Anyone familiar with this ECM setup? Thinking about swapping my OE ECM out for one of their modded ones to play with the tuning of the little LO3.
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CK5
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EBL Flash-2
- Thread starter TerryD
- Start date
I haven't used it, but EBL has been around for a long time now. I wouldn't be hesitant to use it.
If no one here has more feedback, you might find a bit more posts on it over at thirdgen.org's forums. I know I heard about it long ago there.
If no one here has more feedback, you might find a bit more posts on it over at thirdgen.org's forums. I know I heard about it long ago there.
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That's where I saw it. And I'm on the gearheadefi forum too but some fellas here have a lot of expertise and this forum is more active most time.
Yeah unfortunately that site is like a bunch of non-trendy EFI systems, rarely used. I struggle finding info I want on things not HP tuner based or modern aftermarket stuff
Lots of googlefu seat time…
Lots of googlefu seat time…
I feel like this came up recently.
Don't have any personal experience, but how can i push you towards it?! still something i am mildly interested in. I would probably buy one if i had a bunch more 400 dollar bills burning holes in my wallet.
whats the LO3 again? 5 liter TBI?
Yeah. Screaming 170hp.
It's a fair bit of an outlay for cash for sure, but if I were to check what it costs to be able to catalog and burn chips efficiently now for TBI, I wouldnt be surprised if they are near the same.
What I found interesting is that it's nearly the same cost to have them do the work to your ECM, as it is to DIY.
Im tempted to go this route as I plan to use the underhood ECM on a couple of projects, and chip burning and swapping does get tedious. Plus last I had checked, the chips used for burning for some applications were no longer made, and fakes had started to show up in the market.
What I found interesting is that it's nearly the same cost to have them do the work to your ECM, as it is to DIY.
Im tempted to go this route as I plan to use the underhood ECM on a couple of projects, and chip burning and swapping does get tedious. Plus last I had checked, the chips used for burning for some applications were no longer made, and fakes had started to show up in the market.
I don't have any desire to really change EFI systems. I just want to be able to tune it, and like you said, this is kind of a one-and-done when it comes to the "work". The rest is just driving and tinkering as opposed to continually pulling the ECM and prom.
Plus it take WBO2 input and you can map and log it onboard rather than a separate system.
I'm thinking I could run the NBO2 in the OE location and a WBO2 in the driver's side header eventually to really fine tune things. But that's cart before the horse right now.
The functionality certainly seems to be there. I suppose one question should be, what do you plan with the LO3? Would it be worth the expense?
Tuning is fun I think (the really fine tuning perhaps not so much) and the GM tune does have room for improvement, but without some engine mods not sure you'd get much use of it?
With a more radical cam, better heads, headers, etc, tuning would definitely be beneficial and noticeable.
It was fun just getting started with the L31 long block and the L98 (TPI) tune...fueling and timing was way off. Seeing knock at a specific RPM/load and being able to drop some timing, and/or adding fuel in those areas, and taking the truck back out for a run and seeing the knock lessened or disappear was satisfying. Then the tuning for power, being able to see the improvement on the speedometer while pulling large grades with a trailer.
Things like tuning for cold and hot start, not so much fun. Much more difficult to replicate the same conditions consistently and frequently enough to know if your changes made a difference. But once you get it, it's done.
One thing I was able to make happen then lost was an extremely fast start. Split second starter operation before it started. Then something happened in the tune (inadvertent change I made, or corrupted file) and I've never been able to make that happen again. It was like a modern vehicle, I was astounded every time I started it.
Tuning is fun I think (the really fine tuning perhaps not so much) and the GM tune does have room for improvement, but without some engine mods not sure you'd get much use of it?
With a more radical cam, better heads, headers, etc, tuning would definitely be beneficial and noticeable.
It was fun just getting started with the L31 long block and the L98 (TPI) tune...fueling and timing was way off. Seeing knock at a specific RPM/load and being able to drop some timing, and/or adding fuel in those areas, and taking the truck back out for a run and seeing the knock lessened or disappear was satisfying. Then the tuning for power, being able to see the improvement on the speedometer while pulling large grades with a trailer.
Things like tuning for cold and hot start, not so much fun. Much more difficult to replicate the same conditions consistently and frequently enough to know if your changes made a difference. But once you get it, it's done.
One thing I was able to make happen then lost was an extremely fast start. Split second starter operation before it started. Then something happened in the tune (inadvertent change I made, or corrupted file) and I've never been able to make that happen again. It was like a modern vehicle, I was astounded every time I started it.
I'm not looking to go radical. Just wake it up and bring it up to it's full potential. Maybe a cam swap in the future.
Lots of folks talk about bumping the timing and fuel pressure and I'm sure there are some gains there. But I don't want to have to rely on the knock sensor to keep it in check. It'd be the same as taking a stock tune carb car and just tweaking it to get the most of it.
With EFI, it's pay to play. My time is worth enough to make me consider this VS burning so I can tinker when I have the opportunity.
I'm 38, that's not old, but my Dad had a heart attack at 50, Mom at 55, and Mom died of cancer at 60. So I weigh that in as well.
Plus I like tuning. Well, I enjoy tuning carburetors. I would like to play with this for a bit. I've got two spare motors laying around and a LO3 can barely make enough power to hurt itself.
Then maybe find a LS1 4th Gen or luck into a G8 GXP or something to play with in the future.
So maybe somewhat just to say I did and I can?
Lots of folks talk about bumping the timing and fuel pressure and I'm sure there are some gains there. But I don't want to have to rely on the knock sensor to keep it in check. It'd be the same as taking a stock tune carb car and just tweaking it to get the most of it.
With EFI, it's pay to play. My time is worth enough to make me consider this VS burning so I can tinker when I have the opportunity.
I'm 38, that's not old, but my Dad had a heart attack at 50, Mom at 55, and Mom died of cancer at 60. So I weigh that in as well.
Plus I like tuning. Well, I enjoy tuning carburetors. I would like to play with this for a bit. I've got two spare motors laying around and a LO3 can barely make enough power to hurt itself.
Then maybe find a LS1 4th Gen or luck into a G8 GXP or something to play with in the future.
So maybe somewhat just to say I did and I can?
Hey, if you have the money and just want to, no one can fault you for that!
I think the 305's may not have the margin for improvement 350's the same vintage have, assuming the LO3 was "high" compression compared to the 350's of the same era.
But the theories are all going to be the same...fuel, timing, load, etc. What is done with a 305 will be done with another engine, just different numbers.
I think the 305's may not have the margin for improvement 350's the same vintage have, assuming the LO3 was "high" compression compared to the 350's of the same era.
But the theories are all going to be the same...fuel, timing, load, etc. What is done with a 305 will be done with another engine, just different numbers.
I don't expect 300hp from it. But I think some mild mods and good tuning can get me near 200.
And I can always just toss my OEM ECM back in if it goes sideways.
I know there are a few articles out there about making power with the 305. It could certainly be fun to squeeze out some more power. My suspicion is that heads would be required, but I guess depending on how crazy you wanted to get, that wouldn't be out of the question.
Hell, with EBL IIRC you can boost it too. Maybe that could be a fun experiment?
I think the factory heads will support nearly 300hp with a little port clean-up but that's farther than I want to go. If I have to pull the heads, I'll look for a set of the TPI 305 heads or the L30 Vortec heads.
If this works good, I have a LO3/T5 hardtop car at Dads I'll play with. Just throw boost at it till it scatters and I STILL have a spare LO3 sitting around.
