Piggy-back ECUs for standard 200SX?

I've got a dillema... I'm looking at going for a piggy-back ECU, but don't know which one to go for. Unichip is good, but some say it's harder to tune. Perfect Power is also good. Please give me some advice... 😉

Hi

I wouldn't go for either, I honestly have never hidden my dislike of piggy-back systems.
But I have considered good one's (in my eyes) like a Apexi SAFC or E-manage around R3000 and R5000 which will allow yout to tune for 550cc injectors and an up rated AFM and any small mods should you feel like it. .

But the question is what do you want to do? What are you goals? With regards to the motor and modifications and how much are you willing to spend ,and do you want to add another point of serious failure to you vehicle, along with being tied into a so called "tuner".

But if you don't have you mind made on one of the above units here are three options: (my point of view)

Option 1 (Mild power) - Chip the ECU its being done the world over there are companies in the states and Australia and a few local guys that can supply you with custom tunes (ROMs) for your car. I have put my money where my mouth is and I'm running a mild "Mines" tune on my CA.The only problems are that there is no "on the Fly" tuning and there is some trust needed in the tuner so go for big names "DR drift", "Mines", "Speed lab". Even with a Uni-chip or Perfect power you will need to trust the tuner. Expect to pay around R 500 - R 700

Option 2 ( Mild power) - Good Quality piggy-backs brand names (Apexi , Greddy).Tuning can be done at any time on the fly by yourself and any new mods can be tunned for, But you will need better tools like an EGT and a Wide band to be accurate, Can be expensive but allow you to tune for the current conditions at any time and will give you important feed back like AFR percentages and knock rating. I personally would go with an Apexi SAFC ... Expect to pay around R 3000 excluding Wideband...

Option 3 (Serious Power) - Complete Stand allow system allows tuning of most if not all aspects on the Engine management. This step also has levels but lets leave it here for now. Maybe something like an XMS or higher. Not sure pricing

I would go for chipping. Rather look at a good management system such as go tech pro or dictator multi tooth. They are excellent and not to bad priced.

There is so much more options with management compaired to a chip.

Thanks a lot guys for the help... 🙂 It seems stand alone is the way to go. Just one more Q: will a stand alone give more power than a piggyback, if I'm still looking at upgrading the intercooler, getting a dumpvalve, aftermarket exhaust system, possibly a slightly bigger turbo???

I got no advice, me and Gary run Wolf3D V4 where very happy, but its costly. I've seen what PP XMS can do... I'm impressed, also very costly.

All I can say is if you plan to go standalone prepare for twice the cost of the system... 🙂 It never, ever costs only what the system costs you...

200SXSilviaSavage wrote:

Thanks a lot guys for the help... 🙂 It seems stand alone is the way to go. Just one more Q: will a stand alone give more power than a piggyback, if I'm still looking at upgrading the intercooler, getting a dumpvalve, aftermarket exhaust system, possibly a slightly bigger turbo???

all of the mods you mentioned, , except the bigger turbo, can be supported by the original ECU. you may not squeeze every last damn RWKW out of the thing, but then again, do you need to???

a more cost effective way of doing it is to just keep the existing ECU, only get management done once you start adding mods that require it!!!

go visit www.perfectpower.co.za, and google for the sites for gotech, and dicktator, and the unichip. that should cover you for the locally available stuff.

then do research on the world renowned stuffed that phinx was mentioning! apexi, hks, greddy, etc!

its www.perfectpower.com you knob 😀

BTW: I see they got some new products... LetRipp WTF that is I'm not sure... was too lazy to read

All I can say is if you plan to go standalone prepare for twice the cost of the system... It never, ever costs only what the system costs you...

There are lots of hidden costs 😈 .

Vlade wrote:

its www.perfectpower.com you knob 😀

BTW: I see they got some new products... LetRipp WTF that is I'm not sure... was too lazy to read

ooops my bad.

letripp is a fuel management thingi.

Contrary to what boy wonder says Piggybacks work fine for mild mods.The stock S13 ecu is a bit primitive and long in the tooth with substantial mods there is insufficient control with it. Both Dastek and PP make good products worry more about the tuner than the product.
Expect to pay around R2500 for a chip fitted and mapped.

Lettrip is the name of the software for the new family of PP products under development.

