NA Engine Control Unit tuning and Diagnostics

[SILINC3R]

Ok, so here it goes. Unfortunately it looks like I am the first one to do this and try it out but this means I am going into the unknown. Fortunately I am the first one and hopefully I can provide good info and get more to follow. I hope to make this a tutorial so it will be much easier for the next person to get going and so Michael can follow and see exactly what I am doing point us in the right path.
So I bought the interface off the ECUTuner website first and the the USB plug.

Then I took them out of their packing and plugged them together like so.


I went to the ECUTuner website and downloaded the ECUTuner apllication and the definition files for my 90-91 N/A.
Then I took my laptop, the harness and went to my car. From there I found the yellow plug that you will plug the white plug into. There is only one way to plug it in. I did this with the car off.

Once you have it plugged in, plug the USB into your computer and the driver will start loading on its own.





Now you should be good to go and use the ECUTuner application to view different things. Unfortunately the ECUTuner application isn't working properly on my computer so I'll have to talk with Michael to try and solve this. A little hick-up but so far is pretty straight forward. I will be trying to update as much as I can when I can. Michael spent a good deal of time developing this for us and it never took off so I am happy to try this out and see what happens.

Parts and prices:
90-91 N/A ?
ECUtune OBD1 select monitor interface cable- 87.50 shipped ECUtune
FTDI TTL-232R-5V USB Cable- 39.09 shipped fdtichip
computer ?

[Dominator]

^^ Good progress, thanks for sharing it, and thanks for some pictures. I hope the software hick-up gets resolved for you. I'm interested in seeing what you can monitor or log with that set-up.

[Legacy777]

Tony,

Thanks for being the pioneer for this tool. Keep us posted and hopefully you'll be able to get the software working.

[longassname]

It looks like you have a newish computer which probably came with .net 4.0. For some reason microsoft did not include the previous version of .net as part of .net 4.0 so you have to install .net 3.5 which also includes .net 3.0 and .net 2.0 which ecutuner needs

if that doesn't solve your problem let me know what you have going on and I'll try to assist

Now you should be good to go and use the ECUTuner application to view different things. Unfortunately the ECUTuner application isn't working properly on my computer so I'll have to talk with Michael to try and solve this. A little hick-up but so far is pretty straight forward. I will be trying to update as much as I can when I can. Michael spent a good deal of time developing this for us and it never took off so I am happy to try this out and see what happens.

[longassname]

Tony told me in PM that he installed .net 3.5 and it fixed his problem but that the whole app didn't fit on his screen on his netbook. I asked if he could increase his resolution but haven't heard back. I don't remember what minimum resolution I designed the ECUtuner window for but it was pretty small.

I added some text to the website explaining that users with newer versions of windows need to install .net 3.5 and included a link to it.

There is nothing half baked about ECUtuner. It is rock solid and already has way more functionality than a Subaru Select monitor which costs thousands of $$$.

[SILINC3R]

Well I got another laptop from my parents house so I'll be trying that one when I get off from work. Haven't forgot about this lol.

[SILINC3R]

Ok so I tried the laptop from the parents house and still nothing. The program now fits on the screen correctly but it isn't monitoring anything. I tried a buddy's laptop but couldn't get the program to work. Went back to the first laptop and brought my tv monitor out and still it isn't showing anything

Also I noticed that our communications device names were different
FTFBF504 VS FTD0P11H

[longassname]

There shouldn't be any need to jump from computer to computer--just stick with the laptop you intend to use. If it has .net 3.5 installed it should work. Just in case the drivers from the windows update website are vcp and not d2xx I suggest downloading the correct d2xx drivers directly from the ftdi website: http://www.ftdichip.com/Drivers/D2XX.htm

To test your ftdi cable and select monitor interface you can connect the rx and tx of the select monitor interface to eachother creating what is called a loop back adapter. This makes you receive exactly what you transmit allowing you to verify 100% for certain how your rig is working.


Then go to the setup tab and select your ttl232r cable with the select monitor adapter on it from the available communications devices drop down. FTDI chips are common on usb devices so you may have other devices listed there so pay attention to what your device is named when you plug your cable in (I thought I saw yours was called ftdop11h in a previous picture). The bottom right corner of the setup tab is the test communications box. Enter 8000 in the address box and then click read byte. In the packets received box you should get back 78-80-00-00-12-00-00-00.



Please follow these instructions and let me know what happens.

