Andrew Wojteczko

Hi,

Chosing stand alone system, not sure which to go for. Leaning towards SDS due to cost, however sequential injection would be nice. Anyone here using either, and how do you feel about service, performance, ease of use. Also, were you supplied a base map?

The car is a track only 2.5, O ringed head, Huntley Stage 3 turbo (still working on what that is exactly) Simmons 84# injectors, Bosch RSR pump, Knife edged crank, web cam, fresh OE pistons, etc.

Andrew Wojteczko

Ski

IIRC you should ask Russ Murphy about SDS and I know that Alan C highly recommends Chris White for the TEC 3.

My .02, as I HATE spending downtime between upgrades, for support, start up - I would get with Chris White and go TEC 3 if you absolutely want to go stand alone.

I think several here have also been gaining great strides with the LINK 2.

Alan C.

I went with the Tec3 after looking at several systems. As you noted the SDS is a bargain for the price.

Getting support from this board or an SDS should not be an issue. Several members use that system and I'm sure would be happy to help.

For the Tec3 I purchased mine from Scott Gomes and got no maps although I did get a lot of promises. Fortunately Chris White, www.944enhancement.com, stepped in and offered all the help I needed. That on a product he made $0.00. And Chris has continued to keep me informed of anything new with the Tec3. If you go with the Tec3 I wouldn't hesitate to buy one from him.

Some will say a base map is not that big an issue. But after investing a fair amount in a new engine I wasn't in the mood to roll the dice. I wanted more than a generic map.

rage2

I've used SDS on my 944 turbo, and TEC3 on a supercharged M3.

As a first timer, SDS was great. I've introduced standalone tuning to a lot of people via SDS, and it allows you to learn tuning fairly easily. SDS does the job, but is missing a few features that I'd really like now that I know what's going on. Full 3D maps would be nice (SDS has 2 linear fuel maps, fuel@rpm, and fuel@map pressure). Laptop interface with logging would be nice too. But even without 3D fuel/timing maps, it'll still do the job. I had no problems making power with SDS.

TEC3 has everything SDS is missing, but would be really tough for a first timer IMO. Disadvantages to using TEC3? The software interface is fairly ghetto... they really should hire a new GUI designer . Trying to figure out how logging works took forever. Once you figure it out though, tuning from nothing is quick thanks to it's engine wizard. It took about 1 hour to tune the M3, which included complete part throttle mapping.

tazman

I just finished installing the Tec3 from Chris and I am tuning it now. I have to agree with Rage that it was a little tough to start tuning but I had a W/B O2 sensor take a crap on me when I was trying to get the car running. I was looking for a complete bolt-in kit and I would say the Tec3 was about 95% that. I had to get hoses to plumb the idle stabilizer motor into the intake since most people that use the Tec3 do not use one.

Unfortunately my starting map was not as good as Alan's but I have Delphi injectors which Chris said he did not have any prior experience with. In my experience you will get a quicker response from Chris if you use the phone instead of email.

dmoffitt

i've chosen tec3 - two reasons, one i have a local friend who's a dealer ($) and two, chris white's expertise / experience (and he's not exactly local but only perhaps 1-2hrs away).

i don't see how anyone would be that much harder than the other but i have no experience w/ SDS. i am most excited about TEC3's self-tune (well, it's not THAT simple, but it's not horribly difficult from what i've read).

rage2

I was one of the first to try the TEC3 self tune, and after struggling an hour with it, on the phone with TEC, we gave up and started from scratch on a dyno.

The reason why SDS is simpler is because a few maps are fixed (temperature compensation, etc). You only really work with a few linear 2D maps, which makes understanding things a lot easier.

Russ Murphy

Simplicity. Yes. It's actually in the name. Simple Digital Systems. The lack of integrated boost control is sometimes a thing I complain about, but then I remember the experiences of my WRX tuner buddy Booger and boost control gone awry for some software-oriented reason (39 psi before the headgasket blew) and then I appreciate how easy and excellent the SDS has been. I think that very little hp is left on the table in exchange for a really bullet-proof simple to use system.

Andrew Wojteczko

Hi,

thanks for the great advice, as far as boost control I have a Blitz SBC ID. The SDS sounds like a good first stand alone system. What kind of harness were those using SDS supplied with?

Thanks,

Andrew Wojteczko

Magown

I have Tec3 and also use sequential injection. I'm not sure why Rage dislikes the WinTec GUI. There are some things I would change if I was in charge, but I found it pretty easy to use and didn't have any trouble figuring it out. My setup also came from Chris White. I've spent a lot of time on the phone him and have nothing but good things to say about my experiences.

You will also have to fabricate a new TPS setup, coolant temp sensor location, cam sensor, crank trigger and pulley. His package includes all that. I have recently found out from OZ951 that the Clewett Engineering crank trigger and pulley works with all the original accessory belts and both belt covers. The down side is it costs $500. Chris has a come up with a more affordable setup that uses a magnetic pick up mounted on the a/c compressor adjustment bar and requires snipping a small piece of the lower belt cover.

rage2

Yea, I didn't have problems figuring it out. Just that there are a lot of horrible usability issues that makes things inefficient for modifying tables. Onfly mode confusions, etc. Just took a while to get used to. For a first timer, I'd think it'd be hell trying to figure out tuning AND work with that interface. I'm a big fan of intuitive and easy to work with GUIs. I'd rate the WinTEC interface a 2/10. I've seen worse, but I mean the level of editors out there, for example the freeware editors for Honda stock ECUs, those have really really nice GUI interfaces. Paying that kind of money, I expected a lot more on the GUI side.

Same goes with SDS, you need to install their magnet. There is a guy local here that made a box that modifies the stock signal into a SDS compatible signal. I don't have it on my car, but a buddy of mine has it on his talon and it's awesome, no crank trigger magnet mess! The rest of the sensors I'm using the stock 944 sensors if I remember right.

For the wiring harness, you'll have to do all that by hand, which sucks. No plug and play .

Apexx

I think for me it will be the Motec M400
I do have to admit that I have a semi inside deal on Motec