£1000 What Ecu Would You Choose?? (1997)
 

Hello guys.

I have some cash coming up for a ecu, with it been 1997 Uk turbo it needs to be 3 Plug and standalone so im led to beleive.

So what ecu would you have? With Which mods? & Finally What Power Would you expect to see??

Preferably I'd Like 2 Maps, Anti-Lag & Launch Controll.

Thanks.
wayne.

i'd say simtec

As above mate, power depends on mods, and mind standard clutch wont like too much over 300

Hmmm - I'd wait and go Syvecs myself Simtek with switchable maps plus Anti/lag is not much cheaper.

Budget for clutch, gearbox, turbo, injectors, fuel pump, filter, exhaust, fmic at a minimum to make sure nothing goes bang!

Save a little more and buy a Syvecs PnP IMHO for your car. It's a very capable ecu.

Remember its not just the ecu you have to factor in but also ancillaries i.e MAP sensor, wideband if you want to run closed loop fueling, Charge air temp sensors, cal switch and any other input you wish to run into the ecu etc etc.

Mods depend on what your goals are so think you'll have to be a little more specific to get a sensible reply :)

HTH Col

SimTek, supplied fitted and mapped £995 inc vat + £150 + vat for ALS and Launch. Switch for twin maps £5 from Halfords.
Syvecs, supplied £1249+ vat inc ALS and Launch, mapping from £250+ vat, cal switch £39.

£1845 inc vat for the Syvecs, £1181 inc vat for the SimTek.
A difference of just over £700. The Syvecs is an amazing ecu and represents good value for a high end unit, but I just don't see the need for a high end ecu to suit this ops's application.
The SimTek is a fantastic budget ecu and when tuned correctly can produce stunning results.

Agree with the above.
I have Motec M48 pro on my car with all options enabled which costs a fortune. The two above do just about everything mine does (except maybe data logging, not sure) and are alot cheaper.
I think the simtek would be plenty good enough for you buddy from what I have read about it. I would have gone down that route if my car didn't come with the motec.

Thanks lads,

I was thinking simtec, the apexi looks good but is it as capable as the simtec?
My car will have on it: sard induction kit, japspeed downpipe, blitz exhaust, front mount intercooler, 440's, walbro Fuel Pump, TD05, IC spray kit, Shortened waste gate arm & Maybe new header's

For your mods I would go for an Apexi and save the money for something else, anti lag is a gimmick, launch control can be useful and twin maps unless mapping for other fuels not necessary.

nice 1 banny:thumb: i think the apexi looks a better piece of kit, but i want as good as i can get for the money,

when you say antilag is a gimmick what do you mean? i wanted the launch control for the fun factor and 2 maps so i could have a fuel happy map, and a full throttle map for when i feel like smiling;)

Won't anti lag knacker your turbo?
I also would think that launch control can put a lot of strain on the drive train.

That's a lof cash to spunk fella.
What BHP are you going for?

I also heard that anti lag can start to shorten the life of the turbo too? Im not sure on bhp wise? wouldnt mind just over the 300 mark if it possible?

Anti lag is nothing more than a few pops and bangs, good fun going through a tunnel thats about it :D If used properly it will shorten the life of the turbo but a few pops and bangs wont have any effect on the turbo life.

As you are aiming not much over 300bhp, I would defo go apexi power fc with an apexi boost controller. I ran this combination to about 440ish and had zero issues with the car. A Uk turbo will need a turbo and injector change to crack 300bhp though worth bearing that in mind too.

I agree it is nice to have multiple maps for different fuels, as currently I have a v power and vpower/meth map and it is much easier than constantly filling up with meth.

Simtek will be fine.

I've got a Syvecs which is an awesome piece of kit but would be complete overkill for 300bhp

I think the Syvecs for a road going car is overkill anyway when the Simtec will do everything a road car needs and more, For Track/competition cars Syvecs is the way forward IMO.

I've got anti lag and launch control.
Both of which were unplugged at the ECU as soon as I got the car. Both are pointless on a road car in my opinion and both will cause you problems.

Anti Lag, the modern day dump valve ;)

apexi is getting pretty old now, by the time you find one, had it fitted, then mapped you wont be far off simtek money.

I would place syvecs over motec, it has all the features (including data logging if set up for it) and has more processing power than the motec.

for what you want i'd go simtek, although if you have plans to go bigger power later down the line then i'd save extra for syvecs.

as far as antilag an launch control, most roads cars that claim to have antilag its so mild that its a total waste of time, full blown antilag will eat your turbo and also fry valves in the engine extreamly quickly. dont forget wrc cars have new engines and turbos for every event. for road use not only is it ilegal, but its just pub talk as well, you can get pops and bangs mapped safley into your over run and get your pops and bangs.

Thanks for that mate. so as you and banny both say ditch the antilag & launch controll.

but im still stuck with which ecu? which one would have the advantage with the mods i've listed?

simtec is £850 Fitted & mapped on jollygreen monsters site. An Apexi and controller is £500 second hand, then £250 for fitting & mapped, so there both around the same money?:wonder:

100% simtek then chap. no question about it, simtek is far more capable and does away with the silly maf sensor which the apexi retains.

The 97 maf sensor is pretty robust and the 96-97 apexis can be had for as little as 300 second hand. The other advantage of the apexi is that it drives pretty close to the oem ecu, no starting or idling issues at all.

second hand for that money though, no warrenty either. maf's arn;t mega strong even at there best, also setup right you shouldn;t get any issues with starts or idling anyway.

Apexi can be had for 400 or less second hand with a controller if you wait and hunt arround abit, + get a handy display in your car displaying everything u need to know except for oil preasure., i have one of these running at 300bhp without any problems at all in the last 20k miles 400 +250 mapped = 650 , leaves u 200 for 3 tanks of fuel :P , also the MAF on 97/98 cars as banny has said are preaty tough

Anti Lag / Launch control do as others have stated , while good for a giggle in the long run arnt all they are cracked up to be , launch control will eat a clutch in 20 launches or less.

MY99-00 maf yes but not the MY97-98 maf, ran mine for 5 years all the way up to 440bhp and did not have a single issue including removing the dump valve completely. Sold the maf to a friend and its still running sweet on his car.

Ultimately it depends if warranty matters to the OP as ecu's do not go wrong very often and I sold my apexi on here and it is still going strong.

you pays your money you takes your choice, i know which route i'd wanna go if it was my money.

I'd go with the simtek in your position, Although ive never used and apexi i can comment on the simtek as i run one. Good piece of kit, does what it says on the tin and to be honest no noticable difference from the o/e ecu. Always starts well and idles well. Ofcourse you wont get duel maps with the apexi.

Little bit more upmarket than a spark plug in your exhaust :D

Yea I give you that, but it's the same type of people who were prone to shoving plugs up their holes (exhaust ones :) ) that are now after anti lag, 'it's all about da immage innit' :lol1:

Saying that I have it installed as well but found it does about as much good as a chocolate fireguard, havent even turned it on for two years now, 150 quid well spent..........Not! :D

well im still no wiser?? the simtec gets so much good thoughts from people! but the apexi looks better. what would i need? as im sure theres wide band lamba and some other sensor i need for the simtec?

Am i right?

thanks again guys

I assume you mean a standard oem clutch? My exedy twin plate Is still going strong.