[longassname]

Tony PM'd me that he performed the loopback test and got back the correct result. I'm posting my response to him in here so the information is available for anyone else who might have difficulties. To explain more fully on the loopback test I had him perform. If you look in the control unit communications box in the lower left quarter of the setup tab of the ECUtuner software (in the picture of it posted above) you will see commands which the control unit responds to. The ECU uses 4 byte packets. The first byte is the command. The 2nd and 3rd bytes are the address. The 4th byte is the data. In a read command sent to the ecu the 4th byte is 00. When it comes back from the ECU it will be the data in the byte at that address in the ecu. So when we type 8000 in the address box and click read byte the ECU sends out a 4 byte packet "78 80 00 00" followed by the stop command which is a 4 byte packet "12 00 00 00". When we loop the select monitor adapters transmit pin to it's input pin we should get back exactly what we send out. That tests the software, drivers, operating system, usb cable, and select monitor adapter together. When we get back exactly what we send out we know everything is working correctly and we can look elsewhere for our problem.

Now let's see what he gets back when he connects it to his car.

There's no need to check what mode you are in. As long as the drivers are installed correctly the ECUtuner software sets everything by itself. The loopback test shows that everything is working correctly. You received back the exact packets you sent out--so everything is working.

Reconnect the select monitor harness to the select monitor adapter and plug it into the car. Turn the car on. Open the ECUtuner application, select the correct ftdi device from the available communication devices drop down, enter 8000 in the address box and click read byte. What result do you get?

I'm going to post this in the thread. Please respond in there. Any problems people run into should be public so that the next person that might run into the same problem can see how to diagnose and fix it.

[SILINC3R]

Ok so hooked it up as you said and tested it and got 80-00-70. Still not monitoring anytying however and the program freezes.

[SILINC3R]

Ok so I was able to get it to start monitoring, you have to check the active box to get it to show. The values are off so I'll have to work on that but it is working.

Yes this is really how fast I was going...Don't worry I am a "Professional"


Now in the monitor switches tab these boxes with the checks are shadowed in so I guess they would be CEL. I dont have a turbo so I guess they would be correct.

[longassname]

Of course--it will only monitor those parameters you select as active. This is because you may only want to monitor 1 or 2 or 3 parameters at a time. The ECUtuner software is much faster than your ECU so the speed at which the ECU can serve up data is the only limiting factor for your monitoring/logging rate. If you monitor one parameter that parameter will be updated 4 times faster than if you monitor 4 parameters. If you monitor 2 parameters they will be updated twice as fast as if you monitor 4. Also, everything you are monitoring is being logged and you can save your logs and view them later in microsoft excell etc.
There's no reason to save data you aren't interested in so I didn't see any reason to assume you always want to monitor 4 paramenters.

Looks to me like you are using the SVX definitions file which comes with the ECUtuner software and is loaded by default. Since you don't have an SVX your parameters are in different locations. You need to download the correct legacy definitions file from the ECUtune website and then load that definitions file. You can rename it to the same name as the default definitions file and put it in the same place as the default file thus making the legacy definitions the default definitions for your installation if you choose to do so.

I suspect your impression that the software freezes up comes from monitoring the wrong locations and thus seeing things not change when you expect them to change. If I'm wrong about that please explain further. I've used the ECUtuner ap on some pretty crappy lap tops and never had any freezing. It places very minimal demands on the system and it is a multi-threaded application. Monitoring is done in it's own thread. Graphing is done in it's own thread. The main application is in it's own thread. Like I said before this is a full fledged well developed, multi-threaded application well beyond anything else I've seen out there for obd 1 Subarus. But, let's see what you think of it after you figure out how to use it.

[longassname]

Looking at your switches page I'm thinking you are using the na 90-91 legacy definitions. Assuming that's what you have if you make a list of the parameters that are wrong I'll try to correct them. These definition files were just supposed to be to get us going until we established a firmware library. Now it's been so long since I compiled them I don't remember anything about them. It's possible I miss labled the file or not all 90-91 legacy ecu's are the same.

On the switches page checked boxes mean that switch is turned on. I used the same labling system as the factory service manual so you can follow the actual diagnosis procedure in the factory service manual. Something checked in an FA bitmap indicates an activated switch.What you call a cel would be indicated in the diag u,d and diag m bitmaps. A checked box next to anything in these indicates a current or stored diagnostic code.

[SILINC3R]

Ok so first I had no idea I needed to select active since I did not know what that meant at the time. This is when it would freeze as I was having it monitor things that werent selected. Since then it hasn't froze that is solved. That is cool to know about the update speeds though. I was just showing that it could monitor up to 4 and how the log graph looked.
Next, so we are on the same page about what definitions file I am using? I have been using the NA 90-91 file and those are the values it gave me. Now the switches is what I am most interested in since I have never had the check engine light come on in the 7 years I have owned this car. Now there is a good chance the previous owner took it out or cut the wire or maybe mine didn't come with one lol. The car still gets 29 MPG, used to get 32 hwy untill I put the full exhuast on. It doesn't stumble and it doesn't smoke so I am curious to see if there is something wrong with this car.
Unfortunately my trial for office has expired so I can not adjust anything in the definition file at the moment though it will be awhile till I understand that anyway Im sure. Really excited though that is up and running and can't wait to get the kinks worked out.

