Turbo XS is coming out with a UTEC for the RX-8! It will have the ability to control rev limit, ignition timing, fuel, map conversion, etc. and it will only be 899$. This will be a complete plug and play system and will definitely be the new standard in our kit :ylsuper: not to mention the ability to control things like water injection, nitrous, etc.

After speaking with Turbo XS they said they will be available sometime this spring.

old news

unfortunately it's just another system that's not allowed in a number of racing classes :banghead:

How does this compare with the Interceptor, other than being less than half the price?

btt for Sapphonica's question...

As I understand it, it operates the same why the interceptor does, it simply cuts out control of the afor mentioned functions from the stock PCM and controls them itself. There website gives some decent info on their other products.

Unless you are going to rip out the whole PCM (not recommended) all ECU mods are going to be a "piggy back" unless they are flashing the stock PCM.

The problem is, people associate "piggy back" with the emanage MAF alternation technique, which is doing an injustice to the interceptor and devices like it.

How does this compare with the Interceptor, other than being less than half the price?
How does this compare to your super secret ems? :)

How does this compare to your super secret ems? :)

It's not that secret. I think you know who I'm working with. I've just been asked by them not to de-cloak yet.

It's been hell waiting to find out how well this approach works out...or not.

What I do know so far is that it idles as smooth as stock, and we have complete control of fuel & timing. We're initially going with stock boost and running high octane fuel for the first round of tuning. Once I've driven the car like that for a week or so, we're going to hook up the boost controller & pressure sensor to the EMS and go for more power.

Be careful with the higher octane. Once you go back go the 91, you will notice a LOT of detonation. At least that was my experience. Timing for the interceptor had to be retarded much more than expect for those of us in CA.

On a different note, with the new EMS, is the check engine light on all the time? Does it retain cruise control?

Does it retain the knock sensor?

This is great news (if it pans out along with any hush hush products to come) for the RX8 comunity and for us poor folk who can't fork over 1.5K for such a product. If this is not just for Turbo/SC but can help find Inter-X like HP for NA, I'd now be willing to buy it.

Thanks to everyone that continues to make the aftermarket for the RX8 better...AND CHEAPER!

My first mod's might be EMS, REVi, RP Supercat, and Borla exhuast (not set in stone)...that should give my NA Rotary a pretty good boost in power (20-30HP).

This is music to my ears...thanks for posting!!

This is great news (if it pans out along with any hush hush products to come) for the RX8 comunity and for us poor folk who can't fork over 1.5K for such a product. If this is not just for Turbo/SC but can help find Inter-X like HP for NA, I'd now be willing to buy it.

Thanks to everyone that continues to make the aftermarket for the RX8 better...AND CHEAPER!

My first mod's might be EMS, REVi, RP Supercat, and Borla exhuast (not set in stone)...that should give my NA Rotary a pretty good boost in power (20-30HP).

This is music to my ears...thanks for posting!!

With the R flash, I doubt you'll find 20-30 HP with those mods. Besides, you'll drop so much coin on those mods it won't cost much more to get boosted.

Be careful with the higher octane. Once you go back go the 91, you will notice a LOT of detonation. At least that was my experience. Timing for the interceptor had to be retarded much more than expect for those of us in CA.

On a different note, with the new EMS, is the check engine light on all the time? Does it retain cruise control?


yah..i would definitely tune to what gas you or everybody else will be 99% of the time be using...I have found detonation as well using your tuning technique when dropping back to "regular" daily driving fuel...in this case 93 for GA...

Now i'm not saying DON'T tune to higher octane...that will give you a "track" tune and then you can run that out and perform a daily driver tune..that's what i do...

but//i'm not you...so...just my $.02

With the R flash, I doubt you'll find 20-30 HP with those mods. Besides, you'll drop so much coin on those mods it won't cost much more to get boosted.

REVi (3-5HP) $300
High flow cat (5-10HP) $400
Exhuast (1-3HP) $600 (this is the one I think is HIGHLY overpriced)
New EMS (10-20HP) *based on the Inter-X found $950 (if this thread pans out)

So, that gives 19-38HP, while I'm well aware those are maybe numbers and can be fantasy. I'd say with the above Mod's 20HP shouldn't be that far fetched but admit it might just be 12HP.

I'll have to go read up on the R-Flash since I've lost track to the flash I was on, I got a 2005 RX8 built in October 2004.

While true, the Turbo gives you better bang for your buck...I'm weary of going Turbo since I have no experiance with it. With that said I might do it one day but other than the REVi the above mod's would help the Turbo anyway so...you got to start some place.

