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.

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-

 

[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.