LT1-LT4 Modifications 1993-97 Gen II Small Block V8

stand alone options for LT1s

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 06-28-2010, 06:21 PM
  #1  
12 Second Club
Thread Starter
iTrader: (22)
 
tbird31's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Huntersville, NC
Posts: 2,727
Received 22 Likes on 14 Posts

Default stand alone options for LT1s

I've been thinking about stand alone options for our LT1s. My roommate is a well known tuner in the Subaru world, and we've always talked about tuning my car, but never truly looked into it. I'm talking FAST or AEM style systems.

We talked last night about the LS1 computer swap but if I was going to spend that kind of money why wouldn't I just spend the money and do a stand alone so eventually when the car sees the bottle and/or a bigger build in a few years I can have unlimited tune-ability.

I'm looking for general knowledge and/or a point in the direction to find said knowledge.
Old 06-28-2010, 06:31 PM
  #2  
hashtagBMW
iTrader: (38)
 
Speed Density's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Boise, Idaho
Posts: 6,572
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts

Default

The LS PCM is one of the easiest and most detailed management systems ever created. That will get you farther than you ever plan with a car.

The coin you spend on that would be almost equal to an XFI system. Considering you have to buy the XFI box, dizzy and wiring harness.
Old 06-28-2010, 06:31 PM
  #3  
TECH Enthusiast
 
brucer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 529
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

why not just use tunercats or tuner pro, and an aldl cable
Old 06-28-2010, 07:06 PM
  #4  
10 Second Club
 
joelster's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,630
Received 26 Likes on 17 Posts

Default

Originally Posted by Speed Density
The LS PCM is one of the easiest and most detailed management systems ever created. That will get you farther than you ever plan with a car.

The coin you spend on that would be almost equal to an XFI system. Considering you have to buy the XFI box, dizzy and wiring harness.
True, but if he ever decides to sell the car he can take the XFI system with him to his new car.
Old 06-28-2010, 07:56 PM
  #5  
hashtagBMW
iTrader: (38)
 
Speed Density's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Boise, Idaho
Posts: 6,572
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts

Default

Originally Posted by joelster
True, but if he ever decides to sell the car he can take the XFI system with him to his new car.
You can take the box, not the harness.
Old 06-28-2010, 08:11 PM
  #6  
TECH Fanatic
 
05HD's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: CT/NJ
Posts: 1,025
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post

Default

I have been thinking of trying ViPEC on my LT1. I have used it on other cars and it is a really great ECU. It already has the LT1 trigger setup in the software, just would need to be wired up from a fying lead harness.

Any standalone will be light years ahead of a stock ecu or LS ecu retrofit, especially if you are going with one or more power adders.
Old 06-28-2010, 08:24 PM
  #7  
TECH Junkie
iTrader: (31)
 
96lt1m6's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: LA$ VEGA$
Posts: 3,782
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts

Default

Dollar for dollar the Ls1 pcm conversion is the best value!
If money is not a problem and you NEED more options the FAST XFI is the SHIZ
Old 06-29-2010, 12:35 PM
  #8  
12 Second Club
Thread Starter
iTrader: (22)
 
tbird31's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Huntersville, NC
Posts: 2,727
Received 22 Likes on 14 Posts

Default

I appreciate the information.

The reason a stand alone system peaks my interest, like I said before were the features and tune-ability. Eventually the car will be sprayed, multiple maps can be setup and changed with the click of a button. Being able to run a NA map one minute and within 5 minutes being able to run a nitrous map is VERY appealing to me.

I'm still just doing research, seeing as I have no money to do this currently but one day it'd be pretty interesting.

Does anyone have any links or more information on the LS1 computer swap?
Old 06-29-2010, 01:56 PM
  #9  
8 Second Club
iTrader: (4)
 
Tony Shepherd's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Round Rock TX
Posts: 2,913
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts

Default

If you plan on keeping the car go FAST XFI. You will never have to worry about engine management again. I love it. Not to mention free software updates when they improve on it.
Old 06-29-2010, 03:01 PM
  #10  
TECH Veteran
iTrader: (23)
 
FASTFATBOY's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Mobile Ala
Posts: 4,860
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts

Default

Do a search for EFI CONNECTION.


I dont see why the LT ecm is shunned so much, it works pretty good.

If you have a streetcar, I see no reason to drop a LOAD of coin on a standalone.

Even with nitrous you can get ignition boxes to control timing externally. And boost can be controlled the same way.

Unless you have a racecar that goes 7000 plus rpm and need multiple stages of nitrous controlled. The factory ecm can do a good job.

Get a second hand laptop, buy a cable, spend $225 on Tunercats and Datamaster to log and get after it...OR

Use Tunerpro and freescan for free.
Old 06-29-2010, 05:37 PM
  #11  
TECH Enthusiast
 
brucer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 529
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

im with fastfatboy,

only way i would spend the money on a stand alone system is if i were going to build a pretty hot car, with alot of boost or multiple stages of alot of nitrous and at that point i wouldnt be using the lt block/platform anyways, plus at a point you have to add roll cage, if i were to go real fast on the street i would just build a tube chassis car and go with a gen1 sbc with the xfi.

from what i see of the tuner cats and tuner pro, it'll do exactly what you want. you can have multiple files and swap them in and out if you want to.
Old 06-29-2010, 06:49 PM
  #12  
TECH Fanatic
 
05HD's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: CT/NJ
Posts: 1,025
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post

Default

A good standalone has all the window switches, timing retards, 2 step launch controls, progressive nitrous controls and WOT switches you need to spray a car the right way built in to it already. This is not to mention the data logging on most standalones is at a MUCH MUCH faster rate (actually providing useful information @ WOT) and the tuneability and flexability is nearly infinite compared to the patches and tweaks you have to use if you want to try to do things with the stock ecu.

