Don Guhl video on ecu flashing

[max]

Just watched this with great interest, Don spends some time explaining and re-programming ( flashing ) The name comes from flash ram memory, an ecu in a kawasaki ninja on a dyno.

Shows what it takes and why to alter the memory of the ecu in the bike to de-restrict the engine.
Some insight into what is required and how much effort goes into this technology.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfhtZ3ZxvuE

At 46:50 he unplugs the finished ecu from the laptop but the important interface is not visible behind the laptop

Had heard of Don but never seen any more info, this should be interesting to power commander guys.

[dave]

Thank you Max.

[Cormanus]

The thing about this that’s always intrigued me is: how come Don Guhl seems to be the only person in the world to have figured out how to reflash the ECU of a CB1100?

Thanks for posting, Max.

[PowerDubs_imp]

The thing about this that’s always intrigued me is: how come Don Guhl seems to be the only person in the world to have figured out how to reflash the ECU of a CB1100?

Thanks for posting, Max.

I have a friend that is the best tuner in the world of VAG automobiles ( Volkswagen Audi Group) - that umbrella also covers Lambo, Porsche, Bentley, and until recently- Bugatti)

He CAN tune any of them- but even in the comparatively mass market of cars- there are complex differences just to get INTO an ECU, and once inside- a VAST # of maps that effect all sorts of different things.

Bottom line- to do it right takes a LOT of time- realistically he could spend several months on 1 car alone. He has a nice shop, his own dyno, but time is money.

The more popular the car, the more copies of a tune that he will sell- the more chance he will offer a tune. The more popular the tune- the even better chance he will spend time to revise and fine tune it.

The reason a tune on a super car like a lambo costs as much as it does is not because a shop is taking advantage of a rich guy- it is because there aren't that many rich guys buying tunes for a particular car.

I lent him my Phaeton W12 for 3 months just to get a base tune for it- given he wasn't going to sell any other of those files, he did it in his spare time.

I am 100% sure there are other bike tuners that could do the CB1100- it just isn't worth their time. I also promise you that what Don used to sell for the CB1100 wasn't the best he could do on that same bike if he had it for a month or two and had reason to keep working.

And that was for *that* bike- as soon as other changes were made- the file was no longer optimal.

There is a reason I had him do the ign / rev limiter - but still use the PC5 and autotune for my situation as I continue to make changes.

[Cormanus]

I wasn’t trying to suggest it was easy, but thanks for the extra information. It certainly makes clear why it would not be economic for a tuner to get excited about, say, the CB1100. However, because I know nothing about how easy it is to get into the ECU, I still wonder whether, if you had some idea what you were about, you could get in an remove, say, the speed limiter.

[PowerDubs_imp]

Speed limiter, both RPM and top speed would be easy for an experienced tuner once he gained access. Much less complicated than various ign / fuel tables- as those deal with feedback on air /oil sensors / rpm / throttle position / etc.

Getting into an ECO at all is getting very difficult.

In the early days- (90's) guys would have to open the ecu, take out the actual chip, put it into devices to tune it- and sometimes either re-solder to the boards or add a socket to plug it into.

In the early / mid 2000's- they could plug into OBD ports on many cars and get it to tune that way with nothing more than a laptop and a special cable.

But for roughly the last decade- they are back to having to remove the ecu's and 'bench flash' in various ways.

The differences are stark. My wife has a VW GLI- many shops have a tune for the same year GTI - but not for her car- the GLI and GTI have different ECU even though the engine is pretty much the same. I had to resort to a 'piggyback' on her car - to intercept and modify (trick) the stock ecu into changing what it sees and does (the power commander on our bikes is a piggyback).. but yea- a simple box plugged inline under her hood makes more power / boost on the turbo. Not as good as a real tune- but very easy, cheap, and effective and removable at a moments notice.
Watching this video- it is great- shows the complexity. He mentions thousands of maps...and that is on a motorcycle.

Modern cars have stability control, traction control, adaptive suspension, turbos... massive complications.

[PowerDubs_imp]

Here is one of Brocks new videos- they have piggybacked this bike fore well over a year- but just cracked the ECU and moving forward-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jfmu85r82-8

[max]

That's the first video i watched and got me to the Don Guhl one, you have to have a long lasting passion for this kind of work.
And have the means to back it up, just interesting to see Don in person and his approach.

[Cormanus]

Passion, skill and patience, I think. Great finds max and Dubs. Thanks.