. It might just be a better idea to find a spare RB20 ECU and send it to them and keep mine as spare for diagnosing future issues I think

Kyle

Zacho

12-22-2009, 05:14 PM

Probably your best bet. ECU's aren't too expensive and those guys at Ztune have been great for me.

Or just buy the board from them and install it yourself and save some cash?

DrMango

12-23-2009, 12:09 AM

Anything with electionics and me don't work. I hear nothing but good things about the cost of Nistune so I think I can splurge on shipping ;)

Kyle

Skyline Slider

01-21-2010, 11:24 AM

I have a Autronic SM4 stand alone in my car. Its a little pricey, but you can make it do pretty much what ever you'd like it to do.
You need to know what your doing in order to use it. It's not as simple as a PFC at all.
An awesome feature is the auto-tune. It's great for getting that initial tune to build from!
I would only recommend an Autronic to someone with a decent knowledge of tuning.