Don't mind me...this is more dreaming than anything else considering my modding days are far...far away.

Just keep in mind that mods will give a cumulative effect, and that 5hp you got from the highflow cat, could very well negate any benefit of a catback system. It is not always 5 + 3 = 8. Sometimes, it is 5 + (claimed) 3 = 5.

I prefer to tune around 87 octane gas. That way anyone can use whatever they want and not worry about it. The car definitely isn't any slower this way and even if it did make less power, it would be so small that no one would ever know it. Getting more performance and lowering the cost of fuel is a win/win situation.

Just keep in mind that mods will give a cumulative effect, and that 5hp you got from the highflow cat, could very well negate any benefit of a catback system. It is not always 5 + 3 = 8. Sometimes, it is 5 + (claimed) 3 = 5.

Yeah I know, I'm just going by what they claim...of course we know that is not always true (K&N 9HP air filter comes to mind...wink wink).

Regarding the thread...a cheaper Inter-X would be MOST WELCOME!

If you tune for 87 then at some point you have to add higher octane to your car for <insert reason here>, will the car be OK or ...?

-jc

rx8wannahave, I'm sitting at 20 HP gain from my mods. It's OK to mod for NA power. You don't need neck snapping power for a daily street driven car. The 8 is fun as a NA car also.

Hey Nem,
Are you still using your Canzoomer? I tuned mine to about 15 HP gain - documented on the dyno. I know I could have gotten a few more out of it if I would have installed a WB02. I could never get the CanScan to work right.

15-20HP < (Used CZ + WBO2) = ($250+$350) < $600

Still the best return for a NA 8.

-MD

Yep - still living the CZ dream for now :)

rx8wannahave, I'm sitting at 20 HP gain from my mods. It's OK to mod for NA power. You don't need neck snapping power for a daily street driven car. The 8 is fun as a NA car also.

Thanks for the encouragment...there is little NA love around here...lol

Hey, I thought CZ was found to be....ummm, lacking???? Didn't the 8's PCM learn to stop letting the CZ work or something????

Would this ECU be able to change injector sizes?

rx8wannahave, I'm sitting at 20 HP gain from my mods. It's OK to mod for NA power. You don't need neck snapping power for a daily street driven car. The 8 is fun as a NA car also.

Did you dyno +20 HP before/after with the 'R' flash?

Also, in what RPMs do you get the HP gains?

As we all know, this car is gutless down low...the 'torqueless wonder' as someone on the group said. This lack-o-torque negatively affects drivability under part throttle conditions.

Do your NA mods do anything noticeable for torque?

I don't understand why these EMS systems are so exciting for people. Sure they are "plug n' play" but so what? Why wait for someone to come out with something like that when you can easily go buy a Microtech, leave the stock ecu to control the manifold stuff, and use the Microtech for everything else?

Did you dyno +20 HP before/after with the 'R' flash?

Also, in what RPMs do you get the HP gains?

As we all know, this car is gutless down low...the 'torqueless wonder' as someone on the group said. This lack-o-torque negatively affects drivability under part throttle conditions.

Do your NA mods do anything noticeable for torque?I don't want to hijack the thread, but here are your answers:

http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=77031

Go the last post in the dyno thread

great news i can see me paying 900 for a ems not 1700

Unless you are going to rip out the whole PCM (not recommended) all ECU mods are going to be a "piggy back" unless they are flashing the stock PCM.




You are not as informed on this subject as you think you are. Your statement is false.



.

I don't want to hijack the thread, but here are your answers:

http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=77031

Go the last post in the dyno thread

Maybe Mazda can use this in their advert for the 8: 'all the torque of an economy car, with the gas mileage of an SUV'.

Let's face it, the rotary needs to be force fed to make HP & torque on par with its looks and handling, not to mention with its competition, which is beating the stuffing out of it, sales-wise.

I don't understand why these EMS systems are so exciting for people. Sure they are "plug n' play" but so what? Why wait for someone to come out with something like that when you can easily go buy a Microtech, leave the stock ecu to control the manifold stuff, and use the Microtech for everything else?


Microtech =$$ and that's sans harness.

Microtech =$$ and that's sans harness.
Uh no. Brand new microtech with universal harness that will need to be cut to length for a little over $1000. Even if you buy one without the harness so what? I built an entire harness for my rx7 with different colored wires for everything, meaning I had to buy a lot of different colored water, solder, shrink wrap, etc for a little over $50.

A used and perfectly working microtech can be had for 600-900 easily.

