feldguy

iTrader: (4)

Under the circumstances, Ive become quite intrigued by the PLX R500 datalogger and wideband. The unit is quite remarkable with some of the features and being as it is a dedicated wideband and datalogger, I feel that it very well may be one of the best price/feature units on the market. All opinion of course.

The point is, the AEM EMS has the features Im looking for, the wide versatility, MAP conversion, plug and play and what I find to be very user friendly software. Congratulate me, as Ive purchased the unit with just the EMS, no UEGO.

With that hole left unfilled, I am also deciding on which wideband to buy. Most range in price from 300 to well beyond what I consider affordable. Then here is this R500, wireless unit that I can use and tune the car myself, for 500 or so dollars give or take.

I plan on desigining and implementing a "carputer". It will be a compact cased, highly potent computer placed in my trunk, linked via USB to a foldable keyboard and trackball style mini mouse which I am sketching a holder for as we speak. It will also be connected to whatever LCD or laptop monitor I choose, I haven't decided yet. As "fast and furious" style this sounds, I want to make it as easy to use as functional, and no setup like this is available, so I'll make it myself.

With this, I can eliminate all the typical analog gauges I will be requiring once my car comes off the road in about three weeks. EGT, Boost, A/F, Knock....everything can be logged and monitored on either the PLX or the AEM in any variation of selections I choose, cutting down on wiring and such. My question is, would it be just plain stupid to use anything more complex than a simple UEGO controller on the EMS, being as it has all these features built in? The PLX has more towards what Im looking for in terms of software design and overall design intent, filling some gaps in what I think the AEM has....so, any ideas, input or thoughts will greatly be appreciated.

The reason behing me using a standalone with my car is my ultimate goal of having a race gas only, very high horsepower machine which I dont want to refer to as barely street legal, but purpose built. Ive been putzing around long enough, its time to get going. A piggyback would be OK if it werent the fact that the prices or such have rocketed to heights very close to what the AEM unit can be had for, taking into account that a blowthrough MAF would be necessary to make a less restrictive intake path, adding to the cost quite a bit. Also, the mods Ive got in store, to my knowledge are also not very OBD-2 friendly, and being as my county and state has just recently adopted tail pipe sniffer emissions test, I'll be free of that hassle for at least another year or so.

If I am incorrect in assuming this, please speak up. No flames please, this is a reasonable conversation starter so if you dont like the idea, please remain silent. Thanks guys/gals, and hope everyone has had a nice weekend.

djmikeymike

iTrader: (1)

I had the R500 it is going to be a nice product but it needs a better display!!! also you need to set it up for your car..... Their techs are really good but they just need to do more R&D.

racegate

iTrader: (1)

Skip the R500 (perhaps get the lower model for just WB support), and go after this instead for gauge needs: http://www.gauge-tech.com/

feldguy

iTrader: (4)

Racegate, very good suggestion. I do have this to debate on, however-

For 375 USD, PLUS another 300 and change for a WB02 sensor, wouldn't it be prudent for me just to head for the R500?

The digital dash and the inevitability of me using a cube computer just simply lend themselves to the PLX.

I understand the gauge tech unit to be an awesome, extremely high quality unit, but the fact is I can run the AEM digital dash at no extra cost to myself at this point with a simple laptop to LCD, which I may also do if the cube computer becomes too complex.

Ive also checked out several bare LCD's and small monitors to placein the area where the dash meets the windshield, right in my general line of sight as I drive, dead in front of me or any other number of places. With the color display and bar graphs, I find it would be hard to read for the AEM, again leading me right to the electronic dial gauge style digi-dash of the PLX.


The EMS will be reserved strictly for adjustment purposes, the PLX will be used to feed the WB02 input to the EMS and the EGT monitoring (I dont plan to use the EGT fuel trim tables on the AEM unit) will be input to the PLX. I can make good use of both, I feel, and kill many, many birds...hell....a flock of seagulls with just two units and my mad scientist project.