[SILINC3R]

Also is the 2D and 3D mapping useable or was that intended for later development. I have not been able to make it show anything.

[longassname]

I haven't gotten around to the table editing tabs. You need to have a memory adapter and ROM writing equipment before you can make use of editing firmware by the way. You can download your firmware and save it as a bin file and post it for public record and should do so. You can then edit it in the data editor tab if there is something you figure out you want to change. Then you save the modified firmware to a bin file. Then you write that bin file to a ROM chip using a device programmer (which you have to purchase) Then you install that ROM into a memory adapter you would have to buy from me. Then you install that memory adapter into your ECU to replace the firmware in the ECU with the firmware you have modified. I think you are a long way off from doing anything like this but it is possible.

[SILINC3R]

So, should I rephrase my questions?

[longassname]

I don't understand? Did I miss a question?

So, should I rephrase my questions?

[Specialchowmein]

Just read through the entire thread and I'm very interested in this. I've been wanting to get into tuning more for fuel mileage and was looking into standalone systems, but this may be the way to go. Hopefully I'll be able to jump in in the next couple months.

[SILINC3R]

How do you view the 2D and 3D mapping? Are we squared away on which definition file I was using?

[longassname]

I believe the 2d and 3d table editing tabs are both blank in the released version of the software. That's what I was saying I haven't gotten around to finishing. I do hope to get a chance to sit down and finish them even though there is obviously not enough demand for this stuff to make it economically worth while. I can't promise I will but I do hope to.

I know what definition file you are using now. I don't know what ECU you have. I don't know how many locations in the definitions file aren't matching up with the locations in your ECU or why they aren't matching. Like I said, it's been so long since I put the definition files together I can't remember what information came from where. The definitions file could be 100% right but for a different ECU or I could have messed up when I compiled it.

[bigbenliketheclock]

Then you write that bin file to a ROM chip using a device programmer (which you have to purchase) Then you install that ROM into a memory adapter you would have to buy from me. Then you install that memory adapter into your ECU to replace the firmware in the ECU with the firmware you have modified.

Mike, When you refer to the memory adapter are you talking about the Multi-Tune Adapter from your ECUtune website. (I didn't see anywhere in the description that it worked for OBD1 subarus.) Also, if the Multi-Tune is indeed the correct memory adapter what type of EEPROM chip does it use and is one provided with the adapter. Thanks. I'm very interested in going this route for tuning my EJ22.

[longassname]

No, the memory adapter necessary to update the firmware in an obd1 JECS ECU is the one you will see pictured if you look at the SVX chips. I designed it to fit in any obd1 JECS ECU even the ones with daughter boards. I'm not currently selling just the memory adapter. The way things look I doubt I ever will. It seems more feesible both for me and legacy owners to release a series of performance chips for the Legacy like I did for the SVX. There isn't enough interest and resources out there in the Legacy community for you to develop the knowledgebase necessary for successful end user tuning. The window for mechanical modifications available to Legacy owners would be opened much wider with a correctly done off the shelf turn key chip available from me than by leaving it up to owners to try to do themselves.

If Legacy owners ever get around to using the ECUtuner application and select monitor interface and ever start providing the firmwae off their control units I'll consider making chips for the Legacy.

Then you write that bin file to a ROM chip using a device programmer (which you have to purchase) Then you install that ROM into a memory adapter you would have to buy from me. Then you install that memory adapter into your ECU to replace the firmware in the ECU with the firmware you have modified.

Mike, When you refer to the memory adapter are you talking about the Multi-Tune Adapter from your ECUtune website. (I didn't see anywhere in the description that it worked for OBD1 subarus.) Also, if the Multi-Tune is indeed the correct memory adapter what type of EEPROM chip does it use and is one provided with the adapter. Thanks. I'm very interested in going this route for tuning my EJ22.

[bigbenliketheclock]

Thanks for the reply. I'd be more than happy to download my ROM from the ECU and post it but I'm a long way from having the engine and wiring hooked up in the car. (swapping an EJ22 into a Karmann Ghia) I'd do it on the bench but don't know what I'd need to hook up to get that to work. Select monitor and power wires??

I'm trying to gather as much information as I can before it disappears or the people with the knowledge loose interest like seems to have happened with some of the Nissan tuning information.

[beatersubi]

I don't know how I've missed this thread up to now, but wow! This is good stuff.
Any possibility of including the Hitachi ECU? I know I, and likely others, are very interested in tuning our Turbo cars. And with the lack of options other than a stand-alone, I should think that demand exists.
Any suggestions on a device programmer for burning ROM chips when software becomes available?

Also, similarities have been noted between the EJ20g ECU and the US n/a JECS ECU. Any possibility, from your point of view, of loading turbo definitions into a n/a JECS ECU for the sake of tune-ability?