which stand alone ecu is the best?

[r1jlewis]

I am in need to buy a stand alone ecu for my S15 sr20det, but not sure which one to go with. AEM EMS? What's the best bang for the buck? or do I have to spend top dollar to get the best quality?

[wildacexxx]

apexi power fc

[sean8564]

power FC or trust profect -E

[Nismo_Freak]

AEM EMS is a good tool.

Power FC Pro might be hard to get ahold of in an S15 version.

[r1jlewis]

The AEM is what my tuner want's me to get, but that thing is $1600+, but they do have a plug and play for the S15. I didn't know if he just wants me to get that one because he is familiar with it or is the best. I just think I might be able to save some money on a different product that will work just as good.

[xsublimefrekx]

the aem is deff one of the best out there, but it is expensive. If your car is pretty much just for road use i wouldnt go all out with the aem unless you have the money.

[ill_sil]

if you can get a hold of a haltek e6k i would go that route, but ive heard that EMS is the easiest and that anyone who has one becomes an instant tuner (b/c idiot proof im assuming). Since your not going to be tuning it yourself why pay out the *** EMS.

PS. i have never personally used either one im just going off what the owners of both EMS and E6K say!

[nonvtecaccord]

The main difference on a FC vs. AEM is that AEM has knock control while the Power FC just says how much knock you are getting, the AEM actually will adjust itself to control it.Other than that the FC is a better bang for the buck.

[Dori Dori]

if you can get a hold of a haltek e6k i would go that route, but ive heard that EMS is the easiest and that anyone who has one becomes an instant tuner (b/c idiot proof im assuming). Since your not going to be tuning it yourself why pay out the *** EMS.

PS. i have never personally used either one im just going off what the owners of both EMS and E6K say!

FYI, EMS is an acronym for engine management system...it's not an AEM product name.

[Dori Dori]

The main difference on a FC vs. AEM is that AEM has knock control while the Power FC just says how much knock you are getting, the AEM actually will adjust itself to control it.Other than that the FC is a better bang for the buck.

The check engine light should flash when the Power FC senses knock but no, there is no control.

[Dori Dori]

One of the biggest limitations of the Power FC is the controller. Not only is the interface extremely slow, but you can only tune certain aspects of the PFC and within a certain range. The reason for this is that Apexi wants you to bring your PFC to a certified tuner where they will use the power excel software on your PFC (not available to the public) which allows much greater tuning flexability.

So what does a PFC owner in America do? Well, if you purchase an FC Datalogit (seperate company - not apexi - http://www.fc-datalogit.co.nz/ ) interface, you can plug your laptop into the datalogit and unlock all the hidden features of the PFC that only the authorized tuners could access. There is also a PFC pro software that allows for better than controller tuning and in a laptop but it's difficult to get and is not as capable as the power excel software (again, dealer only and a "key" is needed to use it).

A little known secret about the PFC is that you can get them "incomplete" from Japan for dirt cheap. What I did is purchase my PFC without a controller (which apparently brings the value down in Japan substantially) from a yahoo japan auction using Rinkya. The total cost was under $400 (after shipping and Rinkya fees). Then I bought the FC datalogit from Rotary Performance in TX - the only authorized US Datalogit dealer( http://www.rx7.com/ ) for $350. So, for around $700 I have a VERY capable standalone with nice tuning software and a wealth of tuning resources (you get invited to the Datalogic user group after you purchase) where i can download base maps or even similar to my setup maps for free from other users!

It's not the best, but IMO it is the best bang for the buck. You might even find a PFC on ebay for an S15 if you're lucky.

Good luck!

[Dori Dori]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Apexi-Powe...wItem

Not too shabby and it comes with the controler (which I don't recommend tuning with but does have a nice read-out on the display). I'd be willing to bet the auction will end for under the buy it now price.

[twofourzeroSX]

be different...be cheap..go megasquirt (no experience on sr20's but my friends eclipse runs great on his home built megasquirt)

[r1jlewis]

I checked that one out on ebay and looks pretty good and I alot cheaper than the AEM for $1500, but can you entirely eliminate the MAF with the FC?

