When Should You Switch from a Stock ECU to a Standalone ECU? Tired of the Stock ECM & HP Tuners

When Should You Switch from a Stock ECU to a Standalone ECU? Tired of the Stock ECM & HP Tuners
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[@w.r.1356]

Great episode. Next one is gonna be better. Always great seeing my brotha putting out new videos. 🤘😎

[@cmattdabrat]

Thank you! Definitely excited about this move and getting control of the engine.

[@whe3ls356]

If you go to a standalone, you can still run the stock ecu to control on the body control stuff and run a standalone like a link, haltech max or emtron.

[@cmattdabrat]

Nailed it! That's the plan. Just going to intercept (unpin) everything controlling the engine from the stock fuse box, to the stock ECM, send that to the new ECU and let it control things. Shouldn't be too much of a headache compared to fighting the stock ECM.

[@plllot9713]

but won't that cause a lot of error codes for lack of injector, crank/cam position signals and so on? 🤔 it's a little dream of mine to swap my diesel engine van for a petrol engine but that was always my biggest issue 🥴 nowadays, CAN communication is just crucial.

[@arthurhenderson3853]

I agree with you definitely a aftermarket ecu

[@cmattdabrat]

Yes! Can't wait to get this thing in.

[@termochiptr]

I think you can build your own ecu like speeduino or something. Its going to be great content and fun to watch. 🎉

[@cmattdabrat]

That would be awesome, but I don't even know where to start with that so I'm going with a well known standalone ECU. Looking forward to vloging the whole experience. Wins and hangups.

[@plllot9713]

the huge problem with speeduino and other DIY devices is I think 1. you never know the assembly quality and if you do it yourself and not know a lot about electronics it might be hard to find assembly errors 2. it's okay for off the road vehicles but if you want your fairly new-age car fully functional then I think speeduino won't give you the possibility of keeping your CAN communication so you might simply loose a lot of functions like speedo, ABS/TCS and so on let alone extensive ECU diagnostics.

[@802Garage]

Your tuning is definitely being limited and taking longer than it should. I think we are spoiled for choice with great options these days, both budget and expensive. We recently got a Link ECU for Rotaru and it has been a dream for us. I'm guessing you went FuelTech. Just a guess. Lots of ECU choices do have good CAN bus integration now and you should be able to piggy back to keep much of the car happy. Can't wait to see!

[@cmattdabrat]

I agree, HP Tuners seemed like a good solution, and I'm sure it is for some moderate boost. There has been a lot of makes, and vendors to chew through. So many great options these days. Oh nice! That's great to hear you're having success with them. Plan is pull what power and sensors needed comes from the fuse block, and instead of it being feed to the stock ECM, it'll go to the aftermarket and just let the body control module continue to do it's thing. Even though it might fuse about the car moving and the engine not running lol, but it'll still control lights, windows, etc. Thanks for the guess and feedback!

[@dylangrant6890]

Fueltech!! I hoping 😁

[@cmattdabrat]

Thanks for the guess! Stay tuned to see.

[@builtbybagsy]

Cant wait to see this thing at its full potential. The stock ecu seems to have been the major thing holding it back. Looking forward to it. Id vote Haltech, but hey, im Australian. 😂

[@cmattdabrat]

Me too! And thanks for watching I appreciate it.

[@8SecSleeper]

Stand alone is nice but the issues can be fixed, likely hitting MAF limit or something simple.

[@dougj.8288]

What your were tuning with look e complicated. I think whatever you do get will make things a lot easier.

[@cmattdabrat]

I think so too!

[@modeverything1]

Think I remember cleetus having similar issues with Leroy when it was still on the stock ECM. I find that HPtuners is only really good for popular platforms and everything else they give you just enough to say "I have a tuned PCM" 😂 I'm guessing you may have went with a Maxx ECU🤔 but fuel tech would be my next guess!

[@cmattdabrat]

LOL, you're right about that. So many torque tables to keep the engine under control and only so much you can do. It think it's a fine solutions for dialing things in, or adding some boost, but the levels I'm attempting to go after it's just not playing nice.

[@user-lg6gx7rw7g]

Is it Syvecs?

