Aftermarket ECU's Autronic or Hondata, which is better?

[PolitoHood]

Autotune will automatically tune AFR against a set value. Ie. tell Autronic that you want an AFR of 12:1 during WOT and then do a run and it should automatically tune your fueling table for you based upon feedback from your wideband.

Kpro has something similar to autotune feature (lambda overlay) this where AFR tables are populated with changes that the ECU reccomends to achieve a desired AFR. These changes need to be made manually, as opposed to being automatic through the autotune feature.

Assuming that your not tuning the ECU yourself, despite being a 05-06 DC5 with no wideband, can the OP just use a 02-04 Kpro? (~$1800 new) *looks at Vincent for answer*

Autronic is a better ECU, however for your purposes of being a street driven car (as opposed to full blown racing, I assume), I doubt think you'll notice any difference between the two ECU's.

Ask your tuner what benefits there are from running an Autronic as opposed to a Kpro and ask him to translate this into what you'll actually see in the real world.

I asked him and he basically said the Hondata K-pro is an inferior unit Against the Autronic SM4:
- Quicker to tune
- Quicker to programme
- More feature
- Better tuning interface
- Greater funtionality
- Better gains

This was said by Scott from Insight Motorsports


Quote:
Originally Posted by EL_DC5 View Post
Scott from Insight Motorsports
Blurb on tuning from these guys
We only deal with products which are tried and proven in competiton at the highest level. These products include:

Autronic
Motec
Hondata
Apexi PowerFC

www.insightmotorsports.com.au

I've seen his work, he is the real deal

You wont go wrong in using Scott @ Insight Motorsport this guy is one of the best tuners in this country and has lots of experience with Honda's as I have been working with him for the last few years and using his dyno,he knows the K series engine very well as we have done alot of Hondata tuning together working on cam angles.
Regards Dyno Dave
__________________
In The Red performance tuning
Buddyclub Supplier/Installer/Tuner
Authorised Hondata Dealer
Rocket Motorsports Dealer
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[PolitoHood]

I posted the spec to save people going to the website.
I didnt think people would mind and quoting it just makes it worse,
Brains people, use them

[mugsee]

I asked him and he basically said the Hondata K-pro is an inferior unit Against the Autronic SM4:
1) Quicker to tune
2) Quicker to programme
3) More feature
4) Better tuning interface
5) Greater funtionality
6) Better gains

1 + 2 + 4) How much quicker are we talking about? I'm sure that because your tuner is familiar in Hondata software, the time difference won't be light and day, unless if he is perfecting your tune into perfectly smooth curves, which most tuners don't usually do due to time/customer money constraints.

3 + 5) What extra features and functionality does autronic have over Hondata that you'll end up using in your tune?

6) What are the gains that autronic will net you over what a kpro can do?

In the end, the autronic is the hands down winner in terms of overall functionality and customisation however for most DC5 applications, the kpro is more than capable of holding its own.

[PolitoHood]

1 + 2 + 4) How much quicker are we talking about? I'm sure that because your tuner is familiar in Hondata software, the time difference won't be light and day, unless if he is perfecting your tune into perfectly smooth curves, which most tuners don't usually do due to time/customer money constraints.I think its hours not day mate, He said it shit over Hondata to retune aswell saving you $$$ in the long run

3 + 5) What extra features and functionality does autronic have over Hondata that you'll end up using in your tune? I think cause you can add stuff to it for the enduser controls, shiftlights diag addons, and custom addons. Autotune. Funtionality he said you can take it out in 30min and you can install it on nearly any car.

6) What are the gains that autronic will net you over what a kpro can do?
Dont have a clue

In the end, the autronic is the hands down winner in terms of overall functionality and customisation however for most DC5 applications, the kpro is more than capable of holding its own.

I tired to answer as best i can but i started this tread so you guys can tell me.

[fueltank]

If the tuner you trust and love says go autronic, then go autronic
Personally on stock internals I can't imagine you'll be getting anymore gains over using either one with a competent tuner that knows the in's and out's of both ECU.

If you go autronic, please post up a report

[Wlee2]

Imo this is yet another BS thread..

you asked which is better? we gave you our thoughts.. but it seems to me that you have already decided what you think is the best..

