The cheapest Maxxecu is still twice the cost of a Microsquirt, right? I guess it's still cheap at around $700 and seems to do more than Micro.
I'm planning on wiring a new harness anyway, would you still pick Micro for an entry level ECU to coax 350hp out of a stockish redblock?
at ~$360 you're going to be *very* hard pressed to beat a microsquirt, period. Especially if you consider your time as worth anything (you may be able to build an ms2/v3 cheaper, but you'll have twice the amount of time tied up if not more)
I'm not sure where you've been but AEM only does standalone, with optional patch harnesses for select applications. Where I'm from the Infinity is highly regarded.
yeah, they're stock replacement ecu's as in they replace the stock ecu. Plug and play, if you will (aem v1's, v2's, etc). that's changed somewhat with the infinity, but then I also don't know of a whole lot of tuners that care for the infinity system. Hell I don't know that I've seen anyone around here with an AEM newer than a v2, anything past that has been something else (EMU, etc)
I'd still go AEM EMS4, it's less expensive than maxxecu, and by default is setup to handle ebc, water/meth, knock, seq inj/ ign, VR sensors, DAM CAS (for the b21 guys), anti lag, and pwm idle. I include pwm idle as I had the most issues in megasquirt w/my idle
like $20 less box vs box, but the maxx is cheaper by a decent bit if you start talking about the plug and pin kit or unterminated harness. the unterminated harness option is cheaper than just the plug and pin kit with the ems-4. This is for the mini. The maxx street ecu has more coil and injector outputs, built in map, and built in wideband controller, and is ~$150 or so more (With the harness and wideband) than the ems-4. I'm starting to sound like a sales rep---I'm not. I just like the product. FWIW I'm ambivalent about AEM.. I've found in the past there's nothing terribly compelling about them but they're also not awful systems either. The software is aggravating to navigate but I can see why they laid a lot of it out the way they did.
Oh that's good to know. I wasn't really including AEM in my comparison, because I didn't realize they had a ~$700 level ECU. I'm glad you mentioned knock, because that's an input I'd like, too. Thanks for the tip.
meh. knock input is... well, to each their own. I don't generally worry about it, if it's there I may hook it up and look at it, but generally it stays off outside of logging, and even then I normally won't look at it unless I'm confirming something I've seen elsewhere.
I'd probably still end up w/ EMS4, it seems to be the best balance of price and features, and runs well with stock volvo/ bosch sensors. I ran a stock crank VR sensor, stock coolant, stock TPS, stock ignition (stock igniter & distributor w/ a MSD blaster coil) my stock gauges work, stock VSS (VR) w/ a signal adapter (VR to HALL). I added a MAP (AEM lightly used), EBC solenoid (DIY Autotune), and GM style IAT (DIY also), total cost ~$200. I looked at maxxecu, motec, haltech, and fuel tech. I'm going to switch to LS coils, which I snagged used, and have had my AEM system running for close to 2 years with no issues.
That's cool. I'd be disappointed if any of the mentioned systems didn't run for multiple years without issues. the ms3x in the v8 car is going on 8 years in that chassis, and I couldn't tell you when the last time I even saw the box was.. I guess when I installed the L33 in '14/15. Sam's drag car has had an aem v1 in it since like.. geez... 08? 07? I don't even know anymore haha.
Over the years, I've only had a couple customers who have had issues with the volvo pickup sensor on the plug and play setups, and I've found a workaround for that now too, so, YMMV and what not.
