I'm pricing up various things for my car and an engine management system is one on the list. I have no idea which would be a better idea though: should I get a stand alone product or should I buy software to use on my laptop? I was thinking use the laptop for tuning purposes so I don't have a unit in my car all the time, but I don't know what would be a good software choice.

It depends on if you want a piggyback or a standalone system. The laptop has nothing to do with it. A piggyback modifies the stock ECU's signals, and the standalone totally replaces it. The piggyback is cheaper and easier to set up and tune, but the standalone is far more powerful.

It really depends on what you're doing with your engine.

-Doc

-Dr_Tweak+Jul 23, 2005 - 10:29 PM

A piggyback would be more of what I'm looking for. The thing about the laptop is I've seen people use laptops with a cable to the diagnostic to program, and others with a palm pilot and all that. Are there better software options etc that I could use? I was just thinking that "hey, I've got this laptop with a serial port sitting here, already sold 2 other laptops to guys doin this, maybe I should too"

I recommend the Greddy eManage which is a powerful piggyback system, you can use it without a laptop or use one to open up more features, plus it's a good price.

-Doc

honda's get the cool hondata, where is toyodata?

the new e-manage is the $hit $700 with everything not bad...

there is a standalone thats about that cost
the perfect power PRS4 is 849$ full standalone and laptop programable...and has many more options then the piggy back
i've also been looking into this for my turbo project....

piggy back is good but it can only do so much...how much i'm not certain


here is a good topic on the new ultimate greddy emanage....
http://www.celicatech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7629

but also know that you have to buy extra things in order to run the emangage

This post has been edited by playr158: Jul 23, 2005 - 11:31 PM

I ended up with a Haltech F10x. It comes with its own programming software.. I don't recall if it is serial or USB, but either way, its laptop/carPC/tower programmable.

Price on the haltech.. I paid 600 USD, then its going to be 360 to get 3 hrs of dyno tune with the wideband o2 and fuel curves etc.