Ecu flash vs AEM
Don't get me wrong im not saying the stock ECU is bad or sucks etc. I use it on a daily basis around here 
Its awesome how far it has come and how much we can now do with it thanks to the computer gurus out there! If it wasn't for those guys hard work everyone would have to buy a 2K$ unit to tune there car when 9 out of 10 times its not needed for most setups. Heck 9 out of 10 evo's i tune are on the stock ECU. Not everyone is going for a 700WHP street machine with cams as big are ours heads and 2200cc injectors etc. But i do feel at that level a stand alone is better all around if you know what your doing with it.
Its awesome how far it has come and how much we can now do with it thanks to the computer gurus out there! If it wasn't for those guys hard work everyone would have to buy a 2K$ unit to tune there car when 9 out of 10 times its not needed for most setups. Heck 9 out of 10 evo's i tune are on the stock ECU. Not everyone is going for a 700WHP street machine with cams as big are ours heads and 2200cc injectors etc. But i do feel at that level a stand alone is better all around if you know what your doing with it.
I won't say I don't agree but....
The stock ECU has come a long way. The problem, the way I see it, is this. The stock ECU works really well. Everyone here knows I use to only recommend stand alone engine management for any type of 400+ whp build. Those days are no longer the case, I use the stock ECU 10 times more often now than any other.
What we have now though is a lot of things in the ROMs that have been added or discovered, the stock ECU is more like a stand alone everyday. The problem is there is no "help" menu to tell you what each of these added or discovered items do. All the aftermarket computers have something to lead you down the right road. Some of the items in the stock ECU nobody knows what they do and are basically labeled that way. I'm not bad mouthing it, the stock ECU is good up to a point. I no longer fall for the "perfect stock drivability" crap on these big HP builds on the stock ECU. I've seen the experts do them and then I've seen the issues after they are done. I'm not buying that stuff ever again.
So, I think because all after market ECU's have an actual help menu and everything in them is labeled and functions correctly, they run better, are easier to use and are easier to learn. There is no manual for the stock ECU. There are HOURS of research here on EVOm, learning how to patch ROM's for the next round of things you want, learning how to update XML's etc. It is very tiring and hard for someone who is not real computer savy, which is a lot of people.
My huge and sincere thanks does go out to all the guys who are involved in the stock ECU development though, they have brought it a very long way and it is a great tool because of all of them and their hard work.
As an additional side note. I've run quite a few ECU's now and I am going to say that I feel the Haltech is by far superior to anything else I've tried. My car makes over 700 whp and I can say that the start up, idle, drivability etc. are as good as any car I've ever seen. It is quite incredible actually. Granted, I have a lot of time in it but I've put MORE time into other ECU's, including the stock one through many different cars, and it still runs better than all the rest. There is just no comparison.
The stock ECU has come a long way. The problem, the way I see it, is this. The stock ECU works really well. Everyone here knows I use to only recommend stand alone engine management for any type of 400+ whp build. Those days are no longer the case, I use the stock ECU 10 times more often now than any other.
What we have now though is a lot of things in the ROMs that have been added or discovered, the stock ECU is more like a stand alone everyday. The problem is there is no "help" menu to tell you what each of these added or discovered items do. All the aftermarket computers have something to lead you down the right road. Some of the items in the stock ECU nobody knows what they do and are basically labeled that way. I'm not bad mouthing it, the stock ECU is good up to a point. I no longer fall for the "perfect stock drivability" crap on these big HP builds on the stock ECU. I've seen the experts do them and then I've seen the issues after they are done. I'm not buying that stuff ever again.
So, I think because all after market ECU's have an actual help menu and everything in them is labeled and functions correctly, they run better, are easier to use and are easier to learn. There is no manual for the stock ECU. There are HOURS of research here on EVOm, learning how to patch ROM's for the next round of things you want, learning how to update XML's etc. It is very tiring and hard for someone who is not real computer savy, which is a lot of people.
