Im going to be purchasing a hondata 4b this week and i few questions for you guys. First off, i found the 4b at a shop in atlanta for $850 (4b, map sensor, datalogging), i know it usually goes for $1050, is this right? Also, is it necessary to get the pocket programmer? I plan on having a dyno tune my engine for about 4 different boost settings, 10,12,15, and 18psi. Would you guys just recommend purchasing different chips to have burned for each one of these settings and interchanging them according to how much boost i want to run? How easy/hard is it to interchange the chips? Or would buying the pocket programmer make things easier for me? As for the ROM editior, ROM Editor can save program changes for a file on your hard drive, but a chip programmer such as the Pocket Programmer is necessary to write the chip, so this is pretty much useless unless you have the pocket programmer? Ive already read over the hondata site numerous times and im kind of confused now. The shop also told me i need to send off my ecu to have it programmed and hondata would burn a base chip for me from their archives according to my current set up. Anyways, if you guys could clear up some of my questions it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks guys.

 

The pocket programmer is necessary to write chips. Or, if you work at a computer/hi tech type of place, you might be lucky enough to have an EPROM burner at your disposal.

You really should not need different chips for different boost levels. You can set your boost controller at the desired level and just tune that section of the map. The only reason I could really see needing different chips is if there is something radically different about the 2 programs in the chips. Ie, you might have a program that is designed to run around 110 octane race gas and another one around 91 octane pump gas. In that case, you might want 2 different chips, but for differing boost levels, you should be able to accomplish what you need with one chip. Hondata is shipping all of their units now with a rewritable chip, so you will only need that chip and that's it (unless you choose the 2 program approach I mentioned).

The pocket programmer also functions as an emulator. In this configuration, the programmer is basically a very fast rewritable chip. It is handy to have when you're tuning on the street. You basically dump your program into the programmer and making changes can be done in a matter of seconds. When you're done, you burn your chip. If you do not plan on tuning your car yourself, you really have no need for the pocket programmer. However, people who get Stage 4 kits usually want the power that it offers.

Sonny

 

i appreciate the feedback, but wouldnt you need different fuel curves and ignition settings for 10psi compared to 18 or 20psi?

 

go look at the romeditor demo and user manual on hondata.com -- you'll see that the hondata has fuel and ignition values for every combination of RPM and MAP values, so when your car is tuned it will be able to run at any and all boost levels that you have it tuned for (as well as all levels in between)

-Xerxes

 

ahhhh im still new to the whole hondata thing. now as far as the price for the unit, does this sound about right? its the cheapest ive found sofar, $850.


[Modified by GudeH23a, 2:54 AM 7/9/2002]

 

That's a great price! I'm assuming it's used because that is waaay less than any dealer can sell them for.

sonny

 

that's a very good price, but if you don't intend on tuning yourself or others, why get the 4b when a 2b will do what you are after.

 

im having it tuned in atlanta at the local dyno shop, ed the dyno guy is a hondata wizard. i want the 4b because of all of the added options (rom editor + honda logger) plus i have the money for it

 

see what you can get me a 2b for.