best and cheapet aftermarket computer

[mad zook]

Have fitted a 1.3L gti motor in my zook but need a ecu to run it what are my best options for it
thanks

[BlueSuzy]

The standard one? It would be the cheapest by far! Wont need extra tuning etc either!! More moola$$$$

[jimbo jones]

I think he want a after market one as in the heading

[BlueSuzy]

If its a stock motor, Just go stock comp. I did with the baleno mtr. Simple. Sort wires, Plug in and go.

[jimbo jones]

If its a stock motor, Just go stock comp. I did with the baleno mtr. Simple. Sort wires, Plug in and go.

yeah but you get a better tune out of a after market one + you get rid of the AFM

jimbo

[gumtree]

i got a link, it sucks, no better than stock and cost $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ to tune.

next time id go stock 100%.

[mnemonix]

Microtech. Around $2000 for an lt10s installed and tuned.
Adaptronic. Around $1400 for an E420c installed and tuned.

These are the only 2 low price aftermarket ecu's with a level of reliability I'd trust. Good doesn't come cheap. And cheap rarely brings good.

A couple of things to consider though:
- You dont need an aftermarket ecu unless you're planning major engine mods or forced induction.
- 99% of engineers won't pass an aftermarket ECU as I'm yet to see one that complies with emissions regulations.
- The tune is everything. I once got asked about Motec ECU's (fairly top of the market) "Will a Motec help me forget I drive a modified car?", and the answer was NO, an aftermarket ECU will almost never achieve the same level of fuel economy, cold start, smooth running, power under the curve etc as a factory ECU. However they are ideal if you plan to modify your engine and wish to optimise some of the above points. The more time/money you spend on the tune, the better off you will be. Personally I budget 25-50% of funds towards the tuning.

[joeblow]

of all the zooks i've delt with which had aftermarket ecu's, they were all shit. manufacturers do it right usually, and if you want your stock engine tuned right stick with stock.

[mud4b]

Adaptronic. Around $1400 for an E420c installed and tuned.

this is what im using in my jimny, they are about the only suzuki friendly ecu ive come across plus they have everything. www.adaptronic.com.au i think is the website.

the even cooler thing for you is they have several maps downloadable from the net to suit the gti.

cheers mark

[GRPABT1]

With parts like these there is a rule:-

CHEAP

RELIABLE

PERFORMANCE

Now you only get to pick two.

[lay80n]

Consider the countless hours a factory manufacturer puts into the tune of their motors. Unless you are prepared to match their skill and time, stick with the standard ECU (if the motor is fairly standard anyway). If you going forced induction, or other major modification, then go for a good aftermarket system.

Layto....

[crackatinny]

i run a microtech lt10s cost $1100 , to install myself

good:
simple
cheaper to tune
very east install
small (fits in glovebox)
works
can do seq fire, when i get around to setting it up.

bad:
limited aux outputs / inputs
500rpm points, 5 "hg load points (16x16 maps)
cold start not so good (i need to play with it some more)
pretty bad fuel economy, mabye not a fault of the ecu but it got worse with it


i like it, but it does feel a bit limiting sometimes.

just think long and hard about what you want to achive from the motor (eg, turbo, seq fire, extra injectors...)and get the ecu configured right the first time.

and TALK TO LOCALS with modified cars, see where they get them tuned, and what they get tuned. it only costs me $150 for a tune cos the place i take it know the system so danm well.

oh yeah, i make 78 rwhp on the standard motor, with 31's

[PJ.zook]

A lot of people use Megasquirt, which is an inexpensive aftermarket ecu system. Ive heard a lot of good, as well as some bad, you would have to make up youre own mind. I did a LOT of research on Megasquirts as i was about to use one to turbo my G13A, but then went down the route of G16B'ing the zook, so Megasquirt no longer needed.

[oozuk]

i picked up a halteck E6K second hand for $600 and it's a ripper, does heaps of stuff

[Liam]

So do you want best or cheapest ?
Best would have to be motec, hands down, no arguement. Budget on up to $8000 with the works.
From there, work your way right down to some cobbled together ac delco shit from a wrecker/paddock. It all depends on what comprimises your prepared to make and what the motor needs to run.
Stock is just fine for a standard induction motor with a stock cam- works well, behaves itself, cheap, no fiddling involved.

I've never seen a megasquirt that was trouble free. they all seem to need continous fiddling, adjustment and tuning.

[GRPABT1]

Hey hey hey don't knock the old delco's! lol, the delco is actually one of the best stock computers ever and a commodore delco with Kalmaker software can be used to tune just about anything.

[Liam]

Hey hey hey don't knock the old delco's! lol, the delco is actually one of the best stock computers ever and a commodore delco with Kalmaker software can be used to tune just about anything.

Yeah, if you want to spend your weekends fiddling with wires....I buy a computer to make all those adjustments and never bother me. Kind of like why guys hire prostitutes- your not paying them for their time- your paying them to go away afterwoods.

[taps]

Hey hey hey don't knock the old delco's! lol, the delco is actually one of the best stock computers ever and a commodore delco with Kalmaker software can be used to tune just about anything.

Kind of like why guys hire prostitutes- your not paying them for their time- your paying them to go away afterwoods.

[Adsport]

im using adaptronic in one of my other cars and i cant praise it enough ! it would have to be the best bang for buck by far. ive got it controlling supercharger by vacum and operating thermofans like they were setup standard and everything else works as factory its brilliant. the support from the forums is also very fast and concise. i installed it myself having never done an ecu install before and managed to wire it and get a good road tune into it.

[MightyMouse]

So there you have it Mad Zook - everyone has different opinions and experience with aftermarket ECU's.

