Which ECU for a VR4

[eXplode]

I am looking into putting a VR4 motor into my cordia.
I am pretty confident that can fit the engine my self and make up the needed top engien mount, but the wiring has got me worried.

I thought i would be better of using and after market ECU instead of the standard one to save alot of stuffing around with wiring and gain a few more Kws.
I have been doing a bit reasearch on the different ECU's and have narrowed down my choices to Wolf3D or microtech, but i am willing to look into others.
What ECU would you guys recommend and why?
Also afer rough prices including and not including installation?

At the moment i am just trying to work out a rough budget so i can work out how much money i need to save up.

[THE ASH]

If you are only planning minor mods the stock ECU will be fine (EG. Exhaust, Intercooler & boost) but past that an aftermarket computer would be a good idea. Rule of thumb is get the best you can afford, but even a mighty Motec tuned badly will suck, the cheaper products that you have mentioned have been getting some good reviews lately. From my research, if you keep the stock cams, map sensor based ECU's are the way to go.

That said due to budget, I am running stock management for the above mods plus an EVO 3 turbo at 13psi with no problems. I do have an Apexi S-AFC installed too but it isn't really needed until I fit a set of RX7 injectors to hopefully run about 18psi safely. :D

[510DIA]

Hey SloVR4, u ran any times in the cordia?

Cordia Powa! :D

[THE ASH]

Have another look 510DIA, it is a VR4 with the front bumper off, and 13.649@98.25mph with the stock turbo if you must know.
(Haven't ran since I got the Evo 3 turbo)

[syn.13b]

forget about running the factory shit put an ems or microtech or such on it,the factory ecu's are plagued with problems and youll spend big dollars trying to fix it ,btw you cant get many remanufactured sensors/afm's for them either(genuine only)

[THE ASH]

Plagued with problems? Big dollars? $2 of capacitors doesn't sound that hard to me. :rolleyes:

Yes I do agree an aftermarket ECU would be best. All I meant was if he wants to do it as cheap as possible & gets a working ECU & loom with the motor anyway, he doesn't have to throw it away & spend over another grand for the hell of it.

[syn.13b]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by SloVR4
[B]Plagued with problems? Big dollars? $2 of capacitors doesn't sound that hard to me. :rolleyes:

obviously ,slovr4, not all of us are electronics experts like you!!!!!!AND if you read the original question,EXPLODE asks about aftermarket computers NOT factory,why not just answer the questions asked.Furthermore through my experience(i do engine conversions and modifications for a living)the cordias and starion(and vr4) computers,map sensors and afm's have problems that the experts like petro-ject and afi cant always find or fix,!maybe we can all send our efi problems to you so you can fix them all for $2 worth of capacitors!

[eXplode]

I have looked around at some prices and i will be paying around 600+ for the VR4 ECu and loom if i want to buy it when i buy the engine.
I doubt that i could hook this loom up to my car and engine so i checked put how much it would cost for the VR4 computer to be hooked up and they said around $1000

So for $1600 i can be running on the VR4 computer.

I think that it will be worth while paying alittle bit extra for an aftermarket ecu.

syn.13b Any idea how much it will cost me to buy an after market ECu and to get it hooked up and running, thanks.

Also by getting the aftermarket computer does this mean that i can completely get rid of the cordia computer?

[THE ASH]

Explode - . I'm sorry I didn't read you question correctly in the first place & I hope I didn't cause you any inconvenience. All I was saying was if you could fit it yourself you could save some dollars, if you have to pay someone ($1600!!!) than for sure go the aftermarket.

syn.13b - I did say an aftermarket computer would be a better way to go, please re-read my first and 2nd posts on the matter.

If you are only planning minor mods the stock ECU will be fine (EG. Exhaust, Intercooler & boost) but past that an aftermarket computer would be a good idea. Rule of thumb is get the best you can afford, but even a mighty Motec tuned badly will suck, the cheaper products that you have mentioned have been getting some good reviews lately. From my research, if you keep the stock cams, map sensor based ECU's are the way to go.

Yes I do agree an aftermarket ECU would be best. All I meant was if he wants to do it as cheap as possible & gets a working ECU & loom with the motor anyway, he doesn't have to throw it away & spend over another grand for the hell of it.

I was simply suggesting another option if money was tight. There are 3 capacitors in a VR4 ECU that tend to leak all over the PCB and cause all sorts of erratic problems, its an easy fix that doesn't require an "electronics expert". What exactly is your problem?

[eXplode]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by SloVR4
Explode - . I'm sorry I didn't read you question correctly in the first place & I hope I didn't cause you any inconvenience. All I was saying was if you could fit it yourself you could save some dollars, if you have to pay someone ($1600!!!) than for sure go the aftermarket.

No problems mate, it kind of cleared a few other things up for me.

[syn.13b]

slovr4, the problems i have encountered in the last 3 years of doing this work after opening my shop has hardly ever involved ecu's being the problem it is mainly the vortex air mass meters that stuff uf and the map sensors as well and to find one from a wrecker that works is almost impossible and to get one from fuel injection places that remanufactuer these is around $600 exchange , an example of what i was saying is this,i had a customer come in with a starion with a vr4 engine, all the voltages were correct at the computer, there were no air leaks and the sensors were all correct and reading fine,i got the computer tested by A.F.I. but everything came back o.k. put it on an oscilliscope at my mates workshop and the problem was found to be an erratic air flow meter.($600 exchange)but for $500 i got him a used mt8 microtech, so for 900 he was back on the road with a programmable comp with no afm's to restict flow and less chance of anything else stuffing up on it in the future!Another customer with a series 4 rx7 had problems,3 other workshops,2 autolecs and myself couldnt find the problem(intermittent bad running)put on an ems and the thing runs sweet as a nut! with some cars its just not worth the headf*ck,especially the conversions.

[syn.13b]

if you want a computer fitted you can get a laptop version microtech for $1050 plus around $400 for install or an ems stinger for $995 plus $400 install and then you can get rid of your air flow meter and factory computer!

[THE ASH]

Syn.13B - Sorry if I came across a bit rude, If I could get an aftermarket ECU in and tuned up here for $900 I'd be laughing!
Unfortunately up here in the sticks it doesn't happen, especially with the lack of AWD dyno's & people who can tune turbocharged cars. If it isn't a Commodore/Faclon or WRX, they simply don't know jack about the car.