ECU question

3200 Views 16 Replies 3 Participants Last post by Warrtalon, Dec 26, 2005

diablors

Discussion Starter · Dec 22, 2005

What's up everyone,
I am ready to install a catback/downpipe/testpipe/intake and MBC. I know it's recommended to also get a ECU flash or a S/afc so the car can reach it's full potential. I dont wanna splice any wires. So the S/AFC is out of the question. Does anyone know if the evo 8 ecu is any different to the evo 9's ecu. I was thinking about getting a evo 8 ecu and send it off to get flashed and replace my stock ecu with the new one so if I have to take the car in for (warranty work) I can pop back in the stock ecu. I know it may sound like a stupid question but I read something that the dealer can tell if the ECU was flashed on the 06. Please correct me if I am wrong. Thanx:thumb:

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TuningTech

· #2 · Dec 22, 2005

OK,

The IX ecu is completely different from the VIII's in the fact that the VIII uses a 4 plug harness and the IX uses a 3 plug. The SAFC can be hokked up to the IX and it works well as we were the first to do this and report dyno tuning results. But there are no harnesses available so splicing into the factory harness is required. The dealer can detect an altering fo the factopry code if they really want to, but it takes an extra effort as they must query the final checksum of the ecu and see if it matches the factory checksum.....they wont know exactly what was change such as fuel, timing etc....but they will know its been altered which is all that matters......but honestly they dont look for it in our experience. Have fun with you ride.

Alfred at TTech

Warrtalon

· #3 · Dec 22, 2005

No way, diablors!! The IX Ecu is _COMPLETELY_ different than the VIII Ecu, and the plug differences are only the tip of the iceberg. The IX Ecu greatly improved and has 6 separate maps that are used for the tuning. Remember, man, you have a MIVEC head. There's no way an VIII Ecu can be used in your car. Even with VIIIs, we don't swap ECUs, because of the whole immobilizer issue. Evo ECUs are not like DSMs where you can just swap them all day long with no issues.

The S-AFC is the most crude tuning tool available, so I do not recommend it. I feel confident making that claim, because I am an S-AFC user, and you can read my past threads where I used the SAFC install/tuning guides from this very site and learned how to get my Evo self-tuned. I accomplished great things with just an S-AFC, but I still don't recommend it, because it leaves a LOT of torque on the table as well as a large chunk of area beneath the curve that is not lost with a flash (or other more sophisticated tuning devices).

What I think you should do is get a TBE, MBC, gauge+pod and flash. In fact, I have official Warrtalon staged packages I have created that are very inexpensive and incorporate the newly-released Dynoflash mail-in flash. It is the only mail-in flash available for IXs at this point. Even if you didn't want to go with my staged packages, there are many choices out there. My suggestion would be the Buschur TBE, the Forge MBC, and Dynoflash. I'm not a big proponent of intakes, because they cost a lot without giving much gain over the stock airbox, but that's up to you.

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TuningTech

· #4 · Dec 22, 2005

Warrtalon is correct......the SAFC2 is a basic tuning tool.....but it is usable no matter what anyone tells you. The Ecu-Tek flash is phenomenol and is working wonders on the new IX. If you can, get a custom tune as bas flashes are just that......a base. As time moves along more products will become available and your choices will expand.....

Alfred at TTech

diablors

Discussion Starter · #5 · Dec 22, 2005

Thanks Guys,
Warrtalon your always there with an honest answer for everything. I figured that the ecu maybe different. I figured someone on the forum would know. I was trying to find a way of being slick. Oh well. I'll bribe the mitsu tech if I have a problem. I am interested in the flashes your offering. How much would it make after I make the mods I mentioned? How much? How long I would be without my ecu? :dsm:

Warrtalon

· #6 · Dec 22, 2005

diablors said:
Thanks Guys,
Warrtalon your always there with an honest answer for everything. I figured that the ecu maybe different. I figured someone on the forum would know. I was trying to find a way of being slick. Oh well. I'll bribe the mitsu tech if I have a problem. I am interested in the flashes your offering. How much would it make after I make the mods I mentioned? How much? How long I would be without my ecu? :dsm:

Happy to help. That's the whole point of EvoTuners, but so few people know about it. Be sure to spread the word.

As for going to the dealership, although they can TECHNICALLY detect the flash if they look for it, the likelihood of them ever noticing is very slim, so a flash will not require any bribing of the Mitsu tech. You'll have to worry more about the exhaust and MBC for sure, because those are both items that Mitsu loves to blame when denying warranty claims.

Anyway, I don't want to give you unrealistic expectations, but with a TBE, MBC, and flash, you could get up to 320-330whp on a Dynojet. I've seen as high as 340 on the TopSpeed Dynojet in Atlanta with an EcuTek flash, and that guy still had the stock cat, so I think you can feasibly get close to that amount with a mail-in Dynoflash. T-Tech mentioned how base flashes are not as good, but you have to understand that you are actually getting a custom flash when you order a mail-in Dynoflash...it is cutomized to fit your exact mods, the octane you use, and the boost you run. To make it even more interesting, Al from Dynoflash is coming down to where I am in the DC area to give a full, custom street tune to a IX with my Warrtalon stages 1&2. After he's done, he will save that file as the exact tune that will be sent to all people who get those exact mods:

- 3" Megan Turboback Exhaust (any TBE should work the same)
- Forge MBC @ 21 psi on 93oct
- Stock intake, stock BOV, stock fuel pump (none of these need to be upgraded on the IX)

For very little cost, you can get well over 300whp/300wtq on a Dynojet with 93oct, and to put that into perspective, my 05 MR with all the mods in my sig only makes 300whp/300wtq. You would pass me with half the mods and only about $1000 spent.

