Stagea - Not Happy With Performance

[KiwiRS4T]

Don't know anyone who can remap the S1 auto Stagea ecu without getting an expensive daughterboard and chipping that. Tangles has done it but it was a lot more than $800 - $900. The equivalent Skyline has a two row ecu plug so you can just plug in an R32 ecu but then you still need a black box to run your VCT. If you have plans for big power later and you're going manual then a ViPec/Link is the story as you won't need to buy a seperate boost controller or upgrade your afm.

[DAZA]

I know it can be done on series 2's, but can it be done on series 1's without changing to a Z32 ECU?

Recently got a flash tune by toshi via mail for my series 1. Great result, alot better than previous tune with EMU.

Just get rid of the cars Astmah (exahust). then give him a call and car will be toatally different.

[GoldZilla]

Hey James, welcome to SAU, and especially the Stagea section of the forums!

Like everyone has said already, don't pump the boost up beyond 12psi if you want it to last for any length of time, and make sure the first mod is a decent exhaust from the turbo back (with at least a hi-flow cat).

If you state your location, it'll be easier for us to point you in the direction of who to see as far as recommended workshops, tuners and stores for your area.

[sirmiro]

...

The synchro button locks the Attesa in 50/50 mode but only at very low speeds ( say for pulling out of a wet paddock) but once you get up speed the computer takes over again reagrdless of the position of that button.

...

The synchro lock button will go above 100km/h, so I don't know if that's a low speed to you.

It does change the car handling like night or day when playing with the car. The car will be extremely aggressive and need hard commands to respond to what you do, or you'll spin out of control with wheels spinning at speeds between 70 and 120km/h.

With the lock off you'll have the kindest car you can find to powerslide and such. It just follow smoothly and you can turn with one finger if you want to.

I've tried this out in snow - and believe me, you will NOT use the "Snow"-mode when the snow falls. "Power"-mode on and playtime is started. But mine has became a little thirsty - 3 liters/10km - but it's fun as ****.

[STATUS]

Don't know anyone who can remap the S1 auto Stagea ecu without getting an expensive daughterboard and chipping that. Tangles has done it but it was a lot more than $800 - $900. The equivalent Skyline has a two row ecu plug so you can just plug in an R32 ecu but then you still need a black box to run your VCT. If you have plans for big power later and you're going manual then a ViPec/Link is the story as you won't need to buy a seperate boost controller or upgrade your afm.

You just use a Z32 ecu (make sure if its auto to use a z32 auto ecu) for series 1.

[KiwiRS4T]

You just use a Z32 ecu (make sure if its auto to use a z32 auto ecu) for series 1.

That may work for a skyline which has a 2 row ecu plug but do you know of it having been done in a Stagea which has a three row plug and unique (close to R34 but not the same) loom?

[_Ryan_]

That may work for a skyline which has a 2 row ecu plug but do you know of it having been done in a Stagea which has a three row plug and unique (close to R34 but not the same) loom?

So what did you have to do to fit your R32 ECU?

[KiwiRS4T]

So what did you have to do to fit your R32 ECU?

I just wrote a novel for another member so I may as well share it with everyone:

The short answer is don't consider it unless you are an electronic whizz like my tuner.

Previously I had a pile of piggybacks: an SITC, SAFC, Jaycar IEBC and a Greddy speed limit defender thing to allow me to exceed 180 km/hr and they took a while to wire in but worked OK.

I wrote that car off and got another RS4T and started again (couldn't afford a manual or an RS260 but looking back wish I had found the extra for a S2 - would have saved a lot of hassle). I heard of a tuner who said he could chip and tune it for $800 so I gave him the car.

It turned out that he thought the Stagea was just like a Skyline R33 which has a 2 row plug for the ecu so that you can just plug in an R32 or Z32 ecu and away you go. Also he was a bit taken aback tofind the auto ecu inside the engine ecu.

So he got another ov300 and plug and made an extension loom thus:

original plug: plugged into piece of ov300 joined by wires to another stock plug which was plugged into the original ov300. Then he got an R32 plug and joined most of the wires to the loom he had made and plugged an R32 ecu into the R32 plug. Instead of a nistune chip in the R32 ecu he made his own chip and wrote his own software.

To cut a very long story short he had trouble getting all the gears to work but finally got there. The original stock ecu (OV300) now controls the auto (or at least it did until I put a manual box in) and the vct and the R32 ecu controls all the engine functions. This took him many hours and the final price to me of $1200 did not reflect all the time he put in to it but he couldn't charge me more because i never would have agreed to start if he had quoted me more. Although it worked I was not that happy because of the number of times he had to have my car to try to get things right over many weeks and I am left with a system that I think no one but him can tune.

