Ecu+ ?

[dsmayhem]

http://www.ecuplus.com/

I was curious if anyone here was using ECU+ yet. I realize its pretty new, but if anyone is using it I wanted to know why they chose this over DSMlink etc and have they had good experiences with it.

Yes there are threads with info on the product but I was curious to get opinions of people using it.

 

[dsmayhem]

Nobody is using it yet?

 

[mitch83]

Didnt even know that that existed but it looks pretty cool but I dont really like the way you have to go about tunning its like your tunning with a g-tech almost if I was gonna dish out 500 for a lower grade dsmlink I would just go ahead and save another 100 and get dsmlink just my $0.02.
mitch

 

[dsmayhem]

Yeah I will eventually probably end up going with dsmlink as I already have a EPROM, but it does look kind of cool.

 

[tigerstalon]

Originally posted by mitch83
Didnt even know that that existed but it looks pretty cool but I dont really like the way you have to go about tunning its like your tunning with a g-tech almost if I was gonna dish out 500 for a lower grade dsmlink I would just go ahead and save another 100 and get dsmlink just my $0.02.
mitch

I've been looking into ECU+ a lot recently. From what I can tell, it basically combines the functionality of a logger with a fuel controller, with the added bonus of being able to adjust timing, too.

For 1G's, maybe it's not such a big deal. Pocketlogger for 1G's can log a few more values and do so faster (50/sec vs. 25/sec). Plus, 1G's may want to get the GM MAF/MAFT so that they can upgrade to a better MAS and get an air/fuel controller at the same time.

However, for 2G's, this may be the best solution for those of us in need of basic to moderate tuning--i.e. not willing to go all the way up to DSMLink. The OBD-II logger (pocketlogger for 2G's) logs less items and does so slower than ECU+. Then we need to buy an air/fuel controller (SAFC-II, etc.). Those two items will run about $500, both new. If you get the ECU+ now, you get it for less than $450, and you can log more items, log faster, and change not only air/fuel but timing as well.

I would really like to know what everyone else thinks about this, though.

 

[tlcoll1]

Originally posted by mitch83
Didnt even know that that existed but it looks pretty cool but I dont really like the way you have to go about tunning its like your tunning with a g-tech almost if I was gonna dish out 500 for a lower grade dsmlink I would just go ahead and save another 100 and get dsmlink just my $0.02.
mitch

I think tuning the ECU+ is pretty simple. Make some runs, log them, then compare them back to back to see if the car has more or less HP in a given band. I don't see how you can do this any other way - this is basically how it's done on a dyno. How would you make this simpler?

*** admin edit - pricing comparisons removed ***

Tom

 

[Squackdiddy]

if i was going to get a 2g i would definitly get a dsmlink. my two cents.

 

[dsmayhem]

So if I am to understand right you DO NOT need a EPROM ECU for ECU+ correct? This would definately make it a an awesome tool for those that are not blessed with an EPROM.

PS - I really love the fact you can use it on a palm and or a laptop. Definately a big plus.

 

[tlcoll1]

Originally posted by dsmayhem
So if I am to understand right you DO NOT need a EPROM ECU for ECU+ correct? This would definately make it a an awesome tool for those that are not blessed with an EPROM.

Correct. No EPROM'd ECU is required.

Tom

 

[slowAWDTSi]

I dont want to sound like a buzzkill or anything if you are gonna spend that much just go ahead and save some more and get the AEM EMS. AWESOME machine, all the tuning you will ever need.
Dru

 

[mazdamx6pwr.com]

The guy who made it said he was working on a Knock monitor function also.

 

[Mo-Bo0st]

Originally posted by slowAWDTSi
I dont want to sound like a buzzkill or anything if you are gonna spend that much just go ahead and save some more and get the AEM EMS. AWESOME machine, all the tuning you will ever need.
Dru

I have heard people say that you can do more with the DSMlink than you can with an AEM EMS...Just throwing things out there since it doesnt really matter to me since I cant use DSMlink anyway.

But what is the advantage of one over the other?

 

[HighPSI TSi Guy]

Originally posted by slowAWDTSi
I dont want to sound like a buzzkill or anything if you are gonna spend that much just go ahead and save some more and get the AEM EMS. AWESOME machine, all the tuning you will ever need.
Dru

do you have any clue what you're talking about?

the EMS is WAAAAAAY more than 99.999999% of DSMers need. and as far as spending money... they are in WAAAAAAAY different price ranges buddy.

ECU+ gets a from me, looks like a great product

 

[HighPSI TSi Guy]

Originally posted by Mo-Bo0st
I have heard people say that you can do more with the DSMlink than you can with an AEM EMS...Just throwing things out there since it doesnt really matter to me since I cant use DSMlink anyway.

But what is the advantage of one over the other?

DSMlink is very simple but effective. it can't do more than the EMS, not even CLOSE, but it can do enough to satisfy the needs of almost every DSMer out there looking to go fast.

 

[Velo7825]

I'm getting one of these in the next couple of weeks. Oh and the dsmlink is about $875 if you don't have the ecu and you don't want to socket it your self. Ill use the extra 400 to get injectors and a fuel pump.

Also you can plug in a 5v wideband O2 right into the ecu+ and if you get a standard sensor ecu+ will give you your afr.

The best part that i like about it is the dyno simulater. you just put the car in 2nd and bring it to redline then backoff and it will give you a dyno plot that you can use to tune with.

 

[tlcoll1]

Also you can plug in a 5v wideband O2 right into the ecu+ and if you get a standard sensor ecu+ will give you your afr.

