joeA4

Guys: I'm thinking about installing the AEM EMS on my bone stock 04. I was told by the shop that I'm thinking about going with that they could tune the rpm limit to 9K, set the VTEC to kick in earlier (@5-5.5K) and that it could increase horsepower around 10-15.

I wanted to know:

1. if this all sounds plausible to you
2. Will there be a unit that I would have to figure out to mount somewhere in the car?
3. Will the car have starting issues?
4. Is this a worthwhile solution to you all?
5. Any other issues to look out for?

This shop is supposed to be reputable and been around for a long time. I like my car NA and don't have any plans so far to go FI, so wanted to, I guess, feel comfortable with my decision to do this.

TelosHedge

1. if this all sounds plausible to you

it CAN be done, yes.

2. Will there be a unit that I would have to figure out to mount somewhere in the car?

yes, but many have done this already - finding a spot is not so hard.

3. Will the car have starting issues?

no.

4. Is this a worthwhile solution to you all?

ABSOLUTELY NOT! paying 1500 dollars plus tuning for a 15whp increase is incredibly inefficient if you ask me. any amount of tuning that would be beneficial to a stock car would likely not outweigh the drawbacks of EMS (no CEL, temp gauge, OBD compatibility, emissions/carb legality, COST!) if you are making no modifications to the car at all your tuner would not be successful in changing engine management for the sake of making more power. i imagine your tuner could pull a bit of fuel to squeeze out some more power but a VAFC would provide the same results, for far less hassle money and aggrivation.

5. Any other issues to look out for?

get far away from your tuner. any reliable shop would advise against what you're doing for your specific power goals. if you want to make 15whp, get a nice header, test pipe, catback exhaust, an intake, and tune with a VAFC. if you want to make as much power as possible with that amount of money, get a supercharger - it will feel the same as an NA car, just with some more top end power.



question authority, and do your research. good luck!

LostMotion

It is a bit of a waste if you aren't upgrading the header/exhaust (at least) at the same time.

Blacknot

You can get a Vafc and a frog harness so you dont have to cut anything. I mounted mine under the seat so you dont even see it. I gained 7whp from it

Asura

Do the bolt-ons like I/H/E while you are at it. Dual springs and Ti retainers are also a good idea. Don't go past 8000 RPM on stock retainers and 8500 RPM on Ti retainers.

Opinions on here will vary regardling the redline on an F22 engine...we replace/rebuild our race motors that use Ti retainers every season. They don't see more than 8500 RPM.

-Asura

camuman

i would do the aem ems as long as you plan to do other stuff down the road. if your gonna stay stock expcept for the ems, then yeah its a waste. but if your gonna do some bolts on later, or, maybe even FI then hell yeah go for it. the only thing i would change is learn how to tune it yourself or your gonna drop mad cheese each time you change parts and want to get more out of it.

even if a nice tune is 350 bucks, which is the typical charge for an aem to be tuned, imagine paying that more then once

its a lot of fun

remember, staying stock = no, modding later = yes


forgot to mention, it mounts where your stock ecu is and fits fine and will start no prob, just have to wait for the fuel pump to prime for about a sec, then all good.

joeA4

Thanks everyone for the responses so far. Doing research on S2Ki and the archives, you get a lot of conflicting information, so it's tough to decipher who's right and who's wrong.

For instance, I've heard that the AP2 can rev to 9K stock and not have issues, yet I hear in this thread that I'd have to upgrade my springs and retainers, etc. (which I'm sure it's a good idea to do anyways).

Anyways, at least for now, I'd be content with my car starting VTEC around 5K and revving freely till 9K with about 255-260HP at the crank. Again, at least for now, i believe that would make me happy. Since I plan on keeping this car forever, I have a feeling I'll want to go FI in about 5-10 years, but for now I just want a little bit more.

This VAFC thing sounds interesting for adjusting vtec engagement points, etc., but I doesn't seem like I can alter the rev limit. I still may opt for something like that though; maybe just not sold enough on it.

Bolt on mods, I may do an exhaust down the line. I've heard our stock airbox and header (many times actually) are pretty good out of the box and upgrading them just empties your wallet, if anything, with very little gains for the $$.

Any links or additional resources you guys recommend?

Garrett_si

this is 2 F22C 2004 the K-pro one is tuned by me

S2000 2.2 2004 stock
S2000 2.2 2004 Hondata K-pro tuned

the vtec isn't at 5-5.5k

camuman

guess i should have shown you what i went from and too.




the delta was a nice healthy 6-12whp throughout the whole rev range. i set my revlimit to 8500. timing retard at 8500, ignition cut at 8600, fuel cut at 8700.

now i must admit that garret_si did a better job smoothing out vtec thats for sure

when it gets cooler out i am going back to tune more. it was swass hot at the dyno, 94 degrees on the thermo, and real feel was near 100! after 1.5 hours i was tired of cooking.

if you really just wanna tune a stock car and raise rev limiter get greddy emanage ult. you can do all this stuff cheaper.

and please do not rev it to 9k. first on a stock motor you will be going downhill on power. i made power to 8500, but after that i think your outa luck. second, there is some science stuff to the motor spinning at those speeds with a longer stroke. i dont know all the specifics, but its going to shorten the life of your motor. truthfully, 8500 is plenty. third, they are telling you to get springs and retainers cuase you might get valve float. that would be bad.

good luck with your choice.

LostMotion

I completely agree with the 8,500 limit and that is what I run as well, but I don't see the need for the upgraded valvetrain. The AP1 runs to 9k on a weaker valvetrain and more agressive cam profile from the factory. The increased stroke should put no additional wear and tear on the valvetrain.

As a precaution it can't hurt of course.