ALFAGTV6.COM

[Greg Gordon]

We have installed the SDS EM-4F engine managment system on a Milano Verde and I thought I would write a little about it. This system offers some advantages you won't find on other systems so it's worth looking at. I have been very impressed with this system.

In a nutshell, SDS replaces the entire fuel injection and ignition system including the distributor. It includes a custom made wiring harness for the Alfa and equipment for tuning, no laptop is required. It eliminates the AFM and uses a combination of crank position, manifold pressure, and throttle position data for accurate control. You can use either low resistance or high resistance injectors.

I like it for the following reasons.

1. It's ultra reliable. I don't know of any other affordable system used on aircraft.

2. It's super easy to tune. It has built in data logging that's so accurate you can get the tuning very close to perfect before heading to the dyno. All adjustments can be changed easily and fast with the included tuner. About an hour on the dyno and you will have everything just right. There is no need to spend $400 on data logging equipment.

3. No more replacing caps and rotors. The system uses commonly available coil packs. Eliminating the distributor also frees up a lot of space for other things.

4. Crankshaft postion is sensed with tiny magnets. No need to mess with a toothed wheel. The magnets are installed by drilling 4 tiny holes in the crank pulley and pressing them in. This provides 100% accurate position sensing. Even if the magnets are not in exactly the right place the software can compensate for it up to about 20 degrees! Of course in the case of a supercharged motor you don't even need to remove the crank pulley because you can simply press the magnets into the supercharger drive pulley.

5. It's affordable. Starting at $1311 for a 4 cylinder setup. We got it up to about $1600 with all the options we selected. (6 cylinders, supercharged, etc.) Note: SDS does make cheaper systems starting at $883.

6. Numerous records in racing.

7. Fantastic instructions and tech support. A phone call to the central time zone puts you in touch with the guys who build and use this system. These guys really cared about my installation!

8. It can drive any type of injector and it's powerfull enough to pulse large high resistance injectors fast enough for a good idle. With the ability to handle up to 60 pounds of boost and huge injectors I don't think your car will outgrow this system.

9. It has a lot of features I didn't use but they might be helpful to others. For example nitrous oxide spark retard, knock control, supercharger clutch, etc.

10. The ability to use our stock Bosch sensors or any other type you may want to use.

As with any system there are drawbacks.

First you can't connect it to a laptop. You have to do the tuning in the car. Honestly tuning with this thing is so easy and so fast I can't see that being a problem. If you just have to look at data in your living room spend money on a data logging device like the one from innovative motorsports.

Second, as with any system like this installation is time consuming. Even though it comes with a wiring harness and is essentially a "complete kit" you will have some work cut out for you. This involves making a lot of brackets. You need a bracket to hold the coil packs (I know, I know, you could just drill holes in the car and bolt everything up but that's not how I do things), you need a bracket to hold the crank position sensor, you need one for the throttle position switch, etc. Of course you also need to remove the old injection system. I would budget a couple weekends for this project.

Results with this system were nothing less than fantastic. It idles more smoothly than any Alfa I have seen, responds better, and is essentially perfect. It allowed for a massive 276 horsepower at the wheels (265 corrected) on just 7.5 pounds of boost so I know it's not holding the motor back!

I am NOT a dealer for these things, just a happy customer.

http://www.sdsefi.com/

[Mats]

2. It's super easy to tune. It has built in data logging that's so accurate you can get the tuning very close to perfect before heading to the dyno. All adjustments can be changed easily and fast with the included tuner. About an hour on the dyno and you will have everything just right. There is no need to spend $400 on data logging equipment.

<snip>

As with any system there are drawbacks.

First you can't connect it to a laptop. You have to do the tuning in the car. Honestly tuning with this thing is so easy and so fast I can't see that being a problem. If you just have to look at data in your living room spend money on a data logging device like the one from innovative motorsports.

How can it be a complete logging unit if you can't connect it to a laptop? Printouts on hole cards?

[Greg Gordon]

Hi Mats,
The system comes with a programer that logs the data. If it helps, think of it this way, it comes with its own laptop. No need to use another one. I have attached a nice picture for you. This thing has all data, injector duration, manifold pressure, ignition curve, air temps, etc. Whatever you could want to know, it's in there.

[Zamani]

Greg,

For the maps, do you change the value every 250 rpms? And what about MAP values? I'm guessing you have to enter a fuel value for every map vs. rpm cell?

[Greg Gordon]

Zamani, that's mostly correct. You can change values every 250 rpm. You don't have to enter a value for every possible amount of manifold pressure and rpm. That would take forever!

If you want detailed instructions on how you tune it, the manuals are online here: http://www.sdsefi.com/program.html

[Zamani]

The fuel map seems quite basic. A single value per rpm. Am I right on this Greg?

IMHO this part of it is a little too basic. But if it works, it works I guess.

The ignition map has some adjustments for retard/advance based on the MAP.

[Barry]

Zman,Ive worked with SDS before and what Greg says above is absolutely correct and more..
The interpolation between set pints is what is so impressive.Every 250 rpm "jump"is also divided into 256 points and each is automatically assigned a value through the automated interpolation action..The system has come a looooong way from 1990 when the first basic systems were being used on some of the quick Buicks..

The method of using the hand held is the same as the Australian Microtech..
Also brilliant but really geared towards Rotary application.

The hand held can be looked at as a "cottage pane" window.You would scroll up and down,left and right in a specific "window .
Up and down would be your different main components and left to right would be adjustable data within that component.

Greg,the first few SDS systems actually were Laptop or computor driven,the hand held was optional and now I see its the main method of inputting data...

[Greg Gordon]

Zamani, of course it's not a single value per RPM. That really couldn't work with forced induction. Think about it, the fuel requirements at 4000 rpm and light throttle under vacuum are WAY different then at 4000 rpm and 7 pounds of boost.

[Mats]

Oh, I see.

Looks to me like it may be a bit difficult to get a grip on if you only look at on cell at a time. Guess you learn after a while though, just like anything else?

Losing the laptop is not an option for me, I'd like to be able to export the data to other applications too.

[Greg Gordon]

It's really pretty easy. Is it perfect for everyone and all applications? No, of course not, no system is.

[Zamani]

Greg,

I see. I saw some example maps and I couldn't figure out how it worked. Sounded a bit strange (1 fuel value per RPM) when I first saw the sample maps. I guess you are right and your answer is logical. I'm just so used to the spreadsheet style UI.

Was there a reason why you didn't go for something like VEMS or Megasquirt II? Was support part of the reason?

[Greg Gordon]

I think I understand what you were looking at. They refer to a term called "RPM Fuel" which is the main fuel data you enter. However that's not a hard number that equates to a specific amount of fuel, it varies with manifold pressure. In other words if you increase RPM fuel at 3000 rpm from 100 to 120 it adds a percentage across the whole range of manifold pressures. It's really a no brainer once you start doing it. If you need to alter the amount of fuel adjustment under boost you can do that in a seperate area, but they say for boost levels below 7.5 psi you won't need to. They were right.

We went with this system for a number of reasons. Support is a big one. It's really nice to be able to call up someone only one time zone over and get tech advise. It also helped that Csaba at Vick's had already installed this system on a GTV6 so I knew they could help if I got stuck. It turned out to be time consuming but simple.

Another big factor was the magnet sensors. This meant I didn't have to remove the crank pulley and track down or machine a toothed ring.

For reasons I didn't go with Megasquirt 2 you will have to call or email. I am sure that's a good system. I just had special reasons for not using it.