After getting different answers from different people I thought i'd get the forum consensus.

How street able is the AEM EMS?

I've heard that its constantly needing tweaking and re tuning.
Not worth using except on race cars.

 

I have been running it for 4-5 years now (Street and Strip). It is very street-able but the tune will make or break that possibility. I have only seen a few vendors on here that seem to really know what they are doing, these vendors make power and good drivability. But still regardless of who is tuning the best thing you can do is learn it yourself because it takes time to have things 100% if you want to accomplish this. I don't recommend anyone purchasing one otherwise.

 

I've tuned cars that I didn't hear from for months. And the only reason I heard from them is a retune for race gas, to touch base with me or they were having an issue unrelated to the AEM EMS

 

I love the AEM and wouldn't change. Mine is very streetable. With that said, I wouldn't get one unless I knew what I was doing with it (I do my own tuning) or if I could find a tuner who REALLY knew the AEM (not just knew how to tune but was really familiar with the AEM). Like alpha said, if it's tuned right the first time then it is just as streetable as the stock ECU. Just my .02

 

everything to me is the same except the start up

 

yeah startup kind of sucks and I noticed that my RPM's drop 200 rpm's when I get a load i.e.- lights, power steering, A/C and then the twin plate clutch chatters like crazy!

 

Yep! I've had both John Reed (when he was at RRev) and Lucas English of English Racing tune mine. It made 599whp on C16 on the stock internals with a 35R at just 30psi a couple years ago, and is now running E85 at 29psi daily on a 58mm. If you have access to a truly talented AEM tuner like either of the above mentioned gentlemen it's well worth it!

Tom

 

It is very able on the street, but like Tom is saying it all comes down to who tunes for you

 

It all depends on how the tuner sets it up, it could be great or it could suck.

 

Drive stock.. I would agree with that. Depend on the tuner. Cold weather starts and small race battery do suck thou.

 

I my case an ems tune runs better then stock, better mpg and all ... in the hands of a good tuner, you should wind up with a daily driver that runs like a raped date..

 

sawn ivey tuned my ems , not one single complaint about the drivability... I drive this car 100miles round trip everyday.... its ALL about who tunes the beast...

 

My MPG suffered because the EGR doesn't work with the EMS. It may be a IX thing.

 

Not always. I dont know his name on here but Roberto calculated his old EVO IX was getting 36mpg mostly highway and some city with twin pumps, RC Engineering 1200cc injectors, no egr and Cosworth head. We spent and had more time than usual on/with that car though

 

EGR can indeed work with an EMS, at least on an Evo 8. Just activating that netted me a 10-15% reduction in fuel used at cruise RPM. Unless something is drastically different with an Evo9, I would imagine you could get it activated also.