What management system do I use ca18det

Richard · Post by **Richard** » Thu Feb 11, 2010 9:18 am

Hi guys, I would like to know what would be a decent management system to use on a ca18det. Where can i get it and who can fit it on for me.

Gary57 · Post by **Gary57** » Thu Feb 11, 2010 9:18 am

Whats the budget??

Richard · Post by **Richard** » Thu Feb 11, 2010 9:25 am

Maybe 3 or 4 grand, is that reasonable,my ecu seems to have died on me.

Gary57 · Post by **Gary57** » Thu Feb 11, 2010 9:50 am

R3000-R4000 will get an entry level ECU. Get something like a Dicktator Wasted Spark, alot of people can tune them and they are very reliable.

Richard · Post by **Richard** » Thu Feb 11, 2010 10:24 am

Thanks, will look into it.

rat · Post by **rat** » Thu Feb 11, 2010 11:23 am

there are alot of std ecu's around as well if you just want to replace it. I still got mine if you want to buy.

Richard · Post by **Richard** » Thu Feb 11, 2010 12:15 pm

I would like to upgrade going forward, I have front mount intercooler, alu radiator and oil cooler, poly bushes, next is turbo and suspension.

Should I put on the std ecu or should I upgrade to aftermarket?

Draco · Post by **Draco** » Thu Feb 11, 2010 3:30 pm

So your ECU is cooked.....

it comes down to what you want in the end, do you still want all the sensors like afm and such to help manage fuel and so forth as the conditions change or are you going to set the car up for only one thing.

If you still need the normal functionality....get an ecu, chip it with unichip or nistune...

If you want it tuned one way and get rid of all that "fuctionality".....management is the name.....if you really want to have management with "functionality" be ready to pay big bucks for some good stuff....

Tobie · Post by **Tobie** » Thu Feb 11, 2010 4:38 pm

I am talking on my own experience, but i found that start up, smoothness and performance gains are way better on my Apexi Power FC than on my Dicktator, the best thing of it all is that the Apexi was plug and play, fits right in your existing harness.

Aircon, ABS, P/S, Hicas, Attessa, everything works with the Apexi, I am not even going in to all the trouble I came across with the Dicktator.

rat · Post by **rat** » Thu Feb 11, 2010 4:57 pm

Tobie wrote:I am talking on my own experience, but i found that start up, smoothness and performance gains are way better on my Apexi Power FC than on my Dicktator, the best thing of it all is that the Apexi was plug and play, fits right in your existing harness.

Aircon, ABS, P/S, Hicas, Attessa, everything works with the Apexi, I am not even going in to all the trouble I came across with the Dicktator.

how much was your apexi?

Tobie · Post by **Tobie** » Thu Feb 11, 2010 5:33 pm

+-R9000 incl the hand held controller and integrated EBC with valve.

mario_200sx · Post by **mario_200sx** » Thu Feb 11, 2010 6:39 pm

If you have the budget...get Apexi FC hand held! Best of the best and you cant go wrong!

If you on a budget....then go with Dicktator. I had it on my SR20. No problems! Cold start wasnt even a mission....you just need to know how to start it!

Also for everyday driving it works perfectly. Combine it with a decent EBC then you can run stock boost when cruising...this mapping can ensure that you get great fuel consumption out of your car, then when you turn up the boost, you know your car was decently mapped for this also.

DO NOT JUST DO DYNO TUNNING!!!! Find a tuner that will do road tunning also!! This makes the world or difference to how your car drives. After road and dyno tunning my car felt extremely smooth. Keeping constant speeding with no bogging or huff and puffs. Fuel consumption also was allot better! Road tunning is the key to proper setups!

Management system is only as good as the Tuner. Nothing wrong with dicktator, the best local system to use!

Richard · Post by **Richard** » Fri Feb 12, 2010 8:37 am

Thanks for the info guys much appreciated, I will consider my options and then make a final decision.
Are there any preferable tuners in JHB, I'm on the West Rand.

Tobie · Post by **Tobie** » Fri Feb 12, 2010 9:17 am

Sybrand Coetzee from Nitroperformance - Dicktator.

Steve from No Sweat - Apexi Power FC.

ljS14 · Post by **ljS14** » Fri Feb 12, 2010 4:38 pm

Its logical that a more expensive ecu WILL give you a better smoother ride and better fuel consumption but at double the price of a Dicktator for example , If you have the money go for the Apexi ,Its basically plug and play . If you dont Dicktator is the way to go as there are alot more tuners who are working with it so there is more back up of sorts . Remember that your ecu is the brain of your car . Was told once by a very good tuner to sort out the brain before even looking at the other mods , Was too late for me as the Dicktator was in allready but it makes absolute sence , From there bolt ons are easy to tune .
Installing a different ECU( high end) at a later stage when you have more money is a huge mission with the wiring and re-mapping etc