How is this expensive? Isn't the interceptor $1800? :rolleyes:

In fact, I know someone selling a brand new in box Microtech LT-8s with harness for $900 shipped.

Uh no. Brand new microtech with universal harness that will need to be cut to length for a little over $1000. Even if you buy one without the harness so what? I built an entire harness for my rx7 with different colored wires for everything, meaning I had to buy a lot of different colored water, solder, shrink wrap, etc for a little over $50.

A used and perfectly working microtech can be had for 600-900 easily.

How is this expensive? Isn't the interceptor $1800? :rolleyes:

In fact, I know someone selling a brand new in box Microtech LT-8s with harness for $900 shipped.


so $900. Then you have software at $100-150. Then if you want to have map switching capability like the UTEC, you need the hand held controller $100-150.

So why not get excited about something that can do the same for $2-300 less. It's all moot anyway, because there's no product for the 8 as of now, so it's probably not coming at all.

Software? Since when does it not come with the software?

Software? Since when does it not come with the software?

see the official website.

LT-8 $1095 AU
Software $150 AU

The ecu comes preloaded with a map, but you must buy the software to tune it yourself.

You sellin' Microtech's or something? The Utec is cheaper (or would be if it existed), and is therefore worthy of looking at instead of the Microtech. This argument is silly, and I'll take no further part in it.

Well that's too bad the official site lists the software seperately. Lots of online venders and on Ebay has the software included in the package, for a good price.

No I'm not selling Microtechs, I'm just trying to show people there are more options out there than they think. Which also includes Haltechs, Megasquirts, Wolf 3D, and so on.

I wasn't comparing to the Utech either, since theirs isn't even out and we don't know how it will perform. I was talking about the Microtech versus the Interceptor.

what's silly is people arguing for something that isn't out and proven yet, I suppose some of you are planning to use it with the Pettit supercharger system too ... :rofl:

Uh no. Brand new microtech with universal harness that will need to be cut to length for a little over $1000. Even if you buy one without the harness so what? I built an entire harness for my rx7 with different colored wires for everything, meaning I had to buy a lot of different colored water, solder, shrink wrap, etc for a little over $50.

A used and perfectly working microtech can be had for 600-900 easily.

How is this expensive? Isn't the interceptor $1800? :rolleyes:

In fact, I know someone selling a brand new in box Microtech LT-8s with harness for $900 shipped.

and for $300 you can buy a used CZ and tune the afr to the same mixture and make the same power...

-shrug-

^ exactly.

You are not as informed on this subject as you think you are. Your statement is false.



.

Care to expound on that?

You are not as informed on this subject as you think you are. Your statement is false.



.


well please explain then. As far as I can see, and as I stated before, your EMS options are:

1. Complete standalone unit such as a Motec (expensive and not very practical since you lose several features such as Radio, Powersteering and A/C)

2. Reflash - several options are being worked on, none available yet.

3. "piggyback" - ranges from the emanage at the low end to standalone's such as the microtech "Interceptor-x" which control some key engine functions, but still use the stock ecu for others, hence the term "piggyback"

You are not as informed on this subject as you think you are. Your statement is false.



.
You yourself need to do some more homework before you tell someone else they are wrong about something you have no clue about. I assure you he wasn't the wrong one. That leaves one other option.

Why don't you go on to quantify your statement since you apparently know something the rest of the planet doesn't?

You're wrong too, you need to think outside the box :)

for starters, the Astra Racing ECU is neither an external piggyback, standalone, or flash. That's not what I was referring to, but it proves my point.

not sure why you're panties are in such a wad about it though :dunno: if you want to say that I'm FOS and don't have a clue that's ok but there's no reason to take it so personal

if you think you understand everything RX-8 related known on earth you're kidding yourself though, even I'm not foolish enough to think that ... this site is good but it is not the all inclusive definitive knowledge bank for all things RX-8

for starters, the Astra Racing ECU is neither an external piggyback, standalone, or flash. That's not what I was referring to, but it proves my point.I don't want to get caught up in the eDrama, but I am curious about the actual subject at hand. What EMS were you referring too, and if Astra's is not any of those 3... then what is it?
just curious

-hS

You're wrong too, you need to think outside the box :)

for starters, the Astra Racing ECU is neither an external piggyback, standalone, or flash. That's not what I was referring to, but it proves my point.

not sure why you're panties are in such a wad about it though :dunno: if you want to say that I'm FOS and don't have a clue that's ok but there's no reason to take it so personal

if you think you understand everything RX-8 related known on earth you're kidding yourself though, even I'm not foolish enough to think that ... this site is good but it is not the all inclusive definitive knowledge bank for all things RX-8

I'm not trying to make this turn into something personal, I think we're all trying to further the developement of the car and the engine.