Imo we tried our best answering your questions.... but i think what me and Mugsee has told you has really gone in one ear and out the other..

and you can really reply saying but you guys dont know any better..

just so u know i own an autronic.. and even if it is a marvelous Ecu.. i found for just the DC5 variants and only the Dc5 variants that the Hondata is a very good ecu especially considering an SM4 price.. we always talk bang for buck.. and for the few hondata owners i know.. they have spent far less money tunning than i have..

[PolitoHood]

Imo this is yet another BS thread..

you asked which is better? we gave you our thoughts.. but it seems to me that you have already decided what you think is the best..

Imo we tried our best answering your questions.... but i think what me and Mugsee has told you has really gone in one ear and out the other..

and you can really reply saying but you guys dont know any better..

just so u know i own an autronic.. and even if it is a marvelous Ecu.. i found for just the DC5 variants and only the Dc5 variants that the Hondata is a very good ecu especially considering an SM4 price.. we always talk bang for buck.. and for the few hondata owners i know.. they have spent far less money tunning than i have..

Ahhh I only learn't more about this subject after i opened the thread....

And i was hoping someone could say don't use this one i had this experience etc. I don't think this is a BS thread. I have taken all comments into consideration and i haven't made up my mind. Stop watching profiler, it mite be getting to you!

[mugsee]

I tired to answer as best i can but i started this tread so you guys can tell me.

The only obvious feature differences that I would see a dc5 benefiting from an autronic are:
- Flatshift (change gears without clutch at WOT using standard gearbox).
- Antilag (keep turbocharger on boost during gear changes) with turbo cooldown function.
- Dedicated twin cooling fan control.

The rest of the feature list (I think) is controllable through a Kpro.

At the end of the day, an Autronic is the better ECU (overall). Its also a lot more expensive. When comparing a kpro for a DC5/K20, the kpro IMO holds its ground very well and when comparing value for money, its definitely the bang for buck ECU, with the Autronic holding little over it.

[freakie]

my experience:

If u were driving it hard say in country roads and happen to have bad luck and the tps or the map roots itself up, can the hondata let u drive it home? Im not sure what the limp home functions are like on the hondata. Ive had this happen on the track where i lost a TPS sensor and i didnt even know it until the next service where my tuner told me that there were errors reported. By accident i found that the limp home programs of the autronic were far superior to even the motec that i previously had on it , i dont even know if hondata has such a function?

Ive read that there have been people who have problems with the immobilisors and apparently u need to change key or something? I cant confirm that though (can someone else confirm this?)

I've never found an ecu that has better injection control than the autronic, ive used motec prior, and from what i have read and seen, I get much more kms out of each full tank than many ppl expect for the amount of mods i have. Im able to run such a wide range of injectors that i dont need to worry about injector selection and the autronic has the drivers for both low and high current, it does not need a resistor box etc.

I can bring the autronic to any tuner i wish if i have a problem, but i have heard that hondata is only tuned by a select few (again i cant confirm, can someone else?)

My tuner installed my Autronic making it plug and play with an adapter loom at the end of the plugs, so im sure your tuner who sounds competent on the tune will be able to install it that way too, not that i have a problem with wires.

Hope that helps on the Autronic side, I've yet to use Kpro, but from what ive seen and from many discussions with people in the field, the kpro does not have the support of many experienced tuners, and that alone is enough to put me off. I met many tuners previous to the one im using now and had nothing but niggly problems, having the ability to choose who tunes my car was a massive part of the equation as many have already eluded too.

hope that helps, if u need any more opinions on the autronic, im happy to give it, just shoot us a pm

Perhaps speak to Terry/Peter Conroy, as I understand it, they run the kpro on the group E dc5 they are running in IPRA.

good luck on ur decision

[wonton]

how much for Autronic???i had 1 fren used motec 400 be4 but no one know how to tune his car. i think it's better way u go for kpro rather than autronic, as dun think it really useful even u had few more function that you would never touch

[tinkerbell]

Ahhh I only learn't more about this subject after i opened the thread....

