One of our previous customers
http://www.corrperformance.com/images/gallery/S2K_2.JPG had bought this serial gauge and had asked us to set it up with his AEM EMS so that it would communicate the proper functions he needed so when he gets a turbo kit, he'll be safe when he brings us the car. Here are some of my thoughts on the setup and overall performance of the gauge.
Here is more information on the gauge...
Serial Data Gauge Info
The setup was not bad. Had to make sure that the firmware was 1.19 or newer, otherwise it wouldn't work. Once that was done then I realized that his current map had to also be converted to 1.19 from 1.11, so then that was also done. Well, come to find out, the conversion of the map left A LOT of things uncorrected. The conversion is not 100%. Luckily the AEM has a compare function on it which lets you view two different maps side by side to check the parameters to see if they are equal. Well, they were not.
So we had to load a stock map which came in the new firmware upgrade. AEM did much better this time with the stock s2k maps. We loaded up our old timing/ fuel maps as well as setup the telemetry on the AEM for the serial gauge. The gauge then had to be setup through their software and only took a couple of minutes to do through the laptop directly connected to the gauge with 12vdc power. The gauge software is pretty easy to navigate through. You can set many different readings on it and the colors of the settings as well. Three different warnings for any of the monitoring parameters. Hi/Lo warnings or both.
A few things I didn't like about the gauge is that it HAS to be connected all the time with the AEM EMS. For me, I like to have the EMS connected to my laptop whenever I'm in the car so this would be a little bothersome. If you have it connected then you have to reach under there and disconnect it to then connect your laptop to the ems. If AEM could make two serial ports or one serial and one usb on their EMS, then that would really be ideal for both the gauge and laptop connecting at the same time. I didn't like the readout either as it looked very simplistic unlike the Defi Gauges we are used to seeing.
I like the functionality of the gauge and what it does but I'm the kind of person that has to be able to see several gauges at the same time to see how everything is behaving. All in all, excellent gauge if you want a single gauge and no cluttering of gauges. Not the gauge for the folks that want to monitor two or three gauges at once.
JC
