Engine Management Options

[TurboTylerT]

Hey Guys I am in high need for a good easy"ish" to learn EMS to run in my 98 GST. Currently I am tuning with an AFC NEO and a MAFT. The problem is the MAFT because when the weather changes it changes. I cannot get my car to start and when playing with the dipshit switches inside it seems to want to try and start differently but still won't fire. I have a NGK AFX wideband. I really want to run SD and just do away with the MAFT completely. The problem has been directly traced to the MAFT and it's settings. I tried to zero it out and just tune with the AFC for now but this isn't working either. The car use to run pretty good here and there but has always had a terrible up and down or really low/or just crazy irratic idle. The idle problem has probably done ten different things on it's own since I have owned the car. Everything has been checked mechanical and sensor wise according to a Chiltons. I know I need a datalogging system in which all of the EMS that I have been lookin at have this of course. I have downloaded all the manufactures software to see what I would be getting into with that option. Here are the choices that I have found.

DSM Link: Cost almost as much as an AEM in the end that I could use on something other than a Mitsubishi someday but requires me to get a 95 $200 ecu to begin with. The V3 lite even wouldn't shed much of a cost diff. The support is better than any though. I would need the speed density setup which is fine and required if I wanna get rid of the MAF. I know that I can use the GM MAFT with the DSM Link but I don't like the box at all so I rather throw it away than second guess with it again. I am also not a fan of old slow processors but I know that link works wonders. est price $850.00

AEM v.2 for a 2g: Besides the cost and upside of a complete universal standalone the software wow'd me instantly with stuff and adjustments that are out of my world and would be for a very long time before being able to use it. "Tuning from scratch as I have heard." est price $1300.00 -$1500.00

Megasquirt: I had purchased one of these MS2 diy kits and a real good electronics guy put it together for me. I got a call one day saying that he wouldn't have time to make a harness for it so he just bough the MS2 from me and that left me back at square one with an EMS. I wish he would have told me that three months earlier before all of my excitement. He was expose to show me some basic tuning on the software because he had the MS systems in several RX7's DSM's etc. The problem isn't the MS2 or MS3 itself but rather than the harness to plug&play. I know that they offer a diy BOB harness kit but that is above my electrical know how so I won't temp it either. est price $700.00

Greddy Emanage Ultimate: My friend has one of these brand new that he never used and I can get it cheap. However I would need an A/F sensor harness which is cheap. I would also need the Greddy Pressure sensor $150.00 to get rid of the MAFT which I am not for sure would work on DSM Link I had to revert to that in the end. The program is easy to use compared to megasquirt or AEM for sure. The support is nada and the clarity of the switches on the backside are still a guess. In the manual it says that you can only use one option port at a time on the system,as in your wideband but the Greddy pressure sensor requires an option port to plug into also. I'm sure they can work together but getting questions like this asked are impossible it seems. Yes, I know the system is still a piggyback but I can use my current ecu and install it fairly easy. est price $700.00

Ecu Flashing since I have a black box ECU "98" I know this is how German cars are tuned after every modification and it does make perfect since to flash and the datalogging is wayyy faster as in a AEM v.2 maybe Infinity. The problem sure isn't the cheap route but rather than ,is there support if I get stuck? "No" and I don't understand exactly what is needed software and hardware wise. Tactrix/Ceddymods/Evoscan/ECUFlash it all seems like a mess to me but the ECU Flash software is understandable to me and my little tuning knowledge. est price $260.00

I am just asking what you guys would think in my situation because my 272 cams, the GM MAFT, big v-band turbo and 850 injectors sure aren't stable with my current devices letting alone wanting to start once every two weeks or whenever now after my rebuild last summer and sometime before too. I am stuck with a near worthless car right now that has guts but no glory. Please help on some advice, it is appreciated.

 

[rydereclipse]

I use EcuFLash

Learning curve is a little steeper than DSMLink, and it is NOT as user friendly..but does everything else for the most part. There is a ton of information out there..albeit not as much as link, but the Evo forums have run into just about every problem..so the information is out there.

All you need is a TacTrix cable w/a flash adaptor and ECUFlash. EvoScan is nice, but any logging equipment will suffice.

 

[pacn91]

Ive been curious about opinions to this as well. Im sort of in a similar situation (building). For much of the same results as you have found, I have been heavily considering dsm link. AEM would be my second choice.

In searching, arent 850s a little large for easy tuning with an AFC? At this point would you not need a flash to get you in the ball park, and then tune with the AFC? In the effort to tune the current AFC setup.... Would it be beneficial to drop in, injectors in the neighborhood of the recommended, 650cc injectors?

 

[Seamus]

Well since you already have a mega squirt and a black ecu I vote one of those.

Building a harness for the mega squirt is the easy part. Assbling the ecu is much more difficult. The harness is very easy. Just a little tome consuming to build a nice clean one. All you are doing is terminating to the sensors. Do your fuel pump and relay up and your good to go.

The black box is pretty self explanatory. The only problem with it is that just like dsmlink you are kind of limited by the stock ecu architecture. It's nice to have the extra inputs/outputs.

 

[jbeaton9292]

Dsmlink is by far the easiest its what i use in my car and i had aem it was very hard to use i couldnt get the car started. With link i just did basic setup from videos on their website car fired and drove pretty good. Also if you go link you do not need to keep the maft box you can simply buy yhe gm maf cable which is what i have and it comes with 2 extra spots to hook up gm iat and a gm map sensor, which tom from link says will make tunning sd easier if you run a maf at the same time as running sd it makes for a smoother setup.

I say go with link and a friend of mine is selling a socketed 2g ecu with stock eprom chip poped in for now and wants less than the 200$ you were expecting if you want pm me and i can get you more details/pics

 

[TurboTylerT]

I went ahead and got Link V.3 with speed density. I still haven't gotten my car fired up due to some mythical problem I have been having possibly to due with the lifters staying stuck open. I have been playing with link and it is right up my ally. Thanks for the input guys.