Nistune Vs Vipec

[EFI Performance]

It all comes down to what outcome you want from your vehicle.

Nistune around $450 mark.

Vipec $2500-3000 mark.

You do the math's.

Putting these two ECU's together is like saying, I'll race you in my R34 GTR when you own a S13 Ca18, you cannot compare them.

Bang for your buck, nistune, however you will out grow it if you want to make big big power.

[Adriano]

How nwill you outgrow nistune, when the japs have been using th esame principle to make 1000hp. For the cost of the vipec, which is totally overkill for your setup, i would go nistune, buy your own wideband and have a crack. Or go nistune and take it to sydney/canberra. If your guy cant tune nistune then i wouldnt trust him with your car even if its a vipec. Remember even with the vipec it could still run like crap, as its only as good as the tune.

[Psymon]

psymon, I think I recall tuning your old setup in canberra?

have you changed injectors or afm? are you still running the stock 270cc injectors?

Yeah you did a couple for me in canberra. The last one you did was to suit gtr injectors and was a great tune. Still gtr injectors, but i now have a z32 afm to put in one weekend.

As for the tuner, it's not that he can't tune a nistune, its more that he's never done one before but he's done multiple vipecs. I'm sure if i turned up with a nistune he could tune it, he's built tuned many respectable cars (including his own which was featured in the latest series of blood sweat and gears). It would just be reassuring with the vipec knowing it's not the first he's done.

[Scooby]

I was intending to go with Nistune on a >300rwkw 26/30 but figured that after $450 for the ecu, $700 on two Z32s and $650 on a good ebc I was over the cost of the Vipec board + mac valve. Even with one Z32 it's close in cost. I don't have to worry about AFMs, and also get overboost protection and some other features.

It was the $ and overboost protection that made my mind up. And if your tuner likes Vipec it's also a plus to stick with that, although for a 5 hour trip to Sydney I'd say (having had 2 Vipec tunes, one of which was by a proclaimed Vipec specialist, but neither of which was very good) go to Hitman in Penrith, leave it for 2-3 days, pay your $1250 and come away with a great tune - power and driveability - as well as emissions certification.

Just my 2c.

Edited July 8, 2009 by Scooby

[Swiper the Fox]

Go with what your tuner says...

I don't know Nistune (is that just re-tuning the standard ecu?) but I know vipec... as much as I want DiRT Garage to shut the f**k up about it, it's still a very good ecu...

no need to be a c0ckhead Doof.

Im about to go Nistune in my S13...better than Power FC...Nistune has knock control.

If you have the bucks go Vi-PEC especially if your tuner is familiar with them.

[FineLine]

no need to be a c0ckhead Doof.

Im about to go Nistune in my S13...better than Power FC...Nistune has knock control.

If you have the bucks go Vi-PEC especially if your tuner is familiar with them.

Yeah Doof, cut it out. We dont need 2 cockheads crappin on about ecu's

[DRD-00F]

lol, I don't know shit about ECUs, but I'm a pro at being a cockhead

[darrinspencer]

Bang for your buck, nistune, however you will out grow it if you want to make big big power.

How much is big big power?

It would be safe to say 90% of users on here have stock motor internals so there max power goals are going up to be a approx max of 280-300rwkw.

Will the Vipec or any other full stand alone ecu have a noticable difference over the Nistune for these power levels?

The Vipec has a long list of extra features, but will they be used or needed for a daily driven street car?

Can some list what these great extra features any stand alone ecu have over the Nistune to justify the extra exspense?

ps. I have done a fair bit of searching on here about the pro's and cons of either ecu option. Generally everyone says one is better than the other, but do no state why to back their claims. There is one very well respected tuner on here from Melbourne that tunes more than one brand and agrees the Nistune is the best option for a Neo rb25 for the street)

[dori34]

if that is your intended mod list, nopoint spendingbig bux for vipec,

look at power FC or even cheaper option, the emanage blue or something.

im sure he can tune the emanage,

to tune the nistune, he needs to get the licence & software to do it.

^ its like neons on your car, unnecessary but just cool to have it

[TiTAN]

How much is big big power?

It would be safe to say 90% of users on here have stock motor internals so there max power goals are going up to be a approx max of 280-300rwkw.

Will the Vipec or any other full stand alone ecu have a noticable difference over the Nistune for these power levels?

The Vipec has a long list of extra features, but will they be used or needed for a daily driven street car?

Can some list what these great extra features any stand alone ecu have over the Nistune to justify the extra exspense?

ps. I have done a fair bit of searching on here about the pro's and cons of either ecu option. Generally everyone says one is better than the other, but do no state why to back their claims. There is one very well respected tuner on here from Melbourne that tunes more than one brand and agrees the Nistune is the best option for a Neo rb25 for the street)

the "great extra features" are launch control, anti-lag, flat shifting, Map sensor instead of AFM (though it will take an AFM if you want), built in boost control with the addition of a solenoid, onboard data logging, dual fuel and ignition maps with real time change over (you wire in a switch to do so)(E85/other fuel tune and your standard 98 tune for example).