[tgm]

Megasquirt does not directly support COP or nissans CAS you would have to make the ignition work some other way. Your best bet for a Standalone is either an EMS or a haltech.

[r1jlewis]

Uh, a stand alone is a EMS. Do you mean AEM EMS?

[Dori Dori]

You can eliminate the MAF if you get the Power FC D-jetro. D-jetro are a little tougher to come by and will likely cost you a few extra in cash.

There are so many great engine management systems on the market today. You have to figure out exactly what you want out of it before you make a purchasing decision. Do you want to eliminate the stock ignition system? Do you want to use the CAS? Do you want closed loop or open loop? There are many more questions you should be asking yourself before you dish out $1k+.

I went w/ the Power FC b/c it was the best bang for the buck. I'm a working man like most of us so I based my decision on what I needed and didn't need. If I feel like I want something different, I'll sell the PFC, my harness, and my ignition system and get something like a SDS or Haltech E6x.

And yes, EMS = ENGINE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM!!!

Haltech = EMSStock ECU = EMSAEM = EMSPower FC = EMS

[Nismo_Freak]

I highly suggest the D-Jetro, it's alot easier to use IMO.

[Swedish Mike]

A new one but the best IMO, text marked wires every 4", light weight, "easy to understand" software and very high quality. The Bluetooth wireless Pocket PC option show real time data on screen and can be used as tuning tool instead of laptop. Totally in love!

Homepage: http://www.niramotorsport.com

My pics at VS: http://volvospeed.com/vs_forum...45318

Not a plug and play but the best stand alone race EMS I´ve tested.

/Mike

[Swedish Mike]

Forgot, I´m no Nira salesman. I only help people when they want Nira in USA.I travel to CA a lot and brings it there for free.

/Mike

[Dori Dori]

Wanna bring one to Florida? I've got a bunch of Finn and a couple Swede friends to help with translations.

[Swedish Mike]

Wanna bring one to Florida? I've got a bunch of Finn and a couple Swede friends to help with translations.

Sure! Just tell me when and what other parts you want! I can trade a Nira for a Vert...

This EMS is sooo much better to work with compared to the AEM Race EMS.They really made it user friendly and fast, nice.

/Mike

[Dori Dori]

The specs look nice. The wireless is a really cool feature but I'd probably prefer a wire since I'd be more likely to lose the unit without it haha.

I live in the best state to find a Vert...but unfortunately I don't have a spare one lying around. If I do, I'll hunt your posts on NICO to find you.

[Swedish Mike]

The specs look nice. The wireless is a really cool feature but I'd probably prefer a wire since I'd be more likely to lose the unit without it haha.

I live in the best state to find a Vert...but unfortunately I don't have a spare one lying around. If I do, I'll hunt your posts on NICO to find you.

Thanks M8! The East Coast is the best when it comes to shipping -> SWE.

/Mike

[Dori Dori]

Oh, you'b be shipping it to sweden? We've shipped a viper, a couple bimmers, and some trucks over to Finland. If that's the case, I'll try to find a vert for you and help you getting it shipped over. Email me amacaluso@ gmail.com

[tgm]

Uh, a stand alone is a EMS. Do you mean AEM EMS?

AEM EMS thats what i meant.

[Fireplug]

Motec is an awesome unit, hands down...AEM is good bang for your buck, that's what I'm running. Like Dori mentioned, the Power FC is a biotch with just the commander unit...Unless you find a tuner who's familiar with the Apexi unit, I wouldn't get it. The Haltech E6X will need extra work to get it to work with the nissan cas. The AEM is "plug and play" and works pretty damn good.

[Morph]

Hasn't haltec come out with the pigtails so you can just plug and play? Last time i was pricing them out the shop was going to have to make me a new harness b/c ****ig PT wernt released yet.

[JDogg95]

Thanks for the info guys. I googled "SR20DET power fc or AEM" and got this. But i'm not sure which way to go either. I have a XAT Racing rom tuned ECU but not sure if I should even waste my time getting a stand alone EMS.