AEM standalone for 5.0L

[89LincolnTWNcar]

I am thinking of forking over $1647 for the AEM standalone computer for 5.0L cars. I hear I can delete the distributor and use newer individual coils for each cylinder and greatly improve power and gas milage. With this price, I am hesitant, but I could create the ideal Panther. Anybody ever buy one of these or mess around with it?

[turbo2256b]

No but I have used the Electromotive system on several engines.

[89LincolnTWNcar]

No but I have used the Electromotive system on several engines.

Is that a piggyback or a complete computer like the AEM?

[Grand Marquis GT]

With megasquirt you can do it for a LOT less.

[89LincolnTWNcar]

With megasquirt you can do it for a LOT less.

Doesn't that involve hacking up the wiring harness and using DOS programs to tune? Can you do 'live' tuning with it while the motor is running?

[turbo2256b]

Is that a piggyback or a complete computer like the AEM?

It is a complete system.

[turbo2256b]

With megasquirt you can do it for a LOT less.

My friend Gerrys brother is messing with a mega squirt on a car right now. Think its on a chevy engine. Dont know how its going so far

[1987cp]

Was that the brand where you can buy a kit and assemble your own fuel injection system from the circuit board on up?

[mrltd]

you can do the same with an explorer eecv and a tweecer for much less. you also need to figure in the dyno tuning and all of the other stuff. its not cheap and its not going to make any more milage than any other piggyback. especially on a near stock motor. that box cost more than my crate motor. Ive made a ton of power with the tweecer on my car for the 400 bucks

[gadget73]

You can also buy complete Megasquirt harnesses so you don't have to hack up the stock one. I imagine any real stand-alone engine management system is going to provide it's own harness, or involve extensive mods to the stocker. If you go distributorless, the only practical way to do that is to replace or at least supplement the stock harness with one to run the coil packs. In practical terms, an all-new harness would give better fit.

1987cp: yes, that would be Megasquirt, though systems are available so you don't actually have to solder the board together and make a harness yourself if you don't want to.


I have to agree with mrltd though, unless you're going really radical, there isn't a big atvantage to a full stand-alone ECM vs something like a tweecer and a stock ECM and harness. Distributorless ignition is sort of neat, but unless you've got a hell of a motor, its not that much better than a conventional distributor. You do get more voltage to the plug, but on mild motors, thats not going to do much for you in a practical sense.

[88grandmarq]

for the kind of money you are talking about, I think this is a much better kit.
Most applications dont require tuning.

http://www.mass-floefi.com/mass-flo.html

[portdizzal]

With megasquirt you can do it for a LOT less.

I have megasquirt on my 400hp neon. Amazingly simple to use. all you need is a pc to tune.

[1987cp]

400hp Neon? :jawdrop: You must refer us to more info!

[portdizzal]

Yeah i built it when i was into the whole street racing thing. it was a regular 2.0L engine but i had it sleeved and high rise pistons for a mopar 318 where added. Also a custom grind cam, 34lb injectors, titanium valves and retainers with, dual valve springs. the Intake system is composed of 4 oem style 48mm tbs machined down and mounted one per cylinder. unfortunately the car doesnt idle below 1500rpm and the front wheel drive setup is uncontrollable. not to mention the complete destruction of cv joints. So it has been sitting until i can get all the parts i need to make it rear wheel drive. Sounds beautiful at 10krpm.

[mrltd]

Yeah i built it when i was into the whole street racing thing. it was a regular 2.0L engine but i had it sleeved and high rise pistons for a mopar 318 where added. Also a custom grind cam, 34lb injectors, titanium valves and retainers with, dual valve springs. the Intake system is composed of 4 oem style 48mm tbs machined down and mounted one per cylinder. unfortunately the car doesnt idle below 1500rpm and the front wheel drive setup is uncontrollable. not to mention the complete destruction of cv joints. So it has been sitting until i can get all the parts i need to make it rear wheel drive. Sounds beautiful at 10krpm.

what about srt4 parts? they are running 500+ hp out of those