AEM EMS info?

[RedWagon]

Well I hav th option to buy a AEM EMS for a decent price from a local guy($900) that coms with a 3bar map, AIT and coolant sensors, and I was wondering what I should know about this EMS? I asked the seller why he's selling it cheap, and he said he bought the car with it and did't know how to tune the car and decided to go with DSMlink. Someone told me the car is lifeless when you plug it in until its tuned.

 

[DJYoshaBYD]

DSMlink.com

DSMlink is cheaper, and you will get a great tuning tool.. AEM EMS is great.. The best!! But harder than shit to tune.. You need to take it to a pro with a dyno.. and, like you said, its alot more money (900 for you)..

DSM link will give you ALOT of the features that AEM EMS can, and its waaaayy more user friendly... Go to their site and read their features, prices, and requirements.. Then look at AEM's site, compare prices, and features.. I think you will find that DSMlink will probably suit you better...

 

[bling5tatus]

Well, you better go get on the AEM forums and get to reading. It's definitely not the beginner's standalone giant SAFC like the dsmlink is.

 

[DJYoshaBYD]

DSMLink and EMS are way more than just an SAFC (which is a brand's model name).. They control timing, rev limits, 2-steps, A/F ratio, boost pressure.... the list goes on and on.. I will tell you right now, that with EMS, you will spend a bunch of time just trying to get it to work, and not tuning..

 

[bling5tatus]

Not true, you would use a "base map"...

All you dsmlink Nazi's need to read this right now:

DSMLink does NOT allow individual cell based load tuning.

You get "sliders" and "global corrections"... if he can get an EMS for that cheap, and had an inkling of a desire to want it after hearing that someone else couldn't tune with it, why would you want to try to DOWNGRADE him to a dsmlink? Provide the man a chance to progress... he obviously wants to.

When you "tune" your timing with dsmlink... you may get good timing because of a correction that it made on top of the stock map.... under WOT, but now because of the awesome "global" correction your timing is suffering down low....

You want to have full control over all your maps so you can tune your car at each individual load and RPM point... THAT is the way to tune.

Plus, a MAF belongs in the trash, a MAP belongs in a race car.

 

[DJYoshaBYD]

That is how a professional tunes..

All I am saying, is that DSMlink is easier to use.. I NEVER said it was better.. If you have the time and knowledge to use EMS' amazing tuning system, then do it.. Most people get away with DSMlink, and are happy with it...

Alot of people are hitting fast times and putting down mad power with dsmlink, and I will bet that the person that is buying it has no idea what cell based load tuning is..

Read a bunch of posts, reviews, and search for people that are saying bad thing.. Read about all the good and bad for both.. Then make your decision..

 

[bling5tatus]

Yeah, I'm not trying to butt heads with you, but he did ask about AEM, not dsmlink.

A MAF is a limiting thing.... even an EVO or 3KGT MAF will over-run.... and they're expensive as crap, it's still an intake restriction, your system is still vulnerable to boost leaks causing the car to run like absolute crap... you can't vent (this is by far the least important reason) without that dumb GM translator and GM MAF... which is just a tuning nightmare. It's like hack on top of hack on top of hack on top of hack.

 

[tonster]

I run the AEM EMS 1310 box. You should be using your stock coolant sensor or should be able to as I am assuming this is a plug-n-play box? Not the universal one?

I run a GM 3bar and GM AIT sensor (yay for SD). As far as the car being undriveable when first plugged in, that is sort of true and not. It all depends are your setup. The first thing you do after you have it and the sensors wired correctly is to connect to the computer and upload a basemap, go from there and configure all the senors, set throttle range. Start car, get up to temp, set base timing, tune idle, then part-throttle, then WOT.

Like someone suggested, go to AEM and click on the forum tab up in the right corner. Download the Instruction manual on how to use the EMS. READ THIS OVER MORE THAN ONCE! It will definitely help you get everything inline to tune properly.

 

[DJYoshaBYD]

Doesnt DSMlink have the ability to read speed density as well?

 

[91eagle_tsi_awd]

^^Hahaha, hell no... they WISH they could be speed density.... or wait.... Maybe it's coming out in version three in 2025 when Mitsu releases the 8g eclipse.... hahahaha.

Actually V3 is closer then you think....

 

[RedWagon]

Well I have used DSMlink in my older GST I use to own and will admit that tuning was just easy. I only ask about this AEM EMS since I dont have a Eprom ECU for DSMlink and after I buy an ECU+DSMlink I just as well spend the same price that this local guy is selling his AEM EMS for $850 with AEM warranty. Im only trying to weigh th pros and cons. I also may have an Eprom+dsmlink lined up if the other seller backs out for 750. So DSMlink may be the route if its available.

 

[fostytou]

I believe that speed density will not be immediately functional in V3, but its being worked on very seriously. Tom and Dave are great developers, and it seems like V3 is all but up and ready to go short of working out getting the hardware together so they can sell it.

