AEM stand alone?

[T-MacK]

Hey....I was talking to my buddy Bisi.
And he told me that tuning with the AEM standalone is cheaper then k-pro and can produce good numbers. Just wondering if anyone has tuned with AEM and how where the results?
Thanks.

[Paolo]

from what ive seen, the AEM EMS costs a little more than hondata kpro.
and also, alot of people are very much happy with the kpro.

[skep18]

Yea, I've heard horror stories of "piggy-back" ECU tuners... Apparently they don't work the same way and I've heard of people blowing motors much sooner and running into failure issues with these things. But yea, all this is hear-say. I've never used one.

[Paolo]

kpro is considered a piggyback and ive never heard of any horror stories about them. i think the ems will be a better choice though.

[skep18]

Kpro is piggy-back? I thought that was only inclusive of the plug-and-plays that literally sit on top of the ECU making it look like there's 2 ECUs there.

For the record, I've only heard good about Kpro. Go Kpro.

And I don't like AEM, but thats just personal.

[15000rpms]

I think k-pro is easier to tune especially because they come with base maps and you could just modify them.

K-pro=under $1000
AEM=over $1000

[SPAM&RICE]

AEM is like $1400 compared to $900 kpro, just looked into it last dec.
and kpro is piggyback and AEMis "stand alone".both get the job done.

[Paolo]

i dont know anyone who uses the aem ems.

i say go for kpro also! u can get it for 900 witha 2 day turn around..

[Passenger]

My friend used to have AEM EMS and he loved it.. But he was Bseries.. I haven't really heard anything for AEM EMS from a kseries owner.

[4angrybadgers]

Kpro is not a piggyback. It is an upgrade to the OEM ECU that adds functionality (and removes one or two things like automatic ignition retard).

[kprocivic]

there are a few turbo guys who run aem.

[Guardian]

there are a few turbo guys who run aem.

who? say you have aem ems on crsx and you'll get ragged on hard...

[kenscivic]

kpro is considered a piggyback and ive never heard of any horror stories about them. i think the ems will be a better choice though.

its like a piggyback with standalone features.. it is debatable either way you look at it


Kpro is piggy-back? I thought that was only inclusive of the plug-and-plays that literally sit on top of the ECU making it look like there's 2 ECUs there.

For the record, I've only heard good about Kpro. Go Kpro.

And I don't like AEM, but thats just personal.

it is a program embedded in your ecu if im not mistaken?? that makes it "technically" a piggyback


Kpro is not a piggyback. It is an upgrade to the OEM ECU that adds functionality (and removes one or two things like automatic ignition retard).

it sorta is.... hondata will argue against it but real tuners will say it is technically a piggyback

[T-MacK]

Well I don't know if you guys know who Bisimoto is???
But he holds more then one Honda record.....and is the smartest guy I no. He does all his own R&D....and if he tells me its worth looking in'to, I'll check it out.
I can get a brand new AEM stand alone for $750. So it might be an option I'll look in'to.

[musashi1219]

http://www.bisimoto.com/

[T-MacK]

Bisi is the man!
My other car is a EG sohc zc non vtec Bisi built engine that runs 13's NA on street tires.Bisi is the man and his parts are top notch.
He told me yesterday he's working on some A3 cams. Level 1 to X.
Can't wait to try them out.

[danielakatoxic]

Bisi is the man!
My other car is a EG sohc zc non vtec Bisi built engine that runs 13's NA on street tires.Bisi is the man and his parts are top notch.
He told me yesterday he's working on some A3 cams. Level 1 to X.
Can't wait to try them out.

thats dope that you know him. ive been following his f22 build in super street.
id let him tune my shit anyday.

[6od5peed]

its like a piggyback with standalone features.. it is debatable either way you look at it



it is a program embedded in your ecu if im not mistaken?? that makes it "technically" a piggyback



it sorta is.... hondata will argue against it but real tuners will say it is technically a piggyback



Piggyback ECUs just manipulate sensors to trick the factory ECU into doing what it wants it to do, so it is constantly "fighting" the ecu. A standalone doesn't need the factory ECU at all to control the vehicle. K-Pro is somewhere in between because it makes it so that you can change the actual values in the ECU instead of tricking it like a piggyback.

