5StarSuzuki

CJK...There is NO one answer...

The UTEC for the evo is supposed to be quite a system, probably paralleling the ems, autotronic, power fc in features. (search for the post about it)
But the full features will not be disclosed until SEMA... So who knows.

A Dynoflash for your specific car is a great way to go and who knows what a user-tunable flash means?

As for the comment that these stand-alones come with maps that will work for a stock car. They do come with maps, however i know from personal experience you can hardly drive the car alot of times. The AEM (civic) came soooo rich that it would stall in almost any circumstance...

Whats your budget and planned mods...maybe some more familiar with the utec for the wrx and xede can post some specifics...

DynoFlash

iTrader: (91)

A stand alone is a total waste of money if you car is not over 350 whp - under that figure a safc or a reflash will make your car get every ounce of power while not loosing any stock reliability or function. of course over 350 whp the stand alone starts to have some real advantages. BUT - remember i am making 600 plus flywheel hp and i am on a reflash and driving every day

5StarSuzuki

Keep in mind Al, some of us do have budgets

So to do 2 reflashes at 450 each and year down the road get an EMS...

Or get an SAFC/Harness/EVC/Pocketlogger(1200 total) and a year down the road get an autotronics

You might as well throw the money into the street... Because you aren't getting any of the money from the flashes back, and if you can get a quarter of what you paid for the safc combo your doing well

MalibuJack

iTrader: (5)

Did anyone notice Shiv's post about a Tunable reflash?? I think he's got something up his sleeve.. Sounds alot like DSMLink which for alot of DSM Guys was THE thing to have..

I'm honestly really torn about what direction to go in.. In theory, I like to be really involved in the tuning and making adjustments, but in the time I had my boost control and s-afc, I think I adjusted the boost controller ONCE after setting it, and that was only to back off the boost a little when the weather changed. And I periodically tried to refine the tuning of the s-afc several times only to end up back with Buschur's baseline settings (Later I discovered the issue I was having was unrelated to the tuning)..

I definitely would like to go with a complete standalone, and I've made my desire clear.. Originally I was attempting to get the hardware needed to reflash my own ECU as needed, unfortunately it is cost prohibitive. I like the AEM-EMS, but you literally have be a programmer configure some of the functions (no biggie for a programmer) a base tune on the AEM should run pretty well, and some of the reports I've heard actually had a few good things to say about its drivability with its base maps.

I was impressed with the little bit of info given to me from the guys at TurboXS about the UTEC.. But without a side by side comparison, I think ultimately its a very hard decision.


We're also forgetting something VERY VERY important.. a replacement ECU will likely not be have OBD-II.. no big deal, but in some states, the new inspections connect to the OBD-II Diagnostic connector.. bad news if it doesnt respond, instant failure.. I have yet to see an OBD-II Simulator (Groaning chuckle) to provide the needed info..

Part of the advantage of running a standalone is to be able to convert from a Mas air system to a map system.. Or use a wideband O2 sensor (The AEM-EMS With the built in UEGO) The big disadvantage is that these modifications pretty much dictate that changes are perminent, so you just can't swap back the original ECU as easily.. (The base AEM-EMS without the upgraded MAP sensor, boost control solenoid, and UEGO wideband 02) can be swapped.. But obviously it defeats the purpose of going to a standalone, that is, the limitless modification possibilities...

Am I rambling? Only goes to show you that I'm so impressed with everything thats out there because they all do an excellent job, in different ways.. and each has very specific advantages and disadvantages.. I guess only time will tell..

CJK

Yeah, I am still unsure on what to choose. I guess in time, there will be more reviews on these products...by then I hope to have a better understanding I guess...

WRXXED

I have a UTEC on my WRX and it is best for the money in my opinion. It has all the driveability of the stock ecu down low and start up with full boost, timing, and fuel control. Not to mention the datalogging capabilities, switchable maps with valet and security mode, launch control, and dispalying knock through a blinking CEL. Also a soon to be released wideband that will work w/the utec. Not sure if all the same options will be available for the evo since it hasn't been released yet.
The Xede seems to be a good alternative but I heard there is no knock correction control like on the Utec...please correct me if I am wrong.

DynoFlash

iTrader: (91)

Maybe you can get back some $$ on the safc - but a evo with a safc tune sucks compared to our reflashes. The safc tuned evo will be riding the knock sensor reduced timing all the way up the power band due to the very high ign timing in the factory map on lower loads the safc tricks the ecu into thinking it has

MOST - if not all of our clinets are NOT planning stand alone ecus so they are not flashing $$$ into the street - - they are getting a excelent product at a very fair price and a car that is tuned perfectly with NO headaches - hassels or shortcommings.

