General 95 EPROM ECU vs 98-99 flashable ECU

[2gDSM6bolt]

i have a 97 gst with a 6-bolt and i am ording a new ecu. is the tuning on the flashable ecu as good or even close to as good as using the 95 with dsmlink? also what do you use to tune the flashable ecu

 

[Tiki2777]

Yes, the tuning on the flashable ecu is definitely as good (if not way better IMHO) as dsmlink. The only con is that there is no support right now from the guy who made it all possible, but there are enough people using it now to help you out anyways. The price differences are pretty big, and its the flashable ecus that are much cheaper. They have all the same features (and more because of big maps) such as Launch Control, limiters, Antilag, NLTS, Speed Density, HUGE MAPS (resolution bigger than AEM), Open loop tuning, switchable maps, etc. In addition, there is boost by gear in development for flashable ecus, and it is MUCH easier to construct a VE (speed density) table with Ceddymods than even dsmlink or evo ecus (Tephramods).
You can only use the Tactrix 2.0 cable to flash the ecu, but a 1.3 cheapy ebay cable is recommended for logging.
The choice is up to you, but DSMlink is going to be $700+ and ecuflash will be about $350 at most depending on how much the ecu is. (you can get them relatively cheap)

 

[ZombieSix]

i use the 98/99 blackbox ecu, i use ecuflash with ceddymods and log with evoscan, it is way cheaper then link and works great.

 

[knochgoon24]

At this point, unless you already have the 98/99 ecu in your car, I'd suggest going the ECMLink route.

The little bit more you spend is worth the higher quality of support.

And this comes from someone who has run the Evo 8 ECU, now runs the 98/99 ecu, and will eventually switch to ECMLink because I'm tired of all the little annoyances that will never get fixed with the 98/99 setup (unless someone starts development with it again).

 

[Tiki2777]

At this point, unless you already have the 98/99 ecu in your car, I'd suggest going the ECMLink route.

The little bit more you spend is worth the higher quality of support.

And this comes from someone who has run the Evo 8 ECU, now runs the 98/99 ecu, and will eventually switch to ECMLink because I'm tired of all the little annoyances that will never get fixed with the 98/99 setup (unless someone starts development with it again).

Couldn't have said it better, but i truly believe the small tradeoffs in support and small annoyances are definitely worth it.

 

[Boost Demon]

I used ECU Flash/Evo Scan on my Evo and DSM Link when I had my first DSM before that (and for a bit on my Evo too). I love the user friendliness of DSM Link and the fact that I don't have to use two different programs to tune with. The ease of using Link and it outstanding support, is hands down the biggest reason why I'm using it w/ my second DSM I just bought.

 

[snowborder714]

Couldn't have said it better, but i truly believe the small tradeoffs in support and small annoyances are definitely worth it.

Just curious if you've run and tuned with both before.

 

[Tiki2777]

Just curious if you've run and tuned with both before.

Nope, but the research into tuning solutions (GReddy EManage, SAFC, Ecuflash, ECMLINK, and AEM) ended up leading me to decide that DSMLINK is not worth the $700+ that people rave about, verses around $200 for ecuflash. Sometimes the majority isn't always right. Not saying I'm entirely opposed to LINK, because if i had found it cheap enough, i probably would have gone for it, but i could not have been happier with my decision to tune with ceddymods. Hell, there was a few times where i almost went and dove into a cheap AEM setup or decided to go with the Emanage, but ecuflash came out ahead.

Know plenty of people who love link too, just never appealed to me.

 

[knochgoon24]

Is the extra support worth the extra to you?

For years, it never appealed to me. But now that Ceddy stopped supporting his work, I'm not holding my breath for any new developments. He had a lot in the works, and with those complete, it would have been a much more solid tuning solution.

 

[woooop]

dsmlink all the way!

 

[Nicklepage1010]

I have a 98 blackbox and im switching to DSMlink.
Its much more user friendly than ECUflash and EVOscan.

 

[crash89]

I havnt really dove deap into either one but dabbled in both.. I couldnt grasp ECUflash/Evoscan at all. Maybe it was because there wasnt anyone around to help me in person that had used it at the time. I didnt like the whole aspect of using two programs to tune with either, seemed like a hassle to me.. DSMlink is an all in one thing, and COULD be had for 450$ with the lite version and a score on an ecu.. I picked up my EPROM ecu for 40 bucks off craigslist.

To answer your question though, IMO the black box with Ceddymod is good but not AS good as link. Who knows, you could find it easlier than going through link. I think you need a little more patients with the flashable ECU than DSMlink. just my .02

 

[nuclearr]

I use ecu flash. I have had to buy an old second computer just to use evoscan (support for evoscan is also almost non-existent I sent in two tickets and got not one reply). Ceddys roms are good but there are allot of features that DSMLink has that are unavailable in Ceddys roms.

If I had the cash I would switch to DSMLink unless some one picks up where Ceddy left off. And some one comes up with a better logging solution than EVOScan.

I went the ECUFlash route because I got and ecu in trade and only have $275 vested in it my set up.

The $275 includes purchases of:
Tactrixs 2.0 Cable (used)
Ceddys full package (which I can not seem to get big maps to work)
Evo Scan
2004 Windows XP computer

 

[2gDSM6bolt]

Thanks for all the info. I will prob be going with the flushable ecu because there is one local for a good price.

Flashable* damn android auto correct

 

[SpoolinTalonAWD]

DSMlink hands down. The guys at DSMlink have been developing and improving it for 10+ years.

Although we all know that ECUflash is capable of, when was the last time you saw a 10 second car tuned with a 98/99 ecu??

 

[counti41]

Well if i wasn't fwd I'd probably be in the 10s, i really dont know where i would be but im running steady af ratios of 11.3-1 at WOT and i run her up to 9000rpm on 34psi from a pte 6266 on pump gas no knock, say what for tuning. Self tuned.