UTEC on N/A, worth it?

[Mize]

Been doing some searching on people who've tuned their N/A Z's with UTEC, found a few comments about better overall performance and whatnot, but I'd like to get specific feedback from those who have done this. I have a 5/16" spacer, popcharger, and catback which I'd like to get the best performance out of w/o the ECU going apeshiz and running rich. I realize the dyno gains from the UTEC will be 10hp at the max, but the impression I get is that overall the car drives much better and pulls harder which is more important to me than dyno numbers for a DD. So to those of you with UTEC and no boost, what do you think?

Also, the reason I am not considering UpRev, TS, etc. is that for the money I spend I want something that will fully carry over into FI when I'm prepared to.

[tylerxfire]

im in the same boat here, looking for answers

[UpRev]

Uprev supports FI. So I don't understand the issue there. We even have modified MAF sensors to support stock driveability with up to 650hp. Piggy-backs and Stand-alones don't offer that.

[Hoooper]

does uprev tune for different boost levels and have temperature compensation for a/f and timing, being enacted accordingly to low/high and in between boost levels?

[UpRev]

Originally Posted by Hoooper

does uprev have an integrated boost controller and temperature compensation for a/f and timing?

Boost control is going to be controlled outside the ECU. With the way the stock ECU works, you tune for whatever your max boost is and just turn down your boost controller and the ECU compensates up to those load points, based on dozens of inputs and tables.

Max boost obviously based on your forced induction setup, fuel system capabilities and what the motor itself can handle safely.

[athenG]

Originally Posted by UpRev

Uprev supports FI. So I don't understand the issue there. We even have modified MAF sensors to support stock driveability with up to 650hp. Piggy-backs and Stand-alones don't offer that.

how is the knock control? Can you you have a specific timing retard base on how much knock it detect? or it will it over compensate like the stock ecu and retard the hell of the ignition?

[Mize]

Originally Posted by UpRev

Uprev supports FI. So I don't understand the issue there. We even have modified MAF sensors to support stock driveability with up to 650hp. Piggy-backs and Stand-alones don't offer that.

Based on the reviews I've read and your excellent reputation, I want to go UpRev for N/A, honestly. But my concern is the availability of support when/if I go FI. I know it's going to be easier to find a UTEC tuner than a licensed UpRev supporter, and being in the military I have 0 guarantee of where I will be when I am financially ready to turbo. In my mind, the $700 spent on UTEC (and additional costs for tuning of course) will go farther in the long run than the UpRev flash now. Am I wrong? Please give me more info because I am genuinely impressed by UpRev but don't want a single dollar I put in my Z to be regretted when she has boost.

[frankie945]

Go with a Utec.. more room for expansion. Just a few hundred more you have more control at your hands. I hate reflash's there only good to raise idle and remove speed limiter just my opinion.

[UpRev]

Originally Posted by frankie945

Go with a Utec.. more room for expansion. Just a few hundred more you have more control at your hands. I hate reflash's there only good to raise idle and remove speed limiter just my opinion.

What does the Utec do that our system can't?

When is the next software release for the Utec?

[UpRev]

Originally Posted by athenG

how is the knock control? Can you you have a specific timing retard base on how much knock it detect? or it will it over compensate like the stock ecu and retard the hell of the ignition?

It's going to run the stock compensation for knock. We're going to stay on the safe side. We're looking at changing some of the stock knock sensor stuff to be able to detect a little more information and adjust accordingly, but that won't be out any time soon.

We can do it, but we don't even offer that to our Pro Tuners. If you're getting knock, you need to adjust your tune, not adjust your knock sensor.

We understand big power motors will be built loose and will show knock that isn't there, and thats the only reason we're looking into adjusting the knock tables in the stock ECU.

[frankie945]

My main problem with a reflash once you get it it's in there you can not add fuel or timing or take away like the ease of the Utec the utec is very user friendly. Reflash is for lazy people. Like I said before it just my opinion. Some people realy like reflashes and have good luck with them.

[Mize]

Please stop going OT... this thread is turning into UTEC vs. UpRev and I was really looking for more info from UTEC users. I posted my concerns with using UpRev now and boosting later, if you could answer that issue I would appreciate it. Like I said, I want to use UpRev with an N/A app but don't want to regret it later with a lack of available tuners for FI.