Dan from Mach V and I were testing this a few days ago with the PLX wideband that he sells. It's really cool to watch the datalogged values. On his EVO, you could watch the AFR go way rich at high RPMs, which is exactly what we saw on the dyno the other day. The other thing that was cool was at idle - I was watching the AFR, and the car zoomed right in on 14.7, just like it's supposed to. And BTW, another nifty feature of the PLX is that it has a regular 5 volt (wideband) output that the ECU+ can use, as well as a 1 volt (narrowband) output that can be used with the stock ECU - the point being that you can plug in the PLX sensor directly in place of your stock front O2 sensor, and get both wideband and narrowband values from it.

This evening I finished adding support to the ECU+ software for the PLX, FJO and LM-1 wideband sensor kits. This'll be in this week's software release.

Tom

 

[tmizer]

Cool. When is the next shipment coming in? I placed an order for one last week. Thanks for the info on the PLX. It pushed me over the edge and I finally ordered one today.

Question: Will the software have an input for say, MAF-type or better yet, inlet area size, so that Ecu+ can display actual airflow? This would be a great feature. The same feature might also be applied to a 5V O2 input line so that actual AF ratio could be displayed. Especially useful when a Palm Pilot is used to display just a couple large sensor values while driving.
Thanks,
Tom

 

[tlcoll1]

Cool. When is the next shipment coming in? I placed an order for one last week. Thanks for the info on the PLX. It pushed me over the edge and I finally ordered one today.

Question: Will the software have an input for say, MAF-type or better yet, inlet area size, so that Ecu+ can display actual airflow? This would be a great feature. The same feature might also be applied to a 5V O2 input line so that actual AF ratio could be displayed. Especially useful when a Palm Pilot is used to display just a couple large sensor values while driving.

The next shipment is the infamous "any day now!"

I don't currently have plans to display "actual airflow." Other than a cool display, do you really care about this? The ECU+ already displays the frequency from the MAS, which is proportional to airflow. And quite frankly, most people talk about airflow in terms of "Hz", which is what I show.

On the AFR display - this is built in. You simply pick the wideband type (once) from a menu, and from then on both the Palm and Windows software display the air/fuel ratio as something like "12.3:1" right on your screen. No muss, no fuss. BTW, this is in the very next software release, so that feature doesn't appear on the screen shots on the web site.

Tom

 

[DSMKevan]

Im waiting on a 2.4L and a 60trim, would I absolutley NEED the GM MAF and MAFT, or could I go with the stocker?

I heard you can tune with the MAFT, but not very accurately, so could I use a ECU + with a GM MAFT (for better airflow)? Or should I just get the pocketlogger, then just tune with the MAFT? Im looking for hp in the 500 region, so Im guessing the ecu+ would be the best way.

 

[tlcoll1]

Im waiting on a 2.4L and a 60trim, would I absolutley NEED the GM MAF and MAFT, or could I go with the stocker?

I heard you can tune with the MAFT, but not very accurately, so could I use a ECU + with a GM MAFT (for better airflow)? Or should I just get the pocketlogger, then just tune with the MAFT? Im looking for hp in the 500 region, so Im guessing the ecu+ would be the best way.

The ECU+ will give you much better ability to tune than the MAFT settings, but of course the MAFT will get you better airflow. Personally, I'd go with the stock MAS and see how it goes, and if you need the higher-flowing MAFT, get it later. I haven't tested the ECU+ with the MAFT, but I'd be really surprised if it didn't work, since the MAFT needs to simulate what the stock ECU sees.

Tom

 

[Dyncaus]

I think if ECU+ could somehow incorporate the ability to turn off CEL checks, i.e. Random Misfire, like DMSLink does, then it would be the perfect alternative for 2g guys who have done a 6-bolt swap and got the random misfire problem. I know I would gladly buy it if could fix my RM problems for much less than a DSMLink with an Eprom.

 

[Velo7825]

yes checking and turning off CEL would be very nice to add to this, I wonder if it can be incorporated later or if thats something completely different.

One big advantage the ecu+ has that i see is how many points you can tune with, ecu+ has 32 and the afc has only (16)? I think its the same for the timing also.

 

[JiveMasterT]

im seriously considering getting the ECU+ because it looks like it is very functional in the stage it is in currently, and the guy who makes it seems to be developing it further. i have a laptop and a palm pilot, so i can use the palm to do basic every day logging and bring my laptop the track (highway) so i can do more extensive tuning.

does anyone know if you can save and load settings with ECU+? also, is there a forum for it? i know lots of evo people are going to use it because it is compatible with the evo as well.

 

[tlcoll1]

I think if ECU+ could somehow incorporate the ability to turn off CEL checks, i.e. Random Misfire, like DMSLink does, then it would be the perfect alternative for 2g guys who have done a 6-bolt swap and got the random misfire problem. I know I would gladly buy it if could fix my RM problems for much less than a DSMLink with an Eprom.

Unfortunately, the ECU+ can't turn off the CEL checks, since it runs externally to the stock ECU - it doesn't have access to the stock ECU internals. The ECU+ is set up to eliminate the CEL for the missing rear O2 sensor (2G's), however, since it generates a simulated read O2 to replace that signal.

About the random misfire error codes. What's the reason for them?

Tom

 

[tlcoll1]

does anyone know if you can save and load settings with ECU+? also, is there a forum for it? i know lots of evo people are going to use it because it is compatible with the evo as well.

Right now I haven't set up a specific forum for the ECU+ - I just haven't had time. It's in the plans, though, and I specifically selected an ISP for the ECU+ web site so that I could do this without too much trouble.

Loading and saving fuel and timing maps to disk files (on the laptop software only at the moment - I'll add it to the Palm software if there's enough demand) was added in the most recent software release. The web site needs to be updated to reflect this and the other new features I just completed.

Tom