aftermarket ECU recommendations

[Allanw 1071]

Hi all,

this is a bit off topic, but I know this is probably a good place to ask

I want to know what is a good brand of aftermarket ECU to use for a project.

I'm thinking Link (G4 Xtreme does what I need), but I wonder if it's worth investigating some other brands, and where to have the final tune done. I'm based in Whangarei, abut will travel to Auckland if required, when the time comes for tuning. I really want good support and backup, as well as something most good tuners are happy to work with.

It will be running a Subaru EZ30R 3.0 flat 6 in my VW Van, as I "accidently" sold the EJ25 Subaru conversion that's in there now. 200ish KW should be "adequate".

Thanks Guys!

[polley 916]

Depends what features you want, but I found DTA to be the same price as link but with more features.

Find a tuner first and find what they are comfortable with, there is great support for link in NZ which makes it popular for a lot of people who dont want to figure it out themselves.

[thorburn 121]

Where'd you find the engine? I'm currently on the lookout for one

Depends on how much you want to spend and what you want it to do. The link g4 will run the the variable valve timing and valve lift that these engines have. They also seem to be the most comman aftermarket ecu used for these engines.

Most popular ecu's will be able to control the avcs etc.

I'm assuming your going to get rid of the drive by wire throttle? if not there are a few options but not many tuners that will help

Edited September 17, 2012 by Thorburn

[Allanw 1071]

Depends what features you want, but I found DTA to be the same price as link but with more features.

Find a tuner first and find what they are comfortable with, there is great support for link in NZ which makes it popular for a lot of people who dont want to figure it out themselves.

AHA! See - I knew i'd get help. Hadn't found DTA, but will certainly have a look. I'll take recommendations on tuners too!

More on features below...

Where'd you find the engine? I'm currently on the lookout for one

Depends on how much you want to spend and what you want it to do. The link g4 will run the the variable valve timing and valve lift that these engines have. They also seem to be the most comman aftermarket ecu used for these engines.

Most popular ecu's will be able to control the avcs etc.

I'm assuming your going to get rid of the drive by wire throttle? if not there are a few options but not many tuners that will help

I don't have the engine yet, but I know henderson parts world can do them. May not be the cheapest at the end of the day, but when I need one, I probably won't have the luxury of waiting months to get a cheap good one. I thought I may as well spring the extra for the "R", since it sounds like aftermarket ECU is easier on all the EZ30's anyway. I haven't checked for price or availability, but I might do, for the 3.6L version too. All the other conversions I done, I've used the stock ECU's.

The engine will be a while down the track, as I have to swap mine into the guys van I sold it too, then build a reverse diff'd Subaru trans to hang the EZ off.

I do know the Link will do it, 6 injection channels and coil-on-plug for the 6 too, plus yes, the valve systems. I actually want to keep the drive-by-wire (the link will do it with another module for about $380+gst), because I currently have a 5.5 metre long throttle cable from the front of my van to the EJ25 - it's OK, but electronic would be much smoother (better control for drifting etc )

Thanks guys!

Any other input welcome too

[polley 916]

The DTA will do drive by wire with an extra box, has built in ignition drivers, built in traction control etc. Dont know of any tuners that are familar with it though. motorsport electronics in auckland might know of some.

[APT 194]

Pm me your email address and I will check it out for you, I work at Strong for Subaru will be able to give you a better deal than Henderson

[MLM 57]

A note on ignitors / ignition drives. Some ecu's have them others dont.

I made up ignition drives to suit my Link ecu for approx $16 per channel. So if your favored ecu dosnt have them it can be easily overcome without the expence of a new module which can get pricey.

[polley 916]

You can pick up 6 channel nissan igniters cheaply also, but its just another box you have to find room for somewhere.

[thorburn 121]

For the drive by wire you could also go for a silver case g4 xtreme. Or go for a vipec ecu (same as link but for some reason has more features e.g. traction control)

Hope you don't mind the ot discussion(ignore me if you do). How do you go about reversing the diff? flip it over and add more oil to satisfy the pinion?

