looking to upgrade my ecu
04-01-2009, 03:39 PM
#11
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Re: looking to upgrade my ecu
thats why i have never ran anything but AEM and hondata , simply because its a very big , well known company who will stand behind there product fix any error's on there part and have good technical support . hondata vs these free systems is just a no brainer to me . but that just my 2 cents . they always say you get what you pay for and that statement has been proven correct on countless occasions
04-01-2009, 03:45 PM
#12
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04-01-2009, 04:03 PM
#13
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Re: looking to upgrade my ecu
Think about it this way.
If your tuning software/hardware fails and your engine has a major mechanical failure due to defective equipment who will offer support?
With all of these cheap or FREE tuning options out there who can even come close to Hondata's service, research and development, and technical support?
Not one.
With that said, if you have a stock car or just bolt-on's I'd go with the S100 setup. If you have a bit more done and are in need of data logging and the like then the S300 is the way to go.
Personally, the S300 is the best option for any serious "tuner". Being able to data log, run emulators, the access to expansive options and support, tuning yourself, and then the plain fact you're rocking top-shelf Hondata should be all the reason to shoot for the S300.
/wherd.
If your tuning software/hardware fails and your engine has a major mechanical failure due to defective equipment who will offer support?
With all of these cheap or FREE tuning options out there who can even come close to Hondata's service, research and development, and technical support?
Not one.
With that said, if you have a stock car or just bolt-on's I'd go with the S100 setup. If you have a bit more done and are in need of data logging and the like then the S300 is the way to go.
Personally, the S300 is the best option for any serious "tuner". Being able to data log, run emulators, the access to expansive options and support, tuning yourself, and then the plain fact you're rocking top-shelf Hondata should be all the reason to shoot for the S300.
/wherd.
04-01-2009, 04:52 PM
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Re: looking to upgrade my ecu
Your ECU doesn't run the Hondata software, or any tuning software. That software just modifies the maps and parameters in the program that the ECU runs from. Any tuning software worth a shit can tune an engine just as well as any other, and the only differences between them are the bells and whistles that the software might add (launch control, etc.) or how user-friendly the software is to the tuner. It's like making a picture in Photoshop and then loading it onto one of those LCD picture frames. The picture frame doesn't run Windows, or Photoshop, it's just displaying a picture you made (or edited) using that software. It's the same with the ECU, and I'm not sure if everyone gets that.
Tech support is a good thing to have though, but not needed in most cases.
The S100 Hondata system is just a copyright key. Hondata has added a few lines of code so that the ECU looks for the S100 board when the ECU starts up. If it isn't there, it throws a CEL and won't function fully. It's their way of making sure that they get paid for making software and to prevent piracy. Very smart.
Tech support is a good thing to have though, but not needed in most cases.
The S100 Hondata system is just a copyright key. Hondata has added a few lines of code so that the ECU looks for the S100 board when the ECU starts up. If it isn't there, it throws a CEL and won't function fully. It's their way of making sure that they get paid for making software and to prevent piracy. Very smart.
Pay less, get less. At least, in this specific occasion.
I agree 100% with what you said there, also. It is just that after checking into all the options (starting with OBD-0) I've found that saving a few extra dollars for Hondata is worth it.
There are a lot of good stories behind the other systems, although they are from some serious heads. I don't think everyone wants to go through what they did, even for bragging rights. Even further, most I have communicated with said Hondata was the way to go after all.
04-01-2009, 04:52 PM
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Re: looking to upgrade my ecu
First off you'll need an obd1 ecu($100) and a obd2a-obd1 jumper harness($50-75). Personally I like Hondata products, great customer support and continually upgrading the software with new features without cost to customers. Anyhow, if you don't plan on upgrading the engine ever then you really don't need a tuning device. If you are going to upgrade your engine sometime in the near future why not get the S300($500-595), gives you plenty of room to expand. Real time program ability is the key now a days. I always say go all out or don't go at all
04-01-2009, 07:11 PM
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Re: looking to upgrade my ecu
well i mean for a street car i dont need electromotive or motec haha so hondata or aem suffice just fine and AEM ems is more of a middle price range unit they average around 1000 alot of people wont put out the cash for even that lol
04-01-2009, 07:21 PM
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Re: looking to upgrade my ecu
please dont take my reply wrong i was simple giving my opinion nothing against you at all lol
04-02-2009, 04:21 AM
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Re: looking to upgrade my ecu
he has bolt on's on a stock motor lol no need for the extra options of S300 (datalogging,anti-lag,full throttle shift,boost by gear/boost control etc.) just not needed for a basic setup like his , S100 would be perfect . even if he wants to throw a basic street turbo kit on the car later down the road , s100with boost option(200 dollars on average) would still be fine . id save the extra 400 dollars for a set of drag radial's so you actually get traction on the street lol this is all ASSUMING he is boosting later down the road haha and oh yea the saying is ... go big or go home :P please dont take my reply wrong i was simple giving my opinion nothing against you at all lol
please dont take my reply wrong i was simple giving my opinion nothing against you at all lol
04-02-2009, 02:42 PM
#20
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Re: looking to upgrade my ecu
no i have lol my tuner who i puchased my hondata units from is a dealer though and provided me with basemaps for free lol ive even ran the super old school hondata stage 2 with boost in my obd0 ecu when i had my ef haha thats some old school stuff lol
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