ecu+ + ecuflash and other question

roger smith · Jul 11, 2006, 09:22 PM

I've wanting to get a UTEC for the longest time now but now this ECU+ is out and seems as good and better. So I've been doing a lot of reading on the ECU+.

I noticed many users say it is very good when used with ecuflash. I was wondering why there's a need to reflash your car's computer when the ECU+ can already handle many things. What is it that the ecuflash can do that the ECU+ can't?

One last thing is one of the things I liked about the UTEC is it's ability to switch maps easily. I know the ECU+ can do this with a laptop or pda. I wanted to have a performance map and daily driver map (good gas mileage) to switch between. One of the biggest requirements for tuning your car for good gas mileage is controlling boost, no? And I know the ECU+ will be incorporating this feature soon.

mad_VIII · Jul 12, 2006, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roger smith

I've wanting to get a UTEC for the longest time now but now this ECU+ is out and seems as good and better. So I've been doing a lot of reading on the ECU+.

I noticed many users say it is very good when used with ecuflash. I was wondering why there's a need to reflash your car's computer when the ECU+ can already handle many things. What is it that the ecuflash can do that the ECU+ can't?

One last thing is one of the things I liked about the UTEC is it's ability to switch maps easily. I know the ECU+ can do this with a laptop or pda. I wanted to have a performance map and daily driver map (good gas mileage) to switch between. One of the biggest requirements for tuning your car for good gas mileage is controlling boost, no? And I know the ECU+ will be incorporating this feature soon.

First I'm selling my utec setup so if you are interested pm me for a killer price.

Second, I am getting my ECU+ this week.

From what I have seen so far here are my opinoins:
UTEC:
the utec allows very granular control of fuel and timing based on rpm and load sites in a matrix (load on x axis and rpm on y). The utec also supports injector scaling, closed loop boost control when paired with a map sensor (my utec comes with the txs map sensor pre calibrated, shameless plug). 2 step launch control, flat foot shifting, etc. You can also plug the tuna pro wideband in and log afr's directly via the utec logs. The one thing that really sets the utec apart is direct control of the ingnition coils, so if you want 14.1 degrees of advance at 6500 rpm, no problem. The utec is somewhere between a pigyback and a stand alone and is very easy to get the hang of and a good starting point for tuning. Plus the utec stores five user defined maps so you can easily switch between maps for various conditions, plus a vallet map and a passthrough map.

ECU+:
Does not support boost control yet, but you can plug in a map sensor and log yur boost, also can plugin various wide bands and log that as well. Timing and fueling adjustments are made to load ranges (low, med, high) and various rpm's (every 250 rpm's) so there would be three load points for each rpm to adjust rather than 10 with the utec. The ECU+'s main strength is awsome logging, that Is why I am switching to it, since i am also using ecuflash. works very well with ecuflash because of the logging simple adjustment.

ECUFLASH:
Main strength seems to be better injector scaling capability than the utec or the ecu+. What you don't want to do is flash the ecu on a daily bases, so if you have good logging tool and can make your tuning adjustments via the utec or the ecu+ then transfer then over to your ecu with ecu flash you are in good shape. The stock ecu has 20 load points in the fuel and timing map and rpm split every 500 so you have a little more granular control over your map.

hope this helps.....

MalibuJack · Jul 12, 2006, 09:38 AM

Yep, as said above it has the best logging I have ever seen short of a dedicated data aquisition tool..

The thing no piggyback can do (short of the UTEC) is change your boost/fuel cut values, change your rev limit (Standing and redline) That is where the ECUFlash portion comes in.. Most of us do a simple base tune, then make changes in the ECU+ until we get what we want, then migrate those changes to the ECU.. Finally we return to the ECU+ to fine tune changes in the future..

If the UTEC were better supported at this point and they delivered the new firmware they promised (with new additional features) I'd probably still be using mine.. For the moment the ECU+ serves my needs much better.