We decided to try to make a lot of the material that was covered at the tuning class 4/20/13 + 4/21/13 available for all of our users. The material here is designed to be comprehensive. It is designed to be followed in a specific order. There will be links to more information on selected topics throughout. If you’re looking for a snippet about a particular thing, you may want to look at the “How Tuning Works” section instead, as it is more of a collection of small articles than a comprehensive course.  The idea with this course isn’t to tell you which value to change to make your car run right.  The idea is to teach you how engine management works so that you can look at something you’ve never seen before and (hopefully) have some clue as to how to approach getting it to do what you want.  This course is heavy on theory.  It’s also hopefully going to have lots of practical sections that connect with things you may be more familiar with from working with particular EFI systems.

The material in this course represents *hours* (think: whole day+) worth of classroom lecture and discussion. Be prepared to spend an extended period of time reading through it and processing it. When you’re done, you’ll arguably be better prepared to tackle tuning than half the shops that practice on your car.

Enjoy!

(More will be coming soon as time permits.)

Tuning: Why bother?

The rise of electronic engine management allows for the running conditions of an engine to be rapidly and precisely adjusted.  Before we talk about anything super technical, it’s worth examining some really basic stuff like, “why should we bother tuning a car in the first place?”  “What can we reasonably hope to accomplish?”

Sometimes we start with an engine that’s running acceptably but we want to slightly change how it operates to achieve our goals.  Sometimes we start with an engine that doesn’t run at all because it is so different from the original system that was running that we have to tune it for it to run acceptably.  Regardless of whether adjustments are made out of necessity or desire, the answer to this “why bother” question is simple: in a word, it is OPTIMIZATION.  Tuning allows us to make the most out of the engine that we have.

What Tuning ISN’T

Tuning cars is often very misunderstood, especially by people who do not do it.  There is no magic involved.  You cannot wave a magic wand and violate the laws of physics in the name of making horsepower.  You are dealing with a computer system that responds to sensors in a predictable way.

There is one golden rule (which I think has its origins in a completely different realm) which applies here:

Garbage In, Garbage Out.

As a tuner, you can only work with what you are given.   This may seem so obvious that it is a waste of time to even say it.  Trust me.  It isn’t.  It’s critical.  And at some point if you mess around with tuning vehicles long enough, you will get so focused on the knobs and buttons available to turn on your computer that you will forget about the mechanical system you are controlling.

• Changing a computer program can’t fix mechanical issues.
• Changing a computer program can’t fix electrical issues.
• Changing a computer program can’t make more air enter an engine than it can mechanically pump
• Changing a computer program can’t make more fuel flow through pumps/injectors than they can mechanically pump
• Bottom line: You can’t make pigs fly by pushing buttons.  The physical motor you are working with will define what you do on the computer.

Tuning Possibilities

So if we are inherently limited by the physical engine that we are dealing with, what CAN we typically accomplish with tuning?

Typically, we can:

• Increase power / torque output of the engine
• Increase efficiency / decrease fuel consumption
• Decrease noxious emissions (Carbon Dioxide/CO2, hydrocarbons/HC, Carbon Monoxide/CO, Nitrous oxide/N2O, Nitrogen Oxides/NOx)
• Control NVH (Noise – Vibration – Harshness)
• Decrease stress on mechanical components / prevent damage to mechanical components
• Many of these goals require different operating conditions making it impossible to do all of them at once! 

Conclusion

Tuning isn’t magic.  Modifying electronic engine control systems lets you get the most out of the physical system that you’re working with.  Through tuning, you can choose how to operate an engine in order to achieve the goals that are most important to you, making the compromises you want to make.  The goal of this course is going to be to teach you to use a calculator/simple math and data logging combined with an understanding of underlying processes to make targeted and appropriate changes in order to achieve the operating conditions you desire for your engine.

The 2Timer is a great tool used by anyone who needs multiple fuel maps one one chip. Good examples are those who run Nitrous, or typically run two different types of fuel. (I.E. Race Gas map vs. Pump Gas map)

Creating a BIN for the 2Timer

We get this question a lot, so we have decided to do a write-up to help people out. Let’s assume you have an easy situation and you are simply trying to create a Race Gas tune for your vehicle. We are also going to assume that you have both of your original BIN files in an easily accessible folder on your computer. For the sake of simplicity, lets say that both of these tunes were produced with CROME. So you should have 2 files, each of size 32,768 bytes, or 32KB for short. You need to combine these files into one 64KB file.

Unfortunately, CROME does not have this capability. However TunerPro does.

Download it here.

There is a standalone module within TunerPro called the Bin Stacker.

Tools->Bin Stacker/Splitter

Within the Bin Stacker there are some rather Cryptic options:

Bin Size: This is the size of the tune. Typically 32KB (for Hondas)

Chip Size: This is the capacity of the chip. 64KB (assuming your using a SST 27SF512)

Block Size: This is useful if you are putting two 16KB tunes on a 64K chip, but you need the second 16KB tune to start at the halfway point of the chip. Set the block size to 32KB and it will start writing the second tune at the 32KB mark. If you’re doing this on a Honda, select 32KB.

For the 2Timer, Pos 1 is the default, and Pos 0 is the map that gets selected when you ground the wire coming out of the 2Timer unit.

Using the Browse button you will be able to put your two tunes in their appropriate positions, and by clicking Stack you will be able to create 1 file that you can burn to a chip.

Using the Flash N Burn software you will be able to burn this file to your SST 27SF512 chip.

Alternate Procedure

When using the 2Timer to switch between two 32k programs, you will want to program the chip directly (not through the 2Timer). Assuming you are using the 27SF512 chip, you can program two positions.

1. First, insert the 27SF512 chip into the BURN1 programmer and erase it followed by a blank check.
2. Load the first program from file to the buffer of the FlashBurn program.
3. For the first program (switch open to select), program the chip using chip addressing of 8000-FFFF, buffer addressing of 0000-7FFF. After the programming cycle, perform a verify step.
4. Load the second program from file to the buffer.
5. For the second program (switch wire grounded), use chip addressing 0000-7FFF and the same buffer addressing as before. Again, verify after this step.  DO NOT ERASE THE CHIP BEFORE PROGRAMMING A SECOND TIME
6. That’s it! You can switch the wire to ground to select the ‘lower’ chip addressing location.

You may also want to consult the article on programming chips with offsets found here.

How to Buy

To purchase the 2Timer, please visit this item in our Online Store here

The 84-87 Grand National was a unique car available in limited production. These vehicles featured sequential injection, distributorless ignition systems and other groundbreaking features. A combination of unusual and off the shelf ECMs/electronic components make for some unique needs.

These vehicles used two ECMs. 84-85 vehicles came equipped with the 1226459 and 86-87 vehicles came equipped with the 1227148.  These ECMs were used in a very select few other V6 vehicles of this generation with different programming for non-turbo applications.  It is possible to swap the 86-87 computers into the earlier vehicles.  Datalogging is improved with the later computers.

The Grand Nationals have a cult following.  There is a lot of information to be found in general on www.gnttype.org and the chips/ECMs are covered especially here.

Hardware Required for Tuning

• The “early” 84-85 1226459 use the G2 *** 0.6″ *** Chip adapter
• The “late” 86-87 1227148 use the G2 *** 0.45″ *** Chip adapter
• To reprogram the ECM, both adapters accept a 28 pin EPROM like the C2 27SF512 chip.
• WARNING: This is NOT plug and play!  Desoldering factory chip is required and soldering install for G2 adapter.  (view install)  Order the “Install Service” and send us your ECM if you’re not comfortable with soldering work.
• After a chip adapter is installed, our “standard” OBD1 GM tools can be used:
  • BURN2 chip programmer programs chips
  • ALDU1+CABL1 cable allows laptop to log data with appropriate software
  • Ostrich 2 with SocketBooster allows real time tuning while vehicle is running
  • APU1 / AutoProm programs chips, logs data and allows realtime programming in one unit along with optional wideband logging.
  • TunerPro RT can be used with the $1D (84-85) or $31T /1227148Turbo (86-87) definitions for editing and logging

Unfortunately, the 1226870 is an oddball one-year one-model ECM that was only used on the 1985 corvette.  It is for a TPI setup with an electronically controlled distributor and features 160 baud ALDL communication for logging.  It is a unique ECM.  There are no other ECMs that are a “plug and play” swap without extensive wiring changes. (see “ECM Conversions” below) The ECM uses a 24 pin 2732 EPROM.  A G2 0.6″ chip adapter (solder/desolder install) can be used to install a 28 pin chip or use any of our OBD1 GM tuning gear.

No other masks from other ECMs can be trivially used.  It uses the $1F mask, which is supported by TunerPro RT.

Hardware Required for Tuning

• G2 Chip adapter and C2 27SF512 chip required to reprogram ECM.  WARNING: This is NOT plug and play!  Desoldering factory chip is required and soldering install for G2 adapter.  (view install)  Order the “Install Service” and send us your ECM if you’re not comfortable with soldering work.
• BURN2 Chip Programmer programs 27SF512 chips
• ALDU1 with CABL1 required for datalogging
• Ostrich2 and SocketBooster 1.0 required for real time tuning
• APU1 AutoPROM All-in-one device works great (without SocketBooster), taking the place of BURN2, ALDU1+CABL1 and Ostrich2
• APU1 works great for the application and is the recommended hardware in addition to the G2.

Software Required for Tuning

These computers use the $1F mask from the factory.

TunerPro RT + the $1F definitions works for editing and datalogging.  (this is the recommended software.  It is included with the AutoProm)  Additional/alternate definitions available from Gearhead-efi.com

TunerCat OBD1 tuner with the $1F definition works for editing.

WinALDL works for datalogging.

ECM Conversions

(disclaimer: blatant opinion) The 1226870 is not the high point of OBD1 GM engine management.  It is possible to swap to other ECMs which do better.

1227165 (86-89 TPI MAF) swap

1227730 (90-92 TPI MAP) swap

12200411 (99-02 F body) swap

Early Fox Body Mustangs used a speed-density metering system from 1986-1988.  Uses TFI distributor, 8 injectors, speed-density metering.  This EEC-IV system isn’t as well-supported as the MAF cars that followed but tools are available.  These ECMs have the hardware ID “SFI-SD1”

Hardware for Tuning

• QuarterHorse – integrated device brings unique functionality to the table.  It is a “chip on steroids” that allows you to make changes while the vehicle is running and (with supporting software) log live data from the vehicle.
• F3 – simple chip module that can store one or two tunes and switch between them while vehicle is running.  Requires Jaybird programmer or BURN2+FA.
• F8 – fancy chip module that can store eight tunes and switch between them while vehicle is running.   Can also be programmed while installed – no need to remove chip to reprogram it.  Requires Destiny programmer
• BURN2 + FA + FE – generic chip programmer with Ford adapter (FA) and ECM interface (FE) that can be used to read the current program from EECIV and EECV ECMs on the bench.

Software for Tuning

Although several different strategies (or “operating systems”) were used on this generation of computer, all of them are capable of using the GUFB (i.e. A9L) code.  This can be downloaded with tuning software so it is not critical to read your own ECM.  This is a very common, well supported application.  Any of the three tuning softwares that we sell will work for this application.  Any tunes developed using a QuarterHorse can be programmed to F3/F8 chips for long term use

• Binary Editor ($100 – $171 available from Moates.net) is a Ford-specific graphically oriented tuning software that supports many EEC-IV and EEC-V processors.  There are several options:
  • Free built-in definitions for BE2012 come with the software.  They’re reasonably complete and work really well.  Support DA1, DA2, etc.
  • Core Tuning definition (available through Coretuning.Net) – uses same standards for organization as other Core Tuning defs, very complete.
  • EEC Analyzer ($50 available from Moates.net) is an optional companion program to Binary Editor to assist with analyzing data and automating tuning tasks.
• TunerPro RT ($40 / free trial available from Moates.net) is a universal tuning software that supports editing but not QH logging using definitions available on TunerPro’s website.
• EEC Editor ($20 or $45 / available from Moates.net) has basic support for editing the DA1,DA2 mustang ECMs.  Datalogging support seems to be glitchy or non-functional as of April 2018.

The 86-89 F and Y bodies were among the first EFI computers used by GM that featured a Mass Air Flow sensor (MAF) for air metering.  P4 generation ECM, 160 or 8192 baud ALDL communication (depends on code mask), “memcal” with 27C128 EPROM.  Many of these ECMs feature a cold-start injector.  They can drive up to 8 injectors and a single coil with distributor.  There is no transmission shift control on these ECMs. The 1227165 and 16198259 ECMs can be used interchangeably.

Hardware for Tuning

• G1 Chip adapter and C2 27SF512 chip required to reprogram ECM
• BURN2 Chip Programmer programs 27SF512 chips
• ALDU1 with CABL1 required for datalogging
• Ostrich2 required for real time tuning
• APU1 AutoPROM All-in-one device programs chips, logs data and allows realtime tuning

Software for Tuning

These computers use different masks depending on the application.  $32, $32B and $6E are the most common masks.

TunerPro RT + the $32, $32B and $6E definitions works for editing and datalogging. (included with APU1)

TunerCat OBD1 tuner with the $32, $32B and $6E definitions works for editing. (we do not sell, available elsewhere)

TTS Datamaster with the $32, $32B and $6E  definitions works for datalogging. (we do not sell, available elsewhere)

Logging a Wideband Without an APU1

One of our customers, Fred, was kind enough to email us with this information.  There is a modified bin available to allow logging a wideband with just an ALDU1 instead of requiring the analog inputs on the APU1.  This uses the MAT input to the ECM.  You can read more on thirdgen.org (and a thread on code patches to log 0-5V inputs)

Recommended Purchase

G1 + C2 + APU1 + Wideband

Platform Notes

While $32, $32B and $6E masks are found on these ECMs, it is highly recommended to start tuning with the $6E mask regardless of which mask the ECM/memcal originally used.  Using a chip with the $6E mask will override whatever was present from the factory.  The $6E mask does not use the 9th cold start injector and most importantly, speaks at “high speed” 8192 baud for logging, which is a HUGE improvement over the 160 baud logging used by the $32/32B masks.  Stock bins for various engines (305, 350, etc.) are available for download at the Gearhead-efi $6E information page.

One of the common things that comes up is the idle change with logging on $6E.  It is hard-coded but can be poked with, just like anything.  This thread on thirdgen.org explains what you can do.

The 86 throttle body injection (TBI) system was the beginning of GM’s transition from carburetors to fuel injection.  This is the first of the “classic” speed-density computers which featured a MAP sensor for airflow metering.  This fundamental airflow model was used largely unaltered in later designs.  P3 generation ECM, 160 baud ALDL communication, 24 pin chip module with 27C32 UV-Erase EPROM.

This ECM was used into the mid-90s in manual transmission equipped vehicles.  It was replaced with newer hardware when the 4l60e and 4L80e electronically-controlled transmissions were introduced.

Hardware Required for Tuning

• G2 Chip adapter and C2 27SF512 chip required to reprogram ECM.
• WARNING: This is NOT plug and play!  Desoldering factory chip is required and soldering install for G2 adapter.  (view install)  Order the “Install Service” and send us your ECM if you’re not comfortable with soldering work.
• BURN2 Chip Programmer programs 27SF512 chips
• ALDU1 with CABL1 required for datalogging
• Ostrich2 and SocketBooster 1.0 required for real time tuning
• APU1 AutoPROM All-in-one device works great, taking the place of BURN2, ALDU1+CABL1 and Ostrich2
• APU1 works great for the application and is the recommended hardware in addition to the G2.

Software Required for Tuning

These computers use the $42 mask from the factory.

TunerPro RT + the $42 definitions works for editing and datalogging.  (this is the recommended software.  It is included with the AutoProm)

TunerCat OBD1 tuner with the $42 definition works for editing.

WinALDL works for datalogging.

The 88-93 VR Commodores use the 1227808 ECM which is basically the same as a US 1227165 ECM that is limited by hardware to 160 Baud communications.  These ECMs have torque converter lockup control as required for a 700R4 or similar automatic transmission.

Hardware Required for Tuning

• G1 Chip adapter and C2 27SF512 chip required to reprogram ECM
• BURN2 Chip Programmer programs 27SF512 chips
• ALDU1 with CABL1 required for datalogging
• Ostrich2 required for real time tuning
• APU1 AutoPROM All-in-one device works great, taking the place of BURN2, ALDU1+CABL1 and Ostrich2

Software Required for Tuning

These computers use the $5D, $A5, $B1, $DB, $FB or $03 masks.

TunerPro RT has editing definitions on the website for $5D, $A5 and $FB

 PCMHacking.net appears to have datalogging definitions for TunerPro RT.

TunerCat OBD1 tuner has editing definitions available for $5D, $A5, $B1, $DB and $FB

The Fox Body Mustang switched to using a Mass Air Flow meter to measure airflow in 1989.  Uses TFI distributor, sequential injection for up to 8 injectors, MAF air metering.  This EEC-IV system became the blueprint for future Ford systems (EECV and beyond) for years to come.  Initially hindered by a lack of datalogging capabilities, this platform has been able to truly shine with the help of Moates tuning tools.  These ECMs are known to have the hardware ID “SFI-MA12A” and it is unknown which other hardware IDs can run the GUFx strategies.

Hardware for Tuning

• QuarterHorse – integrated device brings unique functionality to the table.  It is a “chip on steroids” that allows you to make changes while the vehicle is running and (with supporting software) log live data from the vehicle.
• F3 – simple chip module that can store one or two tunes and switch between them while vehicle is running.  Requires Jaybird programmer or BURN2+FA.
• F3v2 – simple chip module that can store 8 tunes and switch between them while vehicle is running using the switch module sold separately.
• F8 – fancy chip module that can store eight tunes and switch between them while vehicle is running.   Can also be programmed while installed – no need to remove chip to reprogram it.  Requires Destiny programmer
• BURN2 + FA + FE – generic chip programmer with Ford adapter (FA) and ECM interface (FE) that can be used to read the current program from EECIV and EECV ECMs on the bench.

Software for Tuning

Although several different strategies (or “operating systems”) were used on this generation of computer, all of them are capable of using the GUFB (i.e. A9L) code.  All stock ECMs with the same processor code on the label have the same code inside the ECM which is typically downloaded with tuning software.  It is not critical to read your own ECM.  This is a very common, well supported application.  Any of the three tuning softwares that we sell will work for this application.  Any tunes developed using a QuarterHorse can be programmed to F3/F3v2/F8 chips for long term use

• Binary Editor ($100 – $171 available from Moates.net) is a Ford-specific graphically oriented tuning software that supports many EEC-IV and EEC-V processors.  There are several options for BE:
  • Free built-in definitions for BE come with the software.  They’re reasonably complete and work really well.  Support GUFB (A9L, etc.) GUF1 (A9P, etc.) and GUFA (others) natively
  • Core Tuning definition ($extra available through Coretuning.Net) – uses same standards for organization as other Core Tuning defs, very complete.
  • EEC Analyzer ($50 available from Moates.net) is an optional companion program to Binary Editor to assist with analyzing data and automating tuning tasks.
• TunerPro RT (fully functional free trial with nag screen / $39 to register available from Moates.net) is a universal tuning software that supports the GUFB strategy editing using definitions available on TunerPro’s website.
  • Definitions available elsewhere on support site only support GUFB (A9L) natively.  Auto cars can be tuned using GUFB by setting appropriate options in a GUFB bin file.
  • Alternative GUFX definitions available from decipha / EFI Dyno Tuning  support several extra features and code patches and are designed to work with the “A9L2” bin file
• EEC Editor ($30 / $35 available from Moates.net) is a Ford-specific tuning software that supports both the GUFB, GUF1 and GUFA strategies
  • Reasonably complete editing definitions
  • Reasonably complete logging definitions
  • Does not run well on all computers.

Recommended Combos

Just want to know what to buy?  All of these will be valid combos that will allow you to tune a vehicle effectively.

(Ford Dealer Kit)

(QuarterHorse AND Jaybird AND F3 AND Binary Editor WITH Dongle AND Wideband)

(QuarterHorse AND Jaybird AND F3 AND TunerPro RT AND Wideband)

(Jaybird AND F3v2 AND TunerPro RT)

The 90-92 Firebird and Camaro were the first of the P4 generation computers which featured a MAP sensor and speed-density for airflow metering.  These fundamental airflow models were used largely unaltered in later designs.  P4 generation ECM, 8192 baud ALDL communication, “memcal” with 27C256 EPROM.

Hardware Required for Tuning

• G1 Chip adapter and C2 27SF512 chip required to reprogram ECM
• BURN2 Chip Programmer programs 27SF512 chips
• ALDU1 with CABL1 required for datalogging
• Ostrich2 required for real time tuning
• APU1 AutoPROM All-in-one device works great, taking the place of BURN2, ALDU1+CABL1 and Ostrich2

Software Required for Tuning

These computers use the $8D mask from the factory.  There is a “Super $8D” mod that adds extra features beyond the stock $8D code.  It is also possible (and recommended) to run Code59 on the 1227730 for forced-induction applications.

TunerPro RT + the $8D, Super$8D or Code59 definitions works for editing and datalogging.  (this is the recommended software.  It is included with the AutoProm)

TunerCat OBD1 tuner with the $8D definition works for editing.

TTS Datamaster with the $8D definition works for datalogging.

Recommended Purchases

Do it all: APU1 + G1 + a wideband ( LC1 MZTX-L LM2 single channel)

Just burn chips/reprogram: BURN2 + G1 + C2

Just log: ALDU1+CABL1

The 91-93 Syclone trucks and Typhoon SUVs were a unique low-production vehicle that featured a powerful turbocharged 4.3L V6 engine.  They use the 1227749 ECM, which is most similar to the 1227730 used in the 90-92 TPI V8s.  These vehicles were equipped with a 2 bar MAP sensor from the factory along with hardware for controlling an intercooler pump and boost control solenoid.  There is no transmission shift control on these ECMs.  8192 baud datalogging, P4 generation ECM with memcal.

Hardware for Tuning

• G1 Chip adapter and C2 27SF512 chip required to reprogram ECM
• G3 Chip adapter, C3 29F040 chip and Ex remote for multi-position chip for multiple tunes
• BURN2 Chip Programmer programs 27SF512 chips
• ALDU1 with CABL1 required for datalogging
• Ostrich2 required for real time tuning
• APU1 AutoPROM All-in-one device has complications with datalogging.  The APU1 is NOT recommended for the 1227749 ECM!!!  The combination of Ostrich, ALDU1+CABL1 and BURN2 is recommended.

Software for Tuning

These computers use the $58 mask supporting 2 Bar MAP sensors from the factory.  Numerous modifications were available to enable the use of a 3 bar MAP sensor including the “Ultimate Chip” and Code59.

TunerPro RT + the $58 or Code59 definitions works for editing and datalogging.  (this is the recommended software.)

TunerCat OBD1 tuner with the $58 definition works for editing.

TTS Datamaster with the $58 definition works for datalogging.

Custom ROMs may package their own definitions and require specific software support.

Recommended Purchase

G1 + C2 + BURN2 + Ostrich2 + ALDU1 w/CABL1 + Innovate MTX-L + TunerPro RT

This is one of the first electronically-shifted transmission applications.  Some 1991-93 vehicles came equipped with 4L80E transmissions and 16147060 PCMs.  This is a P4 generation ECM which speaks ALDL at 8192 baud and have removable “memcals.”  This was a one-year PCM which was followed by the 16168625 / 16197427 in later years.

Hardware for Tuning

• G1 Chip adapter and C2 27SF512 chip required to reprogram ECM
• BURN2 Chip Programmer programs 27SF512 chips
• ALDU1 with CABL1 required for datalogging
• Ostrich2 required for real time tuning
• APU1 AutoPROM All-in-one device works great, taking the place of BURN2, ALDU1+CABL1 and Ostrich2

Software for Tuning

These computers can be kind of tricky.  the $85 mask was the original but it was replaced with $D8.  You’ll need to read the memcal using a HDR1 to determine exactly which mask you have OR download a known starter bin to use from gearhead-efi or other sources.  Be warned: software support for this setup is not anywhere near as complete as the later $0D/$OE masks which followed.

$85 information page on gearhead-efi

$D8 information page on gearhead-efi

TunerPro RT + definitions from gearhead-efi works for editing and datalogging.  (this is the recommended software.  It is included with the AutoProm)

TunerCat OBD1 tuner with the appropriate definition works for editing.

Recommended Hardware to Buy

1. G1 + BURN2 + C2 = most basic
2. G1 + BURN2 + C2 + ALDU1 w/ CABL1 = basic with logging capabilities
3. G1 + APU1 = Chip tune / realtime tune / datalog – full capabilities
4. G1 + APU1 + wideband = full capabilites with wideband logging

The 1993 Camaro / Corvette LT1 PCM 16159278 is an oddball.  It was not used before or since.  The $DA2 mask was used in Y-body Corvettes and the $DA3 mask was used in F-body Camaro/Firebirds.

Hardware for Tuning

• G1 Chip adapter and C2 27SF512 chip required to reprogram ECM
• BURN2 Chip Programmer programs 27SF512 chips
• ALDU1 with CABL1 required for datalogging
• Ostrich2 required for real time tuning
• APU1 AutoPROM All-in-one device works on some vehicles but many have issues datalogging reliably.  This is NOT recommended for this platform, please buy BURN2/Ostrich2/ALDU1 instead.  Using an ALDU1 in addition to the APU1 solves any issues, if you already have an APU1 on hand.  Temporarily pulling the fuse for the CCM while tuning the ECM may also help.

Software for Tuning

These computers use the $DA2 or DA3 masks from the factory.  The $DA2 mask was used in Y-body Corvettes and the $DA3 mask was used in F-body Camaro/Firebirds.

TunerPro RT + the $DA2 or $DA3 definitions works for editing and datalogging.    (It is included with the AutoProm)

TunerCat OBD1 tuner with the appropriate definition works for editing.

TTS Datamaster with the appropriate definition works for datalogging. (this is the recommended software)

Recommended Hardware to Buy

1. G1 + BURN2 + C2 = most basic
2. G1 + BURN2 + C2 + ALDU1 w/ CABL1 = basic with logging capabilities
3. G1 + BURN2 + C2 + ALDU1 w/ CABL1  + Ostrich2 = Chip tune / realtime tune / datalog – full capabilities

If you are too lazy to read this whole page, you can skip to the “Recommended Combos” section at the end for a shopping list without any explanation.

92-95 Civic and 92-95 Integras are a common hardware platform – there is no sense in addressing specific vehicle or ECU models.  These ECUs are also a more or less plug-n-play substitute for 92-95 Accord and Prelude computers, which have not been figured out to the same extent.  96-00/01 OBD2 vehicles can also use ECUs on this page with an OBD2-OBD1 conversion harness.

Once chipped, these ECUs have many hardware options for tuning ranging from simple chip tuning to realtime options with integrated logging.  To learn about the different options, see “Tuning Hardware” below.

While there are differences between OBD1 Civic and Integra ECUs (Vtec vs. non-Vtec, manual vs. automatic, 1wire vs. 4wire O2 vs. 5wire wideband, power steering vs no PS, etc.) it is possible to convert any ECU that is a member of the “family” into any other ECU by a combination of modifications to the the circuitry in terms of adding and removing parts along with chipping the ECU to change its program.  The only “oddballs” are the 92-95 Civic VX P07 (which came from the factory with a wideband and was heavily optimized for fuel economy) and the 94-95 JDM GSR Automatic P72 (which is more like a OBD2 ECU inside.   Manual P72 ECUs are ok).  To find out more about various kits for converting ECUs or adding features see “ECU Modification Hardware” below.

The firmware of these ECUs has been hacked apart.  There are several software tools available for tuning this platform.  Many software tools extend the original capabilities of the factory computer, allowing forced induction, ITBs and larger injectors to be calibrated.  For more information about the software tools available, see “Software Options” below.

