Notices
RX-8 Discussion General discussion about the RX-8 that doesn't fit in one of the specialty forums.

Is there easy way to tell if ECU has been modded?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Rate Thread
 
Old 04-20-2010, 09:48 AM
  #1  
Registered
Thread Starter
 
bschnard's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: OFallon, MO
Posts: 44
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Is there easy way to tell if ECU has been modded?

I have a suspicion the ECU in my 2004 RX8 has been tuned as the rev limiter does not seem to kick in when it should. Is there an easy way to tell if it has been chipped or flashed?

Also my VIN does not match any of the decoding sheets I have seen so far in the forum. Here is mine, JM1FE173140108554, wanting to find out more details on what the car is supposed to have.

Thanks,
Bill

PS: Ran my second autocross with the car last weekend on the new Bridgestone RE11's in street tire class and was just out of the trophies. Had a huge blast with the car. Tiny bit of front end push but still trying to figure out tire pressures, the RE11's run so much lower pressure than other tires I have run on.
Old 04-20-2010, 10:32 AM
  #2  
Registered
iTrader: (4)
 
alnielsen's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Buddhist Monastery, High Himalaya Mtns. of Tibet
Posts: 12,255
Received 6 Likes on 6 Posts
Go here to get your VIN decoded: https://www.fleet.ford.com/maintenan...ls/default.asp & http://www.analogx.com/cgi-bin/cgivi...&Submit=Decode
It apparently doesn't show the year. Look at the sticker on the drivers door for that information.
Old 04-20-2010, 08:29 PM
  #3  
Hooked on go-fast crack
 
Marc_GS's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Canada's capital
Posts: 208
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by bschnard
I have a suspicion the ECU in my 2004 RX8 has been tuned as the rev limiter does not seem to kick in when it should.
RX-8 tachometers are, shall we say, optimistic. On both of the ones I've owned, the cut-off seemed to be at about 9300-9400 per the tachometer. Others on this forum report similar results.
Old 04-20-2010, 08:55 PM
  #4  
Banned
iTrader: (3)
 
MazdaManiac's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Under my car
Posts: 16,386
Likes: 0
Received 24 Likes on 21 Posts
We recently ran CRH's car to 10k. The tach reported almost 11k.
Old 04-20-2010, 10:30 PM
  #5  
Senior Member
iTrader: (1)
 
8 Maniac's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Aki City, Japan
Posts: 3,814
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Originally Posted by MazdaManiac
We recently ran CRH's car to 10k. The tach reported almost 11k.
How much power was it still making?
Old 04-20-2010, 11:03 PM
  #6  
I8U
Registered
iTrader: (1)
 
I8U's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Carolina Beach, NC
Posts: 1,934
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
^Don't you mean, how much was it losing?
Old 04-21-2010, 12:43 AM
  #7  
Banned
iTrader: (3)
 
MazdaManiac's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Under my car
Posts: 16,386
Likes: 0
Received 24 Likes on 21 Posts
Uh, actually his motor kept making power. I think he made the high mark for the day. IIRC 210 and it kept going almost all the way to 9k.
His drop from 9k to 10k was like most people's drop from 8k to 9k.
Old 04-21-2010, 02:03 AM
  #8  
I8U
Registered
iTrader: (1)
 
I8U's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Carolina Beach, NC
Posts: 1,934
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
^Nice.
Old 04-21-2010, 03:22 AM
  #9  
Banned
iTrader: (3)
 
MazdaManiac's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Under my car
Posts: 16,386
Likes: 0
Received 24 Likes on 21 Posts
Dash? The entire electrical had a fit! Pretty awesome.
I think you made more than that - you were the high NA number for the day. Jedi will remember better than me.
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Hunterkelley24
Series I Engine Tuning Forum
14
06-14-2022 08:32 AM
jasonrxeight
RX-8's For Sale/Wanted
2
09-30-2015 01:53 PM
FubarI33t
New Member Forum
12
09-28-2015 08:45 PM
Jb4ker96
Series I Trouble Shooting
0
09-27-2015 10:06 PM
Evan Gray
Series I Trouble Shooting
0
09-26-2015 12:30 PM



You have already rated this thread Rating: Thread Rating: 0 votes,  average.

Quick Reply: Is there easy way to tell if ECU has been modded?



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:58 PM.