AEM AEM EMS is it worth it?

[rick]

i gots a question about this part. is it worth it? i heard it is very user friendly and also comes with some maps and stuff for the car, so this way you odnt have to make them from scratch. any opinions on this part?? i would like to know is it worhtwhile to buy it now while the car is almost stoick and be able to use it while the car gets built up?? suggestions please and opinoins are also needed. thanks.

 

[mlopez]

This will be the last thing you need on your mod list.

 

[KRAZYKOREAN]

Yeah from looking at your mods...the aem ems is the last thing you even need.

 

[Violater101]

Lots of bugs for the beginner to figure out on his own.

 

[rick]

uh, ok, i know my mod list is not very big at all, but this aem ems will be considered when i get my lancer manifold, big16g, o2 housing (victory performance)
upgraded fuel pump, 550cc injectors, web street cams and unorthodozx pulleys. i guess with thos emods then maybe it owuld be a better idea??

 

[Unreal]

EMS is always a good mod, stock or modified.

 

[rick]

ok, but is it the one i should get, as far as tuning is concerned i am novice, and the last thing i need is to blow my motor. i have heard the pms comes with already programmed, er, programs that you can use. what do you guys think?

 

[3NiGm4]

The AEM EMS also comes with pre-set maps for stock cars, as well as a site to download maps for modified cars. Yes it would be a good mod, but it will not be worth it unless you take the time to use it properly. In my opinion you just need to consider how much involvemnent you want to put into your vehicle (or how much money for someone to do it for you)

 

[logic]

I'm in the camp of wanting to get the EMS early in the modification cycle, for a few reasons:

• I don't want to "double-pay" on tuning devices and software; my immediate needs would be an S-AFC and logger, and eventually I'd be in the "need a DSMlink" camp, at which point I may as well have spent the money on something with far more flexibility.
• The "traditional" approach (ie. S-AFC) just screams hack to me. Like most hacks, it works damn well, but it's...inelegant. Overriding values to fool the ECU just doesn't "feel" like the correct approach.
• The ability to take in arbitrary inputs and create maps based on them is a big deal to me. Think temperature/knock/whatever-controlled I/C spraying or water/propane injection, a large-volume MAF without the need for a translator, the ability to use a wideband O2 sensor...I could go on all day. This is stuff I can play with today, with an EMS; without it, I'm cobbling this kind of thing together, and generally spending more than necessary on it.
• One interface. Rather than learn the quirks of an S-AFC, DSMlink, or whatever else I end up owning over the life of the car, I can learn a single interface, early in the modification cycle, and see the effects of upgrades as I go. An easier learning curve, IMHO.
• The base maps are set up for a stock car. Plug it in, cross your fingers, turn it over...and it runs, out of the box. Meaning, you can focus your energies on tuning for a modification at a time, rather than having to do major work the day you start out with it.

Considering what I'd spend on tuning gear and software, translators, etc. during the life of this project to do what I want, the price of the EMS starts looking VERY attractive. I recognize some of the downsides too, though:

• New product, and as such, has bugs. I've heard enough stories of how people got burned by the first dozen or so revisions of the tuning software, and how they've changed terminology between releases. That being said, they've had it out for a while now, with a ton of user input, and I expect things have begun to stabilize (haven't heard any recent horror stories, anyway).
• More knobs, more complexity. The more tunable the device, the more time you have to invest in it to learn it's quirks and make it an effective tool. No getting around this one, I fully expect to spend the time necessary to make full use of it. I'm a geek, I'll sit and twiddle with geeky things for hours.
• Lack of experience in the tuning community. I know I won't be able to drive up to "Joe's Bait, Tackle, and Dyno Services", and be able to have them help with the tuning of my car. I'm fine with that; there's a local shop with some degree of expertise with these units, and frankly, I'd rather be doing my own tuning anyway.

There's pros and cons to going with a standalone right off the bat. Personally, I like the idea, and now that I'm reaching the point where tuning starts becoming important, I'm looking at it a lot more seriously. But it's definitely not for everyone; I agree with 3NiGm4 on this, it's all about how much time, effort, and money you're looking to invest in the car.

Or, put another way: if you have to ask, you don't need it, and an S-AFC and logger will be good enough for you. Before dropping $1500 or so on a piece of equipment, you really need to understand why you'd want it in the first place, rather than the lower-cost alternatives. The EMS has a value proposition; you personally need to decide if it's worth it to you.

 

[kpt4321]

Agreed, if you have to ask, you do not need it.

Also, if you readily admit that you are a novice as far as tuning is concerned, that you certainly should not get it.

With the mods you list, a SAFC will be more than enough.

...Kyle T.

 

[rick]

very cool input. thanks guys!

 

[DELTA_Rotary]

While I could prob squeeze a few more ponies out of my setup with the AEM, I think my 400whp with AFC and pocketlogger setup is doing just fine for now.