Tuning Hardware

• Honda Chip Kit allows ECUs to be chipped
• BURN2 programs C2 27SF512 chips which can be installed in chipped ECUs
• Ostrich2 allows realtime tuning in chipped ECUs
• Xtreme HULOG allows logging of data from ECUs suitably equipped
• Demon1 allows realtime tuning (like Ostrich) logging (like HULOG) and also has onboard memory for recording datalogs without a laptop connected.  Honda Chip Kit is included.  Supports both JDM and USDM ECUs
• Demon2 is an evolution of the Demon1 with non-volatile memory for program storage, more onboard memory and different connection options.  Honda Chip Kit is included.  Supports only USDM ECUs
• Demon+Neptune combo is a Demon1/2 bundled with a license for NeptuneRTP software
• Neptune License allows Demon users to upgrade to Neptune RTP software
• Honda Tuning kit bundles a Honda Chip Kit, BURN2, Ostrich2, HULOG together
• Engine Sim generates signals like an engine to allow testing of ECUs on bench

ECU Modification Hardware

• Honda Chip Kit allows ECUs to be chipped
• VTEC-1720 kit allows non-vtec ECUs with 1720 motherboard to be converted to run Vtec engines
• VTEC-11F0 kit allows non-vtec ECUs with 11F0 motherboard to be converted to run Vtec engines
• VTEC-1980 kit allows non-vtec ECUs with 1980 motherboard to be converted to run Vtec engines
• PWM components kit adds the ability to control a boost control solenoid with supported software
• Bluetooth modules allow wireless communication between laptops/smartphones and your ECU (Software support required for optimal operation.  Many applications that work with a HULOG will NOT run smoothly without modification)

Software Options

Looking at software options for this platform that work with our hardware, there are basically two choices:

• Neptune – mature, stable, feature packed, well documented, bug-free
• CROME – unstable, less features, non-existent documentation, lots of bugs

Neptune RTP is the version of Neptune we sell.  We HIGHLY recommend this option.  When you buy a Neptune License, it is married to a specific Demon hardware unit (Demon+Neptune package – $395), the license is paired with the Demon hardware unit.  You can use it on whichever laptops you want, but only hardware that has been licensed.  Neptune RTP allows you to tune, datalog and also set up onboard logging, i.e. logging without a laptop.  Advanced features ranging from wideband closed-loop to programmable output control for nitrous or otherwise are supported.  Multiple tunes can be selected.  Alpha-N (TPS maps) are possible for ITBs or large cam cars.  Boost control via PWM solenoid or multiple stages of solenoids is possible.  Neptune is mature, relatively easy to use, well-documented, feature rich, works as documented and relatively bug free.  TL;DR: You get what you pay for.   More info can be found by looking at a demo version of the software which can be found here.

We do NOT sell the dealer version of Neptune.  You can contact info@hrtuning.com for more information on this.

CROME comes in several versions.

• The free version of CROME supports editing bins ONLY.  There is no logging.  There is no “Gold” ROM support.
• The Pro version of CROME (available from Xenocron.com, $150) supports editing bins AND datalogging.  The “Gold” ROM can be used on a restricted basis.  This is intended for individual use only but the license is widely abused.
• The Dealer version of CROME (available direct from CROME’s author only, $450?) supports editing bins AND datalogging.  It has full support for the “Gold” ROM.  Commercial users are meant to use this version.

CROME is a semi-community supported application.  (i.e. get your help on pgmfi.org) The software package itself is free to use for editing bins but any logging requires a paid version.  The “Pro” version intended for single user use is widely abused for tuning multiple cars.  CROME does NOT support the onboard logging or extra channels present on the Demon hardware.  CROME Pro/dealer will work with either the Demon as a in unit or with the Ostrich, BURN2 and HULog for chip-burning operation.  There is no documentation for CROME, aside from what is available from the community.  There are many things that are not working properly and tons that are mislabeled or misrepresented – individual cylinder trims, startup enrichment corrections and vtec pressure code elimination (among others) are all problematic as of February 2015.  CROME is the cheapest way to get into tuning Hondas but it hasn’t kept up with the support and features offered by Neptune.  We do NOT sell CROME – you can purchase Crome Pro from xenocron.com or CROME Dealer from tunewithcrome.com

Recommended Combos

For the end user looking to tune their own car with ease, there is only one good choice: the Demon+Neptune kit offers a comprehensive package of everything required to chip and tune an OBD1 Honda ECU in a convenient package.  The best hardware and best software combine to provide the best tuning option, hands down.  But it’s not cheap if you’re looking to do a fleet of vehicles.

For the aspiring t00ner on a budget looking to tune every car in their neighborhood, there is only one good choice: the Honda Tuning Kit paired with a CROME Pro/Dealer license sold elsewhere and a dozen Honda Chip Kits.  No other option will let you tune as many cars for the money.

Combos to Avoid

The Demon is only fully supported by Neptune RTP.  You can purchase an Ostrich and HULOG for less than the price of a Demon.  It does not make sense to buy a Demon if you are planning to use CROME.

The Honda Tuning Kit, BURN2 and Ostrich2 are NOT supported by NeptuneRTP.  In order to use these devices with Neptune, you must sign up as a dealer for Neptune – something we do not get involved with.

Starting around 1992, GM started putting the newer electronically controlled 4L60E and 4L80E transmissions in their trucks.  Along with the electronically controlled transmissions came new ECMs that speak ALDL at 8192 baud and have removable “memcals” – 16197427, 16196395, 16156930, 16168625.  These ECMs are largely interchangeable – as a rule of thumb, any of the 4 hardware boxes ( 16197427, 16196395, 16156930, 16168625 ) can run any of the 4 main masks ( $0D, $0E, $31 or $E6 ) BUT you will have issues using a V6 memcal for a V8 application or vise versa.  Your memcal MUST be from a vehicle that has the same number of cylinders as the engine you are trying to run.

You can also use these PCMs for standalone transmission controllers.

Hardware for Tuning

• G1 Chip adapter and C2 27SF512 chip required to reprogram ECM
• BURN2 Chip Programmer programs 27SF512 chips
• ALDU1 with CABL1 required for datalogging
• Ostrich2 required for real time tuning
• APU1 AutoPROM All-in-one device works great, taking the place of BURN2, ALDU1+CABL1 and Ostrich2

Software for Tuning

These computers use the $0D, $0E, $31 or $E6 masks from the factory.  The $0D and $E6 are generally found on 4L60E trucks.  The $31 and $0E are generally found on 4L80E equipped trucks.

TunerPro RT + the $0D, $0E, $31 or $E6 definitions works for editing and datalogging.  (this is the recommended software.  It is included with the AutoProm)

TunerCat OBD1 tuner with the appropriate definition works for editing.

TTS Datamaster with the appropriate definition works for datalogging.

Recommended Hardware to Buy

1. G1 + BURN2 + C2 = most basic
2. G1 + BURN2 + C2 + ALDU1 w/ CABL1 = basic with logging capabilities
3. G1 + APU1 = Chip tune / realtime tune / datalog – full capabilities
4. G1 + APU1 + MTX-L = full capabilites with wideband logging

The 93-95 VR Commodores  use several different ECMs that fortunately use the same tools for tuning.  These ECMs feature electronically controlled automatic transmissions ( 4L60E ) as well as engine control.

Hardware Required for Tuning

• G1 Chip adapter and C2 27SF512 chip required to reprogram ECM
• BURN2 Chip Programmer programs 27SF512 chips
• ALDU1 with CABL1 required for datalogging
• Ostrich2 required for real time tuning
• APU1 AutoPROM All-in-one device works great, taking the place of BURN2, ALDU1+CABL1 and Ostrich2

Software Required for Tuning

These computers use the $11 mask for automatic transmission vehicles or $12 mask for manual transmissions.  $2A is also seen for LPG and $3D for Holden HSV.

TunerPro RT has editing definitions on the website.

 PCMHacking.net appears to have datalogging definitions for TunerPro RT.

TunerCat OBD1 tuner has editing definitions available.

Some 94-95 Trucks (mostly F150) came equipped with a 4R70W automatic transmission.  Most of the heavier-duty trucks came with AOD-E transmissions and use incompatible ECMs.  These ECMs feature sequential fuel injection, a distributor for spark delivery, Mass-air flow (MAF) sensors for air metering and most importantly are set up to control a 4R70W electronically-controlled automatic transmission.  These ECMs can be used to run the combination of a pushrod V8 and 4R70W.   Ideal for those wanting to run a mode modern electronically controlled automatic transmission instead of an AOD with a pushrod engine.  With little more than programming, they can use used to run everything from a 460cid big block (or larger) to a simple 302 or a 5.8L Windsor engine.  All of the ECMs in the name of this article use the CBAz0 strategy/operating system, all run 4R70W transmissions and can be considered functionally equivalent for tuning.

BUG0

BUG2

GET0

GLO0

GLO2

HUG0

HUG2

JAB1

L4J1

P5X0

Hardware for Tuning

• QuarterHorse – integrated device brings unique functionality to the table.  It is a “chip on steroids” that allows you to make changes while the vehicle is running and (with supporting software) log live data from the vehicle.  Any tunes developed using a QuarterHorse can be programmed to F3/F8 chips for long term use. (please keep reading below!)
• F3 – simple chip module that can store one or two tunes and switch between them while vehicle is running.  Requires Jaybird programmer or BURN2+FA.
• F8 – fancy chip module that can store eight tunes and switch between them while vehicle is running.   Can also be programmed while installed – no need to remove chip to reprogram it.  Requires Destiny programmer
• BURN2 + FA + FE – generic chip programmer with Ford adapter (FA) and ECM interface (FE) that can be used to read the current program from EECIV and EECV ECMs on the bench.

Software for Tuning

The CBAZ0 strategy is used on these ECMs.

• Core Tuning definition (available through Coretuning.Net or ben@coretuning.net ) – uses same standards for organization as other Core Tuning defs, very complete, includes full datalogging. Approximately $495 INCLUDES QuarterHorse hardware!!!
• Binary Editor ($100 / $171 available through Moates.net) combined with Derek Fenwick’s CBAZ0 definition ($25, contact him directly to obtain) supports these ECMs.  Usually complete and extremely functional.
• EEC Editor ($20 edit / $25 log available from Moates.net) has basic editing support for the these ECMs.  EEC Editor is a basic application for tuning Fords.  Logging support is experimental.

Recommended Combinations

Looking at what’s available, there are 3 recommended combinations:

1. EEC Editor ($20) w/ WAY1 def, Jaybird ($75), F3 ($60)
   Option 1 gives you the cheapest way to tune your EC<.  You will NOT have logging – just editing.  You will NOT have realtime tuning – you’ll have to shut down, program chip, reinstall chip each time.  EEC Editor is a very basic application without many graphics or frills but it’s mostly functional as an editor.  (you can download it and check it out from the Tuning Software section of our website)
2. QuarterHorse tuning package from Core Tuning definition ($495) and optionally Jaybird+F3($75+$75). Core Tuning provides a “one stop” shop experience, directly through them.  Their definitions are generally really well laid out, well defined and have a large selection of parameters to choose from.  They’re a US company with great support.  Again, chip tuning hardware is optional but recommended.
3. QuarterHorse ($249), Binary Editor ($100) with Derek Fenwick definition ($25) and optionally dongle for BE ($+71) and optionally Jaybird+F3($75+$75)  Binary Editor is better software.  Derek generally makes very good definitions.  The combination of QH + BE + Def is going to give you realtime tuning while the vehicle is running AND datalogging to see engine and transmission parameters.  It’s still a good idea to have a chip for long-term use but chip tuning hardware is optional, at least from a getting started perspective.

94-95 MAF Trucks are an interesting breed.  They feature sequential fuel injection, a distributor for spark delivery, Mass-air flow (MAF) sensors for air metering and most importantly are set up to control an E4OD electronically-controlled automatic transmission.  Aside from their original application, these ECMs are commonly used for speed density->MAF conversions on speed density trucks and Broncos that had E4OD transmissions.   With little more than programming, they can use used to run everything from a 460cid big block (or larger) to a simple 302 or a 5.8L Windsor engine.  All of the ECMs in the name of this article use the AHACA strategy/operating system, all run E4OD transmissions and can be considered functionally equivalent for tuning.  All use the SMD-272 hardware type.

BIO0 (F5TF-12A650-BYA) AHACA
AKC0 (F8TF-12A650-NA) AHACA
RAN2 (F5TF-12A650-AEC)
MOB1
MOB0

Hardware for Tuning

• QuarterHorse – integrated device brings unique functionality to the table.  It is a “chip on steroids” that allows you to make changes while the vehicle is running and (with supporting software) log live data from the vehicle.  Any tunes developed using a QuarterHorse can be programmed to F3/F8 chips for long term use. (please keep reading below!)
• F3 – simple chip module that can store one or two tunes and switch between them while vehicle is running.  Requires Jaybird programmer or BURN2+FA.
• F8 – fancy chip module that can store eight tunes and switch between them while vehicle is running.   Can also be programmed while installed – no need to remove chip to reprogram it.  Requires Destiny programmer
• BURN2 + FA + FE – generic chip programmer with Ford adapter (FA) and ECM interface (FE) that can be used to read the current program from EECIV and EECV ECMs on the bench.

Software for Tuning

The AHACA strategy is used on these ECMs.

• Core Tuning definition (available through Coretuning.Net or ben@coretuning.net ) – uses same standards for organization as other Core Tuning defs, very complete, includes full datalogging. Approximately $495 INCLUDES QuarterHorse hardware!!!
• EEC Editor ($20 available from Moates.net) has basic editing support for the these ECMs.  EEC Editor is a basic application for tuning Fords.  There is no logging support at this time. (1/2015)

Recommended Combinations

Looking at what’s available, there are 2 combinations that make sense:

1. EEC Editor ($20) w/ WAY1 def, Jaybird ($75), F3 ($60)
   Option 1 gives you the cheapest way to tune your ECM.  You will NOT have logging – just editing.  You will NOT have realtime tuning – you’ll have to shut down, program chip, reinstall chip each time.  EEC Editor is a very basic application without many graphics or frills but it’s mostly functional as an editor.  (you can download it and check it out from the Tuning Software section of our website)
2. QuarterHorse tuning package from Core Tuning definition ($495) and optionally Jaybird+F3. Core Tuning provides a “one stop” shop experience, directly through them.  Their definitions are generally really well laid out, well defined and have a large selection of parameters to choose from.  They’re a US company with great support.  Again, chip tuning hardware is optional but recommended.

94-95 MAF Trucks are an interesting breed.  They feature sequential fuel injection, a distributor for spark delivery, Mass-air flow (MAF) sensors for air metering and most importantly are set up to control an E4OD electronically-controlled automatic transmission.  Aside from their original application, these ECMs are commonly used for speed density->MAF conversions on speed density trucks and Broncos that had E4OD transmissions.   With little more than programming, they can use used to run everything from a 460cid big block (or larger) to a simple 302 or a 5.8L Windsor engine.  All of the ECMs in the name of this article use the same strategy/operating system, all run E4OD transmissions and can be considered functionally equivalent for tuning.   VEX1 / WAY1 / AHACB strategy depending on the vendor.  (different names for same thing)  The ECMs all use the “SMD-221” hardware type. Some processor codes / hardware IDs:

HOG0 (F4TF-12A650-AAA) VEX1/AHACB
TIP1 (F5TF-12A650-GB) TIP1/AHACB
IVY0 (F4TF-12A650-ABA) VEX1/AHACB
U4X0 (F4PF-12A650-AA) VEX1/AHACB
VEX1 (F5TF-12A650-HB) VEX1/AHACB
WAY1 (F5TF-12A650-JB) VEX1/AHACB

Hardware for Tuning

• QuarterHorse – integrated device brings unique functionality to the table.  It is a “chip on steroids” that allows you to make changes while the vehicle is running and (with supporting software) log live data from the vehicle.  Any tunes developed using a QuarterHorse can be programmed to F3/F8 chips for long term use.
• F3 – simple chip module that can store one or two tunes and switch between them while vehicle is running.  Requires Jaybird programmer or BURN2+FA.
• F8 – fancy chip module that can store eight tunes and switch between them while vehicle is running.   Can also be programmed while installed – no need to remove chip to reprogram it.  Requires Destiny programmer
• BURN2 + FA + FE – generic chip programmer with Ford adapter (FA) and ECM interface (FE) that can be used to read the current program from EECIV and EECV ECMs on the bench.

Software for Tuning

The AHACB strategy is used on these ECMs.  Both Binary Editor and EEC Editor support editing this strategy.  Only Binary Editor supports datalogging at this time.  It does not make sense to buy a QuarterHorse unless you’re also willing to buy Binary Editor and one of the available strategies for it.

• Binary Editor ($100 – $171 available from Moates.net) is a Ford-specific graphically oriented tuning software that supports many EEC-IV and EEC-V processors.  There are several options for BE2012:
  • EEC Analyzer ($50 available from Moates.net) is an optional companion program to Binary Editor to assist with analyzing data and automating tuning tasks.
  • The optional dongle for Binary Editor allows you to use the software on more than one laptop instead of being locked to a single machine.($+71)
  • Core Tuning definition (available through Coretuning.Net or ben@coretuning.net ) – uses same standards for organization as other Core Tuning defs, very complete, includes full datalogging.
  • Derek Fenwick’s AHACB definition ($25, contact him ) supports these ECMs.  Usually complete and extremely functional.
• EEC Editor ($20 available from Moates.net) has basic editing support for the these ECMs.  EEC Editor is a basic application for tuning Fords.  There is no logging support at this time. (1/2015)

Recommended Combinations

Looking at what’s available, there are 3 1/2 combinations that make sense:

1. EEC Editor ($20) w/ WAY1 def, Jaybird ($75), F3 ($60)
   Option 1 gives you the cheapest way to tune your EC<.  You will NOT have logging – just editing.  You will NOT have realtime tuning – you’ll have to shut down, program chip, reinstall chip each time.  EEC Editor is a very basic application without many graphics or frills but it’s mostly functional as an editor.  (you can download it and check it out from the Tuning Software section of our website)
2.  QuarterHorse ($249), Binary Editor ($100) with Derek Fenwick definition ($25) and optionally dongle for BE ($+71) and optionally Jaybird+F3
   Binary Editor is better software.  Derek generally makes very good definitions.  The combination of QH + BE + Def is going to give you realtime tuning while the vehicle is running AND datalogging to see engine and transmission parameters.  It’s still a good idea to have a chip for long-term use but chip tuning hardware is optional, at least from a getting started perspective.
3. QuarterHorse tuning package from Core Tuning definition ($495) and optionally Jaybird+F3
   Option 3 is somewhat similar to #2 except Core Tuning provides a “one stop” shop experience, directly through them.  Their definitions are generally really well laid out, well defined and have a large selection of parameters to choose from.  They’re a US company with great support.  Again, chip tuning hardware is optional but recommended.

Note: I’ve not seen either Derek nor Core’s defs personally so I can’t give you a meaningful comparison between the two.

The “half combo” I refer to is including the chipping tools (Jaybird+F3) as well as the QH in #2 and #3 above.

The 94-95 F and Y bodies are a dramatically different breed of PCM compared to earlier models used by GM.  They are primarily tuned by reflash using the ALDL protocol over the diagnostic port, NOT by programming and replacing chips.  (Although this is possible – they feature two 28F512 PLCC EPROMs)  They speak ALDL for datalogging at 8192 baud.  They are MAP sensor based.

BEWARE: these vehicles came with both the rectangular OBD1 style ALDL connectors AND the D-shaped “OBD2” connector, depending on their build date.  Make sure you check to see which connector your car has before ordering.  ( pictures )

BEWARE: these ECUs are notorious for “bricking,” or being killed by a bad flash program.  Please ensure that there is adequate battery voltage at all times.  It is a good idea to put a charger on the vehicle while programming as a drop in voltage for one second (fan kicking on, headlights, turn signals, subwoofer, etc.) can be enough to kill the ECM.  We do NOT rebuild bricked ECUs!

Hardware for Tuning

• ALDU1 with CABL1 or CABL2 depending on build date to reprogram ECM and log data
• APU1 AutoPROM with CABL1 or CABL2 All-in-one device works in pass through mode.  Advanced features of the APU1 including emulation and wideband datalogging are not trivially possible on this platform.
• It is a good idea to use a 12V battery charger, available elsewhere.

Software for Tuning

These computers use the $EE mask.

TunerPro RT + the $EE definitions works for editing bins and datalogging.  TunerPro can log data.  TunerPro can edit bins.  TunerPro CANNOT read or flash ECMs.

TunerCat OBD1 Tuner with the $EE Definition works for editing bins.  TunerCat OBD1 Tuner can read and flash ECMs and edit bins but not log data.

TunerCat DataCat (Formerly TTS Datamaster) works for logging data but cannot read, flash or edit.

TunerCat WinFlash can be used for the actual work of flashing and reading ECMs but will not log or edit.

Madtuner.com offer an alternative flash program which can be used for the actual work of flashing and reading ECMs but will not log or edit.

There is also another $EE hack site that provides improved XDFs to work with TunerPro.

So… There is NOT a single software package that does everything you need.  There are choices and you will need a combination of software packages to be able to read, program, edit and log.

These processors use a TFI distributor, sequential injection for up to 8 injectors, MAF air metering and an electronically controlled AOD-E 4 speed automatic transmission or Tremec 5 speed manual.  This EEC-IV system became the blueprint for future Ford systems (EECV and beyond) for years to come.  The 94 Mustang with its CBAZA strategy is arguably the first “modern” Ford processor, at least in the sense that the same thinking and algorithms for fueling, spark and transmission control are used to the present day.  Initially hindered by a lack of datalogging capabilities, this platform has been able to truly shine with the help of Moates tuning tools.

Hardware for Tuning

• QuarterHorse – integrated device brings unique functionality to the table.  It is a “chip on steroids” that allows you to make changes while the vehicle is running and (with supporting software) log live data from the vehicle.
• F3 – simple chip module that can store one or two tunes and switch between them while vehicle is running.  Requires Jaybird programmer or BURN2+FA.
• F8 – fancy chip module that can store eight tunes and switch between them while vehicle is running.   Can also be programmed while installed – no need to remove chip to reprogram it.  Requires Destiny programmer
• BURN2 + FA + FE – generic chip programmer with Ford adapter (FA) and ECM interface (FE) that can be used to read the current program from EECIV and EECV ECMs on the bench.

Software for Tuning

CBAZA is the strategy used by 94-95 V8 Mustangs, both automatic and manual transmission.  Base bin files from stock vehicles can be downloaded with tuning software so it is not critical to read your own ECM.  Most definitions support full transmission control in addition to allowing engine parameters to be modified.  This is a very common, established, well supported application.  Any of the three tuning softwares that we sell will work for this application.  Any tunes developed using a QuarterHorse can be programmed to F3/F8 chips for long term use.

• Binary Editor 2012 is a Ford-specific graphically oriented tuning software that supports many EEC-IV and EEC-V processors.  The CBAZA strategy has full editing and logging support using the QuarterHorse.  There are both free and pay versions of the CBAZA strategy.
• TunerPro RT is a universal tuning software that supports the CBAZA strategy with full QuarterHorse editing and logging using the definitions on this site.
• EEC Editor is a Ford-specific tuning software that supports the CBAZA strategy with full QuarterHorse editing and logging.

Recommended Combos

Just want to know what to buy?  All of these will be valid combos that will allow you to tune a vehicle effectively.

(Ford Dealer Kit)

(QuarterHorse AND Jaybird AND F3 AND Binary Editor 2012 AND Innovate MTX wideband AND Keyspan USB->Serial)

(QuarterHorse AND Jaybird AND F3 AND TunerPro RT AND Innovate MTX wideband)

Hardware and Software for Tuning

• TunerCat RRTuner OBD2
• TunerCat WinFlash software

The only package capable of tuning these vehicles available from Moates is the TunerCat OBD2 tuner suite with WinFlash and cable.  This package is NOT a complete tuning solution as there is NO DATALOGGING!!!  You will need a 3rd party logging tool, such as EFI Live Scan or a GM Tech2 scan tool, to have a workable tuning solution.  This is *NOT* recommended as a first purchase – it is difficult to use compared to other tools and is aimed at an experienced tuner.

Alternatives / Discussion

It will cost about $900 to get into the TunerCat OBD2 package.  There are worthwhile alternatives:

• Convert to a 94-95 ECM that is well-supported by TunerCATS OBD1.  This will require an ALDU1+CABL2 combo, TunerCATS OBD1 tuner ($69.95) with a single definition file ($EE – $19.95) **OR** TunerCats WinFLash and TunerPro RT with the $EE definition, along with a new 94-95 ECM.  This may involve minor wiring changes.  Arguably the most simple and straightforward option.  Preserves all engine sensors, distributor, etc.  This option will work for LTx engines ONLY.  96-97 Vortecs must use another option.
• Convert to a 98+ ECM that is well-supported by EFI Live.  This will involve more substantial wiring changes and a supported 98+ ECM.  This will involve a 24x reluctor conversion kit. (See here for more information.)  This is *NOT EASY OR SIMPLE* but arguably provides the best solution because quality, trusted LSx electronics replace many problematic parts on the earlier engines such as replacing  the Optispark system with coil-near-plug as found on the LSx.

These processors use EDIS coil packs backed by a 36-1 crank trigger wheel, sequential injection for up to 8 injectors, MAF air metering and an electronically controlled 4R70W 4 speed automatic transmission or Tremec 5 speed manual.  These mod motor ECMs speak the standard OBD2 which opens up options for logging using a standard scantool over the diagnostic port.  The CDAN4 strategy used by these processors was used to run almost all RWD engines offered by Ford in 1996 and 1997 – 3.8L V6 in Thunderbird and mustang base model, 4.6L 2V V8 in Mustang GT, Town car, grand marquis, thunderbird, 4.6L 4V in Mustang Cobra.

Hardware for Tuning

• QuarterHorse – integrated device brings unique functionality to the table.  It is a “chip on steroids” that allows you to make changes while the vehicle is running and (with supporting software) log live data from the vehicle.
• F3 – simple chip module that can store one or two tunes and switch between them while vehicle is running.  Requires Jaybird programmer or BURN2+FA.
• F8 – fancy chip module that can store eight tunes and switch between them while vehicle is running.   Can also be programmed while installed – no need to remove chip to reprogram it.  Requires Destiny programmer
• BURN2 + FA + FE – generic chip programmer with Ford adapter (FA) and ECM interface (FE) that can be used to read the current program from EECIV and EECV ECMs on the bench.

Software for Tuning

The CDAN4 strategy is very common in 96-97 vehicles as it is used on almost all of the RWD platform, both automatic and manual transmission.  Many base bin files for stock vehicles can be downloaded with tuning software, but there are a lot of applications where bin files are not available.  Plan on using the QuarterHorse or BURN2+FA+FE to read your own ECM.  Any of the three tuning softwares that we sell will work for this application.  Any tunes developed using a QuarterHorse can be programmed to F3/F8 chips for long term use.  Definitions for this platform vary in quality a TON!!!  Some support full automatic transmission control in addition to allowing engine parameters to be modified.  Some barely have the basics of engine operation.

• Binary Editor 2012 ($100 – $171 available from Moates.net) is a Ford-specific graphically oriented tuning software that supports many EEC-IV and EEC-V processors.  There are several definition options for BE2012:
  • Core Tuning Definition ($195 available through Coretuning.net) – comprehensive definition with editing of engine and transmission parameters and full datalogging with QH.
  • Dex’s definition ($25 email sailorbob@uk2.net) – I haven’t seen this in order to review it, although Dex’s stuff is generally very, very good.
• EEC Analyzer ($50 available from Moates.net) is an optional companion program to Binary Editor to assist with analyzing data and automating tuning tasks.
• TunerPro RT ($30 / free available from Moates.net) is a universal tuning software that supports the CDAN4 strategy editing using definitions available on TunerPro’s website. 
  • The available definition does NOT have datalogging support.  Comprehensiveness questionable.
• EEC Editor ($30 / $35 available from Moates.net) is a Ford-specific tuning software that supports the CDAN4 strategy with full QuarterHorse editing and logging.  
  • Datalogging and editing definitions available.  Completeness unknown.

Recommended Combos

Just want to know what to buy?  All of these will be valid combos that will allow you to tune a vehicle effectively.

(Ford Dealer Kit + Core Tuning Commercial Tuning Package)

(QuarterHorse AND Jaybird AND F3 AND Binary Editor 2012 WITH Dongle AND Core Tuning Premium Definition AND Innovate MTX wideband AND Keyspan USB->Serial)

(QuarterHorse AND Jaybird AND F3 AND Binary Editor 2012 AND Dex Definition AND Innovate MTX wideband AND Keyspan USB->Serial)

(Jaybird AND F3 AND TunerPro RT)

The ‘Data trace’ feature of our emulators is probably one of the most misunderstood features.  Trace is intended to give you some idea of what portions of an emulated ROM are being used by the target system as a last resort when you don’t have a way of establishing communications for logging.  Trace is a feature supported only by the Ostrich 2.0 and RoadRunner (with latest firmware).  This article exists to document what Trace is, how it works, what it can do, what kind of limitations exist and how it can go wrong.

In order to understand how data trace works, it is necessary to understand the electrical signals used by a microcontroller in your ECU (or target system) to access RAM or ROM using parallel access.  There are many explanations of this out there but this one seemed decently concise.  It will also be necessary to understand the commands used to set up Trace and the mechanism that the emulator uses to gather and report data back to the PC, along with what happens to that data in the application running on the PC.  It will also be very helpful to understand TunerPro RT definition creation.

Bottom line: Trace is complicated, finicky, temperamental and is not designed to provide the same kind of steady, consistent data that can be obtained through communicating with the ECM using some form of data logging.  Our emulators were NOT designed from the ground up to provide 100% accurate address trace data and we do not expect them to be able to deliver that level of performance.

