Reflashed ECUs
10-04-2003, 11:54 AM
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Originally posted by ggreen29
This whole ecu is more and more fascinating to a novice like me. Are you saying that if I don't drive my car harder it won't perform better? Does the ecu somehow get used to my style of driving?
Also how does this brake tapping get any residual power out of the vehicle?
Thanks in advance.
This whole ecu is more and more fascinating to a novice like me. Are you saying that if I don't drive my car harder it won't perform better? Does the ecu somehow get used to my style of driving?
Also how does this brake tapping get any residual power out of the vehicle?
Thanks in advance.
10-04-2003, 01:02 PM
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it would be a nice thing if it was like the Audi chips - press a certain sequence in the cruise control buttons to activate the better map, press another sequence to bring back the OEM mapping when taking it for service :p
10-06-2003, 04:58 PM
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Originally posted by pr0ber
it would be a nice thing if it was like the Audi chips - press a certain sequence in the cruise control buttons to activate the better map, press another sequence to bring back the OEM mapping when taking it for service :p
it would be a nice thing if it was like the Audi chips - press a certain sequence in the cruise control buttons to activate the better map, press another sequence to bring back the OEM mapping when taking it for service :p
The only thing about re-flashes that concerns me is that Mazda tells us that this is a 32 bit processor and is rather sophisticated, not commonly in use yet (could be bs?). If that is the case, I'd be hesitant to re-flash and have to get it towed from the tuner to the dealer!!
10-06-2003, 05:08 PM
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Originally posted by SuperRex
Even if a dealership can detect a reflash, all you have to do is get your ecu reflashed back to stock maps when you need to bring it to the dealer. The procedure is simple enough and it should not be a costly procedure
Even if a dealership can detect a reflash, all you have to do is get your ecu reflashed back to stock maps when you need to bring it to the dealer. The procedure is simple enough and it should not be a costly procedure
-pete
10-06-2003, 05:38 PM
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Some specifics for non-techies, please
[QUOTE]Originally posted by ggreen29
[B] This whole ecu is more and more fascinating to a novice like me. Are you saying that if I don't drive my car harder it won't perform better? Does the ecu somehow get used to my style of driving?
I can understand a few possibilities, for example letting the automatic rev higher for someone with a heavy foot, and kickdown more easily. But what improvement would it make for me? I drive with a light foot and low revs most of the time, because it's just errands with lots of traffic. Occasonally, I let it rip for fun. I want optimal economy in (1), optimal performance in (2). Can the ECU learn to do that? Back to my interest in specifics, how?
[B] This whole ecu is more and more fascinating to a novice like me. Are you saying that if I don't drive my car harder it won't perform better? Does the ecu somehow get used to my style of driving?
I can understand a few possibilities, for example letting the automatic rev higher for someone with a heavy foot, and kickdown more easily. But what improvement would it make for me? I drive with a light foot and low revs most of the time, because it's just errands with lots of traffic. Occasonally, I let it rip for fun. I want optimal economy in (1), optimal performance in (2). Can the ECU learn to do that? Back to my interest in specifics, how?
10-06-2003, 05:43 PM
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[QUOTE]Originally posted by ggreen29
[B] This whole ecu is more and more fascinating to a novice like me. Are you saying that if I don't drive my car harder it won't perform better? Does the ecu somehow get used to my style of driving?[B][QUOTE]
Don't know about Mazda, but Benz ECU do read the way you drive and adapt to that style, i.e., adaptive tuning. Would be nice if my 8 "learned" that I like to go fasssst. But then again, it's pretty fast the way it is...for me.
[B] This whole ecu is more and more fascinating to a novice like me. Are you saying that if I don't drive my car harder it won't perform better? Does the ecu somehow get used to my style of driving?[B][QUOTE]
Don't know about Mazda, but Benz ECU do read the way you drive and adapt to that style, i.e., adaptive tuning. Would be nice if my 8 "learned" that I like to go fasssst. But then again, it's pretty fast the way it is...for me.
10-06-2003, 05:58 PM
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Originally posted by TybeeRX-8
This sounds interesting. I've not heard of it before, but what's to say there is something like that which can be done on the 8?
