ACD Tuning Options - USDM CT9As, Read!
Feb 16, 2010, 08:16 PM
#1
ACD Tuning Options - USDM CT9As, Read!
:::::::READ CAREFULLY:::::::
Now that there's been decent exposure about the benefits of modifying the rear differential (especially considering its not assembled properly from the factory), I'd like to turn some attention BACK to ACD Tuning - I'd like to reiterate a few points -
FIRST, Review this thread: https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/ev...everybody.html - ESPECIALLY the section C. How the ACD works
Motivation:
- Owners with evos overseas that come WITH AYC choose to disable the function in favor of a competent mechanical set up - think TRE or Cusco
- This is particularly helpful for USDM evos, that came with neither.
- In terms of our European and JDM counterparts, the main focus is not AYC, but ACD TUNING
- Tuning the ACD will actually complement the function of a competent mechanical rear differential, less and more lock up can dramatically improve both turn in and corner exit.
- I'm sure many people will doubt the benefit of this kind of mod, as they did with the rear differential mod in the beginning - however, if you consider how the factory would tune the ACD (for safety) and considering the dynamics of an AWD car, it should be pretty clear that there can be a lot of benefit from getting the ACD tuned.
- Some people, especially those with rear differentials, will wonder - do I need more? Won't I oversteer too much? The answer is no. If you think about it, that is dependent on setup. This will allow the car to exit out of corners faster, period.
- New options on the market allow for quick and easy turnaround time, and makes the ACD reflash a very simple modification.
- You can bet no serious time attack evo is running without the ACD modded. While most race teams went with the very expensive MoTeC or another equivalent custom map tuning system, there are now much more cost effective and efficient methods for anyone with an ACD to get it tuned.
- This may slip through as a "costless" mod in terms of points in certain motorsports classifications, if not many, as it is such a niche modification
With all that said, here are the options that I've been compiling for ACD tuning - it's come a long way since when I first made this post, and there are now even custom maps available for your particular driving.
ACD Tuning Options:
English Racing
Most recent shop to offer ACD tuning services. Things have 'evolved' quite a bit for the ACD scene in the recent years, and it seems the USA is just now catching up the realization that much of the handling magic in evos comes from ACD tuning, something they have been doing over seas for years upon years. Great to see a reputable shop like English Racing offer this service. More info here: https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/ve...cd-tuning.html
TSComptuned
TSComptuned is the most recent addition to the ACD tuning world. Please message him for more details.
Gruppe-S
This is the option that opened my eyes to ACD Reflash found here: https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/ev...available.html. Turn around time is quick and the difference is real. I at least suggest anyone who has seen it to give it a try. There was a thread about it, but it got thrown into service reviews, and ultimately not a large population of different people viewed it. Beyond this, at least for USDM evos, the options get a little less reasonable except for the more hardcore.
Ralliart
Next, there's the Ralliart ACD controller found here http://www.rhdjapan.com/ralliart-act...ion-viii-54389 . It is confirmed to work with the USDM cars, as discussed here https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/mo...ontroller.html and here https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/dr...t-acd-ecu.html . Unless you're doing rally, the second thread suggests that the Asphalt version, RMR-0728A, is the way to go for street driven USDM cars. Ralliart has had years more experience than anyone in the US when it comes to ACDs, so I think this is a great option for CT9A cars. This mod also disables AYC, had we had it anyway.
Motec
Finally, there is the MoTeC unit sold here http://www.worksevo.com/store/produc...roducts_id=664 . This is the priciest option by far, and while it offers many maps to choose from on the fly, this is most likely overkill for people who want something more like "high-speed map," "low-speed map" to set it and forget it. However, for the most hardcore and pro/semi-pro racers, this is probably the preferable option. It allows you to customize the maps how you'd like according to your personal driving, and it requires a lot of hours behind the wheel on the track to do so. It was pointed out later in the thread that the ability to have many different custom maps that you can switch between all on the fly can be a huge benefit in terms of rally driving, where you have a large variation in the types of surfaces you can come across, all within the same race.
Kaps
http://eng.kaps-transmissions.com/ne...ancer-934.html - seems to be rally oriented, plus a nice little video. However I'd like to iterate here that ACD tuning is not just beneficial for rally driving, as some may think. Please check out the video
Concluding:
There have been a lot of reviews generated already and it really makes a difference in how the Evo handles. I would say that between the rear diff and flash the ACD, it would be preferable to do the rear differential first, despite the simplicity of doing the ACD. This is because the rear diff is very gimped from the factory.