What Trace is and How it Works

Normal operation of the emulator is the PC sending commands to the Emulator to make changes to emulator memory, allowing changes in a “chip” to be made without having to stop, remove, reprogram and reinstall the chip.  The Emulator has a microcontroller which is responsible for receiving and processing commands from the PC and communicating with a memory controller.  In order to allow changes to be made without disturbing the target system, our emulators sneak updates from the PC in between accesses by the target system.  (If the target expects data too fast, glitches may occur caused by collisions between PC and target memory access.)

Trace allows an application that sends the specific appropriate setup commands to the emulator to monitor which addresses the target system accesses.  When trace is enabled, the microcontroller on the emulator starts querying the same memory controller used for realtime updates to see which addresses are queried by the target system.  In order to determine which memory is accessed, two main signals are monitored by the memory controller:

1. The address lines on the emulator, used by the target system to specify which data it wants to see
2. The !OE (Output Enable) and !CE(chip enable) pins, which are used by the target to control the timing of a data output request

After the control lines indicate memory access, the memory controller stores the last address used by the target system.  As fast as it can, the microcontroller retrieves the address information from the memory controller.  Addresses responses are always 3 bytes and take (minimum) 8 MCU clock cycles or around 0.6uS to retrieve from the memory controller.  Setup commands sent by the PC control how the Emulator handles each address retrieved from the memory controller.  It can either store/buffer, send to PC or ignore the received address and wait for another hit.  If you are curious, you can look at the setup command structure in our documentation.  It is possible to control the range of addresses which trigger a match, the number of address hits to gather before reporting to the PC, whether addresses are streamed continuously or reported once before returning to normal control, whether duplicate hits are reported multiple times or once, the format of responses in terms of number of bytes reported and more.

Our emulators communicate with the PC at 921,600 baud 8N1 over a FTDI USB-Serial connection.  This means that approximately 102,400 bytes can be transferred each second, and each byte takes about 10uS to send.  The system is bandwidth-limited because it can gather trace responses from the memory controller faster than it can supply them to the PC.

Software Support

At this point (April 2020) the only softwares that have implemented support for data trace that we know of are TunerPro RT and RenoVelo Domino.  Specific software support for the trace feature is REQUIRED.  An application that supports the realtime tuning / emulation features of our products (i.e. EmUtility) may NOT support trace at all.

While we do not develop it in house, TunerPro RT is our reference platform that we use internally for testing and product development.  There are two methods of using the Trace feature of a compatible emulator in TunerPro RT.

The Address Watch Utility: (Note: it is “greyed out” / unavailable in this screenshot because I didn’t have a compatible emulator plugged in)

Trace can also be invoked to watch individual tables: (again, “greyed out” / unavailable in this screenshot because I didn’t have a compatible emulator plugged in)

Looking at the control protocols, an example auto-generated “T” command sent by TunerPro RT to the emulator to set up trace after clicking the ‘A’ icon appears to be

"54 23 00 00 01 01 08 44 38 08 44 73 BC    /      T#.....D8.Ds."

• Control byte = 23: 0b00100011
• NO streaming
• report only windowed hits
• report all
• normal addr triggers
• relative addressing
• single hit buffers
• single byte address report
• windowed report (relative  vs. absolute address reports)

What can go wrong with Trace? / Limitations

I’m sure Trace sounds great, like the perfect solution for ECUs where limited communication is possible.  Unfortunately, there are many ways for trace to go wrong and not act like you might hope or expect it would.

1. Memory controller limitations: missed hits inside the emulator.  The memory controller does not buffer memory hits.  It only reports the last accessed address.  The speed at which the microcontroller queries the memory controller limits how many hits can be captured.  As discussed, it takes several MCU clock ticks do retrieve data from the memory controller. In ~0.6uS, at least 5x 100nS memory accesses can happen, all of which would be missed by the trace system.
2. Processing received addresses: missed hits inside the emulator.  It takes time (albeit a VERY short amount of time) for the microcontroller on the emulator to process address hits and decide what to do with them.  As it does not query the memory controller when deciding what to do with an address hit, this limits the speed at which it can query the memory controller and limits how many hits can be captured.
3. Bandwidth / PC: missed hits due to serial comms.  This bandwidth and latency limitation is inherent to the hardware design and will not change.  There is very limited bandwidth to communicate with a PC compared to the speed of memory access.  It takes around 10uSec to communincate the shortest format abbreviated address hit in streaming mode.  That means around 100 memory accesses (at 100ns) can occur (and be missed) by the target during the time it takes ONE Trace hit to be communicated with the PC.  Multiple byte responses (which will be necessary for larger monitor windows) will require 2 or 3 times as long for communication.  These are best-case figures, assuming streaming mode.  If a single response is sent followed by a new command setup, the latency of the process could be increased by a factor of 20 easily.  (Note: single response is the default monitoring scheme for TunerPro RT commands.)  If a large number of address hits are buffered and then bulk transferred, the latency between each hit is significantly decreased but the time to communicate with the PC is significantly increased, leading to a longer pause in between each group of responses.  Bottom line: serial communication limits the maximum potential address hit capability to a fraction of bus speed.
4. Addressing mix-ups: software/XDF.   Under XDF … Edit XDF info it is possible to specify chip size, offset parameters.  TunerPro uses the address of the table in the XDF for the start and stop addresses it sends as part of the Trace setup command.  The XDF setup parameters control the relative location of tables within TunerPro’s memory model.  These need to be specified in a way that the addresses TunerPro RT uses for representing the bin on your PC match how the Ostrich stores the bin in its memory.  The addresses matching allows TunerPro RT to match the Trace command responses it receives from the emulator with the correct bytes stored in PC memory and show you which bytes in a table are being accessed.  If the memory models differ, TunerPro RT will never show any bytes in the table being accessed because the responses to the Trace commands don’t match with the information it has in memory.
5. Memory Shadowing: target system behavior: “Shadowing” refers to the practice of an embedded system copying memory from one place to another before using it.  In many cases, slow flash or ROM chip memory is copied to faster RAM memory and then accessed in RAM during normal operation.  In this style of use, there are no ROM accesses to trigger Trace hits after the initial shadow.  While this does not often happen, it is controlled by the target system and is not under the control of our emulators.

Conclusion

Trace was a “nifty extra” added to our emulators because we could and figured it might be handy in some cases.  We did NOT design our emulators around being able to deliver completely accurate and precise address tracing.  We do not have any plans to improve the data Trace feature.  We do not have any plans to release an emulator that has better trace performance.  Our emulators were designed to take the place of a chip and allow realtime changes – this they do well.  Trace should be considered a “bonus feature.”  Do not rely on it to gather all the data needed to tune an ECU.

The ALDU1 is a datalogger designed to work with OBD I GM vehicles.

The ALDU1 is compatible with the CABL1 and the CABL2, which are interface cables that connect to GM OBD I and OBD II vehicle respectively.

The ALDU1 can be purchased by itself, or as a combo with either the CABL1 or CABL2.

CABL1 is used for ~88-94 GM OBD1 vehicles with a rectangular ALDL connector like this:

CABL2 is used only on 95 (and some late-year 94) vehicles that still speak ALDL but have the D shaped “OBD2-style” connector like this:

It can be interfaced with many pieces of software, including TunerPro.

Pinouts and Wiring

In the event you need to build a custom cable, use the following pin outs for the RJ45 connector:

1=A(gnd)

2=B(diag)

3=E/M(data)

This is the 86-94 original ALDL connector:

On CABL1:

• pin A is connected to RJ45 pin 1
• pin B is connected to RJ45 pin 2
• pin E and pin M are connected to RJ45 pin 3
• pin G is connected to RJ45 pin 4
• other pins are not connected

This is the late model ALDL connector used in 1995:

On CABL2:

• Pins 4 and 5 are connected to RJ45 pin 1
• Pin 13 is connected to RJ45 pin 2
• Pin 9 is connected to RJ45 pin 3
• Pin 16 is connected to RJ45 pin 4
• Pin 2 is connected to RJ45 pin 5
• Pin 10 is connected to RJ45 pin 6
• Pin 14 is connected to RJ45 pin 7
• Pin 6 is connected to RJ45 pin 8

How to Buy

Take a look at the OBD1 GM section of our online store here

Test Procedure

The first step towards determining if your ALDU1 is working correctly is to look at the USB side.  Before you continue, you should have verified USB connectivity and you will need to know which COM port your cable is using.  Take a look at the USB troubleshooting guide if you have any questions or concerns here.

You will need to have TunerPro RT version 5.0 or later installed.

Test procedure:

1. Start TunerPro RT with your cable plugged into your computer but unplugged from the vehicle.
2. Load a valid XDF / ADS-ADX combination for your vehicle
3. Go to Tools … Preferences and select “Use Plug-in” for Interface type.  Then make sure “TunerPro Data Acquisition I/O Interface” is selected.  Next, select “Configure Plug-in Component”  Then make sure “Standard Serial” is selected and the COM port shown matches the COM port of your cable. 
4. Finally, click the “Test For Valid Interface Using Settings” to perform a test on the cable.

If your cable fails the above test, it will almost certainly need to come back to us for repair.  If it passes the above test, the hardware has passed a basic minimal test.

To perform an auto to manual conversion on an OBD I Honda ECU, use the following procedure:

1. Verify that you have an Automatic. You will know if there are resistors in RP17 and RP18 (next to the EEPROM)
2. Remove RP17 and RP18
3. Replace RP18 with a jumper. (The one you removed from J12 usually works well, or just a paperclip)

When you are done, the resistors should look like this:

Manual ECU Resistor Arrangement

The Autoprom was the first Moates device. It is a combination Emulator, Chip Burner and Datalogger.

Today you can buy these devices separately, however this package eliminates the need for 3 separate units.

Compatibility

As of writing this article, the only software known to be fully compatible with the Autoprom is TunerPro RT.  TunerCat OBD1 Tuner and TTS Datamaster support almost all of the AutoProm’s features.

If you plan on tuning Honda vehicles, purchase the Ostrich, Burn1, and HuLog separately or a Demon as there is no software for Hondas that supports the Autoprom and all of its features.

The Autoprom CANNOT be used to program F3 Ford chips using the FA nor can it be used to read Ford ECMs using the FE.  You will need to look at the Jaybird or BURN2/FA/FE combo for Ford vehicles.

The Autoprom does not work smoothly with 29F040 chips.  If you need to work with these chips, it is recommended that you purchase a BURN2.

The Autoprom should be compatible with almost all USB ports.  Its power consumption should be in the 100-150mA range.

Environmental Compatibility

The APU1 is NOT designed to be left in an engine bay!!!  It will fail prematurely if exposed to the heat of a bay.   It is designed for a maximum operating temperature of about 80C (175F).

The APU1 is NOT designed to be exposed to moisture!!!  It will fail prematurely if exposed to liquids.  It will fail prematurely from condensation inside its case.

If you are going to use the device in harsh environments, try to do so for short periods of time and then program a chip for long term use.  We recommend this in general but it is especially important in harsh environments.

Due to its internal battery constantly powering portions of the device, the APU1 can easily be ruined by condensation caused by sudden drops of temperature in humid environments.  Returning the device to a cool (~50-77F / 10-25C) , dry environment after exposure to high humidity before attempting to use again  is a very good idea.  Placing it in a sealed bag with dry rice or another desiccant can help if condensation is suspected.

Switch Positions

Real-Time Tuning / Emulation

1. Make sure car is in key-off position with no power to the ECM. Remove the ‘stock’ chip and install socket adapter (G1 or G2) if not already present. Remove any chip from the AutoProm ZIF socket!
2. Hook the 28-pin ribbon cable header to the ECM chip adapter socket. Make sure the ‘red’ wire points toward where the notch, or Pin1, would be on a chip normally going in the socket. The AutoProm will auto-select its power source from either the USB port or the ECM header.
3. Get your PC powered on with TunerPro or TunerCat loaded up. Hook USB cable up to the AutoProm and PC. Check the AutoProm switch positions along the backpanel. The innermost horizontal switch can be positioned either inboard (10k – used to select data initiation on older-model vehicles.  Try the other ‘open’ setting first!) or outboard (open A-B – almost everything else) depending on ECM requirements. The outer horizontal switch should be in the ‘towards the USB port’ position. (APU1 mode. Other position is passthrough mode, identical to ALDU1).
4. If you haven’t already loaded a file onto the AutoProm, you will get an SES light condition indicating bad PROM content. Now is the time to go ahead and initialize the AutoProm from the PC software (should be under ‘Emulation, Initialize’ option). Once initialized, load the desired binary file into the PC software and upload it to the AutoProm (option should be right next to the ‘Initialize’ button). You may want to select the ‘Verify’ option (in TunerPro) to ensure that the binary upload was successful. If you keyed the vehicle on without a valid binary loaded, you may need to cycle the key off for about 20 seconds to let the ECM reset.
5. At this point, you should have the AutoProm loaded with the desired binary file. The car should now respond as though a chip with the uploaded binary content is installed. If not, then there is an issue. Either the binary is corrupt or some other condition exists.
6. From the PC software, you can make on-the-fly changes in the BIN content and have those changes immediately transferred to the AutoProm and the car should respond accordingly. There are several options within the supporting PC software, such as ‘Checksum Disable’, ‘Upload Entire Tables’, ‘Update Checksum’, and ‘Keep Item Open’, etc., so read through the documentation and practice a little bit so you understand what is going on and what to select. Typically, checksum disable or update checksum should be selected. Use a setting of “AA at 08” for 28 pin applications, and “AA at 04” for 24 pin ECMs.
7. Have fun, and try not to burn anything up other than rubber and fuel!

Stand-Alone Datalogging

1. Hook the APU1 up to the PC USB port and place the outer horizontal switch in the standalone, ‘away from USB port’ position (toward outside). It doesn’t matter whether the AutoProm is connected to the ECM chip socket because it gets power for standalone data logging from the USB port.
2. Connect the ALDL cable to the car’s ALDL connection. Place the inner horizontal switch on the AutoProm backpanel in the proper position for your vehicle and mode desired: inboard=”10k across A-B”, outboard=”open between A-B”.
3. Load up your favorite datalogging program on the PC, such as “TunerPro”, “WinALDL”, or “TTS DataMaster”. You may need to select an ADS file to define your datastream if using TunerPro. Turn on the key and start logging data! To stop, just turn car off and disconnect hardware. Keep in mind that in this mode, the hardware will not be ‘detected’ like the AutoProm mode, and that you’ll need to specify which USB Serial Port number (hopefully COM3 or COM4) has been allocated to the port in the datalogging software preferences.

Simultaneous Emulation and Datalogging

1. Carry out the same steps described above in the sections on Emulation and Datalogging, except keep the outer horizontal switch in the ‘inboard / toward USB port’ position.
2. Use a simultaneous-supporting program such as TunerPro RT to perform simultaneous datalogging and real-time emulation/tuning. You should see results from changes to the binary on-the-fly right when you make them.

Chip Reading and Programming

1. Connect the AutoProm to the USB cable. The USB will supply the power.
2. Make sure the 28 pin ribbon cable used for emulation is UNPLUGGED from the unit. Unpredictable behavior can result from the APU1 being directly connected to a ECM using the emulation cable while burning chips.
3. Make sure that the switches on the AutoProm are set for AUTOPROM MODE (outer switch inwards, see above picture)
4. Place the target or source chip in the ZIF socket. Orientation is critical, and the chip should be placed with its notch or arrow facing toward the ZIF handle and toward the back panel of the AutoProm. The chip should be at the ‘bottom’ of the socket, such that any unused socket pin slots are closest to the handle or backplane.
5. Use a supporting software program, such as TunerPro or FlashBurn to pick read/write operation, file location and name, starting and ending addresses, any hex offsets, bank selection, or other characteristic of the read/write operation. Carry out desired program/read/verify steps as desired, and remove chip from socket.

APU1 Video introduction

There is a series of videos on our YouTube channel that also explain some of the basics. You can also consult the APU1 Troubleshooting guide if you’re having trouble.

APU1+Wideband+Datalog

On the back of the APU1 you will find a terminal block with 4x screw terminals. The one closest to the USB port is GND/Common, and the other 3 are for channels 1,2,3 respectively. If you have a wideband O2 with 0-5v outputs, it can be wired up to GND/CH1 and TunerPro can then present the ADC data along with the rest of the datastream when operating in AutoProm mode (this feature unavailable in pass-through mode). Configuring this is a little bit complicated and requires comfort with TunerPro RT, basic algebra and some patience.

This is a nice article written by Charles Woock on how to configure TunerPro RT to digest 0-5v inputs such as the LM1 and LC1. The values can be brought in through the APU1 via the APADC interface.  (Note: newer APU1s have the APADC interface built in as standard equipment) The tutorial explains how to set up the ADS file and render values such as AFR Air Fuel Ratio as part of your GM ALDL data stream.

Here’s the PDF file:

http://static.moates.net/zips/wideband_datalog_tunerpro_lm1.pdf

“First Edition” AutoPROMs

Very early editions of this unit feature a different switch configuration.

These units have a horizontal switch and a vertical switch.

For the horizontal switch, outbound is passthrough mode and inbound is APU1 mode.

The vertical switch has three positions.  It controls the behavior of the datalogging interface, much like the inner switch on newer models. 10k is the up position, open is the middle position, and short (check codes) is the down position.

These units also use a different style cable to connect the APU1 to the vehicle.  We no longer sell this style of cable.

A lot of the questions we get either via email or on the support line boil down to, “how do I program a chip?”

You asked, we deliver!  This tutorial is going to picture the BURN2 but it applies equally to the BURN1 and APU1/AutoPROM as well.

Step by step:

1. Get out your burner and a chip.
   
   Our burners will work with the AT29C256, SST27SF512, AM29F040 and F3/F3v2 chips we sell.
   Our burners will NOT program 27C32, 27C128, 27C256, 27C512 chips but it will read them.
2. Plug the burner in to your laptop’s USB port.
3. Install the chip per directions printed on the burner – the unused pins should be closest to the metal handle.  The divet on the chip used to mark pin 1 should also face the metal handle.
   
4. Fire up our Flash n Burn software.  (If you do not have Flash n Burn, see here to download it)
5. Assuming that your drivers are loaded and your hardware is working, you should see this screen after the software loads:
   
   If instead you see something like this:
   
   “No Hardware Found” means that you should see the BURN2 troubleshooting guide,
6. Next, select the chip type from the list in the upper left hand corner. ( 28 pin = SST27SF512 *OR* Jaybird/BURN2+FA with F3 chip = J3 Ford Adapter)
   
7. Chips need to be be blank before you program them.  Click “Erase Chip” and then “Blank Check”  This will erase the chip and then perform a check to see if it is blank.  If it succeeds, you should see this:
   
   
   If you see this instead:
   
   Try another chip.  If your burner fails to erase several different chips, you probably have fake chips.  If you are sure your chips are not fake, contact us for further assistance.
8. At this point, you have a blank chip correctly inserted in your burner with the correct chip type selected.  The next step is to load the file you want to program to the chip.  To do this, click “Load File to buffer” and then point it at the file on your PC that you want to program.
   
9. Double check addressing settings.  (This can be tricky – there is a whole article on it to help you.)  In most cases, the software will automatically set these for you.  These settings are important because most of the chips used in ECUs are a smaller capacity than the chip you are programming.  You need to make sure the program you put in the chip ends up in the top (end) of the chip, so these settings matter.  A short list of chip addressing settings:
   • 64k bin: 000000 start 00FFFF end ( SST27SF512 chip )
   • 32k bin: 008000 start 00FFFF end ( SST27SF512 chip )
   • 16k bin: 00C000 start 00FFFF end ( SST27SF512 chip )
   • 4k bin: 00F000 start 00FFFF end ( SST27SF512 chip )
   • 56k Ford EECIV bin: 032000 start 03FFFF end ( Ford F3 chip )
   • 256k Ford EECV bin: 000000 start 03FFFF end ( Ford F3 chip )
   • 112k Ford EECV bin: SPECIAL need other software ( Ford F3 chip )
   • 216k Ford EECV bin: SPECIAL need other software ( Ford F3 chip )
   • BEB files CANNOT be programmed with FnB / TP.  Must program using Binary Editor
   • eBIN file CANNOT be programmed with FnB / TP.  Must program using EEC Editor.

   
   

10. Click “Program Chip”  You should see a progress bar march across and then the software report “PROM I/O succeeded.”
    
11. Now click “Verify Chip w/ Buffer”  This will read the contents of the chip back and check them against the program you have loaded in the buffer.  If this test passes, you can be confident that the chip was programmed correctly.
    
    You should see: “SUCCESS:Verification Succeeded” as the message reported back.  If you see this, you are DONE and the chip is programmed correctly!

     

    If instead you see “FAILURE: Verification Failed (not matched)” you will need to do some troubleshooting:
    

• Check and make sure the chip is inserted firmly in the socket. Remove it and re-insert it to be safe.
• Re-erase and blank check it. If it passes a blank check, try programming it again.
• If it fails the blank check, try another chip.  Failing blank checks is a common sign of fake chips.
• Try another chip purchased from us, xenocron.com, poweraddersolutions.com or another known legitimate source.
• If you’re still having trouble, contact us.

In order to issue you a license for Binary Editor, you must first download and install the software. ( http://www.eecanalyzer.net )  Once you have downloaded and installed the software, go to the “Register” menu at the top of the screen and select “Register Binary Editor”

Next, you will be presented with a screen where you need to provide some information.  First, check the boxes to indicate which hardware you will be using.  Under “Tuners,” check “Moates” for the QuarterHorse.  If you have an Innovate or PLX wideband, make sure you check the appropriate box under “Loggers.”  You will also need to do this for the DataQ standalone datalogger, if you own one.  Finally, put your name in the “Licensed To:” box.  Finally, copy and paste the Machine Code displayed and email it to clint@eecanalyzer.net so he can issue you your license.

Note: you will see the machine code  change as you check and uncheck boxes along with changing the name in the “Licensed To:” box.  You must have the same boxes checked and your name typed identically as when you requested your license before you type in the registration key or your “Machine Code” will be different and the registration process will fail!

After you have received an email with your registration key, you will need to open the software registration box again, make sure the same boxes are checked, re-input your name in the “Licensed To:” box so everything matches.  Enter the registration key in the boxes below and then click “Register” – and you’re done!

EEC Analyzer

Download and install the software from http://www.eecanalyzer.net

Go to the “About” tab and click “Register”

Copy and paste the “Machine Code” into an email to clint@eecanalyzer.net

When you receive your registration code, navigate back to this screen and enter it in the bottom box then click “Ok.”  Your software will now be registered.

If you purchase Binary Editor 2012 with a dongle from us, it will come pre-activated for Binary Editor and the Innovate Wideband logger.  If you purchased EEC Analyzer, you will need to gather and send some information to Binary Editor’s author so an update can be issued for your dongle.

Procedure

1.  Fire up Binary Editor 2012 with your dongle connected.
2. Look at the top of the screen.  It should say “Registered to Moates 1234”
3. Fire an email to techsupport@eecanalyzer.net :

“This is John User.  My dongle number is Moates 1234.  Please send me a dongle update for EEC Analyzer that I purchased through Moates.  Thanks!”

The Burn1 is a revolutionary device that was designed with the automotive enthusiast in mind. it supports chips used in our products aimed at ECUs/ECMs from the late 80s and early 90s.

The BURN1 can:

• WRITE SST 27SF512, ATMEL AT29C256 and 29F040 chips.
• READ but NOT WRITE 2732A, 27C128, 27C256 chips (and most other 24/28 pin EPROMs/EEPROMs that can replace one of these chips).
• With a F2A adapter, it can WRITE our F3 EECIV/EECV chip modules.
• With a F2E adapter, READ factory Ford ECMs.
• with a HDR1 adapter, READ factory GM TPI ECMs that would use a G1 chip adapter .

As you can see, it is designed to comprehensively work with our products but it is NOT a general purpose EPROM programmer.  If you require programming chips outside these specifications, you probably should look at another product.

Before the Burn1 was developed, there were only a handful of chip burners known to be compatible with these chips. These burners were usually not cost-effective, used outdated PC interfaces like a parallel Printer port. They also required external power supplies, so forget burning on the fly. Examples include the $160 Pocket Programmer II.

The Burn1 was revolutionary with its simple USB interface that provided all power to the unit. An internal DC voltage step-up circuit is used to provide the high erase voltage required on certain chips.

The latest generation of the Burn1 is the Burn2. It has the same same command set and features as the Burn1 but has a smaller size.

How to Buy

This product has been replace with the Burn2. Please visit the Burn2’s page on our webstore here

There are two products that we sell that can read the program in a factory ECM:

BURN1/BURN2 with a F2A and F2E – This setup can be used to read ECMs on the bench.  ECM does not need to be powered.

QuarterHorse – This setup requires the ECM to be powered either by a vehicle’s battery or a 12V bench power supply.

Reading with BURN2+F2A+F2E

1. Start with all cables disconnected (F2A,F2E,USB,etc.)
2. Connect the F2E to the F2A
3. Put the F2A in the BURN1/BURN2
4. Connect the Burn1-2/F2A/F2E Assembly to your ECM.  Make sure your ECM is powered off if it is in the vehicle
5. Connect the USB from the BURN2 to the PC
6. Start Flash n  Burn Software on the PC
7. Choose appropriate settings for the Supported chip type based on the ECM type:  J3 Ford EEC-IV Reader or J3 Ford EEC-V Reader
8. Choose appropriate settings based on the number of banks used:
   • 56k EEC-IV = 032000 start 03FFFF end
   • 64k EEC-IV = 030000 start 03FFFF end
   • 2-bank EEC-V = 010000 start 02FFFF end
   • 4 bank EEC-V = 000000 start 03FFFF end
9. Click “Save buffer to file” and choose a filename.

Reading with QuarterHorse

At the time of writing (Aug5-2010) Binary Editor is the only software that supports this feature of the QH reliably.  Select “Read PCM” from within the software.

The Burn2

The Burn2 has the same features as the Burn1, only smaller and more compact.

The Burn2 is a revolutionary device that was designed with the automotive enthusiast in mind. it supports chips used in our products aimed at ECUs/ECMs from the late 80s and early 90s.

The BURN2 can:

• WRITE SST 27SF512, ATMEL AT29C256 and 29F040 chips.
• READ but NOT WRITE 2732A, 27C128, 27C256 chips (and most other 24/28 pin EPROMs/EEPROMs that can replace one of these chips).
• With a F2A adapter, it can WRITE our F3 EECIV/EECV chip modules.
• With a F2E adapter, READ factory Ford ECMs.
• with a HDR1 adapter, READ factory GM TPI ECMs that would use a G1 chip adapter .

As you can see, it is designed to comprehensively work with our products but it is NOT a general purpose EPROM programmer.  If you require programming chips outside these specifications, you probably should look at another product.

How to Buy

Visit this item’s page in our online store here

Software

This device can be used directly from TunerPro RT, EEC Editor, Binary Editor software packages as well as the Flash-n-Burn dedicated programmer software.

Chris Handwerker was kind enough to write a utility for using the BURN2 under Linux.  Thanks for sharing with us!

All electronics will fail with age.  A significant chunk of the failures are due to electrolytic capacitor failure.  These components are virtually guaranteed to fail eventually, even under normal use circumstances.  There are even calculators that can help you estimate how long a given capacitor will last!

So why do manufacturers use these components if they know they will eventually fail?  There really aren’t a lot of good alternatives that have the necessary specifications AND are inexpensive.

Bottom line: all electronic devices that have power supplies generally have electrolytic capacitors that fail.  Ford ECMs are no exception.

A9L Capacitor Replacement

Note: all of these pictures are fairly high res.  If you click them to view the original, you will be able to zoom in for much more detail.

There are three capacitors that typically need replaced in an A9L / Fox Body MAF ECM.

1. First step: Take off all the A9L’s clothes.  Both upper and lower case will need to come off.  These are TORX screws!

   
   

2. Next, locate the capacitors that need to be replaced.
3. 
4. Here is one of the cans, close up:
   

    

   Even in this extreme close up shot of the base, it is hard to see anything OBVIOUSLY wrong.

   

5. Next step: de-solder the old capacitors.  Like always, we recommend that you use a high-quality de-soldering tool such as the Hakko 808 or a Xytronic 988.  You’ll have a hard time if you try to use a de-soldering braid.  I had to apply a lot of heat and go really slowly in order to achieve solid results.
   Bottom:
   
   Top:
   
6. Next, it’s time to solder in a replacement.
   Bottom:
   
   Top:
   
7. And sometimes when you look a little closer you will see that those caps that looked OK from a distance really had more serious issues…
   
   
8. After you get it out of there, you can see the true mess:
   
   The capacitor really isn’t much better.  It pretty much fell apart being removed.  You can see that it was leaking pretty severely:
   
9. When you have goop on the circuit board, you should clean it up nicely before replacing the cap.  A Q-tip and rubbing alcohol was used here:
   
10. Once everything is cleaned up, solder away with the replacements.  This ECU pictured took about 30-40 minutes to split, de-solder caps, re-solder caps, clean J3 port and re-assemble.

