Car Geek Update – ECU Works!

New wideband O2 sensor, cables, hoses and stuff ups!

I received my USB-Serial cable the other day and I was able to fire up and ECU and load the firmware on to it.  So far it seems to all check out and I’m getting voltage across all circuits.  I then went to plug it into the car and see if I could get some actual sensor readings (it was 9pm so I wasn’t going to try and fire it up).  First two plugs went in fine, but the third plug is wrong.  So much for “plug and play”.  Turns out it’s the usual Toyota bullshit we have to put up with where there are differences between the US and Jap-spec models.  I have a pre-crimped 12-pin plug on the way over from the US that I can splice into the factory harness to fix that though.

Base settings in the ECU are done and I have a pretty generic stoich map set up and ready to go.  The only issues I may have is if I read the wiring diagrams wrong and the VE outputs are hooked up to the wrong pins, or my specs have the wrong injector size and my fuel flow calculations are wrong.  Fingers crossed.

Also, my LC-1 has arrived and will hopefully go into the car in the next week when I get time.  Picked up a second hand one off eBay for $160.  It even has the digital display.  A new LC-1 is usually $199 and with the display $349 so I think I did well considering it’s only been used once.

I’m planning on running the LC-1 narrowband output to the factory O2 pin on the ECU, then running the wideband output to a spare pin on my new plug.  That way I can swap between ECUs easily during the tuning period, in case I need to throw the stocker in and drive it.  I can’t really afford to have it off the road.

Innovative LC-1 Wideband O2 Sensor:

Plenty of silicon vacuum hose for the new MAP sensor:

I’m moving interstate in the next few weeks though so I’m not sure if I will do it before then.  Considering this is the first time I’ve ever tuned an ECU I can’t afford to blow up the motor before the move.  If all goes well and I have absolutely no problems getting it to start and idle ok, then I will probably finish the tune.  First sign of trouble though and it gets shelved until after the move.

More t/k.