ECU options

[robertobini]

I am probably going to bite the bullet and buy a new ECU. V-Tec Direct has on its list a Honda OEM @ £ 850, a Halfway @ £446 and a RS Mach @ £467.
The non-Honda are said to be unrestricted (not an issue as I am a slow driver).
Has anybody any experience of the two alternatives to the Honda OEM? Any comments/advice?
Also, any experience of V-Tec's service?

[Mylee]

It looks like Bazza, the original owner of VTec Direct and member here, has sold out at the beginning of March. So I can't comment on the new owner.
I would think the halfway and RSMach are exchange units at that price.
Also look at the stock coding system they use, all these items are known to be out of stock in Japan.

I ordered a roll bar when Bazza was running the business, I knew it was out of stock and had to be made. Some 4 months later I was still waiting, Bazza was chasing every week, in the end we cancelled.

[nalobcram]

I am probably going to bite the bullet and buy a new ECU. V-Tec Direct has on its list a Honda OEM @ £ 850, a Halfway @ £446 and a RS Mach @ £467.
The non-Honda are said to be unrestricted (not an issue as I am a slow driver).
Has anybody any experience of the two alternatives to the Honda OEM? Any comments/advice?
Also, any experience of V-Tec's service?

I've priced the ECU ( Honda OEM ) at Lings Honda....
they were only quoting £550 + vat.... that was last week, and they said in stock in europe...

[LawrenceHarding]

It all depends on the depth of your pocket and what you want to do. If you're happy with the standard car then stick with OEM spec. If you are thinking of going for aftermarket I would investigate the Emerald system http://www.emeraldm3d.com/em_ab_em.html. which is fully mappable and have it set up by Emerald on their rolling road. This would give you the best results for your particular car.

[robertobini]

Thanks everybody for the suggestions. £550+VAT with Europe availability is almost good news, as I feared worse. Many years ago the ABS box for my old BMW motorbike was £820.
I will go for it, as I opened mine to change the capacitors and found that several portions of the tracks had been eroded by leaking capacitors with no way to guess their original layout. I also found that some of the capacitors are soldered to both sides of the board and their removal and replacement, even with a good de-soldering tool, is very problematic, especially as the copper deposit for the tracks is very thin and the original lacquering seems to inhibit good heat transmission. No doubt better people than me will now be sniggering, but my advice is "don't bother", I wish I hadn't!