There are probably other things i have missed but they are the main ones that come to mind.

[darrinspencer]

the "great extra features" are launch control, anti-lag, flat shifting, Map sensor instead of AFM (though it will take an AFM if you want), built in boost control with the addition of a solenoid, onboard data logging, dual fuel and ignition maps with real time change over (you wire in a switch to do so)(E85/other fuel tune and your standard 98 tune for example).

There are probably other things i have missed but they are the main ones that come to mind.

Nearly all of those features I would not need or use. . . . already have a z32 and ebc.

Do not get get me wrong, I will be more than happy to hand over the extra $1000 if there is going to be a real noticable benefit.

[Adriano]

If both are tuned perfectly, then i doubt you would be able to tell the difference, and nistune has overboost protection if you know what you are doing.

[CEF11E]

Yeah you did a couple for me in canberra. The last one you did was to suit gtr injectors and was a great tune. Still gtr injectors, but i now have a z32 afm to put in one weekend.

As for the tuner, it's not that he can't tune a nistune, its more that he's never done one before but he's done multiple vipecs. I'm sure if i turned up with a nistune he could tune it, he's built tuned many respectable cars (including his own which was featured in the latest series of blood sweat and gears). It would just be reassuring with the vipec knowing it's not the first he's done.

psymon,

I have another idea that might help. I would be more inclined to make the drive to sydney and make a weekend of it. there are some top tuners there and you can choose either nistune or vipec there. nistune will do a good job for what you are looking for.

if you need a map to drive the car to sydney safely with the z32 installed and your other bits I can burn one and send it to you.

cheers...

[Psymon]

psymon,

I have another idea that might help. I would be more inclined to make the drive to sydney and make a weekend of it. there are some top tuners there and you can choose either nistune or vipec there. nistune will do a good job for what you are looking for.

if you need a map to drive the car to sydney safely with the z32 installed and your other bits I can burn one and send it to you.

cheers...

Thanks for that. I'll keep it in mind in a couple of weeks when i have to make a decision.

[mad082]

if that is your intended mod list, nopoint spendingbig bux for vipec,

look at power FC or even cheaper option, the emanage blue or something.

im sure he can tune the emanage,

to tune the nistune, he needs to get the licence & software to do it.

^ its like neons on your car, unnecessary but just cool to have it

that is included in the price of the board (well single user licence anyway). $200 for the board and $200 for the licence. so you are looking at $400 plus tuning. so even if it costs you $1000 in tuning you are still coming out ahead of just buying a vipec

[jaycos]

when fitting a vipec where do you place ther air temp sensor also is it wired independently

[Swiper the Fox]

when fitting a vipec where do you place ther air temp sensor also is it wired independently

in the plenum or inlet piping. it is wired to to one of the temp. inputs. In a GTR it uses the factory sensor but cars like a gts-t that dont have an inlet temp sensor you have to use the sensor provided with the ECU.

[9krpm]

My tuner can use an emulator and write/tune the factory ecu. The process is similar to Nistune, but doesn't require the Nistune daughter board. He still has to

-open the ecu,

-remove one of the processor chip,

-put it onto a reader and copy the complete firmware,

-transfer the program to the laptop,

-hook the laptop to the factory computer (where the chip was),

-tune the car,

-then write the file to the removed processor chip,

-resolder the chip back to the factory ecu.

This method retains all of the factory safety parameters e.g. knock control, over heat etc but also can adjust the factory boost solenoid (and possibly the MAC valve).

I think Dave @ Silverwater Automotive Service in your state can do the same thing.

I would expect the Nistune can adjust the factory boost controller (or a mac valve) too. So you can save the money by selling your boost controller.

[rob82]

My tuner can use an emulator and write/tune the factory ecu. The process is similar to Nistune, but doesn't require the Nistune daughter board. He still has to

-open the ecu,

-remove one of the processor chip,

-put it onto a reader and copy the complete firmware,

-transfer the program to the laptop,

-hook the laptop to the factory computer (where the chip was),

-tune the car,

-then write the file to the removed processor chip,

-resolder the chip back to the factory ecu.

This method retains all of the factory safety parameters e.g. knock control, over heat etc but also can adjust the factory boost solenoid (and possibly the MAC valve).

I think Dave @ Silverwater Automotive Service in your state can do the same thing.

I would expect the Nistune can adjust the factory boost controller (or a mac valve) too. So you can save the money by selling your boost controller.

I've got no problem with either ECU as both if tuned properly will deliver the same power and drivability. Dont let the knock control of the std ECU sway your judgement as from what I've seen it doesn't work very well at all. Thats why I'm thinking a Speed Density Visteon ECU with two knock sensors is what I will use if I ditched the std ECU.

[Tangles]

easy

spend the dollars on a second hand pre-remapped RB20 ECU from japland

plus add in a safc

then tune tune tune, retune to be safe, and you'll love the bang for buck outcome that a remap + piggyback gives you

or go NISTUNE and get the bloke to do it anyway - he's got to crack his cheery sometime !!!

my options:

a) remap + piggyback

b) nistune