Standalone ECU Adaptronic e420c ECU I need opinions Please!

[spf_lexus]

Ok I have slowly entered the 1uz world over the past year. I am at the point where i love my 7psi but would like a final solution for my tuning needs. I loved the easy nature of RRFMU but that caps my boost off at around 9psi and i just want a higher ceiling. Now i have tried to be subtle with my boost but now I am getting a 2nd mode of transpo and i would like to take this to the next stage, full blown EMS.
I have heard excellent things about the AEM unit but i also heave heard the adaptronic is the bee's knees and cheaper too ($975). I am very green on the subject. I was looking at the install PDF and it just looks like a big job of splicing the stock ecu with this one? I am fairly proficient at this kind of job, I can't make my own plugs and I can't really "improvise" if I hit a snag but i just wanted a no Sh*t assessment on the reality of this install. Please feel free to be blunt if you feel this is a 10/10. I would anticipate a friday afternoon start and finish by sunday if i decided to try it. If i had all my "ducks in a row" and knew what went where and it was just the business of splicing the whole ecu to another could this be done in a 3 day stretch?


Electrical sometimes scares me knowing the engine is at stake. I managed to build a full competition ready audio system by myself (i know thats now quite the same thing but I do have a little experience). I w

 

[cribbj]

SPF, pick your tuner first, then go with the ECU that he recommends and is familiar with.

Unless you're a real sharp cookie, the learning curve for ECU tuning is pretty steep, and a well meaning, but inexperienced person can do a lot of damage to an engine by fiddling with the wrong ECU settings.

Or if you know a very knowledgeable owner near you, who's already been through the learning curve of the Adaptronic or AEM and is capable of tuning them, that's another option.

Trust me, there's nothing more miserable than trying to drive a car with a mistuned ECU. It won't idle right, it'll stumble when you accelerate, it'll stall when you try to go up hills, it'll belch black clouds of smoke, and it'll stall at red lights, etc. Sometimes it'll stall for no reason at all, because of a bad electrical connection. Mine has done all this and more.

So going full standalone is a big, big step; just make sure you have someone nearby who can get it going for you, and who you have 100% confidence in.....

 

[spf_lexus]

weird, this posted 2x ><

 

[spf_lexus]

thanks for the input Crib, I don't think i'll run out and buy one just yet, need to do some more homework. Any ideas on piggyback? Thing of it is i don't see going EVER of the 14psi mark but 10psi sounds real nice right now. I just like having the peace of mind that I can crank a few more psi if needed. I know this requires larger injectors, no biggie. I just didn't know how accurate the piggybacks can get. Am i correct or do they change the system from MAF to MAP? If so then isn't there supposed to be certain fuel "maps" to load for corresponding engine setups? Can these be downloaded off the manufacturers web site? This way is certainly cheaper than EMS.

 

[cribbj]

I have no experience at all with piggybacks; maybe someone else can jump in here and offer some advice.

Back in the day, I believe the Apex'i piggyback was highly thought of by the Supra guys.

 

[scotturnot]

I am going with the adaptronics but have yet to learn it all. Give me a couple more months and I may have more knowledge on it.

 

[stormtrooper]

Hmmmmm. I have experience with the Adaptronic and it isn't good. I wont go through the whole story but suffice to say I got the car to run for something like 30 seconds and that was it. A few days of double checking everything I had done to make sure I hadn't stuffed up, my wiring was good, sensors all checked out perfectly, wiring was as per instructions. So I did what anyone would do and asked for some assistance from the manufacturer and got nothing but grief and put-downs for a few days until I pulled it off my car made my own loom and fitted a Delco (the car isn't UZ powered) and it started first kick after setting a tune into the ECU that was just to get it running. The Adaptronic might be a good ECU but I wouldn't buy another one unless the after sales service picked up.

 

[gloverman]

Spf - If you can do your own head job then some ECU wiring should be no worries. I would chose a full ecu and wire it as a piggyback. I would prefer one that could be configured to different engines down the track. To make it sound really simple all you need to do is feed the correct signals into the new unit (while leaving the standard one to get these signals) and relieve the stock unit of the injectors and ignitors. I would recommend a wideband unit with dash display and maybe a noise meter. Do some research on engine tuning and be start conservative. I have many customers who do most of their own auto work and come to me to finish off.
Tomorrow I am tuning a 4AGTE which the customer has recently fitted bigger injectors. I instructed him on some over the phone fuel adjustments. He has been monitoring mixture via his air/fuel gauge and now I sort the fine tuning. I have tuned the ECU in the past with the smaller injectors.
If you can find a tuner / workshop who can mentor you then you will get it sorted. Cheers

 

[-Nemesis-]

Hmmmmm. I have experience with the Adaptronic and it isn't good. I wont go through the whole story but suffice to say I got the car to run for something like 30 seconds and that was it. A few days of double checking everything I had done to make sure I hadn't stuffed up, my wiring was good, sensors all checked out perfectly, wiring was as per instructions. So I did what anyone would do and asked for some assistance from the manufacturer and got nothing but grief and put-downs for a few days until I pulled it off my car made my own loom and fitted a Delco (the car isn't UZ powered) and it started first kick after setting a tune into the ECU that was just to get it running. The Adaptronic might be a good ECU but I wouldn't buy another one unless the after sales service picked up.

