What are your thoughts on the AEM system

T

TURBOZ

New Member
Joined
May 25, 2001
As a few might have hurd, aem is now offering there management systems to the domestic cars. The price is substantally less then a dfi or fast. I have been playing with the Fast on a few cars for the last three years. I have it down where I can get the car running close to mint within an hour, but not tune for max power ofcourse, that would require a dyno. Anyway I started playing with a buddies build honda with the aem. Man what a mess. The R&D is horrible. Even though i only looked at it for about 30min's it seems you must go though a lot more sh$t to acheive what one graph on a fast would do.
With out playing with it longer I maybe wrong but.......
There are a few around here that are looking into it because of the price, but I say you get what you pay for!!!

What are your thoughts on this system?
 
I'm not worried about price so much as I am about all the extra options and features available on the AEM. Haven't found one to play with yet, but am considering trying one for my turbo Lexus.
Greg Kring
87GN 9.2@150 street driven
 
thought I would bring up an old post :)

this is a NIIICE unit, does a LOT Of stuff fast/dfi only dreams of. And in a supra(or other import app they offer) its easy to setup, plug it in and go.. its already got a base map and everything.

However, tuning from scratch could be a nightmere.

I would ditch my FAST in a heart beat for the AEM if they had support for my car.
 
What will it do that a FAST box wont?

Im really happy with my FAST system, it started up and ran good right out of the gate with minimal tweaking.

maybe you will have better luck the new fast software thats due out soon .

DJ
 
http://www.aempower.com

check it out, its way more configurable. you could use a MAF sensor(which would be VERY nice for a daily driver). you can set the resolution of all your tables (like, instead of every 500 rpm, you could go every 100rpm in areas that you need more resolution) traction control.. which would be nice for my 1Khp autoXer/daily driver..


Just having many inputs/outputs is awesome

etc.

dont get me wrong, my FAST works well. but I long for a MAF (even if its just to tune it), and user inputs/outputs.

I have also had less than steller tech help from FAST(hence the reason i come to this board) and am still a little bitter that they say I have to use "there" wideband o2 at a cool $400+ when I can get a replacement brand new on the internet for $70.

Course, I bought the 70$.. see how it works tomorrow with my fast (killed my orig sensor, moisture I think)
 
Did you buy the NTK L1H1 sensor which norbs talked about in the other WB post? I read through techedge's info and it sounds like the sensors are all calibrated pretty close to one another.... I'm curious if the FAST WB's are all "hand selected" or if they just recalibrate the ECM for the new WB when you buy a new one from them.

Let us know how it works out for you.
 
The way I look at it, what do you really need out of a computer air fuel and timing right? The most effective way in acheiving this or easiest way, is considered a good computer in my book. The fast has all the start up tables which you need then after that you play with a few enrichment tables and your done. After looking at the aem you have a lot more tables to consider to achieve x a/f ratio.
The reason I posted this because of a buddies car. He ended up towing it to Texas droping it off at a speed shop. The first thing they did was ditch the computer. One main reason is the aem has a bad injector driver, so the box has problems with large injectors.

Maybe if I sat down and played with the box for awhile I would maybe develop a interest based on price.

Just my 02
 
Blah! the sensor plugs right in, but the FAST doesnt' show it as being hooked up.


The lower two UEGO values to fluctuate, but the FAST system doesnt' seem to regonize that the sensor is there, and shows 0.0 A/F :(

hooked my old sesnor back up, and sho nuff, it shows the little lambda symbol, but still doesn't work.

ARG. Fast wants me to pay 1/3 the cost of a complete system just for a friggin wideband sensor.

I may just buy a techedge. rather my money go to them
 
Originally posted by JordonMusser


I may just buy a techedge. rather my money go to them
Click to expand...

There are much better answers out then the TE.
Innovative, and PLX devices come to mind for about the same price. FJO is a bit more but seems in some people's opinions worth while.

