EFI Tuner Needed - AEM Series 1

[ExpensiveHoby]

Hi everyone. I was convinced by a local tuning shop to use an extra AEM ECU they had kicking around. Turns out its a series 1 and AEM no longer supports it! Of course I found this out after finishing my whole conversion. The software is beyond difficult to interpret and the manuals are terrible. If anyone knows a good tuner that could help me with a base map just to get the thing running I would be happy to pay for this service. Please help!

[Dudeland]

What is your setup?

[Dudeland]

Learn how to tune AEM Series 1! — Evans Performance Academy

WWW.EVANSPERFORMANCEACADEMY.COM

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Learning how to tune with AEM Series 1 has never been easier! Our step-by-step online training course shows you every detail you'll need in order to become a AEM Series 1 tuning pro today!

 

 

[ExpensiveHoby]

Thanks @Dudeland. I watched a bunch of the videos from Evans Performance Academy and he just uploads a base tune from file. I don't think he starts from scratch in his videos.

 

My setup is the following

'83 318i intake, fuel rail, injectors,

325i throttle body

36-1 trigger wheel from Ireland engineering

GM style coolant and air temp sensors

Jeep style IAC

Bosche 4.2 UEGO O2 sensor

MSD DIS style dual coil for wasted spark

AEM Series 1 ECU

 

Just looking for a base map to get the damn thing started.

Just looking for basic alpha-N, batch injection, and wasted spark. Should be simple. AEMpro may be the most unintuitive software imaginable. No wonder no one wants to work with it anymore.

[cda951]

https://www.hpacademy.com

 

This is my go-to for tuning knowledge, worth a look if you are thinking about doing it yourself.

 

Shame on that shop for dumping an obsolete ECU on you, but hopefully you got a good deal on it, and in any case it should be more than enough to run such a simple setup. By the way, you do not want "Alpha-N," that is a TPS-based setup for individual throttle bodies. What you want is a MAP-based or speed-density fueling, so you need a proper throttle position sensor with a potentiometer (4- or 5-pin, not the 3-pin throttle switch that the E30 throttle body came with) along with a properly-located MAP sensor and IAT sensor.

 

Some of the basic HP Academy courses should give you enough to at least get the thing going, and maybe there is a dyno facility in your area that can help with fine tuning. If not, road tuning also works, I did so with my own 944 Turbo and several customer cars.

Edited April 23 by cda951

[ExpensiveHoby]

Yeah I have a Nissan TPS that accurately gives throttle position. I don’t know enough to argue about what control philosophy is best but I know from reading lots of EFI books that alpha N works just fine unless you’re boosted. ITB need alpha N cause you can’t get a representative manifold pressure reading. 

[mike472]

You could buy a Megasquirt ECU and use that instead.  It will work with all the components you have and is user friendly and has support.  I use it in one of my cars with almost the same setup as yours.  Do a search on the forum and you will see a lot of people here use MS and have posted a lot of interesting information on it including maps.

[ExpensiveHoby]

Absolutely @mike472. I thought about this but am trying to make my initial investment work. I'm making some headway by searching old tuner forums circa 2005! If I have to swap ECUs at some point I'm definitely going for something fancy and new with lots of support like a Haltech 1500.

[jimk]

9 hours ago, cda951 said:

so you need a proper throttle position sensor with a potentiometer (4- or 5-pin, not the 3-pin throttle switch that the E30 throttle body came with) along with a properly-located MAP sensor and IAT sensor.

The E30 came with a switch tps (closed throttle, w/o throttle switches), no potentiometer.  The one with the potentiometer is $$$.  I used one on a M20 with a Haltech P2000.

[jimk]

1 hour ago, ExpensiveHoby said:

Absolutely @mike472. I thought about this but am trying to make my initial investment work. I'm making some headway by searching old tuner forums circa 2005! If I have to swap ECUs at some point I'm definitely going for something fancy and new with lots of support like a Haltech 1500.

With a Haltech 1500 you can ditch the E30 throttle body, Idle Valve, throttle linkag/cable, tps and buy a used Bosch DBW throttle for 35-40$ that has tps built in, an Infinity gas pedal for $40$ (or a junk yard one for $20) and you have a DBW setup with Cruise Control as well.

Edited April 23 by jimk

[Dudeland]

If budget is a factor Speeduino is getting some good support.

 

@mike472 Read my mind, with those components a Microsquirt will do what you want.   I respect the fact that you are trying to stick with what you have, saving it from the garbage. 

 

Here is a link to get the Speeduino. $115, but you need to solder it together.  Arduino is $20.  Supported by Tuner Studio, the same software the you use with the MS series. 

 

WTMtronics – Performance Automotive Electronics Featuring Speeduino

WTMTRONICS.COM

 

 

I took a look last night and the AEM S1 is not internet friendly.    

 

Let us know how you make out. 

[jimk]

Some of the old systems don't want to run on a recent laptop and you end up having to dump money into an old computer.

[sczapiga]

Honestly, the new MS3 mini is an awesome little unit and I think the whole ecu with harness is sub $800. That’s a great little ecu with big power. 

[Dudeland]

1 hour ago, sczapiga said:

Honestly, the new MS3 mini is an awesome little unit and I think the whole ecu with harness is sub $800. That’s a great little ecu with big power. 

 

 

Here is one for 369.00

 

https://www.efisource.com/wp/shop/microsquirt-ecu-with-8ft-harness/

 

 

[AustrianVespaGuy]

 

1 hour ago, sczapiga said:

Honestly, the new MS3 mini is an awesome little unit and I think the whole ecu with harness is sub $800. That’s a great little ecu with big power. 

@sczapiga Thank you!  I'm very proud of our new Mini ECU and despite the higher price, I'm hoping that we can supplant a LOT of Microsquirt builds with them! And it's not even that expensive, only $675 with the harness (plus on-board MAP sensor, serial adapter, and TunerStudio license). So @ExpensiveHoby, shameless self-shill: ditch the old AEM, grab a new Mini (or AMP'd microsquirt if you must to keep the budget down), and help support a fellow FAQer at the same time!  Plus then I absolutely CAN help you get it sorted out and tuned.

(/End self-promotion, I promise I won't do it again, but couldn't help just this once with the new Mini getting mentioned!)

 

MS3Pro Mini Standalone Engine Management System w/ Harness

WWW.DIYAUTOTUNE.COM

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The MS3Pro Mini by AMP EFI supports GM LS Engines, Bosch Motronic, New Hemi and including a variety of imports engines as well!