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Engine computers

4K views 20 replies 11 participants last post by  not ford 
#1 ·
Got my car back from the mechanics today (where it's been for the past week) and they have told me I need aftermarket engine management, like a Unichip. The reason for this is because the car is running WAY to rich because of the stage 3 cam. They told me the car has 14 inch pounds of vaccum at idle instead of the usual 21....if that means anything to anyone???? They also said the MAP sensor is basically doing nothing now because the cam's taken it out of it's range and the engine is running on 'factory preset' fuel maps which are far from ideal.

So I was wondering if anyone can recommend any brands of engine computers or if they have had experience with the aftermarket gear. I was looking at getting a Unichip but have heard a mixed response on whether they're any good or not. Wanna get this done ASAP so any help would be great.

Cheers,
Doug.
 
#2 ·
Unichip are the best of that type of chip. Others will tell you to go Wolf3d, HALTECH, or some other types of adjustable piggy back computer. It all comes down to the flexibility you want (and how much you want to pay).

As far as the programmed, plug-in chips go, Unichips are still good - just don't get them confused with Powerchip, and I haven't really heard either way about Chiptorque chips.
 
#3 ·
You could also try an XR6 ECU - I know for certain that they are far more tolerant of poor idle vacuum (ie. seem to still be within a "working" range) so presumably also are ok from there up?.

You should be able to find one for something like $200 to $250 - but be careful to try and get one that's definitely out of a sedan - else you might end up with a 160/170 kph speed limiter if it's out of a ute or wagon. If it's an auto then the XR6 ecu will be programmed for 3.45 diff ratio - but even with a 3.08 diff the effect won't be too radical - you'll find in economy mode it's maybe a tad reluctant to kick down and might tend to change up sooner than it should - in power mode tho it should behave like it used to in economy (shifts at normal points etc.).
 
#4 ·
He has a 5 speed anyway. He'd need to get a non smartlock non integrated trans if it were an auto or not.

Leaves a window of 2/92 - 10/92 of ecu'savalible he can use so the chances of findng an xr6 manual in that time indow are slim.
 
#6 ·
Basically as the vaccum goes down the computer thinks the engine is now under load, its the larger cam is causing this. The computer then is dumping in excess fuel, even the std amount of fuel at idle is usually too much with a larger cam.

The unichips is light years ahead the plug-in chips. This is because they are tuned when they are installed. I wouldn't touch the Wolf3d with a 50' pole! Its like going from a calculator to an abacus.
 
#7 ·
co-incedentally i have a EB XR6 computer up for sale, manual, no smartlock, 10/92, though it has issues - at full throttle at the moment it pours in fuel like you would not believe - 10:1 air/fuel ratio instead of about 12:1. i have a thread running in the general tech section atm, though thinking about it now i think i should have put it in the I6 forums...
 
#8 ·
Unichips are rip offs and basic pieces of hardware and software. I'd go with the new exede for piggy back or the new EmS 8860 for full programability. I'm currently putting in an ems 8860 into a EA MFI at the moment. Its a full plug in affair, should be ready in a couple of weeks as just doing it in my spare time
 
#12 ·
its more than that at hungry jacks, and the chips are remarkably like cardboard...im being ripped!!

SPHELL have you asked XR9UTE how much he wants for one of his 5.0 sequential injector MAF setups? im dead keen on getting one, but i dont know how much he wants (or where the hell i will get insurance) the bonus with MAF is you can go nuts with the cam and head work and it wont bother the computer anywhere near as much as it will a MAP setup.
 
#13 ·
G'day ALL

It is good enough to say Uni chip (JC) is the best until you really look into computer and management systems.

If you are going keep moding/upgrading your car you will need to have to Mapping adjusted accordingly. So if you get a 'UNIchip' your have to keep taking it back to the bloke how sold it to you and have it RE-tuned, because they will not give you the software. Big dollars.

Now I have a Wolf3d and I am not saying it is the best product on the market, but they give you the software for you to adjust it yourself.

And you will find most complete engine management systems, eg Haltec and Motec will also give their software to program it yourself. So all you need to do is find a quite road and A/F gauge and do it yourself.

Really it is up to you to find what is suits you. ZOOM mag had a good article about Computer some time back, Good Reading.

With 158rwkw I’m happy with the Wolf.

JC.
I quote” Others will tell you to go Wolf3d, HALTECH, or some other types of adjustable piggy back computer.”

Wolf 3D or Haltec are not piggy back Computers.
 
#14 ·
And sorry Doug,

I had to put a higher fuel pressure to my Injectors to get more fuel into cylinders, as my duty cycle was approaching 100%. That meaning my car was run too lean. I don’t know why it would be running rich?

Cheers
Wayne B
 
#15 ·
Price for wolf??
 
#16 ·
wayneb i think he means the car is running rich at idle, not at the top end.

the reason it would be doing this is because the I6 computer takes its reference from a MAP sensor, which measures the vacuume if the intake manifold, and using that and the TPS and other sensors it figures out how much fuel and spark to throw in.

once you put big cams in these cars you loose manifold vacuume and the computer thinks that the engine is under load, even though you might just be sitting there at idle in neutral, so the computer pours in the fuel, and performance turns to poop.
 
#17 ·
The wolf3dV4 was $1400 with hand controller. Much easier with the lap top computer than the hand controller.

Wayne B
 
#18 ·
wayneb I am helping a friend install a Wolf3DV3 in a EB turbo, I am not that impressed so far. I have also Kalmaker and installed that too, a lot harder for the average DIY but the end result is excellent.

What I am trying to get at is that most people here don't have the money to pay for an aftermarket computer install or have the skills to do it themselves. From that perspective an interceptor is the best way to go for most people. Unichip has many happy customers although the Xcede is a new product and is yet to make its presence felt on the marketplace.
 
#19 ·
SPHELL, just finished my adaptor harness for a EMS 8860 programable computer into a EA falcon. Will suit EA to ED. Its a 30 sec job to install and remove, you dont touch or splice into the original loom and so far just on the fuel/ign maps supplied by EMS is drives great. Honestly dont even think about a Unichip, a few guys I know say its the biggest waste of money because at the end of the day the unichip cant be reprogrammed by anyone except the installer
 
#20 ·
Not Ford,
Version3 is a far cry for V4, but If you need any help I be happy throw in my 2 cents.

Wayne B
 
#21 ·
wayneb said:
Not Ford,
Version3 is a far cry for V4, but If you need any help I be happy throw in my 2 cents.

Wayne B
We got the thing started, it took us 15 minutes. The Wolf was 2nd hand and was missing the memory adaptor so we couldn't put in a base map. The original map was for a ET pulsar. Once we worked out which direction we had to go it was quite easy to tune. We had it running fairly well after 30 minutes up to 5lbs of boost. Its a lot easier than Kalmaker to tune. Although the load points are limited for boost, we thought it was best to limit it to only the 12psi map.

One question, when we were tuning we were running out of tuning width on the injector pulse width even though the handcontroller claimed we were only doing ~40% duty cycle. We upped the injection scale and that fixed it. But the manual claims this value is calculated on max rpm and has nothing to do with injector size????

Are we doing the right thing even though the car runs fine??
 
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