Tyson09

iTrader: (1)

looking at an AEM EMS...i found one used for a good price, but it says its for a 99-01 civic (obd2) the code is (aem ems 1010-0249). Couldn't io just get a plug-n-pin kit or do i need to buy my model 96-98 (y8)

bbarbulo

iTrader: (2)

the AEM EMS comes completely blank there is nothing programmed on it. my buddy had one on his del sol... 95% sure that only the wiring would be different, but before you spend the money call the tech support line at AEM. tell them you had a 99 w/ EMS but crashed it and bought a 98... you wanna reuse the EMS in the 'new' car.

MPR

I would suggest against using an AEM EMS.

For a Honda application there are easier and cheaper ways to achieve the same results.

bbarbulo

iTrader: (2)

EMS opens up many possibilities including running w/o a distributor (coil over plug) and adding a second set of injectors in each runner.

zeeman

iTrader: (1)

you could use an obd2a to obd2b jumper so your harness plugs into it, b/c the obd2b uses the plug location A, B, C while obd2a uses plug locations A, C, D.

Why do you want AEM anyways?
Neptune/eCtune/Hondata are more than sufficient for anything you could do with a d-series.

Frozens 400whp SOHC was tuned with Neptune.

Tyson09

iTrader: (1)

i know i am not ruling those out...i just found a really good price for it so i figurede i would do something a little different...and all of those ideas sound good, i found one thats made for my model so hopefully the guy still has it.

zeeman

iTrader: (1)

just expect to pay more for tuning when using a standalone. Theres nothing wrong with AEM EMS, its just a little harder to tune and takes longer since there is so much more than needs adjusting. I've seen several cars run poor on standalones everywhere except at WOT, this is due to cold cranking, cold start maps weren't tuned properly or at all.
The nice thing about crome, Neptune, eCtune, Hondata is the fact that it uses an OEM computer and instead of having a cold cranking and cold start maps to tune, they have just a compensation table with decent pre-set values already set.

Out of curiosity, whats a good deal?

With Neptune all you have to do is have a chipped obd1 ecu and go to an authorized dealer and pay them the Neptune license fee and the tuners tuning fee and thats it, no extra hardware required

MPR

I have to agree with this. We're running megasquirt stand alone on our race MR2 (see sig) and after it's 2nd season running with the megasquirt we have only since mid last season had it starting and idling properly. We're still tweaking with the startup and warm up enrichment maps.

It goes like MAD at wot (166whp and 160ft-lbs torque from a 1.6L, well above the stock 120whp) but part throttle operation and throttle response, though getting better, is still not optimized. (this is partly to do with the supercharger and the lengthly intake piping).

It takes a lot of time and you have to really know what your doing when you go full stand alone. We're not telling you not to do it, we're just saying it's a steeper mountain to climb than may be necessary.

What are you planning to do with your engine? NA, turbo?

Tyson09

iTrader: (1)

well the deal i found is $600for the ems...and i have a fully built d16y8 looking to push past the 400hp range with a GT3076R, I'm in kinda deep and just want to keep learning and playing. if the deal falls through i will definatly look at some of these other options

SloHatch.95

That is a good price. If I were you I would just go with what Zeeman has said. It cost my brother $600 and it still needs more tuning on his EMS. Not really worth it when you can achieve the same thing for less. Don't get me wrong; the standalone unit is amazing but I wouldn't buy another one.

jdm ek4

Make sure you know someone that knows how to tune and use that aem-ems unit cause my friend has one in his Talon and he took it to a couple of people and just ended up going to Neetronics.

zeeman

iTrader: (1)

unless you need the features of a full-standalone I wouldn't waste your money.

That $600 your spending on the EMS alone will cover the complete cost of getting tuned with Neptune.

People have made much more power than that even on crome.

Tyson09

iTrader: (1)

dammit andrew i hate when your right...thanks for all the info, neptune is sounding more practical for myself, i found a pretty cool site with some good stuff on it having to do with neptune and some what.

zeeman

iTrader: (1)

ya man. Neptune is the ****.

You can even have the OEM ecu control boost with the use of a little boost solenoid. All you have to do is add the PWM components to the ecu and wire up the solenoid (2 wires....ignition switched 12v and 1 to the ecu). You can even set up a hi-low boost switch to go from 10psi to 20psi (or whatever settings you want).
It has boost by gear AND rpm at the same time. So if you want 10psi at 5000-7500rpms in 1st/2nd gear but 15psi at 5000-7500rpms in 3rd/4th/5th gear you can set that up.
Neptune has so many nice features that crome lacks. Such as a real anti-lag, boost control, boost cut, primary and secondary fuel/ignition maps which you can setup for pump gas and race gas tunes just to name a few.

SloHatch.95

I am no tuner and don't know too much about programmes. How much better is the Neptune than my Crome? Isn't Crome free compared to Neptune? Any input would be appreciated; yes I am a n00b with this tuning stuff. The only thing I can do now is try to learn. Thanks.

zeeman

iTrader: (1)

Crome is free is your paying someone to tune your car with it, or if you've downloaded the crome-free version.
If you want a crome PRO license for your computer its $150USD. If you want to be able to datalog you'll need a datalogging cable and chipped ecu, datalogging is NOT enabled on the crome-free version, you need a PRO licenese for this. You'll also need a chip burner to burn the programs to a chip that you are making with crome. If you want to be able to real-time program you'll need an emulator like an Ostrich for $200.
So basically to be setup to be able to tune your car with crome you'll have spent $400(ish)USD.
If you're thinking of doing any tuning yourself you'll need to be able to do real-time programming and datalogging IMO. Some people say you can do it without real-time programming, but its much more time consuming without it.

To buy the system compareable to what you'd get with crome for $400 from Neptune, which is the Neptune RTP system is like $400 US on hrtuning's site. With the Neptune RTP system you do the real-time programming and datalogging through 1 USB cable and let me tell you, its fast. Its upload times are fast and datalogging is great, much faster than an ostrich and separate datalogging cable. The RTP system comes with the software which IMO blows crome out of the water in terms of useability and tuners tools and reliability. Its nice when a software opens up and works 100% properly everytime.

To get the system compareable to this from Hondata is the S300 which is roughly $600 US, which has basically all of the features that Neptune does and also does the real-time programming and datalogging through 1 cable.

If you go to a licensed Neptune dealer you pay the Neptune license fee and the tuners tuning fee, no extra hardware needed other than a chipped obd1 ecu....but as the end user you can't adjust anything yourself, the tuner will have to make any changes to the program if necessary. If you want to be able to make changes yourself, you'll need the Neptune RTP system.

MPR

Sounds like a good deal to me. Thats on par with the cost of our megasquirt standalone.

Mashimaro

Yup, this is important for any tuning program or standalone. hence why it's a good idea to use whatever the shop/person is most familar with (and successful with!).

I have an EMS as well and like you, i bought it cuz it was 'cheap'. my problem is now finding an AEM trained tuner that can make the most of this overkill system for my n/a build.

It's one of the best out there in terms of features, but not everyone can maximize or utilize it's potential.

spoon_civic11

zeeman tuned my ek hatch on neptune and i couldn't be happier, the car went 13.1 with a crappy cast iron manifold and a t3 turbo on a stock d16y8, neptune made a world of a difference!