I cannot speak much about the Hydra but what I can say from everything I have read on their site you have to pay for upgrades and software updates (if I have miss information please let me know about this). Due to both the Hydra and AEM running piggy back the the OEM ECU yes the OBDII port will still let you read the OEM ECU but it will not give you an diagnosis that will be useful due to the Standalone ECU controlling a majority of the inputs and outputs. So in this way both are equal but the Hydra still has A/C working without having to "Fix it" which to me is a plus. The AEM has free upgrades and updates which is a plus to me also. The issue with the car cutting off if the idle is set lower than 1,000 rpms is a big minus to me though and if this doesn't get figured out I have wasted a lot of money. On a positive note like I said before you do have full control over the fuel and VVTI (I forgot to mention). My opinion right at this moment if you are using your car for the street go with Hydra (because of the idle issue and A/C) if you are using your car for racing only go with the AEM you have far more control, inputs, and outputs. That is just my opinion and we all know everyone has opinions.

 

Can somebody make a comparison or list features the aem over the hydra, in what way does the aem have far more control over hydra..

 

Hydra:


Auxiliary outputs:
PWM 1 - 4, 9 - 14 and 16 are general purpose switch to ground 1A current limited outputs. PWM 1 - 4 have optional free-wheeling diodes for linear control of variable solenoids. PWM 5,6 and 8 are general purpose switch to power 1A current limited outputs. All PWM channels have 33V flyback limiting. PWM 1 is not available for DBW Cars. PWM 7 and PWM 15 are currently not available.

NTK L2H2 Wideband Closed Loop Autotune:
All Nemesis 2.5 ECUs have an L2H21 driver as standard equipment. There is no need to use an external uego driver module. The L2H2 , a newer more robust version of the L1H1 Sensor is a state-of-the-art Nernst Cell sensor with a rapid response and far more useful rich end output characteristics than older, non-planar sensors. Heater current is limited for a controlled warm up, and voltage limited for constant temperature.

Ignition:
Igniter signals are fully sequential 5V ignition triggers. Firing mode is positive only (voltage output to charge coil). Output options are direct fire, wasted spark and distributor signal.

Support:
Nemesis 2.5 includes many support options that make seamless plug-and-play possible, and wire in trouble free. Advanced support features include a dedicated variable speed fuel pump signal for the WRX, Honda multiplex bus support (for climate control and gauges), dedicated circuit opening relay ground signal and dedicated sensor ground connections that reduce harness ground wire splicing.

Auxiliary inputs:
Aux 1, 2 and 3 are 0 - 5V analog or 0 - 12V digital inputs. In digital mode, the switch point is 2.5V. Aux 3, 4 and 5 are digital only inputs, with a switch point of 2.5V.

Injectors:
The Nemesis 2.5 is capable of running cars up to 8 Cylinders sequentially. Injection modes are sequential, batch fire and throttle body injection. When not used for injection, outputs 2 - 8 can be used for staged injection or general purpose switching, and outputs 2 - 5 can be used for PWM control .

Sensors:
Analog sensor inputs are coolant temp, air temp, throttle position, twin knock sensor, twin ego sensor and on-board 3 bar map sensor. Temperature sensors can be configured for the 2 most common types, and knock sensor inputs can be amplified.
Digital trigger inputs are vss, trig and sync. These inputs are magnetic reluctor, Hall effect or optical sensor compatible.





© 2005 - 2008 Quantum Performance Development

AEM:
System is fully enabled—Never pay for upgrades!
Runs on Windows™ compatible software
Live help window eases tuning process
Free software updates on aempower.com
Fuel table automapping
Programmable traction control
Onboard 512kb datalogger
Up to 10 cylinder sequential fuel injection
10 independent peak & hold injector drivers
Direct drive ignition feature eliminates need for igniter or ignition module
On-board wideband UEGO controller
6 general-purpose outputs
7 definable switch inputs
Electronic boost control
Soft cut rev limiters
Two step launch control
Wet or dry nitrous control
Definable knock control
Full idle control
4 EGT inputs with fuel control
16/32 hybrid high speed processor

Hydra - run any injectors a plus, pay for upgrades
AEM - run peak and hold injectors only, free upgrades.
Every tuner I have spoke with tells me the AEM has a lot more flexibility. This may be true but until I get my a/c working correctly it doesn't mean anything.
This information is off of there websites hopefully Paul can chime in and give more information as he is the experienced one on this.


