Gems ecu's Good or bad?
06 October 2006, 03:30 PM
#2
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Originally Posted by juggers
Anyone lost an engine due to the use of a gems ecu?
Any storys etc.......?
Have been advised to have an ecutek instead of the gems on my type ra
Any storys etc.......?
Have been advised to have an ecutek instead of the gems on my type ra
The question I think most people ask before changing ECUs, especially on the new age cars, is what benefits/functionality the new ECU offers over the std one for them. Ecutek on the std ECU is probably going to be fine for most people (except the big power boys or those that want bells and whistles like anti lag) I would imagine? I'm sure the mappers will be on here with their 2 cents though and you should definately listen to them over me!
There are pros and cons to different ECUs. I don't know what they are with respect to GEMs. I know Steve Simpson has a good reputation mapping them on Scoobies.
Ns04
06 October 2006, 03:35 PM
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The ecu on your Type RA will be more than sufficient to cover what you need to do with it, its very advanced 
and its half the price of a GEMS for the remap (GEMS about 1400 excluding mapping, ecutek 650+vat 
)
Stick with the extremely good ecu that the car comes with
Tony
and its half the price of a GEMS for the remap (GEMS about 1400 excluding mapping, ecutek 650+vat )Stick with the extremely good ecu that the car comes with
Tony
06 October 2006, 03:39 PM
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Depends what you want to achieve with it....
If it's just a power hike then Ecutek is about the best priced, although Apexi Power FCs are better systems and not much more expensive.
Gems are great for motorsport, and not bad on the road either - as I have one fitted - can be a bit thirsty
If it's just a power hike then Ecutek is about the best priced, although Apexi Power FCs are better systems and not much more expensive.
Gems are great for motorsport, and not bad on the road either - as I have one fitted - can be a bit thirsty
06 October 2006, 03:44 PM
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Originally Posted by terryb
If it's just a power hike then Ecutek is about the best priced, although Apexi Power FCs are better systems and not much more expensive.
Tony
06 October 2006, 04:18 PM
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Originally Posted by juggers
Dont know what to do now
As i already have the gems ecu
As i already have the gems ecu
Can you just get a refund?
Ns04
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06 October 2006, 04:44 PM
#9
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Gems works well on MY98 STi type R...
It was already fitted by the previous owner... does the job... no cold start issues...
If anyone does have cold start issues then its down to the person who's mapped it...
There is better stuff out there... you pays your money you takes your choice...
It does the job... got anti-lag on it too... lol
It was already fitted by the previous owner... does the job... no cold start issues...
If anyone does have cold start issues then its down to the person who's mapped it...
There is better stuff out there... you pays your money you takes your choice...
It does the job... got anti-lag on it too... lol
06 October 2006, 04:52 PM
#10
Originally Posted by Scoobyslammed
Gems works well on MY98 STi type R...
It was already fitted by the previous owner... does the job... no cold start issues...
If anyone does have cold start issues then its down to the person who's mapped it...
There is better stuff out there... you pays your money you takes your choice...
It does the job... got anti-lag on it too... lol
It was already fitted by the previous owner... does the job... no cold start issues...
If anyone does have cold start issues then its down to the person who's mapped it...
There is better stuff out there... you pays your money you takes your choice...
It does the job... got anti-lag on it too... lol
I bought it used,will probs sell it on then and get a ecutek.
07 October 2006, 10:31 AM
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Juggers as Tony said earlier the ecu on the new age are more than capable you also keep all the built in safety features as well plus the mapping costs are lower you also have to look at the rarety of your car as well why go overboard,mine has been remapped by powerstation has loads of torque is more than quick enough and is fantastic on track as I found out last weekend at croft.
07 October 2006, 03:20 PM
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Originally Posted by Scoobyslammed
But if you've got it... may aswell use it...?
What year is the car again? and is it under warrenty???
What year is the car again? and is it under warrenty???
GEMS may be nice but the standard ecu is probably as good if not better in many more ways.
Aftermarket isnt always the way to go.
Tony
07 October 2006, 03:23 PM
#19
Originally Posted by TonyBurns
Its a brand new STi Spec C type RA, and you will loose all the safety features the "standard" ecu has, which stops the engine detting to death.
GEMS may be nice but the standard ecu is probably as good if not better in many more ways.
Aftermarket isnt always the way to go.
Tony
GEMS may be nice but the standard ecu is probably as good if not better in many more ways.
Aftermarket isnt always the way to go.
Tony
28 October 2006, 04:26 PM
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Running both Ecutek and GEMS on my 06 Spec C as a comparison.Car is now 2.5L but still with std turbo and TMIC with 3" Milltek:
Ecutek: 342BHP/390 ftlb
GEMS: 354BHP/421 ftlb both at 1.4 Bar tailing to 1.2 bar.
Ecutek better on cold start accepted.GEMS boost control superior.
GEMS is £1450 + VAT incl mapping on r/road.
So you have to decide whether the extra cost is worth it.
Tony; not sure what "safety features" are lost with the GEMS.It has overboost control and active knock control.....maybe you are not fully familiar with the software.