Try Andy the owner/importer in Aus, I sent him a few emails the other day and got responses within minutes (not exxagerating)

 

[stormtrooper]

Try Andy the owner/importer in Aus, I sent him a few emails the other day and got responses within minutes (not exxagerating)

I have sat in Andy's office. Andy doesn't import Adaptronics (unless they are now being made overseas) he builds them. They were developed as a University project in Mechatronics while Andy was a student at Sydney University. I have personally emailed Andy and Cory, Cory was helpful, Andy just posted negativity on a public forum. The Adaptronic idea is good but I couldn't and wouldn't recommend his system to anyone based purely on my experience with his "Customer Service".

 

[spf_lexus]

Thanks for the tip, on such a delicate install... customer service is key. I think i wont be going autronic/standalone but a cheaper route because 7psi does not need a $5000 motec solution!!. I plan for MAP conversion and translator with their controller. The controller is their top of the line and only costs $360 but trims for injectors and has same features as big names like AEM/apexi. The controller runs $360, gm 3 bar MAP is $75 and the wire loom is pretty cheap too. I think it should e able to deal with whatever I throw at it.

 

[Zuffen]

Andy is the all round good guy.

Give him a go and he will deliver.

Agree with the comment on Autronic.

Undersupported but a great unit.

 

[stormtrooper]

Andy is the all round good guy.

Give him a go and he will deliver.

.

I'm not going to argue this point with people. My experience is very different. I have an ECU that ran an engine for a short amount of time, many other things also happened which I will not go into here, I received no real help apart from Cory testing my settings file which was found to be ok. I have made my opinion known so others can exercise their choice. I wont post on this topic again.

 

[sideshow]

there are afew people that know autronics well

there is alot fo support for autronic
its just u have to pay someone to do it

and most people who like to do things for free and do it themselves
dont buy autronic cause of this

top dollar ecus usually mean top dollar installations


thats y ecus under 1200 dollar mark go good on forums

anyway the link gplus is supposedly a good thing these days
much better than the older units

it snice and simple and well priced

ive had pros and cons for all aftermarket ecus out there
i wont waste time explaining

but installing 1 type of ecu can be a pain
once u do 10 of the same ecu u leave all the little tricks

so only way to learn is just keep playing and testing the ecu u have

 

[spf_lexus]

Since the autronic is sorta my plan B, I found another nice little doodad thats horribly over priced but sweet. The HKS or (HK$) AFK unit caught my eye. I know HKS is the rich boy brand but they also make some great products. This product is basically just a wideband solution with added knock support. Instead of the standard gauge it comes with a 4'' color screen that displays serparate readouts for each bank. It even has a headphone input for testing for knock and has an audible warning system if knock occurs. The unit costs $750 and more than that when if the 2nd sensor is used but if I land a small fortune i'm buyin' this baby! here's the layout:





Saw a GS rocking one of these and mounted his by capping off his driver front AC vent and it fit the space perfectly.

 

[XR8tt]

Pick an ECU you like..
Go to there home page and find fitters, tuners in your area and talk to them.. JEM http://www.justenginemanagement.com/main.htm
in Sydney is a top tuner and tunes most cars in Zoom mag and drift cars etc..

Matt [ Hitman] out Penrith for good tune and EPA testing and passing...If you have an ECU issue he'll keep going till he finds it..
http://www.racesolutions.com.au/

 

[spf_lexus]

I pretty much settled on a unit. Kc has a very similar setup to mine and got me interested in his MAFpro controller. Very affordable, trims injectors and is fairly easy to set up. I have decided to do this entire stage myself. I got some pointer on leaning/richening different points of load, but plan to really take my time. Here's the list of needed parts:

-Maf Pro controller
-IAT sensor (GM)
-3 bar MAP sensor (GM)
-wire loom
-wideband solution (AEM or HKS, have not decided yet)

I figure w/o the wideband around $500 $600 and it's a job I can tackle

 

[spf_lexus]

It's been awhile since an update but I finished my 4.7 install and my builder is doing homework on my e340c and we are trying to keep both the stock ECU and the adaptronic connected. I want all duties minus critical engine sensors for the stock computer, so the transmission would immidiatly be sorted out and adaptronic "adaptive mode" for keeping the engine vitals in check. Also I suppose once the stock ECU is not in actual duty of the engine vitals i would need to install a time lock switch for the check engine light? My builder says I need to keep my original ECU "prod" code also? and this would keep a-hole california cops from crushing my ride if they find the stock ecu is altered. Anyone know a little on this subject? I want all my features still, just looking for a way to link the two and make it work.

Sean

 

[scotturnot]

I know this is not the right place for it but thought I would post here since everyone is talking about the adaptronic. I have a brand new Adaptronic prewired with the Jumper leads to plug and play on a SC/soarer probally other 1uz's. it has some base maps for 10 lb boost and 15lb boost. It was set up by Neil in Aussie and test ran on the dyno with his personal car. Anyway, It is up for sale. I also have a video Gauge. Long story short. I bought it, bought wire jumper harness, posted them to Neil, Had him wire it and dyno tune some maps, then sold it to Zach for his car, he abandoned his project, I bought it all, now I'm parting it all out.
PM me for details

Maybe I should consider using this?

 

[spf_lexus]

god I wish there was a plug-and-play for LS400. I too bought mine from Neil.