engine management???

[s13240sxdrifter]

ok, so i plan on getting myself a CA very soon, and was looking around for possible engine management systems. i was looking into the GReddy Profec E-01 system and all that stuff. anybody have anything good or bad to say about this? i'm looking for something i can tune myself, is a little less expensive, and can control almost all engine parameters. any input would be great.

[float_6969]

SDS http://sdsefi.com Talk to Dee (boost_boy) about what he thinks of it...

[diamondstar36]

The Profec E01 is a 500 dollar boost controller. Yea, it does other crap and has a neat little LCD display.. but when it comes down to it, you're paying 500 dollars to do something you can get done for 10. Invest in a decent piggy back like the E-Manage or get a standalone.

[Dori Dori]

The Profec E01 can also be a programmer for the E-Manage. If he doesn't have a laptop, it's not a bad idea. It's also not fair to compare a MBC and an EBC...although they have the same function, they don't produce the same results.

[diamondstar36]

They don't produce the same result? The result is to control boost is it not? I know it has other snazzy functions, but after dealing with several different turbo cars over the course of the last 5 years I've found MBCs to be much more solid. Plus I can get a laptop with enough power to run the E-manage software for around 100 bucks. In my opinion the E01 is strickly for bling..

[Nismo1182]

True, I rather get a profec b if I went with a electronic boost controller.

But anyway, the E01 isnt a piggy back or stand alone like he thinks it is. Its just a fancy boost controller. And also the display for the E-manage which is the piggy back he should be looking at.

[s13240sxdrifter]

sorry guys, i meant the e-manage system. readin up on greddy's website, they make it sound like one system. but yeah, i meant the e-manage along with the profec e-01 and all the options so i can basically control my entire engine.

[r34 gtr]

id go with the sds. that or the fcon that keeps popping up on ebay.

- tim

[float_6969]

Or there is always the Power FC from Apex. It's plug and play. Good luck getting one for a CA though....

[slw240sx]

the differance btween driving the car with a manual boost controller and a electronic, blitz sbc ID in my case , is like night and day. its amazingly better!

good ole fashion rom tuning for me. buying a romulator and wideband in april.

[float_6969]

How much is that gonna run you Jon, and where are you getting it from? I don't mind ROM tuning, but it has it's limits....

[s13240sxdrifter]

you guys arent really answering my questions here. you keep telling me i should get something, but you dont back it up at all.

[NeedCAforS13]

get an SDS system if you want stand alone engine management... people have used it with wonderful success!

no one here has used the e-manage (as far as I know) so we really can't comment on it:) I've heard bad things from some of the local shops about it, but I'm not sure why they thought it wasn't that great.

Sean

[boost_boy]

s13240sxdrifter: Bottom line is this, if you like to tinker, then you should consider getting a standalone engine management system. No one with a CA18 uses the Greddy e-manage to my knowledge, but I've seen people use them with some success. If you have someone to tune it, then I guess you can probably can use it. But if you like to do your own thing, then look into something programmable that you can do yourself. There now, I hope that answers your question or give you some idea of what you're working with. Search through some of the posts because they have great information from alot of the members on this forum. I personally use an SDS efi http://www.sdsefi.com and honestly love the thing. Money well spent and with it you eliminate some of the issues associated with the factory equipment. There's also microtec, haltech, Motec (if you got big bread), links, electromotive, etc.......

Dee

[USsil80]

i wouldn't go with an sds... a buddy of mine has it on his corrado that he dropped a 1.8 in... it will not start coyuse he throw the magnets tyhat you have to attach to the crack pulley and now it willn't since anything... the guys at sds don't even know what is going on..i have a power fc and it is great... the montoring system on it is worth it not to mention how tuneable it is....

[boost_boy]

Quote »i wouldn't go with an sds... a buddy of mine has it on his corrado that he dropped a 1.8 in... it will not start coyuse he throw the magnets tyhat you have to attach to the crack pulley and now it willn't since anything... the guys at sds don't even know what is going on..i have a power fc and it is great... the montoring system on it is worth it not to mention how tuneable it is....[/quote] Does your friend want to sell his sds? Let me know. The PowerFC is great, if that's what you want. I'll stand behind my SDS systems and continue using them.

