Cost effective ECU solution.

[Corey]

HI guys, as some of you may or may not know I'm in the process of fitting an SE turbo kit to an NB8B VVT engine and I'm looking for a cost effective ecu to run it smoothy. I dont like my chances of finding an ecu second hand so I've been looking at the AEM EMS-4 from http://fab9tuning.com/aem-ems4-stand-al ... anagement/ . I know it is nearly as expensive with the current dollar but ive read it is more powerful etc. Has anyone had experience with one and is it easily tuneable? I value a a painless install.

Cheers!

[hks_kansei]

I believe the Adaptronic ones here in Aust are about $1500 new, and I think are available as a straight plugin unit.

I'm not sure if they have a basemap or whatever, but with how the dollar is the price likely works out the same.
Plus, i'd bet you'll find a lot more tuners in Aust willing to touch an Adaptronic that an AEM.

[track_addict]

Keep an eye out in the FS section and on the facebook page. I picked up my Adaptronic select ECU and MTX-L wideband off here for less than the cost of a brand new select ECU.

Also, base maps are available off the adaptronic website or via email.

[Trackphotos]

Can vouch for adaptronic base maps, at least on the simple ones like NB8As. Without any adjustment at all, the base map for mine runs very nearly like stock.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEOzHkvaPqI[/youtube]

[Corey]

Can vouch for adaptronic base maps, at least on the simple ones like NB8As. Without any adjustment at all, the base map for mine runs very nearly like stock.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEOzHkvaPqI[/youtube]

That looks awesome, I like the idea of a trouble free install. I would need a tune good enough to drive the car 2 hours up to Sydney to get tuned.

[Lokiel]

I believe the Adaptronic ones here in Aust are about $1500 new, and I think are available as a straight plugin unit.

I'm not sure if they have a basemap or whatever, but with how the dollar is the price likely works out the same.
Plus, i'd bet you'll find a lot more tuners in Aust willing to touch an Adaptronic that an AEM.

That last point is the most valid - no point in getting an ECU that few people know anything about.

eg. Flyin' Miata push their Hydra ECU but you wont find anyone in Australia with it since no-one knows enough about it to tune it (it's not highly regarded in the US either).

TrackSpeed Engineering sell the AEM ECU because Savington is familiar with it; few tuners in Australia will know anything about it.

Golden rule of aftermarket ECUs, especially if you're not going to learn to tune it yourself, "Find a highly regarded tuner near you and use whatever ECU they recommend.".

There 2 ECUs you should be considering, in their latest incarnations, Adaptronic and Haltech. Megasquirt ECUs are highly regarded on MiataTurbo.net and are becoming more commonplace here too so that's another option.


Adaptronic ECUs come with base maps for multiple stock MX5 configurations, including the SE, but you will most certainly need to tweak it.

[Corey]

I believe the Adaptronic ones here in Aust are about $1500 new, and I think are available as a straight plugin unit.

I'm not sure if they have a basemap or whatever, but with how the dollar is the price likely works out the same.
Plus, i'd bet you'll find a lot more tuners in Aust willing to touch an Adaptronic that an AEM.

That last point is the most valid - no point in getting an ECU that few people know anything about.

eg. Flyin' Miata push their Hydra ECU but you wont find anyone in Australia with it since no-one knows enough about it to tune it (it's not highly regarded in the US either).

TrackSpeed Engineering sell the AEM ECU because Savington is familiar with it; few tuners in Australia will know anything about it.

Golden rule of aftermarket ECUs, especially if you're not going to learn to tune it yourself, "Find a highly regarded tuner near you and use whatever ECU they recommend.".

There 2 ECUs you should be considering, in their latest incarnations, Adaptronic and Haltech. Megasquirt ECUs are highly regarded on MiataTurbo.net and are becoming more commonplace here too so that's another option.

Yeah right, good point. Will have to keep my eye out for an Adaptronic unit, they seem the way to go. Cheers!


Adaptronic ECUs come with base maps for multiple stock MX5 configurations, including the SE, but you will most certainly need to tweak it.

[chrisearl88]

Chiptorque on the gold coast can flash your stock ecu to run the turbo kit. Give Lachlan a call, he actually tuned the SP's for mazda so knows what he's on about when it comes to MX5 Ecu's.
I've got an SP replica NB8B and can't fault the tune.

[MattR]

Someone has to say it....

Motech M130, comppletely over the top for what you need, but at around $2500 for the box will be future proof for whatever you want to do in the future, and then you can also get the fancy logging C125 dash with GPS and logging and have flat shifting for the sequential dog box you will get, antilag to have that horrible gun shot backfire overrun so you never lose the boosts, traction control, and hours of frustration getting it all running right......

[Corey]

Someone has to say it....

Motech M130, comppletely over the top for what you need, but at around $2500 for the box will be future proof for whatever you want to do in the future, and then you can also get the fancy logging C125 dash with GPS and logging and have flat shifting for the sequential dog box you will get, antilag to have that horrible gun shot backfire overrun so you never lose the boosts, traction control, and hours of frustration getting it all running right......

Haha, Matt, in my dreams.

[bruce]

Consider Emissions testing.