Now that I am manual I am planning to put a Link (ViPec) in it. That will also do the boost control and get rid of the afm and increase the pool of tuners I can go to.

What can you do? My original plan was to get a Greddy E-manage and I think that was the best option for a small outlay and probably your best bet. I believe the wire-in Link could be made to work in a S1 auto but no-one has been game to try yet. If you are planning to keep the car for a while I would recommend converting to manual - it cost me under $2000 parts and labour and in Aus it seems to cost just under $2000 for the parts and nothing for labour if you can do it yourself or otherwise ask around - some people have been ripped off with prices like $5000 for the conversion.

Good luck!

Bob

[_Ryan_]

Sounds like a challenge. And would look far from stock behind the kick panel.

I wonder how a series 2 stagea or R34 ECU would go in a series 1 stagea... pin outs would be similar I think, but then we have the issue of different motors/sensors, and trans. See what Trent says.

[Duncan]

Its not that easy! S1 vs S2 vs R34 pin outs are not the same although they are similar

[-RBD2-]

thanks bob,got some thinking to do now...

[Toshi]

Don't know anyone who can remap the S1 auto Stagea ecu without getting an expensive daughterboard and chipping that. Tangles has done it but it was a lot more than $800 - $900. The equivalent Skyline has a two row ecu plug so you can just plug in an R32 ecu but then you still need a black box to run your VCT. If you have plans for big power later and you're going manual then a ViPec/Link is the story as you won't need to buy a seperate boost controller or upgrade your afm.

I remaped S1 stagea for Tangle and DAZA ( his mods hiflow turbo , Z32 AFM , std injector)

Let me comfirm the price.

Cost is $650 for std turbo, std AFM , std injector and $750 for hiflow turbo , Z32 AFM , std injector.

R32 and Z32 ECU plug is same R33. (R33 and S1 S2 stagea plug is diffrnt)

If R32 and Z32 ECU is used for stagea , all wire need to be changeed and it will end up as higher price.

so remappimg std ecu easier for S1 stagea.

[KiwiRS4T]

Judging by Toshi's post it would seem he has found a way to reduce the price of the daughterboard and chip or has found another solution altogether. I know that he has many satisfied customers but as far as I know that chip is not user tunable and while the result may be an improvement on the standard tune (and have the ability to remove the speed limiter e.g. ) I want my engine tuned in real time with the appropriate gear ( wide-band, ex temp guage etc) pref on a dyno.

However at the prices quoted above Toshi's approach may be a solution for some S1 owners. (My Link is going to cost around $2500 incl boost control function).

[horrace]

who does remaps of the S1 standard ecu though? im in perth and dont know of anyone who has had the ecu remapped on a dyno.

[KiwiRS4T]

who does remaps of the S1 standard ecu though? im in perth and dont know of anyone who has had the ecu remapped on a dyno.

I believe Dr Drift will make a chip similar to Toshi's on a dyno but obviously he would need your car. I can't remember where he is domiciled (Melbourne?).

[horrace]

man i wish i had a s2 sometimes lol, i do know he comes to perth from time to time tuning so i might keep and ear out on here and NS.com.

[insanity82007]

Hey guys... back from holiday. Really interesting reading all of this. Thanks for so many replies. I'm actually in Auckland NZ so if anyone knows any good places around here to get things done to the car that would be good.

First road trip I took the car on and the handling is... well... I really miss my WRX. I don't know if there is any specific area that I need to look at with the handling but it really isn't very good. I can feel every bump in the road, it's not cornering very well and it feels very heavy in the back of the car. I'm just glad it wasn't raining.

[-RBD2-]

speak to bob,kiwiRS4T,he's our kid in NZ that knows just about everything stagea and where to shop

PS-arent you glad you dont have to listen to that hideous wrx exhaust note anymore?your stag will kill any rex in the performance,handling and aesthetics department with abit of clever work mate,dont write it off as shit too soon mate...

[FR33K]

speak to bob,kiwiRS4T,he's our kid in NZ that knows just about everything stagea and where to shop

PS-arent you glad you dont have to listen to that hideous wrx exhaust note anymore?your stag will kill any rex in the performance,handling and aesthetics department with abit of clever work mate,dont write it off as shit too soon mate...

i cant believe some people actually like that crappy sound...

[pixel8r]

i cant believe some people actually like that crappy sound...

not to mention the whirr/whine noise that seems to accompany a lot of them (diff/gearbox noise i believe?).