Thread: Benefits from a JWT ECU?

I have S4's and recently added the JWT pop/cams program. MUCH better idle and all around driveability. As for hp gains, we'll see Sunday.

Sounds good. I'd like to see the results.

The now 3 year old tune on my nx, showed almost 10hp across the curve on a dynodynamics dyno. Now that same tune on a more bolt on car, showed less, laws of diminishing returns. We tweaked a bit on the tune while in the bolt on car, but really gained very little after that. I want to say it was 2-3hp across the board, and like 4 or so on peak. But it was still more than a JWT ecu that was tested.

Hmmm.. so you're saying that a car with all bolt ons + ECU would net in less HP gained than a car would with fewer bolt ons + ECU? That kinda makes sense to me.

Could wear and tear be the cause for such drop? Maybe something is malfunctioning/dirty?

i am building an engine with the following;

10:1 pistons
BC3 cams
thermo intake spacers
SSAC header
2.5inch exhaust
JWT pop charger

im trying to figure out if i would gain much from a tuned ECU. if so should i go JWT or calum? would JWT even program one for BC3 cams? how would i go about tuning a calum as i dont know the first thing about fuel maps. should i just get an SAFC and have my local scooby shop tune it on their dyno useing their tail pipe wide band reader? i trust the shop....had a few cars in "turbo mag" and they have 500+ WHP rex's.

i know DCscotty has a moats burner but i dont have a wide band.....i do know you really cant tune without a wide band.

is the real time about the price of an SAFC? would this be a better choice? im bloody lost on this part of my build gentlemen.

On the less returns...
Its a complicated thing. When you change like the header, or the cams...any of that you are changing the VE of the car (volumetric efficiency). The stock ecu will learn this and cope with it, unlike a honda where it doesnt know VE just pressure...thats beside the point. But putting in a tuned ecu will allow you to take better advantage of the change in VE.

Id say my car is in worse shape than the other one we were tuning on, as I think it had a fresher engine in it. It still showed an increase of like 3 or so hp across the board. Its just that my engine being basicly stock and no mods i have more room to move up. He still made buttloads more power compared to me in the tune of 10-15 more hp easily on the dynodynamics. and remember those numbers will be lower than the 'bench racing intarweb's' numbers. Its still a mod worth doing, and we've shown increases on most any car/tune we've seen. And beyond that, driveablity. Like changing up some of the off peak numbers and getting more under the curve is what we strive for. Its nice to have peak, but when i fatten up a curve from 4500-6500 in the tune of 5 or more hp on an ITA motor in the race cars...thats where it matters grunt out of the corners...


As for you Classicaddict. dont trust any shop just because they have been in a 'rag' and have 500hp cars. ive seen tons of high hp cars that can make one pull...then go boom. But safc vrs realtime.... it just is a factor of do you like pretty little displays in your car, and do you want to learn this yourself. You can have your shop do it all for you on the safc and then drive away but you will have no clue whats going on. One thing to remember is the nissan ecu is a learning ecu, and it will still try to fight the safc and the changes it makes to the voltages going into the ecu. Thats one downfall...it works...but i dont think its optimal.

The realtime will take you a few hours of play to figure out. If you can get a wideband and put it in, you can play around and figure it out. it took me an hour or two on the dyno to get my head wrapped around what to change and how. the thing is you will still probably want someone to tell you how to make power...like add ignition here and remove fuel there... thats why i go to a few really good shops that know what they are doing and how to make safe power i just go by what they say to do and do it. Its not hard to figure out, its not complicated to make changes...it just takes time. Kinda like learning how to work on your car in other ways. you didnt know how to install cams, but there are instructions out there and you just gota take little steps. dont make big changes just little ones.

but you can go jwt or safc and hand the car over to someone else...and come back later....thats up to you

Good Post Blowcut!

I totally agree, and thats why I wouldn't mind a realtime. Unfortunately we don't have that many dyno's in town, and it costs a fortune to do anything with them...

Good thing about the Realtime is the fact that there are prebuilt maps out there, so if I go Realtime, I would be dling the maps left and right

Wow, good information there. I think I'll go research Calum ECU's.

well the reason im saying i would want a shop to do it is because......i know NOTHING of this, and i dont want to perminently **** anything up. i know DCscotty is pretty damn good with computers and would likely be able to help me out, and teach me how to go about this.

if you think i can figure this out myself, im game. i just dont want to completely F it up lol.


i mean.....i guess it makes sence. its just a computer and if i mess up a tune and it runs like hell i can always reload the stock ROM.