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Factory ECU - Anyone crack it open and see what processor it uses?

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Old 05-15-2005, 08:17 PM
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Factory ECU - Anyone crack it open and see what processor it uses?

I'm thinking of opeing the box myself if no one else has. I want to know what processor is in there as the primary controller. I figure Ford and Mazda use alot of the same chips, and if I can find out what it is, I can figure out how to start programing for it.
Old 05-15-2005, 09:04 PM
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Originally Posted by brillo
I'm thinking of opeing the box myself if no one else has. I want to know what processor is in there as the primary controller. I figure Ford and Mazda use alot of the same chips, and if I can find out what it is, I can figure out how to start programing for it.
good luck.
unfortunately, i bet you'll find some custom ASIC or microcontroller under there.
Old 05-15-2005, 09:16 PM
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for some reason I thought it was a hitachi microcontroller, its 32bit and canbus, and I'm sure its one that they use across a couple of cars, albeit in different implimentations.
Old 05-15-2005, 09:21 PM
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Originally Posted by brillo
for some reason I thought it was a hitachi microcontroller, its 32bit and canbus, and I'm sure its one that they use across a couple of cars, albeit in different implimentations.
It's entirely possible. It all depends on whether it was cheaper to purchase or engineer and usually it's cheaper to purchase (assuming there's something that meets your needs). Car companies like to put their own little spin on things just to min/max the cost/function ratio. They can cripple certain things and enable others to get a slightly de-standardized chip based off of another.
Old 05-16-2005, 01:42 AM
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Don't ask me why, but I did attempt to dicover the secret but no success at the moment. This is how it's look inside:


Most of the chips are coated with black paint/film probably to hide the chip info. The two big chips have the following marking:

64F7055F40
RL0307
BB033097 Japan


D151815-8550
S0515611MFC
185
QQAC0309C

While other smaller chip might be memory, ignition/Injector controller with marking such as: SPF0001/SK3206, etc.

If any one would recognize those marking would probably know which processor or who made them. But definitely I believed it's running a variance of the Hitachi Vechile OS.
Attached Thumbnails Factory ECU - Anyone crack it open and see what processor it uses?-ecuboard.jpg  
Old 05-16-2005, 04:13 AM
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This one's been discussed before. It's a Renesas chip.

https://www.rx8club.com/showpost.php...31&postcount=4

As for sensor inputs... if you do a search you'll find an online workshop manual and it has all the wiring diagrams for the inputs.
Old 05-16-2005, 10:05 AM
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This is good, I have found the info on the chip, even some of the programing for it. Now the question is how to acess it and compile for it. This assumes the software isn't encripted in any way.
Old 05-16-2005, 11:54 PM
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betcha it's encrypted. It's too easy to encrypt and Mazda does not want anyone to create a stealthy warranty problem for them.

Not impossible, but it will take significant dedication to the cause. My preference would be to program a completely different system that will use the CAN bus controller to keep the car feeling like stock [ie. speedo, tach, warning lights, etc.] while a completely different [and flexible] engine managment sub-system is employed.

While that may sound idiotic.....it would probably be easier than a programming re-do on the stock processor.
Old 05-17-2005, 09:57 AM
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looks like my post was deleted somehow

reportedly the ECU is already being reprogrammed in EUrope, I know I saw that the checksum data was available

do a search
Old 05-18-2005, 12:11 AM
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Hell i could have told you before you opened it up.

It's an XT that's souped up to a 486 processor.

That's why the RX 8 is sooooooooooo slow............................
Old 06-04-2005, 11:49 PM
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Originally Posted by 1stRX8
betcha it's encrypted. It's too easy to encrypt and Mazda does not want anyone to create a stealthy warranty problem for them.
Well, technically it'd be signed, which is a form of encryption but a particular useage of public/private key techniques. This is what happened on the Xbox. Any and all code had to be signed with a key that Microsoft kept secret. So only code that they signed would run. Could be possible to let it boot up with the signed code and then slip in the new code once its up and running. Trust me, no CPU can spend the time constantly checking signatures, and especially not the rink-a-dink silicon they're dropping in there. The exponentiations necessary for public key crypto causes it to run upwards of 10,000 times slower that older, shared key methods. Perhaps a piggy-back/parasite unit could be mocked up that listens for the signature checking and then does a buffer overflow attack or some such thing to inject its own code. This is all pie in the sky though.
Old 06-06-2005, 05:36 AM
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While you have the box out would you mind taking a picture of the two large sides of the box.

I don't have an RX8 but I'm puting an RX8 engine into a light weight sports car and want to use an after market computer in a factory looking box for registration purposes.

Does it have any stickers or printing on it? If you can post a close up of the markings it would be most appreciated.

Thank you
Andrew
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