I'm using the term piggyback very loosely to define any PCM modifcation that does not involve a reflash or all out replacement. This may be causing confusion. I don't know a better metaphor for allowing the stock PCM to control certain things while the "piggyback" device controls other key features.

I went to the astra racing site, but I can't find any info on their ECU, therefore, I don't know their ECU strategy. I'm not sure how any modification could fall ouside my three broad categories, but I never claim to be an expert.

You're wrong too, you need to think outside the box :)

for starters, the Astra Racing ECU is neither an external piggyback, standalone, or flash. That's not what I was referring to, but it proves my point.

Last time I talked to hfalex from astra about their ECU modification, it actually was a flash. They removed the actual ECU EEPROM from the board, put it onto a flash board that they either created or acquired and reprogram the ECU and then put it back in the car.

And here's a direct quote from HFAlex himself:

Yes.
First we have to disconnect the main chip (CPU) from the board, closa e "jumper", then we have to reprogram it. We modify the mapping LUT with a freeware sw that can be also downloaded from my website. The only problem has been the checksums, but a Milan based company fixed thi problem. Thats it.
About tha MAF sensor, i read a lot of people think it is the mai problem, but i don't understand why since we had no problem to manage absolute pressures up to 2 bar just only with a few little changes. ;)

Last time I talked to hfalex from astra about their ECU modification, it actually was a flash. They removed the actual ECU EEPROM from the board, put it onto a flash board that they either created or acquired and reprogram the ECU and then put it back in the car.

And here's a direct quote from HFAlex himself:

Ok, I did think about this afterthefact, but this has to be the harest way to go about this from a consumer perspective, therefore I didn't really want to count it.

This could be considered a "fourth option", but no a very realistic one from a consumer standpoint.

Ok, I did think about this afterthefact, but this has to be the harest way to go about this from a consumer perspective, therefore I didn't really want to count it.

This could be considered a "fourth option", but no a very realistic one from a consumer standpoint.I still say it's just a reflash.
I don't know what is involved in removing the CPU, but I doubt it's that complicated. The worst case situation would be desoldering the actual chip from the board. Best case situation is the CPU is on its own board and you just disconnect that board, close a jumper and the board itself is then used to program the CPU with whatever map you want. Getting that map right = the trick.

its not exactly a flash though because they are not altering the OEM fuel tables - instead placing their own code in the processor to overide the factory fuel tables...

... from what i gather anyway

"resistance is futile ... "
http://www.deagostiniedicola.it/immagini/20050311121836_borg.jpg

Okay, so rather than start a new thread I resurrected this one...has anyone actually used or know of anyone that has used the Utec? It's cheaper than the interceptor and appears to have the same capabilities...

Okay, so rather than start a new thread I resurrected this one...has anyone actually used or know of anyone that has used the Utec? It's cheaper than the interceptor and appears to have the same capabilities...

The only ones who did, never returned to post about it........ :Eyecrazy:

not out yet.

beers:beer:

lol, the link below was started two months before this thread began:

http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=76451

everybody talks a big line for the RX-8, only a rare few have actually ever delivered :banghead:

Utec from which manufacturer?
There is (as i heard) a new piggyback coming out this summer for the 8, much more compact than e-manage and Int-X but I am not told the manufacturer. Could it be the Utec?

Also there may be some good news for greddy turbo owners who still use E-manage from Greddy herself.

I didn't revive the Vivid thread because I thought it would get less traffic than reviving one in this section of the forum.

The Utec, according to a few sites (I think Hopup is the one I saw) is available for sale.

somebody started a new thread on it in general performance area :rolleyes: it's still not actually out yet ....

Just noticed that, Team.

It really annoys me when companies *sell* products that have yet to be released.

A flash is a flash. Whehter you only replace part of the flash (tables) or the whole thing. Of course replacing the executable is with something that will work is *much* harder, but the flashing process is the same.

so has anyone tried this ems yet i'm truly curious about how well it works i can score a damn good deal on one if i choose to go with it i just want to know if the ecu will override it or what?

whachatalkinaboutwillis? :dunno:

the turboXS utech piggy back

the turboXS utech piggy back

You get what you pay for... :evil_laug

well 800 isn't cheap so i guess its good?

first time I've heard that it may be released, not shown on their site, are you sure?

yup
i called keystone about it