Ecu upgrade

[CosworthCabrioLee]

Has anyone had any expereince with upgrading their ecu's I am thinking of a upgrade but wonder what is involved ? Is it just a plug and play once mapped or is there sensors/switches or others also to be replaced.
I believe emerald seem to be quite involved with this type of thing ?
I do like the idea of switchable maps for driving moods

[Dane_Rescueman]

Re: Ecu upgrade

It is possible to remap a standard ECU via the access port. One has to be well up on the specific prog language used though. The OMEX ECU is a doddle and comes with all the software to use on a laptop which one uses to access the ECU whilst still installed in the car. You can play around with many settings to fine tune the motor. Although the system is user friendly one still has to be aware of introducing extreme settings that the mechanicals could find distressing! The OMEX works with the original injectors and is programmable to the original sensors too. it comes with it's own loome, or, a loom that one can make up and taylor to an individual installation. It is pricey though and the bare ECU (which comes with a basic setting to allow the engine to run) is over £500. The extras such as looms, software and connectors can push this up a fair amount. With looms and new sebsors you would be looking at around £800 and if you wanted to go the whole way and fit the lovely throttle bodies then it could be over £1500.
Amasing results would be found with this system.
I can't afford it yet so I'm playing around with the lookup tables in my old Ford (Bosch) ECU IV and various settings of the AMM.

Installing the OMEX package should be straight forward as it will come with the correct connectors for the injectors and other sensors. No problem to a standard Kit CAr builder!

I do not work for OMEX, I've just studied the sytem. Alpha systems and Webcon offer similar systems too. You could go mega squirt and make it all yourself (not recommended.)

[lil_red_roadster]

Re: Ecu upgrade

An alternative to remapping the ECU is a "piggy-back" chip...these essentially interrupt & adjust the instructions from the ECU to produce more oomph.
Google should provide more info.
As for an ECU swap (Emerald, Omex etc) then as Dane says costs can get silly.
By the time you've fitted one and had it mapped on the rollers the outlay will be north of a grand...more if you insist on chrome-plated throttle bodies.. ;-)
That said they do provide some useful power gains...there are at least 3 Roadsters running Emerald or Omex...and no doubt quite a few more across the club.

[CosworthCabrioLee]

Re: Ecu upgrade

Thanks chaps certainly food for thought, I have sent some emails off to omax and emerald to see what can be done. It did get me thinking I have had my ecu on my vw and several subaru's reprogrammed so I wonder if this can be done on my current ford ecu ??