This sounds interesting. I've not heard of it before, but what's to say there is something like that which can be done on the 8?
10-06-2003, 06:05 PM
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Originally posted by CraziFuzzy
It isn't a totally new idea, though fairly new in production form. There have been a couple different aftermarket ECU upgrades on the market for many different cars that have allowed map switching. My mother-in-law's mid eighties Camry even had a button on it to change the tranny's shift points for more powerful driving, or more economy.
It isn't a totally new idea, though fairly new in production form. There have been a couple different aftermarket ECU upgrades on the market for many different cars that have allowed map switching. My mother-in-law's mid eighties Camry even had a button on it to change the tranny's shift points for more powerful driving, or more economy.
10-08-2003, 11:32 AM
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10-08-2003, 01:40 PM
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I chipped my VW Passat which upped my hp from 150 to 190. What they did in order to prevent the dealer from finding out was soldering on a socket to the ECU and returning the stock chip with stock programming on it to you along with the modified chip. When you bring it in for service just plop the stock chip back on the socket. The only way they could find out is if they actually opened up the ECU box.
10-08-2003, 03:49 PM
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Originally posted by ZoominRex
I chipped my VW Passat which upped my hp from 150 to 190. What they did in order to prevent the dealer from finding out was soldering on a socket to the ECU and returning the stock chip with stock programming on it to you along with the modified chip. When you bring it in for service just plop the stock chip back on the socket. The only way they could find out is if they actually opened up the ECU box.
I chipped my VW Passat which upped my hp from 150 to 190. What they did in order to prevent the dealer from finding out was soldering on a socket to the ECU and returning the stock chip with stock programming on it to you along with the modified chip. When you bring it in for service just plop the stock chip back on the socket. The only way they could find out is if they actually opened up the ECU box.
Keep that in mind.
Ask me how I know.
Great pics above
10-08-2003, 06:34 PM
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RMagic ECU
Seems like all it does currently is eliminate the revlimiter
Links to rough translation of RMagic page:
RX-8 Page
Information
ECU Identification
Links to rough translation of RMagic page:
RX-8 Page
Information
ECU Identification
10-08-2003, 06:59 PM
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Flash the existing ECU? bleh... no... but do what I do with my Audi, which is buy spare ECU, and flash that.
For the S4, I just have a spare ECU that I had chipped, and the original stock one I carry in the trunk (I can do the swap back in 5 mins)
Coupled with VAG-COM diagnostic software, it's the way to go for an Audi... i'd like this kinda stuff for the 8.
The dealer can easily tell if it's a modified ECU, or reflashed ECU. Even the APR stuff for Audi that lets you switch programs via the cruise control is pretty easy for a dealer to find out.
So, anyone know what an RX-8 ECU costs? Can't be much more than $500-$600....
For the S4, I just have a spare ECU that I had chipped, and the original stock one I carry in the trunk (I can do the swap back in 5 mins)
Coupled with VAG-COM diagnostic software, it's the way to go for an Audi... i'd like this kinda stuff for the 8.
The dealer can easily tell if it's a modified ECU, or reflashed ECU. Even the APR stuff for Audi that lets you switch programs via the cruise control is pretty easy for a dealer to find out.
So, anyone know what an RX-8 ECU costs? Can't be much more than $500-$600....
10-09-2003, 10:30 AM
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Originally posted by Miwa
So, anyone know what an RX-8 ECU costs? Can't be much more than $500-$600....
So, anyone know what an RX-8 ECU costs? Can't be much more than $500-$600....