[@rovannerb]

Well, as a brazilian I really hope you got a FuelTech. :P To be fair, if the stock ECU is able to work with 22 PSI that's already a pretty good boost for that engine. But since you've built yours with pistons, rods and everything else, going over that number just makes sense. Couldn't you use the aftermarket ECU to run as a piggyback and just fool the stock one? I guess the VW guys do that on Golfs and Jettas.

[@cmattdabrat]

Haha! I could see that. FuelTech does have some cool features, but lots of comparable ECU's at a great price. Was hard to decide. That's the plan. Going to pull what I need and intercept it from the fuse block, to the stock ECM, and just send it to the new ECU. Let the ECM, BCM, and FPCM control the rest. It'll throw a fit that the car is moving and the engine not running, but shouldn't be a big deal and have any more control over what the engine is doing.

[@Tommy48282]

Where did you learn how to tune on the road?

[@cmattdabrat]

Just picking up a little here and there over the past 4 years watching KZbin videos on hp tuners.

[@dannykirby7023]

Do you still have reground cams in

[@cmattdabrat]

I do! Still holding up and doing well.

[@jimhiscott2918]

Not cheapnbutvthe cure all is. Fueltech 550 ecu. Wire Worx engine harness, ditch the fly by wire and you will quichly reach your goals

[@cmattdabrat]

Thanks for the feedback Jim! Been thinking about you and keeping up with the build. Happy to see it progressing.

[@Jack-im2wd]

Megasquirt might work, but I'm thinking you went with the ECU masters standalone.

[@plllot9713]

effin hell. I thought the very same. ECUmaster EMU 👍

[@cmattdabrat]

Thanks for submitting your guess! Both are great solutions. Was hard to choose.

[@cmattdabrat]

@@plllot9713 With the amount of ECU's was a tough decision. So many pros to each, and all are pretty easy to grasp to tuning side.

[@digital0785]

i bet you grabbed the new HPT one since you're familiar with HPT ":D

[@802Garage]

For LS only right now AFAIK.

[@cmattdabrat]

@@802Garage True.

[@cmattdabrat]

I saw that. Little to early and they only support LS at the moment. Although I'm sure it's a great product.

[@plllot9713]

I'm not sure if remembering correctly but something tells me you replaced the MAP sensor for a higher pressure one, but what about your MAF sensor? Did you replace that? If not, is it possible this is where it just limits out hence your troubles?

[@cmattdabrat]

You're right. I did replace the 1 bar sensor with a 3 bar GM sensor. Even though HP Tuners allows me to scale to 3 bar, seems to be either a limitation or out of resolution as to what the stock ECM can handle.

[@plllot9713]

@@cmattdabrat but even if you can scale maps that doesn't change the fact that 1bar MAP most likely wouldn't read anything above that pressure because it itself is scaled so that it outputs 5V at its max pressure and that's it. this is why I ask whether you changed your MAF sensor because if you didn't then it'll probably be able to handle the air flow up to 0.5 bar of overboost and then it'll hit its maximum 5V output. if you still run with your stock MAF I'd try and disconnect it and see what happens.

[@cmattdabrat]

@@plllot9713 It's reading above 1 bar. Capping out at 22.5 psi. More than like a torque limit ceiling. I had yet to run out of MAF sensor. Same sensor that come in Camaros. Wasn't even more than a 1/3 of it's limits. I've definitely have gone back and forth working on getting the stock ECU to work and with everything scaled. Even have got advice from veterans of HP Tuners. We're just limited with the stock ECU up until 22.5 psi, yet there's lots I'm fight to get the car to behave.

[@plllot9713]

is it 22.5 psi absolute pressure? meaning 8 psi overboost? maybe it is the limit indeed. I know there's a Swiss company selling turbo kits for Z18XER engine which is very similar to yours (it's slightly earlier version - no hydraulic valve lifters and NO map sensor, slightly older simtec). They tune in with stock ECU and stock MAF sensor hitting up to 250HP which is about 10 psi boost pressure - about where you meet your limits. your ECU cannot know you're hitting 22.5 psi, it only knows what voltage it gets so if you changed 1 bar MAP to 3 bar MAP I don't think that's the issue. I'd blame MAF sensor hitting its limit. maybe more powerful cars like camaros use the same MAF sensor, but they probalby use bigger diameter housing tubes which changes the readouts hence lowers the voltage for the same mass of air going through. but that's only a thought. with a standalone ECU I'm very curious if and how will you go around keeping the CAN communication between all the systems as that's what I find the most difficult about them. fingers crossed and I'll keep following with much interest :)