My huge and sincere thanks does go out to all the guys who are involved in the stock ECU development though, they have brought it a very long way and it is a great tool because of all of them and their hard work.
As an additional side note. I've run quite a few ECU's now and I am going to say that I feel the Haltech is by far superior to anything else I've tried. My car makes over 700 whp and I can say that the start up, idle, drivability etc. are as good as any car I've ever seen. It is quite incredible actually. Granted, I have a lot of time in it but I've put MORE time into other ECU's, including the stock one through many different cars, and it still runs better than all the rest. There is just no comparison.
Which Haltech do you use? I think I've found a couple when I last looked.
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Joined: Sep 2010
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From: TX
reflash i say is good for mild mods, especially bolt ons... not much feature to be used and if minimal tuning is necessary..
standalone for a more serious tuning needs, but tuning (especially from scratch) is very extensive, time consuming, more dyno time needed and will be a pure disappointment in the hands of inadequate tuner. otherwise, it will accomplish pretty much most of your high end goals
standalone for a more serious tuning needs, but tuning (especially from scratch) is very extensive, time consuming, more dyno time needed and will be a pure disappointment in the hands of inadequate tuner. otherwise, it will accomplish pretty much most of your high end goals
Having tuned numerous haltechs myself I can agree with David. The menus and layout are very user friendly, connection is a breeze, very organized interface that is easy to setup to your liking which in turn allows you to get more tuning done in a shorter period of time..I still have an old E6k on my rx7 lol...AEM works very well too. The problem with some of the standalones is the knock control (or lack therof)..Other then that you may find it even easier to tune then ecuflash in some respects.
Last edited by PeteyTurbo@KHC; Sep 22, 2010 at 09:25 PM.
The Haltech ive also heard works extremely well. I think the sport 1000 is sufficient for an evo 8, the sport 2000 is needed for the 9. As far as AEM v2 I think there are some bugs to still be worked out according to some things ive read and a couple aem techs Ive spoke to.
Yeah, I've been reading up quite a bit on the various stand-alones, and I've decided I'm going with a (uh oh, not good choice per current forum branch lol) Haltech P Sport 2000.
My car currently is only a bolt-on and tune on SD, but eventually it will be a built 2.4 (most likely destroked to 2.3 for better r/r) and either an FPBlack or TS 3586. I figure get as much out of the way now, in the way of motor externals like IM, injectors, cams, computer, COP, etc... before the actual build begins.
My car currently is only a bolt-on and tune on SD, but eventually it will be a built 2.4 (most likely destroked to 2.3 for better r/r) and either an FPBlack or TS 3586. I figure get as much out of the way now, in the way of motor externals like IM, injectors, cams, computer, COP, etc... before the actual build begins.
AEM or Haltech for highly modified cars is better in every single case I have personally seen, period. If you are talking about a mildly modified car 400'ish who on our dyno the stock ECU works very well. Yes, I am aware of the power that has been made on stock ecru etc., I'm also aware of the downsides in drivability and am no longer drinking the Internet koolaid about how great they run and drive at those high horsepower levels, as I've not seen it.
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Joined: Mar 2010
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From: Behind a laptop in FLA
I have been running an AEM EMS in my galant for some time now. I was making about 700whp on Q and 680 on E. I found that once you leanred your way around the AEM it was very easy to work with. No I have an EVO and I am using the stock ecu. So far it has ben a little bit of a pain to get your head around everything. Lots of XML editing and trying to figure out what X means. But so far it is pretty good. I was able to get my car to fire right away with 2150cc injectors on pump gas.
The one thing that I wish the stock ECU stuff has was a single app to do everything. I am tired of downloading this thing and that thing all to tune my car. But for free, hell I cannot complain. And you get what you pay for.
The one thing that I wish the stock ECU stuff has was a single app to do everything. I am tired of downloading this thing and that thing all to tune my car. But for free, hell I cannot complain. And you get what you pay for.
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midwestX
Evo X Engine Management / Tuning Forums
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Nov 22, 2009 07:27 PM
