minimum ecu for turbo. Safc etc

[charr]

evening chaps. I've finished building my r32 skyline rb30det and am considering putting a snail on My accord. Its a 92 4door cb7 with f22a9 engine. Now i know all about turbocharging Na motors ie lines for the turbo etc but I'm not interested in buying an ecu ie microtech, Haltech etc. I just want something dodgy. Would something like an safc 2 be enough to get it running. I'll only be using a small turbo probably just a stocker from an rb20 or 25 as i already have these spare. And run low boost like 9lbs

[deevergote]

I wouldn't go the SAFC route... that's REALLY oldschool!

You can get an ECU from a 92-95 non-VTEC Civic (P06 is what we have in the US, not sure if you'll have different ones or not.) Those ECUs can be modified easily, and tuned to run a turbo with a little knowledge and a couple fairly inexpensive tools. Since you seem like you have plenty of experience building the Skyline (lucky! i want a skyline!) then I assume you probably have much of what is needed in terms of tools and knowledge to make it work.

[92smokeaccord]

im telling u man that safc isnt gonna do shit for u...did shit for me..it helped untill 3lbs of boost and thats as far as it would go.its says 15-30 lbs of boost but u need a shit load of check valves and a better map sensor.9 lbs of boost is in deffenet need of bigger injectors and a tune its the only way.

[WilliamW]

Glad your interested in turbocharging. Unfortunately you need some sort of engine management and that isn't really something you can do without the proper software and hardware modifications to an ECU. The cheapest way I know of is Crome and the things needed to chip and burn images to you ECU. The next step up would be an entry level Hondata system. Then you get into the more expensive AEM, Haltech units.

I've personally owned an AEM EMS and it was quite amazing. Worth every cent of the 800 price tag.

[cloudasc]

There is lots of options when it comes to tuning, the most inexpensive involve "chipping" a obd1 civic or integra ecu.

There are lots of options for what tuning software you can use with these "chipped" ecu's, hondata uses their own integration/logging components and software (proprietary), but the most versatile option is running Ostrich with Honda/Hulog or Demon, which allows you to use Crome, eCtune, Neptune, Freelog, and much more as it is also openly supported by the community. Also depending upon which software is used to tune, this is the only option for supporting an automatic transmission. Check out pgmfi.org and Moates.net

[charr]

thats really helpful info and i appreciate it, i've been thinking about doing this for a few months now just for a laugh. issue is i can justify buying the parts i need but if i'm gonna have to buy an ecu ie microtech etc i'd rather spend that $800 on my skyline
i'm useless when it comes to chipped ecu's so i guess i'll have to start looking into it. ive never played around with tuning as when u have $$ on an RB engine you dont f#k around with it.

heres a lil snap of my r32 with rb30det

[cloudasc]

thats really helpful info and i appreciate it, i've been thinking about doing this for a few months now just for a laugh. issue is i can justify buying the parts i need but if i'm gonna have to buy an ecu ie microtech etc i'd rather spend that $800 on my skyline
i'm useless when it comes to chipped ecu's so i guess i'll have to start looking into it. ive never played around with tuning as when u have $$ on an RB engine you dont f#k around with it.

The cheapest route of all would be to find a tuner that uses crome, and is willing to burn a chip, you'll still need a honda/hulog for logging purposes, but $50 for an ecu from a junkyard (hopefully working), the parts to chip and add iab support $30, for the honda/hulog another $30, and a few dollars in solder (and a buddy that knows how to solder if you dont) with some patience. You can have an engine management system with datalogging for approximately $120 or less.

If you want realtime tuning, that requires an emulator and its extra $175 for ostrich, or you could go with demon $250 and not need the honda/hulog (as its built into the demon).

With the emulator, the world is your oyster when it comes to tuning options, eCtune, Neptune, Crome, Uberdata, to name a few.

Or you can just go hondadata, which uses their own equivalent of the demon.

Also before choosing which software to use, I would research what others have to say about the customer service for each product.

Personally when it comes time to get an Engine Management System, I'm going with a moates demon and eCtune (it supports automatic transmissions).

[deevergote]

It's Crome, not Chrome (that's like saying VTECH! )

But yeah, there's not much more to add to what cloudasc is saying. That's just about everything you need, so all you'd have to do is tune it, or find someone that will.
That's the unfortunate thing about boosting a CB7, you HAVE to tune it for your particular engine, or the risk of blowing up increases dramatically.
You'll blow eventually anyway, even if everything is done right. The ringlands will give out. These engines respond well to boost, but don't expect it to take it as well as your RB!