GC8;Our N12 cars have won the Scottish GPn Championship outright for the last 2 years on an ECU that isn't very good?..Hmmm. don't think so.Objectively what feature of the ECU have you experience with of being "not that good"?
Steve
Ecutek: 342BHP/390 ftlb
GEMS: 354BHP/421 ftlb both at 1.4 Bar tailing to 1.2 bar.
Ecutek better on cold start accepted.GEMS boost control superior.
GEMS is £1450 + VAT incl mapping on r/road.
So you have to decide whether the extra cost is worth it.
Tony; not sure what "safety features" are lost with the GEMS.It has overboost control and active knock control.....maybe you are not fully familiar with the software.
GC8;Our N12 cars have won the Scottish GPn Championship outright for the last 2 years on an ECU that isn't very good?..Hmmm. don't think so.Objectively what feature of the ECU have you experience with of being "not that good"?
Steve
28 October 2006, 05:02 PM
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Steve was the ecutek with the 2.5 or as a 2ltr?
If its a 2.5 then its sucks, ive seen Spec C's (and other JDM new age twin scroll cars) push more than that
)
As for GEMS v ECUTEK, well unless your doing some serious stuff with your engine, that ecutek is more than capable, and mainly its down to the mapper on how much power/torque you can get out of one
The standard ecu has very good safety features though, you may say that GEMS has x and y but you can never beat a factory (decent factory) map for safety.
Tony
If its a 2.5 then its sucks, ive seen Spec C's (and other JDM new age twin scroll cars) push more than that
)As for GEMS v ECUTEK, well unless your doing some serious stuff with your engine, that ecutek is more than capable, and mainly its down to the mapper on how much power/torque you can get out of one
The standard ecu has very good safety features though, you may say that GEMS has x and y but you can never beat a factory (decent factory) map for safety.
Tony
28 October 2006, 05:58 PM
#25
Why did i listen to you lot 
I sold the ecutek to stevebt and had it ecutek'd
Sorry steve i just couldn't wait.I needed the power because i had some chaps coming to view it.
I advertised it as 380bhp
so i had to have it done before they came down.
I sold the ecutek to stevebt and had it ecutek'd Sorry steve i just couldn't wait.I needed the power because i had some chaps coming to view it.
I advertised it as 380bhp
so i had to have it done before they came down.
28 October 2006, 06:05 PM
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Originally Posted by juggers
Why did i listen to you lot I sold the ecutek to stevebt and had it ecutek'd
Sorry steve i just couldn't wait.I needed the power because i had some chaps coming to view it.
I advertised it as 380bhp so i had to have it done before they came down.
I sold the ecutek to stevebt and had it ecutek'd Sorry steve i just couldn't wait.I needed the power because i had some chaps coming to view it.
I advertised it as 380bhp
so i had to have it done before they came down.Secondly I did mention where to go
Thirdly if those figures are on a 2.5 then having seen better figures (power and torque) on a 2ltr with ecutek.... let you figure.
Oh and the standard ecu, much better than the gems for what you want
28 October 2006, 06:13 PM
#27
Originally Posted by TonyBurns
First of all you wouldnt have gotten 380bhp with a gems or a ecutek
Secondly I did mention where to go
Thirdly if those figures are on a 2.5 then having seen better figures (power and torque) on a 2ltr with ecutek.... let you figure.
Oh and the standard ecu, much better than the gems for what you want
Secondly I did mention where to go
Thirdly if those figures are on a 2.5 then having seen better figures (power and torque) on a 2ltr with ecutek.... let you figure.
Oh and the standard ecu, much better than the gems for what you want
And yes you did tell me where to go
but did'nt have the time to wait Thanks for all the info guys
28 October 2006, 08:28 PM
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Tony,
Figures are both with 2.5L on my dyno.I would consider 354BHP out of VF37 with TMIC at 1.2Bar reasonable.421 ft lb @ 3000RPM and 1.4 bar also, but if you have some graphs of considerably better results (at similar boost levels) then I would be interested to see them.Sorry you think my car "sucks" but each to his own opinion I guess.
Still don't follow your logic of where all these safety features have gone missing on the GEMS.We tend to do an awful lot of engine rebuilds on "factory mapped" cars.....not so many on cars that we've re mapped!!
Steve
Figures are both with 2.5L on my dyno.I would consider 354BHP out of VF37 with TMIC at 1.2Bar reasonable.421 ft lb @ 3000RPM and 1.4 bar also, but if you have some graphs of considerably better results (at similar boost levels) then I would be interested to see them.Sorry you think my car "sucks" but each to his own opinion I guess.
Still don't follow your logic of where all these safety features have gone missing on the GEMS.We tend to do an awful lot of engine rebuilds on "factory mapped" cars.....not so many on cars that we've re mapped!!
Steve
29 October 2006, 12:17 AM
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Tony, I drove Steve's 06 Spec C 2.5 on Friday morning with the ecutek and it was amazing!
Another world to my 06 STI type uk - for now anyway!
Definetly worth a trip to Carnforth, Steve know's his stuff!
Cheers for the lift Steve!
Another world to my 06 STI type uk - for now anyway!
Definetly worth a trip to Carnforth, Steve know's his stuff!
Cheers for the lift Steve!
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