And i was hoping someone could say don't use this one i had this experience etc. I don't think this is a BS thread. I have taken all comments into consideration and i haven't made up my mind. Stop watching profiler, it mite be getting to you!

nah - your OK EL...

i am sure you got teh info you needed from this thread and combined it with other info you were getting elsewhere - which is the way to work this sort of thing out

freakies comments are from a very experienced Autronic user too

[PolitoHood]

Im thinking also If i decide to change/upgrade car. can just take the autronic wiring harness off and reconnect the original ecu, then sell my car and install the autronic on the other vehicle. where i really can't see that happening with the kpro unless i got another itr ecu spare and sounds like more work. which doesnt sound like to much money after all that...

[PolitoHood]

my experience:

If u were driving it hard say in country roads and happen to have bad luck and the tps or the map roots itself up, can the hondata let u drive it home? Im not sure what the limp home functions are like on the hondata. Ive had this happen on the track where i lost a TPS sensor and i didnt even know it until the next service where my tuner told me that there were errors reported. By accident i found that the limp home programs of the autronic were far superior to even the motec that i previously had on it , i dont even know if hondata has such a function?

Ive read that there have been people who have problems with the immobilisors and apparently u need to change key or something? I cant confirm that though (can someone else confirm this?)

I've never found an ecu that has better injection control than the autronic, ive used motec prior, and from what i have read and seen, I get much more kms out of each full tank than many ppl expect for the amount of mods i have. Im able to run such a wide range of injectors that i dont need to worry about injector selection and the autronic has the drivers for both low and high current, it does not need a resistor box etc.

I can bring the autronic to any tuner i wish if i have a problem, but i have heard that hondata is only tuned by a select few (again i cant confirm, can someone else?)

My tuner installed my Autronic making it plug and play with an adapter loom at the end of the plugs, so im sure your tuner who sounds competent on the tune will be able to install it that way too, not that i have a problem with wires.

Hope that helps on the Autronic side, I've yet to use Kpro, but from what ive seen and from many discussions with people in the field, the kpro does not have the support of many experienced tuners, and that alone is enough to put me off. I met many tuners previous to the one im using now and had nothing but niggly problems, having the ability to choose who tunes my car was a massive part of the equation as many have already eluded too.

hope that helps, if u need any more opinions on the autronic, im happy to give it, just shoot us a pm

Perhaps speak to Terry/Peter Conroy, as I understand it, they run the kpro on the group E dc5 they are running in IPRA.

good luck on ur decision

If i knew how to give you a rating for your post , I'd give you 10/10.. thanks mate

[Wlee2]

Im thinking also If i decide to change/upgrade car. can just take the autronic wiring harness off and reconnect the original ecu, then sell my car and install the autronic on the other vehicle. where i really can't see that happening with the kpro unless i got another itr ecu spare and sounds like more work. which doesnt sound like to much money after all that...

ITs prettymuch the same for the Kpro as well.. Kpro is plug and play.. Autronic SMC can be bought plug and play for the older cars (Dc2, Eg, Almost anything with a B series engine).. not sure about SM4..

Although i didnt know autronic sm4 wiring harness fits the Honda Plugs.. i thought it had to be spliced into the stock loom..

Or you can do it like this..

Get yourself a Conversion harness which i think you can get for a Dc5.. hack up the end that attaches to your stock Loom.. and splice it together with the AUtronic SM4 loom.. and solder it together and shrink wrap the soldered ends..

that will get you after the effort a plug and play Autronic SM4 =P..

[PolitoHood]

ITs prettymuch the same for the Kpro as well.. Kpro is plug and play.. Autronic SMC can be bought plug and play for the older cars (Dc2, Eg, Almost anything with a B series engine).. not sure about SM4..

Although i didnt know autronic sm4 wiring harness fits the Honda Plugs.. i thought it had to be spliced into the stock loom..

Or you can do it like this..

Get yourself a Conversion harness which i think you can get for a Dc5.. hack up the end that attaches to your stock Loom.. and splice it together with the AUtronic SM4 loom.. and solder it together and shrink wrap the soldered ends..

that will get you after the effort a plug and play Autronic SM4 =P..

Scott said that they use custom harness