DSMlink or SAFC??

[NeMiZiS]

OK well I finally own a DSM with a 4g63 in yay!
So far I have done maintenance and got everything in pretty good running condition.
Everything is bone stock except the 18g turbo.
I plan on getting a Walbro and some bigger injectors.
But I am NEWB at this tuning thing!
What size injectors should I start with?
And should I save up and get the dsmlink or should I be ok with a SAFC?
I have no idea at all how to tune, so what would be better for a beginner?
If some one can give me some basic advice on what I should get and what will be easiest for a newb like me.
I don't have any major goals for this car, but when it is all said and done I would like to break 13 sec quarter mile.
Please be nice as I am coming from owning a whole lot of 420A's, that I never had to tune.
I plan on getting the SAFC, when I get my Christmas bonus, but before I actually bought one I thought I'd ask first.
I'm not sure if I'll be able to afford the DSMlink.
Either way thanks for reading this and helping out a newb to tuning.

 

[Tyeler18]

For that 18g you'll want 800+ injectors to reach it's full potential (which will be far greater than a 13 second 1/4). Honestly the SAFC isn't worth it I'd say. New it's about $200 but you can only really control up to 660cc injectors which will max quickly on that 18g.

 

[92AWDHX40]

Safc long term no go, get link i never bought on glad i didnt.

 

[NeMiZiS]

Can't I use smaller injectors and just not plan on maxing out my turbo?
Maybe 650CC, so I could tune with a SAFC?
Or will they just max out regardless?

I'm just looking at my options, and money plays a big role.
Because I own a DSM, I don't have a lot.
edit: because I own 2 DSM's

 

[ramsack]

You already seem to want to just get the bare minimum SAFC setup before you came into this thread. I think it's a horrible way to go and you completely lose control of timing using an SAFC. The more signal you pull the more advanced the timing gets, because the ECU thinks there is less load on the car.

 

[NeMiZiS]

Well I'm only leaning towards the SAFC because of the price.
DSMlink is 500+ dollars, and from what I already know it is WAY better.
SO say I save up and get one like from here.
ECMLink (DSMLink v3) Engine Management System DSM
Are these complete kits?
Don't I have to have an eprom ECU also?
I will not buy the SAFC now, because obviously it is just a waste.

I'm just confused and afraid, I'll spend money on the DSMlink and not know how to use it.

 

[dsm-onster]

Link lite should be an option.

What year dsm is it?

 

[NeMiZiS]

OOPS sorry..
It is on a 1990 Talon Tsi AWD.
Like I said above it is all stock, except the 18g turbo.
I've just never used any form of tuning device, so I'm lacking confidence right now...

 

[jwahl16]

I believe link lite is $350 and has almost all of the same tuning capabilities as the full version

There is a comparison list on their website.

Either way, you should buy a wideband as well

 

[92AWDHX40]

Confidence there is tonnes of help on the forum for it, go to the site and look at the options, its easy to use, you cant really mess it up, if you do undo what you did, and start over. Im getting lite like they said its 375, getting mine cheaper, just waiting.

 

[NeMiZiS]

Ok, I've decided I'm going to go with DSMlink v3 lite.
I really appreciate y'all, for not letting me get a SAFC!
Thanks!

Now I've got a lot of reading to do!
I found these two pages here, if any one has another good one to read you can PM me.
start [ECMTuning - wiki]
ECMTuning, Inc.

 

[Tyeler18]

More than likely since you have a 90 it will have the Eprom so you SHOULD be good to go there. (not hard to check, takes like 20 minutes). Lite will be more than enough for what you want to do, but allow you to grow much farther later on if needed.

Other option- I'll trade you my 14b for your 18g

Edit: Also for an expansion on tuning (which I highly recommend) go to Evolutionm.com and check out the tuning section there (specifically the thread "how to tune an evo"). There's a vast amount of basic tuning knowledge over there (not that there isn't here) that will help out greatly.