 

[RedWagon]

WOW....I made one hell of a bomb go off in this forum. Well I called my mechanic to ask about AEM and see how much he were to charge me if I had him tune my car instead of me since I don't have time due to I travel for my job and he said around 1500.

 

[DJYoshaBYD]

Really, buying an EMS just because the air measuring system is "garbage" doesnt really warrant spending another 300-400 dollars on a system that can use SD, and then you have to buy the components for that system.. Most people are doing just fine on the stock air measurement system, and still making alot of power..

When you reach the point that the MAF on DSM's becomes a problem in getting more power, then thats when you become a serious HP freak and upgrade your tuning system.. .. AEM is dope.. But anyone can get DSMlink, find an empty road out in the cuts, and tune his 350 daily driver, and have the satisfaction of knowing that you got the job done yourself, it works, its reliable, and you didnt break your wallet getting it..

 

[DJYoshaBYD]

Originally Posted by RedWagon View Post
WOW....I made one hell of a bomb go off in this forum. Well I called my mechanic to ask about AEM and see how much he were to charge me if I had him tune my car instead of me since I don't have time due to I travel for my job and he said around 1500.

F*** that.. even that is too much.. I usually see it about 300 for 3 runs..

 

[RedWagon]

The mechanic I talked to said about 135 per hour and that includes dyno time and tuning. Its not cheap by any means and Nebraska just sucks for anything and closest AWD dyno is in Kansas City Missouri which is a good 3+ hour drive from my city. I think I may just try it myself, worst case scenario I blow up my engine, which is still stock 7 bolt. If I come across a new DSMlink+Eprom setup for under 800 I may just go that route

 

[tonster]

The AEM basemaps are exactly what they are. Base maps as in a pre-made fuel map that is set for 450s and very rich with no correction for boost, just a calculated table within the AEM. Same goes for the ignition map. I would never just start my car and drive around on a base map, because you just cannot. There are some many variables that still need to be set and a adjusted before you can define it as a "safe tune".

 

[DJYoshaBYD]

I'm not sure what you are trying to prove with the open loop point to be honest.

All you are coming off as is an extremely arrogant "tuner". Congratulations, you can do the calculations that "playing with sliders" does for you, and then scale that to different load levels. It is not the rocket science you seem to be playing it off as.

Finally, you still have yet to prove how the stock MAS metering system is truly holding anyone back. If you want to talk about being held back, why don't you address how YOUR system is maxed at 3 bar absolute pressure?

Just kidding.. This is getting out of hand..

How about this? Someone post some info and maybe pics and whatnot in another thread, and we can debate this in that thread? Maybe we will make a dope, informative thread, with the pro's and con's of both SD and MAS?

 

[DJYoshaBYD]

I made it about DSM link.. .. But, hey.. Good thread.. haha

DSMLink, EMS, etc.. They are all good, depending on what you wanna do.. Agree to disagree?

 

[DJYoshaBYD]

AEM is a huge pain in the ass.. It took me a week (it was my first tuning system) to get my honda to idle steady without it being at 1300 rpm... There are so many features in EMS, that's its very easy for the novice tuner to get overwhelmed from everything, when all they want is ignition and A/F ration tuning.. .. Its great for the advanced tuner..

And DSMlink not a piggyback in the sense that you are making it.. When I think of piggyback, I think of greddy emanage.. it just slips in the wiring harness.. You splice it in just like a SAFC, and it lies to the computer.. DSMlink is actually possessing the computer (for lack of a better phrase)...

 

[JrCRXHF]

I just bought a new AEM EMS for my DSM

Just get it for that money it is not that hard to tune. It is the same as all "real" standalone there are good start up maps. Just make sure you have a new knock sensor with the the knock turned on in the ECU and you have a wide band then just make small changes at a time with low boost and you will be fine.

 

[baldur]

Ok. This was a thread about AEM EMS. While not the best system, it's probably the best plug-and-play system available for the DSM.

 

[1_2befast]

All I have to say is everyone here started with someone elses map in the very begining.

 

[haioku-rocket]

Man I started to read this whole mess and quite. For about 99% of us DSM'ers out there. The DSM Link is the better choice. Easier to tune, Works great on stock MAF's, and we don't have to pay for someone to tune our stuff. Lets be honest we all didn't go out and buy expensive Porche's or something. We are about cheap, and bang for the buck. Thats DSM Link to a T. Sure its not the Best, but it works.

As for AEM EMS. I have ran it on my old built Honda's back in the day. Great system, very expensive to have properly tuned. Tons and tons of features like boost dependant on gear/speed, 124 point nitrous timing and fuel maps, etc etc that I will never use, but hey it was cool.

;-)

 

[urbanrcr]

I heard v3 is coming out some time in august. Ive used both AEM EMS and Link and i actually prefer link for its ease of use and the price. If your not planing on making high horsepower where you'll need to fine tune every aspect i recommend DSMlink over AEM EMS.