AEM vs VEC vs Split Second

[viperfuntime]

I seriously considering upgrading my engine management to a better system but I wanted to know the pros and cons.

RIght now the car has a split second. The motor is a twin turbo 522 stroker. Gen III 2006 Coupe.

I am told the AEM is the way to go for a car like mine but wanted to hear it from the people who either have had it or drove a car with this in it.

I searched a bunch of threads but I am not really coming up with the answer I am looking for. Any help would be great!

I know there are a few guys who really know how to make the GenIII harness but assuming its done right is there a noticeable difference and tuning upside?

 

[mjorgensen Woodhouse]

From what I know the AEM will do more for you as tuning goes and will have multiple inputs available to monitor things. It is a BI*** to get installed with the harness and such but will offer much more flexibility in the end.

IMHO

I seriously considering upgrading my engine management to a better system but I wanted to know the pros and cons.

RIght now the car has a split second. The motor is a twin turbo 522 stroker. Gen III 2006 Coupe.

I am told the AEM is the way to go for a car like mine but wanted to hear it from the people who either have had it or drove a car with this in it.

I searched a bunch of threads but I am not really coming up with the answer I am looking for. Any help would be great!

I know there are a few guys who really know how to make the GenIII harness but assuming its done right is there a noticeable difference and tuning upside?

 

[Bobpantax]

While he may be self interested in the answer, Jason Heffner, located in Sarasota, Florida is widely considered to be the best Viper turbo tuner in the country. Look at his web site. I believe that he uses the AEM. Give him a call. Based on prior turbo threads, I am a bit surprised to read of someone with a 522 stroker and turbos with a split second unit. Not that it is a bad unit since it works very well on the stock Paxton kit and other applications. However, I was under the impression that it is not up to the task of handling what you have under all performance conditions.

 

[Guy]

Might I throw in the discussion Motec? Any reason why it's rarely mentioned? Too expensive or is it that other systems do the job just as well?

 

[mjorgensen Woodhouse]

Great system used mostly in race applications because of the cost involved for a fully outfitted system.

Might I throw in the discussion Motec? Any reason why it's rarely mentioned? Too expensive or is it that other systems do the job just as well?

 

[viperfuntime]

While he may be self interested in the answer, Jason Heffner, located in Sarasota, Florida is widely considered to be the best Viper turbo tuner in the country. Look at his web site. I believe that he uses the AEM. Give him a call. Based on prior turbo threads, I am a bit surprised to read of someone with a 522 stroker and turbos with a split second unit. Not that it is a bad unit since it works very well on the stock Paxton kit and other applications. However, I was under the impression that it is not up to the task of handling what you have under all performance conditions.[/QUOTE

I recently purchased the car, its my 2nd Viper. First was a Paxton set up. This car is a beast but I am told AEM is the way to go with my set up to maximize power and tunability.

I am told the driveability is better than stock with TT and a stroker motor pared with the AEM. Anybody have any thoughts about this or is there a better way to go?

Also, how much power can be gained by going this route versus VEC or Split Second?

 

[Guy]

Great system used mostly in race applications because of the cost involved for a fully outfitted system.

The reason I ask is because I have an M800 left lying around from an old project (sold the car, kept the ECU), and am wondering whether it's better selling it off or using it on my SRT10 in the future.

Is there any "extra" horsepower to be found due to the Motec or is there no longer this performance increase margin over other ECUs?

 

[Viper X]

Hey Jeff,

I'm guessing this is you. I have an AEM in my Paxton car. It took a while to get the tuning right and the bugs out of it (due to some marginal work by a fellow that said he knew AEM but really didn't).

Now that it's sorted out (by our best local tuner), "drive ablity" is quite good. There are many monitoring and set up options. If you are a computer guy, you can monitor most functions with your lap top, data log air / fuel ratios, intake air temps / etc. as you run up through the gears, load a race fuel program, load a track (low boost) program, control boost by speed, etc., etc. Very flexible system. You can also monitor your engine's most critical functions in real time if you install an optional gauge (from AEM).

My SRT-10 currently makes 925 rwhp on 91 octane gas at only 11lbs max boost. I'm now ready for more boost ..... and more power.

