AEM EMS or Cobb AP?
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Posts: 18,369
From: Reno, NV
Car Info: 1993/2000/2001 GF4 mostly red
The AP and AEM applications are very different. This makes the decision a little easier once you ask yourself a few questions. Since the AEM is a true stand-alone, are you confident that it will be safely and properly tuned by either yourself or a local, trustworthy tuner? Are you willing to forego the added safety margin of the factory ECU safeguards for the potential (but not guaranteed) increased horsepower ceiling?
If this is a car that you drive everyday, and never in a truly competitive environment (the kind where people are paying you to win; not just autocrossing or whatever) then I would strongly recommend the Cobb AP, both because of the retained safety of the factory ECU, as well as the significantly stronger support both from Cobb and the Subaru community. One can also make a pretty strong argument for a stand-alone in a trailered track car, but even then you are sacrificing safety to some degree for a relatively small performance increase.
If this is a car that you drive everyday, and never in a truly competitive environment (the kind where people are paying you to win; not just autocrossing or whatever) then I would strongly recommend the Cobb AP, both because of the retained safety of the factory ECU, as well as the significantly stronger support both from Cobb and the Subaru community. One can also make a pretty strong argument for a stand-alone in a trailered track car, but even then you are sacrificing safety to some degree for a relatively small performance increase.
well i agre with alot that he said i dont agree with everything.
i run a stand alone on the street. Its been on for 60k miles. granted its not perfect every day. i tune twice a year, even if i dont change parts out.
but the ecu does have safety functions you can turn the 02 sensor on to see if you are too lean
the knock sensor pulls timing and pulls boost so its HARDER to screw your motor up not impossible
but i like it better than an off the shelf map or some incompetant tuner.
if anyone is going to screw up my car, its going to be me.
swift to fly blew his motor up on cobb AP so its not fool proof either
but yeah i do know something about tuning dont think i read teh directions and fourms and i was where im at today
although tehy did help out alot
i run a stand alone on the street. Its been on for 60k miles. granted its not perfect every day. i tune twice a year, even if i dont change parts out.
but the ecu does have safety functions you can turn the 02 sensor on to see if you are too lean
the knock sensor pulls timing and pulls boost so its HARDER to screw your motor up not impossible
but i like it better than an off the shelf map or some incompetant tuner.
if anyone is going to screw up my car, its going to be me.
swift to fly blew his motor up on cobb AP so its not fool proof either
but yeah i do know something about tuning dont think i read teh directions and fourms and i was where im at today
although tehy did help out alot
Registered User
iTrader: (12)
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 18,369
From: Reno, NV
Car Info: 1993/2000/2001 GF4 mostly red
Originally Posted by sigma pi
well i agre with alot that he said i dont agree with everything.
i run a stand alone on the street. Its been on for 60k miles. granted its not perfect every day. i tune twice a year, even if i dont change parts out.
but the ecu does have safety functions you can turn the 02 sensor on to see if you are too lean
the knock sensor pulls timing and pulls boost so its HARDER to screw your motor up not impossible
but i like it better than an off the shelf map or some incompetant tuner.
if anyone is going to screw up my car, its going to be me.
swift to fly blew his motor up on cobb AP so its not fool proof either
but yeah i do know something about tuning dont think i read teh directions and fourms and i was where im at today
although tehy did help out alot
i run a stand alone on the street. Its been on for 60k miles. granted its not perfect every day. i tune twice a year, even if i dont change parts out.
but the ecu does have safety functions you can turn the 02 sensor on to see if you are too lean
the knock sensor pulls timing and pulls boost so its HARDER to screw your motor up not impossible
but i like it better than an off the shelf map or some incompetant tuner.
if anyone is going to screw up my car, its going to be me.
swift to fly blew his motor up on cobb AP so its not fool proof either
but yeah i do know something about tuning dont think i read teh directions and fourms and i was where im at today
although tehy did help out alot
Originally Posted by BAN SUVS
Oh, I agree, standalones are not unsafe, only tuning or lack thereof. I definitely respect people who take the time to educate themselves on tuning theory, learn their equipment, and keep their car running well. But it's a lot of working for a pretty marginal gain in power, reliability, and drivability, or for 99% of people it's a waste of time. It's more about taking the chalenge just to have done it.

if its not a fun hobby to be working on your car alot then its not for you
set it and forget it is AP for the most part
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Posts: 2,498
From: Dublin, California
Car Info: 09 STi, 10 Cayman S
cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb
Registered User
iTrader: (12)
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 18,369
From: Reno, NV
Car Info: 1993/2000/2001 GF4 mostly red
Originally Posted by pwn
cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb cobb
Originally Posted by vvafivv
yea i wanna know what you think about cobb
stop by scic when you get a chance and check out a meet if you can
Originally Posted by sigma pi
well i agre with alot that he said i dont agree with everything.
i run a stand alone on the street. Its been on for 60k miles. granted its not perfect every day. i tune twice a year, even if i dont change parts out.
but the ecu does have safety functions you can turn the 02 sensor on to see if you are too lean
the knock sensor pulls timing and pulls boost so its HARDER to screw your motor up not impossible
but i like it better than an off the shelf map or some incompetant tuner.
if anyone is going to screw up my car, its going to be me.
swift to fly blew his motor up on cobb AP so its not fool proof either
but yeah i do know something about tuning dont think i read teh directions and fourms and i was where im at today
although tehy did help out alot
i run a stand alone on the street. Its been on for 60k miles. granted its not perfect every day. i tune twice a year, even if i dont change parts out.
but the ecu does have safety functions you can turn the 02 sensor on to see if you are too lean
the knock sensor pulls timing and pulls boost so its HARDER to screw your motor up not impossible
but i like it better than an off the shelf map or some incompetant tuner.
if anyone is going to screw up my car, its going to be me.
swift to fly blew his motor up on cobb AP so its not fool proof either
but yeah i do know something about tuning dont think i read teh directions and fourms and i was where im at today
although tehy did help out alot


