DSMlink... Local (reputable) tuner thinks DSMlink is crap....?

[SpoolinTalonAWD]

DSMlink is dope. Dont get me wrong. I run V2.5 still and it works great. Plus I L-O-V-E the palm pilot version, Hal Its super easy to make adjustments. Easy as an SAFC, but with launch control, timing control, ect,ect,ect. DSMlink is for 99% of us.
That being said. With a full standalone you can run any engine, with whatever ignition and whatever fuel you want. You could run everything from a rotary to a V12, boosted or not.

 

[jtmcinder]

Some of the comments in this thread are borderline retarded at best.

I know several people with more than the usual number of 21st chromosomes who would laugh at some of these posts. Be careful as to who you insult, OK?

 

[biglady112]

We run two vehicles with 4 EGT's and both run Ecmlink. We are able to get our cylinders within 20-30* of each other. And I am seriously considering tweaking it more this year to see how close we can get them.

With that said, We went 214mph in our Talon using ECMlink. While a MOTEC or similar type of system certainly is a superior device, our car fires up first kick every time, has excellent closed loop operation, runs pretty smooth and we can tinker with the computer ourselves makes our decision to stick with ECMlink a no brainer.

Oh, and we fully intend on going 240mph or more this year with the Talon. And if the stars align and we can land a streamliner we have been eyeing for a few years, we intend on showing the world a 300mph ECMlink powered 4G63 vehicle.

Sounds like the old man is blind and is afraid to experience something new. I have some experience with AEM. It is not too bad to use, but my patience grew thin quickly and I just never had the light bulb click saying this is what I need in my car.

 

[zac83]

At some point in the thread the acronym SAFC was used. I think most readers are taking that as Super Air Flow Controller (or whatever it stands for), the Apex-i device. The OP of the phrase SAFC in this thread meant Stand-Alone Fuel Computer. Just wanted to clear that up. I read someone say a DSM link wont tune as good as an SAFC thinking it was the Apex-i type at first, it took me a second to catch that slip.

 

[keltalon]

Because then they can say "Yeah but.... my car has a $$$$$$ standalone in it"

Some of the comments in this thread are borderline retarded at best.

Borderline retarded? More like full blown if you ask me

 

[soldave]

The OP should ask the tuner what would need to be in ECMLink to make it marginally acceptable to him as a tuning platform. Would be interesting to see what he comes up with - might shed some light on his way of thinking about its deficiencies.

It's like calling Koni Yellows garbage because they aren't Ohlins.

Well, fair enough

Borderline retarded? More like full blown if you ask me

NEVER go full retard.

 

[nitroazz]

Is the reputable shop in a place that sounds like a coloured deer?
If it is, he is very good with wrx and other setups but refuses to touch dsmlink. I have seen a few people go in there and drop $15k+ to get all the right parts to make their new setup work.

My 2 cents. Buy link and go to the awd dyno in Calgary. They know about link, will give you a hand if you need it for a tune and they only charge you for 90 minutes of dyno time, if I recall correctly.

 

[snooopy365]

I think the main problem is that the tuner would need to adapt to a other tuning interface.
It doesn't really matter if dsmlink is running on a 20year old Ecu, hell that thing is way more powerful than computers that where used to get ppl to the moon.
It is slower while interpreting data, so you can get a few ponys more with an AEM or Motec.

I don't own DSMlink, as simpel as a Evo8 Ecu have been a cheaper solution for me.
I once talked to a tuner using the evo8 ecu to tune a car, he was constantly repeating how bad it is.
But I asked him: WHY? He responded that it is difficult to operate.

So lets face it: He thought its "shit" because he wasn't used to work with that kind of software.

Also a Motec Ecu is able to run every kind of hardware, on any motor.
A ECMLink is just for running a 4GXX in a DSM/Galant/Colt/evo1-3.
That does make the building process complicated as you have to be sure that every part is just working like stock.

 

[lowell]

Vipec is ok, but we had one develop a hardware issue and had no end of problems trying to get it taken care of. At least if you have an issue with with V3 you can easily get another eprom ECU.

AEM also works well, when it works. I think I had serial #0013 at one time but now I only use the stock ECU on my cars. AEM v1 can't even start the car properly without the trigger disc upgrade.

 

[turboglenn]

I've been on both sides of the debate, but as a lot of people have brought up i was comparing itto a full stand alone system and hating anything that was OBD-II based PERIOD!!

