ViPEC - Is it the new ECU of the Future?

[GTR-Dad]

Feature wise, does the PFC have anything that the ViPEC V44 PnP doesn't?

Commander. It's nice to have a readout of key parameters on the dash without the laptop being plugged in.

Dan

[MR666]

There you go, Now thats something I didn't think of.

[JD74]

What someone needs to come out with is an PnP ECU with a Video/Input translator so that we can run Double-Din Touch Screens in our Consoles and call it a day

No extra gauges, no concerns - and I would buy it even if I could only get it tuned in 1 place....lol

[NismoS-tune]

Why not go for the V88 or plug in VX? What's a resonable price? around $2k? Also, it's nice to have a commander (HMI) instead of a laptop, unless you could program a screen like the R34 HUD in your car How much does the V44, V88 and plug in go for?

[GTR-Dad]

What someone needs to come out with is an PnP ECU with a Video/Input translator so that we can run Double-Din Touch Screens in our Consoles and call it a day

Sounds like a job for a computer geek! Do you know any? Hahahaha!

Seriously, that would be very cool! I miss knowing what my intake air temp is. And my injector duty cycle.

Bottom line is, once tuning is done an you're 'just' driving, the need to know that stuff diminishes.

Dan

[GTRbrian]

AEM EMS
expensive but really good. I have no complaints at all. when buying a new system, only look at the features you need and not what it has compared to others. the ViPEC has lots of features that cant be used on a gtr and so does the aem but i found the aem better suited my needs. if i had 5 different cars and one computer i would use the ViPEC

[MR666]

I think I agree that once your just driving, I only need to know I have gas in it and my boost pressure cause I'm changing it all the time. I even ignor the tach most of the time, I get to the point, I know where I are in the rev's.

[GTR-Dad]

AEM EMS
expensive but really good.

Shameless plug...

http://forums.gtrcanada.com/showthread.php?t=37102

Dan

[jeff_]

Why not go for the V88 or plug in VX? What's a resonable price? around $2k? Also, it's nice to have a commander (HMI) instead of a laptop, unless you could program a screen like the R34 HUD in your car How much does the V44, V88 and plug in go for?

ViPEC PnP = $1675

[NismoS-tune]

Does the ecu's software come with the ecu, or do you have to buy is separately? No hmi either eh?

[GTR-Dad]

Does the ecu's software come with the ecu, or do you have to buy is separately? No hmi either eh?

Software is included. HMI=your laptop. If you were serious about a full time HMI you might mount a tablet PC.

Dan

[Happy240sx]

I have a few ViPEC boxes on order, one for my personal car a few PnP for customer RB26DETT projects.

In the last few years I have had a few different ECU's in the car, including PFC, AEM EMS and Autronic SM4. While I agree all are very capable, some do a much better job than others. For those that have only ever had one ECU in their car, this may be difficult to "get", but it is reality.

I look forward to tuning my V44. :drive:

[jeff_]

I have a few ViPEC boxes on order, one for my personal car a few PnP for customer RB26DETT projects.

In the last few years I have had a few different ECU's in the car, including PFC, AEM EMS and Autronic SM4. While I agree all are very capable, some do a much better job than others. For those that have only ever had one ECU in their car, this may be difficult to "get", but it is reality.

I look forward to tuning my V44. :drive:

I guarantee you will enjoy it =) Just got mine in my car last week... I've never done any tuning before, but it's so easy I tuned all the driveability, idle & off-boost stuff by myself, just playing around! So many features to play with :-)
Hopefully I can get it on the dyno soon...

[LIGHTSPD]

Hmm I am a little biased so I will admit my comments are definately one sided. Being the distributer for ViPEC I have seen all kinds of systems and have comments both good and bad for most. I have tuned almost every ECU out there and my first GT-R's were done with rom tuning so I understand the good and bad of most every system.

First off the PFC has worked well for many years but it was also engineered at least 10 years ago. Things I don't like first. Absolutely no ability to set warnings if you have a sensor failure or any ability to check out the integrity of the unit(ie rom blocks etc). No ability to update firmware on the unit( no improvements are coming) Datalogit gives abilityto tune but who actually understands what the dwell settings actually are( Splitfires love more dwell and actually work alot better where as stock Nissan colils have their life shortened drastically much above 2.4ms). Tuning by standard methods no Autotune at all. To convert to speed density requires the purchase of completey new sensors and a good amount of time to install them properly(tap into 3 and 4 throttle body) Continually have to restart the logger to have real time position on your screen. Interpolating the data between cells does make for a longer tune time because you are adjusting multiple cells making for and uneven table without extensive time spent. Purchase of a Datalogit to have real tunability because you are not going to use the Commander for any length of time without going mental. No motorsports features - launch control- no lift shift- or traction control or antilag. Very simple boost control that works but no control per gear or multiple maps availiable. Poor fuel setup yes you can get it done but there is definately some screw around factor.
Things I like- The fuel tuning is very linear when it is set up right I don't find major jumps in the table and it works well that way. Minimal timing scatter on the ones I have tested. Very little setup time unless you go DJetro. Simple system it does work just not exactly what I would call a state of the art system.