Some things to think about before you buy.

1/ What tuning knowledge do you have or are you relying on others ?

2/ What tuning equipment do you have available? If you don't know what's happening then its hard to fix....

3/ What do you really want as an outcome ? If your pushing the limits then a more expensive system is required.

4/ How versatile is the unit ? More expensive offer great flexibility for inputs and outputs - almost anything you can think of can be controlled. and configured in software. You might not want full control of an electric waterpump ( example ) today but tomorrow ?

5/ How good is the supporting software ? If your datalogging for performance applications or tuning then the analysis tools offered as part of the expensive systems are very impressive - but if you don't need them them......

6/ How many users are there ( especially for your make/model ) that you can talk to about any issues. Some manufacturers loose interest very quickly if you have issues with their cheap product. The more expensive systems manufacturers expect unusual applications and offer more detailed support. That's one of the reasons its more expensive in the first place

7/ And this might not apply to simple vehicle installs but what other vehicle systems do you need to link in with ? If its a car with electronic dashboard, etc etc etc then that means a more powerful ecu to link in with the vehicle networks.

Lots of work goes into tuning a standard factory ECU, if you want "dead simple" and a reasonable compromise between all the conflicting tuning choices then its hard to beat factory. For every success story with aftermarket there are also failures.

Just my opinions.....

[Gwagensteve]

This is yet another outers thread that is suffering because the original question wasn't detailed enough.


Mad Zook, It sounds like you have bought an engine and didn't get a computer with it. Do you have an engine loom? Do you have all the manifolds, sensors etc? How much money do you want to spend?

Really, the best computer to run your stock motor is the stock computer. 100%, hands down.

99% of aftermarket computers are tuned for power, because that's what the owners want, a big kw number. "Small" things like cold start, transient throttle response, fuel economy, closed loop operation on cruise, no load fuel cut etc are all things that will take lots of tuning time to get right. It can be done, but it just takes lots of $$$ on a dyno.

The tuning is as good as it could ever be with the stock computer.

I reckon you could buy a complete swift GTi and strip the loom and ECU out of it for less than the cost of a mid range ECU fitted and tuned, and all the time you weren't trying to do more with the motor than stock, you'd never get a better result than with the stock ECU.

If you want boost, want to run a 1600 bottom end with bigger cams, run bigger injectors etcetc, then by all means go aftermarket.

Steve.

[mad zook]

wow what a response thanks for all the info my motor has a wirring loom but no computer and I might supercharge or turbo it later as more funds come avaliable but for now It will be stock I just need a computer that I will be able to use when I start to mod the gti motor later the motor is in just need to get it going

mad zook

[mad zook]

also what type of super charger would suit the gti engine my mate has a turbo of a diesel jacaroo he said I can have but not shoure if its siuted to my motor

[Gwagensteve]

Just get it going with the stock computer, gear it right and see how much more HP you need. a correctly geared 1.3 GTi motor should have more than enough power. A sierra with 100hp has far more power than the chassis can use.

Turboing or supercharging a GTI is going to be a very expensive exercise with lots of modifications to pretty much everything. In all honesty, it's going to cost more than $3K to get sorted. The GTI is a high compression motor and if you want some durability off road you're going to need very very good tuning and heat control, and might still need to take some compression out. at the end off all that, you're going to have a car that's dangerous on road and you can't use the power offroad anyway. I have plenty of power offroad even with my 660.

If you do lots of sand you could use the HP, but then tuning will be critical as the engine is under high load almost all the time in sand. Even a small tuning problem could result in engine damage.

The turbo or supercharger is the cheap bit the money is an all the extra parts and tuning. No, a diesel jackeroo turbo is unlikely to suitable.

Steve.

[GRPABT1]

A toyota SC12 supercharger would be ideal and has been done before but unless you are confident to set it up or have the coin to pay someone then a turbo kit would be easier. join www.redlingti.com and have a look around there as there is plenty of boosted GTi's.

As steve said get some gears and tyres first and worry about power later. My GTi engine with unifilter, extractors and 2 inch zorst have plenty of power even for the dodgey standard gearing I have atm. Installing 6.5's in a few weeks and I expect it to be remarkably better.

[Santos]

The turbo or supercharger is the cheap bit the money is an all the extra parts and tuning. No, a diesel jackeroo turbo is unlikely to suitable.

Steve.

Now i don't which jackaroo's engines are turboed but if the diesel is less than say 2.5 then it would be a good turbo, diesel turbos are designed to spool up a lot earlier in the rev range. Autospeed had article about it i will see if i can find it

[zook4fun]

any diesel turbo would be great, my last sierra was turbo'd with a turbo off a 2.8 diesel. it had very little lag and didn't come on boost hard. tyhe system was run by a microtech and the injection was a old xf single point.

made enought power to sit on 100 - 110 no worrys with 33's and no gearing or diff swaps

[MightyMouse]

any diesel turbo would be great,

I'd say that's just a bit too broad - there are lots of diesel turbo's that wouldn't be usable. To go to all the effort of fitting a turbo without knowing its going to work properly would be heartbreaking.....

[zook4fun]

with in reason, your not going to put a truck turbo on a sierra. anything up to about 3.5 ltrs would work.

[crackatinny]

here is a turbo off a diesel that wont work




dont be put off throwing at turbo at it, it can be done quite cheaply if you play your cards right. i have got most of the bits i need (turbo, manifold, oil lines) so far only costing $70. as for the engine... i plan to run low boost till it has a cry, then rebuild it with jimmy pistons.
these engines have been proven to handle about 7 psig without any mods. and that would see about a 35% increase in power. just dont get greedy.