Dee

[s13240sxdrifter]

s13240sxdrifter: Bottom line is this, if you like to tinker, then you should consider getting a standalone engine management system. No one with a CA18 uses the Greddy e-manage to my knowledge, but I've seen people use them with some success. If you have someone to tune it, then I guess you can probably can use it. But if you like to do your own thing, then look into something programmable that you can do yourself. There now, I hope that answers your question or give you some idea of what you're working with. Search through some of the posts because they have great information from alot of the members on this forum. I personally use an SDS efi http://www.sdsefi.com and honestly love the thing. Money well spent and with it you eliminate some of the issues associated with the factory equipment. There's also microtec, haltech, Motec (if you got big bread), links, electromotive, etc.......

Dee

alright, so which system do you use? how much did it cost you? how easy is it to use? pros and cons? i dont know much about this system.

[boost_boy]

Quote »alright, so which system do you use? how much did it cost you? how easy is it to use? pros and cons? i dont know much about this system.[/quote] The majority of the good standalones costs in the ballpark of $1300-$1800 for the most of the ones ending in the letters T.E.C. and the Motec being the more expensive of the bunch costs big bread and I do mean big. If you're into laptops and would like a broader spectrum of functions, then the haltech, microtec, DTA, electromotive TECIII, just to name a few costs anywhere from $1300-$2000. If you want something with all the bells and whistles, I would select anyone of the 1st batch with the microtec being the universal unit. It has the ability to be programmed via laptop or handheld programmer, whereas the others are stricly laptop programmed.

The SDS=$1300 is very simple to operate, very affordable and seems to like the CA18 pretty well.

I can't comment on the powerFC=$1800 (new) $1100 on ebay, but I do have a friend who'll be using it on his 3SGTE powered toyota tercel and am interested to see how this works out for him.

I don't know much about the links engine management, but I do know people who use it with success.

Dee

[iliketocrash]

what about the PRS stand alone from perfectpower.com anyone hear anything about it? I've read over the site a few times and talked to their customer service people and it sounds pretty promising.

[quest]

piggybackmambastu? on uk forum runs emanage on his ca18det. Initially, like some other distributorless motors, he had a misfire problem when trying to adjust the timing but fixed it thru a patch downloaded from greddy.

safc/inj/maf + stock ecu have taken SRs to 300+whp and DSMs to 375+whp. No reason it wouldn't make decent reliable power on the CA.Other piggybacks can do fuel AND timing. You need timing control when u wanna push your motor. Warning; it can make u laugh and cry.

standalonesfor u electronic guys, nothing compares to megasquirt - build it yourself. Extremely versatile.perfectpower.com standalone seems like a good option. Last time I checked it was ~$650. Seen one person using it.I know of some folks who have landed standalones from austrailia for under $800... but the us$ has been declining lately.My buddy runs his rb26 on microtech using the stock nissan sensors (except no mafs needed). Real nice display/ to program

On the sds, half of my friends that use 'em have been driven nuts by those little dam magnets. Some haven't, so I attribute that to installers error?. On a 7m tho, it kept "welding" the pulley to the crank for some reason. Dunno what caused that, but it bothered me. Another thing I feel is that for the money, sds could sell the system cheaper, for what it is. I base this on comparisons to the substantially lower priced 'laptop' imports I've personaly seen in action. Now the plus side? sds will do away with the dryrotted nissan connectors and aging sensors. Also nissan CAS has proven to be problematic after 10+ years (splines wear out). Customer service is top shelf and u a member amongst us, to set u up, with his car as a demo

[boost_boy]

Quote »what about the PRS stand alone from perfectpower.com anyone hear anything about it? I've read over the site a few times and talked to their customer service people and it sounds pretty promising.[/quote] I installed one on a guy's brand new protege and it didn't work. He contacted the people who made it and found out that it was never programmed from the start, so I'll be reinstalling sometime next week (Why, I don't know); can you say void warranty.