You can use our tools to “clone” a 1986 – 2004 Ford ECM, without needing any definitions or tuning software.

There are a few caveats:
1. ECUs must have the same hardware ID. You can’t mix and match tunes from different hardware IDs without having unpredictable (i.e. FAIL) results most of the time.
2. Our chips do NOT touch the VID block. Things like PATS codes, tire size, rear end differential configuration, blah blah blah are stored in the VID block. The tune and calibration may change but the original VID block items will NOT and you will have to either otherwise program these or change tune configuration to override/ignore them.

What You Would Need

BURN2 (programmer), FA (chip interface), FE (reader), F3 (one F3 for each ECM) *OR* QuarterHorse(reader), Jaybird(programmer), F3 (one for each ECM)

Be aware that reading ECMs will require the ECM to be powered on when using a QuarterHorse(always).   The BURN2 can sometimes provide enough power on the bench to read without issues.

The Flash n Burn software that is available on our website would be the weapon of choice for this.

Addresses to read/write: 0x030000 to 0x03FFFF for EECIV, 0000000 to 003FFFF for EECV

While sometimes inconvenient, please understand that credit card verification schemes exist to protect you from fraud.

How Credit Card Processing Works at Moates

1. When you click “Submit” on the website to send us your order, your computer sends your information to us over an encrypted connection.
2. Our website re-sends the information you have sent to our merchant service to AUTHORIZE (or pre-auth) your card.  (Important: your credit card information exists on our servers long enough to receive it and re-transmit it to our Merchant Service.  We do NOT log, store or otherwise keep a record of credit cards in any shape or form.)
3. The Merchant Service checks your CARD NUMBER, EXPIRATION DATE, BILLING ADDRESS and CVV2 / VERIFICATION CODE versus the information that the card issuer has on file.  
4. If the information provided by you even somewhat matches the information on file, the merchant service proceeds to place a PRE-AUTHORIZATION (hold) on the card for the amount requested.
5. At this point, the Merchant Service performs additional verification procedures on the information you have submitted.  We normally have very strict standards for verification in order to prevent as much fraud as possible.  If any of the information you’ve submitted does not match, you will probably be kicked back to the order screen so you can fix the error.
6. Regardless of whether your transaction was accepted or rejected by our Merchant Server, the PRE-AUTHORIZATION (hold) from the previous step has already happened and cannot be undone.
7. This PRE-AUTHORIZATION is not an actual charge. This simply places a hold on funds in order to cover a real transaction, should it actually happen. On many online banking sites, these show up as a “Pending charge.”  We do NOT have any of your money at this point – your bank/credit card issuer is in control of the funds affected by the PRE-AUTHORIZATION.
8. As part of the process of picking your order, packing it and shipping it out we complete the transaction, taking the PRE-AUTHORIZATION and turning it into a CHARGE.  Bottom line: until a human being manually completes the order, we do not receive any of your money.
9. Authorizations that are not completed into transactions will generally go away on their own in 24-72 hours.  We do NOT have control over the speed at which authorizations fall off your card – this is controlled by your card issuing authority, not us.  We can’t remove an authorization from your card – we can only affect CHARGES from completed transactions.
   

My Card Didn’t Verify?  What Can I do?

1. DO NOT KEEP SUBMITTING THE SAME ORDER OVER AND OVER.  If it didn’t work once, it’s not going to work a second time with the same information.  If you keep submitting an order repeatedly without changing anything, you are likely to create lots of bogus pending charges/pre-auths on your card.
2. DOUBLE CHECK YOUR BILLING ADDRESS!!!  The most common issue with cards being declined is the billing address information not matching what your card issuer has on file.  In most cases, we can ship to a different address but we MUST have your correct billing address in order to process the order
3. DOUBLE CHECK YOUR CVV2 CODE!!!  The second most common issue with card verification is an incorrect CVV2 code, which is the 3 or 4 digit code on the back of the card.  Your card will not process without this information.
4. DOUBLE CHECK YOUR CARD NUMBER AND EXPIRATION!!!  Your card will not process unless this basic data is correct.
5. USE PAYPAL.  If you have PayPal, you can use it to pay.  PayPal often can use your card for payment even when we have issues with it because of the more involved verification procedure that is required to get an account.
6. HAVE US CONTACT YOU.  If you are 100% convinced that your card information is correct and PayPal is not an option for you, call or email us and we can look into things further for you.
   

Just remember – dealing with credit card authorization problems can be frustrating but the system exists to protect you from fraud.

John Cui

CROME is a ROM-Editor written primarily for OBD I Honda ECUs. A Pro version is available for $149 which unlocks a hidden data-logging feature.

CROME works natively with the following Moates hardware:

• Ostrich (both 1.0 and 2.0)
• Burn1
• Burn2
• HuLog (both Xtreme HuLog and Original HuLog)
• HondaLog

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKpLKHEwWXY[/youtube]

Future Events

None planned at this time! 

Past Events

Learn EEC-IV/V Ford Tuning – Baton Rouge, LA – weekend of March 28th, 2015

Learn EEC-IV Ford Tuning – Cincinnati, OH – weekend of September 26th, 2014

Learn EEC-IV Ford Tuning – Baton Rouge, LA – weekend of October 11th, 2014

Learn Nismotronic for Nissan – Carlisle, PA – May 23-25, 2014

Learn EEC-IV Ford Tuning – Baton Rouge, LA – November 2013

Learn EEC-IV Ford Tuning – Cincinnnati, OH – October 2013

Learn EEC-IV Ford Tuning – New Orleans, LA – April 2013

The ALDU1 is a simple logging cable.  It attaches to the USB port of your PC and to the ALDL logging port on your vehicle.  It allows your PC to communicate with your ECM.

Basic Connectivity

The ALDU1 uses a USB connection to talk to your PC.  It uses the same FTDI drivers that all of our other products use.  The first step in getting the AutoPROM working is to get your PC to recognize it.

1. Turn on the computer you want to use with the APU1 and plug the APU1 in to a free USB port.
2. Follow the instructions in the USB troubleshooting guide to ensure the device is recognized by Windows.
3. Although it is mentioned in the guide above, make sure the ALDU1 is using a COM port between 1 and 8!  This is CRITICAL for some older software.
4. The rest of the troubleshooting guides in this guide will assume that you have basic USB connectivity.

Using the ALDU for Logging with TunerPro

Before you will be able to log any data, you need to have the correct ADX definition file downloaded for your vehicle.  The best place to find these is the Definitions section of TunerPro’s website.

With that said, follow these instructions to get everything set up:

1. Make sure the ALDU1 is connected to your PC and has a COM port between 1 and 8.  It will be necessary for you to know which COM port the ALDU1 is using to configure it properly.  Consult the instructions above for ‘Basic Connectivity’ for more detailed instructions.
2. We’re going to walk through the TunerPro RT configuration steps to use this mode.  Your ALDU1 will NOT be recognized by TunerPro RT software like an Ostrich or APU1.  If you’re not using TunerPro, skip to step 8 below.
3. Next, make double check TunerPro’s configuration for logging.  Start by going to Tools…Preferences
   
4. Next, Tab over to the Data Acq. /Emulation tab. (red arrow)  Make sure that “Use Plug-in” is selected for Interface Type.  Make sure “TunerPro Data Acquisition I/O Interface” is selected under the component drop down box.
5. Then click the “Configure Plug-in Component” box (green arrow).
6. Make sure that “Standard Serial” is selected (green arrow) and the COM port of your APU1 is selected (blue arrow)
   
7. IF THE ALDU1 IS UNPLUGGED FROM THE VEHICLE, you should be able to click the “Test For Valid Interface Using Settings” button and get a successful result.  You will NOT get a positive test if the cable is plugged in to the vehicle.
8. If you are NOT using TunerPro RT, you should be able to start your software of choice and configure it to use the COM port of your ALDU1 (COM2 in this example)
9. If you have trouble connecting, check the switch on the ALDU1.  Older applications that use 160baud require the ”10k across A-B” setting.  Later TBI, LT1 and TPI applications use 8192 baud which requires the switch to be in the ”open between A-B” position.

Software Support

As of 11/03/09 software support is as follows:
Neptune: Full emulation+data+onboard (release)
ecTune: Emulation+data (release)
Crome: Emulation+data (beta)
Please note that each Demon has a serial number – NepTune and eCtune both license a single copy of the software to a single Demon.  The exact procedure for this is different for each software package.

Datalogging Memory

The first production runs of Demons have 1 Mbyte memory for storing datalogging.  Current (starting around April 2010) production units have 4Mbyte memory.  Early production units can have their memory upgraded.  If you are interested in this service, purchase the Install Service item and note in the “Comments” field of your order that you would like the Demon memory upgrade.  You’ll have to send your Demon back to us – turnaround time is normally about 2 weeks.

Switching Between Software

You can now more easily switch among the different applications using our Config Utility for resetting the state of your Demon.

Indicator Lights (1.8 and older firmware)

The Demon has two LEDs to indicate its status, one red and one green.

The red LED serves as a hardware status indicator and/or busy light.  It can come on when:

• Demon is currently processing a command (upload/download/etc)
• Poor / nonexistent connection between Demon and ECU 28 pin socket.  (usual cause: faulty installation)
• Poor / nonexistent connection between Demon and ECU CN2 port.  (usual cause: cabling, cable backwards, faulty installation)
• Demon is powered via USB but there is no power to ECU
• NEPTUNE RTP ONLY: No serial communication between ECU and Demon
• Red LED will blink when onboard packets are being stored to memory

The green LED is more of a data packet and status indicator light.  It typically behaves as follows:

• Lights up solid green when the Demon is powered on
• Blinks when the Demon is communicating with the ECU (assuming data packets are configured correctly)
  • Fast blinking means data is flowing properly from ECU to Demon via CN2
  • Slow blinking likely means data timeout / incorrect connection/configuration

Indicator Lights (1.9 and newer firmware)

Light behavior has been changed in the new firmware.

The red LED serves as a hardware status indicator and/or busy light.

• Red light on solid = not receiving power from the ECU: physical connection issue to ECU
• Red LED will blink when logging packets are being captured

The green LED is more of a data packet and status indicator light.  It typically behaves as follows:

• Solid green light when the Demon is powered on and all systems are go but no packets are being received
• Green light is off when the device is busy OR Demon is powered off
• Fast green blinks mean the Demon is receiving good datalogging packets from the ECU.

Troubleshooting:

• Red light onwith USB plugged in means the Demon is NOT receiving power from the ECU.
  • You will only see this condition when the Demon is being powered by USB
  • Check 28 pin socket bridge pins and connection
  • Check ECU CN2 – 4 pin port connection.  This is REQUIRED for proper Demon operation
• Green light off means no power to ECU.  Red on / green off is expected with no power.
• No lights at all when USB is plugged in generally is a fault condition.
  • Try removing the Demon from the ECU.  If the Red light comes on, check the chipping job and physical connections between the Demon and the ECU

Introduction / Identification

Ports and Connectivity

Software Support

As of 5/5/2014 software support is as follows:

Neptune: Full emulation+data+onboard (stable)
ecTune: Emulation+data (stable)
Crome: Emulation+data (some versions)

Please note that each Demon has a serial number – NepTune and eCtune both license a single copy of the software to a single Demon.  The exact procedure for this is different for each software package.

Datalogging Memory

Demon II units have 4Mbyte (32Mbit) memory.  This is enough for several hours of logging at full speed on all channels, with compression turned on.

Switching Between Software

You can now more easily switch among the different applications using our Config Utility for resetting the state of your Demon.

Indicator Lights

Light behavior on the Demon II is the same as the 1.9+ Demon firmware.

The red LED serves as a hardware status indicator and/or busy light.

• Red light on solid = not receiving power from the ECU: physical connection issue to ECU
• Red LED will blink when logging packets are being captured

The green LED is more of a data packet and status indicator light.  It typically behaves as follows:

• Solid green light when the Demon is powered on and all systems are go but no packets are being received
• Green light is off when the device is busy OR Demon is powered off
• Fast green blinks mean the Demon is receiving good datalogging packets from the ECU.

Troubleshooting:

• Red light onwith USB plugged in means the Demon is NOT receiving power from the ECU.
  • You will only see this condition when the Demon is being powered by USB
  • Check 28 pin socket bridge pins and connection
  • Check ECU CN2 – 4 pin port connection.  This is REQUIRED for proper Demon operation
• Green light off means no power to ECU.  Red on / green off is expected with no power.
• No lights at all when USB is plugged in generally is a fault condition.
  • Try removing the Demon from the ECU.  If the Red light comes on, check the chipping job and physical connections between the Demon and the ECU

Although our hardware uses USB connectivity, you don’t have to be a kernel level device driver programmer or any sort of expert in the USB framework to interface our devices.Our devices simply create a virtual COM port that can be written to via all sorts of methods.

Old-school Windows programmers may be familiar with using the Windows API to play with serial ports. While this is fun, the new school .NET programmers can throw together applications in literally minutes using serialPort objects. We would love to see a C# Moates Hardware Class with all of our hardware features implemented. Unfortunately, we haven’t gotten around to doing it.

One of the downfalls of using a virtual serial port is that customers seem to have problems remembering baud rate settings. Luckily there is a (not so simple) solution. FTDI devices can be interfaced through what is known as the D2XX API. Basically, you import functions from their unmanaged DLL and you can connect to their devices without the user ever having to select a COM port. We have begun developing a C# Class based on an example from the FTDI website, but it is far from completion.

The following guide (MS Excel format) details the commands and expected responses for all of our devices.  If you don’t see something you need or have questions, email us.

Download the Moates Hardware Interfacing Guide here (v19 2/11/10)

In terms of understanding what commands are used when and how they fit together – looking at an ADX for TunerPro RT that makes use of the device is a great way to put things together.  The ADX has sections for connect, initialization, packets, etc.

Devices with Onboard Logging

Although the command structure is outlined in the above document, the procedure for using the onboard logging facilities of newer integrated devices is complex and the order of operations maters.  The example that will be illustrated here will be for the Demon / Demon2 but it should be more or less the same for the NEMU and have much in common with the SuperLogger.

1. Pause for data rate (otherwise TunerPro could potentially hammer the Demon faster than it could retrieve new packets from the ECU) and limit to 10Hz (or whatever you want)
2. DR command: setup packet = “0x44 0x52 0x0F 0x17 0x00 0x05 0x04 0x05 0x05 0x1D 0x1B 0x14 0x1E 0x15 0x05 0x05 0x20 0x10 0x11 0x12 0x13 0x05 0x05 0x16 0x22 0x1C 0x17 0x18 0x05 0x05 0x19 0x1A 0x21 0x22 0x1F” =
   1. 0x44(‘D’) 0x52(‘R’)
   2. 0x0F(ADC fetch mask = all channels)
   3. 0x17(baud rate divisor 17hex=23decimal for 38400 baud)
   4. 0x00(c=reserved)
   5. 0x05(d=reserved)
   6. 0x04(4 elements in structure, can use ‘0’ for ADC only)
   7. 0x05(5 bytes to send for first element)
   8. 0x05(five response bytes expected)
   9. 0x1D 0x1B 0x14 0x1E 0x15 (req1)
   10. 0x05 0x05 0x20 0x10 0x11 (req2)
   11. 0x12 0x13 0x05 0x05 0x16 (req3)
   12. 0x22 0x1C 0x17 0x18 0x05 (req4)
   13. 0x05 0x19 0x1A 0x21 0x22 (req5)
   14. 0x1F (checksum)
   15. expect “Okay” repsonse: 0x4f (‘O’)
3. Send retrieve packet: 0x64 (‘d)
4. Wait for packet of configured length (in this case: 30 bytes)

(above section is work in progress)

Creating definitions for datalogging with the QH is a complicated, involved process.   Regardless of which software is being used, there is a common core set of tasks that need to be done to allow meaningful real-world data to get spit out.

Overview

Before I get into the specifics, it probably helps to understand how the QH works a little better.

The QH sits on the J3 port of the ECM, which is a bus connected to the processor.  On a stock ECU, both the external program memory (RAM) that stores active processor states and the internal program memory (“ROM”) which stores the strategy and calibration are present on this bus.  The QH overrides addresses on the bus allowing the processor to use RAM on the QH instead of ROM native to the ECM.  You can make changes while tuning by modifying the contents of RAM on the QH.  This is the same mechanism that F3/F5/F8 chips use to allow you change the program on the ECM.

The QH also builds a “shadow” copy of external RAM used by the processor by passively observing communication between the processor and RAM over the J3 port.  Where things get complicated is that not all RAM can be observed by the QH – a portion of it remains internal to the processor, unable to be seen by the QH.  Patch code exists to move or copy memory addresses that we care about from memory the QH cannot see to memory the QH can access, allowing you to log these items.  To reiterate – the QH doesn’t interfere or change communication between the processor and RAM on the ECM – it just observes all transactions, building a “shadow” copy of RAM that is used to supply logging data.

A Datalogging Definition, Dissected

In order to understand the software tasks involved in QH communication, we are going to examine a TunerPro ADX for the CBAZA strategy.  Other software follows the same steps to initialize and log from the QH, so you can read between the lines if you’re not using TunerPro.  The TunerPro definition is open so you can download it ( here ) and follow along because the whole initialization and logging process is broken down step by step.

Fire up TunerPro.  Load one of the existing Ford ADX files. (CBAZA.ADX)

Go to Acquisition menu… Edit Definition

Looking at the ADX Header Data, you will see 3 important commands:

• Connection Command (run when you connect to datalog)
• Monitor Command (run continuously while logging to gather data)
• Disconnect Command (run when you disconnect)

Next, lets examine the Connection Command closer, as it has most of the magic in it.

Go to Commands… Configure QH for Payload.  This is a Macro command that simply executes a bunch of other commands:

1. Pause for Data Rate (simple pause to let things settle)
2. Write Patch Code (modify the ECU program to allow the QH to log all items – more on this later)
3. Write Patch Response (wait for a valid response from the QH to the code modification)
4. Config Part 1 of Q (configure the QH to watch the RAM locations we desire – more on this later)
5. Config Reply to Q (make sure QH gives a valid response to the configure command)

Step #2 writes the patch code needed to move things we care about from private internal RAM to RAM the QH can snoop on.  This patch code is UNIQUE to each strategy.  It must be hand-crafted by someone with knowledge of the internal workings of the ford processor.

Step #4 configures which bytes of RAM the QH is monitoring.  The bytes used are unique to each strategy and are also dependent on how the patch code is written.

Continuing, logging happens by the Harvest Data Macro.

1. Pause for Data Rate (this controls how fast the QH logs data, in hertz)
2. Query (retrieve a frame of data, as configured by Config Part 1 of Q command)
3. Data Packet (retrieve a packet.  fixed size is used here because the same packet is always configured by the Config Part 1 of Q command)

Datalogging values are defined relative to their spot in the packet you’ve requested in the format specified by the Config Part 1 of Q command.  Same deal for bitmasks.  Formulas for turning raw data into real world values can vary but are generally at least somewhat consistent among ECMs of comparable generations.

Summary

If you want to make a datalogging definition for a processor, you’re going to need to:

• disassemble the code well enough to pinpoint RAM locations for things you care to log.
• For any items that are stored in ram locations 0x0000 through 0x0100 (EECIV) and 0x0000 through 0x0400 (EECV ??? need to verify, may be different for 2 vs. 4 bank.  You can generally tell because private locations will always return the same data), you are going to need to write patch code to relocate these items to blank/unused space.  You can relocate items to either RAM or “ROM” space (because the QH gives read-write access via the J3 port to “ROM” locations stored in RAM on the QH) but you need to make sure NOTHING ELSE IS USING THE ADDRESS SPACE.  If you use RAM or “ROM” that is already in use for other things, you will end up with a processor that does not run properly!!!
• build a definition including the patch code you’ve come up with
• create an initialization macro for the QH specifying which RAM addresses need to be included in each data packet, using both stock and patch-code-remapped locations
• do some analysis to come up with formulas for converting from raw values to real world data
• build the data values using the formulas you’ve come up with and the packet structure you’ve specified with the QH initialization packet

I know that’s a lot to chew on, but the QH isn’t exactly a simple tool…  You can find more information about QH command structure by reading the Hardware Interfacing guide.  We’re always excited to have more people getting involved in the task of building definitions so feel free to email us if you get confused or stuck.

Memory Addressing – EECIV

Note: these addresses are for the QH’s addressing scheme.  If you want to use the 16 bit addressing of the ECU, lop off the MSB of 0x03 present in each one.  Ever wonder why chips get programmed from 0x032000 to 0x03FFFF ?

0x03 00 00 – bottom of memory
0x03 00 FF – top of internal 8061 MCU memory
0x03 01 00 – start of xram/others
0x03 1F FF – end of externally addressable memory
0x03 20 00 – start of ROM
0x03 FF FF – end of ROM

This PDF should be very helpful for understanding what is going on. (thanks Tom Cloud)

Tools

CATS Disassembler – a disassembler which can be used for the processor found in EEC-IV

eCtune is a ROM Editor available for Hondas. It is written by Calvin Baank and has an exhaustive list of features.

eCtune has very structured licensing. It is important to note that most eCtune tunes will only work when run off the Ostrich or Demon. This means a separate Ostrich must be present in each car you tune with eCtune. (For all you CROME guys, there is no more burning chips and walking away)

At the end of the day, if you want to drive 5 cars at the same time, you will need 5 Ostrii.

There is also a dealer version available, contact eCtune for more information.

For more information on eCtune, visit the eCtune website here

NOTE: We do NOT sell or directly support eCtune.  You must purchase your software licenses and receive support directly from eCtune!  This page is provided for information only.

EECEditor is a ROM Editor for many Ford vehicles.

Emulation cables link our emulators to a target device.  The Ostrich, Ostrich2 and APU1 all use a similar style emulation cable.  The design of this cable has not changed in many years.  Four standard “shelf” cables are available:

• EMUC2818 is the standard cable supplied with the Ostrich, Ostrich2 and APU1 emulators.  It has a 28 pin chip side (“28″) and is 18” long (“18”) hence EMUC2818
• EMUC2806 is a shorter cable (6″) with a 28 pin chip socket.  It is useful for situations where there is interference with the standard length cable.
• EMUC3206 is a short (6″) cable with a 32 pin chip socket.  When used with an Ostrich2 it allows emulation of a 29F040 4Mbit EPROM.  Adapters can be used to change this to PLCC or other formats.  This cable is NOT compatible with the Ostrich 1, APU1 or ChipExtender – Ostrich2 ONLY!
• EMUC2836 is an extra-long (36″) cable with a 28 pin chip socket.  It is NOT for use with emulators.  This cable is only intended to be used with the ChipExtender product we sell.  Unpredictable results can happen when used with emulators.

The RoadRunner uses an alternative emulation cable which is incompatible with other devices.

Ostrich and APU1 Emulation cables

The Ostrich, Ostrich 2 and APU1 all use the same emulation cables.  These cables have a 0.1″ pitch rectangular connector on one end.  On the other end, a male chip connector is crimped.  Before shipping the cable, we install a machined-pin socket on the cable to protect the more fragile chip connector.

This is how one of the cables looks when we ship it:

As you can see, you can remove the 28 pin machined-pin socket on this cable if necessary:

Replacing a MP socket is much easier and cheaper than replacing a whole emulation cable!

RoadRunner Emulation cables

The roadrunner uses unique cables designed to connect RR hardware with a soldered-on POSOP44 pin header.  Typically, two of these cables must be connected back-to-back for proper operation.

More will follow.

Ever wish your favorite Moates emulator would work with your favorite ROM editor software that doesn’t have native support for our products?  EmUtility (from the author of TunerPro) allows you to use Moates emulators with any software that can spit out a binary (bin) or hexadecimal (hex) format file.  It supports the Ostrich1, Ostrich2, APU1 *and* RoadRunner!  It can even support more than one emulator connected to the same computer simultaneously. (this requires more than one instance of the program, one for each emu)

Installation

You can get EmUtility from the Utilities section of TunerPro.net

EmUtility may require additional files to be installed for it to work, specifically the Microsoft Visual C redistributable libraries, which  are also linked off the Utilities section of TunerPro.net

EmUtility does not come with an installer – it is shipped as a zip file with a single program file inside.  Unzip it to place where you will be able to easily find it, such as your desktop.  You can run it directly from the desktop and it will not make a “mess” because it is only one file.

Usage

EmUtility is pretty straightforward to use.

First, start the program.  You should see “Detecting Hardware… Ostrich 2.0 blah blah blah” for instance.  If you see “No Hardware Detected” check your cables and connections.  If you cannot get your hardware to detect, try looking at our USB Troubleshooting Guide.

After you have verified that your hardware has been detected properly, click the “…” next to “Input / Output File” to select a file to use.  (If you are going to read the contents of the emulator to a file, this can be a new file)

Next select an operation from the drop down box next to “Operation”  Valid operations include:

• Read from emulator to file = creates a new file on your computer with the contents of emulator RAM.  Must specify a filename, how much memory you want read (size), if you want to use a non-standard start address (File Start Address)  and if you want to use large RAM support (required for files > 512kbit / 64k byte)
• Write from file to emulator = updates the RAM on your emulator with the contents of a file on your computer.  Must specify a filename  and if you want to use large RAM support (required for files > 512kbit / 64k byte).  File size and start address will be automatically selected for you and will be correct in most cases where your file is the same size as the chip you are trying to emulate.  (i.e. 32k byte file for 27C256 chip)
• Verify emulator RAM with file = compares the contents of the Emulator’s RAM with a file on your computer to see if they match.  Must specify a filename  and if you want to use large RAM support (required for files > 512kbit / 64k byte).  File size and start address will be automatically selected for you and will be correct in most cases where your file is the same size as the chip you are trying to emulate.  (i.e. 32k byte file for 27C256 chip)
• Monitor File for changes and upload = this operation monitors a file for changes and uploads the changes to your emulator as they happen. ust specify a filename  and if you want to use large RAM support (required for files > 512kbit / 64k byte).  File size and start address will be automatically selected for you and will be correct in most cases where your file is the same size as the chip you are trying to emulate.  (i.e. 32k byte file for 27C256 chip)

After you have selected and configued the operation you desire, click “Execute” to perform it.  To cancel a monitoring+upload session or other op, click “Cancel Op”

That’s it!

Suggested Uses

If you have a program that can spit out bin files but it does not support Moates hardware:

1. Start EmUtility
2. Pick “Write from file to Emulator”
3. Point EmUtility at the file you are working with
4. Click “Execute” to load the initial file
5. Change the operation to “Monitor file for changes and upload”
6. Click “Execute” to begin monitoring the file for changes
7. Leave EmUtility running in the background.  Go back to your editing application.  Make changes and save the file (with the same filename).  As you save changes to the file, EmUtility will copy them to your emulator almost instantly!

Nissan 16 bit applications with TunerPro 4.x: (using a daughterboard like our Nissan 20×2 that takes two identical chips and two Ostrich 2.0 emulators)

1. Plug in ONE Ostrich and follow the directions immediately above to set up monitoring for an application that does not support Moates hardware.
2. Leave EmUtility running and connect the second Ostrich.
3. Start TunerPro.  It should detect your second Ostrich.
4. Start your emulation session in TunerPro.
5. Tune away.  TunerPro will update one Ostrich, EmUtility will update the other

(Note: TunerPro 5.x supports dual Ostrich mode which is easier to set up than this)

16 bit Nissan applications such as 925style.com’s ROM  EDITOR (using a daughterboard like our Nissan 20×2 that takes two identical chips and two Ostrich 2.0 emulators)

1. Plug in ONE Ostrich and follow the first set of directions above to set up monitoring for an application that does not support Moates hardware.
2. Leave EmUtility running and connect the second Ostrich.
3. Start a SECOND COPY of EmUtility.  It should detect your second Ostrich.
4. Repeat the instructions for loading a binary and starting monitoring in the second EmUtility session
5. Tune away!  As you save changes to the file, each instance of EmUtility will update one emulator.

Using the RoadRunner as a general purpose 16 bit emulator with software that does not have native support (i.e. Bosch Motronic 28Fxxx):

1. Start EmUtility
2. Pick “Write from file to Emulator”
3. Point EmUtility at the file you are working with
4. Click “Execute” to load the initial file
5. Change the operation to “Monitor file for changes and upload”
6. Click “Execute” to begin monitoring the file for changes
7. Leave EmUtility running in the background.  Go back to your editing application.  Make changes and save the file (with the same filename).  As you save changes to the file, EmUtility will copy them to your emulator almost instantly!

While we try to produce and support products for as long as we can, we can’t continue to make things forever.  Often, product changes are prompted by the components required to build a product no longer being available for us to purchase (“End Of Life” / EOL) – if we can’t buy the chips needed to build stuff, we can’t sell the product to you.  As a rule of thumb, our limited lifetime warranty will cover any products that we’re currently still manufacturing – we will replace any defective units with a new unit from stock.  If we revise, upgrade or otherwise change a product we will generally offer the upgraded/replacement product via warranty service for a limited time, usually at least six months to a year.  After a product has no longer been manufactured for some time, free replacements may stop at our discretion.