There's a question of either/or here - people asking "should I do the the ACD flash OR the Rear Diff?" and "I don't want TOO much oversteer" - both of these mods will compliment each other. The ACD reflash allows the center diff to lockup more efficiently, and the rear diff will manage that power better. Other handling characteristics of your car are related to setup. You can regard that both these mods will allow more power to get to the more efficient wheel. These differentials working together will allow the evo to rocket out of corners the way it was designed to.
Anyone with any of these systems please write a review here!
Now that there's been decent exposure about the benefits of modifying the rear differential (especially considering its not assembled properly from the factory), I'd like to turn some attention BACK to ACD Tuning - I'd like to reiterate a few points -
FIRST, Review this thread: https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/ev...everybody.html - ESPECIALLY the section C. How the ACD works
Motivation:
- Owners with evos overseas that come WITH AYC choose to disable the function in favor of a competent mechanical set up - think TRE or Cusco
- This is particularly helpful for USDM evos, that came with neither.
- In terms of our European and JDM counterparts, the main focus is not AYC, but ACD TUNING
- Tuning the ACD will actually complement the function of a competent mechanical rear differential, less and more lock up can dramatically improve both turn in and corner exit.
- I'm sure many people will doubt the benefit of this kind of mod, as they did with the rear differential mod in the beginning - however, if you consider how the factory would tune the ACD (for safety) and considering the dynamics of an AWD car, it should be pretty clear that there can be a lot of benefit from getting the ACD tuned.
- Some people, especially those with rear differentials, will wonder - do I need more? Won't I oversteer too much? The answer is no. If you think about it, that is dependent on setup. This will allow the car to exit out of corners faster, period.
- New options on the market allow for quick and easy turnaround time, and makes the ACD reflash a very simple modification.
- You can bet no serious time attack evo is running without the ACD modded. While most race teams went with the very expensive MoTeC or another equivalent custom map tuning system, there are now much more cost effective and efficient methods for anyone with an ACD to get it tuned.
- This may slip through as a "costless" mod in terms of points in certain motorsports classifications, if not many, as it is such a niche modification
With all that said, here are the options that I've been compiling for ACD tuning - it's come a long way since when I first made this post, and there are now even custom maps available for your particular driving.
ACD Tuning Options:
English Racing
Most recent shop to offer ACD tuning services. Things have 'evolved' quite a bit for the ACD scene in the recent years, and it seems the USA is just now catching up the realization that much of the handling magic in evos comes from ACD tuning, something they have been doing over seas for years upon years. Great to see a reputable shop like English Racing offer this service. More info here: https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/ve...cd-tuning.html
TSComptuned
TSComptuned is the most recent addition to the ACD tuning world. Please message him for more details.
Gruppe-S
This is the option that opened my eyes to ACD Reflash found here: https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/ev...available.html. Turn around time is quick and the difference is real. I at least suggest anyone who has seen it to give it a try. There was a thread about it, but it got thrown into service reviews, and ultimately not a large population of different people viewed it. Beyond this, at least for USDM evos, the options get a little less reasonable except for the more hardcore.
Ralliart
Next, there's the Ralliart ACD controller found here http://www.rhdjapan.com/ralliart-act...ion-viii-54389 . It is confirmed to work with the USDM cars, as discussed here https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/mo...ontroller.html and here https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/dr...t-acd-ecu.html . Unless you're doing rally, the second thread suggests that the Asphalt version, RMR-0728A, is the way to go for street driven USDM cars. Ralliart has had years more experience than anyone in the US when it comes to ACDs, so I think this is a great option for CT9A cars. This mod also disables AYC, had we had it anyway.
Motec
Finally, there is the MoTeC unit sold here http://www.worksevo.com/store/produc...roducts_id=664 . This is the priciest option by far, and while it offers many maps to choose from on the fly, this is most likely overkill for people who want something more like "high-speed map," "low-speed map" to set it and forget it. However, for the most hardcore and pro/semi-pro racers, this is probably the preferable option. It allows you to customize the maps how you'd like according to your personal driving, and it requires a lot of hours behind the wheel on the track to do so. It was pointed out later in the thread that the ability to have many different custom maps that you can switch between all on the fly can be a huge benefit in terms of rally driving, where you have a large variation in the types of surfaces you can come across, all within the same race.
