Do you get problems with warning lights coming on because the ECU doesnt see that the car is running and that all the sensors etc. are unplugged?
Got a friend who wants to do some big power upgrades to his 2003 Saab 9-3 Aero 2.0L turbo and we were talking about a management change.

Thanks!

 

depends on the car really.

almost all new cars use canbus or similar datalink technology to link the main ECU to dash, airbag units and various other sensors etc around the car.

it is common place for the dashboard to shit a load of fault codes/warning lights if the original ecu is removed or has loads of wires cut. Also many features like speedo, rpm, water temp, fuel guage are fed through the ECU and on the datalink so you can have problems with getting the dash to work full stop.

changes started happening mid to late 90's and came in gradually over the next few years depending on car and manufacturer.

Youll need someone in the know on saabs to find out for your car.

You can work it out in some cases from the wiring diagrams.

 

Easiest option might be something like AEM's FIC which is an interceptor type ecu. Far from perfect, but it is an option. Similar to E-Manage in that it lets you take control of the injectors, rather than totally relying on intercepting load signals.

Timing control is more limited though.

Or just piggyback a typical standalone ecu to take control of vital functions like fuel and sparks. Use resistors to keep the OEM ecu if you unplug stuff like injectors. Install new temp sensors so you dont disturb the OEM sensors.

That should keep the OEM ecu fairly happy.

 

Just use the OEM ecu, it's more than capable and the mapping software is out there

 

Rather not use something like eManage really, it's far from ideal.
Fitting new temp sensors is a good idea and resistors to let the ECU think injectors etc. are thisll there too, RPM hopefully could be fed from the new ECU to the tacho itself and if the stock ECU is still retained the speedo, fuel gauge, etc. should hopefully all still work too...
But yeah speaking to someone that knows Saabs is a good shout of course, Saab forum's here I come! lol

Cheers!

 

Link? That would be the easiest option by far!

 

Sending a PM to Chip is probably your best bet (he will have used it), either that or look around the Saab forums. I've seen the software but can't remember the name of it

 

and keeping the standard ecu keeps oem quality components and strategies for cold start etc. an aftermarket ecu is a backward step imo unless converting from carbs or a really old efi system

 

My friends astra turbo always had abs and eml lights on when he tried standalone management

 

I'd agree for the most part. However Ive seen reprogrammed OEM ecu's that have run horrifically both cold and hot afterwards. So a bad tuner can just as easily make a mess of the factory ecu as they can a standalone.

A well setup standalone should run almost as good or as good during cold start etc. It mostly boils down to whoever is tuning it.

 

The std saab ecu is easy to tune. org saab tuner like maptune etc has a lot to offer. My stg 1+ had 225hp and 3XX nm. Had a std of 150hp.

 

Thanks for your input fella's, I've found T8 Suite and a suitable OBD cable so just familiarising myself with that and I should be good to go!