This page serves to document some products that are no longer in production and what their current status is. NOTE: This is older information, and many products have been revived and are again available! Please check shop stock levels to determine what is currently being made.

• QuarterHorse version 1 (soldered battery): EOL Date 12/31/2019.  After this time, there will be a $100 charge to upgrade to the current model with a removable battery and improved keep-alive power supervisor circuit which runs off power supplied to the ECM key-off.  Please use the Please use the “Express RMA” instructions here and explain that you’re doing trade-in program in the ‘Comments’ of the RMA order.  If you want to replace the battery yourself, you can order a battery (Panasonic BR2330A/GAN) but be warned that you will need proper tools to desolder and replace the old one.  It’s not hard to do with the right tools and skills and extremely challenging if you’re not used to working on circuit boards.  If you butcher a QH trying to replace the battery yourself, there will be no warranty repairs related to the battery circuit.
• Demon1: EOL Date 1/1/2018.  Demon1 units that fail can be replaced with Demon2 units for $124.50 (half retail price)  Any Neptune license can be transferred to new hardware.  Please use the “Express RMA” instructions here and explain that you’re doing trade-in program in the ‘Comments’ of the RMA order.  If your unit has a dead battery, you can just order a battery (Panasonic BR2330A/GAN) but be warned that you will need proper tools to desolder and replace the old one – it’s about as difficult as chipping an ECU.
• Neptune RTP: EOL Date 1/1/2014. Original Neptune RTP boards that fail can be replaced with Demon2 units for $124.50 (half retail price).  Neptune license can be transferred to new hardware.  Please use the “Express RMA” instructions here and explain that you’re doing trade-in program in the ‘Comments’ of the RMA order.  There are no spares available for repair of these boards due to parts going EOL.
• Ostrich 1.0: EOL Date 1/1/2018.  Ostrich 1 units that fail can be replaced with current Ostrich 2 for $87.50 (half retail price)  Please use the “Express RMA” instructions here and explain that you’re doing trade-in program in the ‘Comments’ of the RMA order.
• BURN1: EOL Date 1/1/2018.  BURN1 units that fail can be replaced with BURN2 for $42.50 (half retail price)  Please use the “Express RMA” instructions here and explain that you’re doing trade-in program in the ‘Comments’ of the RMA order.
• F8: EOL Date 1/1/2018  This product is no longer available and will never be made again.  Please contact us for options in the event of a failure.  Please use the “Express RMA” instructions here and explain that you’re doing trade-in program in the ‘Comments’ of the RMA order.
• F3: EOL Date 1/1/2018  This product is no longer available and will never be made again.  Units that fail will be replaced with F3v2 chips for $37.50 (half off retail)  Please use the “Express RMA” instructions here and explain that you’re doing trade-in program in the ‘Comments’ of the RMA order.
• F2: EOL Date 1/1/2014  This product is no longer available and will never be made again. Units that fail will be replaced with F3v2 chips for $37.50 (half off retail)  Please use the “Express RMA” instructions here and explain that you’re doing trade-in program in the ‘Comments’ of the RMA order.
• G3: EOL Date 1/1/2018 This product is no longer available.  Comparable functionality can be made by using a GX and G1 together.
• AT29C256: EOL Date 5/24/2006.  This product is no longer available.  Please use C2 SST27SF512 as replacement.
• CABL2:  EOL Date 7/1/2019.  This product is no longer available.  There are no replacements.  TunerCat sell a compatible unit.
• APU1: EOL Date 4/1/2022.  This product is no longer available.  We have no stock.  We cannot get parts to build more.  Ostrich2, BURN2, ALDU1+CABL1 do almost the same thing.
• Ostrich2: EOL Date 4/26/2022.  We cannot get parts to build more.  There is no immediate replacement.
• NEMU/Nismotronic: EOL Date 5/1/2022.  We cannot get parts to build more.  There is no planned replacement.

Overview

The F3v2 is a simple chip for EEC-based Ford ECUs (~86-04) allowing the stock program to be replaced with a tune of your choice.  This unit was introduced in 2016 and replaces the prior F3 chip, which was discontinued due to parts needed to manufacture it no longer being available.

Chips are supplied blank and must be programmed prior to installation.  To install, simply clean contacts of the EEC connector with carb cleaner and a mild abrasive such as scotchbrite or 220+ grit sandpaper, and slide the module on.

It is critical that the vehicle is fully off before installing or removing anything on the J3 port.  Failure to power-off the ECM correctly can result in frying our hardware, your ECM or both!!!  If you have any doubts at all, remove the keys from the ignition 100% or disconnect the battery.  WARNING WARNING WARNING!

Tunes can be loaded through the via the Jaybird or Burn1 /2 and FA (F2A) adapter.  Flash n Burn, TunerPro RT, Binary Editor, EEC Editor (and other?) software can be used to program these chips.

*IMPORTANT* Firmware 5.15 (or higher) is required on Jaybird / BURN1  / BURN2 to program these chips!  You can visit the firmware update page if necessary.

Switching Setup

The F3v2 supports up to 8 programs.  The normal way to use this functionality is to buy the Rotary Switch which plugs into the black 4 pin connector on the module.  Simply turn the dial to change position on the chip – this works to select a program for the vehicle to run off of and also to select a slot to program with the Jaybird/BURN2.

Things to remember:

• Turn the dial to the spot you want to program before programming.
• “Erase chip” will only erase the current active slot, not all positions.
• You can verify each slot with the tune you desire after programming.  This is a very good idea before actually installing the chip.
• Changing tunes while the engine is running is safe IF you do not change code!
  • No code patches! BAD
  • No strategy changes! BAD
  • Same strategy, different calibration, A-OK.
  • Remember: change calibration not code!

Manual Switching

Like its F3 predecessor, it is possible to manually switch between programs with the F3v2.

Couple things to remember:

• At our sole discretion, custom wiring for switching may void your warranty.
• The connector is a Molex latching 4 pin 0.1″ header with male pins, very common.  You can buy a latching 4 pin female header from the usual sources or buy short cables from us to cut up.
• Do NOT feed voltage into the F3v2!!!  GROUND ONLY!
• The 4 pin header consists of GND, A2, A1, A0. Whenever possible, use the GND provided on the header NOT a chassis ground!
• “1” (high, floating, open, unconnected) is the default state.  “0” (GND) on a pin changes that address bit
• Tunes are binary format, i.e. 000, 001, 010, 011, 100, 101, 110, 111.  “0” on the switch is generally “111” and “8” on the switch is generally “000”
• If you use a switch or otherwise to ground pins automatically (nitrous?) to switch tunes while the vehicle is running, you must also remember to ground the same pin(s) during programming.

Data Masking and Manual Selections

In addition to supporting 8 independent tunes, the F3v2 adds manual masking control.  It is very unlikely that you will ever need to use this, but we’re documenting it anyway.  This is an advanced feature and you should only use it if you know what you are doing.  Incorrect use of this feature can make an otherwise correctly programmed chip cause fault mode operation as would happen if an invalid tune is loaded or worse.  You have been warned.

While you use 256k bin files (0x00000 -> 0x3FFFF) to program the F3v2, the whole memory area isn’t visible to the ECM.  The memory area has other things in it like RAM, I/O and stuff other than code and calibration.  If the F3v2 were to “answer” over the entire address range called out by the ECM, it would effectively crash the system because the brain of the ECM wouldn’t be able to communicate with other necessary peripherals.  By default, the F3v2 doesn’t respond in certain memory areas in order to let other devices answer on those addresses.  This allows the tune to be changed (addresses it answers to) and other peripherals to communicate in the same memory space (addresses it doesn’t answer to).  These areas aren’t the same for EECIV-32k, EECIV-56k, EECV 2 bank and EECV 4 bank (the 3 possible memory layouts) so it can’t just run a hard-coded set of addresses and work on 86-04 vehicles.  The F3v2 chip has logic to try and automatically detect which memory addresses it should answer on and which ones it shouldn’t.  We’d like to think it gets things right most of the time but you can manually control some aspects of the masking behavior if you think it is necessary.

One important piece of information regarding this: if you PROGRAM a F3v2, all masking will be disabled until you power cycle (i.e. unplug from programmer) the chip.  After a write operation, you will always be able to read the entire 256k address space, regardless of jumper settings!  This is done to ensure that any program written to the chip can be verified in its entirety.  In order to see how masking affects the data presented, you MUST power cycle the chip.  Doing a read after power cycling a chip may present different data and fail a “verify” operation depending on the original contents programmed to the chip.  After power cycling the chip, any data in masked regions will be read as “FF” instead of the data originally programmed in order to be compatible with the Ford EEC memory bus.

There are two jumpers on the underside of the F3v2:

For sake of discussion, we’re going to call these “inner” and “outer” as they are not labelled on the circuit board.  In this picture, the “Outer” jumper has been soldered to bridge it and the “Inner” jumper is still open.  (Open = factory setting)

Each of these jumpers controls masking a specific region of memory.  When they are soldered, the F3v2 will always present the data you are programming.  When they are not soldered, the F3v2 autodetection logic is active.

The “Inner” jumper controls presenting the region from 0x01E000 -> 0x01FFFF.

• Not 100% sure on use case for this but it’s there. I’m thinking manual EECV-2bank selection perhaps?

The “Outer” jumper controls presenting the region from 0x03FF00 -> 0x03FFFF.

• This is the “top” of the single bank used in EECIV and is known to be used by the CBAZA strategy, in which case it would need to be passed through for all settings in the tune to work on the chip.  F3 (first gen) chip adapters had a “bug” when used on CBAZA applications where some settings wouldn’t work – this is why.  Autodetection logic *should* catch the EECIV use case and pass this memory region through but this jumper allows manual control should it be necessary.
• In EECV 4 bank applications(and maybe EECV2 bank – I’m not sure), this memory area has a special name – the VID block.  The VID block is used to store vehicle-specific settings such as but not limited to VIN, PATS security keys, rear end ratio, tire size and more.  The default behavior of the F3v2 chip is to “pass through” the information programmed in the factory VID block regardless of the data programmed in the chip.  This has been the “standard” behavior for most Ford chips on the market.  If you wished to override the contents of the factory VID block with a F3v2 chip, you would need to solder the outer jumper.  Make sure that you have programmed the chip with a valid VID block from 0x03FF00 -> 0x03FFFF if you solder this jumper!  Failure to do so will cause PATS-equipped vehicles to not start due to invalid anti-theft system data.
• The picture above shows this jumper soldered to override masking in the 0x03FF00 -> 0x03FFFF region.

We’re Seeing Lots of Fake Chips!

TLDR: If it seems too good to be true, it probably is too good to be true.  If the seller is in China and the chips cost less than $3 each, they’re probably fake.

Update March 2014:  This is now totally out of control.  Less than 10% of the results searching eBay for “SST27SF512” were genuine chips.  They’re now coming in all sorts of shapes, sizes, markings.  The majority of these chips are ONE TIME PROGRAMMABLE chips that have been re-marked to look like the erasable and re-usable SST chips – this means you can program them, ONCE.  After that, the chips will never erase or program again.  Real SST27SF512 chips can be erased and re-used hundreds if not thousands of times.

Increasingly often, we’ve been seeing problems programming chips with the BURN1/BURN2/APU1 because of COUNTERFEIT CHIPS!!!  The 27SF512 chips are no longer being made and have not been in production for quite some time.  (~Aug2009)  I guess we shouldn’t be surprised that counterfeits of these popular chips are now common because Moates purchased the entire final production run of these chips, leaving nothing but counterfeits for other vendors to sell.

Bottom line: If the SST27SF512 chips you purchased did not come from Moates.net, Xenocron.com or one of our other re-sellers, they are probably fake because the legitimate supply of new chips from SST was sold years ago.

Identifying Real Chips

Fortunately, most of these counterfeit chips are fairly easy to spot:

• Most use a white silkscreen print on the top of the chip NOT the laser-etched found on the real deal chips.
• Most have printing on the bottom of the chip instead of  ‘TAIWAN’ embossed in a circle.

Here are some pretty decent pictures of a GENUINE chip for comparison: (click images for full-size)

Fake Chip Gallery

As we receive more pictures from our users of fake chips, we will post them here.

Note the size and placement of the round “dimples” on this fake chip.  Note the whitish silkscreened letters instead of the laser-etched letters.  This is not a real 27SF512 chip.

Note the size of the “dimples” on the bottom of this fake chip.  Note the writing in the center of the chip.  Note the absence of “TAIWAN” in one dimple and the chip ID in the other.  This is not a real SST27SF512 chip.

I’ve seen at least two examples of this fake chip in the past month. (October 2013) They seem to be circulating ebay.  Again, there is a printed NOT laser-etched top, easy to spot and tell:

And “TAIWAN” should not be printed in big letters on the bottom:

Our file manager is no longer available for access due to a website crash.  Almost all of the content is available at the excellent forums http://www.gearhead-efi.com

You can also click this for a direct link to the files section: link

Flash & Burn Screen Shot

Download Flash & Burn here.

Flash & Burn is a software package used with the Burn1 and Burn2 EEPROM burners, as well as the Autoprom (APU1).

Note, many tuning software packages (like CROME and Hondata) can interface with these burners directly making this software not necessary.

This page is intended to help people who have looked here to figure out if there is support for their vehicle.

Each ECM has a 3 or 4 digit processor code that uniquely identifies it.  You can tell what strategy a ECM uses from its box code or from looking at a dump of a stock program from that ECM.  “Strategy” is Ford’s lingo for a program to run a vehicle. (or operating system)  Each strategy can have multiple calibrations for different engines.  Sometimes even V6 and V8 engines will use the same strategy!

If you are wondering if your strategy is supported, take a look at the Supported Strategies guide.

This list will grow over time.  If you don’t see your vehicle listed here, email support@moates.net

A9L = GUFB (88-93 “Fox body” V8 mustang 5-speed)

A9P = GUF1 (88-93 “Fox body” V8 mustang auto)

T4M0 = CBAZA (94-95 SN95mustang  5.0 V8)

LLX4 = CDAN4 (96-97 Cobra 4.6L 32v)

PTP2 = FBFG2 (04 Mustang GT)

RCX5 = CDAN4 (97 Tbird 3.8L v6)

SLL4 = CTBAE (96 5.0 explorer ??? )

LKT3 = ODAJ0 (02 F150 4×4 auto)

SCI1 = ODAG0 (02 F150 4×4 manual)

NMI1= ODAG0 (02 F150 4×4 manual)

MIJ1 = ODAG0 (02 F150 4×4 manual)

KVF1 = ODAL1 (02 F150 4×4 manual)

CXN1 = MNAE1 (01 Lightning)

CUX1 = MRAD2 (01/02 Lightning)

CUX2 = MRAD3 (01/02 Lightning)

URB1 = TAUF0 (02/03 Lightning)

There is a handy Excel spreadsheet you may want to look at ( link ) that has a decent cross-reference.

External Resources

Core Tuning have an excellent list of strategies they support which can be used to cross reference ECMs and strategies.

OBDTester.com has a nice list of Ford ECM info organized by hardware ID and updates for Ford ECMs.

Calibrated MAFs are something you are almost guaranteed to run into sooner or later tuning EECIV Fords.  Although largely an artifact of yesteryear when tuning tools were not available, “calibrated” MAFs will work just as well as any other if you understand them.  Few of the websites out there will really give you the information you need to use them effectively in current golden age of EECIV tuning.

How They Work

The factory ECM has a table that tells the computer that it has a certain amount of air when there is a particular MAF voltage.  (i.e. “MAF Transfer Function”)  The computer also has a configuration for a set of injectors. (i.e. “high slope / low slope / breakpoint / offset”)  The factory ECM is going to deliver a certain amount of fuel based on the size of the injectors, MAF transfer and amount of air / voltage coming from the MAF.

So pretend for a moment that the ECM is off limits.  You can’t do anything with the MAF transfer function or any of the internal configuration.  But you need to be able to support a larger engine that makes more power than factory 19# injectors can support.  So you install 24# injectors that flow more fuel.  Paired with a stock MAF, 24# injectors are going to make the car run really rich!  Mass air flow (output from MAF transfer) x injector slopes get’s you pulsewidth, pulsewidth determines fuel flow.  You can’t change anything on the computer in this game, so what do you do to fix fueling?

Enter the calibrated MAF.

Say you start with a system that uses 19# injectors and you have installed 24# injectors.  Your injectors flow roughly (24# / 19#) or 1.26 times too much fuel.  What’s the other side of the fueling equation?  Airflow.  If you can make the MAF output 1.26 times LESS air, the net amount of fuel will be about the same as when you have a factory MAF and factory injectors.  “Calibrated MAFs” diddle with the voltage->airflow output of the MAF in order to try and make a factory ECM provide the correct amount of fueling without needing any of its program being altered.  Essentially, hardware modifications to the sampling tube and electrical tweaks are used to produce a specifically reshaped output to fool the ECM into somewhat behaving.

So What Does This Mean?

There is an unintended consequence to using a “Calibrated MAF” setup.  In addition to being used for fueling, the MAF is also used to calculate timing at part throttle.  Less air means less Load.  Less Load generally means more timing at part throttle.  Fortunately, the WOT timing model of factory fox body cars removes most of the danger inherent with changing Load values without changing the rest of the tune.   It’s an imperfect system, at best.  There are generally errors here and there in the airflow curve.  Hopefully, they’re small enough to be corrected by O2 sensors.  Remember, this whole matching calibrated MAF thing dates to when there weren’t tuning options commonly available.

In the golden age of EECIV tuning ushered in by the QuarterHorse, you can make effective changes to the calibration on the ECM, removing the need for MAFs to be “Calibrated” in hardware.  Instead, the quality of MAF calibration will depend on how closely the values you have programmed in the MAF transfer function match the actual airflow values required to produce given voltages.  Being able to independently change the MAF transfer function and injector configuration using our tools removes the need for the “calibration” to be done in hardware and instead lets you do it in software by tuning the vehicle and modifying its calibration.

Bottom line: when tuning with a QuarterHorse, the flow test or flow sheet from the MAF is 100x more important than the MAF being “calibrated” for whatever injectors are being used.  The MAF and injectors can be independently calibrated in tuning software.

References

C+L on Calibrated MAFs

Need more refs…

Good news: Our hardware (Quarterhorse, F3, F8, F2A+F2E) works great on diesel trucks

Old Bad news: As of this time (2-25-10) there are NO PUBLIC DEFINITION FILES for software that supports our hardware. (TunerPro RT, EEC Editor, Binary Editor)

New Better news: (2-13-13)  The Minotaur software available from Power Hungry Performance will spit out bin files you can program to our chips.  Supposedly, there will be QuarterHorse support soon.  Note: we are not affiliated with PHP in any way and you will have to contact them for any and all specific information regarding their products.

Another Fall Class!

We are going to be offering a three-day class on tuning Fords with QuarterHorse in Fall 2014 – weekend of october 11th.  This is the same format class previously offered.  Classroom instruction will take place at the  Classroom instruction will take place in the Moates Event Center around the corner from Moates HQ.  Street tuning and dyno instruction will take place on a dyno in the area.

Cost

Registration for the class will be $350.   You can pay with any of the methods that we accept on the website (Paypal, Credit Card) in advance or pay cash/money order at the door.  If you’re going to pay at the door, we ask that you purchase the class item from our website and select “Check or Money order” at checkout so we can keep an accurate headcount and reserve your spot.  All of the products that are used for the class will be available for purchase at/after the event at a discount for attendees. You can register for the event here.

Class Overview

Dave Blundell, Moates tech support and former tuner at Modular Depot will be the instructor.   Craig Moates, founder and engineer of Moates products will give an in depth overview of hardware.

Registration will be limited to 12 people in order to keep the class manageable and give everyone a chance to get involved and ask questions.  There will be a mixture of classroom instruction, live in-car demonstration of logging techniques with street driving and dyno tuning and techniques.  Forced induction and naturally aspirated modifications and tuning will be covered.  We expect lots of discussion and have built time for this into the class schedule.

Primary focus will be on 89-95 (i.e. Fox-body Mustang, 94-95 Mustang) EEC-IV MAF Fords but much of the material will carry to later models also supported by the same hardware and software. This class is aimed at beginner-intermediate users, but those with literally no experience at all may want to look at some of the material in advance in order to be better prepared.  Likewise, if you have years of experience with Ford EFI tuning and you’re simply looking to get familiar with using our products for the EEC-IV platform, you should already be familiar with some of the material presented.  We cover everything from physical engine operation to air metering methods to Ford implementations with a goal of helping you make targeted tuning changes and not just “button mashing.”

Schedule of Events

Day 1 (TBA) will focus on general theory of how engines work, how electronic engine management works and general approaches to calibration of engine management systems.  Chances are, if you’ve been tuning cars for five years you probably already know a lot of this stuff but it probably wouldn’t hurt you to sit through it again.  If you’re new to engine management, expect your brain to hurt.  The goal of day one is to help you understand how the many pieces of engines, electronics and sensors that you will be dealing with fit together – the big picture.  Most of this day will NOT deal with Ford specific terms and methods.  At the end of the day, you should have a strong understanding of spark ignition internal combustion engines, how and why engines make power, be able to name and explain the function of sensors likely to be found on a fuel injected engine and understand the conditions needed for achieving specific goals such as fuel economy, power or keeping and engine in one piece.  If you’ve previously worked with other systems of engine management, you might look at what you already know in a new light.

Day 2 (TBA) will focus on early Ford engine management.  If you need to get any software set up and configured, we’ll take care of it on this day.  The morning session will focus on Ford specific terms and procedures for running an engine.  The emphasis will be on the most common and important parameters necessary for adjustment.   Fuel, spark, idle and limits will be covered as well as some of the limitations and pitfalls of using factory computers.  Both forced induction and naturally aspirated setups will be discussed.  After lunch, we will demonstrate setting up Moates hardware and how TunerPro RT and Binary Editor 2012 software can be used to make adjustments necessary for tuning Ford vehicles.   At the end of day two, you will have an understanding of the terms used in Ford EFI, be able to pick out the most important items that you need to change in a calibration when tuning and see how software can be used with Moates tools to tune vehicles.  GUFB (aka 89-93 MAF Fox Body Mustangs) and CBAZA (aka 94-95 Mustangs) will be the focus of this day.

Day 3 (TBA) will focus on hands-on usage of TPRT and BE, acquiring data from street and dyno use, analyzing it, diagnosing issues and making changes to tune your vehicle.  We will be acquiring data on the street and on the dyno and using it to make targeted changes.   This will be putting the theory from previous days together with real vehicles and seeing how to apply our understanding of Ford MAF systems to achieve results.  At the end of day three, you will be able to understand enough of Ford EFI systems and the software available to work with Moates tools to be able to acquire data and make precise changes based on measurements rather than simply “mashing buttons” to get results.

Plan on 8-10 hours of being focused per day.  We’ll typically run on a 9ish-6ish kind of day depending on how things go.  (Local time is Central Standard Time – CST)

There will be lunch, snacks and drinks provided.  At previous classes, we had an optional group dinner afterwards that worked out well.  Some of the best discussion ended up coming up over dinner, so we’ll probably try to do that again.

We’ll try to have a good chunk of the curriculum up here on the support site prior to the class for you to review and prepare.

Travel Information

There will be a limited number of spots available at the Moates event center where we are having the class.  Information on regional hotels is available on request.

Other Class Opportunities

Check out the support site for other opportunities to take a class on using Moates products.

Learn to Tune Fords in Comfort!

We are going to be offering a three-day class on tuning Fords with QuarterHorse in March 2015 – weekend of 3/28/15.  Come enjoy Baton Rouge before it gets too hot to be fun!  Classroom instruction will take place in the Moates Event Center around the corner from Moates HQ.  Street tuning and dyno instruction will take place on a Mustang dyno in the area.  The exact format of this class will be determined by the abilities and interests of the attendees.  Previously, we have spent a lot of time on general tuning theory, Ford EECIV operation and then hands on work.  This time, all bets are off.  EECV, automatic transmissions and transmission tuning, hands-on forced induction vehicle tuning are all options that will be determined by surveying attendees prior to class.

Cost

Registration for the class will be $350.   You can pay with any of the methods that we accept on the website (Paypal, Credit Card) in advance or pay cash/money order at the door.  If you’re going to pay at the door, we ask that you purchase the class item from our website and select “Check or Money order” at checkout so we can keep an accurate headcount and reserve your spot.  All of the products that are used for the class will be available for purchase at/after the event at a discount for attendees. You can register for the event here.

Class Overview

Dave Blundell, Moates tech support and former tuner at Modular Depot will be the instructor.   Craig Moates, founder and engineer of Moates products will give an in depth overview of hardware.

Registration will be limited to 12 people in order to keep the class manageable and give everyone a chance to get involved and ask questions.  There will be a mixture of classroom instruction, live in-car demonstration of logging techniques with street driving and dyno tuning and techniques.  Forced induction and naturally aspirated modifications and tuning will be covered.  We expect lots of discussion and have built time for this into the class schedule.

Traditonally, primary focus will be on 89-95 (i.e. Fox-body Mustang, 94-95 Mustang) EEC-IV MAF Fords but much of the material will carry to later models also supported by the same hardware and software.  This class is aimed at beginner-intermediate users, but those with literally no experience at all may want to look at some of the material in advance in order to be better prepared.  Likewise, if you have years of experience with Ford EFI tuning and you’re simply looking to get familiar with using our products for the EEC-IV platform, you should already be familiar with some of the material presented.  We cover everything from physical engine operation to air metering methods to Ford implementations with a goal of helping you make targeted tuning changes and not just “button mashing.”  As previously stated – we’re going to let student interest dictate the exact path class takes.

Schedule of Events

Assuming we run this class like previous classes, the following schedule will apply.  If students elect to focus on more advanced topics, we will adjust the schedule accordingly. (And there may be homework prior to class!)  One thing is for certain – we only have three days.

Day 1 (3/27) will focus on general theory of how engines work, how electronic engine management works and general approaches to calibration of engine management systems.  Chances are, if you’ve been tuning cars for five years you probably already know a lot of this stuff but it probably wouldn’t hurt you to sit through it again.  If you’re new to engine management, expect your brain to hurt.  The goal of day one is to help you understand how the many pieces of engines, electronics and sensors that you will be dealing with fit together – the big picture.  Most of this day will NOT deal with Ford specific terms and methods.  At the end of the day, you should have a strong understanding of spark ignition internal combustion engines, how and why engines make power, be able to name and explain the function of sensors likely to be found on a fuel injected engine and understand the conditions needed for achieving specific goals such as fuel economy, power or keeping and engine in one piece.  If you’ve previously worked with other systems of engine management, you might look at what you already know in a new light.

Day 2 (3/28) will focus on early Ford engine management.  If you need to get any software set up and configured, we’ll take care of it on this day.  The morning session will focus on Ford specific terms and procedures for running an engine.  The emphasis will be on the most common and important parameters necessary for adjustment.   Fuel, spark, idle and limits will be covered as well as some of the limitations and pitfalls of using factory computers.  Both forced induction and naturally aspirated setups will be discussed.  After lunch, we will demonstrate setting up Moates hardware and how TunerPro RT and Binary Editor 2012 software can be used to make adjustments necessary for tuning Ford vehicles.   At the end of day two, you will have an understanding of the terms used in Ford EFI, be able to pick out the most important items that you need to change in a calibration when tuning and see how software can be used with Moates tools to tune vehicles.  GUFB (aka 89-93 MAF Fox Body Mustangs) and CBAZA (aka 94-95 Mustangs) will be the focus of this day.

Day 3 (3/29) will focus on hands-on usage of TPRT and BE, acquiring data from street and dyno use, analyzing it, diagnosing issues and making changes to tune your vehicle.  We will be acquiring data on the street and on the dyno and using it to make targeted changes.   This will be putting the theory from previous days together with real vehicles and seeing how to apply our understanding of Ford MAF systems to achieve results.  At the end of day three, you will be able to understand enough of Ford EFI systems and the software available to work with Moates tools to be able to acquire data and make precise changes based on measurements rather than simply “mashing buttons” to get results.

Plan on 8-10 hours of being focused per day.  We’ll typically run on a 9ish-6ish kind of day depending on how things go.  (Local time is Central Standard Time – CST)

There will be lunch, snacks and drinks provided.  At previous classes, we had an optional group dinner afterwards that worked out well.  Some of the best discussion ended up coming up over dinner, so we’ll do that again.

We’ll try to have a good chunk of the curriculum up here on the support site prior to the class for you to review and prepare.  You can also expect emails from us regarding the class and materials, so please make sure we have the correct contact information for you when you register.