Stock ecu or LS ecu swap are nice to tune for bolt ons or fairly mild all motor setups.
Old 06-29-2010, 07:09 PM
  #13  
TECH Veteran
iTrader: (23)
 
FASTFATBOY's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Mobile Ala
Posts: 4,860
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts

Default

Originally Posted by 05HD
A good standalone has all the window switches, timing retards, 2 step launch controls, progressive nitrous controls and WOT switches you need to spray a car the right way built in to it already. This is not to mention the data logging on most standalones is at a MUCH MUCH faster rate (actually providing useful information @ WOT) and the tuneability and flexability is nearly infinite compared to the patches and tweaks you have to use if you want to try to do things with the stock ecu.

Stock ecu or LS ecu swap are nice to tune for bolt ons or fairly mild all motor setups.
Just for reference, which systems have all these systems "built in" including a datalogger. And what are the prices for these systems with all the peripherals to make it all work?
Old 06-29-2010, 07:17 PM
  #14  
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (13)
 
flame's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Waterloo, Ontario
Posts: 1,169
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts

Default

I tuned my LT1 with Tunercat went through a few different combinations of heads/cam etc. over a 3 year span. Last spring I did an LS1 swap complete motor not just the EFI connection conversion. Now I am using HP Tuners and I can say that there is three times the amount of tables to play with in the LS1 pcm compared to the LT1 and the speed the pcm runs is much quicker. Reflash in 30 seconds compared to an eternity with the LT1 or Real time tuning if you wanna pay the extra. There is also a way to have a dual flash in the LS1 pcm that would allow the N/A tune and Nitrous tune available without having to have the laptop hooked up and reflash. I've never played with any aftermarket ones to know them so I can't comment on that.
Old 06-29-2010, 07:55 PM
  #15  
TECH Fanatic
 
05HD's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: CT/NJ
Posts: 1,025
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post

Default

Originally Posted by FASTFATBOY
Just for reference, which systems have all these systems "built in" including a datalogger. And what are the prices for these systems with all the peripherals to make it all work?
I was thinking of the Vipec I mentioned earlier when I posted. It is ~$2k. It will work with stock stuff or whatever you want to put on it (8 coils 16 injectors 2 turbos 3 kits, whatever). It is pretty standard stuff for alot of the standalones I play with on other cars also.

I haven't tried FAST or Big Stuff (seem to be what alot of folks here think about when they hear standalone) so I am not familiar with those but, I have banged my head against the wall wasting time tuning forced induction on stock LS ecus.
Old 06-30-2010, 02:37 AM
  #16  
10 Second Club
iTrader: (26)
 
Wicked94Z's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Spokane, Wa
Posts: 3,725
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post

Default

DFI... don't need their spendy wideband kit anymore, you can wire in almost any aftermarket unit, like the AEM I have. Best bet is to get a used system.
Old 06-30-2010, 03:03 AM
  #17  
TECH Senior Member
iTrader: (8)
 
gregrob's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: 6,000+ feet
Posts: 5,130
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes on 4 Posts

Default

Big stuff 3 is superior to fast and dfi imo.
Old 06-30-2010, 11:17 AM
  #18  
8 Second Club
iTrader: (2)
 
fex77k's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: AR
Posts: 1,668
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post

Default

Originally Posted by gregrob
Big stuff 3 is superior to fast and dfi imo.
In every way but the price.
Old 06-30-2010, 12:17 PM
  #19  
12 Second Club
Thread Starter
iTrader: (22)
 
tbird31's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Huntersville, NC
Posts: 2,727
Received 22 Likes on 14 Posts

Default

Originally Posted by 05HD
A good standalone has all the window switches, timing retards, 2 step launch controls, progressive nitrous controls and WOT switches you need to spray a car the right way built in to it already. This is not to mention the data logging on most standalones is at a MUCH MUCH faster rate (actually providing useful information @ WOT) and the tuneability and flexability is nearly infinite compared to the patches and tweaks you have to use if you want to try to do things with the stock ecu.

Stock ecu or LS ecu swap are nice to tune for bolt ons or fairly mild all motor setups.
This is exactly what I'm talking about. I've heard the FAST system is a great system and is capable of doing all of what you listed.

I haven't heard anything about the Big Stuff 3 or DFI systems.
Old 06-30-2010, 01:09 PM
  #20  
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (12)
 
1bdbrd's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,930
Received 46 Likes on 31 Posts

Default

IMO I would just go with the LS1 pcm conversion. Gets you away from the opti, don't have to machine your intake for a distributor and honestly, its not much more expensive than going Megasquirt which people regard as one of the cheaper but still good standalones. There's a steep learning curve with HP Tuners but its not bad once you really start messing with it.



Quick Reply: stand alone options for LT1s



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:59 PM.