[@cmattdabrat]

@@plllot9713 Nice. Sounds about right on 10 psi. 22.5 as in 255 kpa. Hope that makes sense. So 22.5 positive pressure above barometric pressure. MAF is okay. I say this because the original Id of the stoke pip was 2.75". My current intake is 3.5" which scales things up. As engine speed increases and passes peak torque, the engine requires less air and fuel. Have yet to reach the limit of the MAF. What limiting this ECU, a E83, is either the MAP at 225kpa or torque limits. I'm going to let the chassis control the body. The rest can be controlled with the aftermarket ECU. Even the start stop function via CAN. It's pretty amazing what they can do. That's not to say it'll be a walk in the park wiring it lol.

[@arthurhenderson3853]

Haltech ECU are good

[@cmattdabrat]

That they are! Thanks for the guess! Stay tuned to find out.

[@gibhamracing37]

I'm guessing haltech or possibly fueltech

[@cmattdabrat]

Thanks for the guess!

[@jeffboyer8214]

27 psi ? Doesn't that require a 4 bar map sensor? I know your injectors are large enough. Limp home mode . It's also a safety program to save the motor. Yes a ton of information & wires & programming. You haven't given up yet. 485 to 500 hp is a good goal. Ball bering turbo will be a blast.

[@cmattdabrat]

3 bar. 14.5 for vacuum, another 2 for 29 psi. You're right about that. The calculations are trying to safe the engine and life & limb. I'm going to see this thing through so I can fully engine it. Going to be a fun venture getting there and will make for lots of good content.

[@Kronic420]

ft550! that's my guess

[@cmattdabrat]

Thanks for the guess! Stay tuned to find out. :)

[@danzamp9761]

I have no real guess but I hope it's a fueltech 😊. We still need to find some time for me to come help you. I'm working less than I used to. That said hit me up and we will work something out.

[@KernelSanders1967]

What app are you using here?

[@cmattdabrat]

HP Tuners with their VCM tuner and VCM scanner.

[@georgethoman82]

Holley terminator x

[@cmattdabrat]

Thanks for the guess! Stay tuned to find out.

[@johnsnow1355]

Cash is the biggest factor. Stand alone are $1000 plus and usually you have to pay everytime u want to change the tune depending who u use. HP tuners is a pay per use I believe you have to have a subscription to tune.

[@sinformant]

Unless they changed things, hp tuners was a credit system. It cost so many credits to unlock an ecm. To do another car you have to purchase more credits, but once an ecm is unlocked it is tunable as many times as you want.

[@802Garage]

None of them are pay per use only pay per car. You pay to unlock for one vehicle and then can tune it unlimited times. Usually full standalones though don't require any additional payment after ECU purchase. There are some great options in the $700-900 range, but all said and done you'll usually be in it at least $1,000 yeah.

[@802Garage]

Oh and if you do go with something like a Microsquirt, Speeduino, or RusEFI, you can actually go full standalone for under $500. 😁

[@johnsnow1355]

@@802Garage aren't they build yourself though? Mega squirt started out as a diy kit u had to solder everything at home

[@802Garage]

@@johnsnow1355 MegaSquirt and MicroSquirt both come fully assembled now. Speeduino and RusEFI both have assembled or BIY options. All of them will require custom wiring, but that's not terribly difficult. I would doubt there are many Cruz PnP options anyways. 😁

[@ericpohlman5131]

Black ECU?

[@cmattdabrat]

Thanks for the guess! Stay tuned to find out.

[@sinformant]

Im guessing fueltech

[@cmattdabrat]

Thanks for the guess! Stay tuned to find out.

[@azzmomootr]

Haltech

[@cmattdabrat]

Thanks for the guess! Stay tuned to find out.

[@ericpohlman5131]

Stand alone's are so expensive.

[@802Garage]

If you need the capabilities though, so worth it.

[@cmattdabrat]

They are, but at this point I've put so much time into working with the stock ECU, and getting no where. As least not to the level I want to push it.

[@generiley355]

Fueltech.....

[@cmattdabrat]

Thanks for the guess! Stay tuned to find out.