AEM wow this could be a long list of dislikes. Very very clunky software. When tuning a large amount of data the unit will take over 2 or 3 seconds to transfer to the interface and even then will disconnect sometimes meaning you have to save where you were at and reload your tune. AEM did not figure out proper math for volumetric efficiency in other words what they did is give you every setting under the sun to frig with so you can get it right but an ecu in this day and age does not need to be so complicated. Trying to use some of the Auto features of this ECU will have you so frustrated in a short period of time that you will go back manual. Everytime you open up a parameter you get half the screen and the other half filled with a graphic 3d model which doesn''t need to be used until the end when you are smoothing. Software that constantly causes interferance with other programs( I install the software when I need to tune and remove it immediately afterwards). Very very slow to react in realtime tuning. Wideband that needs to be used in a separate logger. Basically it just pisses me off whenever I need to tune this system. Completely over complicated the tuning process of a car. A whole list of features that only sort of work and very good marketting.
Things I like is simple install. Timing scatter is minimal. You can get it tuned just know that you are going to be spending twice as long doing it as a PFC or others.

HKS V-PRo don't know anything about it because no one except their licensed dealers can get into it. That pretty much sums it up as a complete waste of money because the end user can not even modify the simplest thing.

Megasquirt well let me put it this way your engine cost how much and you are trying to control it with a $400 box that has over 12 degrees of timing scatter in both dirrections. I will not even waste my time tuning this thing. I leave it at this we also build motors here so go ahead use it.

Motec is just so expensive. I can not justify the extra expense in these units.

Autronic has no plug and play. So 15-20 hours later it is installed. Our tests showed bad timing scatter. All updates to firmware are made via a Plug in Chip I suspect this is because the manufacture is afraid someone will reverse engineer his product. You have to change out the CAS sensor to a new disc which is a pain on GT-R and some GTS-T. His plug in chip on the last 40 units we sold all had to be taken out and cleaned on the contacts because intermitently they would lose contact. Many rumors surrounding this issue none confirmed though. Unit was setup so that only their Analyzer would work on the Autotune settings later on we had other solutions but it was very well protected. Autronic needs another adapter to work off the TPS split for the ATESSA.
I like Autronics Idle control for a Nissan it really worked well. An Autotune that did work and worked great. Good datalogger. Math functions for tuning were spot on.

ViPEC- things I don't like. Tuning large areas (20 plus cells)is slower to respond not as slow as AEM but still slower than I would like( last firmware update fixed this problem by a 50% improvement and more is said to be coming). When Auto tuning if you shut the unit of during a tune you do not know where you have tuned(also coming in a firmware update soon). Factory ECU is removed from the case and new board is put in but you must drill a couple holes in the factory case taking the install up about 30 mins extra. On board MAP is only 2.5 bar(adding another map sensor simple but just extra time to do it). Windows based screen outlay and on smaller laptop displays (5-8")you have to move windows around a bit for better viewing. Knock control needs extra module( inexpensive one coming quicly).
Things I like- Adjustable timing delay for zero timing scatter. Autotune that works. Math Functions that work. Rock solid idle with good adjustments for larger plenums etc. Incredibley repeatable fuel control. Linear fuel table when tuned. Very nice overrun control. When using knock control the amount of retard can be set as well as the sensitivety of the knock sensor so additional engine noise at higher rpm will not trigger a retard unnecessarily. Ability to accurately tune ITB cars using the 5D tuning using TPS for primary zone and Map for secondary. Little hard to get your head around right now but basically ITB can have massive boost on one port and nothing on another. Vipec needs a TPS signal and map signal which can come from the balance tube. It is able to do this by running some serious math and using the AFR target table. This is a serious bonus for GT-R owners. Adjustable zone for closed loop stoich control. Saved the best for last firmware update that is being tested privately now will allow for closed loop wide open throttle wideband control. This will allow the car to stay at the set AFR you want it at regardless of elevation temperature etc. This is based upon an accurate WB signal but will have settings that will allow a max or min trim point so not to pop a motor with a bad wideband. Features that are software turned off and on so you are not forced to use a feature you don't want.

Like I said probably slanted a little but you can't help it when you are excited. We are setting up dealers so it will not just be availiable in Alberta but Canada and USA wide. We are also setting up a training programs so dealers can understand what they are installing. I will post a link to a video of the Autotuning working.

Tuning Link Video

[JD74]

What is the Vipec selling for though ?