| Author |
Message |
BretM (Bretm)
Advanced Member
Username: Bretm
Post Number: 2965
Registered: 2-2001
| | Posted on Monday, November 25, 2002 - 4:18 pm: | |
The other thing to remember is that $6k is in relation to a $180G car. They're giving you a warranty on a car that costs literally 600% the price of most HIGHER end tuner cars (it's 1000% to 2000% the cost of most normal tuner cars). |
BretM (Bretm)
Advanced Member
Username: Bretm
Post Number: 2964
Registered: 2-2001
| | Posted on Monday, November 25, 2002 - 4:15 pm: | |
I read the article on the DigiTec thing but have no other experience to it to be honest, I think it is pretty cool though. Keep the stock chips and stuff so when you sell it you can throw them back in and sell your digitec stuff to someone else. You don't have to shift at a higher redline, as in you are not forced to do so, but it is cool that you can when you want to. In that way it wont decrease engine life, you will by tapping into those extra rpms. From what I remember they have quite a complete setup which includes injectors, etc that would be required to get a little more power out at higher rpm. Besides, all the stuff they do is quick swap in stuff so you might as well if you want to. If you were talking about pulling off the heads and swapping cams, etc I would be a little skeptical. The bottom line is at a fundamental level there are only two ways to increase horsepower, you either increase displacement or rev higher. DigiTec is obviously addressing the latter of the two as the prior is not feasible in this application. |
Hubert Otlik (Hugh)
Member
Username: Hugh
Post Number: 332
Registered: 1-2002
| | Posted on Monday, November 25, 2002 - 3:27 pm: | |
Robert,
Don't know if you've considered this, but why not try and source a challenge ecu? Can't see it costing more than 6k, and if you got in touch w/ some of the challenge teams, they may well sell you a spare.
I can't imagine the wiring harness to be any different b/w the street and 360c car, but you will probably lose the alarm, the auto mode on the tranny, and the upshifts (I would imagine) might get rough, as would the clutch use, etc. using the 360c ecu; as the performance of the engine/tranny are bundled together. |
Robert (Rjklein4470)
Junior Member
Username: Rjklein4470
Post Number: 206
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Monday, November 25, 2002 - 2:32 pm: | |
From what I have found it is the same program that the challenge cars run. |
Michael Fennell (Mfennell70)
Junior Member
Username: Mfennell70
Post Number: 75
Registered: 7-2001
| | Posted on Monday, November 25, 2002 - 2:07 pm: | |
Just to be a devil's advocate: if the upgraded ECU really is done properly, it could be worth buying vs. dyno-tuning yourself. I find it hard to believe that you could hack a Motec into an OBDII 360 *and* program it for anything close to $6000. How much does dyno time cost? How many hours will you need? How street legal is the finished car?
OTOH, I find it hard to believe that there's much hp left on the table on a 360 as it comes from the factory. |
martin J weiner,M.D. (Mw360)
Member
Username: Mw360
Post Number: 674
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, November 25, 2002 - 12:40 pm: | |
Robert,
IMO-don't mess with a close to perfect machine as it is. |
Hubert Otlik (Hugh)
Member
Username: Hugh
Post Number: 327
Registered: 1-2002
| | Posted on Monday, November 25, 2002 - 12:16 pm: | |
Robert,
Based solely on the principle of cost, I would say NO! Absoloutly not worth it! $6K? That's insane!
Now, for the more technical questions; 1. how much higher is the rev limit? Is timing advanced, and is the fuel curve enriched also? 2. how will the valvetrain handle the increase? can it? Valvesprings can and will bind if they are consistently revved past their limit, when that happens you drop a valve and the piston and valve kiss, and you foot the bill; head rebuild at best! 3. do the oem 360 cams even make power to 9000 rpm, or what ever the new limit will be? In principle to get more power out of a N/A motor, you need to raise the rev limit (why F1 engines rev to 19k), however, you also need to aspirate the motor properly and fuel it; e.g proper cams, injectors, fuel curves, etc. without these you're not gaining anything, period.
Honestly, Robert, for 6 thousand dollars, you can do a lot more than just an ecu to make your 360 quicker; lighter wheels, 2 piece rotors, lightweight seats, etc., improving your hp/weight ratio can be done better (read: more safely) by removing weight rather than adding horsepower, IMO. This way you do not endanger the longevity of you're motor, and are rasing the limits of the car by adding components that actually function better. Not to mention that for less than $6k you could get a standalone managment system a la motec, that is programmable (in real time) on the dyno.
Hope this helps,
Hubert |
Mark Freeman (Mrpc12)
Junior Member
Username: Mrpc12
Post Number: 115
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Monday, November 25, 2002 - 11:01 am: | |
I just don't believe all these claims of major horsepower increases from reporgramming the computer. Also, raising the Rev limiter could be dangerous to the long term health of the engine. I just think the manufacturer would rasise the limiter and reporgram the computer themselves and advertise the car with more horsepower if it were safe and practical to do so. |
ELI (Titanium360)
Junior Member
Username: Titanium360
Post Number: 226
Registered: 4-2002
| | Posted on Monday, November 25, 2002 - 10:02 am: | |
Eventhough they will warranty the engine and the tran. i would wait a year or so and get the 04 360 which is suppose to have 460 hp. Putting the money issue aside i would not want anyone to mess around with my engine and tran. just my $.02 |
TomD (Tifosi)
Intermediate Member
Username: Tifosi
Post Number: 1887
Registered: 9-2001
| | Posted on Monday, November 25, 2002 - 7:43 am: | |
thats up to you, I would only do it if tracking the car alot. Since you are in the US I can't imagine you are getting to the cars limit on the street on a regular basis? |
Robert (Rjklein4470)
Junior Member
Username: Rjklein4470
Post Number: 203
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Monday, November 25, 2002 - 7:32 am: | |
I talked to Digi-Tech about the upgrade in ECU's to the 360. It will give the car around 430hp, and increase the top end through the rev limiter. They will give you a warranty on the engine & tran. The upgrade is 6K EUR that is $200 every HP |