ECU programming

**badkuk** · December 6th, 2007 09:47 PM

q lang po: how does one program an aftermarket ECU? is it really as flashy as what one would see in the movies(e.g. the fast and the furious)?

Does it have its own programming language of sorts, and hence would need some coding skills to configure properly?

Lastly...meron bang parang ECU simulation software out there? curious lang kasi ako kung ano ba talaga itsura niya B)

**niky** · December 7th, 2007 05:41 PM

You take a laptop, open up a numbers table (it looks like a giant Excel sheet), and, armed with an O2 sensor and a dyno, you fiddle with values on the table, increasing fuel here, adding timing there, etcetera... all the while, double checking the air-fuel ratio via the O2 sensor (if you're on the dyno, they usually have a tail-pipe one, or if you have a relatively sophisticated set-up, via a wideband sensor plugged into the exhaust where the factory sensors go...). Once you're satisfied with the changes, you download them to the ECU or chip you're programming.

Different ECUs and tuning programs look different, but basically, most of them look like this. The strange thing in FnF is seeing people tweaking things on the strip... that's total BS. You have the car dialled in beforehand and you have presets loaded in... you just switch between the presets (for example, switch it to the race-gas, nitrous or high-boost setting... etcetera) before your run and leave it as such. You can tune it on the road, but you don't usually do it standing still... you do it while cruising along to program the part-throttle and full-throttle maps under a realistic load.

The interface itself is easy to use... they can't force tuners to use some cryptic programming language, otherwise their products won't sell... but you have to have a fairly good idea about throttle, ignition and fuel mapping to use it... and with newer Honda programmers, you have to learn a bit about variable cam timing, too... most of these things have pre-programmed "base" maps, with average values already pre-loaded for your particular engine. All that's left to do is adjust them for your set-up... but on the more expensive standalone systems, base map applications aren't widely available, and it can take a ton of tweaking to get it to the point where the engine is anywhere close to streetable...

**badkuk** · December 8th, 2007 04:23 PM

very enlightening po sir niky

i had a feeling the stuff i see in the movies were more of a CGI/animation trip rather than the real thing(e.g. me "graphical world" pa sa Hackers when it's actually more text mode/command line ). meron pang "warning" in all caps sa FnF about an overload :D

**speedyfix** · December 9th, 2007 08:31 PM

like niky said, adjustements are pretty easy since most aftermarket ecu's or piggybacks have reasonably easy tables with which to work.

most well made ones will allow tuning on the fly without needing to reburn an e-prom chip though.

**niky** · December 11th, 2007 02:15 PM

Well, yeah, it depends on the chip in question. Some require you to load the changes after making them, some will just apply the changes automatically.

**KBR** · December 17th, 2007 05:46 AM

Originally Posted by badkuk

q lang po: how does one program an aftermarket ECU? is it really as flashy as what one would see in the movies(e.g. the fast and the furious)?

Does it have its own programming language of sorts, and hence would need some coding skills to configure properly?

Lastly...meron bang parang ECU simulation software out there? curious lang kasi ako kung ano ba talaga itsura niya B)

heres some quick info:

-stock ECU's are already pre-programmed from the factory, but it can be "hacked" or re-programmed by sending it out to a Authorized ECU re-programmer (ECU flashing.. like Hondata, WORKS, Turbo XS, etc..).

Or you can install a Piggyback ECU or a Air/Fuel controller (Apex-i SAFC I & II, AFC Neo, HKS VPC, MAP ECU, etc...) in which you can tap the them in-line with the stock ECU (tap them, meaning wiring them up in the same wiring harness of the stock ECU).

you can also buy a re-programmed ECU chip and install it on the stock ECU, but its not fully controllable since that its already pre-programmed.

-also there are the ones that is called a Stand-Alone engine control units. these are the ones that you may have seen on the "F&F" movies. the Stand-Alone ECU is a fully programmable and adjustable ECU, which also replaces the stock ECU. meaning, hindi mo na kailangan ang stock ECU.. since the Stand-alone EMS will replace the existing ECU and wiring harness from your car. (so basically, if you use a Stand alone ECU, you'll have to re-wire your engine wiring harness. and you have to use special sensors (the ones that is made or is compatible with a specific Stand alone ECU) but some stand alone's can use the stock engine sensors (TPS, Cam sensor, Knock sensor, IACV sensor.. etc..)

also, the only way to control a Stand Alone ECU is by using a Lap-Top computer and you have to tune it at a Dyno (or even on a empty road. we call it "Street Tune"..) and you need to have a Wideband 02 sensor and a Data Logger to read and measure your engines AFR's (Air / Fuel mixture readings).

then once you have the lap-top connected to the stand-alone ECU then you can now see the graph/values/tables for each engine RPM's, Timing, Knock, Fuel pressure, Injector pulse rate, AFR readings, Manifold temp & pressure.. etc.. then you adjust everything accordingly (through getting the right AFR's, timing, idle speed, knock suppression, boost settings, traction control, etc.).

so basically you tune everything on the engine (and have complete control in engine tuning) by using a Stand Alone ECU.

and heres some examples of a Stand-Alone ECU:

-Motec
-AEM EMS
-Autronic
-Haltech
-ACCELL
-Megasquirt
-HKS F-Con
-Apex-i Power FC
-Greddy E-manage

and some that I could not remember! but yes, those are probably one good examples of a fully programmable Stand Alone ECU.

aite, peace.

note: wag maniwala sa lahat ng sinasabi nila sa F&F!! specially on the first movie!! "Motec exhaust"??? WTF??? theres no such thing as a "Motec exhaust"!!

also, speciall effects lang yung mga "overload".. nitrous level.. etc.. man, that is plain Hollywood crap!