TO be honest i still am not a huge fan of V1 and V2 but hell, I will STRONGLY back V3 any day even against' other stand alones. Sure there's less outputs to programand things of that nature but the OEM ecu handles a lot of what you use those outputs for anyway (ac request, fans on and off etcc.)

I would say he is blaming the ECMlink for his lack of ability to learn how to tune something he's not use to or just becuase he wants to make his "mark up" on selling you and installing a stand alone.. Imean honestly, being a haltech dealer, we make very little off the ECU's as we're only allowed to sell them in a certain prioce range that's mandated to us (well we can go high, but only so low) BUT where we make money is on the install when it's not a plug-n-play system, I mean i can wire one into a typical DSM fromscratch (removign the OEMharness) in one 8-10 hour day and that's doing it perfectly correct, soldering and heat shrinking everything and routing the wires neatly and all the little crap like hooking it up to function just like an OEM ECU, and off that install i can make anywere from 500-1000 bucks (IN ONE DAY)... a DSMlink install,lets face it you can only charge a couple hours tops at normalshop rate or the customer can do it themselves easily.

I even had a few other little complaints about their policies on things but came to understand why and not only that the owner (i think) Tom, made me an offer to correct the only little thing i had to gripe about.. even being a haltech dealer i can't get in touch with the owner of the comapany, I can call austrailia, puerto rico and even the new haltech USA and talk to some smart people but i have to get DSM/ECMlink some damn well deserved credit for coming ot market with a vehicle specific unit that works wonders (at least that's my thoughts of V3) as well as having customer service that blows most any other ECU out of the water

Best cure for that guy would be to put his shop car up against one of the badd ass ECMlink powred cars on the strip, street and dyno and see who's fastest, who's DRIVES THE BEST on the street and not just WOT, and see who makes a better curve (the curve isn't completely ECU related but it would show him it can do a lot morethan he wants to give credit for)

And as far as what's "crap" i'll tell you my thoughts on that AEM.. sorry just don't like it.. a relabeled GEMS system from europe that's been around for years and is made to purposely be confusing to the end user to give the shop more work hours doing things that the end user can't figure out because AEM labeled them oddly, used units of measure that make no sense (other ECU's do that too though) and being expensive as ehll and the only stand alone that needs an extra driver box to run certain injectors, my haltech only needs an extra box if i want to run over 16 injectors total, high or low Ohm it don't matter, but on an AEM it does and they're the only company where it does as faras i know and i've done motec, Link (not dsmlink), haltech, autronic, SDSEFI (not a fan), accell DFI, FAST and many other non stand alone units like Utec, hondata, chrome and more.. I would pick AEM last of all of them (as well as the newer version i won't name here)

i'd say pick a new tuner

I'm very very strong willed (a.k.a. stubborn) about my thoughts on things when i make my mind up and for DSM/ECMlink to be able to change my mind a complete 180* from my initial thoughts, well that says a LOT, and i'm not just being a kiss-ass, i would say that ECMlink is all that 95% of DSM'ers need, as well as being perfectly suitable to run other engines that the DSM ecu can be adapted to (like miata engines and such).. I would have to say that this tuner is just making excuses to hate on the system.. I can't even think of things to complain about if i wanted to, especially for the price range, flexibility and capabilities of the system.. I"ll admit, I am not a fan of the calibrating the system compared to other systemswhere you just tell it what to accept as far as TPS, idle motor steps and such (plus not having to match fuel trims and things, but those kinda come with the territory of being a system that takes over the oem ecu and makes it as flexible as ECMlink can make it.

 

[iwalton]

Is the reputable shop in a place that sounds like a coloured deer?
If it is, he is very good with wrx and other setups but refuses to touch dsmlink. I have seen a few people go in there and drop $15k+ to get all the right parts to make their new setup work.

My 2 cents. Buy link and go to the awd dyno in Calgary. They know about link, will give you a hand if you need it for a tune and they only charge you for 90 minutes of dyno time, if I recall correctly.

Good call, ref. The place rhymes with 'dead rear'. I'll look into that place in Calgary for sure. I haven't been there but i've heard some good stuff about 'em.
Thanks for the advice.

 

[Eclipsekustomizer]

ecmlink v3 is outstanding for less than 500 dollars it is well worth the money an aem stand alone is 2000, just saying it has gotten much better over the years