Are stock ECUs tuneable?

[speed]

Per the title are any factory ECUs tuneable and if so, which models?


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[speed]

Merged

[sailaholic]

Depends on your definition of tuneable but yes atleast na8 up can be tuned.


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[chrisearl88]

NB's can be chipped and flash tuned, included ones with VVT. This is the route I took for my turbo conversion. Chiptorque on the Gold Coast installed and tuned mine for around the $1500 mark, maybe a little less if your changes aren't so drastic.

[rossint]

That sounds expensive for a chip, my megasquirt plus install and tune was $1500 all up.

[hks_kansei]

If you mean has the software been cracked allowing changes like in a lot of Nissan ECUs, then sort of.

I recall that in Japan a few companies have successfully cracked them and allowed tuning changes, but I'm not sure just how much change they can manage.

In Australia there's not really any option like that to my knowledge, and the cost of getting it cracked and tuned would likely be higher than the cost of buying a standalone ECU and using that from the start.

[manga_blue]

NA8 ECUs can have the 32 pin ROM chip that contains all the code and all the data removed and replaced with a socket that can be used to clip in re-programmable ROMs (EPROMs).

The fuel and timing maps and rev limit data points have been identified by a collaboration between american, british and norwegian geeks. You can then use ROM programming tools to modify maps and rev limit and burn them onto a new EPROM and insert into the socket.

I did mine 4 or 5 years ago and it's been solid as ever since, retaining OEM driveability, including A/C, P/S and cold idle management but with aftermarket ECU quality fuel and timing and a 7600 rev limit.

This was mine when I originally did it, with a new EPROM sitting on top of the socket.



The full story (127 printed pages ) last time I read it is at http://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread.php?t=226162 It was NA8 only at the time but there were projects for NA6 and others being spun off from the original work. I don't know where they're up to now.

Also see viewtopic.php?f=18&t=38209

[chrisearl88]

Its not the cheapest option, but for the NB8b model onwards it keeps full control of the VVT, retains all the idle control and AC compensation ect. My local mx5 specialist suggested that the alternator can cause lots of tuning woes on the later models with Haltechs, Motecs ect.

Engineering may also be a consideration in certain states. Mine is fully engineered and emissions compliant on the mod plate for QLD as it uses the "stock ecu and emissions management systems", might be a stretch but I wasn't going to argue.

Most on the forum would suggest going the megasquirt for an older model, I'm sure there would be plenty on here that could offer basemaps from their tunes. Next step it to find a dyno/tuner that can tune it.

[timk]

I had ChipTorque chip my NB8A ECU initially:



It was nice for a daily driver as Chris mentioned above. Very little to set as far as idle etc, just dial in the timing and fuel mapping. In the end I got too greedy and hit the voltage limit of the stock airflow meter. I was going to get Lachlan to mess around with a Eunos 900M meter as it is the same size and has the same electrical connector, just a different voltage output relative to the flow.

Eventually I decided to go with an Adaptronic as I had used one in a prior car and it worked well, I like the engine protection features too.

Cheers