Travel Information

There will be a limited number of spots available at the Moates event center where we are having the class.  There is no charge to stay at the event center but space is strictly first-come-first-serve.  Contact us via phone or email to reserve your spot.

Information on regional hotels is available on request.

Other Class Opportunities

Check out the support site for other opportunities to take a class on using Moates products.

We probably get 10 emails a week of the form:

“Dear Moates,

My name is ________ and I have a _________ Ford.  Can I use your products to tune my car/truck/van/etc. ?”

Identifying J3 Port ECMs

Our Ford products (F3 chip module, Quarterhorse) will work on pretty much any ECM that has a J3 port.  This is 95% of 87-2004 vehicles.  Most ECMs have a black plastic protective cover over the J3 port.  The picture below shows what a J3 port looks like with the protective cover removed:

Again, our hardware products will work on any 1, 2, or 4 bank EECIV or EECV ECM that has a J3 port.

Software Support

I bet you thought that was too easy!  It is…

Our HARDWARE works on just about everything Ford ever made with a J3 port,

***BUT software support for Fords is not as guaranteed***

There are three applications that are known to work well with our hardware – TunerPro, EEC Editor and Binary Editor.  Each application supports different vehicles.  Some vehicles are supported by all three, some vehicles are supported by only one, some vehicles are supported by NONE.

We need to know some information about your ECM in order to be able to tell whether there is support for your vehicle.  This information is the “Strategy” (or “operating system”) that your ECM uses, which can usually be determined from the “Box code.”  Your “box code” can normally be found in the center of the label with the barcode where the wire harness connects to the ECM.  See picture below.

Once you have found your box code, you can take a look at the box code-strategy cross reference to determine which strategy your ECM uses.  The list of supported strategies will then tell you which (if any) software supports your ECM.  If you can’t find your ECM, please email support@moates.net and remember when you contact us inquiring about vehicle support, please include the “box code” pictured above!  Without this information, we cannot provide you with accurate information about software support.

“I have a Ford.  What do I need to tune my car?” is an email we frequently receive.  Hopefully this page will provide some answers.

We also often get asked, “Can I use your product to let me put _______ on my engine?” The answer to this is very simple: our products let you tune factory Ford computers.  If the factory Ford computer can do it, our products can help you tune it.  If there is another factory Ford computer that you can swap to run your engine that does what you want, great.  Some examples of what I’m talking about here include putting a MAF sensor on a car, running a car without a MAF speed-density, switching to coilpacks, etc.  If you can’t do it with a factory Ford ECM, our products aren’t going to help you achieve your goals.

We offer products that work with almost all ~1986-2004 Ford ECUs that have a J3 port (i.e. EECIV and EECV).  International users report success using our products with non-US computers that have a J3 port.  A J3 port looks like an edge of a circuit board that kind of sticks out.  J3 ports must be cleaned with a wire brush and solvents in order to remove the protective coating on the circuit board before they can be used.  They are almost always behind a rubber protective panel.  We do not offer any products for Ford computers that lack a J3 port, such as pre-1986 and 2005+ computers.  Also, cars branded by Ford but manufactured by others (i.e. Ford Probe, made by Mazda) often use computers that lack J3 ports.

It is critical that the vehicle is fully off before installing or removing anything on the J3 port.  Failure to power-off the ECM correctly can result in frying our hardware, your ECM or both!!!  If you have any doubts at all, remove the keys from the ignition 100% or disconnect the battery.  WARNING WARNING WARNING!

On this page “application” simply means the car/ECU/engine you are working with.

“ECU” means ECM, PCM – the computer running your car’s engine.

“Strategy” is Ford lingo for a set of procedures (i.e. code) that an ECU runs.  (Closest GM term: Operating system)  Most of the time, a strategy is particular to an ECU, i.e. the GUFB strategy runs onA9L ECUs.  Sometimes more than one strategy can run on the same ECU (i.e. GUFB/A9L + GUFC/A9P) .  Most of the time the “tuner” cars (i.e. Roush, Saleen) use unusual strategies that are often simply renamed factory strategies.

“Definition” means a file that describes the location of parameters that can be changed in a strategy.  All of the Ford tuning software uses definition files to process raw files.

“Patch code” refers to special routines that change the way a strategy operates in order to allow Quarterhorse to log all vehicle parameters.

Hardware used with Ford:

F3 Chip adapter – This stores a new program for a Ford ECU and clips on the J3 port.  This is a simple Ford “chip” that can optionally store two programs.  It works with both EECIV and EECV.

Jaybird – This is a Ford-specific device that writes F3 chip adapters ONLY.  It uses the same Flash n Burn software as a BURN1/BURN2

F2A – The F2A is a Ford interface for the BURN1/BURN2 programmers.  It lets you write a F3 chip adapter using a BURN1/2 programmer and the Flash n Burn software.

F2E – the F2E is used with a F2A and a BURN1/2 to read the stock program from a ECU.

BURN1/BURN2 – These general purpose ROM burners can be used with a F2A to program F3 chips

FORDEMU – This adapter allows the use of a Ostrich emulator to make real-time changes with a Ford ECU.  This product has been replaced with the Quarterhorse.  It does not work very well with EECV ECUs.

Quarterhorse – The Quarterhorse (or “QH” for short) is our flagship Ford tuning product.  It allows changes to be made while the vehicle is running.  It also allows datalogging by spying directly on RAM locations.  In order to log all vehicle parameters, patch code that is specific to each strategy is required.  Many of the features of QH require special definition files and/or software support that may not be available for all applications.

Software for Tuning Fords:

You can read the binary from any J3 Ford computer with our gear (BURN2+F2A+F2E), but that does NOT mean that any J3 ford computer is fair game.  In order to be able to display a raw binary from a Ford ECM in a real-world units that might make sense to you, a definition is required.  The def is kind of like a roadmap that allows software (Binary Editor or EEC Editor) to translate what runs the car’s computer into something meaningful to you.  Defs have to be developed by a human being for each application.  PLEASE ASK US FOR HELP IF YOU ARE NOT SURE YOUR APPLICATION IS SUPPORTED!!!

TunerPro / TunerPro RT (www.tunerpro.net) : Great for basic editing.  Free.  Somewhat limited definitions compared with other software.  At time of writing (11/28/09) lacks full support for QH, but beta versions have support.

EEC Editor http://www.moates.net/eec-editor-software-from-paul-booth.html : Cheap ( <$50 ) software with fairly extensive editing support for editing Ford tunes.  EEC Editor requires you to purchase definitions on a per-strategy basis.  One strategy will cover more than one box code.  Definitions for datalogging can be purchased separately.  As of time of writing (11/28/09) has QH support for MANY applications including Fox body mustang (GUFB/GUFC/etc. A9L/A9P/C3W/etc.) 94-95 Mustang (T4M0, CBAZA) along with many 96-03 applications.  Custom definitions available for a fee.

Binary Editor (http://www.eecanalyzer.net) : Relatively cheap ( $80 BE / $130 BE + EEC Analyzer) software with comprehensive editing support and comprehensive support for QH.  See here for a list of strategies supported.  Binary Editor comes with a bunch of definitions that are free and there are others you need to pay for.  You can see most of them at http://www.eecanalyzer.net in the downloads section.

The first EFI ECMs used by Ford were speed-density featuring a MAP sensor and either a manual or hydraulically shifted automatic (C4/C6/AOD/etc) transmission along with electronically controlled ignition advance with a distributor.  They’re commonly found on early fuel injected Ford trucks like F150, 250, 350, Broncos and even early speed-density 5L mustangs/crown vics/etc.

Later models added AOD-E and E4OD electronically shifted transmissions.

The first generation Lightning trucks came with a speed-density 351 and a E4OD transmission.

These ECMs batch-fire injectors.  Swapping to later ECMs typically provides a slight improvement in fuel economy when the replacement ECM uses sequential injection.

As a rule of thumb, software support is very limited for these models compared to MAF vehicles like Fox Body A9L platform.  These may not be the best choice for a beginner or someone without prior tuning experience.  Be warned.

Strategy/BIN Swapping

While support in general is very limited for these models, there are a select few models/applications that are well-supported.  Fortunately, it is sometime possible to “swap strategies” and use a bin file that has software support in an ECM which otherwise lacks direct support.  Unlike MAF ECMs, the specific combinations of engine components factor highly in each particular speed-density calibration.  Use of a well-supported bin/strategy with a different engine than it was originally intended will often require major tuning due to differences in cylinder count, engine displacement, compression, camshaft.

The easiest way you can figure out which strategies will interchange is to match the hardware ID on the label of the ECM.

This is an “EFI-SD48B” ECM.  Any bin/strategy that runs on it (including a first generation lightning C3P1 / LHBL0 / LHBL1 ) will also run on other EFI-SD48B ECMs, and probably EFI-SD48E etc.  I don’t have an exact guide for swapping but if it is very close it’s at least worth a shot.

This document will be published incomplete and added to as I find more information and details.

Supported Hardware-Software Combos

These are known working combinations.  Each of these corresponds with a specific hardware ID or IDs known to interchange.

EFI-SD4x family: speed density, E4OD transmission.  Native to Bronco, Lightning, F150, F250, F350 approximately 1992-1995

• Box codes C3P1, C3P2, C3p3 (1st gen Lighning), ICY1, T2X1, many more
• Hardware IDs EFI-SD48B EFI-SD48E and more
• LHBL0 / LHBL1 strategies will run on the hardware, maybe more
• Supported by Core Tuning definitions ( www.coretuning.net ) LHBL1 strategy
• Supported by Binary Editor (maybe?) via LHBL1.xlsx definition (BE website)
• Supported by Decipha’s speed-density definitions for TunerPro RT ( EFI-SD4X [A1C] www.efidynotuning.com )
• Decipha suggests that his definitions for TunerPro RT will work for “EFI-SD4x” implying that broad strategy/bin swapping is possible.

EFI-SD2X family: speed density, C4/C6/AOD non-electronic transmission.  Native to F150, Bronco approximately 1985-1993

• Box codes 8PZ and more
• Hardware IDs EF-SD20B and more
• Supported by Decipha’s speed-densite definitions for TunerPro RT ( EFI-SD2X [C9C1]  www.efidynotuning.com )

SFI-SD1 family: 87-88 Mustang 5.0 speed density

• Box codes DA1, DB1, DE (more?)
• LUX0 strategy works with Binary Editor (BE website)
• See DA1 support page for more.

Z2D1 / EFI-SD47B / F2TF-12A650-AHB: Supported by EEC Editor def/dlm edit/log via Z2D1 specific.  May also work with other options.

Unsupported/Unknown Hardware-Software Combos

SFI-SD3 / EA2 1988 Lincoln town car

In addition to any definitions you might find on TunerPro’s Webpage or TI Performance‘s webpage, there are also some definitions we try to maintain.  If you are going to use the QuarterHorse with any of the strategies on this page with TunerPro, these are the definitions we recommend you use.

TunerPro Defs from Moates

89-93 Mustang / Cobra GUFB strategy – A9L, A3M, A3M1, X3Z, S0Z, etc.  A9L-GUFB-TunerPro Download (Created by Sailorbob and modded by Michael Ponthieux, Craig Moates, Dave Blundell)

94-95 Mustang / Cobra CBAZA strategy – T4M0, U4P0, W4H0, J4J1, etc. T4M0-CBAZA-TunerPro-Download (Created by Sailorbob and modded by Michael Ponthieux, Cody Hindman, Craig Moates, Dave Blundell)

Random Community Definitions

These definitions were found randomly.  Little is known about their origins, accuracy, author or maintenance.

CVAF1: CVAF1_TPRT

CVBA2: 99-00ish 3.8L V6 Mustang CVBA2_TPRT

Decipha’s Definitions

Michael Pontieux / Decipha has put together a pretty wide range of definitions for TunerPro. Some of these are designed to be paired with a custom ROM like the “A9L2” where Ford’s routines have been modified. Some like FBGI0 are definitions that work with “pure” Ford code. Following his instructions, many 99-04 ECUs can be supported. Be prepared to do a lot of reading on his site before trying to use these definitions as there are a few tricks that make things different from other Ford tuning softwares. You may need to grab base tunes as well as definitions to have a working set of tools. Downloads here.

List of supported strategies as of 3/2017:

• GUFx / 89-93 Mustang V8 (modified GUFB to add extra features, more info on his site)
•  CBAZA / 94-95 Mustang V8 (note: files available for using CBAZA with EDIS coils)
• CDAN4 / 96-97 Fords, mostly Mustang
• CRAJ0 / 98 Cobra & V6
• CVAE7 / 99 Cobra
• CVAF1 / 99-02 Mustang V8
• MPAM0 / 00 Excursion V10 6.8L 4R100
• OMAE2 / 02/03 Harley F-150
• FBGI0 / 03-04 Cobra
• FBFG2 / 03-04 Mustang V8 (99-04 V6 as well.  Can be used on other ECUs with code modification, read on his site for more)
• RZASA / 03/04 Marauder
• RZAS0 / 03/04 Crown Vic/Linc Town
• PRDO0 / 2006 Ranger 4cyl
• CMAI9 – 97/98 Mark VIII (Pending Maintenance – available upon request)
• DOAV7 – 02/04 Escape (Pending Maintenance – available upon request)
• MQAH1 – 99/03 F-150 4R100 (Pending Maintenance – available upon request)
• MZAK0 – 99/04 F-250 (all 4r100) (Pending Maintenance – available upon request)
• RWAI2 – 99/03 F-150 4R70W (Pending Maintenance – available upon request)

We’re offering another class!

We are going to be offering a class on tuning Fords with QuarterHorse November 15th, 16th and 17th in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.   There will be a mixture of classroom instruction, live in-car demonstration of logging techniques with street driving and dyno tuning and techniques.  Classroom instruction will take place in the Moates Event Center around the corner from Moates HQ.  Street tuning and dyno instruction will take place on a rented dynojet in the area.  Dave Blundell, Moates tech support and former tuner at several Midwest speed shops will be the instructor.   Registration will be limited to 12 people in order to keep the class manageable.

Cost

Registration for the class will be $250.   You can pay with any of the methods that we accept on the website (Paypal, Credit Card) in advance or pay cash/money order at the door.  If you’re going to pay at the door, we ask that you purchase the class item from our website and select “Check or Money order” at checkout so we can keep an accurate headcount.  All of the products that are used for the class will be available for purchase at/after the event.

You can register for the event here.

Schedule of Events

Day 1 (Friday November 15) will focus on general theory of how engines work, how electronic engine management works and general approaches to calibration of engine management systems.  Chances are, if you’ve been tuning cars for five years you probably already know a lot of this stuff but it probably wouldn’t hurt you to sit through it again.  If you’re new to engine management, expect your brain to hurt.  The goal of day one is to help you understand how the many pieces of engines, electronics and sensors that you will be dealing with fit together – the big picture.  Most of this day will NOT deal with Ford specific terms and methods.  At the end of the day, you should have a strong understanding of spark ignition internal combustion engines, how and why engines make power, be able to name and explain the function of sensors likely to be found on a fuel injected engine and understand the conditions needed for achieving specific goals such as fuel economy, power or keeping and engine in one piece.  If you’ve previously worked with other systems of engine management, you might look at what you already know in a new light.

Day 2 (Saturday November 16) will focus on early Ford engine management.  The morning session will focus on Ford specific terms and procedures for running an engine.  The emphasis will be on the most common and important parameters necessary for adjustment.   Fuel, spark, idle and limits will be covered as well as some of the limitations and pitfalls of using factory computers.  Both forced induction and naturally aspirated setups will be discussed.  After lunch, we will demonstrate setting up Moates hardware and how TunerPro RT and Binary Editor 2012 software can be used to make adjustments necessary for tuning Ford vehicles.   At the end of day two, you will have an understanding of the terms used in Ford EFI, be able to pick out the most important items that you need to change in a calibration when tuning and see how software can be used with Moates tools to tune vehicles.  GUFB (aka 89-93 MAF Fox Body Mustangs) and CBAZA (aka 94-95 Mustangs) will be the focus of this day.

Day 3 (Sunday November 17) will focus on hands-on usage of TPRT and BE, acquiring data from street and dyno use, analyzing it, diagnosing issues and making changes to tune your vehicle.  We will be acquiring data on the street and on the dyno and using it to make targeted changes.   This will be putting the theory from previous days together with real vehicles and seeing how to apply our understanding of Ford MAF systems to achieve results.  At the end of day three, you will be able to understand enough of Ford EFI systems and the software available to work with Moates tools to be able to acquire data and make precise changes based on measurements rather than simply “mashing buttons” to get results.

Plan on 8-10 hours of being focused per day.  We’ll typically run on a 9ish-6ish kind of day depending on how things go.  (Baton Rouge is in Central Time – CST)

There will be snacks and drinks provided. Previously, we had optional group dinner afterwards that worked out well so we’ll probably try to do that again.

We’ll try to have a good chunk of the curriculum up on the support site prior to the class for you to review and prepare.

Travel Information

There are a limited number of beds in the Moates event center available for FREE.  If you’re interested in staying where we’re having the class, put a note in the ‘Comments’ field when you sign up for the class.  These spaces will go on a first-come first-serve basis.  Additional space is available at area hotels.  Send us an email if you need a recommendation on hotels.

Other Class Opportunities

Check out the support site for other opportunities to take a class on using Moates products.  This class will also be offered in October in Cincinnati, Ohio.

We’re offering another class!

We are going to be offering a class on tuning Fords with QuarterHorse October 25th, 26th and 27th in Milford, Ohio (East side of Cincinnati).  There will be a mixture of classroom instruction, live in-car demonstration of logging techniques with street driving and dyno tuning and techniques.  Classroom instruction will take place in the conference room of the Homewood Suites by Hilton Hotel.  Street tuning and dyno instruction will take place on the Dynojet 224 dyno of Easy Street, which is literally across the street from the hotel.  Dave Blundell, Moates tech support and former tuner at Modular Depot and Easy Street will be the instructor.   Registration will be limited to 15 people in order to keep the class manageable.

Cost

Registration for the class will be $250.   You can pay with any of the methods that we accept on the website (Paypal, Credit Card) in advance or pay cash/money order at the door.  If you’re going to pay at the door, we ask that you purchase the class item from our website and select “Check or Money order” at checkout so we can keep an accurate headcount.  All of the products that are used for the class will be available for purchase at/after the event.

You can register for the event here.

Schedule of Events

Day 1 (Friday 10/25) will focus on general theory of how engines work, how electronic engine management works and general approaches to calibration of engine management systems.  Chances are, if you’ve been tuning cars for five years you probably already know a lot of this stuff but it probably wouldn’t hurt you to sit through it again.  If you’re new to engine management, expect your brain to hurt.  The goal of day one is to help you understand how the many pieces of engines, electronics and sensors that you will be dealing with fit together – the big picture.  Most of this day will NOT deal with Ford specific terms and methods.  At the end of the day, you should have a strong understanding of spark ignition internal combustion engines, how and why engines make power, be able to name and explain the function of sensors likely to be found on a fuel injected engine and understand the conditions needed for achieving specific goals such as fuel economy, power or keeping and engine in one piece.  If you’ve previously worked with other systems of engine management, you might look at what you already know in a new light.

Day 2 (Saturday 10/26) will focus on early Ford engine management.  The morning session will focus on Ford specific terms and procedures for running an engine.  The emphasis will be on the most common and important parameters necessary for adjustment.   Fuel, spark, idle and limits will be covered as well as some of the limitations and pitfalls of using factory computers.  Both forced induction and naturally aspirated setups will be discussed.  After lunch, we will demonstrate setting up Moates hardware and how TunerPro RT and Binary Editor 2012 software can be used to make adjustments necessary for tuning Ford vehicles.   At the end of day two, you will have an understanding of the terms used in Ford EFI, be able to pick out the most important items that you need to change in a calibration when tuning and see how software can be used with Moates tools to tune vehicles.  GUFB (aka 89-93 MAF Fox Body Mustangs) and CBAZA (aka 94-95 Mustangs) will be the focus of this day.

Day 3 (Sunday 10/27) will focus on hands-on usage of TPRT and BE, acquiring data from street and dyno use, analyzing it, diagnosing issues and making changes to tune your vehicle.  We will be acquiring data on the street and on the Dynojet 224 dyno at Easy Street and using it to make targeted changes.   This will be putting the theory from previous days together with real vehicles and seeing how to apply our understanding of Ford MAF systems to achieve results.  At the end of day three, you will be able to understand enough of Ford EFI systems and the software available to work with Moates tools to be able to acquire data and make precise changes based on measurements rather than simply “mashing buttons” to get results.

Plan on 8-10 hours of being focused per day.  We’ll typically run on a 9ish-6ish kind of day depending on how things go. (Cincinnati is on Eastern Time, EST)

There will be snacks and drinks provided.  There are also numerous restaurants within walking/short drive distance of the facilities we will be at.  At the last class, we had optional group dinner afterwards that worked out well so we’ll probably try to do that again.

We’ll try to have a good chunk of the curriculum up on the support site prior to the class for you to review and prepare.

Travel Information

There will be ten rooms reserved and a group rate ($109/night for room with one queen + pull out couch + mini kitchen) at the hotel where the presentations will be held until 9/26 (one month prior).  Mention the Moates tuning class to get the special rate.  There are lots of other places to stay in the area – if you have any trouble contact us.

Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky (CVG) airport is about 30 minute drive.  Dayton International (DAY) is right around an hour drive.  Columbus International (CMH) is about an hour forty minute drive.  There is adequate parking at the hotel and the shop across the street where we will be using the dyno.

Other Class Opportunities

Check out the support site for other opportunities to take a class on using Moates products.  This class will also be offered in Louisiana in November/December.

One of the most common modifications that require recalibration of the ECM are changing injectors and changing Mass Air Flow (MAF) sensors.

For the rest of this article, we’re going to assume that you’ve already read the articles explaining basic MAF operation and a model for injectors.  We’re going to discuss how to properly change the tune to compensate for new fuel injectors.

You should also take a look at the article on MAF Calibration as they often go hand in hand.

About Injectors on Ford ECMs

Ford uses the concept of injector slopes, breakpoints and battery voltage latency adjustment to cover the behavior of injectors.   Slopes represent the flow of the injector at high and low pulsewidths.  Breakpoints determine the pulsewidth required to switch from the low slop to the high slope.  Returnless fuel system cars add additional compensation tables related to fuel rail pressure.  When changing injectors, it is best to have a complete set of test data.  If you have good data, the amount of tuning required after inputting full injector data can be extremely minimal – think minutes versus hours with unknown injectors.

• In many cases, injectors purchased from Ford Racing will include all of this information.
• If you’re using a larger OEM injector (Cobra, Lightning, etc.) you can generally obtain valid data from the OEM calibration in which the injectors were used.  Some Ford vehicles which use desirable injectors:
  • 2014 GT500 52# Bosch EV14 (sold by Ford Racing who publish data)
  • 08 GT500 SXH1 48# Bosch EV14 (sold by Ford Racing who publish data)
  • 03 Harley Truck data i.e. EKO2 processor code is recommended by Decipha for 42# “green tops” (formerly sold by Ford racing.  warning: currently heavily counterfeited)
  • 03 Cobra AMZ2 for 39# “blue body” (warning: unusual spray pattern may cause issues with 2V / pushrod cylinder heads)
  • 05-10 Mustang GT CDC3 24# (sold by Ford Racing who publish data)
  • 97/98 Cobra AOL1 or AOL3 24#
  • 94-95 Cobra 24# injector data is NOT recommended.  Look at it sometime and see if you can figure out why.
• If you don’t have complete test data, you can make do.  You will need a wideband.  Recommended procedure:
  1. The rest of this procedure assumes you have a SOMEWHAT sane MAF transfer function.  If your MAF transfer is jacked, you may need to adjust, retune MAF then readjust a few times to get things properly aligned.
  2. Start with the data of the injector closest in size and design to the one you are using (slopes, inj latency, etc.).  If you can’t get any good data on other injectors, then your stock ones will do.  We will call this the “old” injector.
  3. Figure out what the injectors you are installing are rated for (i.e. 24#).  Remember the size of you old injectors (i.e. 19#).  Divide your NEW rated flow by your OLD rated flow.  Make sure your injectors are rated at the same pressure.  24/19 = 1.26 in this case
  4. Multiply both the LOW SLOPE and HIGH SLOPE by the value from above, in this case 1.26.
  5. Set your target AFRs / Open loop targets to a a UNIFORM value.  (i.e. 12.5 for a NA car)
  6. Do a WOT pass on the car.  Observe AFR.  Adjust BOTH high and low slope until actual AFRs resemble the target AFRs you have set up in your tune.
  7. Repeat #6 until the car is as close as possible to what you are commanding.
  8. Let the car idle.  Turn off closed loop if necessary.  Observe AFRs.   Adjust latency (battery voltage table) so that observed AFR is close to commanded AFR.
  9. Drive the car at low – light throttle.  Hopefully, Observed AFRs will be close to commanded AFRs.  If so, skip ahead to #11
  10. If observed AFRs differ significantly from targeted at part throttle, determine how badly they are off.  If they’re really far off, re-adjust in order to get things as close as you can.  After this, make SELECTIVE adjustments to the MAF transfer function at idle in order to achieve targets at idle while maintaining proper operation at light throttle.
  11. Once you have a preliminary set of slopes, latency values it is time to tune battery voltage tables.  First, observe battery voltage and AFR while IDLING.  At idle, the injectors are open the smallest amount of time so changes from battery voltage have the largest effect.
  12. Next turn on headlights, blower motors, brake lights, EVERYTHING you possibly can to put an electrical load on the motor.  Observe changes in battery voltage and AFR.  Make adjustments to the injector battery table in order to compensate for fluctuations.  I.e. if the car goes lean when you turn on the headlights, INCREASE the latency value at the voltage that the ECM reports with the lights on.
  13. Once you have the engine operating in a more consistent AFR range under electrical loan, rev the motor up and make sure that you don’t go too rich when battery voltage increases as a sanity check.
  14. At this point, you’ve probably done a more thorough injector calibration than most tuners will.

Fairly regularly we get asked something along the lines of, “I had my car tuned by Joe Bob at Fast Bob’s Racing and he used a ___________ (not ours) chip.  I want to make a few changes to the tune myself.  What do I need to do it?”

Here is the answer:

• We do NOT officially support the use of our products with other vendors’ chips AT ALL.
• We do NOT design our products to work with other vendors’ products.
• Chips from other vendors often work (to some extent) with our products because every chip needs to work on the same ECMs, which means they need to do many of the same things, electrically speaking.
• As a rule of thumb, you will probably be able to use our programmers to *READ* most chips from other vendors.  There are some cases when this does not work.
• As a rule of thumb, you will *NOT* be able to use our programmers to PROGRAM chips from other vendors.  Most of the time, this does not work.
• Chips can be deliberately designed to be difficult to communicate with (known problem chips: Diablosport, TS, others?) so there will be cases where you just can’t use them with our tools.
• If you want to be certain that you can read, program or erase a chip from another vendor, don’t use our tools.  Use the tools provided by that vendor.
• If you want to be certain that you will be able to program a chip with one of our programmers, use one of our chips.
• Bottom line: our programmers are designed and tested to work with our chips.  If you can use them with chips from other vendors, it is purely accidental and we do not support it or encourage their use in this way.
• Do not come crying to us if it doesn’t work.  Our response is going to be “buy one of our chips that our programmer was designed to work with.”

The ‘G3’ Switching Adapter

(also: Using the ‘EX’ with the G3)

Note: This product was updated in 2015.  The original documentation (which still applies) follows with a discussion of differences between the original and current hardware.

For placing several different binaries on a single chip for GM applications, the G3 adapter is the hot ticket. By ‘stacking’ the binaries on a large-sized memory, and using the included switching ability, you can swap between different programs on-the-fly while the car is running. You could have ‘Valet’, ‘Economy’, ‘Nitrous’, or whatever else you want to put together.

First a little background. A memory chip is accessed by changing the state of various connections or pins. Some of the pins are called address lines. They tell the chip which data to present. There are low address lines (A0 through A14) and high address lines (A15 through A18). The larger chips like the AM29F040 have A0-A18, or 19 address lines. What the G3 adapter does is take ‘manual’ control of the address lines A15-A18. If you study binary stuff, you’ll know that this will give you 16 different memory ‘banks’ which can be selected.

On the G3 are several components, including one thermofuse (looks like a capacitor) to protect against shorts when using the ‘EX’ module, four capacitors which help dampen RFI pickup from the EX cable, two jumpers to set the operating modes (see below), and a rotary DIP switch to select which bank of memory is to be accessed.

Installation instructions for the G3 adapter are very similar to those for the ‘G1’ adapter, so see the section under ‘G1’ instructions for guidance in this regard.