Quote »On the sds, half of my friends that use 'em have been driven nuts by those little dam magnets. Some haven't, so I attribute that to installers error?[/quote] This is definitely the case because I've been guilty of installing one of the magnets wrong, but quickly corrected it.

Quote »On a 7m tho, it kept "welding" the pulley to the crank for some reason. Dunno what caused that, but it bothered me. [/quote] That's more of a 7M issue just like the DSMers crank tends to walk and cause catastrophies.

Quote »Another thing I feel is that for the money, sds could sell the system cheaper, for what it is. I base this on comparisons to the substantially lower priced 'laptop' imports I've personaly seen in action.[/quote] Valid opinion and I kinda agree; but at the same time, the system does the basic functions needed to control all the parameters associated with fine tuning and reliability. It does what the other laptop-operated variants do and is a much cleaner install than all of them. I figure for the price of JWT program with SAFC and a Z32 MAF, you can invest in a standalone and think outside the chip:) ! And whoever say a standalone system is too much for what they want then they aren't really serious about performance (IMHO). You can never have too much engine management, but you can have too much turbocharger.

Dee

[s13240sxdrifter]

the SDS system was more than i'm looking to spend, but i'm also only doing basic research right now. i plan on keeping the engine almost stock, with just an FMIC and BOV for a while. i want to get my suspension up to par before i get a lot of power.

[r34 gtr]

wish i would have done that... oh well, guess its power now and suspension when i hit the lottery.

- tim

[float_6969]

I went the suspension route with my last 240 and I wish I could have done so with this car. Unfortunatly the old KA-E was letting go so I had to put the CA in first. And now the CA is crapping out on me. Grrr

[boost_boy]

Quote » And now the CA is crapping out on me. [/quote] It's crapping on you because you need an SDS . I've destroyed 3 turbochargers (1 hybrid T2/T3, 1 T3/T04B stage I and T3/T04E stage III) and the engine still haven't crapped itself. STill have the same timing belt from japan and from the head on down is till stock. Excellent oil pressure and revs to 8700rpm with the slightest of ease. Timing and fuel is everything and to me the factory system is not up to the task.

Dee

[r34 gtr]

amen sir!!!! your car alone basically proves everybody who doubts anything about the ca wrong.. must be fun..

- tim

[iliketocrash]

It's crapping on you because you need an SDS . I've destroyed 3 turbochargers (1 hybrid T2/T3, 1 T3/T04B stage I and T3/T04E stage III) and the engine still haven't crapped itself. STill have the same timing belt from japan and from the head on down is till stock. Excellent oil pressure and revs to 8700rpm with the slightest of ease. Timing and fuel is everything and to me the factory system is not up to the task.

Dee

you have the same timing belt that was on the engine when you recieved it? that's kinda scary. maybe its just me.

[boost_boy]

Quote »you have the same timing belt that was on the engine when you recieved it? that's kinda scary. maybe its just me.[/quote] Yeah, I think it's just you! I inspect it from time to time and it looks good to me. Besides, my timing belt don't see as much heat as the rest of your motors because I don't use a crank angle sensor. The space is vacant so you see the cam gear spinning as well as all of the heat being disbursed from that opening. Those belts are as strong as you think they are. Most people break belts because of cam seal leaks that wets the timing belt and makes it soft over time which results in it popping because of the sharp cam gear cogs. My seals have been changed, so I do have a dry timing belt area hence a pretty healthy 14 year old timing belt. And if it breaks, cool; that means it's time to get the head ported and polished with over-sized valves.

Dee

[iliketocrash]

belt. And if it breaks, cool; that means it's time to get the head ported and polished with over-sized valves.

Dee

i wish i could say that about my motor but i just don't have the cash readily available to do such things.. nor do i have the means to get that kinda cash. oh well. for me its just big dreams on a small budget.

[float_6969]

Ditto for me except I just got my tax returns.... the car goes to the body shop next weekend..