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  #21  
Old 10-07-2011, 12:15 PM
parsonsj parsonsj is offline
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Another way of thinking about the ISIS system is that it's really a BCM -- Body Control Manager. Which is something that nearly all modern cars have.

We spend big money on upgrading our old cars for modern suspension, engine management, better brakes, HVAC, and stereos.

Why would you draw the line there? ISIS represents the way that later model cars are wired, and it's something you can install. It's a fully configurable BCM for our hot rods.
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  #22  
Old 10-07-2011, 02:05 PM
wmhjr wmhjr is offline
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JP, I totally agree with you in principle. One caveat, however. In a factory situation, you have theoretically a higher degree of confidence that should you be stuck in podunk somewhere with a failed component, you'd be able to get a replacement "somewhere". ISIS is far more proprietary, and as such it means that you've got one place - you hope - to get a replacement. Also, my guess is that there is far more resource available to determine failure points, performance and failure testing, etc, with a very large manufacturer rather than with ISIS.

That being said, in the right build it would not stop me from using it. I really like the idea of the system. However, like anything it has its pros and cons.
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  #23  
Old 10-07-2011, 03:49 PM
parsonsj parsonsj is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill
Also, my guess is that there is far more resource available to determine failure points, performance and failure testing, etc, with a very large manufacturer rather than with ISIS.
ISIS is part of a large corporation, though I forget which.

I can't disagree with the "single point of failure". If ISIS quits making boxes, and those boxes fail, then users will be out of luck. The same could be said of FAST, Accel, PCS, or Holley engine and tranny controllers too. One would hope that the market would yield a new manufacturer eager to fille the void, but that's only hope, not a guarantee.

One of my favorite parts about ISIS is that I can talk directly with engineering staff to creatively solve problems. The car I wired has several custom features I was able to source with ISIS in "partner" type fashion; stuff that just cannot be easily done with traditional wiring solutions.
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  #24  
Old 10-07-2011, 04:37 PM
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James OLC James OLC is offline
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ISIS used to be a part of Littlefuse so the development did come in a "big company" environment. Jay has since taken the ball and run with it.

I've used the system longer the anyone - anywhere - and would not hesitate to use it on a future build.

With respect to wmjr's comments - I disagree. I think that regardless of who's aftermarket system (or '60's vintage factory for that matter) you are using, if it fails in the middle of knowwhere you are hooped. I don't see the likelyhood of being able to find a replacement board for any manufacturer on a whim so that's pretty much a red herring. The ISIS system uses conventional micro (?) fuses so it's not like general service is an issue.

And for what it's worth I have been there - I had a power cell that died on the OLC - it was a simple workaround and the cell was replaced in two days. One of the advantages of a plug and play system...
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  #25  
Old 10-07-2011, 04:48 PM
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Great responses guys......
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  #26  
Old 10-07-2011, 05:11 PM
Stuart Adams Stuart Adams is offline
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Good to hear it works well.
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  #27  
Old 10-07-2011, 08:41 PM
wmhjr wmhjr is offline
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I would respectfully disagree with the comments about ISIS being a "big manufacturer" type of build. Don't get me wrong - I am not in any way criticizing it. What I was saying is that a comparison was made of ISIS and a controller in a "modern car". I simply do not agree that it's likely that the same degree of failure analysis, design, testing, etc exists for ISIS when compared to what is required for units that a global manufacturer does expecting hundreds of thousands of units to be used in warrantee situations especially when regulated by folks like NHTSA, DOT, etc. That does not make it bad. No more than there is a different level of testing behind control arms, etc. ISIS is not responsible for warranty repairs on the entire vehicle and is responsible for only replacing the unit for one year - far differently than many manufacturers who have 10 yr warranties on new vehicles.

James, I also STRONGLY disagree with the idea that even with a more traditional wiring, you're hosed if something breaks. Honestly that's just not true. There is nothing - NOTHING - in my wiring that could not be fixed with some wire, a soldering iron, and some connectors. It might not be perfect, but all essential systems would run - obviously the ignition box is a different issue, but I can find an MSD distributor on a saturday if I need it, as well as another 6AL2 box. I seriously question exactly how a conventional wiring would result in the same situation as a failed ISIS cell. That just isn't true.

I think some comments are being taken out of context, and others are being responded to a little out of context. As I said, I think it's a great product. In the right build, I'd certainly use it. However, it's only right to acknowledge both the up side and down sides of any component that we might use. Fact is that you have one source for the ISIS components, which is far more restrictive than either a factory component from one of the big 3 and FAR different than conventional wiring. I'd also be willing to go out on a limb and say the MTBF on ISIS is not as high as on a factory controller. JMHO. And also, that I seriously doubt that the same level of stress testing is done by ISIS as with GM for production units. Like I said, JMHO. It seems like a great product - ESPECIALLY from a tech focused guy like me. I love tech.

Hopefully that clears some things up.
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  #28  
Old 10-08-2011, 06:35 PM
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wow guys i didnt expect this thread to take off the way it did. So much great info. Thanks James for chiming in with your experience with OLC. I'm also very interested in Roger's opinion once his system is all squared away.
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  #29  
Old 10-08-2011, 08:02 PM
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Actually -- I think one of the systems major "downfalls" is they really don't have very good marketing.... because the people that I talk to never seem to be able to tell me WHY I need this (vs traditional wiring) and or what REAL WORLD benefits I just can't live without. I think THAT is the reason it has a very slow adoption rate. Other than dimming interior lights... WHAT IS IT GOING TO DO FOR ME? When they answer that... and there's real benefits (because the install time savings is complete BS for the first time average guy)... then it's off to the races.

The "average" hot rodder can barely wire ANYTHING... toss in "electronics" and the eyes go crossed... the knees get weak... and it's "fugidaboudit"!
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  #30  
Old 10-08-2011, 11:44 PM
parsonsj parsonsj is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Greg
what REAL WORLD benefits I just can't live without
The answer is none, I think. You can stack up relays and custom control boxes on a traditional wiring harness and achieve the same results.

But here's the hook: ISIS separates switches and control knobs from the device, and puts a programmable computer in-between them. All the control wiring can be 28g wire, since very little current flows. And that computer can combine inputs, sequence inputs, time inputs, etc. The best analogy I can think of is a drive-by-wire throttle. A cable-based throttle works fine, and some would say it works better. (Toyota-bashers, this doesn't concern you, lol), but DBW has a control module attached to the throttle, and that input goes to the ECM, which then tells the throttle blade to move. The input "switch" is separated from the device by a computer.

Once you have DBW, you've got all kinds of things you can do. You can integrate cruise control, you can do cool things with pedal ratio, you can integrate heel-toe blips, you can support traction control, you can enforce engine break-in, etc.

That's what's different about ISIS. As I mentioned above, nearly all modern cars are wired this way.
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Last edited by parsonsj; 10-08-2011 at 11:48 PM.
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