Think of the G3 as an old-style channel selector on a TV. You just turn the knob, and the car’s ECM will see a different channel or ‘bank’ of memory. Put the switch to position zero, and all the ‘high’ address lines will be set to 5v. Thus, the actual memory location that will be accessed on a 29F040 will be 78000-7FFFF. If the switch is set to position ‘F’, then all the high address lines will be set to GND, or ‘low’. In this case, the reference memory will be 00000-07FFF. You can see how this lets you put up to 16 programs on a single chip and select between them. The switch positions are numbered 0-F, which is just hexadecimal for zero through 16.

There are several different hardware configurations which are possible with the G3. This increases flexibility along with the confusion factor. Let’s look at these combinations individually:

1) Putting a 29F040 chip in the G3, and operating with an ECM that originally takes a 27C128 (16k bin) or 27C256 (32k bin). This gives you 16 bins.
2) Putting a single 29C256 or 27SF512 chip in the G3, operating in ‘passthrough’ mode with no switching.
3) Putting a 29F040 chip in the G3, and operating with an ECM that originally takes a 27C512 (64k bin). This gives you 8 bins.
4) Putting a 27SF512 chip in the G3, and operating with an ECM that originally takes a 27C256 or 27C128. This gives you 2 bins.

The most typical cases are (1) and (2), so we’ll talk about them first.

For operating instructions on the ‘EX’ module, see the bottom of this page.

Case 1: Originally a 27C128 or 27C256, use a 29F040 chip to switch between 16 programs.

First thing you will want to do is ‘assemble’ your big 512k binary from a group of smaller ‘stock-size’ binaries that you create or collect. The screenshot shows the configuration screen in ‘TunerPro’ under the BIN stacker function whereby the proper settings have been selected.

Notice how the bin size here is 16k (originay a 27C128) and the chip size is 512k (for a 29F040). The switch size for the Case-1 hardware configuration is 32k. This is going to create a 512k fie that you can then burn directly to a 29F040 chip without any offsets. Also note that TunerPro does the BIN order reversing for you, so all you need to worry about is which switch position is associated with which BIN.

The jumper positions for this Case-1 are such that both jumpers should be placed in the ‘down’ position as shown in the picture. This will allow full access to a 29F040 chip’s memory banks via the switching with bank sizes up to 32k. Make sure the notch on the chip is facing to the left as shown.

Case 2: Originally a 27C128, 27C256, or 27C512 chip, use a 29C256 or 27SF512 chip as a single-program pass-through application.

If you want to use the G3 as just a straight adapter and not a switcher, this can be done very easily. Just program the chip as you normally would for a single-program application and put it in the adapter.

Only trick is to make sure that you set the jumpers to the ‘up’ or 29C256 position. This will allow the G3 to act just like a ‘G1’ adapter, passing the signal directly through and bypassing the switching functionality. Make sure the chip is moved over to the right, with the notch facing left.

Case 3: Originally a 27C512 chip, use a 29F040 chip to switch between 8 programs.

Now we’re getting to some more ‘flexible’ appication of the G3. For this case, the jumpers should be set as shown, with J1 in the ‘down’ or 29F040 position and J2 (right) in the ‘up’ position. You still stack your BINs using the TunerPro Bin Stacker, but the settings should be such that your Bin Size=64k, Chip Size=512k, and Switch Size=64k.

When switching in this mode, there will be a little difference. In this mode, position 0-1 are the same and 2-3 are the same and so on. So, in terms of which BIN you will be accessing, you’ll be seeing BIN0 in positions 0-1, BIN1=2-3, etc through BIN7=E-F. This gives you 8 binaries you can put on the chip and select from, with a switch occurring every ‘other’ switch position.

Case 4: Originally a 27C128 or 27C256 chip, use a 27SF512 chip to switch between 2 programs.

OK, so you don’t want to run 16 different binaries? Just two? Here’s an option for you. Set up your BIN in TunerPro again, with the Bin Size=16 or 32k, chip size=64k, and switch size=32k. Set the jumpers with J1 in the ‘up’ position and the J2 in the ‘down’ position. This will allow the A15 line to get switched every other switch position.

When operating in this mode, the first bin will be accessed at switch positions 0,2,4,6,8,A,C,E and the second BIN will be accessed in the other positions. This gives some switching flexibility without the confusion of millions of binary files.

That’s about it in terms of G3 operation. Again, the installation is pretty much the same as for the G1 so see that section for instructions in that regard.

Using the ‘EX’ module:
The function of the ‘EX’ module is that of a remote BIN switching device and display indicator. When used with the G3, the ‘local’ G3 rotary switch should be placed in the ‘0’ zero position!

If you want to have a ‘AntiTheft’ or ‘Valet’ mode, you should put that binary in position zero, so you can disconnect the EX and carry it with you. It can be unplugged from the ribbon cable at any time. Don’t worry about plugging it in backwards. It won’t short out, it just won’t work right and won’t light up. If it lights up with the car on, you’ve got it right.

Revisions of the ‘G3’ Switching Adapter

As of 2015, there are two different versions of the G3 Adapter.

The first version has a rotary switch on board and a single 10 pin connector.  This is the version that this article has discussed so far.  It was manufactured up to 2015:

The second version does NOT have a rotary switch.  Instead, it has two connectors – one 10 pin (like before) and a provisoin for a 4 pin (new, open not installed in this picture).  It was manufactured starting in 2015:

Fortunately, they function nearly identically.  The new version is simplified with fewer configuration steps required due to having fewer jumpers.  Both versions can be used on the same platforms for the same thing – allowing multiple programs to be used on OBD1 GM vehicles.

• The early version can be used for switching without any external hardware via the knob.  The current version requires either the EX remote (which connects to the 10 pin connector) or a rotary switch with 4 pin cable.
• The current model only switches three address lines allowing a maximum of 8 programs, regardless of the program size.  Earlier models supported switching more address lines in some configurations
• The current model will only function in pass-through mode for a single program when using a 28 pin chip.  The previous model could support switching between two 32k or 16k programs with a 28 pin 512k chip.
• The current model has only one jumper which selects whether a 28 pin 27SF512 chip or 32 pin 29F040 chip is installed.  The earlier model had a second jumper which selected the program size.  The only jumper that needs to be adjusted on the new model is to select which chip (27SF512 vs 29F040) is installed – the current version will always function as if J1 was set for 64k operation.
• The current model always presents 64k chunks of memory, i.e. if J1 on the earlier model was set for a 64k block size.  The earlier model could present smaller chunks, the current model only presents 64k chunks.  When using 16k or 32k bins with the current G3, ensure they are arranged in the top section of a 64k block.

Basics

When we talk about “OBD1” GM vehicles, we mean vehicles made from (approximately) 1986 to 1995.  These cars used several different types of engine controller – some have one injector for each cylinder (Tuned Port Injection, or TPI along with the LTx motors) while some have fewer injectors that are placed near the throttle body (Throttle Body Injection, or TBI) instead.  All the vehicles of this generation speak the ALDL protocol for logging/vehicle communication.

For purposes of this guide, “ECM” means Engine Control Module, Powertrain Control Module (PCM), Engine Computer Module (ECM) – terms will be used interchangeably to mean the same thing.

Hardware for OBD1 GM

Overview

94-95 model years are oddballs.  Many of these ECMs support being reflashed over the ALDL interface (e.g. LT1) using TunerCATS.  Some (like the 94-95 TBIs) use a G1 adapter.  Many Grand Prix from these years use the G4 adapter.  Diesels generally use the G5 adapter.

The process for tuning OBD1 GM products is pretty much the same for all 86-93 model years.  First, a “chip adapter” is used to convert whatever the ECM in question needs into a form that accepts a 28 pin EPROM.  Some chip adapters require soldering for installation (G2, G2X) but most do not (G1, G3, G4, G5).  The same EPROMs can be used for all of our OBD1 GM products (except the switching adapters…) which is usually the 27SF512 – C2.

After a chip adapter has been installed in an ECM, tuning can begin.  You can burn chips using a ROM burner such as the BURN1/2.  Alternatively, you can either use the Ostrich 2.0 emulator or the emulation facilities of the APU1 to make changes while the vehicle is running.

Logging from the computer is accomplished using either an ALDU1 or the logging facilities of an APU1.  For 86-94 vehicles, CABL1 is required to connect the logger and the vehicle.  For the 1995 model year, CABL2 is required due to the physically different connector.

Instead of buying the BURN2, Ostrich2 and ALDU1 separately, you can buy the APU1 unit that does the functions of all three pieces in one unit.

Hardware

G1 – “Memcal” style chip adapter (TPI, Syclone/Typhoon, 94-95 TBI, 92-93 LT1, etc.)

G2 – “TBI” 24 pin style chip adapter

G2 GN Style – Grand National Only.

G2X – Multiple program switching version of G2

G3 – Multiple program switching version of G1

G4 – Blue Memcal style chip adapter for some 94-95 vehicles

G5 – Diesel memcal style chip adapter

HDR1 – Header that allows reading memcals in a BURN1/2.  Used to read stock program on memcal ECMs.

BURN2 – Programs chips

Ostrich – USB Chip emulator, allows realtime changes while engine running

Socket Booster – required for use of Ostrich 2.0 in TBI applications.  Can be used instead of G2 adapter.

ALDU1– USB ALDL interface

CABL1– Used to connect an ALDU1 or APU1 and a pre-1995

CABL2 – Used to connect an ALDU1 or APU1 and a 1995 car

APU1 – Combines the functions of the BURN2 (programming chips), Ostrich 2.0 (real time chip emulation) and the ALDU1 in one unit

Applications

This table is abbreviated. If you don’t see your application here, please email us.

* Socket Booster (S_BOOSTER) required for Ostrich 2 emulation and TBI ECMs

If you have excel, you can also take a look at this spreadsheet for a list of what hardware you’ll need with various combinations.

Software

TunerPro RT ( link ) and TunerCATS ( link ) are the two most commonly used software packages for OBD1 GM.

FreeScan is a free datalogger that works with some GM vehicles. ( link )

There is an excellent cross-reference I found with google that lists common ECMs, which mask (software revision) they use and various other useful information.  ( link )

Holden Vehicles

TunerCat OBD1 tuner seems to have the best support for Holden vehicles at this time ( link ) although TunerPro has support for some ( link )

Hardware-wise, the majority of these vehicles use the G1 chip adapter.  Some of the newer vehicles use our newest G6 chip adapter.  We don’t know the Australian vehicles as well as those stateside so we recommend you check out http://www.delcohacking.net for more info on these vehicles.

94 and 95 were also kind of odd years for GM computers as they transitioned toward OBD2.

There are several groups of ECMs.

94-95 LT1,LT4,LTx: These can be tuned via TunerCATS ( link ) with the $EE definition and an ALDU1+CABL1 (94 – square ALDL style connector) or ALDU1+CABL2 (95 “D” shape OBD2 connector).  These are typically the 16188051 ECM.  APU1 also works for reflash on these vehicles.  No chip adapter needed.

94-95 TBI: Unlike all other TBI ECMs (which use a G2 chip adapter) these ECMs are memcal like their TPI cousins and work with the G1 memcal adapter.  Take the cover off the ECM and if you see a memcal, you probably have one of these.  The 16168625 is an example.

94-95 W-body LQ1: uses the regular MEMCAL found in 1227165/7727/7730 ECMs, you can use the G1 adapter in these units also.

94-95 3800: Primarily use the 16183247 and subsequently a different style memcal is used than earlier ECMs.   The 94-95 3800 powered regals use a similar ECM that is weatherproofed, the 16183428, but that ECM is specific to the 94-95 3800 Regals only. This family of PCMs have the little blue ‘box’ memcal that has the integrated knock sensing board.   A G4 chip adapter is required for these, it’s shorter than the G1.

93-95 3100 vehicles (except for the A-bodies, which use a non-weatherproof version of the 94-95 LQ1 PCM) are all flash units. Unfortunately we don’t currently have a solution for these.

(Thanks to Robert Saar for his help!)

Lately, we have been getting a lot of questions from people with 96-97 GM vehicles looking for a tuning solution.  Unfortunately, these are transitional years where the electronics are incompatible with either the earlier and later computers that are well supported.

There are a few solutions for people with 96-97 computers:

-Convert to a 94-95 ECM that is well-supported by TunerCATS OBD1.  This will require an ALDU1+CABL2 combo, TunerCATS OBD1 tuner ($69.95) with a single definition file ($EE – $19.95) OR TunerCats WinFLash and TunerPro RT with the $EE definition, along with a new 94-95 ECM.  This may involve minor wiring changes.  Arguably the most simple and straightforward option.  Preserves all engine sensors, distributor, etc.  This option will work for LTx engines ONLY.  96-97 Vortecs must use another option.

-Convert to a 98+ ECM that is well-supported by EFI Live.  This will involve more substantial wiring changes and a supported 98+ ECM.  This will involve a 24x reluctor conversion kit. (See here for more information.)  This is *NOT EASY OR SIMPLE* but arguably provides the best solution because quality, trusted LSx electronics replace many problematic parts on the earlier engines such as replacing  the Optispark system with coil-near-plug as found on the LSx.

-Use TunerCATS OBD2 Tuner.  Even though there are no hardware changes needed for this, I put it towards the bottom of the list.  TunerCATS OBD2 Tuner is only available with Roadrunner ECM hardware because of licensing restrictions BUT Roadrunner hardware isn’t compatible with 96-97 ECMs.  You will end up having to spend $489 on a RoadRunner guts kit (that you can’t use on a 96-97 ECM!), $280 on the  TunerCat RTOBD2 package, and $80 on a definition for your ECM.  Grand total: $850.  Now go back and compare costs to the two conversion options above if you wonder why I didn’t list this option first…

The main product that we make for 98+ GM vehicles is the RoadRunner emulator that allows realtime changes to be made to a LS1 ECM.

The RoadRunner is designed to be used with either EFI Live or TunerCATS software.

EFI Live is a comprehensive tuning software package that includes both an editor and logging application.  The software has the most comprehensive vehicle support out of any package we sell for OBD2 GM, working with both Gen3 and Gen4 ECMs and TCMs.  It is licensed on a per-vehicle or per ECM type basis.

Tuner CATS OBD2 tuner is used primarily with the RoadRunner hardware.  It only supports Gen3 LS1 ECMs/TCMs.  Tuner CATS OBD2 tuner can ONLY BE SOLD WITH ROADRUNNER HARDWARE.  WE CANNOT SELL IT TO YOU UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES UNLESS YOU BUY ROADRUNNER HARDWARE.  It is licensed on a per ECM type basis.

Good Choices (simple)

You have three choices for tuning forced induction on a TPI ECM (i.e. 7730).

1. Not REALLY a good option, but a simple one: use stock code, hack it around to be ok at WOT by power enrichment tables.  This is ugly and only has a possibility of working for low boost setups.   Do not do this unless you really don’t care how the car runs except at WOT and you are too lazy to choose another option.
2. Use Code59 on your ‘7730  (see www.code59.org – a modified version of the $58 code that came in the Syclone/Typhoon turbocharged trucks) For this to work, some wiring mods are needed.  (See here for more wiring info, here for more general info) This is not for the faint of heart, but represents a much better solution overall because you are using code that understands what forced induction is.  Code59 isn’t perfect, but it’s arguably the best option readily available that works with OEM hardware.
3. Code59 on a ‘749 ECM.  This is pretty similar to #2 above, except you get some additional stuff in the ‘749 that will make it easier to say run P+H injectors.  Rewiring will be needed.  The ‘749 is also setup to control boost via PWM and an external solenoid which can be handy for turbocharged applications.

You should plan on buying a Wideband O2 (such as the Innovate LC1), something to datalog with (APU1, ALDU1) and something for realtime emulation (APU1, Ostrich2) along with a G1 chip adapter in order to tackle a project like this and have any degree of success.  You could do it without some of these tools, but you probably wouldn’t be reading this webpage for advice if you didn’t need them.

You will genererally need to install colder spark plugs, (maybe) a spark box, larger injectors (32, 36 or 42lbs would probably be good place to start.  Use an injector calculator to figure out how big you should go based on power goals), a 2bar or 3bar MAP sensor to replace your 1bar factory sensor, sometimes an upgraded fuel pump(s).

Good Choices (Complicated)

The other worthwhile option to mention is using a LS1/LS2 ECM with EFI live.  This requires extensive hardware and wiring changes but has great rewards in terms of an upgraded ignition system, more reliable triggering (i.e. no Optispark) and much more powerful and capable ECMs with advanced features.  See EFI Connection 24x / 58x pages for more information on this upgrade.  You can get EFI Live from us after you’re done.

Bad Choices

While I’m at it, a lot of people ask about FMUs.  This is a quick explanation of how they work and why they’re a band-aid (at best) not an effective tuning solution:

• FMU is a rising rate regulator
• It causes fuel pressure to increase at a fixed ratio with boost pressure (usually 8:1 to 12:1)
• Fuel delivery (approximately) increases by the difference in sqrt of fuel pressure.  I.e. 40 -> 60 psi = sqrt(60) / sqrt(40)
• An FMU can generally get fueling approximately ok SOMETIMES but more often than not it results in an overly rich mixture and inconsistent fueling across different RPMs.
• With 35 psi base pressure and 8psi of boost, a 8:1FMU will be delivering close to 100psi of fuel pressure!  Because it raises fuel pressure so much, there is a significant strain placed on the fuel pump and injectors.  Fuel atomization (and therefore power) suffers a lot at extreme pressures with most injectors.
• Most importantly, FMUs do nothing to adjust spark to compensate for boost.
• Bottom line: FMUs are a cheap, hackish bandaid supplied to minimally make things work by running the car artificially rich instead of properly adjusting the mixture and timing for boost.

The “Good Choices” above are ways of doing things the “right” way.  It’s a lot more work, but you can get the car to run a *lot* better than with an FMU.  Making appropriate adjustments for ignition timing will also let you run a LOT higher boost than with just a FMU.

Introduction

TunerCat OBD2 Tuner is a software package that allows tuning of 96-current GM vehicles.  For some early 96-97 vehicles, it is often the only solution. TunerCat OBD2 Tuner must be purchased with our RoadRunner hardware (either with a complete RoadRunner ECM or just a RoadRunner Guts kit)  due to licensing restrictions.  TunerCat OBD2 Tuner also has an optional reflash cable accessory and software (“WinFLASH”) that allows vehicles to be flash programmed over the OBD2 port.  Existing users of TunerCat OBD2 software can use a RoadRunner ECM with the RTOBD2 upgrade.  This upgrade is only available to existing users of the TunerCat software.

The software supports real time tuning with the RoadRunner on supported vehicles, reading and flashing over the OBD2 port. THERE IS NO BUILT-IN DATALOGGING APPLICATION. You must have a third party logger or scan-tool in order to have an effective tuning combination.  MX Scan used to work with older versions of the TunerCat reflash cable but it is NOT reported to work with current cables.

TunerCat OBD2 Tuner is licensed on a per-VDF (Vehicle Definition File) basis.  You can purchase each VDF individually or as a package including a group (LS1, All) of definitions and hardware together at a discount.  Each VDF generally covers multiple vehicles that use similar engine controllers.  Once you have purchased a VDF, you may tune as many vehicles of that type as you like – there is no per-VIN licensing.

Installation Tips and Troubleshooting

TunerCat OBD2 tuner relies on the same FTDI drivers that we use for the rest of our products.  If you suspect you have driver issues, please consult the USB Driver Troubleshooting Guide.

TunerCat OBD2 Tuner is not the most modern piece of software.  In fact, if you want the software to run properly we highly recommend that you use Windows XP as this is the only operating system that has consistent behavior without a fuss.  TunerCat OBD2 Tuner has been tested to run successfully inside a VMWare Virtual Machine running XP and can be made to run stable in this configuration.

If you cannot figure out a way to use Windows XP and are going to try to use TunerCat OBD2 tuner under Windows Vista, Win7 and Win8/8.1, follow these steps:

1. If you’ve already run the installers, first uninstall the program.
2. In order for the programs to install correctly the installation program must be run in Compatibility mode. Before running the setup program right click on it. Select Properties from the list and then click the Compatibility tab. From there, pick the default (Windows XP SP2), click on the ‘Apply’ button and then click on the ‘OK’ button.
3. Now double click on the setup program to install the program and follow the on-screen instruction to complete the installation.
4. After completing the installation you’ll also need to set the OBDII RT Tuner program itself to run in compatibility mode. To do so, right click on the OBDII RT Tuner icon on the Desktop, Select ‘Properties’ from the pop-up menu and then click the ‘Compatibility’ tab. On the Compatibility screen click on the ‘Run the program in compatibility mode, select the default Windows XP SP2, check the ‘Run as administrator’ box, click on the ‘Apply’ button and then click on the ‘OK’ button. Then repeat this process for the WinFlash OBDII program.

Vehicle Support

The latest list of supported vehicles can always be found here: TunerCat ODB2 VDF files

As of the time of writing (3-26-2012), the following vehicles are supported:

Quick Explanation / TL;DR: / READ ME

If you have called to ask for help, one of the things we often ask you is, “Are you using a power inverter to power your laptop?  Do you have your laptop plugged in to the wall?”

There is a reason for this, and we see product get killed every year because of it.  If you don’t want the “why” and just want to know what to do, stop reading after this next line (or skip to the more detailed “solutions” section at the end):

DO NOT PLUG POWER INTO YOUR LAPTOP WHILE YOUR MOATES DEVICE IS CONNECTED TO ANYTHING ELSE, LIKE YOUR CAR!!!

Full Explanation Why

Alternating Current (or “AC”) does not rely on ground to operate, guaranteeing only the difference between two terminals and that the voltage periodically changes polarity (plus and minus “alternating”).  AC is what comes out of the wall in most electric grid delivery.  Direct Current (“DC”) is what comes out of batteries and other DC power sources.  With DC, potential stays one direction without changing polarity and voltage produced by a battery is expressed as a positive number of volts.  The negative terminal of the power source is generally assumed to be where you are measuring from when talking about DC.

Ground is not zero volts.  Ground, electrically speaking, is just the place we agree to call zero.  It’s just a convention, a spot to measure from.

AC can have both a negative and positive component with respect to ground.  It can also be entirely positive with respect to ground.  It can also be entirely negative with respect to ground.  As long as the DIFFERENCE between the two AC terminals varies according to specification, they can be valid AC.  For instance, two wires varying between -220 and -100 volts and two wires varying between 50 and 170 volts can both be 120VAC because ((-100) – (-220)) = 120 and ((170) – (50) = 120.  It doesn’t matter that neither of these AC voltages is centered around what we are calling zero volts (“ground”).  In most residential electricity, the “neutral” wire is supposed to be connected to earth ground (literally, a stake in the ground) at the power distribution box but this is not required for AC current to be present – only the varying voltage potential between two points is required even though neutral really is earth ground in most residential electric.

DC is generally (but not always) expressed as a positive voltage with respect to ground.  If you were to reverse your multimeter’s leads and connect the minus lead to the positive terminal of the battery, the chassis (assuming the negative terminal is connected to the chassis) would measure -12V.  The voltage supplied by an ECU to a throttle position sensor is generally 5V, with respect to sensor ground.  If you were to measure the voltage at the TPS sensor +5v supply with your multimeter ground connected to the +12v terminal of the battery, you could expect to see (+5V –  +12V) = -7V instead of +5V.   If you move your multimeter minus terminal to the TPS- pin, you should see +5V between TPS- and TPS+ reference.  The voltage didn’t change – how you observed it changed because of where you chose to call ground.

Ground is just a convention that we agree on.  If you do funny things with ground, you will get strange results.

If you have AC voltage without an explicit ground, you have an infinite number of ways to make DC from it.  In most cases, AC-DC supplies pick a potential in the middle of the AC range and “call it” ground.  They then use electronic components to create a voltage that is always a fixed difference from the AC voltage picked and call this the output.  The AC-DC supply provides BOTH “ground” and “supply” as outputs.  As long as whatever DC load is connected only ever sees these ground and supply terminals, it will operate perfectly as it has a constant voltage potential (DC Voltage).  For most common DC devices (cellphones, laptops, etc.) this is perfectly acceptable because the electrical energy inside the device is largely self contained and it doesn’t need to interface with other devices powered by DC.  For sake of an example, let’s assume that we stick our multimeter minus lead into the ground.  Our AC input measures -60V to +60v with respect to the earth, for 120V total difference.  Our power supply outputs +42V and +30V with respect to the earth.  The difference between the output terminals (+42V, +30V) is +12V, and a 12V DC load would be perfectly happy.

If you have a DC voltage and you want to create a AC voltage, there are also an essentially infinite number of possible ways to do it.  As long as the difference between the outputs measures appropriately and the signal switches like it should, an AC device should function correctly.  If we agree that ground is the negative battery terminal, our power inverter plugged into a cigarette lighter socket on a vehicle receives +12V and 0V from the battery.  It can output a voltage that swings between +120V and 0V.  It can output a voltage that swings between 0V and -120V.  Both of these will be A-OK for something plugged into the power inverter looking for AC because the difference between the AC outputs varies by 120VAC.

So what happens when we take our example AC-DC power supply (supply +60/-60: receive +12V in the form of +42V and +30V) into our power inverter supplying +0V and -120V?  The power inverter is giving a 120V AC output so the AC-DC supply works fine.  The AC-DC supply chooses 18V below max input (+60V – +42V) for its output and 30V below max input (+60V – +30V) for its output.  The AC-DC supply is being fed 0V maximum and -120V minimum.  It outputs 18V below max input (-18V) for its output and 30V below max input (-30V) for its “ground” coming out, which is a difference of +12V (-18V – -30V) so completely acceptable to run our 12V widget that we’ve plugged into the inverter.

But what happens if our widget, powered off -18V and -30V, gets connected by a USB cable to the vehicle?  If we measure all of our supply voltages from the same spot, -30V is a different potential than the terminal of the battery, which we agreed was “0” when we called it ground.  This difference in ground voltage supplied to two devices with a connection in between is called a “ground loop.”  Ground loops happen when two wires that are both supposed to be at the same ground potential get connected together with power supplies driving ground to different absolute voltage potentials.  If you have two power supplies that are trying to push “ground” to two different voltages and you connect them together but they don’t agree about where “zero” is, so you end up with current flowing from “ground” of one power supply to “ground” of the other power supply, trying to equal things out.  Most of the time, the small cables (USB, ribbon, etc.) supplied with our devices which provide the path from one ground potential to the other aren’t cut out for supplying many amps of power than can be supplied by a modern DC power adapter, leading to far more current flowing through wires that were not designed for it.  Heat, smoke and damage are the usual result.

• Car battery (12V and ground), DC-AC inverter plugged in to the cigarette lighter(120V AC out with no common ground reference), AC-DC power adapter plugged in to inverter (+18V and “ground”, with ground floating somewhere between the voltages coming out of the inverter) connected to a Laptop with its USB ports connected to AC-DC adapter ground.  Ground loop forms from AC-DC power adapter “ground” through laptop through USB port through USB cable to device connected to car battery ground.
• Bench power supply (providing 12V and ground) to ECU connected to laptop powered by AC-DC adapter (providing +20V and ground).  Laptop and ECU connected by USB port ground, AC adapter for laptop and AC-DC power supply for ECU trying to achieve different “ground”
• Car battery (12V and ground) connected to DC laptop charger.  DC laptop charger creates 20V to charge laptop but does so with a “hidden” DC-AC conversion coupled with an AC-DC conversion.  DC goes in, DC goes out but ground is “lost” in a hidden AC conversion in the middle.  By the time DC comes out, ground potential has shifted from ground supplied to it.  Ground loop forms from laptop ground connected to floating ground of DC-DC converter and battery ground of car connected to ECU connected together by USB ground wire.

So why don’t you just isolate all your Moates devices?

Solutions for ground loops?

• The standard recommendation is “don’t run your laptop on a charger/inverter.”  This allows ground of the laptop (which is connected to pins on the USB port) to float to whatever potential it is connected to instead of being driven to a certain potential by a charging adapter.
• Another solution is to explicitly tie the laptop’s ground to the power ground supplied to the ECU and link the chargers together, but be aware that whatever wire you use to do this may need to carry a significant amount of current.
• Using chargers which explicitly reference a common ground potential and don’t try to push ground to two different places would be ideal, but it’s often hard to determine how power supplies are designed prior to purchase.
• If you have to use two different power supplies (car battery and inverter+AC adapter, two AC adapters, etc.) use a multimeter to measure the voltage between the ground pins with them plugged in and powered.  If it isn’t zero volts, you’re almost guaranteed to have a ground loop.  You can also unplug everything so no adapter is powered and measure the resistance from one ground to another.  It should be low, ideally zero.  Anything more than a single digit number of ohms is likely to give you a ground loop.
• Using isolated communications is another solution.  These may not be available for all devices but most of our emulators and “active” gear have a 4 pin port for direct communication, which would allow either the BT or Iso options, with an appropriate cable.  (Pinouts are documented.)  The two things we sell to enable this are:
  • Bluetooth interfaces (there are no wires – communications happens over radio energy)
  • The Optoisolator cable. (which uses a device that turns electricity into light to allow communication without an electrical connection)

We aim to be as transparent as possible about EFI tuning and the products we sell, allowing you to make educated decisions.  You won’t call us up and have someone tell you it will be easy and you’ll have your crazy engine tuned in 30 minutes unless that really is the case.  You’re going to hear a more pessimistic account of what it would take because we think it is important for you to have realistic expectations.  EFI Tuning isn’t the kind of thing most folks can master in a few hours.  You’re not in it alone, however, as we are here to help.  This article will discuss what we do and don’t provide in terms of assistance.

