ECU chip replacement

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Kieranm105
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ECU chip replacement

Post by Kieranm105 »

I have been looking at various products and come accross this. Has anyone tried this or know if it would be a good buy?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/320839746264? ... 1423.l2649
E_T_V
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Re: ECU chip replacement

Post by E_T_V »

Well the theory is sound. I've chipped my ECU before.

The hardest part is desoldering the chip (or chips) and then fitting the sockets into their place. Fitting the chip itself once this is done is simple. Removeing the old chip and fitting a new socket takes a lot of time, patience and soldering skills.
Kieranm105
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Re: ECU chip replacement

Post by Kieranm105 »

I will ask how it works and if soldering is required.
I want my freelander to go a lot better and be different to 1000's out there!
Kieran
E_T_V
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Re: ECU chip replacement

Post by E_T_V »

It works by putting a different map or set of maps onto the ECU. It essentially injects more fuel to give more power.

Soldering will be required assuming the ECU is roughly the same as the other VP37 L series, and it is a really fiddly job. It took me 2 hours or so to do both my chips.
Dakta
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Re: ECU chip replacement

Post by Dakta »

the chip in the pic is a EPROM, so you will need soldering.

A lot of msa11 ecu's actually came socketed as standard, shame our rovers don't.
Kieranm105
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Re: ECU chip replacement

Post by Kieranm105 »

Might be worth getting a spare ecu from scrap yard as a backup! :lol:
E_T_V
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Re: ECU chip replacement

Post by E_T_V »

The problem is the ECU is coded to the alarm (or rather the other way around), so you need a matched set of alarm (5AS), fob, and ECU to get the engine to start.
Dakta
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Re: ECU chip replacement

Post by Dakta »

To be honest unless you're really bad with a soldering iron, you can't really go wrong. Soldering iron, desolder braid (well it helps tidy up) and a solder sucker are a must.

PCB's providing you treat them with respect are amazingly forgiving to mistakes, so if something doesn't come off right straight away, don't keep going at it, just solder the pin back on and try again. It's when you start tugging and prising at components when things can get hairy. So avoid that.

Even though I've got a hot air station, and some other bigger tools for these with the through hole eprom's, I still use a very basic hand iron. It's superior for jobs like this, just a little time consuming.

Most of the pins will desolder easily. You will most likely find one pin a lot worse than the rest though, this is the negative connection and it's connected to a large ground plane which draws the irons heat away very effectively, this is the one to be careful with.


These msa11 ecu's are pretty much the easiest to work with in the 'ecu soldering' world, plcc32 aren't exactly difficult either but it's a lot more interesting :P

Thanks to tuner protection, OBD remapping is now on it's way back out of fashion, and it looks like in-circuit programming and a bit of soldering maybe is actually the future.

Anyway, the solderings the easy bit, you've then got to tune the file on the prom. That's an adventure in itself :lol:
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