IIRC there are two different AEM systems...the expensive standalone and a much cheaper piggyback.

[minivan_assassin]

Kpro is in no way a piggyback system.

A piggyback system such as emanage works separately from the ECU to control some aspects of the motor while telling the ecu that everything is honky dory and working as normal.

Kpro is standalone. The ECU itself is modified so that you can re-program it using Kmanager. You are changing parameters WITHIN the ECU and the ECU still controls everything. There's no "lying" to the ECU by an external device.

I've been using kpro for almost 3 years and it's one of the best investments I've made. It has an incredible list of features and there are a lot of shops that are proficient in tuning it. There are little perks to kpro. My cell came on yesterday. I plugged in my laptop, read it in plain english, and reset it in less than a minute. It controls my boost, lets me monitor everything, and kmanager is pretty user friendly. That much control is well worth the $$ imo.

[MR.Pizza]

I know an N/A guy with an ep that uses aem, He works at Kinsler. Hey maybe call them up and ask for Brian with the silver ep, he could probably tell you.

[skep18]

Kpro is in no way a piggyback system.

A piggyback system such as emanage works separately from the ECU to control some aspects of the motor while telling the ecu that everything is honky dory and working as normal.

Kpro is standalone. The ECU itself is modified so that you can re-program it using Kmanager. You are changing parameters WITHIN the ECU and the ECU still controls everything. There's no "lying" to the ECU by an external device.

I've been using kpro for almost 3 years and it's one of the best investments I've made. It has an incredible list of features and there are a lot of shops that are proficient in tuning it. There are little perks to kpro. My cell came on yesterday. I plugged in my laptop, read it in plain english, and reset it in less than a minute. It controls my boost, lets me monitor everything, and kmanager is pretty user friendly. That much control is well worth the $$ imo.

Agreed. I didn't think Kpro was piggyback. Throughout this forum, Kpro has been supported.

However, on the other hand, I can't argue with performance/repair shop owners/engineers being as I'm an engineer myself. If they've done their homework and still suggest it, make sure you let THEM tune it since they seem to know about it. But I must say, I don't like the idea of "tricking" and ECU. If things go hay-wire and the engine is subjected to more than it's supposed to be, but the piggyback tricks the ECU to thinking it's ok, that's bad news.

However, if you've got the proper tech support, go with it if you feel like it's worth the extra cash. But I think Kpro will get you to the same place.

[EP_EJAY]

Bisi does know his stuff. Ive met one guy who ran AEM EMS on his RSX-S but i never got the chance to ask him about his experience with it so far.

[GT35R-EP3]

im running aem ems....no complaints just ++

[talonXracer]

I have heard of several people utilizing the AEM standalone with the Kseries. But there are several features that will no longer work. I had seen one install that I was involved in, where the AEM was installed and the engine made less WHP than with Kpro.

I am sorry, but I consider AEM only slightly better quality than APC.

[kenscivic]

Piggyback ECUs just manipulate sensors to trick the factory ECU into doing what it wants it to do, so it is constantly "fighting" the ecu. A standalone doesn't need the factory ECU at all to control the vehicle. K-Pro is somewhere in between because it makes it so that you can change the actual values in the ECU instead of tricking it like a piggyback.

IIRC there are two different AEM systems...the expensive standalone and a much cheaper piggyback.

i think if it had to be classified as one or the other it would have to be a piggyback because a device is installed in the factory ecu telling the ecu to change the tables and what not.... my opinion of course but it is a very hard cut case... both arguments have supporters.. not saying you're wrong or I'm right , just saying what i believe.

[GT35R-EP3]

I have heard of several people utilizing the AEM standalone with the Kseries. But there are several features that will no longer work. I had seen one install that I was involved in, where the AEM was installed and the engine made less WHP than with Kpro.

I am sorry, but I consider AEM only slightly better quality than APC.

hey im speaking because i had both systems already and the aem is a much better system in my opinion, depending if you have a good tuner behind it... And as in losing features i lost none. The car made a bit more power and alot smoother.