Chipped Ecu's

[kerim]

i just wanted to know more about chipped ecu's. I have read that you can burn like base maps into the chip, but would you still have to get it tuned, or you can just run off that. Can someone please explain abit more on how these work. I understand its like a diy style of engine mangement, but is it recommended?

[dsp26]

Kinda like crome... but simplified method is:

1)do a dyno run
2)make tweaks to base map
3)burn onto eprom and plug into ecu
4)Repeat step 1
5)repeat steps 2-3 if required


If you just need a base map then just burn that....

[kerim]

how easy is it to burn the basemap, can it be done by anyone? I am assuking you need the burning tool

[dsp26]

equipment ain't really cheap.. even eBay sells em for $200 plus... pretty much the rom burner.

Crome software is freeware afaik... and the cost of the chips + mounting ZIF socket for your ecu

***EDIT***
as for mounting i just ended up getting this kit... was cheap and everything needed was there as well as instructions... didn't come with enough solder wick though which is an absolute must!!!!
http://cgi.ebay.com/Honda-OBD-1-Eprom-Installation-Kit_W0QQitemZ7570960498QQihZ009QQcategoryZ92078QQc mdZViewItem

[string]

Chip burners are about $40 bucks on ebay for the Willem item. Moates.net sells a far simpler version for around $80 from memory. Far from $200. Can be done by anyone, and takes about 5 seconds via USB.

One big disadvantage of using chips over a real-time system is that you must turn off the engine everytime you make a change (plus the fact that you must go through the effort of actually burning and changing chips).

Crome has a free version, but Crome Pro, which has datalogging is not free.

[dsp26]

Chip burners are about $40 bucks on ebay for the Willem item. Moates.net sells a far simpler version for around $80 from memory. Far from $200. Can be done by anyone, and takes about 5 seconds via USB.

One big disadvantage of using chips over a real-time system is that you must turn off the engine everytime you make a change (plus the fact that you must go through the effort of actually burning and changing chips).

Crome has a free version, but Crome Pro, which has datalogging is not free.

Thanks... will look into the $80 USB one :)

[kerim]

i am looking at buying a already chipped ecu, so if i use a usdm P72 ecu, would i experience any problems?

[HachiKilla]

I wouldn't chip an ECU.. the cars come out the factory with ECU's tuned to run the car at an optimum performance.. if I really wanted to, i'd tune the car instead and replace the stock ECU for an aftermarket one.. chipping ECU's will only put the car under more strain and shorten the life span of some of the parts in your car..

[dudeling7]

^^ i dont see how chipping the ecu will put more strain on your car.

its pretty much like making your current ecu into a programable one. you overwrite the values on it for your new setup, be it FI or NA. the only downside was said above that its jsut a little more hassle.

[Drew]

I wouldn't chip an ECU.. the cars come out the factory with ECU's tuned to run the car at an optimum performance.. if I really wanted to, i'd tune the car instead and replace the stock ECU for an aftermarket one.. chipping ECU's will only put the car under more strain and shorten the life span of some of the parts in your car..

Santa is real

[HachiKilla]

Santa is real

... yeh whatever...? -_-

I don't think i'm on the rite track here.. but i thought tuning an ECU is done so that you decide how your engine performs for example.. like how much air and fuel go into the engine for example..? correct me if I'm wrong.. thats why I subscribe to this forum, so i can find out more about hondas..

[Drew]

The ECU doesn't control how much air goes in... however figures out how much fuel should be injected relating to how much air is being sucked into the engine and when it should spark etc etc

Chipping a factory ECU in no way "put the car under more strain and shorten the life span of some of the parts in your car"

That statement couldn't be further from the truth

"the cars come out the factory with ECU's tuned to run the car at an optimum performance"

Again simply not true... They are tuned to get the best millage and generally smoother power delivery; not necessarily peak power nor torque, really depends on the car however a top end super car would be more power/torque

[Dxs]

I wouldn't chip an ECU.. the cars come out the factory with ECU's tuned to run the car at an optimum performance.. if I really wanted to, i'd tune the car instead and replace the stock ECU for an aftermarket one.. chipping ECU's will only put the car under more strain and shorten the life span of some of the parts in your car..


would you recommend a Hondata instead of chipping a stock honda ecu?

[ProECU]

define "chipping a stock honda ECU" because last time I checked, thats what a hondata is.

[dudeling7]

i think he was trying to joke around lol, or maybe not...

[sassy_fit_vtit]

i had an ecu that i bought from the us i told the guy what mod i had on the car and he tuned it before he sent it to me. All it was, standard ecu with a spoon chip and it red line like crazy, for a b16a i was reving to 10 000 rpms no jokes

[kerim]

yeah i got it sorted out, done the same thing, told the guy what i had and he tuned it to that, car goes much much better than what it used too, and if you get a chip burner you can tune it yourself

[redinteg]

i had an ecu that i bought from the us i told the guy what mod i had on the car and he tuned it before he sent it to me. All it was, standard ecu with a spoon chip and it red line like crazy, for a b16a i was reving to 10 000 rpms no jokes

What mods do you have? 10k rpm is pretty fricken fast to be spinning if you havn't touched the internals.

[TODA AU]

I'd say get an ECU tuning solution that can be tuned specifically to your car.
Be that Hondata, Pro ECU, Chrome or some other system.
What ever you do, just don't waste your time with B/S long distance guess tunes.
& "The guy"
Does he have a pointy hat with stars & moons on it, a crystal ball?

Seriously, if telepathic tuners were actually worth a pinch of salt...
Everyone would know about it...
In reality these things are nothing more than scams.

[ProECU]

well said.

[55EXX]

10,000rpm from a chip BS!

[kraiye]

.. the cars come out the factory with ECU's tuned to run the car at an optimum performance..

everyday cars come out of the factory with a 'universal' tune based on factory bolt-ons, programmed to run at daily driving performance and tuned broadly to allow for international differences in weather, humidity etc etc. although, the ecu's ability to 'learn' does help somewhat to localise the settings/tuning.

[Limbo]

factory ECUs are designed with large tolerances in place and are generally not performance based. The learning feature is only minor and it is to take into account for fuel differences mainly.

Your talking about getting the potentional out of your car so why not get your car tuned properly to your car.

Also your relying on this US tuner to tune a car he has never seen. What makes you so sure he can get it right? What if it runs too lean or too rich? what are you gonna do then?

He's prob giving you a map off a car he tuned with similar mods and then riching it up slightly to get it within safe parameters.

also 10,000rpm is too high for a stock b16. Your gonna need a rebuild if you keep that up. My 20v 4age revved to 9,500 RPM needed a rebuild in 12mths, and that's with a dyno tuned ECU.

[nigs]

Santa isn't REAL?@!$!@
WTF........

So who's the jolly man in the red suit visiting me in my room once a year?

[sam.]

my friend has some chip in his del sol that has no rev limiter, it went all the way to 11,300rpm, then went bang an now he has a new motor! they will rev to 10,000rpm, but it won't last long if it hasn't been built to handle it!

[beeza]

Sounds like your friend goes through a few motors...

[sam.]

no, just one motor, he's learnt his lesson, revs no higher than 8,500 now

[beeza]

Yeah,costly habit :)