Anybody here ever use one of these? If so were you happy with it? How about ease of programming?
I am doing a conversion LS6/4L60E into a 59 Vette. Right now I am building the motor and tranny for the car, but I have no wiring or PCM. Since I am starting from scratch I am trying to find out what my best option would be. I looked at an XFI, but I would have to use a seperate tranny controller so that gets a little pricey. The reason I was thinking about buying a BS 3 is because you can order it with a tranny controller already in it.
I do have experience with LT-1 Edit, but I am a little leary of starting a program from scratch, since as I understand it all the BS 3 comes with is a program to get you up and running.
Any other options or comments on this would be greatly appreciated.

 

What benefits would you net from using the BigStuff3 vs a GM PCM?
I read the product info and didn't see anything jump out as being awesome or superior.

 

The benefits that I can see are that it has built in use of 2 widebands, and uses the widebands for calibration, which eliminates the need to use something like the LM-1. You can use either low or high impedence injectors without having to buy a seperate box. You can program in real time, change the program while the car is running or have someone else do it even while the car is in motion. Which would really help with the auto trans. It also has a full manual shift mode that would allow use of paddle shifters or buttons on the steering wheel to shift. Also I would not have to mess with VATS. It has built in data acquisition and allows for timing and fueling of each individual cylinder.
The last 2 may also apply to the LS-1 PCM, I don't know I have'nt worked with one. But I know that my 95 Trans-Am that I used LT-1 Edit on did not feature that.
But I am not against using a GM PCM, but like I said I'm starting from scratch. So I'd have to buy a PCM, wiring harness, some type of wideband set-up, and some type of data acquisition software. That can get pretty expensive, although still cheaper than the BS 3.
Thats really why I posted this in the first place hoping someone could tell me some of my options.

 

Sounds pretty cool. I don't think the GM PCM can do per cylinder adjustments.
EFI Live can work with two widebands. There was a thread about how to program the GM PCM to run off of wideband input but I think it would require a carputer so that's not really comparable.

The wideband and real time tuning features are nice on the BS3. Anyone have any experience with this?

 

My BS3 only came with one wideband and i know you can get two but most people that sell or tune with bs3 will tell you that one wideband is enough.It also has smart fueling control so say if your crusing around it will hit the AFR you command it to hit.Not something that tuners recommend doing at the track.My car has a good tune and i do not run smart fueling.I data record every pass and make my changes were it is nessery.One thing people will ask why not leave it on smart fueling?Answer is if your sencor go's bad your fuel table can go way lean.

 

How agressive do you want the setup to be?

Personally, under 700 rwhp with a factory automatic, I would not even think of a BS3 or other stand alone setups.

Since your leary of starting from scratch, remember any aftermarket PCM is truly starting from scratch, where at least a GM pcm you can start from the factory proven calibration.

Ryan

 

Thanks Ryan,

That's the kind of info I was looking for. The more reserch I've done makes the BS3 look really nice, but a waste of money on what will basically be a heads/cam/forged bottom end car (2900 lbs though). I think I will go with a Speartech harness, reprgrammed PCM and HP Tuner.

Thanks again for the help guys.

 

More like 600 is the limit. Anything more than that and you run out of injector and are forced to go to an injector driver or DFI.

John

 

I will disagree with this. I do not think a "set" horsepower rating (or one at all) should make you get a stand alone. Stand alone is more flexible then a stock PCM tune. The features that can be used on a stand alone are a considering factors too.

 

Back from the dead.

BigStuff3 and using stock PCM to run gauges, lights and speedo. Any issues??????????

 

Interesting.....Not sure it's possible as one you start disconnecting the sensors that the PCM expects to see, it will not function properly. There is a harness for F-Bodies that allow them to keep all the factory instrumentatation intact although I'm not sure it works on the GTO.....

I've seen the harness in question at Speed Inc......

Cheers,

BS