Complete newbie. Hardware required? Vehicle compatibility?

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FakeCarGuy
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue Nov 30, 2021 1:26 pm

Complete newbie. Hardware required? Vehicle compatibility?

Post by FakeCarGuy »

So, I am a technician, and I'm used to using diagnostic machines and understand how modules work and stuff, but... I have no idea what software and hardware I need to start tuning OEM ECUs / PCM.

I'm looking for something that lets me plug into a car with my laptop, download a 'map', edit it, and then 'flash' install it.

Everywhere I look I can only find aftermarket ECUs. It's so confusing. I think i'd be pretty good at setting up values and actually creating a map - but I have no idea what i specifically need to actually get started.

Like, what hardware do I need to use TunerPro on a vehicle? What vehicles will TunerPro allow me to work on? Am I even able to connect to stock ECUs?

I'm just so confused trying to find the right products that will allow me to get started. I'm assuming there's no 'all-in-one' solution, so what hardware and software would I need to map euro cars? (VAG group, BMW, Mercedes etc.) Thanks a lot for any replies.
Nedjohns
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Jul 12, 2021 7:56 am

Re: Complete newbie. Hardware required? Vehicle compatibility?

Post by Nedjohns »

let me know when you find any info on MB and vw
grimmechanic
Posts: 17
Joined: Thu Jan 27, 2022 3:57 pm

Re: Complete newbie. Hardware required? Vehicle compatibility?

Post by grimmechanic »

Ok. I'm gonna bump this since it's only a year old...
I've read though the TunerPro users guide and understand it... mostly. The one part that's a bit ambiguous is how to extract a stock, OEM .bin file from an an installed ECU assuming it uses the standard OBD2 interface. I have a pass through device (a reputable ELM327 based one), and a registered copy of TunerProRT. Otherwise, I don't know crap, but I've been working on educating myself.

So my understanding of the basics is this:

1. In order to modify the programming in an ECU, in the absence of an existing program you can use, you'll need to start off by retrieving or obtaining the .bin file. This can be done 3 ways: extract the existing .bin file from the ECU (most difficult); downloading a (hopefully) good .bin file off the internet that matches the calibration code of your ECU (risky): or, download directly from the vehicle manufacture after supplying the vehicle VIN. Ford did (still does?) this and I believe so does Chrysler. All you needed to do was get on their respective service portals, sign up, and supply a VIN number. I don't know how/if usable the dealer supplied .bin files are.

2 The .bin file can either contain just the tables (tables, scalars, switches, and flags), or it can contain the tables and the operating system. We're talking about something 1996 and newer with OBD 2 capability and flash memory. Earlier stuff is the same, but I'm going to keep this restricted to newer flash memory ECU's.

3 The .bin file may or may not be able to be extracted through the OBD 2 connection, depending on the specific application. My understanding is that with many newer ECU's the manufacturers are trying to prevent access of the source code (.bin file) and only allowing re-flashing through the OBD 2 connection, but no access to downloading the .bin file. And, of course there's other roadblocks requiring "unlocking" newer ECU's.

4 In order to extract the .bin file and reflash the ECU with a new .bin file, if it can be accomplished through the OBD2 connection, you'll need a "pass-through" device, and an application that can communicate with the communication protocol used by the ECU. If the .bin file cannot be extracted trough the OBD2 connector, then you may have to remove the ECU and use a "bench harness". This is a wiring harness that plugs into the ECU and allows the ECU to be powered up an programmed/re-programmed outside of the vehicle. Some vehicles just simply do not connect the wires used for programming from the ECU to the OBD2 connector, and a savvy tech can add the necessary wires from the ECU connector to the OBD2 connector. The last option, is to open the ECU to access the memory/processor and extract the files directly from the chip. Not typical for ECU's made in the last 20 years.

5 The most common on OBD2 are pass through devices based on the ELM 327 chip. Again, newer stuff may need newer technology for the pass-through device. Newer vehicles may need an SAE J2534 compliant device. A word of warning on ELM 327 based pass troughs. There's a lot of cheap chinese ones on the market. Plan on spending at least $75 for one from a reputable supplier. The J2534 pass through will work on all OBD2 applications, but they're more expensive. Plan on $300+ for a decent quality J2534 pass-through device.

The pass-through device needs an application on your computer that understands the communication protocol used by the ECU. This usually varies by ECU manufacturer. So, there's quite a few out there. But, if you know the manufacturer and model of the ECU. Not talking about the make/model of the vehicle, but who actually made the ECU. There's about two dozen manufacturers of ECU's. Bosch, Continental, Delco/Delphi (GM), Hitachi, Mitsubishi, Denso, Magneti Marelli, Keihin, just to name a few. And all of these manufacturers have multiple models of ECU's. Information on the make/model of the ECU for any given vehicle is readily available. Once you identify the type of ECU you have, then you can start gathering your hardware/applications. If you're using TunerProRT, the application file type for translating the data stream would be an ".ads file". There's other hardware sold by Alientech specifically for extracting .bin files and reflashing. They sell their KESS and KTAG devices that are very powerful tools for this. If you buy the real Alientech hardware, it's expensive. There's a lot of knock-off chinese copies for much cheaper. But you get no support and dubious quality hardware.

6. Once the .bin file is extracted, then it needs to have another file to interpret the code and convert pieces of it into something that can be edited in a simpler environment. In the case of TunerPro, it's the .xdf file. This is also called the "definition file". It's where the strings of hexadecimal code in the .bin file are translated into a usable graphic user interface. This is the complicated part. To create the .xdf file requires a great deal of time and additional applications (software). If you cant find an existing.xdf file, then you'd be better off paying someone for you to use your.bin file to create the .xdf file. The .xdf file is what is you use actually view things like fuel and timing tables, and be able to alter those tables. Oldskulltuning.com is the guy you need to go to after you have a .bin file, but no .xdf file. He may be able to supply you with a .bin file if you have no luck with that either.

The best way to think of the purpose of the .xdf file is as a template. And the .bin file is translated to normal numbers to "fill in the blank fields" in the template.

7. If you are determined enough to try to decipher a .bin file, you'll need some additional tools. The application that is probably the most specific to create a .xdf file from a .bin file is called WinOLS. If you want to buy it, it costs about $900. But you'll probably spend a year trying to figure out how to use it.

8. So, now you have a .bin file, .bin definition file (the .xdf file), and a pass-through device. Now you need to edit the fuel and timing tables and re-flash the ECU. TunerPro takes the altered data, and converts it back to a .bin file. After you save the modified .bin file on your computer, it needs to be sent back to the ECU memory via "re-flashing" the ECU.

This is where my knowledge ends. I'm still figuring out all of the steps. I figured I'd start out with a simple project. I have a simple single cylinder dirt bike with fuel injection. It uses a Continental M3C ECU. About as simple as you can get. I got Oldskulltuning to send me a generic .bin and .xdf files for 80 Euros (about $90) for my motorcycle. I loaded them into TunerPro and am able to play with the timing and fuel tables. But that's as far as I've got. I still need to figure out how to get the existing .bin file off the M3C ECU. Once I get the .bin file extracted, I'll have Oldskull create a specific .xdf file for my motorcycle. Then, I need to figure out how to re-flash the M3C ECU.
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