Beaten to death...AEM VS Hondata...(sorry)...

[*Boostwerks*]

I know that this topic has been beaten to death, but I'm just not getting the information I need to make a choice between the two systems. I have heard some people saying that the AEM is a big POS, without telling what they hate about it? (I know for a fact that StOOpid despises the AEM, and Mase loves them!). However, it seems to me that the AEM would be a much easier setup to run...(no buying a spare OBD1 ecu, burning chips, ect...) compared to the Hondata. I am kinda skeptical about choosing the AEM though, as so many people swear by Hondata. My soon to be setup: GE sleeved B18C1 with SC61 setup shooting for 500whp in my CRX. Help! Thanks Bryson

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[TeStUdO]

Well if you can chip your ECU yourself Hondata is way cheaper.

[b18bturbo]

it all depends on who your tuner is. Go with what your tuner understand and knows how to tune. A good tuner on AEM might not be a good tuner on hondata vice versa But a good tuner will know how to set up the system and have it running flawlessly.

[*Boostwerks*]

Originally Posted by b18bturbo

it all depends on who your tuner is. Go with what your tuner understand and knows how to tune. A good tuner on AEM might not be a good tuner on hondata vice versa But a good tuner will know how to set up the system and have it running flawlessly.

Hrmmm...That is definetly going to be a problem. Finding a good reliable tuner here in Colorado, is like finding a little boy who M/J hasn't splooged on...

I was actually thinking about taking a long road trip to someplace this summer to a reputable shop in another state.

[TRE_]

i my hondata... even though its an older setup its still awesome, IMO.. i'd rather have an old hondata than a new AEM

[b18bturbo]

those are the questions you must ask your self. You have to find at least the tuner first. Then i would decide on the system based on your research. Your really dotn watn to risk a motor esepcially a 500hp motor on the dyno or whatever type tuning you do. It is very costly at best.

[*Boostwerks*]

Originally Posted by THE_HX

i my hondata... even though its an older setup its still awesome, IMO.. i'd rather have an old hondata than a new AEM

WHY!!!!!!

Everyone keeps saying that, but I think it's just biased because they own the other system.

Viren...Yeah, I know I can find a reputable tuner for either system, but its the actual system to choose thats the main problem.

[underpressure02]

I can give you my opinion being that I have owned both and still own both. On my last car I had aem and if you search for my name you will see I had so many issues when I went to version .94 between blown coil drivers and the car not starting and hicups and so on. So my new car came with hondata but it was not installed or tuned. I was flying mase up and he said he can tune aem good and never had a problem with his and also said the new version is pretty dam good. I took his advice and bought the aem. At the dyno we dynoed both the aem let the car set and then dynoed the hondata. The aem produced 1 more hp then the hondata. Yes Mase prob could have spent a lot more time tuning both of them and I could have done more pulls and beat on my car more but I was happy with that. Now after having Mase tune my AEM I firmly belive that a lot of my problems with my old system not only lied in the way it was set up but also version .94. Mase has my car setup so well that I let it sit for a few weeks I went into my garage and turned the key on the on position and cranked and first piston up it started. Not to mention the thing idles very well.

One thing I did notice with driving with the AEM VS the Hondata is the AEM feels smoother. Between shifts and just overall. You never would have heard me say that out of my old car. So back to your question. I think now the AEM has come a long way from a year and a half ago. The thing I like about it is you can tune on the fly no burning chips and it is plug and play as far as pluging in the harness. I am not saying the AEM is easy to setup nor am I saying it is user friendly. But I would think if you would have someone that knows what they are doing set it up the first time and then you add a few parts on to your car and only want to mess with your afr, I believe with a wide band and some skills you can tune it yourself. The hondata took a lot less time for Mase to get setup and running good but you do not have the same amount of flexibility that you have with the AEM.

These are all my opinions so let the flaming begin.

[Mase]

flame my ass, thats the best description ive heard in awhile.


Btw, i enjoy tuning the AEM EMS more, its just more entertaining in my opinion, you can see exactly whats goin on, and for the most part, its easier to tune (not to setup, but to tune afr)

[DaveF]

Originally Posted by underpressure02

These are all my opinions so let the flaming begin.

homo !!!! LOL j/k.

hows the boost controller?

[underpressure02]

NO clue been so dam busy with quiting my job and the snow and ice my car has not seen day light since Mase was here.

[Sonny]

Bryson,

Given that your background is with ZDyne, I think you'll have your car up and running sooner and have an easier time with Hondata.

I've played with both systems (not on an actual car with the AEM)...based on ease of use of the ROM Editor vs AEM Pro, I think you can lose yourself in the number of things you can change with the AEM. Most of the people I know that do have the AEM basically just change the things they know and they don't mess with anything else like flux capacitor rating or joo joo factor (kidding ). I kinda like to know exactly what each variable does. Of course, with Hondata there are variables that you cannot see (because you cannot edit them), but most of that stuff is there courtesy of Honda R&D.