I just ran the PLX Bosch sensor version for a couple weeks and other then an occasional screen freeze when cold, which clears with an off/on it was OK.

For the moment the Bosch sensors are like $60 verse the NTK at 160.
 
the NTK sensor goes for 75ish on ebay..

I want something inexpensive(and I already have the sensor). AFter spending cha-ching on a FAST system, getting poor tech service(hence the reason I am a fbody guy on a buick board... you'll are great) and now them wanting $400 for a part that cost <160 (high range there)..

just frusterating :-/
 
Innovative is 340ish bucks, comes with a sensor, but can also use the L1H1 sensor you have.


Have you checked the pinout from the sensor - sounds to me like the swapped around a few pins - I would make sure the wires still go to the correct pin in the weatherpack connector as referenced from the sensor.

Chris
 
hey , ya got a link to some of those 75 buck sensors, I cant find em .

whats the model number of the one you got for 75 ?

thanks ( Ill take 2 please :cool:

DJ
 
So far I haven't seen anything that totally convinces me that you have a bad O2 sensor yet, so before you get too frustrated perhaps I can help.

My first question is what is the UEGOS voltage when the car is running? Should be somewhere around .45 volts. If it is, the sensor is working properly. Also, tell me the following voltages with the sensor UNPLUGGED: UEGO, UEGOR, and UEGOS. This will tell me about the state of the wideband controller circuitry in the ECU itself.

Next questions are about your exhaust system. Are you running open headers or full exhaust? How big is your exhaust system? Where in the exhaust is your sensor located? Do you possibly have a leak somewhere, I ask this because I have seen a hairline crack in a single header tube make a sensor read 15.94 all the time. Most setups aren't that sensitive but it can happen.

On large exhaust systems, particularly open ones, it's not unheard of for the sensor to read dead lean until you load the motor and get some decent airflow across the sensor element. Perhaps it would be more appropriate for me to first ask about where the engine is operating during the times you have been seeing these dead-lean readings.
 
It is not a air leak/open header issue. its a turbo car with a full exhaust, and the O2 never budges even at WOT (700+hp of exhaust moving through). besides, it used to work fine.. before I let teh car sit for awhile.

One thing that i screwed up was mount the sensor upside down(it has since been moved). I was told this could cause moisture to build in it and damage it.

with o2 disconnected:
UR 4.98
US 1.04
U 3.51

with o2 hooked up(my FAST o2)
UR 1.64
US 1.04
U 3.51


The dont even budge when you start the car.

if I remember correctly when I had the NTK sensor hooked up, the numbers did move.. the FAST system for some reason just doesnt regonize it.
 
A standalone unit was hooked up (with a new sensor) to the same spot and it worked properly - so it's unlikely it is an exhaust leak question (car was also analyzed with a FLIR thermal video camera and no exhaust leaks were evident).

Chris
 
i wish i woulda read this sooner, so you wouldnt have wasted your money on that extra sensor.

you just can't buy any old ntk sensor, connect it to your speed pro and expect it to work. when you buy the sensor from FAST, it comes with an install disc, that has the calibration for that sensor. I didn't believe it when someone first told me this years ago, so my friend and i switched sensors, and what do you know... just like i was told it didn't work.
 
yea, I am surprised(well, not so surprised) that FAST didnt include a calibration functoin on there box.

Wonder what they would charge for me if I sent them my sensor. something like a $50 calibratoin fee would be reasonable *shrug*
 
JordonMusser I think there is a calibration pill in your old sensor that you could try to change and see if it works then.A friend of mines car cought fire and we redone the o2 and I seen it when we had it open.Just a thought.
 
Yea, I thought about that.. but I was under the impression that resistor was tied to the sensor, and if I swap it.. the sensor will be off.

but if oyu have tried it? any details? thanks

also, anybody know what the cheapest place to get the FAST wideband, and how much? thanks
 
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