I think you'll like the AEM product. Just get it set up right the first time.

Dan

 

[grcforce327]

The reason I ask is because I have an M800 left lying around from an old project (sold the car, kept the ECU), and am wondering whether it's better selling it off or using it on my SRT10 in the future.

Is there any "extra" horsepower to be found due to the Motec or is there no longer this performance increase margin over other ECUs?

I went with the M800 in my gen I TT,and glad I did.John Reed can wire that into your next viper and then tune it!!!

Guy C.

 

[Bobpantax]

Hey Jeff,

I'm guessing this is you. I have an AEM in my Paxton car. It took a while to get the tuning right and the bugs out of it (due to some marginal work by a fellow that said he knew AEM but really didn't).

Now that it's sorted out (by our best local tuner), "drive ablity" is quite good. There are many monitoring and set up options. If you are a computer guy, you can monitor most functions with your lap top, data log air / fuel ratios, intake air temps / etc. as you run up through the gears, load a race fuel program, load a track (low boost) program, control boost by speed, etc., etc. Very flexible system. You can also monitor your engine's most critical functions in real time if you install an optional gauge (from AEM).

My SRT-10 currently makes 925 rwhp on 91 octane gas at only 11lbs max boost. I'm now ready for more boost ..... and more power.

I think you'll like the AEM product. Just get it set up right the first time.

Dan

Hi Dan. Who took over and got the AEM working correctly? Also, what are your mods? With 11pounds I assume that your engine is built - correct? Who do you bring the car to for adjustments, etc.? Thanks in advance for your answers.

 

[Viper X]

Hey Bob,

DC Performance "sorted" the car out for me.

Mods are extensive, basically an all forged, 530 ci wet sleeve engine built by Exotic Engine (no "stroker" but a bigger bore). Stryker heads, blower cam, B&B stepped headers, roller rockers, solid lifters, cc oil pan and pump, larger intercooler, larger radiator, larger oil cooler, built trans, Spec III + clutch, built trans, Quaife, Unitrax 1/2 shafts, Motons, drag radials on Forgelines, custom fuel system with twin Bosch pumps, return and cooler, puke tank, etc., etc. Yeah, it's a money pit.....

The Paxton is a basic unit with a 3 inch pulley and a DC tuned AEM with in car monitor. The engine now has 10,000 miles on it and many, many full throttle runs for 1/2 mile and one mile drags (in Mexico of course). I can spin it to 6600 rpm and it just keeps making power in a very linear fashion, which translates to over 170 in 4th gear (with OE rear tire size).

Chris Jensen at DC Performance provides the tuning and is the only one that touches the engine in this car (other than me). I have come to know the AEM pretty well and I doubt that there is anyone more knowledgeable on the AEM (on the left coast) than Chris.

John Reed is also very knowledgeable and was helpful sorting this car out when we first began trying to get everything working correctly, but John is not local.

Dan

 

[viperfuntime]

Dan thanks for all the detailed information and features/benefits. I think the AEM set up sounds like a winner if its "tuned" and "installed" correctly the first time for big built motors like mine.

Driveability is really important to me. But having the flexibility of the various tunes is huge.

 

[Bobpantax]

Hey Bob,

DC Performance "sorted" the car out for me.

Mods are extensive, basically an all forged, 530 ci wet sleeve engine built by Exotic Engine (no "stroker" but a bigger bore). Stryker heads, blower cam, B&B stepped headers, roller rockers, solid lifters, cc oil pan and pump, larger intercooler, larger radiator, larger oil cooler, built trans, Spec III + clutch, built trans, Quaife, Unitrax 1/2 shafts, Motons, drag radials on Forgelines, custom fuel system with twin Bosch pumps, return and cooler, puke tank, etc., etc. Yeah, it's a money pit.....

The Paxton is a basic unit with a 3 inch pulley and a DC tuned AEM with in car monitor. The engine now has 10,000 miles on it and many, many full throttle runs for 1/2 mile and one mile drags (in Mexico of course). I can spin it to 6600 rpm and it just keeps making power in a very linear fashion, which translates to over 170 in 4th gear (with OE rear tire size).

