REVIEW: Ric Shaw Controller - Fitted
03-08-2004, 10:06 AM
#1
REVIEW: Ric Shaw Controller - Fitted
Hi all,
Here is the latest scoop from the House of Hymee.
This evening we fitted a "Ric Shaw" piggy-back ECU. The special thing about this one is that we fitted it without cutting or splicing any of the wiring loom. We did this with the latest Hymee special - a custom made wiring harness that plugs directly into the factory connectors. The harness is a product of at least 25-30 man hours work by myself and a silent partner.
Don't ask me for any coightometer reports. The dyno will reveal all when we get it on there. (Remember - mine doesn't have "Safe Mode")
Note - the unit was installed with Ric's "base tune". We have the cable and software to be able to tune the unit ourselves. A very experienced rotary engine tuner will be doing a full tune on the unit in the very near future.
Here is what I do have to report:
More details to come when we do some proper tests in a controlled environemnt, and do a full tune.
Cheers,
Hymee.
PS - I just awarded myself the Post of the Day! Actually - a tie with EASTMOON. All your base are belong to us, grasshopper!
Here is the latest scoop from the House of Hymee.
This evening we fitted a "Ric Shaw" piggy-back ECU. The special thing about this one is that we fitted it without cutting or splicing any of the wiring loom. We did this with the latest Hymee special - a custom made wiring harness that plugs directly into the factory connectors. The harness is a product of at least 25-30 man hours work by myself and a silent partner.
Don't ask me for any coightometer reports. The dyno will reveal all when we get it on there. (Remember - mine doesn't have "Safe Mode")
Note - the unit was installed with Ric's "base tune". We have the cable and software to be able to tune the unit ourselves. A very experienced rotary engine tuner will be doing a full tune on the unit in the very near future.
Here is what I do have to report:
- Unit looks very good, and professional. Nice black case, much smaller in all dimensions than the factory ECU.
- Comes with a "blank off" plug to allow the unit to be switched on/off without un-installation/re-installation.
- Car started first go with "blank-off" installed.
- Car started first go with unit operational.
- Car drove just fine.
- Real time ODBII data logging (via my scan tool and software) showed the Air/Fuel ratios in a much more desirable range. This shows the fuel control is performing its intended function.
- We fiddled with the Ignition timing in real time (while the engine was running) and noticed the difference. We held it at about 2000 RPM and pulled a bunch of timing out, and the revs dropped off correspondingly. This shows the Ignition control is performing its intended function.
More details to come when we do some proper tests in a controlled environemnt, and do a full tune.
Cheers,
Hymee.
PS - I just awarded myself the Post of the Day! Actually - a tie with EASTMOON. All your base are belong to us, grasshopper!
Last edited by Hymee; 03-08-2004 at 10:09 AM.
03-08-2004, 02:53 PM
#4
aka Smoothy
Join Date: Jul 2003
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Hymee,
Great stuff. I wait with much interest to hear the results of your testing. Are you going to look at
1) Stock Car
2) With Rics tune
3) After the unit has been professionally tuned?
Your Hymee wiring harness that plugs the unit directly into the car sounds awesome.
Congratulations on a great job.
Great stuff. I wait with much interest to hear the results of your testing. Are you going to look at
1) Stock Car
2) With Rics tune
3) After the unit has been professionally tuned?
Your Hymee wiring harness that plugs the unit directly into the car sounds awesome.
Congratulations on a great job.
03-08-2004, 06:32 PM
#10
Originally posted by skc
I would be interested in seeing the dyno results.
I would be interested in seeing the dyno results.
Originally posted by skc
BTW what are the benefits of upgrading the ECU...I am a novice when it comes to upgrades.
BTW what are the benefits of upgrading the ECU...I am a novice when it comes to upgrades.
Or are you talking about the benefits of the unit itself? It is not a replacement for the PCM. It plugs into the PCM and "takes control" of ignition and fuel (in simple terms). All other operations/functions of the car are still in-tact. In fact, after we had been plugging and un-plugging a couple of times, my radio still had all it's station presets, remembered what station is was on, and the A/C still held it's settings. Even the Trip computer rembered I had done about 450km
The cruise control worked flawlessly (well, I didn't check for the random "surge" I usually get on "resume", but that is random anyway, and is a behaviour of the car, not the piggy-back).
Cheers,
Hymee.
Last edited by Hymee; 03-08-2004 at 06:35 PM.
03-08-2004, 07:28 PM
#12
How long? Oh - about 1/4 mile. Or 15 Seconds. Hehehe. Only joking. I first spoke to Ric on the... Hang on a bit...
The unit has been purchased outright at (full price) from Ric so we could do our own totally independant evaluation.
The "Hymee Special" Harness was done independantly from Ric, by myself and SP (the Silent Partner).
Cheers,
Hymee.
The unit has been purchased outright at (full price) from Ric so we could do our own totally independant evaluation.
The "Hymee Special" Harness was done independantly from Ric, by myself and SP (the Silent Partner).
Cheers,
Hymee.
03-08-2004, 08:38 PM
#14
The purpose of the unit is to tune the car to an "optimum level" of efficiency.
Traditionally, factory tunes very in degress between rich and pig rich. The RX-8 is rich. The idea is to lean out the mixture as well as optimise the ignition timing.
Most people would do this mod for more power and better "driveability". But it can also be beneficial to fuel economy. Surely if the mixture is not so rich, then it is better for the environment as well. So potentially winners all round.
Cheers,
Hymee.
Traditionally, factory tunes very in degress between rich and pig rich. The RX-8 is rich. The idea is to lean out the mixture as well as optimise the ignition timing.
Most people would do this mod for more power and better "driveability". But it can also be beneficial to fuel economy. Surely if the mixture is not so rich, then it is better for the environment as well. So potentially winners all round.
Cheers,
Hymee.
03-08-2004, 08:48 PM
#15
rock-->o<--hard place
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Canberra, AUSTRALIA
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I guess it is also dependent on the fuel you use (ie, 98 RON v 95) -- is that right?
When I saw the other (US) thread on Ric's unit, I was somewhat daunted by the amount of calibration one could do. So it will be interesting to see what you achieve.
Do you know whether Ric has any dyno results?
When I saw the other (US) thread on Ric's unit, I was somewhat daunted by the amount of calibration one could do. So it will be interesting to see what you achieve.
Do you know whether Ric has any dyno results?