10-09-2003, 10:35 AM
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I'm not sure that the gains would be significant enough to risk flashing the stock ECU. For the forced induction engines, gains were pretty substantial just by telling the computer to raise the boost pressure. There were a lot of big name manufacturers creating chips for the VW/Audi crowd as well so quality was definitely up there as opposed to one small company fiddling with it in their garage. (not to say your guys' product would be inferior b/c I haven't seen or heard your specific plans for it)
10-09-2003, 10:44 AM
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Originally posted by ZoominRex
I'm not sure that the gains would be significant enough to risk flashing the stock ECU. For the forced induction engines, gains were pretty substantial just by telling the computer to raise the boost pressure. There were a lot of big name manufacturers creating chips for the VW/Audi crowd as well so quality was definitely up there as opposed to one small company fiddling with it in their garage. (not to say your guys' product would be inferior b/c I haven't seen or heard your specific plans for it)
I'm not sure that the gains would be significant enough to risk flashing the stock ECU. For the forced induction engines, gains were pretty substantial just by telling the computer to raise the boost pressure. There were a lot of big name manufacturers creating chips for the VW/Audi crowd as well so quality was definitely up there as opposed to one small company fiddling with it in their garage. (not to say your guys' product would be inferior b/c I haven't seen or heard your specific plans for it)
Especially quoting the vw/audi world, you should know that!
Also those same tuners must not only make changes, but the checksum of the file must match the original.
That's just a bit more than only "raising boost".
10-09-2003, 04:48 PM
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By saying "just" I didn't mean to imply that that is the only thing the chips do. Obviously there is much more to it but increasing the boost pressure is the MAIN way they achieve those high hp gains which would not be available to us NA rotary heads.
10-13-2003, 01:44 AM
#47
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OK, some facts, some speculation:
1) You can get a new JSPec programmed ECU for around $900 (Canadian)
2) It is not an easy beast to "reflash". There are no socketed PROMs, they are all surface mount, and at least 3 of the chips on the board hold ROM images, not just 1.
3) Once you redo it you have to get a dealer to program the unit for your immobilizer key.
4) You will need to keep your old ECU and put it in for service at the dealer. The moment they throw your car on the diagnostics it will show if not original. While it is not mechanically hard to change the ECU ( a 5 minite job, actually) you will need to invest in a spare set of keys, and have the new ECU programmed for those.
Anyway, to make a long story as short as possible I have 2 of the JSpec ECUs coming sometime in the next 10 days, and will be playing with this a bit.
I will post my experiences with it at that time.
1) You can get a new JSPec programmed ECU for around $900 (Canadian)
2) It is not an easy beast to "reflash". There are no socketed PROMs, they are all surface mount, and at least 3 of the chips on the board hold ROM images, not just 1.
3) Once you redo it you have to get a dealer to program the unit for your immobilizer key.
4) You will need to keep your old ECU and put it in for service at the dealer. The moment they throw your car on the diagnostics it will show if not original. While it is not mechanically hard to change the ECU ( a 5 minite job, actually) you will need to invest in a spare set of keys, and have the new ECU programmed for those.
Anyway, to make a long story as short as possible I have 2 of the JSpec ECUs coming sometime in the next 10 days, and will be playing with this a bit.
I will post my experiences with it at that time.
10-15-2003, 10:02 PM
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well the thing about flashing the ECU is that since it's still the stock ECU, it's really hard to tell without doing a few tests, so most dealerships will never notice
The ECU is VERY complicated in this car. For every opportunity to increase power, there are 50 opportunities to F*&$ it up. And your dealer will laugh at you when you bring it in on a flatbed truck.
10-15-2003, 10:10 PM
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Originally posted by 1stRX8
I took my car for an oil change and they knew right away that I had disabled the TCS for a dyno pull. It also knows the flash date and a build code. The dealer will know. It takes zero effort and zero brain power for the diagnostic computer to spill the beans.
The ECU is VERY complicated in this car. For every opportunity to increase power, there are 50 opportunities to F*&$ it up. And your dealer will laugh at you when you bring it in on a flatbed truck.
I took my car for an oil change and they knew right away that I had disabled the TCS for a dyno pull. It also knows the flash date and a build code. The dealer will know. It takes zero effort and zero brain power for the diagnostic computer to spill the beans.
The ECU is VERY complicated in this car. For every opportunity to increase power, there are 50 opportunities to F*&$ it up. And your dealer will laugh at you when you bring it in on a flatbed truck.
But how did they know it was for a dyno pull? That's what I'm questioning.
Maybe there's a code for TCS for the front wheels not spinning. Maybe they pulled that code and ASSUMED that you did a dyno pull! How would it be different in a burnout with the rears on ice or water?
Or maybe the are watching your every move
:D