AusS2000

Keep in ming that the E-manage by itself has three dials to adjust mixture and nothing else. Very blunt tool with which to tune. And you still need a plug and play harness ($200) or tricky install.

However, add the support tool ($200) and a laptop and you've got the same as the V-AFC (except you upload settings, then run. The V-AFC is 'on-the-fly').

Add the ignition and injector harness and you move well beyond the V-AFC both in specs and price. Add the pressure sensor and higher capacity injectors and you've got what you need for FI tuning.

hang777

For sure Aus... agreed...

I guess it makes sense to go for the VAFC if I know I am never gonna want FI...

BUT... if the option exists, then I would be silly not to go for the emanage myself, or another style of complete engine management, to be used to its fullest extent in the future...

Definitely not having a go at you... just thinking aloud and realising that I don't really know how far I am prepared to go with this car...

Especially after reading Fireballs thread about the dead engine. It seems the F20C is certainly not bullet-proof....

Perhaps i should have kept my Civic VTi-R and its wonderful B16A and gone to town with that... Perhaps the B-series engines are more resilient and reliable than the F20C???

A freind of mine has a worked B16A (Turbo)... blew my doors off... hasn't had it skip a beat once!!

Maybe the hunt is on for another Civic??

Cheers..

AusS2000

Or do as I did. Go with the VAFC for the meantime and go E-manage or better when and if you go FI. I mean, by then if Hondata have an ECU out you will regret buying the E-manage.

To be honest the E-manage by itself is over priced and under featured. It's only when you spend the extra that you really unlock it's value. I guess that's a good way of lowering the price point and up selling. Worked on me.

Austblue

hang777 if you feel that you would like to mod your car but not to the extent of FI then you will find that the VAFC is a very necessary tool in realising the hp that you are going to get. I haven't had anything to do with them personally but I can tell you that its seems like anyone in the US that has modded their car has gone with the VAFC option.

I don't mean to tell you how to run your life, but if I were you Id be asking someone a little less biased then the seller about the gains that can be realised by the product.

Im certain Aus agrees with this after I read the thread about the unichip the other day. If Aus took the sellers word as gospel he'd be licking his wounds by now.

In the same breath I have watched this thread since the beginning and I feel that Aus has been honest in answering your questions and clear about the product that you're investigating.

Bottom line is this. If you feel that there is a good enough chance that you will mod the car beyond the capacity of the VAFC tuning then you might want to save up and go big all in one hit. But if you find that you're not too sure about the extent that you will be going to then the VAFC is a well trodden path that can allow you to learn a lot about tuning the F20C while not setting yourself up for a difficult exit since the harness makes this a totally reversible mod that can be pawned off once you reach its limits.


On a bit of a side note:

I know that there has been a lot of attention thrown towards Fireball's unfortunate events lately but hell if that scares you then I suggest that you steer well clear of the search function and maybe even think twice about reading this forum. I don't mean to come across as callous towards Fireball but I feel that the geographical proximity of this problem is having way too much impact on its affect.

This is not the first blown F20C and it wont be the last. Am I concerned.....yes. Has it had an affect on how I treat my car.....no.

The number of people on this site may seem representative but when you look at the total number of S2000's sold and then look at the percentage of those owners that access this site, and then look how many of those have had catastrophic failures. It really starts to put things back into perspective. That's not even taking into consideration the fact that once this dire situation occurs people come looking for sites like this to voice their misfortune and perhaps source advice further skewing the results.

Anyway back off the soap box for me and back to the selling.

AusS2000

I think the pros and cons of the V-AFC are available to anyone via the search function. Suffice to say it gives some control over A/F and most NA upgrades are somewhat pointless without it.

It's not recommended for FI applications and that's exactly why I'm selling it.

Previously I had a VAFC and sold it when I was looking to sell my car couldn't find a buyer in Australia and ended up shipping it to a buyer in the US. About a month later there was a big discussion here about the VAFC and every man and his dog wanted one. That's why I put it up for sale locally this time.

If no body wants it I'll use the harness for the E-manage, sell the door to the UK or US and sell the VAFC on Ebay.

And next week someone will be asking where they can get a VAFC from again.

hang777

Ok.... hmmm.. Austblue...

Firstly, what exactly do you do?? I refer to "Anyway back off the soap box for me and back to the selling"

Just a query...

Anyhow... back to business...

Thanks for the tip, much appreciated, but I have actually been trawling the net for info on the VAFC, including this forum, and have been interested at different people's perception of the product. I wouldn't run out and buy something just cause somebody thinks its a good idea... It's in my nature to find out as much info as possible about a given topic, (even though it annoys people at the best of times) and draw conclusions from there.

I understand that this enigine is naturally reaching its limits in terms of power potential, as it is a well worked engine from the factory. I also understand that the VAFC is required to take advantage of all the little mods to be done to an NA car. (Nothing worse than a CAI on the old Civic, and before you know it, the exhaust pipe is BLACK!! )

From what I have understood, even with 2 - 3k of exhaust, intake and other bits, WITH the VAFC, I am really only looking at relatively low HP increase. I dare say there would be a great increase in the driveability of the car.... but I am quite happy with its day to day driveability as it is...

As it stands, my logic seems to say... hmm.. 2-3k for relatively low results... or 4-5k for a Forced Induction Kit (mainly turbo).... and then it starts...

New Clutch
Gearbox out and replace 2nd synchro (TSB-055 that the dealer won't do)
Lightened flywheel
Bigger brakes
Uprated suspension

$$$$$$$$$$$

All these that are essentially necessary mods to cope with the extra power generated by a 300hp+ Turbo kit... I certainly don't want to drive a 300+HP death mobile....

Costs just get crazy...

Leads me back to the old idea... keep it stock... when you want a faster car, BUY A FASTER CAR!!!

No offence to any people who have modded the S2k... but I just can't see value in big money spent on a car that you just can't recover.... I'd rather spend that 10k when its time to trade and go for something bigger and better?!?!?!?!

Saying that, if I won Powerball or something crazy like that, I'd go NUTS on it for sure!!! ehehehe

I guess I am less likely to encounter trouble with the donk if she stays stock... that just makes sense...

On the part of Aus2000... He has been most honest, and I respect him for that... As it seems, this thread has started the thought process rolling for me... and i guess I am answernig some personal questions aloud on this thread...

I totally understand your side note on reliability... I agree... but I guess I just can't recall ever hearing of a B16A fail... although I am sure it happens...

Thanks again for your thoughts...

Adam

mt2000

Hi Aus,

I very interested in the VAFC that you're selling.
I have not kept up with what's available in terms of placement of the VAFC console.
As I understand it, you're selling the VAFC, the radio door that holds the console and the harness altogether ?

Thanks.

Mark

Austblue

By that I just meant, excuse me for interrupting the thread with o/t opinion.

Im a structural engineer so nothing at all to do with cars or sales.

As for losing money on mods etc..... this brings out a completely new arguement that I will stay out of

AusS2000

Ooops, make that 5 dials:

Austblue

Im getting a red X Aus see if this works?


Edit: spooky.... it worked after I posted