Ecu, Move if needed.

[charger_cody]

I have a question boys and girls, since i'm am learning as I go how much does of a dif does it make to change out the stock ecu for something better? How does it change the performance?

Cody

[Nacho-RT74]

you have several options:

same ECU but higher performance, provided by MP ( orange, chromed box ) although they are being bad quality latelly. they provide more spark and higher RPMs limit

FBO brand ECUs... tested at races and testified by several owners the best option for stock look ignitions. Similar cost than MP stuff.

Prestolite or several other brands Ready to run dist without need for and extra ign module ( they have a small module mounted on dist )

MSD ignition... if you ask me, no need for that beside the WOAH! impression down the hood. They are GREAT, yes, but cost againts efectiveness makes them not worthly to me. has been tested on racing world again regular ignitions and apparently makes some light differences on 10 or 11 seconds cars. ( will you build one ? )

there are several other modules and option around. Lot of ppl uses the GM ign module too. Some in fact directly attached to dist. There is an ebay vendor selling dist with those already attached and wired

[Ghoste]

In short, if you are running a stock street driven car, it is of no benefit to use more than a stock ecu.  A few mods and the need for a more accurate dwell at higher rpm and then you would see a benefit.

[Nacho-RT74]

[charger_cody]

Hmm ok, so there is no need to change it looking for performance if your driving a non-strip car?

Cody

[Ghoste]

I wouldn't say non-strip exactly but based more on the other modifications.  Let me put it this way, as long as it lights, your engine doesn't care if it has a stock strength spark kicking off the mixture or a 50 billion kilojoule ultimate super duper high tech multi spark.  As long as it lights.  The moment you begin to make modifications to the engine the conditions required to make that spark can change and that is when the need for ignition upgrades begin.
It comes back to that package approach thing.  If you just install the better ecu with no other changes to a stock engine, you won't see a difference.  A stronger spark or a dwell designed to hold steady at a higher rpm isn't so much a performance improvement in and of itself as it is a reaction to other changes to enable them to respond to their full potential.  I'm not saying that the better ecu isn't a performance improvement, only that in some cases that improvement may never be noticed because it wasn't needed.  In other cases it will be.
Does that make sense?

[charger_cody]

I wouldn't say non-strip exactly but based more on the other modifications.  Let me put it this way, as long as it lights, your engine doesn't care if it has a stock strength spark kicking off the mixture or a 50 billion kilojoule ultimate super duper high tech multi spark.  As long as it lights.  The moment you begin to make modifications to the engine the conditions required to make that spark can change and that is when the need for ignition upgrades begin.
It comes back to that package approach thing.  If you just install the better ecu with no other changes to a stock engine, you won't see a difference.  A stronger spark or a dwell designed to hold steady at a higher rpm isn't so much a performance improvement in and of itself as it is a reaction to other changes to enable them to respond to their full potential.  I'm not saying that the better ecu isn't a performance improvement, only that in some cases that improvement may never be noticed because it wasn't needed.  In other cases it will be.
Does that make sense?

Gotcha. That makes sence. Basically more bang for the cars buck, but the car has no buck.. Lol.

Cody