Chris Jensen at DC Performance provides the tuning and is the only one that touches the engine in this car (other than me). I have come to know the AEM pretty well and I doubt that there is anyone more knowledgeable on the AEM (on the left coast) than Chris.

John Reed is also very knowledgeable and was helpful sorting this car out when we first began trying to get everything working correctly, but John is not local.

Dan

Thanks Dan. I figured it must have been DC. From what I have read on this board and from what I have heard from some VCA members out there who also have heavily modded Vipers like yours, DC may be the most well equipped and accomplished tuner of beyond "the stock supercharger kit" Vipers in the country. What I particularly like about the description of your mods is the fact that it appears that all related systems and driveline components were strengthened so that the car, as a whole, was upgraded. It seems to me that too many Viper owners add power without doing anything else to the car and ignore the fact that the SRT engineers engineered and designed the car as an integrated piece. Enjoy the beast.

 

[plumcrazy]

control boost by speed

i didnt know you could do that with the AEM on a paxton car. good info !

and i always wondered what mods ya had, thanks for that info as well. i assumed on the mods correctly ...

 

[repiv]

The reason I ask is because I have an M800 left lying around from an old project (sold the car, kept the ECU), and am wondering whether it's better selling it off or using it on my SRT10 in the future.

Is there any "extra" horsepower to be found due to the Motec or is there no longer this performance increase margin over other ECUs?

I have an m800 box in my car, here is a pic, upper right hand corner.

You will need a custom wiring harness and a crank trigger sensor and mount.

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[viperfuntime]

Nice set up!

 

[repiv]

thanks, I like it!

 

[viperfuntime]

Who did the work? What is in the build?

 

[repiv]

Who did the work? What is in the build?

Underground built the car. The build list is extensive, the short list on the engine is motec, individual coils, 08 oil pan, 530 stroker, billet crank, billet intake, Stryker Race heads, built bottom end

 

[viperfuntime]

Nice....what kind of power and tunes do you run? Do you have a street tune and a more aggressive tune? How easy is it to switch between the two?

I am told the AEM will cause a check engine light to pop on because the factory computer has basically been castrated so as a result it doesn't see certain functions and the light pops on.

Is there a way around that so you don't see that on the dash?

Does your motec do the same?

 

[repiv]

Nice....what kind of power and tunes do you run? Do you have a street tune and a more aggressive tune? How easy is it to switch between the two?

I am told the AEM will cause a check engine light to pop on because the factory computer has basically been castrated so as a result it doesn't see certain functions and the light pops on.

Is there a way around that so you don't see that on the dash?

Does your motec do the same?

the car can run three different tunes, 91/100/race gas, switchable from dash mounted three position switch. Car also runs water ****, mainly to help control in cylinder temps. RWP HP/TQ on pump is 1,050/1,200. Race gas tune isn't done, should be +/-400 higher in each category.

the CEL will come on, the factory PCM no longer can read fuel/spark, so the code will throw. The bulb is removed in my car.

 

[Viper X]

CE light can be programmed out ..... no need to remove the bulb.

 

[GTSnake]

I have a TT system and I use the VEC to control it. I'm thinking about going AEM because there are some subtle glitches in the tune. I guess the VEC only has so much capability and the AEM is much more comprehensive. In my case the expense would be worth the improvement. The trick is finding the right person to tune it. I'm sure there are plenty of qualified people in your area that can tune an AEM. A lot of ricers use it

 

[viperfuntime]

CE light can be programmed out ..... no need to remove the bulb.

How is this done?

 

[proedge]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread. I recently bought a 2005 TT car which was built by RSI. Don’t really have any other info on it. No one really knows if the engine is “built”. I reached out to RSI, and they think it is, but no way to know for sure without dropping the oil pan. anyway reason why I’m posting in this thread is because the car currently has a Split Second box in it with Paxton fuel management. I’m sure this was a fine system 15 years ago, but there’s gotta be something better by now. Would the AEM Infinity kit the way to go? What’s needed to make the switch?

 

[plumcrazy]

id be more worried about whats in the engine than anything else if its built by RSI