KMS ECU Feedback - Saxperience

raunchz · 2nd February 2009, 19:21

Hiya, am looking into what ECU I'm going to fit to my vts when I fit the throttle bodies, the provisional list at this point in time is:

2nd hand KMS ECU etc. (one currently for sale at £600 for everything needed)
Datashift PnP ECU (£550-£600)
SaxoTorque (MTech) PnP ECU (provisionally £600)

Was just looking for some feedback from people who have KMS installed - have they had any problems? What were the mapping costs like?

Any input would be appreciated.

Ryan^p · 2nd February 2009, 19:24

personally I wouldnt use a KMS, ive known of several issues to be reported with them by people on different forums.

Is the saxotorque one the one thats a bit of a mess inside but is similar to the predator????

raunchz · 2nd February 2009, 19:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ryan

personally I wouldnt use a KMS, ive known of several issues to be reported with them by people on different forums.

Is the saxotorque one the one thats a bit of a mess inside but is similar to the predator????

I'm not 100% - I think it's currently being developed? by a division/sister company of MTech.

I'm trying ot keep an open mind about the ECU I'm going to go for as it stands.

Have read good things about Sandy's mapping, is tempting but would be double the above options when you include ECU, loom, mapping + travel.

Ryan^p · 2nd February 2009, 19:31

I wouldnt let Mtec near my car going on a first design I saw of theirs lol!

I am confident that andys business managment would mean if there were any datashift faults he would also deal with them as quickly as possible.

Sandys all round reputation as an engine builder is good, just the rollers he maps on are well known to read high.

Ryan^p · 2nd February 2009, 19:32

you could always get an emerald and get dave walker to map it.

Dave walker is probably the most respected mapper in the UK, and if you have an emerald ecu mapping seems to be cheaper.

hes the one whos adjusting my map on my saxo.

raunchz · 2nd February 2009, 19:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ryan

I wouldnt let Mtec near my car going on a first design I saw of theirs lol!

I am confident that andys business managment would mean if there were any datashift faults he would also deal with them as quickly as possible.

Sandys all round reputation as an engine builder is good, just the rollers he maps on are well known to read high.

Yeh, Andy is very local to me, and would be ideal to map it. As wouldn't spend £50 in fuel driving to Sandy.

I'm unsure what to think about Mtech, have read good and bad things - at the moment am sitting on the fence.

Andy has been pretty transparent about wanting to map throttle bodies and looking to get it mapped up good.

Anyone else running KMS with any input?

raunchz · 2nd February 2009, 19:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ryan

you could always get an emerald and get dave walker to map it.

Dave walker is probably the most respected mapper in the UK, and if you have an emerald ecu mapping seems to be cheaper.

hes the one whos adjusting my map on my saxo.

What's the rough price on Emerald? ECU? Loom (I'd look to make the loom possibly) And rough cost to map?

I don;t know if I'm being stupid spending £1k on cams and bodies then looking to do cheap ECU? I've always looked to get the most enjoyment out of the least amount of £££

Quik_Pug · 2nd February 2009, 19:43

Decide where you taking the car to be mapped before choosing the ECU as although most mappers will deal with most standalone a few will have a favourite to work with so speak with your choosen tuner. In the end i travelled 8hrs North to GMC to have my car mapped

Im run a KMS ECU + wideband - fitted and mapped @ GMC - the ECU has been brilliant but ive had a few niggly issues with the wideband but mainly down to loose connections or bad earths.

Quote:

personally I wouldnt use a KMS, ive known of several issues to be reported with them by people on different forums.

Just to note the issues ive seen are concerned with the wideband not the ECU

Ryan^p · 2nd February 2009, 19:44

http://www.emeraldm3d.com/em_pricing.html

mines running emerald..

mapping is CRUCIAL to the running of a car and optimising performance, its why im getting mine adjusted again to try and hit 200 as currently it overfuels slightly....

I wouldnt scimp on the ECU and mapping to cut corners, it will only cost more long term

Ryan^p · 2nd February 2009, 19:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quik_Pug

Just to note the issues ive seen are concerned with the wideband not the ECU

power spikes ive seen reported the odd time were not related to the wideband.

raunchz · 2nd February 2009, 19:46

That's what I'm worried about - whether its worth just dropping it into some place and say, "fit and map Omex,dta,emerald etc."

Or to go for a slightly cheaper option like a PnP ECU

raunchz · 2nd February 2009, 19:47

http://www.emeraldm3d.com/em_pricing.html

full mapping for £275 - then ECU for £600 odd - so basically £1k ish for a good reliable map/ecu?

EDIT - Plus VAT!!

Cupra-Craig · 2nd February 2009, 19:48

I ran KMS with wide band on my T/B lump an like said i had probs with the wide band.

I'm with ryan on this the ecu an mappin is the most important part of the engine. Can make or break an engine.

What about omex??

raunchz · 2nd February 2009, 19:49

Omex is an option.

Are Omex/Dta/Emerald all about the same prices ?

From the sounds of it - it's going to be better to save £1k+ for ecu and mapping etc. than spend maybe £550 on the PnP ECU ?

Quik_Pug · 2nd February 2009, 19:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ryan

power spikes ive seen reported the odd time were not related to the wideband.

....

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ryan

mines running emerald..

mapping is CRUCIAL to the running of a car and optimising performance

I wouldnt scimp on the ECU and mapping to cut corners, it will only cost more long term

You said it yourself - get it mapped properely there shouldnt be any issues. Consider Sandy Brown, Dave walker, GMC etc

But im no KMS expert - all i can say is from personal experience i know my KMS has been spot on except the odd wideband issue

Ryan^p · 2nd February 2009, 19:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by raunchz

Omex is an option.

Are Omex/Dta/Emerald all about the same prices ?

From the sounds of it - it's going to be better to save £1k+ for ecu and mapping etc. than spend maybe £550 on the PnP ECU ?

The wiring is the problem with most this is where the costs rocket.

emerald + mapping costs seem to be more cost effective than the omex from when i was reading a few years back..

my spare engine ran omex this car runs emerald lol

raunchz · 2nd February 2009, 19:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ryan

The wiring is the problem with most this is where the costs rocket.

emerald + mapping costs seem to be more cost effective than the omex from when i was reading a few years back..

my spare engine ran omex this car runs emerald lol

Any pro's and con's of OMEX vs emerald?

I think I'd be able to do the wiring myself, as I would be confident doing it. The only worry is if i take it to get mapped, and I'd messed up the wiring by one thing, the cost involved to find etc.

I am seeing this is going ot be a hard decision when I come to get it all mapped up !!

Ryan^p · 2nd February 2009, 19:58

both are respected ecus and seem to have a few people able to map them.

Id ring both and see costs involved specs etc....

raunchz · 2nd February 2009, 19:59

yeh, looks like will need to ring around - see where they are all located (being in Bournemouth rules GMC out!)

The KMS seem to have a lot of problems with the Wideband - which appears to have a knock onto how the ECU performs as it targets the afr?

raunchz · 2nd February 2009, 20:00

Ryan - me and you seem to end up talking in my threads!