Kaps
http://eng.kaps-transmissions.com/ne...ancer-934.html - seems to be rally oriented, plus a nice little video. However I'd like to iterate here that ACD tuning is not just beneficial for rally driving, as some may think. Please check out the video
Concluding:
There have been a lot of reviews generated already and it really makes a difference in how the Evo handles. I would say that between the rear diff and flash the ACD, it would be preferable to do the rear differential first, despite the simplicity of doing the ACD. This is because the rear diff is very gimped from the factory.
There's a question of either/or here - people asking "should I do the the ACD flash OR the Rear Diff?" and "I don't want TOO much oversteer" - both of these mods will compliment each other. The ACD reflash allows the center diff to lockup more efficiently, and the rear diff will manage that power better. Other handling characteristics of your car are related to setup. You can regard that both these mods will allow more power to get to the more efficient wheel. These differentials working together will allow the evo to rocket out of corners the way it was designed to.
Anyone with any of these systems please write a review here!
Last edited by kyoo; Sep 7, 2014 at 02:57 PM. Reason: Updates
Trending Topics
Feb 17, 2010, 01:56 PM
#8
see? move this back to general, at least for a little...
This section is all about engine upgrades, turbo upgrades, power mods, dynos, injectors, plugs fuel blah blah.. almost the only time people mention diffs are when they're having a problem with them
This section is all about engine upgrades, turbo upgrades, power mods, dynos, injectors, plugs fuel blah blah.. almost the only time people mention diffs are when they're having a problem with them
Last edited by kyoo; Feb 17, 2010 at 02:15 PM.
Feb 17, 2010, 08:04 PM
#11
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Well chances are people smart enough to help or interested enough to watch this thread will check these sections. I know I'm here. I check these forums and the ECUFlash forum everyday.
I'm still getting used to my car and adding a RSB this weekend. Once I get acclimated with the car then I will consider this. I hope ECUFlash guys can figure it out.
I'm still getting used to my car and adding a RSB this weekend. Once I get acclimated with the car then I will consider this. I hope ECUFlash guys can figure it out.
Feb 17, 2010, 08:22 PM
#12
No idea about Gates - it makes me wonder how many of the Time Attack CT9A evos have been running some sort of ACD controller in their cars - I would think the lack of AYC makes it ESPECIALLY important for the older gen evos to run one. Plus the fact that there was only 2-3 years of the old gen Evo that even had ACD. You don't see many IX MR SEs and whatnot being converted into TA cars, you know?
I think a lot of the old gen TA cars switched to something like a GSC 40/60 before even considering the option of getting the ACD tuned.
For me, the reason I'm leaning towards the market-offered ACDs is because, even after they crack the code, and then after they learn how to write it.. It'll still be months/years of tuning before they even figure out optimal settings. Though, if they do figure the writing part out soon it will probably hurt Gruppe-S's since they write to the OEM ACD controller instead of sell a separate device like the RA's or the MoTeC
I think a lot of the old gen TA cars switched to something like a GSC 40/60 before even considering the option of getting the ACD tuned.
For me, the reason I'm leaning towards the market-offered ACDs is because, even after they crack the code, and then after they learn how to write it.. It'll still be months/years of tuning before they even figure out optimal settings. Though, if they do figure the writing part out soon it will probably hurt Gruppe-S's since they write to the OEM ACD controller instead of sell a separate device like the RA's or the MoTeC
Feb 17, 2010, 08:24 PM
#13
Well chances are people smart enough to help or interested enough to watch this thread will check these sections. I know I'm here. I check these forums and the ECUFlash forum everyday.
I'm still getting used to my car and adding a RSB this weekend. Once I get acclimated with the car then I will consider this. I hope ECUFlash guys can figure it out.
I'm still getting used to my car and adding a RSB this weekend. Once I get acclimated with the car then I will consider this. I hope ECUFlash guys can figure it out.
Feb 17, 2010, 08:27 PM
#14
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i am doing the gruppe-s flash, people have already said there knocking 2-3 seconds off their lap time... and for 300 bux, theres no better mod.. that new thread about changing the settings thru ECUflash will be quite a remarkable feat, im very interested to see how that turns out
