Japanese websites & Subaru ECU

[JohnnyG]

In my quest for understanding of how to apply ECU modifications to my 97
GTB, I thought I would post a few hints on how to find the wealth of
Japanese information concerning Subaru vehicles.

Firstly, you need to use a decent search engine engine such as
www.google.com or search aggregate tools such as Copernic from
www.copernic.com These tools don't totally "bomb-out-over" Japanese or
non-English text, as other search methods may do.

Secondly, when using these search methods, you need to use English "key
words" that are likely to be in common use by the constructors of Japanese
websites. The Japanese learn English for ~4 or so years in high school, and
whilst the Japanese can read English reasonably well, they generally have
greater difficulty in writing in English and even moreso in speaking it!
However, there are many English words which have been "integrated" into the
Japanese language, and in particular, brand names and technical jargon...
these are the words that should be used as keywords.
For example, a search on www.google.com using keywords of "Subaru" and "BG5"
will retrieve all manner of websites... "Subaru" is a brand name word in
common, and BG5 is a Subaru model where the Japanese prefer to use the
actual manufacturer's model designation.... where as in the West we would
refer to the BG5 as the "second generation Legacy". In actual fact, the
Japanese refer to all of their vehicles by the "actual model code".
A search using the keyword "Legacy" would also retrieve heaps, the keyword
"ECU" less so... but the keyword "turbo" is in reality replaced by some
other Japanese word, so the results would be poor.

Thirdly, but only til very recently... all domains had to be in ASCII and
the limitations of web design software meant that the URLs used in website
construction needed to be in English also (with some exceptions of course!)
This limitation means that the non-Japanese-literate visitor to a Japanese
website, can make some sense out of the design of the website by carefully
noting the URL shown in the bottom bar of their browser, and by hopefully
"deciphering" the English translation, will be able to navigate the website.

Forthly, and in meticulous Japanese tradition, many Japanese websites are an
absolute wealth of information. Many sites have a ton of pictures (every
Japanese has a digital camera... right!), and the attention to detailed
documentation is superb... but in Japanese! Nonetheless, despite the
difficulty in retrieving the URL address with appropriate keywords, and
spending hours surfing through the copious amounts of information... the
quality of information is astounding.

Here is an example of what I am on about....

Using www.google.com and the keywords "ECU Subaru" retrieves in it's first
page of results....

SUBARU LEGCAY ECU (note the "quaint" Japanese-Chinglish typo)

at http://www.picosoft.co.jp/subaru/

...note that .co.jp designates this a being a Japanese hosted site. Also
note the "meta-tags" returned by www.google.com as

SUBARU LEGACY ECU.
LEGACY BD/BG5A??

...which means that if the web constructor has been accurate, that there is
a good chance that this page link is about "Subaru" and "ECU" as applicable
to the "Legacy" models "BD/BG5A" which are the "auto/manual trans late-93 to
early-96" years.

Follow the http://www.picosoft.co.jp/subaru/ link, and wait ages for the
pics to load, but then be astounded by the detail. For Gods-sake!... you can
even buy the diagnostic connectors as a standard aftermarket item! Check...
http://www.picosoft.co.jp/subaru/images ... nector.jpg

OK... let's get tricky in navigating this Japanese site... by backspacing
the URL to read....
http://www.picosoft.co.jp
which will then pick up the index at the root to display the homepage
http://www.picosoft.co.jp/index.html

Whooah... here we are at the homepage, and this site has a bit more English
than most.... there is a link on the page that says....

BG5AO^ LEGACY TW GT?i5MT?j

...and "cursoring" over the link shows in the browser bottom bar...

http://www.picosoft.co.jp/subaru/legacy.html

Following this link shows a lot of nice stuff being fitted to this guys
BG5A....

- STi allloy front suspension arms
- STi rear suspension links
- 4 pot brake calipers
- Recaro seats
- all manner of interior electronic bullshit

Not too shabby! ... but I would really love to know what he did to tweak his
ECU!

The point of this overlong post, is to demonstrate the wealth of information
that is out there... and why I wish I could read Japanese!

Have a look at this "link" page, and loose a few nights surfing...
http://www.rokurensei.net/link/link001.htm

Anyway.... as I said at the beginning of all of this, I am looking for
specific Subaru information concering ECUs and 97 GTB. If you need an
English introduction to this and my quest... the above search retrives on
~3rd page...
http://www.babcox.com/ic/IC109640.HTM

Hope you learnt something, can help me in my quest, or otherwise did not
waste your time. Love to hear from you, if you can add to my ECU information
quest...

John Gillon
www.clubsub.org.nz

ps. I should mention, that the Japanese Subaru enthusiast market is mainly
focussed on 250hp+ Subaru Legacy wagons... sedans less so, and turbo Impreza
is not popular... with most of domestic market being N/A and 95% auto trans.


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[Matt Scicchitano]

Thanks for the info John. I'm sure it will be very useful to many of
us( at least for me

-Matt


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