We will:

• Help troubleshoot startup issues such as drivers, software installation and physical connections needed
• If necessary, provide remote computer control during phone support hours to get you to the point where you are connected and can log data and/or make changes, as appropriate
• Answer SPECIFIC questions about how to tune your vehicle like “What do I need to change to raise my idle when in gear on my 93 Mustang?”
• Look over a tune or datalog you send us for “sanity” – i.e. is there something obvious wrong
• Try to direct you to resources such as forums or documentation available online to further answer any questions you may have when we don’t have answers

We will NOT:

• Provide base tunes.  Everything we sell is blank.  If absolutely necessary, we can try to refer you to someone who can provide a ready-made tune for you.
• Provide specific tune guidance. i.e. “You should try 20 degrees of timing.”
• Provide extensive hand-holding, i.e. step-by-step tuning guidance
• Answer vague or open-ended questions i.e. “How do I tune my car?”
• Look over tunes or datalogs and tell you what to change.
• Provide any assistance modifying or disabling emissions equipment

This is Keebler65’s old guide. Some of the chipset and software info is a bit dated, but the techniques are good.

ECU Chipping

You need to add a few additional components to the original Honda ECU. It requires some soldering skills and should not be attempted unless you have soldered before. (Chances are you know someone with soldering skills that could help you). Here is a picture of the P28 ECU that I chipped, before any of the parts were put in:

Before you can solder the parts in, you will need to de-solder the holes in the circuit board since they come filled with solder from the factory. You can buy a “solder sucker” to do the job, however unless you get a nice one (expensive) they don’t really work well in my opinion. The cheap and easy solution is to buy some solder braid. It’s just braided copper. Simply place it over the hole to be de-soldered, and place the soldering iron on top of the braid. It will then wick up the solder into the braid. It’s available at radioshack:

You’ll want to use a decent quality soldering iron to get the job done nicely. The important thing is to not use too much heat, and also make sure the iron has a fine tip on it. I’m using a standard Weller iron:

Here is what it should look like after the board has been de-soldered:

The parts that need to be added are boxed in with a dashed white line. The parts consist of (2) .1uF ceramic capacitors, (1) 1k resistor, (1) wire jumper (simply a piece of wire…I used a lead of the resistor), (1) 74HC373 chip, and (1) 29C256 chip (thats the EPROM). The resistor and capacitors have no polarity, so you don’t have to worry about installing them backwards. The 74HC373 chip does have a polarity. Pin 1 will be on the left side of the pic (you’ll see in detail later one). The same is true for the EPROM chip. Since it would be impossible to burn a chip and have the tune be perfect, it becomes obvious that you don’t want to solder the chip in. Instead, use a socket so that it can be removed. You have two options: for less than $1, you can get a standard DIP socket. The problem is these are very hard to insert and remove the chips since there are 28 pins (it requires a lot of force and is hard to grip the chip). Your second option would be a ZIF (Zero Insertion Force) socket, which costs less than $10. It is a socket that has a lever: pull up the lever, set the chip in/lift it out, and flip the lever back – VERY nice to have since you’ll be doing this many times while tuning. Be careful when ordering the ZIF socket, as many of them are too large to fit on the board without running into things. The first ZIF I bought was made by Aries, and it was a very quality piece, however, it was too large and bulky to fit without a lot of modification to other components on the board. I ended up ordering a different one that was much more compact. I am unaware of the brand, however it is blue and is referred to as a low-profile ZIF. The only problem was that the lever end of it was in the way of the 74HC373. The easy solution is to buy a standard DIP socket as mentioned above. Solder this onto the board. Then, stack the ZIF onto this socket, which raises the ZIF away from the board enough to clear the surrounding parts. This setup worked very well for me. The following picture shows the too-big-to-fit ZIF in the back-left, the low-profile ZIF in the front left, and the DIP socket on the right:

The ZIF socket stacked on the DIP socket for added height:

And finally, a couple of pics with all of the parts installed:

I ordered most of my parts from www.jdr.com except for the low-profile ZIF socket and DIP socket, which I obtained from www.jameco.com. The following table containse the exact part numbers that I ordered. You’ll notice that I ordered two EPROMS. This way, it will be easier to burn one while the other is installed.

Additionally, I have recently located all of the parts you will need from one source. DigiKey is where you can find them. Their inventory selection can be overwhelming, so here are the part numbers you will want:

And for a final update to this page, I’d like to add that you can find ALL of the necessary chipping parts at moates.net. It is a great deal in my opinion, and you’re guaranteed to get the correct parts the first time around. It’s under the name of “Honda ECU Chipping Kit”.

You will need bridge J1 on the back of the ECU.

Add C49 & C50 and C91 & C92 on back

C49 & C50 –> .004UF (Digikey part number 399-1230-1-nd )

C91 & C92 –> .00001UF ( digikey Part Number 399-1192-1-nd )

Add the 74hc373 SMD chip. (MFG part# SN74HC373NSR, Digi-Key Part Number 296-8310-1-ND)

Add a 29C256 eprom with bin written to it.

For RTP/Datalogging w/ Crome remove J4 on front.

Solder in a 4 pin header (snappable header pins 1×40 work GREAT for this and are VERY cheap)

All info is from the following threads:

http://forum.pgmfi.org/viewtopic.php?t=3112&highlight=chipping+jdm+computers

Special thanks to all the contributors of the above thread and katman for doing the pics in the first place… We love you katman 

http://forum.pgmfi.org/viewtopic.php?t=4005&highlight=chipping+jdm+computers

Thanks to infotechplus for pics and info on C49,C50,C91,C92

Honda ECUs have a Diagnostic Generation, Model and a Board Revision.

The diagnostic generations are OBD 0, OBD I, and OBD II.

Examples of the model are  P28, P72, etc.

The board revisions are 1980, 11F0, and 1720.

Diagnostic Generation (OBD 0, OBD I, OBD IIa/b)

Every generation

From top to bottom:

Knowing the generation of your ECU is extremely important. For a P28 it is easy because the P28 was only made for OBD I vehicles, however Integra ECUs like the P72 and P75 have both OBD I and OBD II variants. Be weary of this when you are purchasing an ECU online, an OBD II ECU is basically worthless.

Model (P28/P72/etc)

Side view of P28

Just because you have an OBD 0 or OBD I ECU doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll be able to just up and tune. Take a look at the side of your ECU, you’ll see 37820-PXX-XXX. The numbers following the P, like P28 or P30 are very important. Here are some things to note about the most common variants:

• P05 – Civic CX – Most basic supported ECU. Doesn’t have O2 Heater circuit, disable this to prevent CEL
• P06 – Civic DX – Same as P05 but has heater circuit
• P08 – JDM Civic – Same as P06, but has VTEC
• P28 –  Civic Ex/Si – The standard issue tuning ECU.
• P30 – Del Sol VTEC – Same as P28 but has a Knock Board
• P72 – Same as P30 but with IAB control
• P75 – Same as P72 but with no Knock Board or VTEC control

Board Revision

The only reason that the board revision is typically of interest is when you are attempting to add components like a VTEC conversion kit.

The board revision can be found silkscreened onto your ECU:

This is a 11F0 board

USDM/JDM

The only time you need to worry about whether your ECU is UDSM or JDM is when selecting which chip kit to purchase. JDM ECUs require slightly different chips than their USDM counterparts, so make sure you select the right one when you order.

USDM (Rectangular)

The Honda chip kit contains all the components necessary to put a chip in your OBD I Honda ECU.

There are two varieties of this kit, the USDM and JDM versions. JDM ECUs are smaller square ECUs that require surface mount components. The USDM ECUs are rectangular and use standard thru-hole components.

This kit also comes with a replacement capacitor for the 200uF cap that is known to go bad in these older ECUs.

Compatibility

This kit is compatible with the following ECUs:

• P28
• P30
• P72
• P75
• P05
• P06
• P08

Only certain Hondas can be tuned using our hardware. In short, these are any vehicles that run a B, D, H, or F (Accord) series engine with a distributor and can run an OBD I ECU. Whether they accept these ECUs natively or via an OBD II to OBD I or OBD0 to OBD I conversion harness makes no difference.

Some of the OBD0 (pre-92) vehicles can be chipped and tuned natively, but the OBD I software tools are so much more advanced and user friendly that it is worth considering converting these vehicles to OBD1 with a conversion harness when possible.

If you have a 1996-2001 Honda, you will need to remove your stock OBD2 ECU and plug-in a supported OBD I ECU via a conversion harness. Please make sure you order the appropriate harness for your car as different model years used different connectors.

Supported Vehicles

• 1992-2000 Civic (1996-2000 Civics require OBD2-OBD1 conversion harness, use 92-95 OBD1 ECU)
• 1992-2001 Integra (1996-2001 Integras require OBD2-OBD1 conversion harness, use OBD1 ECU)
• 1992-2001 Prelude/Accord (1996-2001 Preludes require OBD2-OBD1 conversion harness, requires Integra or Civic OBD1 ECU swap, )
• 1988-1991 Civic/CRX Si-HF or swapped cars (can use OBD1 ECU and OBD1 tools with OBD1/OBD2 distributor swap and conversion harness)
• 1988-1991 Integra/CR-X/Civic with B16A swap (requires PR3/PW0 ECUs to use as OBD0 Vtec)
• 1990-1991 Civic/CRX Si D16A6 (will have PM6 ECU, ready to use as OBD0 non-vtec)
• 1988-1989 Civic/CRX Si, 1988-1991 CRX HF (requires use of a 90-91 ECU to use as OBD0 non-vtec)

Supported ECUs

• 1992-1995 Civic (P05 | P06 | P08 | P28)
• 1994-1995 Del Sol VTEC (P30)
• 1992-1995 Integra GS-R (P61, P72)
• 1992-1995 Integra RS/LS/GS/SE (PR4 | P74 | P75)
• 1992-1995 JDM Civic, Integra, Del Sol, etc. (P30, P72, P54, P08, etc. small square case. Place note in order!!! JDM ECUs require different parts than USDM)
• Chippable OBD-0 ECUs (PW0 | PR3 | PM6)
• see also pgmfi wiki on the subject

Note: If you do not see your car or ECU specifically listed here, please check to make sure you do not have an unsupported setup before purchasing anything!

Supported Tuning Software

• Neptune (targets primarily 92-95 OBD1 ECU hardware, very actively developed, advanced feature set, per-vehicle licensing)
• eCtune (targets primarily 92-95 OBD1 ECU hardware, starting to be poorly maintained, advanced feature set, per-vehicle licensing)
• CROME Pro (targets OBD1 ECUs, supports datalogging, getting to be poorly maintained, great for “simple” tunes, flexible licensing)  There is a very nice PDF tutorial written up by Darren Kattan. Check it out by clicking HERE.
• CROME (as above, free but without datalogging support)
• BRE (Primarily targets OB0 Vtec computers: PR3, PW0. Also has limited support for PM6. Only recommended for “simple” setups. Not very actively supported)
• TurboEdit (Primarily targets OBD0 non-vtec computers, i.e. PM6. Only recommended for non-vtec engines and very simple setups. Not very actively supported)
• Uberdata (Older application. Targets OBD1 platform. Once thought to be dead but seems to be some recent development activity)
• FreeLog (Free, datalogging package, works with Crome, not heavily supported/updated.)

The HuLog, HondaLog, and Xtreme HuLog are USB datalogging adapters that are used to datalog Honda ECUs.

Functionally the devices are identical, however the HuLog/Xtreme HuLog come in ABS plastic enclosures for protection.

Also, the Xtreme HuLog will retain its COM port assignment regardless of what USB port is used.

Tips and Tricks

To achieve maximum performance out of this device (and all Moates devices) we recommend setting the latency timer to 1 ms. This can be changed in Windows XP by using the following procedure:

1. Control Panel
2. System
3. Hardware
4. Device Manager
5. Ports (COM and LPT)
6. USB Serial Port (COMx)
7. Port Settings
8. Advanced
9. Latency Timer

Compatibility

The HondaLog/HuLog is compatible with:

• CROME Pro
• eCtune
• Neptune

How to Buy

Please visit the Xtreme HuLog’s page in our website here

3 Basic rules for using HULOG/Hondalog

1. ECU Must be chipped.  Properly.  Software must be installed in the chip WHICH MATCHES THE SOFTWARE ON YOUR PC.  Different versions of software on the PC can require different modifications to bin/chip.  Yes, upgrading your PC software can break logging until you “upgrade” the software in your chip, too.
2. There is no plug n play for this stuff.  Even if the drivers are installed automatically by Windows, software on your PC MUST BE CONFIGURED MANUALLY to match the hardware you are using and the modifications done to the bin/chip.  There are several incompatible options and you must have the SAME on both the chip and your PC.
3. J12 (US/EU/big case) or J4 (JDM/small case) is required to be removed for all known aftermarket software

The Jaybird

Overview

The Jaybird is a USB based device used ONLY for loading tunes onto F3 adapters.  It is designed to be the simplest and cheapest solution for programming J3 style Ford chips.  It cannot program other chips.

The Jaybird CANNOT READ STOCK ECMs!!! If you require this functionality, you need to get BURN2+F2A+F2E instead.

Software

This device can be used directly from TunerPro RT, EEC Editor, Binary Editor software packages as well as the Flash-n-Burn dedicated programmer software.

Do not try and start a remote session with us unless you are talking to us on the phone or have made an appointment for us to expect you.  If you get a message such as  ‘not available’, then you need to speak with us first to be sure we’re scheduled and ready for you.

If you would like a ‘live’ technical support session, where we can take control of your computer remotely to help you walk through  troubleshooting or tutorial exercises, please contact us via email ( support@moates.net ) or phone ( 225 341 3547 ).

A high-speed ‘wired’ internet connection is preferred for these sessions.  We have done them over phones and MiFi devices but it’s usually less useful

*****
Our old remote control system is currently down. This page will be updated with specific instructions when we settle on a new solution. In the mean time, please call us.

Logging a wideband in TunerPro RT can be a little complicated because it requires simple algebra and a basic knowledge of how ADCs and widebands work.  While there are a few steps, it’s fairly straightforward.  The steps to do this are going to be virtually identical for all vehicles that TunerPro works with.  This article is going to examine the case of adding a Innovate wideband to a A9L computer but the steps could just as easily be (nearly) the same for using an O2 input on a TPI Camaro.  This article will NOT cover building a datalogging definition from scratch so you will need to start with an ADX that can already log the sensor you want to hook the wideband to, such as EGR or one of the factory O2 inputs.
First off – some “golden rules” to follow:

• You should NOT touch the XDF.  All changes will be made on the ADX.
• You will have to edit the bin/tune before starting this to disable the stock functions that use whatever input you are going to hook your wideband to.
• Before starting, you should have the manual for your wideband handy with the voltage -> AFR data handy
• Before starting, you will need to know how the ECU represents analog to digital (ADC) data.  (Most Ford = 10bits, most OBD1 GM = 8bits, Nissan varies by ECU in most cases 10bit)
• Again, this guide will only cover adding wideband functions.  It will NOT cover creating a datalogging definition.

In our example, you will have to disable the EGR in the tune before hooking the wideband up or unpredictable things may result.  If you were using an O2 input instead of EGR, you would need to force the ECU into open loop permanently so the O2 sensors are never used for fuel feedback.

For the remainder of this guide, it will be assumed that you have your ducks in a row and you have the linear wideband voltage output of your wideband hooked to an available, compatible input on your ECU and that you have made any necessary changes to the bin/tune to ensure the ECU does not freak out.

TunerPro Datalogging Definition Internals

Before actually going through the steps involved, let’s look at how a value you can datalog happens.

Fire up TunerPro RT.  Go to the “Acquisition” menu and choose “Load Definition File” and pick a compatible ADX.

Then, “Acquisition… Edit Definition” and click the + next to “Values”

Next, choose the value that matches wherever you have the wideband hooked up (EGR, O2, etc.)  If the value isn’t yet defined, keep reading but understand that you’ll need to track down all the information that would be on the page.  (This generally involves talking to the person who wrote the definition or getting your hands dirty writing one)

The crucial information on this page:

• Title (not circled, at top of page) – this is the “name” of the item that you will see in datalogs
• Unique ID (Blue) – this is a unique identifier for TunerPro.  It has no meaning other than being required to be UNIQUE among all Values you define.  NO DUPLICATES!!!
• Packet Offset (Red) – this is where the value is located relative to the beginning of a data packet, or group of values retrieved at the same time
• Source Data Size (Orange) – this is how many bytes TunerPro should look for in the packet at the Offset for this piece of data.  Note: this may be different from how the ECU represents the data unless the ECU is also using a byte or multiple of a byte sized chunk.

Signed/LSB (Green) – this is information about how the data is represented.  This needs to be correctly configured for the data item by whomever wrote the ADX.

After taking note of these values, click the “Conversion” tab (Circled in Yellow in above picture)

The conversion tab controls how TunerPro gets from the “raw” value that you’ve specified on the “General” tab with the Offset, Size, Data type and changes it into the value you actually see.  At the top, the “Equation” visible defines the math relationship between the raw data and what you actually see.  You can click the ‘Set’ button to change the equation.

You can also specify a transfer function for further conversion of data by looking up raw data within the transfer function to get a result.  This is most often used for things like Air Temperature sensors which have an extremely non-linear output that is hard to fit with a formula.  We are NOT going to cover this further but you should be aware of this function should you have a wideband with non-linear output.

At this point, you’ve seen behind the scenes of how TunerPro handles data logging.

Configuring Wideband Logging

After having a brief tour of behind the scenes of TunerPro logging, you should still be really confused about how exactly to log a wideband.  There are several ways to get a wideband outputting a 0-5v signal to work with TunerPro:

• Edit the existing item corresponding with where the wideband is physically hooked up to use a formula that matches the scale of the wideband.  This essentially “deletes” the original senor and permanently changes it to wideband readings.
• Create a “duplicate” item with a new unique ID that uses the same Offset, Size, Data type as the value corresponding with where the wideband is physically hooked up.  Createa formula to match the output of the wideband.  The original sensor AND the new wideband value will both be available.
• Create a new item with a unique ID that has nothing defined in the data packet but instead uses a linked input where the input is the existing channel data where the wideband is hooked up.  The original sensor AND the new wideband value will both be available.

There are advantages and disadvantages to each of these approaches.  There isn’t just one “right” way of doing things.  Instead of trying to cover everything, we are going to cover creating a “duplicate” item because this method allows us to work with the raw sensor data when building formulas.  Arguably, this is one of the better ways of handling things because you start with RAW data from the ECU, before it has been wrung through god only knows what other formulas.   In the interest of keeping things simpler, we are going to assume that the wideband is putting out a *linear* output.  The original sensor AND the new wideband value will both be available.

Now, it’s time to gather some information:

• Raw datalogged ECU value at 0V input
• Raw ECU value at maximum input voltage
• ECU maximum input voltage
• Number of steps in ECU’s ADC.
• Wideband AFR value at 0v
• Wideband AFR value at maximum output voltage
• Wideband maximum output voltage

You should be able to consult documentation to find “theoretical” values for most of these.  (Note: reality is a bitch and you may need to further tweak “literature” values).  It is generally a good guess that a raw logged value of “0” corresponds with 0 volts.  It is a good guess that the largest number able to be represented by the ADC of your ECU corresponds with 5 volts.  i.e. for a 10 bit ADC, 2^10 = 1024 but we start counting at 0 not 1 so 1023 is the maximum value.  For a 8 bit ADC, 2^8 -1 = 255.  Almost all widebands specify their AFR output at 0V and 5V but you should still carefully pay attention to how these values are specified.

At this point, it’s simple algebra…  Y = mX + b

1. Calculate Wideband AFR range. (Wideband AFR max – Wideband AFR min).  This gives you “rise”
2. Calculate Wideband voltage range. (Wideband spec max volts – Wideband AFR min). This gives you “run” and is usually “5.0”
3. Calculate the ADC voltage range.  (Subtract the max ADC voltage from the minimum ADC voltage)  This is usually “5.0”
4. Calculate the change in AFR per raw ADC tick by dividing the result from #1 by the ADC value range that the ECU can generate (i.e. 1023, 255, 4095, etc.)
5. Calculate the corrected AFR per tick, if necessary.  If the values from #2 and #3 are not the same (common on Nissan – 5.12v max not 5.0v), you will need to multiply the AFR per ADC tick (#4) by Wideband Voltage Range (#2) divided by ADC Voltage range (#5)
6. The equation to plug in to TunerPro to convert raw data will be (X * Corrected AFR/tick) + (AFR at 0 volts)

Concrete Example: A9L with Innovate MTX-L

In this case, we’re going to pretend that we are using an Innovate wideband with a A9L ECU.  First off, we need to create a “clone” of the channel we are going to hook the wideband to, in this case EGR Valve Position.  Look at the original:

Next up, we need to click “Add New Item” (circled in Red) to make a new item and fill it out with the same information as the original EGR Valve Position but with a DIFFERENT unique name.  In this example, you can see I chose a meaningful title (i.e. the name of the item you’ll see in a list while logging) and a minimal description:

In order to figure out how to set up the ‘Conversions’ tab, we need to do math.  Going back to the previous section, our answers to the important questions are something like this (with an explanation of how we know in parentheses):

• ECU value at 0v = 0 (good guess)
• ECU value at maximum input voltage = 1023 (10 bit ADC maximum value, knowledge of ECU hardware)
• ECU maximum input voltage = 5.0 V (good guess, knowledge of ECU hardware)
• Wideband value at 0v = 7.35 AFR gasoline (page 4 of MTX-L manual)
• Wideband value at maximum output voltage = 22.39 (page 4 of MTX-L manual)
• Wideband maximum output voltage 5.0v

Armed with this information we can do math:

1. Max AFR – Min AFR = AFR range.  22.39 – 7.35 = 15.04
2. Wideband Max spec voltage – Min spec voltage = Wideband volt range.  5V – 0V = 5V
3. ADC Max spec voltage – ADC min spec votlage = ADC volt range. 5V – 0V = 5V
4. AFR/tick = 15.04 / 1023 = 0.0147018572825024
5. Result #2 and result #3 are the same so no further correction is required
6. Equation for TunerPro RT = (X * 0.0147018572825024) + 7.35

Phew.  Save.  Go log your minty fresh wideband.

Reality Bites

As was mentioned earlier, reality can often differ considerably from how things “should” be.  So far, you’ve only managed to configure TunerPro for how things “should” be.  Analog to Digital Converters are plagued with issues that affect accuracy.  (Most of them can be solved/greatly improved in the analog realm by having the ECU and Wideband grounded at the same location.)  However even with the best of installs, it’s still very common for things to not end up quite as they are supposed to.  Fortunately, there are a few simple things that you can do to try and increase accuracy:

1. The first step is going to be to make a data item for the ADC channel the wideband is connected to that displays the “raw” channel value – this can be done by changing the item’s formula to simply “X” with no further math.
2. Next, try to get the wideband to display the LEANEST mixture (i.e. maximum AFR) that it possibly can.  This can usually be accomplished by letting the sensor hang in free air.  When the wideband is pegged lean at its maximum voltage output, observe the raw ADC reading for the channel it is hooked up to and the reported AFR of the wideband.  It is not uncommon for the voltage from the wideband to fall a few tenths of a volt (and corresponding ADC tick difference) short of the theoretical maximum voltage.
3. Next, try to get the wideband to display the RICHEST mixture (i.e. minimum AFR) that it possibly can.  This can usually be accomplished by flooding the sensor tip with a torch (doesn’t have to be lit), CO2 / argon bottle, etc. to displace ALL oxygen.  When the wideband is pegged rich to its minimum voltage output, observe the raw ADC reading for the channel it is hooked up to and the reported AFR of the wideband.  It is NOT uncommon to see a couple tenths of a volt (and the corresponding ADC ticks) in the form of a ground offset.
4. Compute the difference between the observed minimum and maximum ADC values.  It will likely be less than the “theoretical” maximum, i.e. 255, 1023, 4095, etc.  Re-calculate the slope based on (Displayed AFR Max – Displayed AFR min) / (observed ADC max – observed ADC min)
5. This process boils down to the same thing as the “paper” version above but instead of making assumptions about how things “should” be you are taking measurements of how they really are.  Using “real” values versus theoretical values can often make the values you log match more closely with the values on the gauge.

When Moates.net started, virtually all of our customers were people buying the tools we made for themselves and their own car.  All of our products were shipped blank and tunes were loaded on them by the purchaser.

Since then, things have changed.  There are a lot of shops and tuners out there that are using our products to tune their customers’ cars.  There are a lot of people that are looking for the results that our products can deliver without necessarily having any interest in learning to tune cars themselves.  On this page, you can find a list of shops, tuners and people that use our products for tuning cars where you should be able to get a tune together with Moates hardware.

When you purchase a Ford Dealer Package from our website, you will be added here automatically.  Existing customers that have purchased at least $1000 of Ford product in the past 12 months can obtain dealer status by simply emailing support@moates.net with a request.

Important Note

The individuals and shops on this page are not vetted or screened by Moates.net in any way.  The only qualification for being listed here is to have purchased the requisite materials and given us contact information.   Please do not interpret those listed here as being qualified or endorsed.  You should do your own homework before seeking the services of individuals on this page.  Think of this as craigslist not angieslist. 

USA

Alabama/Birmingham – Blake Fondren – Avid Speed – Blake@AvidSpeed.com – https://www.facebook.com/avidspeedal  205-514-0385

California/Hayward – Matthew Mar – Nextgen Autosport – matthew.mar@nexgenautosport.com 510-538-8088

California/Martinez – KC Gager – BRG Racing – www.brgracing.com – kc@brgracing.com – 925-680-2560

Colorado/Denver – Garry Vance – TheEFIguy@gmail.com

Colorado/Littleton – Eddie Giannini – Elite Performance and Tuning – eliteperformanceandtuning@gmail.com / (720) 229-0331

Florida/Jacksonville – Tony Gonyon – Tuners Inc. tony@tunersinc.com

Florida/Miami – Alexis Chaviano – Grudge Performance – Grudgeperformance@gmail.com (305) 764-4979

Florida/Ocala – Steve Hulett – Drag Radial Performance pontisteve@earthlink.net

Idaho / Idaho Falls – Danny Baird – Baird Racing Engine + Chassis – www.bairdracing.com  danny@bairdracing.com – 208-589-2177

Illinois/Arlington Heights – D Mark Performance – dmarkperformance@yahoo.com / (847)-621-2265

Kansas/ Junction City – Jeremy Gilbert – Revolution AutoWorks http://www.revolutionautoworksks.com  

revolution_autoworks@yahoo.com

Kentucky/Marion – William Watson – Watson’s Dyno Services – watsonsdyno@yahoo.com / www.watsonsdynoservices.com

Maryland – JPC Racing – www.jpcracing.com – customerservice@jpcracing.com / 410-729-0005

Michigan/Plainwell – Tyler @ Force Engineering force-eng@hotmail.com / 269-685-6668

Mississippi/Florence – Kyle Rigdon – Speed Productions LLC www.speedproductions.net

New Hampshire/Hudson – Alex Wohlwend – Granite State Dyno and Tune LLC – www.dynonh.com – alex@dynonh.com / 603-886-0827

New York/Rochester – Adam Marrer – Pops Racing  adam@popsracing.com www.popsracing.com

North Carolina/Grifton – Ed Abbott – Powerhouse Performance – lawrenceabbott958@gmail.com / (252) 524-0950

Ohio/Cincinnati – Dave Blundell accelbydave@gmail.com

Ohio/Cleves – Adam Maurer – adam@sandmmotorsports.net www.sandmmotorsports.net

Ohio/Galloway – Brian Turner – Dyno Tune Motorsports – www.dynotunemotorsports.com

https://www.facebook.com/DynoTuneMotorsports/ / (614) 778-8984

Pennsylvania/Perkasie – Bill Hunsberger – Second Street Speed – www.secondstreetspeed.com / billsecst@verizon.net (215) 257-3724

South Carolina/Greer – Ted Jenkins – Tuning Innovations – www.tuning-innovations.com / tedjenkins@tuning-innovations.com (800) 868-3231

South Carolina/Travelers Rest – Joseph Davis – East Coast Motorsports – pgmfielf@gmail.com / (864) 610-6160

Texas/Leon Valley – Art Barrera – Performance HQ art@performancehqtx.com www.performancehqtx.com (210) 549-4242

Texas/Dallas-Ft. Worth – Andy Moye – Prime Tuning sales@prime-tuning.com www.prime-tuning.com