[Allanw 1071]

The DTA will do drive by wire with an extra box, has built in ignition drivers, built in traction control etc. Dont know of any tuners that are familar with it though. motorsport electronics in auckland might know of some.

I shouldn't think a good tuner will have any problems with setting them u, although I'm sure some are FAR easier tan others! The DTA does have some good specs. I'm not in a rush, so I'll have time to check out support forums etc anyway. Traction conrtol would actually be very handy too!

A note on ignitors / ignition drives. Some ecu's have them others dont.

I made up ignition drives to suit my Link ecu for approx $16 per channel. So if your favored ecu dosnt have them it can be easily overcome without the expence of a new module which can get pricey.

It seems a lot of the newer high end ones (which I'm stuck with due to the engine) do have them built in, but I'll keep that in mind, if I like one that doesn't!

Pm me your email address and I will check it out for you, I work at Strong for Subaru will be able to give you a better deal than Henderson

HAHA! Will do! I'll actually need the engine "complete", as in ready to install, including the power steering pump, but no AC etc. I was thinking of pricing the 3.6 too, but I'm sure they'll be a lot more as they are more rare, although probably not such a demand for them either!

I'll also need a late model (99+ 8 bolt bellhousing) turbo trans and a flywheel to suit both trans and engine. An LSD front diff would be handy, but not essential.

I'll PM you my email - rough prices are OK, it will be at least a few months before I'm ready to purchase those, although the trans will be first on the list - If funds get short too fast, it may just have another 2.5 put in until the Mrs goes back to work (unlikely though).

For the drive by wire you could also go for a silver case g4 xtreme. Or go for a vipec ecu (same as link but for some reason has more features e.g. traction control)

Hope you don't mind the ot discussion(ignore me if you do). How do you go about reversing the diff? flip it over and add more oil to satisfy the pinion?

I did see the Vipec has drive by wire built in! Nice! When you say the same as a link, do you mean they ARE a link in a different dress? They do look very much the same. Is it just the over seas branding or something???

Like I say, I'll be looking into these over the next few months before I decide, finally!

This whole thread is off topic, but I do that a lot I don't mind where this thread goes, as long as the Mods are happy!

I didn't post it in the off topic section, becasue it seemed to fit MUCH better in the performance tuning area, and the actual ECU info I would like to hear is quite non-specific, so should be of help to others anyway.

There are things about them that suit BMW models too, and things that don't. Some I have found will only run variable camshaft timing on the inlet cams, while others do both. Some can only operate it on 2 cams, some do 4. I need 4, 2 exhaust and 2 inlet, plus the lift control system too!

This whole project is quite an expensive exercise... by the time this project is done, I'll have a van I paid $4500 for... that I will have spent about another 18K on, including the extras and mods done so far.... and it will still look like crap! A good chunk of the money will come from the sale of my other conversion though - it should nearly fund the parts of this entire project, but I'm then expecting about 150 hours of my time to complete the details. Will be faster than last time though! It is nearly part camper and it has some stealth mods and some not so stealth (like 16" steel rims that came new from mercedes, poptop roof, lowering springs, full suspension rebuild, added power steering, factory from lip spoiler, sliding windows all around, swivelling front seats etc...etc,etc,etc... ) It's a great cfamily camper that also seats 8 and I want it to be very practical. It'snot meant to make sense!

Anyway... (was that off topic enough?!) The transmission drive is reversed by flipping the diff in the transmission, which is an old VW trick that's been done for years for mid mount engines, or from the factory even, in old Kombis with reduction boxes on the rear axle(2 big gears to raise the height and shorten gearing).

The problem with the Subaru trans, is that it is a offset hypoid crownwheel/pinion arrangement. So to do it, you need a custom crownwheel and pinion shaft cut the opposite way, so that the teeth will mesh. These gears and output shaft flange adapters run about NZ$2800 currently.