PP XMS fitted and tuned should be about R8500 depending on options.
Wolf 3d will be a grand or 2 more than that.

Contrary to what boy wonder says Piggybacks work fine for mild mods

I never said they don't work , But there are other better and cheaper options to do exactly the same damn thing.

Look its his money , Like veecee said, I ran a bigger turbo, Tubular manifold, bigger TB, IC, 76mm exhaust .. Bla bla bla... on the stock ECU until Friday last week. Never had any trouble, So don't be to quick to chip just because a tuner said so.

I'm not to sure of "piggyback" units but I do know the advantage of fuel & spark management systems, I had a Mr Turbo FMS in my sentra before the SX and the results were hectic an thats a pretty basis system.

BUT, watch the Tuner, I got screw over a couple of times by so called big names, they only really show true intrest when you give them plenty of time and little cash restriction. It seems they try to get every cent out of you, and leave adds and ends so you have to come back and it just cost you more. Till you find a decent guy who is really knows his work and doesn't charge a arm and leg. (The reason I sold my Sentra and bought a stock SX)

Any arse can put low compression pistons in with a big turbo just to make power, but its the real tuner who can build a powerfull smooth reving motor that fairly fuel friendly and a awsome to drive in most traffic conditions. So good luck, its a long road but if you find the right tuner its well worth it. :!:

Phinx wrote:

Contrary to what boy wonder says Piggybacks work fine for mild mods

I never said they don't work , But there are other better and cheaper options to do exactly the same damn thing.

Look its his money , Like veecee said, I ran a bigger turbo, Tubular manifold, bigger TB, IC, 76mm exhaust .. Bla bla bla... on the stock ECU until Friday last week. Never had any trouble, So don't be to quick to chip just because a tuner said so.

Arent u running a T25 just with a GT28RS comp. wheel? If so i wouldnt really go saying its a bigger turbo and go telling ppl to slap on a T4 coz ur 'bigger turbo' runs fine on standard ecu

Arent u running a T25 just with a GT28RS comp

Not really .... But Daniel will the turbo not flow more then a T25 or T25g?
Should flow the same as a T28 of a S-14 but its still bigger then stock right?

Hence "bigger Turbo"

All with in moderation I never said Fit a T-60 and run the stock unit.

Ok also true, my bad

Downfalls of stock Nissan S13 ecu.
Only measures airflow no boost measurement.
No charge air temp measurement
No proper ontrol

They fixed some of this on the S14 by adding a map sensor and boost control but still no air temp measurement.

ALL modern turbo cars measure manifold pressure some twice and ALL of them measure charge temp its the only way to produce good power safely.

Even the cheapest management systems measure manifold pessure and air temp nowadays

Electronics and particurly engine management has come a long way in the last 15 years I could draw an analogy with Ox wagons they still work perfectly but no one uses them anymore because there are much better things out there.

Electronics and particurly engine management has come a long way in the last 15 years I could draw an analogy with Ox wagons they still work perfectly but no one uses them anymore because there are much better things out there.

Just think what your home PC was like 15years ago, the same technology was in your ECU 😮 , now compare that to todays PC's.

My opinion....do what you have money for and stay within that paramitors...

The thing that gets me is....I spend R10 000 today for a good system....after a year or 2 this system is old..."oxwagon"... where does it stop....I believe you do what works for you and your pocket....that will have to do no matter who says what...If it's good enough to do the job leave it at that...if you want to create a jet plane on wheels don't fuck around get a jet enjin....

I don't really agree to that... I think if you spent your money on a decent system won't have to spend it ever again as long as you own the car and the system does what you bought it for...

If you want stuff like Traction Control, Launch Control and you didn't buy a system that can do that, you shot your self in the foot... I wanted a system with millions of outputs and boost control, and I don't even use any of it yet, but I do plan to do so in the near future... very near future...

Its not like a PC really, yes technology advances in the future, but we have sorta peaked out on car ECU's there, I think there is plenty of features they can add, but not much more that will drive your engine in a significantly different matter 8) Or so to say better... way of driving it, most ecu's now take all environmental factors in consideration and compensate for it, yesterday's ECU's didn't/couldn't compensate for it.

2 true!!! big up to you Vlade. 100% I agree