The typical client of our reflash isn't interested in seeing what the pocketlogger is telling you about a/f ratios and WE certainly wouldn't tune our customer's car with such a crude tool - we have motec wideband

for someone looking for all the problems, shortcommings and hassels of programing any stand alone system - - why not go right to a stand alone without playing with the safc and save yourself even more $$????????

The beauty of our product is you don't have any disadvantage from stock and you get more power

DynoFlash

iTrader: (91)

Query??? WHY would anyone want to detune or retard the knock correction feature on our Evos. It has shown itself to be dead on and fast in protecting the engines from detonation. Perosnally, I am NOT interetsed in getting more power at the expense of serious engine stress and much shorter engine life span.

Instead of tricking the ecu with knock correction or atenuation features - WE tune to eliminate detonation - has the same result and is much better for your engine

From what I heard there have been quiet a few end user caused failures with those other systems you mention. End user adjustability is a double edged sword. Utec pro - end user adjustable. Utec con - end user adjustable. IF you have the right tools and gauges and experience the tuning your own engine is a great option. TOO many folks buy these kind of products and then try to tune by the seat of the pants and the primative datalogging on board and wind up doing lots of damage. By the time you buy the ecu, the wideband, and all the gauges you need - its a significant investment and then you have a lot of dyno time or road tuning to do to get it dialed in.

lil'evil_evo

iTrader: (17)

UTEC is the way to go if you ask me. I have heard so many good things about it for the WRX. It should be out very soon.

Blue Bayou

i never shoulda bought the extended warr ;\

AutoXer

iTrader: (1)

Yes, please.


So, what are you waitin' on? SEMA? Cause that UTEC is sounding pretty dern tasty to me.

timzcat

iTrader: (10)

Why not take your current mod level and get a DynoFlash.
If you get into more and heavier mods later on, then all other other products will be out and you will have more options and information. Remember the Dynoflash is not really $450, you are paying for dyno time with that, which you will pay anywhere else. So really your expediture is around $250 or so for the flash.
I am getting the dyno flash now to get me tuned, later if I get into some heavy mods, maybe I will look at the UTEC or AMS but I don't see waiting now for it when it will also require a lot of tuning to get it working well.

DynoFlash

iTrader: (91)

I'm glad someone see what we are trying to offer. We are now typically tuning the car for - on the average - 1 1/2 hour on the dyno. The typical rate for custom tuning of a utec or stand alone on the Pruven dyno is $250.00 per hour for the dyno, wideband and tuner.

If you compare - for example - if you bought a utec and had Pruven tune it for 2 hours to get it dialed in like our tunes you would prob wind up paying $500.00 just for the tuning.

In reality, at these prices are are basically giving the reflash away for free. What you are paying for is the standard, dyno time, wideband o2, knock meter and tuner and jusyt paying a flat fee instead of an hourly rate.

Compared to the other re-flash vendors who are charging more than us - and selling off the shelf maps with no dyno time included - I think our product is a great value.

CJK

Well, I am in a hard spot here in trying to figure out what to do with my car...however, off the shelf maps sound intreguing (Vishnu's now available one, and works) or you could have a Dyno Flash, which is highly un attainable by me because I don't live near Al...
I see everyones point in getting a flash done, however, wouldn't you want to put that money towards a stand alone ECU like Xede or Utec?
I do plan on doing heavier to my car, and that is where I don't know which company to go with as far as tuning goes...why waste $400-600 on off the shelf maps or dyno tuning when I know I am going to mod more in the future? Doesn't that seem wasteful?

Sorry to all, I am just frustrated because I want the best for my car and I guess there is a lot of companies out there offering different services....I just don't know which one to go with!

Hopefully somone can help!!!

DynoFlash

iTrader: (91)

There is no one golden soultion to the question of how to tune an evo.

in order to decide you need to answer some basic questions :

- how much power do I want ?

- what kind of driving do i do ?

- what kind of fuel will I use?

- how often do i want to have to adjust my car - what is my tuning ability - what kind of tuning tools do I have, eg. wideband o2 etc.

- do I want to maintain the original warranty?

- is it important to keep stock like idel, driveability and performance ?

- what is my budget?

One you have the answers to these questions you will know which solution works best for you

One tuning method may work best for one evo owner and another may be better for another guy

I offer any prospective evo owner free advice and consultation on the best mod path for thier goals. Building the fastest Evo 8 in the world and having already tried almost every tuning device avaialble on the market on my evo and a lot of different combinations of modifications, I know what works and doesnt work from first hand experience

Something else to consider if your pondering your decision - it seems my "favorite" west coast tuner is finally getting the goods and will be selling reflashes within a very short time frame - I guess they fiured out that the reflash is the best way to go ???