Rochester

iTrader: (9)

Hi Ape. I don't need the cable, the shop has the cable. All I need is the license.

I was thinking I could buy the blank, not-yet-assigned USB key a few months ahead of the actual tuning service, as a way to spread the cost around month over month (which is something I'm prone to doing when modding my car.)

Suppose I could ask the tuning shop about that, or write to EcuTek. Thought I'd throw that out here, too.

Ape Factory

iTrader: (3)

The tuner will have the license. It's rolled into the cost of the tune.

Rochester

iTrader: (9)

Thanks, Ape. I'm going to have to ask the tuner for specifics, because I'm pretty sure they said $700+license. In any event, I've got half a year to figure it out.

Ape Factory

iTrader: (3)

You're right but I always just considered that part of the cost. No idea why tuners actually separate it from the tune. It's not like having a license is any good as you cannot tune the car's parameters yourself. There are platforms where they offer self-tuning but ours isn't one of them. It's a great business model for ECUTek and tuners and ****ty for the end consumer as the only thing you can pass on is the cable.

ttv36

iTrader: (1)

With an Uprev Tuner license/cable you can tune the car yourself. That's what I have been doing for the past year.

@Rochester with the release of ARC from Uprev the advantage of Ecutek on 37s has significantly decreased for NA applications. If you plan on staying NA then Uprev with ARC simplified timing/vvel phasing maps would be sufficient for your needs. For NA applications the extra features (speed density, boost control, traction control, flex fuel, etc) that Ecutek provides aren't really necessary.

Now if you eventually plan on boosting the car then Ecutek all the way..

Rochester

iTrader: (9)

EcuTek's list of Racerom features for the Nissan: EcuTek - Nissan 370Z

Seems at first glance to be a long list of tuning features, but after reading through, there doesn't seem to be a lot of things that make me step up.

• Four maps that I can flip through with the cruise control switch.
• Flat-foot shifting for the 6MT... no wait, that's only for Z's that have the 6MT rev-matching feature. So that's out.
• Custom rev limits per gear. Um, OK.
• Launch Control... bump bump bump
• Adjustable Traction control? That's more of a FI thing.
• Boost control. Ah, nope.
• Flex fuel... don't care.
• AFR control... another FI thing.

I wonder what the four maps typically are? In their Subby section, they list:

• Valet
• Economy
• Race
• Dual Fuel

I wonder if Race Mode would require 93 octane?

The Pope

iTrader: (2)

I got 5 maps with my EcuTek....

*Valet
*Hot Weather & 91 Octane
*Daily Driving
*Aggressive Map (Use Higher Octane Fuel)
*Aggressive Map (Use Higher Octane Fuel) + Throttle Hi-Jack with VDC Off

..... and you can have more that just these. It's all up to you and the tuner.

Rochester

iTrader: (9)

Thank you, Pope. It's finally sinking in that the number of user-selectable maps, and their configuration purpose, is something that's up to me and the tuner.

Considering my location (Western NY) and my driving lifestyle, there are really only two that I'd probably switch between: DD with 91 octane, and an aggressive map for 93. Is that a reasonable description and goals for this project?

I wonder how the tuner would tune for 93 unless there was 93 in the tank?

ANMVQ

iTrader: (13)

I'm still in the boat that EcuTek is far better than UPREV and please do NOT got to Kaizen.
If you want to do a tune do a remote( Street tune) and use Seb and EcuTek. If you are worried about using the road for tuning, rent a local AWD dyno and he'll tune your car remotely while you on the rollers . He did this for me. An when I come back( Soon) I'm going with him again!

ANMVQ

iTrader: (13)

You would have to have 93 in the car . An why not use you 93 oct tune as you DD? I did. It really doesnt change much unless you are at WOT. Also Seb with offer throttle hi-jack, Best thing you can to with the tune( Car will drive like throttle by cable)

Rochester

iTrader: (9)

Haha, OK. No worries. The more I circle around this project, the more that RT Tuning (outside of Philly) comes up as the better choice... if the choice made is to make a road trip for the tune.

It's coming down to 3 options, each with pros/cons:

1. Local EcuTek dyno-tune at Berg Racing. Big $$$, but down the street access to racing pros.
2. Dyno-tune at RT Tuning, for either EcuTek or UpRev. Less money, but 6 hours away.
3. EcuTek street tune with Seb, or UpRev street tune with Moncef.

That's what I thought. To tune for 93, you need to feed it 93.

Why not use 93 as my DD? I don't know. I suppose I was just making the association of advanced timing as the "aggressive tune".


Describe throttle hi-jack for me, ANMVQ.

ANMVQ

iTrader: (13)

Why not use 93 as my DD? I don't know. I suppose I was just making the association of advanced timing as the "aggressive tune".

Would only advance at WOT, DD would be fine .

The hi-jack ( you have a 6 spd if I remember right). The biggest benefit is that the throttle with react the same time as you press the pedal( cable throttle) I know you remember what this is , you know when you and I were younger and drove the 70's muscle cars , LOL and how touchy you could make the throttle but adjusting the nut on the carb . The electric throttles lack that " punch" with the Hi-jack it will make the throttle WAY more responsive. An makes first gear really fun.

For us auto guys it allows us to "brake stand the car" if you want too, plus the launch of the car with it is very NICE

Rochester

iTrader: (9)

So "throttle hijack" is just a term which means front-loading the response curve off the electronic throttle... like the Sprint Booster. Hmm, OK, I had one of those for a short while in my old Maxima 6MT, so I know what that kind of change means.

I'll be honest, with short rear gears, I'm somewhat suspect how driveable things would be if the throttle were changed like that. Seriously, off-the-line snap with 4.083 gears is kind of jarring already, and forced me to re-learn how to be more gentle with the throttle.

ANMVQ

iTrader: (13)

Yes, Ape just replied in the other thread on this also. You can have Seb adjust it for a "Softer" pedal and for a "Stiffer" pedal, it would be up to you, it's just the stock pedal feels "dead" when compared to it, you need much more pedal to get response from the car, with the Hi-jack the pedal travel is cut down to actually get a response from the car. You'd get use to it. IMO on of the best things you can do. I never used a sprint booster but I'd wanna say this is better

ttv36

iTrader: (1)

But is your opinion pre-ARC or post? The gap between Uprev w/ARC and Ecutek for NA cars is very narrow. Uprev has throttle adjustments ('throttle hijack') as well, it's up to the tuner to apply them. Like I said for boosted applications then Ecutek is a better choice, but nowadays Uprev w/ARC is just as good for an NA car; it really boils down to which tuner you want to use and what software they want to use.

You're very good at researching, I think the best option is to talk to all the tuners and find the one you are most comfortable with. These days, for an NA application at least, whichever tuning suite used doesn't really matter. It's what the tuner does that will make the difference.

Aggressive tune would usually be a map where there is more timing advance and/or leaner fuel conditions to make more power; it's not necessarily dependent on the fuel used. However, the fuel with higher octane can help dictate how much timing/fueling can be add/adjusted before detonation.