Engine Managment and Boost Controllers
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From: Clearwater Florida
Car Info: 2004 Wrx
Engine Managment and Boost Controllers
Im currently building up my 04 WRX and i want to get some of your opinions about engine mangement. I will most likely go with ECUTEK, TX UTEC, or Cobb. I just want to know which one you guys think is better and any draw back for any of the systems. I dont plan on tuning anything my self and im only lookin to put down at most 300whp. Also, would a boost controller be neccessary on any of these? A couple of people have told me different things so any feed back would be great. Thanks.
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Originally Posted by Cyrus923
UTEC is my fav. You dont have to pay $ to get new maps. Its free for a lifetime.
Do research on local tuners and get an ecutek reflash and tune. With a propper tune, you won't need to mess with anything... just drive.
-- Ed
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Originally Posted by Cyrus923
You can tune a Utec with a gameboy, its not that hard.
Originally Posted by Smooth_Ej20
I dont plan on tuning anything my self
-- Ed
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Originally Posted by VIBEELEVEN
I don't see how you can get a good tune without a dyno
-- Ed
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If you don't plan to tune the car yourself I would absolutely go with the EcuTek, do some research regarding reputable tuners in your area and give the one that sticks out a call and discuss your requirements, they should be able to stear you in the right direction regarding the boost controller.
Regarding a dyno, you don't need one to map a car (they are after all only a tool to aid with mapping) but I have never ever ridden in a car that was constructed with a road only tune that has been superior to a correctly mapped car and would go so far to say that you cannot map a car better on the street than you can when mapping with all the correct tools available (road and dyno testing) after all there are reasons that the pro's dyno tune first then fine tune at the track.
Mike
Regarding a dyno, you don't need one to map a car (they are after all only a tool to aid with mapping) but I have never ever ridden in a car that was constructed with a road only tune that has been superior to a correctly mapped car and would go so far to say that you cannot map a car better on the street than you can when mapping with all the correct tools available (road and dyno testing) after all there are reasons that the pro's dyno tune first then fine tune at the track.
Mike
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From: Clearwater Florida
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cyrus, while i appreciate your input you gotta understand something. WHile i am a do-it-yourselfer and am interested in tuning my own car. I dont know jack **** about how to properly dial in a tune regardless of how easy you may think it is. I just want something that i can plug and play. If i knew something about engine tuning and creating maps and all that i might give it a go, but this car is my daily driver and i cant afford to experiment on it.
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Sorry man i didnt mean to sound nasty but I know where you are comming from. The main thing is, is that you cannot just plug and play with an engine management system or ebc. It does take a bit of understanding of the device. You have to remember that everyones car is different and runs differently so one map is not the same for all cars even though they might be close. replacing a block for $6500 because you ran too much boost or ran too lean is not fun. With any of the management devices you get, there should be good instructions on how to dial in a tune or a link to a proper website with step by step instructions.
You might have a few members that are willing to help you out with whatever unit you go with and could teach you. The other route besides learning is the Dyno. This is $$$ and does not allow for proper "real" road conditions so doing it yourself on the road is a great way to start or maybe some dyno time to get you started and then some adjusting after you feel comfortable with the unit.
It may be my own opinion but i think that learning about the car and devices you put into the car makes for a better driver, a better car owner, a safer car owner, and is pretty fun which is what driving should be about.
Justin
You might have a few members that are willing to help you out with whatever unit you go with and could teach you. The other route besides learning is the Dyno. This is $$$ and does not allow for proper "real" road conditions so doing it yourself on the road is a great way to start or maybe some dyno time to get you started and then some adjusting after you feel comfortable with the unit.
It may be my own opinion but i think that learning about the car and devices you put into the car makes for a better driver, a better car owner, a safer car owner, and is pretty fun which is what driving should be about.
Justin
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No matter how good you are at tuning, if you are not a professional it is always good to have a professional tune a UTEC at some point or another. The more you tune it well yourself, the shorter your tuning time, the less it will cost. But it is just always good to get someone with all the years of experience and expert intuition to find the right solutions to the weak spots and the unsafe spots. Have a UTEC should always have an initial tuning cost ... unless you're a professional tuner 
jason
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jason
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ECUtek's website has a list of all their U.S. vendors so you should be able to find a reputable one somewhere relatively close. I know you can't get a custom tune from Cobb's website, but you may want to give them a call. I'm sure they could give you a custom tune using the AccessPort if you're willing to pay for the dyno time and drive to Salt Lake City; however, I don't know if they offer that or not. I agree with you though man, I'm a beginner to engine management myself and I've decided to go the reflash route. I'd get greedy with a UTEC, get in over my head, and then KABOOM!!!!
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From: Clearwater Florida
Car Info: 2004 Wrx
I just want to say thanks to everyone here. You guys have givin me some really good advice and I will take all of it into consideration. Having said that i have another question for ya. Have any of you heard of there being a 100 reflash limit on the ECUTEK? A guy at the track last night said he had heard that after 100 reflashes with the ECUTEK the ecu will fry itself and be useless. I cant imagine this being true and if it were i would imagine ECUTEK would sort this out. Let me know if you guys know anything about this.
