Well Ive come down to the most important part of my turbo project, how to tune. Ive read countless topics on this and think Ive narrowed my search down to 2 options, the AEM FIC and the PnP Megasquirt ecu.

I kinda want the megasquirt because it can be plug and play and uses a MAP sensor. Also I think it can be setup for launch control(2 step). Not sure if I def need that feature.

On the other hand the AEM is a lot cheaper and AEM stuff is more common round here but would still use my MAF. The only down side to this option is I have to wire it in to the stock harness, blah. Not a real fan of that. But I might have to go that option cuz my funding is starting to waste away. So if anyone has any comments on this plz feel free to add your .02 cents. I really need advice before I make this decision. Prolly the biggest one yet. Thanks everyone.

You know my stance. Plug and Play beats Hack and Pray any day of the week. There's a reason I waited so long to do mine.

I've seen too many cars, including one I owned, brought down by simple wiring problems for years, to ever go that route.

MS has a lot of options too, and a lot of upgrades you can get done to it if you want. Constant Barometric Correction? Check! Turbo Timer? Check! Fan speed adjustment? CHECK! And more.

I have the FIC and it is awesome, it really is a great product. The only pain is as you said wiring it (or making a plug and play harness for it like i did). Other than that it makes everything very easy and your car will drive like stock when not under boost. The FIC uses a MAP sensor too, but yes you have to keep the stock MAF as well (the FIC allows you to simulate the MAF through the MAP, but it's very hard to create/tune that mapping).

The MS has the advantage that wiring is already done for you. Now I haven't tried it, but I really don't see the fact that it's a standalone as a big advantage over the FIC; first, since the FIC works so nicely with the stock ECU; and second, a standalone means you're gonna have to work and tune it for all conditions (idle, part-throttle, high load but not boosting etc).

Meh, the tuning is already done. The tuning on mine took about an hour total, and that consisted of driving and logging, then having the Megalog program analyze the log, and resubmit the results as a new map.

Just works well, and can control anything you want it to at all. No need to go for something different if you wan to go bigger later.

If the megalog program automatically or semi-automatically adjusts the map based on the logs, that's pretty freaking sweet, esp. for those tuning on the street with no dyno. I wish the FIC software had that.

FIC hands down..

much more people running it, specially on boosted applications with great results.

also have wiring diagrams available. can provide you with 8 or 12psi base maps to get you started.

can also pass OBD-II inspections if your worried about them. can also still use an OBD-II scanner if you do throw any CELs.

FIC will be useful for anything you need when you are FI.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (radu_rd2 @ Sep 21 2009, 07:25 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>If the megalog program automatically or semi-automatically adjusts the map based on the logs, that's pretty freaking sweet, esp. for those tuning on the street with no dyno. I wish the FIC software had that.</div>

Megalog is just a log program/analyzer, the MS does the rest. I've got a secondary map sensor on mine for constant barometric correction, for my mountain runs. You can log as long as you want, and if you always have a laptop hooked up, or a carpc for that matter, you could do new maps as often as you want. Probably could even write or find a script that automatically does it for you.

There are thousands and thousands of folks using the MS system. The PnP setup is new for us, but the system is the same. There are dozens of forums, free software, and more for you to use and view. We've got many members here using home made MS units, all happy with them. You can also, with a carpc or laptop, setup whatever gauges you want on the screen to monitor anything you want, all the time, colors and themes available for free here too. So you can run around with no aftermarket gauges, and have the ones you want shown on a screen in your dash if you want.

The FIC seems to be a nice unit, and we have a few members using them here now, but remember that the folks PUSHING IT HARD are doing so for a reason, they make a profit off of it.

As BHurlin can verify, I make NOTHING from my work with KFXPerformance. People here are going to be biased towards...

1. What they sell.
2. What they use.
3. What they know.

What you probably should do is look at the specs for each device, what it does out of the box and what can be added to it when you want, and see which one fits your needs the best, then go from there. Go look at the support forums at AEM's site, and the megasquirt sites, and see what you think about what is being done with the systems.

MS Sites.

http://www.megamanual.com/index.html

http://www.megamanual.com/forums.htm



FIC Sites

http://www.aempower.com/ViewCategory...CategoryID=116

http://forum.aempower.com/forum/index.php?board=89.0



Lastly, you are comparing a piggyback to a full standalone. Prices SHOULD be different, one controls a few things, one controls EVERYTHING. I don't know about you, but I buy, not what I need now, but something that I can use for the life of the car. I've hATED buying stuff just to replace it with something better when the former wasn't good enough anymore.

Now, go read for some time, and maybe personally PM some of the owners of both systems to tel lyou what they love, and don't.

ill post more later when im out of training but..

you can also have the digital dash with the FIC.

Yes, there are thousands of people using the MS system, but not Tiburon specific, much less FI specific.

There is alot more people running the FIC on turbocharged RD series tibs which equals more specific support for that unit.

The FIC will do anything you could possibly need to on a FI car, the only 'disadvantage' would be wiring it up, but if someone takes a couple hours and does it right, the diagrams are spoonfed and easy to read so it would be hard to screw up, unless they just did a hack job.

Yes a standalone is just that, a STANDALONE. and one controls only the aspects that really need controlled. But why get something to control what is not needed? the FIC controls the Fuel and Ignition which is really all thats needed while retaining OBD-II.

If someone is doing some insane build and wants to control everything and needs all kinds of options, than sure the MS would be the way to go.

For almost any FI setup on this board though, the FIC will do everything that the user needs plus some things they may not even use for a cheaper price and have more specific support.

O and at the little cheap shot or w/e <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>but remember that the folks PUSHING IT HARD are doing so for a reason, they make a profit off of it.</div> you couldn't be more wrong.

Whatever Nate, I'm not the only one who sees it, or has said something about it. Your points are made in this thread, don't post again.

I've seen I think 5 or 6 folks here running the FIC. I've seen the same or more running the MS. I see tons of folks on the MS forums and elsewhere using the MS for turbo and SC applications. I don't need to control every little bit of anything, i'm NA, and it still works great for me.

Others can post, but I'm done except for answering questions and moderating.

Again, make your own mind up from a NON BIASED perspective. PM the folks using it, and the folks building them into their systems, and have them post here.

Oh, and one last comment, the wiring may be easy, but as we've discussed before, that doesn't make it foolproof. The SAFC wiring is easy, and many members here have royally screwed up their cars installing them. I owned one, and it took Role Reversal days on his back in the car to fix it.

It's all on what you want, and if the price for a PnP system is worth it or not. If not, you could build your own MS unit for cheaper, and wire it in yourself.

My .02 from what I've heard about both.

The AEM was good for its time. But still REALY expensive. The Megasquirt is still relatively new, a DIY'er style rig that gets you a lot of bang for your buck. Both have about the same resolution for fueling. With that in mind, and my interest in running sequential injection, my tuner suggested running Haltech with the better resolution and more precise fuel control.

But that is OT, so, I'd say get the unit that does essentially the same job but for less money and less wiring hassles. A plug and play is DEFINITELY the way to go IMO. If I were to do it over again without the need for sequential injection, I'd definitely give the megasquirt a try.

Good painters make awful carpenters and great carpenters make HORRIBLE painters! Point being, some folks are just better at some things then others. Some people can wire no problem. Others may just not have the patience or skills to do it right. AND, that just leaves so many more variables that can go wrong that is just simplified by a plug and play unit.