[ajcool2]

My friends G went from a 14.2 to 13.8 with the addition of test pipes, 5/16th spacer, and UTEC. He dynoed at 260.

[UpRev]

Originally Posted by Mize

Based on the reviews I've read and your excellent reputation, I want to go UpRev for N/A, honestly. But my concern is the availability of support when/if I go FI. I know it's going to be easier to find a UTEC tuner than a licensed UpRev supporter, and being in the military I have 0 guarantee of where I will be when I am financially ready to turbo. In my mind, the $700 spent on UTEC (and additional costs for tuning of course) will go farther in the long run than the UpRev flash now. Am I wrong? Please give me more info because I am genuinely impressed by UpRev but don't want a single dollar I put in my Z to be regretted when she has boost.

You're correct in suggesting we don't have as many shops available that can do tuning for Forced Induction as Utec does. Currently.

We have done no advertising and the only shops that are Pro Tuners currently are people that customers have sent our way, or we have met through SEMA and have asked to become Pro Tuners. We're waiting on Ver 2.0 before we do any advertising and we're literally days away at this point.

If you know of any shops interested near you that have a good reputation, have them call us.

We'll also have end user tuning software, and you can pretty much take that to any reputable tuning shop. Going back to work on getting the new website and 2.0 ready. Can I get Sunday off this weekend so I can move?

[UpRev]

Originally Posted by frankie945

My main problem with a reflash once you get it it's in there you can not add fuel or timing or take away like the ease of the Utec the utec is very user friendly. Reflash is for lazy people. Like I said before it just my opinion. Some people realy like reflashes and have good luck with them.

Ok well we're not a reflash company. Please update your data. Reflash is just one of our services.

[Mize]

Originally Posted by UpRev

You're correct in suggesting we don't have as many shops available that can do tuning for Forced Induction as Utec does. Currently.

We have done no advertising and the only shops that are Pro Tuners currently are people that customers have sent our way, or we have met through SEMA and have asked to become Pro Tuners. We're waiting on Ver 2.0 before we do any advertising and we're literally days away at this point.

If you know of any shops interested near you that have a good reputation, have them call us.

We'll also have end user tuning software, and you can pretty much take that to any reputable tuning shop. Going back to work on getting the new website and 2.0 ready. Can I get Sunday off this weekend so I can move?

Ok, thanks for the info. It will be at least a couple years before I'm completely saved up and ready for FI the right way. Should I wait for 2.0?

[UpRev]

Originally Posted by Mize

Ok, thanks for the info. It will be at least a couple years before I'm completely saved up and ready for FI the right way. Should I wait for 2.0?

You can get the 1.0 right now and upgrade to the 2.0 when it releases. There will be an upgrade cost associated with going to the End User tunable version. It's $700 vs $900 and so there would be a $200 upgrade cost whenever you wanted to tune it yourself.

[frankie945]

Originally Posted by UpRev

Ok well we're not a reflash company. Please update your data. Reflash is just one of our services.

same difference stop trying to talk the guy into uprev let him decided if he plans on boosting later than Utec or a uprev will do But I prefer UTEC for all low Boost apps. You need to try to get some of your consumers to back you up then. There is a lot more utec guys on here than you think..... Also to the OP make sure you have someone to tune in your area before you make your decision. And the best tune is done on a dyno

[Hoooper]

Originally Posted by frankie945

And the best tune is done on a load based dyno

edited for full honesty

[gothchick]

I have both UTEC and Orisis(UpRev) on my NA.

I am keeping my UTEC because it allows me to make tuning adjustments on the fly whenever, wherever, and however I want.

I got my ECU reflashed with Orisis so the ECU would stop randomly flipping between it's five internal maps (which was messing with my UTEC tune). Orisis has effectively locked my ECU down to ONE map at a time that is manually selectable 1~5.

This has allowed me to dial in my UTEC tune with great precision and stability. The problem with mail-in tunes is that they're just approximations. They're better than nothing, but not as good as an ol' fashioned dyno + road tune.

So imho, if you're NA running a MAF based tune, UTEC and Orisis combined gives you the best of both worlds.

If UpRev ever comes out with a self-tunable version of Orisis, then there'd be no reason for UTEC (accept for UTEC's superior ability to detect and react to knock compared to the weak-sauce ECU), so that may still be a good reason to keep UTEC.