Aftermarket Chips?

[Guest Andrew]

Thats a bit unfair.. take it to the dyno. You may suck each time at drags. But i'm not much of a promotor for the JC or Dinan software offerings either, I just don't see the need.

You can't go wrong with a Link, removing the AFM is GOING to give you HP any way you look at it. I don't think its worth doing though unless your going to be doing a motor swap or turbo etc..

ThreeTwoFive: I was aware the ECU wasn't replaced, I'm just saying they merely replace your chip, with the same chip that has different software.

Link have a product that gets rid of the AFM & uses your factory ECU - much cheaper than an aftermarket ECU but gives almost the same affect

with MAF or MAP? .. MAF is just a less restrictive AFM in any case, so shouldn't be too hard to wire up to stock ecu.

threetwofive: have you seen a link in action before? just curious...

[tHrEEtWoFiVe 0]

Full link uses MAP, I am not sure on the system gmccormack refers to uses. Likely to be MAF. May be similar to the SMT6 system the guys in the states are playing with?

Yes Ive seen it in action, on seriously worked GSR, a Nissan Navara(dont ask), and a full blown toyota 4age (Levin) race car.

It was impressive on all. BUT had many hours put into setting it up. This was a few years ago, I then got out of the performance car scene for a while, and well Im back again, so I havent seen the very latest systems.

If I was goin to do it, I would prob go all or nothing so I wopuld be looking at Link Wire in Management

http://www.link-electro.co.nz/lem.html

Edited February 4, 2004 by tHrEEtWoFiVe

[Gus 5]

just downloaded the pclink.....very interesting....also easy to see how it could be very easy to mess up everything...or maybe just for me.....but its so cool!......fun!.....adjusting timing through laptop? yes please.....easy to switch between avgas and 96

[Guest Andrew]

just downloaded the pclink.....very interesting....also easy to see how it could be very easy to mess up everything...or maybe just for me.....but its so cool!......fun!.....adjusting timing through laptop? yes please.....easy to switch between avgas and 96

you can change timing advance/retard with link on the fly yes. I'll still be using the dizzy in my application (turbo) but locked mechanical advance retard and letting the link do that.

Threetwofive: yeah i was aware proper link uses map.. was wondering about the piggy back.

[gmccormack 0]

Full link uses MAP, I am not sure on the system gmccormack refers to uses. Likely to be MAF. May be similar to the SMT6 system the guys in the states are playing with?

Yes Ive seen it in action, on seriously worked GSR, a Nissan Navara(dont ask), and a full blown toyota 4age (Levin) race car.

It was impressive on all. BUT had many hours put into setting it up. This was a few years ago, I then got out of the performance car scene for a while, and well Im back again, so I havent seen the very latest systems.

If I was goin to do it, I would prob go all or nothing so I wopuld be looking at Link Wire in Management

http://www.link-electro.co.nz/lem.html

The system I was refering to uses a MAP sensor .It used a voltage inversion circuit to invert the output of the MAP to one the same as the AFM.The MAP output at high vacuum is 0 volts & 5 volts at zero vacuum whereas the AFM output at idle is 5 volts & then falls as the flap opens .With the circuit in place between the MAP & ECU the whole thing is ment to operate just like the stock system but with out the restriction of the AFM & with a minimum of tuning to set it up .I dont know if it is still available because I couldnt find it on their web site but I do have a copy of a similar circuit that you can make your self if your handy with a soldering iron

[tHrEEtWoFiVe 0]

I would be interested gmccormack

[E30-323ti 66]

Full link uses MAP, I am not sure on the system gmccormack refers to uses. Likely to be MAF. May be similar to the SMT6 system the guys in the states are playing with?

Yes Ive seen it in action, on seriously worked  GSR, a Nissan Navara(dont ask), and a full blown toyota 4age (Levin) race car.

It was impressive on all. BUT had many hours put into setting it up. This was a few years ago, I then got out of the performance car scene for a while, and well Im back again, so I havent seen the very latest systems.

If I was goin to do it, I would prob go all or nothing so I wopuld be looking at Link Wire in Management

http://www.link-electro.co.nz/lem.html

The system I was refering to uses a MAP sensor .It used a voltage inversion circuit to invert the output of the MAP to one the same as the AFM.The MAP output at high vacuum is 0 volts & 5 volts at zero vacuum whereas the AFM output at idle is 5 volts & then falls as the flap opens .With the circuit in place between the MAP & ECU the whole thing is ment to operate just like the stock system but with out the restriction of the AFM & with a minimum of tuning to set it up .I dont know if it is still available because I couldnt find it on their web site but I do have a copy of a similar circuit that you can make your self if your handy with a soldering iron

It use to be called the AFM Link, and sold for around $5-600 from memory, +install +tuning so came to around $1300 all up. You couldn't adjust any timing with it though and you could only modify the stock ecu's fuel curve, which is fine for NA applications where you only need to tweak it due to lumpier cam etc... but it you bolted on a turbo (andrew) it would be very pressed to provide enough flexibility, that is the prob with piggy back stuff.

I think it was used a bit in the US by the E30 M3 guys.

[skubez 0]

Hey E30-323ti, what kind of ECU are you running Link or other? I notice your description says your car is a TT with 280HP, thats pretty impressive!! What else have you done to it?

[skubez 0]

Oh, thought I might add that I have driven a few cars that have had aftermarket ECU's - all of them Subaru's. The big thing with these is that you can customise how your car runs - ie if you want to get rid of the safe factory settings and run your car on some harder settings you can, likewise if you fill it up with some bad petrol somewhere you can retard the timing so you don't hurt your car too much (probably more pertinent to turbo cars though).

From what I know of Link, it isn't as good as some other replacement/piggy back ECU's only because it doesn't have the processing power. They all have their pro's and con's, but I would definitely look at whether an Apexi Power FC would work on an E30 - this just has more options and processing power than the Link, although it stills requires you to run an AFM. But with the AFM, there are things you can do to de-restrict the airflow, most of them have screens on either side of the sensor (why there is one on the rear side of some I don't know??) but these can be removed if need be. Nothing should get through your air filter setup that could hurt your sensor - well it shouldn't do.

And with any mods, you will notice an increase in performance, however big or small, but this will depend on how you want to run your car - on the edge or safe!