Based On Your Experience, Which Ecu Would You Buy Today?

[sl33py]

Please read the WHOLE original post before choosing, there's clarification here on what I know initially reads as a silly question.

Hopefully this hasn't been done before - I thought this would be interesting: Assuming you could choose whichever tuner you want and money was no object, which ECU would you choose and WHY, as well as any other previous ECU's you have experience with. I'm mainly thinking of complete replacements, not piggybacks, feel free to say so if you want to add one of them though.

I think we'd be MOST interested in responses such as "I've owned (or driven for a fair while) make/model X and then Y, and finally settled on Z because...". Granted, not many ppl will have driven multiple ECU's in the same car, so I'm relying on the more experienced guys/gals for their input.

When I say best, I'm thinking of (roughly in this order): reliability, smoothnes in driving as a daily driver, average power gain, economy (consider the car as a daily driver), max power gain. For use as a fun but reliable 'street' car, not drags etc. I reckon this represents the majority of Skyline drivers.

I'm also not considering difficulty in fitting or reusability of original parts from the engine, because (at least for me), I consider all the above things more important: I'll wear buying a $300-400 air sensor/whatever if it gives me everything else the way I want it. Of course, I realise others' opinions will differ, so just say so and qualify your answer for those with a like-mind!

I have a R33 GTST so I that's my main 'target' audience with this poll. Especially now with the whole PFC drought.

I'm not 100% on ALL the ECU models so I've just named brands, if there is a specific model you want to point out, do so. Otherwise I expect in general there is usually only one or two ECUs by each manufacturer designed/recommended for the majority of 6 cyl turbo Skylines (correct me if I'm wrong). Again, if you're NA and there is a specific model, just say so.

I basically want this thread to show the preferences of people after having tried several ECUs.

And PLEASE, if you've only driven stock 'lines, or only driven using one aftermarket ECU, or you are tempted to click Apexi just becos ya mate sez the PFC is the best, then DON'T! The less guesses/2nd hand opinions we get in this poll, the clearer an indication we'll get of who the pro's and experienced guys reckon make the best ECUs. A LOT of us don't have the exposure or luxury to see and drive all kinds of beasts. eg. I won't be voting.

BTW, I know - it's largely up to each tuner's skill; but let's pretend you had access to a tuner who is knowledgeable with all available ECUs and then answer the question... but there is a definite concensus on here about certain aspects of particular ECU models, eg Microtech chews fuel, or PFC retains more original driveability than others (these may very well be wrong, they're just examples I've seen). If true, these are trends I'm hoping will show up both in the poll and in the responses.

Edited April 27, 2007 by sl33py

[sl33py]

Voters... no explanations of why? and what you've previously used? It would add a LOT of meaning to the poll results

Edited April 27, 2007 by sl33py

[R31Nismoid]

Well ill start.

PowerFC. Cheap, easy and does exactly whats needed. Knock sensor is one of the great features.

You cant beat them for $1400 installed & tuned. Good for any level of modification.

Cold start is perfect, tuning is easily done. Sensor fault readouts make life easy.

I've used them for years, and will continue.

[sl33py]

Thanks R31Nismoid! Which others have you had experience with?

Hopefully Paul has success with the mods on the RB26 PFC for those who want to take this option! Personally, I'd like to know what "VCT" is and what it affects, as it seems to be the only Rb25 standard feature missing from the modded PFC.

Next!

[R31Nismoid]

I've had two chipped ECU's in my time. They were good aswell, they had thier place back in the day.

Although chipping has come a long way and there are more options than back in 2002 when i first had a chipped ECU.

For what i wanted budget wise, the PowerFC came out the clear winner, and also gave me access to arguably one of the best PFC/RB tuners in the country.

Ive also become handy with the hand controller myself so i could do a lot of my own diagnosis and what not.

Although i think its a bit hard to say if all things are equal etc, ie tuners/money etc. As an open ended question like that is too broad unless your in a perfect world.

There are always restrictions, like budget/access to good tuners/avaliability of the ECU/current versions etc.

In the perfect world any ECU would be good as you could buy anything and cost/tuner/installation/setup etc etc wouldnt matter, The big "BUT" however is they are all big key factors in chosing a ECU for any application in the non-perfect world

But its like comparing a PC and a Mac.

If you started out using a PC you'll most likely use/be good with that and vice versa.

[BAMR33]

I choose PFC because of the research I've done over last couple of years (as I have not previous had any hand on experience with ECU's). The biggest 'for' in my eye's is it's the cheapest fully programmable Japanese ecu meant for Japanese cars.

I also love the plug and play ability and neat handle controller that can monitor multiple functions. My tuner also has FC datalogit, which is a big plus. I can't see how anyone with skyline would choose anything different for your average to high HP streeter. My only criticism for the PFC is need to retain the AFM (Even though that's mainly Nissan's fault anyway. AFM=gay).

Edited April 27, 2007 by BAMR33

[260tech]

I choose PFC because of the research I've done over last couple of years (as I have not previous had any hand on experience with ECU's). The biggest 'for' in my eye's is it's the cheapest fully programmable Japanese ecu meant for Japanese cars.

