# standalone ecu



## alperileri (Dec 3, 2010)

hi !
what is the cheapest and "tested on 1.8T" standalone ECU for 1.8t ?

Thanks !


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## mumbly0051 (Nov 5, 2005)

No idea about cheapest but here's an option:

http://www.lugtronic.com/


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## [email protected] (Jan 2, 2009)

Cheapest would be megasquirt. It's a little stretched to run the 1.8t though unless you start loosing features.


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## AmIdYfReAk (Nov 8, 2006)

Stock ECU + Immo defeat = Simple and tuned perfectly. 

Stock ECU + Eurodyne Maestro 7 suite = more boost, Able to change/tune as you wish, retain OBDII, remove/defeat IMMO, etc.

Any standalone ECU = No tune, good amount of cash for the hardware, pay someone to tune it, etc. 


..... I know what way I'm going.


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## [email protected] (Jan 2, 2009)

AmIdYfReAk said:


> Stock ECU + Immo defeat = Simple and tuned perfectly.
> 
> Stock ECU + Eurodyne Maestro 7 suite = more boost, Able to change/tune as you wish, retain OBDII, remove/defeat IMMO, etc.
> 
> ...


Depends... Street car, in a mk4 shell (or b5, whatever)- ME7.... Swaps and stuff with a wild engine- the ecu's do not like to be flash tuned in the car- at alllllll. Your swap wiring has to be very complete & perfect- I have no idea if you need to bring the cluster over or what... I can tell you without it, it's operation get stranded at the track / dyno if you try to flash it. 

You also can't touch standalone for speed & ease of tuning, exact control, datalogging & motorsport features. My car for example the A/F is somewhat wild past 8500 rpms on ME7- there's no more cells out there to edit so it just runs off the 7500 map. Last time I fooled with it, the axis points on the ecu maps are not 

I can retune the vipec for a flat full throttle a/f in about 20 minutes- Part of that might be practice from testing like 50 different cam combinations, but still. 

They both still have their places. Same reason you see Evo's running around on AEM or vipec, etc- even though they have freeware OE ecu tuning.


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## AmIdYfReAk (Nov 8, 2006)

The Cluster is not needed, If You're going to retain the IMMO and etc, then its required. 

Though, You're 100% correct in saying there is issues and short comings using both ECU's and it always boils down to what you're trying to do. 

I personally put a lot of worth in retaining the OBD, along with the tuning that has been done to the stock ECU, And I'm not trying to make a 8948984WHP 12000RPM Monster


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## [email protected] (Jan 2, 2009)

AmIdYfReAk said:


> The Cluster is not needed, If You're going to retain the IMMO and etc, then its required.
> 
> Though, You're 100% correct in saying there is issues and short comings using both ECU's and it always boils down to what you're trying to do.
> 
> I personally put a lot of worth in retaining the OBD, along with the tuning that has been done to the stock ECU, And I'm not trying to make a 8948984WHP 12000RPM Monster


I have a swap car with no cluster- It runs fine, but the maestro flashing is extremely glitchy. I know marc is in a similar situation. It's not anything to do to with maestro, rather these cars complex electrical systems interacting in more ways then we know. Dave's mk4 flashes flawlessly... The point though is, for me, I will not flash my car when I am not at the shop, because half of the time it fails and you get locked out. I was just talking about the cluster because I am not sure what it is in particular which is causing the glitchyness. :thumbup:

I am spoiled now in that I can steal a very very nice ecu from our dyno cell and plug it into whatever car I want for about a $300 harness. :laugh:


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## AmIdYfReAk (Nov 8, 2006)

There is some Data and etc that is done via the cluster, you're 100% correct. 

But most flashing issues that people have IS due to the cluster, some/most need to pull the fuse for it to be able to flash, tune, or log. 

Also, in your swap, do you have the two K lines, along with the CEL line going to the OBD port?

Anyway, We're getting a little bit off topic here... i stick with what i said, Stock ECU for anything other then a moon bound monster.


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## mescaline (Jul 15, 2005)

I have to pull cluster fuse to be able to log. Flash gets through fine tho'. Why don't you bench flash it? Make some bench cables and stuff. Bench flashing goes through a lot faster too 

OBD flashing with Maestro always worked for me. Isn't Maestro flashing sector at the time now? That way you can't brick your ECU...you can just restart flashing process.


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## V DUB'N (Dec 12, 2002)

Only go standalone if you are ready to battle with the car or know that it is compattible with oem crank and cam sensors. I know myself and Pete from IE and others have fought with haltech's to get them to work. Some with success some without. I've been at mine for over a year trying to get a timing pull issue resolved and think i may finally have it.

If you arent a tuner or have a good friend who is one I would stick with flash tunes.


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## AmIdYfReAk (Nov 8, 2006)

mescaline said:


> I have to pull cluster fuse to be able to log. Flash gets through fine tho'. Why don't you bench flash it? Make some bench cables and stuff. Bench flashing goes through a lot faster too
> 
> OBD flashing with Maestro always worked for me. Isn't Maestro flashing sector at the time now? That way you can't brick your ECU...you can just restart flashing process.


Currently that's what I'm doing, and will do when i get the M7 suite.


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## 16plus4v (May 4, 2006)

I definitely agree with you guys. Mk4 or B5, B6 street car. Maestro is the way to go.

It does suck the balls when you have to wait 2 mins for re flash every time you want to make your adjustments.. BUT it's a huge step forward for most sub 600whp street/hobby setups.

I can appreciate Marc for sticking with the me7. But also wonder with a full sem if he could do better. The 2step launch control is another step forward for the me7 and Chris is making a boost, water meth control unit that will be tunable via meaetro shortly. So that will be another step forward.

Bottom line is sem is faster to tune and more features. But for the Joe racer like myself, I prefer the turn key reliability with my me7 setup.


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## mescaline (Jul 15, 2005)

2step was always built inside ME7 but never used. Chris Tapp didn't invent it, he just learned how to use it (himself or somebody told him).

Maestro would be good solution if it had some kind of documentation.


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## AmIdYfReAk (Nov 8, 2006)

and its in the ME 3.8 and 5.9 as well.


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