Is it possibly to buy software to remap an ecu yourself?

  1. Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Mar 2007 Worthing Posts: 5660 Jap crap
    #1
    Hi all!

    Is it possibly to buy the above? Was gonna give it a go

    I've got a nice long straight bit of road I can use as my "rolling road" to do the tests too
  2. Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Jun 2005 Potters Bar United Kingdom (England) Posts: 2749 T/B'd VTS
    #2
    if you buy a standalone ecu, theres no reason why you cant
  3. Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Mar 2007 Worthing Posts: 5660 Jap crap
    #3
    Well I know its possibly to remap your existing one but companies charge stupid amounts so wanted to know how much a peice of kit would cost?
  4. Frequent Poster Joined: Jun 2006 Cannock Posts: 973 Citroen AX VTS
    #4
    you'd need the datalink compatible computer diagnostic thingy wotsit first. Don't think you can do it on a standard laptop etc.

    To be honest I wouldn't recomend "doing it yourself" unless you have an indepth knowlege on fuel mixture adjustments and how ignition timing etc. affects an engines performance / health. Doing it on a road with bumps and large amount of friction probably wouldn't give very good results either.

    If you want your ECU mapped then get it done somewhere that has experience and will get the most out of your engine
  5. Regular Poster Joined: Jul 2004 Grimsby United Kingdom (England) Posts: 405 rs-1800, white vts mk1, green saxo vts mk2
    #5
    have a look on DP engineering at the Vems stand alone management !! £800 quid ish las time i looked.
  6. Newbie Joined: Jun 2008 southampton Posts: 6 peugeot 106 Si
    #6
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Ax_beefy View Post
    . Doing it on a road with bumps and large amount of friction probably wouldn't give very good results either.
    From experience, I would say live remapping is best done on the road. If you remap on a dyno (which is a great tool for seting up a base map imo) you cannot accurately reproduce air flow, engine loading, tyre friction. etc
    A map done on a dyno will not generally hold the same fuel and ignition cells when driven on the road.

    Remapping really shouldnt be done without knowledge of how and why fueling works at certain loads and revs and how improvments can be made to increase performance and the same with ignition, as has already been said.

    Also other tools will be needed such as a wide band lambda, det cans or knock link, and software to access your ecu AND a sound knowledge of how to use the software.

    The software I used on my impreza expressed fuel as a percentage of Lambda from the base fuel map i.e a cell showing 0.8 is 80% of lambda, which is shown as 1. A lambda of 1 is AFR 14.7:1 or stoich.

    so you can see there is a lot involved! Not saying dont try mapping, just make sure you have a sound knowledge base, the right equipment and go carefully!

    Chris
  7. Newbie Joined: Jun 2008 southampton Posts: 6 peugeot 106 Si
    #7
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Ax_beefy View Post
    . Doing it on a road with bumps and large amount of friction probably wouldn't give very good results either.
    From experience, I would say live remapping is best done on the road. If you remap on a dyno (which is a great tool for seting up a base map imo) you cannot accurately reproduce air flow, engine loading, tyre friction. etc
    A map done on a dyno will not generally hold the same fuel and ignition cells when driven on the road, and lets be honest, you dont drive your car on a dyno do you?

    Remapping really shouldnt be done without knowledge of how and why fueling works at certain loads and revs and how improvments can be made to increase performance and the same with ignition, as has already been said.

    Also tools will be needed such as a wide band lambda, det cans or knock link, and software to access your ecu AND a sound knowledge of how to use the software.

    The software I used on my impreza expressed fuel as a percentage of Lambda from the base fuel map i.e a cell showing 0.8 is 80% of lambda, which is shown as 1. A lambda of 1 is AFR 14.7:1 or stoich.

    so you can see there is a lot involved! Not saying dont try mapping, just make sure you have a sound knowledge base, the right equipment and go carefully!

    Chris
  8. West Midlands Joined: Dec 2007 West mids Posts: 23149 Supra,civic GL
    #8
    adz tbh perfectly honest i wouldnt
    if you adujst it wrongly you can cause big trouble
    also most places you go for mapping adjust the timing too
  9. Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Apr 2007 Haywards Heath Posts: 8445
    #9
    Looking at Sanspeed for my map atm mate.

    Around £300 inc. dropping cams in
    If you want to have some fun then go for an Omex 600 unit or similar but unless your going for bodies or some serious engine mods it aint worth the money!

    Get some 708'/809/Kent cams and we'll book a mapping sesh in if you want mate?
  10. Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Mar 2007 Worthing Posts: 5660 Jap crap
    #10
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by RedB View Post
    Looking at Sanspeed for my map atm mate.

    Around £300 inc. dropping cams in
    If you want to have some fun then go for an Omex 600 unit or similar but unless your going for bodies or some serious engine mods it aint worth the money!

    Get some 708'/809/Kent cams and we'll book a mapping sesh in if you want mate?
    Thanks for the comments guys! My dad's the mechanic in the house and knows most things about engines and does all the work on my cars. We've been talking about remapping and seeing what's involved in doing it yourself but it seems its more involved that we first thought!

    Red, i've just got myself a flat so putting the cams on hold for now! But as and when I do get some cash together, i'll give you a buzz! If you haven't already done yours