Hydra:
Output/Input Hydra Pin Description Comment
Inj5 D15 Available staged injection output or on-off switch Negative Output
Inj6 D10 Available staged injection output or on-off switch Negative Output
Inj7 D8 Available staged injection output or on-off switch Negative Output
Inj8 A10 Available staged injection output or on-off switch Negative Output
PWM1G A8 Available Linear Pulsed output or on/off switch Negative Output
PWM2G B7 Available Linear Pulsed output or on/off switch Negative Output
PWM3G A5 Available Linear Pulsed output or on/off switch Negative Output
PWM4G A9 Available Linear Pulsed output or on/off switch Negative Output
PWM5P F4 Available Pulsed output or on/off switch Positive Output
PWM6P F3 Available Pulsed output or on/off switch Positive Output
PWM8G A1 Available Pulsed output or on/off switch Positive Output
PWM9G A2 Available Pulsed output or on/off switch Negative Output
PWM10G A3 Available Pulsed output or on/off switch Negative Output
PWM11G A4 Available Pulsed output or on/off switch Negative Output
PWM12G A11 Available Pulsed output or on/off switch Negative Output
PWM13G F6 Available Pulsed output or on/off switch Negative Output
PWM14G F5 Available Pulsed output or on/off switch Negative Output
PWM16G A6 Available Pulsed output or on/off switch Negative Output
AUX1 B3 Available Input Analog Floats High
AUX2 B4 Available Input Analog Floats High
AUX3 B1 Available Input Analog Floats High
AUX4 C11 Available Input Analog Floats High
AUX5 D13 Available Input Digital Floats Low
AUX6 B12 Available Input Digital Floats Low


Paul will have to tell you what is available on the AEM after its wired up I am not sure what is free. I know there are several input / outputs available depending on how its wired (I counted 14 outputs ).

 

Not sure, if the AEM pulls more power than the hydra.

But the hydra also works in conjuction with the oem ecu. Mine appears to be fine, when I turn on every thing else, radio, a/c, headlights.

Just some food for thought.

I still need to get it dialed in properly. My bro won't let me borrow his laptop, lol.

Hope you get the problem resolved.

 

^^Pulling power is about tuning the car.

 

I think he ment electrical poiwer as in the AEM uses more power to operate than the Hydra, but I think that would be negligible

 

It pulls more power due to it feeding: OEM ECU, AEM ECU, IAC, and MAP sensor, its not just feeding two things but four. Each one doesn't pull a lot of power individually but I think when combined it pulls enough giving me issues. I will test this theory next time I am back in the US.

 

lol

I meant in terms of voltage.

But yea, pull timing and increasing boost ^^ FTW

 

right =)

 

I know that, lol. What I meant is, I had everything on at idle, and the hydra doesn't die on me. So unless the AEM draws more power than the Hydra, then you can rule that theory out ^^

Someone with a Multimeter, test this **** out =D

Question though is the map sensor seperate from the aem ecu unit?

On the hydra, the map sensor is built in.

 

Just as a bit of extra information, the 2.6 version of the Hydra has an additional 12v line that you need to attach to the fuse box for more power.

 

Thanks for the info.

I can't wait to upgrade mineeeeeeeeeeee.

=D

 

after I paid for my 2.5 (like a day later) they released the 2.6. Because of that I paid 2.5 price for a 2.6

 

Ouch that sucks.

Are you gonna upgrade to 2.6 later on?

 

No I already have a 2.6, they gave it to me for the same cost of the 2.5

 

ic

 

My bad, I should have included this before the voltage at the battery 12.5-13.8 and the AEM voltage would read .7-1.2 volts diffrent. At times the voltage would get below 11.5 and the AEM would kill the car.

The AEM has an external map which makes the Hydra one up for that since its built in.

 

Don't remember if you mentioned anything about the price difference. Hydra one ups AEM on pricing as well.

 

I wonder, if you were to get an underdrive pulley for the alternator. The voltage would be higher.

Theoretically that could solve your voltage problem with the AEM =)

Someone correct me if i'm wrong.

I vaguely remember, taking before and after tests of the voltage.

And the output was higher after the pulley install.

Edit: Obviously the tests were done with the car running at idle ^^ Pre and Post Pulley install.

 

That reminds me. On the Hydra, there is a setting that says, something in the lines of

"Enable RPM Increase when AC is on."

I'm pretty sure the AEM ecu has something analogous to that feature.

When I didn't have that enabled, the car would die on me, as soon as I turned on the AC at idle. It was also when the idle wasn't properly tuned. So it might have been that too, lol.