I also love the plug and play ability and neat handle controller that can monitor multiple functions. My tuner also has FC datalogit, which is a big plus. I can't see how anyone with skyline would choose anything different for your average to high HP streeter. My only criticism for the PFC is need to retain the AFM (Even though that's mainly Nissan's fault anyway. AFM=gay).

D-Jetro, ftw.

[sl33py]

BAMR33, no offence but the intention of the poll was to AVOID votes such as yours. You've only driven one ECU. I'm sure you've done as much research as anyone else who hasn't driven multiple ECUs. Hopefully the PFC votes aren't too skewed out because of similar votes.

And others who've voted. What ECUs have you owned before? A vote without an explanation is next to useless.

Edited April 28, 2007 by sl33py

[GDZ1LA]

the new links have jsut cam out the g3 models (all there pre 04 stuff is crap compared to new stuff)

have hundreds of new features 1500nz with adaptor for lem. apexis best coice for street cars. but links have so many inputs and outputs these days and they are about the same price..

and 2000nz for g3 plus (8channel fuel and ijn

[Marco-R34GTT]

True, come on ppl, back up your votes with posts. There are people who are looking at ECU's that would like to hear WHY Apxei power FC is so good and alternatives to this option...

[sl33py]

That's right. And not just why it's so good, anyone can rattle off specs. We're after things like "I found the the a'pexi smoother in daily driving whereas the X was just plain rough" or "while tuning, I found the new microtech blah model chewed half as much petrol as old model blah did" or "the haltech gave insane power but not in the usuable region (or vice versa)" or whatever.

56 people (and counting) don't read instructions and need to explain!!!

Edited April 28, 2007 by sl33py

[timma]

well its near impossible to get power fc for rb20 and extremely hard to get one for rb25 so im gonna go microtech.. ill let ya know when its installed and running

[sl33py]

Cool, good luck. Um, hope you didn't vote

[RBwhatever]

I think it is going to be very hard to find people who have bought and tried multiple ecu's for 1 car.

I far as I see it, buying a standalone ecu and getting it tuned is not what you would call cheap.

When you do invest to buy a programmable ecu, the common intention is to keep it in the car. If it's not a plug in unit, then wiring in another ecu can be very inconvenient. Then wiring in another wire in unit would be even more inconvenient.

The only time you would consider to even change it would be if:

1. it karked it

2. doesn't run properly for your application

3. your car has progressed in mods and doesn't have the features you want

4. major pain to tune

5. your selling the car

I really can't see it to be very common for someone to say to himself, "hmm this ecu that I've bought and tuned to my ca runs fine, but for the sake of it I think I'll change it to another one to see if it runs even better."

If money wasn't an issue then it would be done more often. But seeing that it is in most cases an unnecessary expense for most of us, it doesn't get done. The ecu is more of a do it once and do it right mod, and then tuning to suit your car from then on.

In saying all this, I'd say most people would have voted before reading your first post properly.

For me PFC, because many people have had good experiences and good results with it. It is as a whole a very convenient ecu.

Although they are discontinued, they are still around and you can still pick them up for a price that is still more than often cheaper than your other standalone ecu's.

It would still be nice to hear of the results from the other ecu's though.

Maybe this should more of a "what ecu do you have and what are the results?".

Cheers

[RBwhatever]

ps i didn't vote

[timma]

Cool, good luck. Um, hope you didn't vote

why?

[sl33py]

Timma: Re-read the original post.

KeyMakeR33: You're right. I was kinda hoping for tuners and those who race and also use their car as a daily driver (so as not to just get the ECU best for power, but also liveability), I dunno who else... but yeah... I don't think it matters any more, this poll is obviously skewed, not because the PFC is way ahead, but because stuffall people explained themselves and as you said I bet heaps didn't read past the first line of the OP, if that.

Actually I WAS after posts more like "I had a X but it was so bad I changed to a Y and now it's all good". Even said it in my first post. I know 99% of people wouldn't change ECUs just for a niggly problem here or there. But for example, let's say you're car ran fine and then after a new ECU got put in, it ran REALLY rough in the cold... or just behaved really ugly in stop/stard traffic, then you would obviously take it back to the tuner, but if they couldn't fix it then you'd try elsewhere, until you just decide it's part and parcel of the ECU. Maybe none of them are so bad to have made ppl do things like that.

Anyway, I found out my local tuner is looking to get trained on the HKS F-CON V Pro. While it sounds fairly costly (not the most expensive though by far), it sounds like it has the best features of all the ECU's I've read about. It's a while off, but I might let him use me as a guinea pig for a discount Hell... if there's an actual course you have to go do in the US, I'd say he won't stuff the car (famous last words ).

Edited April 30, 2007 by sl33py

[VHR32]

I chose EMS. Ive had a dual sport for 5 years and its been great- very reliable.

We fitted a top of the range EMS 8860 to a mates VLT and it has been great too, awesome features for the price. Auto tune, heaps of outputs etc.

If I could afford it I would have a Motec though.

[timma]

sl33py- i get ya lol

vhr32 yeh im thinking ems as a few people have said its good value for money.

[Cyprus]

best ecu = Wolf .. simply because of it's features ... the only reason you all don't like it iz because no1 knows how 2 find good tuners for it