*Disclaimer: I am not a vendor, so I have no products, but I do have sponsors that I try to promote (look in sig). I would not try to peddle wares for these guys on this site, since that would be against the nature of EvoTuners and against what Chris (Ludachris) stands for, but every sponsor I have has products that I personally use and that I believe in 100%. I would not use their products nor promote their products if I did not have full confidence in them. PM me if you want specific details about products/tuning and such, and I will be happy to help.

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diablors

Discussion Starter · #7 · Dec 22, 2005

It sounds like a plan. Keep me posted once you have the prices. My goal is to have a daily driver that's running low 12's high 11's. Your running 12.00 already with modest mods considering. I'd bet your a really good driver. I am sure if you take your car and put it in someones hands who isnt a good driver they probably be running high 12's.

Warrtalon

· #8 · Dec 22, 2005

diablors said:
It sounds like a plan. Keep me posted once you have the prices. My goal is to have a daily driver that's running low 12's high 11's. Your running 12.00 already with modest mods considering. I'd bet your a really good driver. I am sure if you take your car and put it in someones hands who isnt a good driver they probably be running high 12's.

Yeah, probably. I do a bit better than average for the mods I have. With the mods I listed for you and the flash, you will have the power for low 12s. With race gas, you'd be capable of high 11s, but only low 12s on pump gas. FYI, my [email protected] is on a basic mail-in Dynoflash on pump gas just to give you an idea. The [email protected] was the same setup but on race gas with the boost cranked. You will be able to match my RACE GAS power output with basic mods on the IX and only 93oct. Consider me jealous...

oorme:

I know the prices; I'll answer your PM.

diablors

Discussion Starter · #9 · Dec 22, 2005

I just want to be able to beat up on just about anything that crosses my path. I know I wont be the fastest EVO or car on the road. I know I will be one of the quicker cars on the road. There isnt may daily drivers that can say they run low 12's or 11 seconds. That exotic car territory.

Warrtalon

· #10 · Dec 22, 2005

diablors said:
I just want to be able to beat up on just about anything that crosses my path. I know I wont be the fastest EVO or car on the road. I know I will be one of the quicker cars on the road. There isnt may daily drivers that can say they run low 12's or 11 seconds. That exotic car territory.

Yep, and that's where you'll be after those few mods.

diablors

Discussion Starter · #11 · Dec 22, 2005

To be able to keep up with porsche, ferrari, AMG benz and M series at half the cost sounds good to me. They think there better then us because they spend more money then we did.
Jokes on them.

Warrtalon

· #12 · Dec 22, 2005

diablors said:
To be able to keep up with porsche, ferrari, AMG benz and M series at half the cost sounds good to me. They think there better then us because they spend more money then we did.
Jokes on them.

Don't get too cocky now.

Remember that those cars don't just cost a lot because of their horsepower. There's a lot more involved than just the power/handling. However, since I'm only interested in raw power and handling at an affordable cost, the Evo works for me much better than any of those you mentioned.

diablors

Discussion Starter · #13 · Dec 22, 2005

LOL. I know. To just be able to keep up even beat them if there a bad driver is good enough for me. EVO cost low to mid 30's those cars start no less then 60k. I'd feel like crap if I got beat by a person who spent much less on there ride then I did. You can take a persons spirit by doing that. I am into raw power and handling also. I have no regrets getting this car

TuningTech

· #14 · Dec 24, 2005

I have NEVER seen a tune used from one car work exaclty the same on another car....especially in different locations etc.......Thats what I meany by it being a base and how a custom tune is the best. The MODS will be the same but every motor is different and will respond to parts and tuning differently. I have seen cars with same mods, year, model and all....be way off from one another. Thats why people go on road trips to do custom tuning......and why they charge so much more than a mail in flash.....it takes way more time and the results are superior.

Warrtalon

· #15 · Dec 24, 2005

TuningTech said:
I have NEVER seen a tune used from one car work exaclty the same on another car....especially in different locations etc.......Thats what I meany by it being a base and how a custom tune is the best. The MODS will be the same but every motor is different and will respond to parts and tuning differently. I have seen cars with same mods, year, model and all....be way off from one another. Thats why people go on road trips to do custom tuning......and why they charge so much more than a mail in flash.....it takes way more time and the results are superior.

I understand what you're saying, but I don't think it's THAT drastic, unless you think [email protected] on a mail-in flash, pump gas, and stock cams is lacking in anyway. Yeah, I later got tuned in person, but Al only made very minor changes to optimize everything in 3rd and 4th gear. In the absence of proximity and time, a mail-in flash definitely gets the job done and is definitely worth the money. I ran circles around many custom tuned cars, including my own SAFC-tuned car, haha.

TuningTech

· #16 · Dec 25, 2005

Well I can definitely see where you are coming from......I think my viewpoint comes fromt he fact that we are in California where gas quality jumps drastically from station to station.......we only have 91 octane...they go to a truly different winter gas blend here in certain months of the year. 93 octane would be nice to have from the pump for good prices...but it just doesnt happen. Just those extra couple of points go a long way. Custom is always better..........I stick to it no matter what. The bases can suffice but arent at the top of my list. But then again I have a awd dyno at my disposal for tuning.

Warrtalon

· #17 · Dec 26, 2005

Yes, custom is always better, but for 99.9% of Evo owners who don't have their own dyno nor any tuning device of their own, a mail-in flash not only suffices, but is most preferable.

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