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Author Topic: Can this ECU be read/flashed to with NefMoto?  (Read 1794 times)
rzyao
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« on: April 22, 2023, 09:09:37 PM »

I have a 2000 A4 with a 1.8t, I know that the ECU has a GIAC chip and I opened it up to confirm, and I'm also sure that it's been tuned as it runs up to 19 PSI, as well as having been told that it was tuned before I got it. However, my catalytic converter is going and I'd like to code out the CEL I'm getting.  I have no idea if I can reflash the ECU with a slightly modified bin, and after reading around I've heard that some GIAC chips will be bricked/disabled if they detect a read attempt. Is there any way to tell if I can still use NefMoto?

I only plan on changing some of the values in ESKONF, so I'm not sure if the locations of maps will affect me. If I can reflash the ecu, will I have to take any steps to correct the checksum properly? I've heard that GIAC files typically show one error by default no matter what.
 
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rzyao
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« Reply #1 on: April 22, 2023, 09:11:11 PM »

The ECU has part number 4B0 906 018 P, if that's important.
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_nameless
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« Reply #2 on: April 23, 2023, 05:41:30 AM »

I have a 2000 A4 with a 1.8t, I know that the ECU has a GIAC chip and I opened it up to confirm, and I'm also sure that it's been tuned as it runs up to 19 PSI, as well as having been told that it was tuned before I got it. However, my catalytic converter is going and I'd like to code out the CEL I'm getting.  I have no idea if I can reflash the ECU with a slightly modified bin, and after reading around I've heard that some GIAC chips will be bricked/disabled if they detect a read attempt. Is there any way to tell if I can still use NefMoto?

I only plan on changing some of the values in ESKONF, so I'm not sure if the locations of maps will affect me. If I can reflash the ecu, will I have to take any steps to correct the checksum properly? I've heard that GIAC files typically show one error by default no matter what.
 
You will not be able to use nefmoto to read or write that ecu. Also, Edmond is only for end staging, still need to switch off diag

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rzyao
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« Reply #3 on: April 23, 2023, 06:38:21 AM »

Do you know where I would want to look to find software that's able to read/write to that ECU? I've been trying to look around but I can't find anything.
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_nameless
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« Reply #4 on: April 23, 2023, 08:17:11 AM »

Do you know where I would want to look to find software that's able to read/write to that ECU? I've been trying to look around but I can't find anything.
The ecu was modified and the stock eeprom was replaced with a riser board (encryption board). The ecu will need to be hardware modified, the stock flash chip will need to be resoldered directly to the riser will need to be removed. Can be done, I've done countless but you need to be careful, its easy to lift solder pads and damage the board. If you want to mail the ecu to me I can revert that ecu to stock flash chip for you, and then you can use nefmoto to flash the ecu. Feel free to send me a pm. Wink
 
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rzyao
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« Reply #5 on: April 23, 2023, 10:48:16 AM »

The ecu was modified and the stock eeprom was replaced with a riser board (encryption board). The ecu will need to be hardware modified, the stock flash chip will need to be resoldered directly to the riser will need to be removed. Can be done, I've done countless but you need to be careful, its easy to lift solder pads and damage the board. If you want to mail the ecu to me I can revert that ecu to stock flash chip for you, and then you can use nefmoto to flash the ecu. Feel free to send me a pm. Wink
 

I have considered getting another ECU and tuning it myself, but all I'd like to do is keep my map and adjust parameters for the rear oxygen sensor. As far as I can tell there is software to flash the chip, but I'm not sure where to find it.
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rzyao
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« Reply #6 on: April 24, 2023, 01:07:07 AM »

Well, the ECU managed to read properly, but I still don't know if I'm safe to flash a new bin onto it. I've gone into the bin and made small edits (ESKONF byte 3 -> F0, and zeroing out CDKAT/CWDLSAHK) then used ME7sum to correct the checksum. Attached are the dumped bin and the edited/checksummed one, is there any way I can know for sure if it's safe to flash? The Github page for ME7sum says that some tuners will modify checksum behavior, but I don't know if my chip does that. Both the file I read off of the ECU and the edited + checksummed file show 0 errors in ME7check.
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nyet
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« Reply #7 on: April 24, 2023, 11:23:00 AM »

No, you cannot do any flashing until you've removed the board or have a second ecu w/o a board.

Also it is unlikely anything will work anyway if you've modified an image you've read from that ecu. Likely it has hidden maps and other changes you can't see.

Always start from stock.
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rzyao
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« Reply #8 on: April 24, 2023, 11:44:40 PM »

No, you cannot do any flashing until you've removed the board or have a second ecu w/o a board.

Also it is unlikely anything will work anyway if you've modified an image you've read from that ecu. Likely it has hidden maps and other changes you can't see.

Always start from stock.

Does the chip prevent flashing in some way, or is it just dangerous to write to unknown hardware? I suppose I should buy another ECU before I start flashing anything just to be safe, but would the board move locations in the map making adjusting ESKONF etc impossible? As far as I'm aware the car was tuned by an individual shop, leading me to believe that there is some way I could reflash my car, but they're long gone and I wouldn't be able to contact them to ask questions regarding my specific hardware.

I would switch to a stock ECU but my car already has a good custom tune on it and I don't feel comfortable tuning the car on my own, but I guess I'll have to learn how to make my own map eventually. At the moment all I'd like to do is remove DTCs, but I don't know how feasible that is without also having to make my own maps from scratch.
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_nameless
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« Reply #9 on: April 25, 2023, 07:46:34 AM »

Does the chip prevent flashing in some way, or is it just dangerous to write to unknown hardware? I suppose I should buy another ECU before I start flashing anything just to be safe, but would the board move locations in the map making adjusting ESKONF etc impossible? As far as I'm aware the car was tuned by an individual shop, leading me to believe that there is some way I could reflash my car, but they're long gone and I wouldn't be able to contact them to ask questions regarding my specific hardware.

I would switch to a stock ECU but my car already has a good custom tune on it and I don't feel comfortable tuning the car on my own, but I guess I'll have to learn how to make my own map eventually. At the moment all I'd like to do is remove DTCs, but I don't know how feasible that is without also having to make my own maps from scratch.
It has the riser on it to prevent you from doing what you are trying to do. It will not write back and a good chance exists they the file you did the read if is corrupted. Also, it's not a custom tune, it's a off the shelf tune like 15 years ago, to have the equivalent tune is most likely 6 or so maps touched, it's nothing fancy.
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Giving your mom a tuneup
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