Hondata is a simpler and functionally more limited system, but it still gets my vote for a high HP reliable street car.

Sonny

[lazerus]

my opinion on the AEM, is that it's extremely complicated to set up from a zero stand point (IAC settings etc etc etc...)

once you get all the basic settings taken care of (Altitude correction, air temp correction, coolant correction, ignition correction, start, and all the others) its' not too difficult to tune, but you DEFINATELY should be using a wideband with a datalogger/rpm/boost... it is actually a decent tool.

My problem, and probably others problem is that the initial set up can be tedious, and if you dont do it right, you will constantly have to be adjusting your settings, and this will perpetuate your anger, as little things will get to you and you will end up hating the AEM for its' features.

My pet peeve is that, it's TOO feature rich, theres many features that you'll probably never use, which increases the complexity and the time it takes to learn and remember how to adjust the different settings, and set them properly.

If you have a lot of patience, and dedication to learning all the features of the aem and how to properly adjust them, it's definately a very powerful engine management system.

I've tuned with the AEM on several occasions, and it's actually pretty easy to tune if you're on a dyno, but the problem is that when you're on the road, and it's bumpy, the mouse interface hinders tuning ease, but thats where a wb02 and datalogger come in handy!

Anyway, i think im rambling..

I've tuned other systems, and so far my favorite as far as ease of use to me has been the haltech systems.. I really get along well with the fast keyboard shortcutting and bar/graph type setup, even though it is dos based.

The most annoying system i've messed with is the Subaru utec, but it still is better as far as ease of use over the aem (keyboard shortcuts galore) but has some small things i dont like.. ANYWAY

Hondata is something i haven't really messed with in person, But it looks like many people have had good success tuning their own, whereas most users of the AEM tend to have theirs professionally tuned instead of taking the time to do it themself.

IMO, ANY engine management system can be tuned by ANY person provided they are willing to do the research necessary, and learn exactly how the engine management system affects the engine, but other systems will be more complicated to set up and more feature packed, and vice versa, and everything inbetween...

If it were me, i would go hondata because it gives you the power to control fuel and timing curves etc.. But you dont have to mess around with coolant mapping air temp mapping etc..

[11psiTurboSI]

Originally Posted by lazerus

my opinion on the AEM, is that it's extremely complicated to set up from a zero stand point (IAC settings etc etc etc...)

Isn't that why they have Base Maps for most applications?

[Sonny]

Originally Posted by lazerus

I've tuned other systems, and so far my favorite as far as ease of use to me has been the haltech systems.. I really get along well with the fast keyboard shortcutting and bar/graph type setup, even though it is dos based.

DOS rules!! I'm keeping my old copies of 5.0 for the E6K that I will eventually put on my old skool Fiat.

Sonny

[*Boostwerks*]

OK...To be honest, I think I'm going to trust Sonny on this one, since you've had experience with the Zdyne, and know a little more about my experience than most.

What base OBD1 ECU would you guys recommend to get chipped? P28?

Also, I find that the options for the Hondata are a little confusing.

What would you reccomend for a system?
S100?....S200?

I would like to have, Downloading, and the romulator. It would be nice if I could load up a base map by my self, and have a rough idea of how the car is running before the car goes for tuning.

Thanks!
Bryson

[vtec.dc2]

Originally Posted by b18bturbo

it all depends on who your tuner is. Go with what your tuner understand and knows how to tune.

that is the most important in my opinion.

[SiRkid]

aem is great!
for obd 2 it costs more for a full out hondata system(that enables you to tune) than it does to buy the aem

[lazerus]

Originally Posted by 9psiTurboSI

Isn't that why they have Base Maps for most applications?

oops, forgot to mention that.. my bad!

[BioXide02]

Originally Posted by 9psiTurboSI

Isn't that why they have Base Maps for most applications?

I thought there was to?

i think the only time i would use aem in a street car would be if i had an obd 2 car and didn't wanna switch to obd1, etc...other than that...Hondata

[SiRkid]

yes, they ahve base maps
ahhhaa

[BioXide02]

Originally Posted by SiRkid

yes, they ahve base maps
ahhhaa

Then why where people saying its so hard to set up at first if you can load a base map.. please dont be rude guy

[boosted_dc2]

Originally Posted by Bryson

OK...To be honest, I think I'm going to trust Sonny on this one, since you've had experience with the Zdyne, and know a little more about my experience than most.

What base OBD1 ECU would you guys recommend to get chipped? P28?

Also, I find that the options for the Hondata are a little confusing.

What would you reccomend for a system?
S100?....S200?

I would like to have, Downloading, and the romulator. It would be nice if I could load up a base map by my self, and have a rough idea of how the car is running before the car goes for tuning.

Thanks!
Bryson

The s200 can be tuned by you
the s100 can only be tuned by a tuner

i got and would get the s200 cause you can tune it later yourself if you so choose.

Landon

[*Boostwerks*]

Ok cool...so, the S200 is the only one with the romulator then?