Can I use Ecutek? help
 

So here's my dilemma:

I want Ecutek.


But my car is an 08 G37S....I got in contact with Ecutek, and they told me that tuning on an 08 isn't possible due to the size on the ECU. the 08 ECU has only 1 GB, 09 (and up i'm guessing) has 1.5GB...

My question is, would I be able to integrate that extra memory somehow separate from the ECU? or would I even be able to swap my 08 ECU for an 09 ECU?

I heard that J. Visconti may have an answer, but no reply from my email so far.


:confused:

08 for an 09 sounds more of a viable option, cant really add memory to an ECU AFAIK, a tuner may be able to adjust the map on an 09 to suit an 08 assuming its compatible

Yeah good luck with that one. You will need it dealing with him.

I got that from the first time you mentioned it. I need answers, not opinions. The only reason why I asked him is because ECUTEK themselves mentioned that he may have a solution.

No offense.

Sounds legit, I'll ask around...that was one of my worries, that it wouldn't be compatible w/o some tweaking.

I think you're hosed. All my tuners attempts to get Ecutek to work on an 08 G37 have failed.

Yeah, I just received final word from Ecutek:

"We do have tuning capability for some of the 2008 cars but generally they are unsupported as we haven't maintained the RaceROM files for the earlier ECUs.

So essentially it's a no go for a 2008 car.

Kind regards

Paul Blamire
EcuTek International Ltd"

fml....

does anyone have the wiring schematics for the 08/09 ECU laying around...? I have a few friends who program, maybe we can craft something that'll work.

Wiring diagrams for the 370Z ECMs are in the FSM (see link in my sig).

No offense taken. Glad you found out your answer one way or another. He has cost me time and money that I will never get back and anytime his name is brought up my blood boils. You don't just stop communication in the middle of a tune like he did me with major problems still existing. Been 2 months since I have heard from the guy.

AMNVQ hit me up on my thread on myg37.com w/ John's thread on *attempting* to make it work, but it just stops, so I'm assuming he gave up on it. Ecutek can tune it, but I'd be without the goodies that makes me want it in the first place (no flat foot shifting, no flex fuel, no launch ctrl...:shakes head:)

I'll invest the $$ if needed, but I'm not selling my car now to upgrade to a year later...been paid off for 2.5 years lol.

If/when I get my hands on the schematics, I'm going to try to see if it'll work on paper before actually trying it out.

if not....anyone know of any good piggybacks? Either that or stand-alone; that's the only option I can think of at the moment.



*UpRev is like a last choice at this point lol

I was also looking for a solution to tune an 08 G37. Was in contact with Visconti until he ghosted. I ended up just going with an UpRev tuner kit from Z1. I tuned my car myself, but I know that if I had any questions, they answer their phone, unlike Visconti. UpRev has been pretty stable for me so far, so no worries there, but I was just looking for something that would get my car to run clean - I wasn't looking for FFS, Launch control, etc., so that's not a factor to me. Either way, good luck! And if you DO find a solution, please post it, as I'm sure a lot of people would be very interested in what you find!

So after about 42 hours of banging my head against the wall on this subject, I've decided to pull the trigger and buy a later learn model ECU. I'm being conservative and just going with the 09; I'm just guessing the differences between the modules are similar if not the same for functioning...

Wish me luck. Hopefully the NATS problem will not be a problem.

Keep us posted.. I am interested to see how it works out. I'll have my fingers crossed!

Sub'd. Going thru the exact same thing
Had some communication with John but he ended up telling me ecutek has no features for the 08 g37.

Buddy of mine is optimistic an ecutek tuner in Miami can make it work.

I remember reading that John was in beginning stages of swapping out ecu from 08 to 09 but that thread also went dead.

Keep us posted!

So far, to recap, here's what I know/ have found out:

Ecutek can tune it, I just won't get all the new features (otherwise, I may as well go uprev)

-2008 ecu memory isn't sufficient to store all the features. That's why it's not supported.

-there may be an initial problem with the NATS and getting the car to start, if it succeeds, that the dealership should be able to fix by reprogramming the key. I think this is what visconti ran into, but like mentioned earlier, that thread went cold and John won't say what the problems were soooo....square one again.
-people selling ECUs don't label the f@$*in donor car properly, which is why I haven't pulled the trigger and ordered an ECU just yet; I don't know what model it came from.

-dealerships are filled w/ f&#!sticks who don't know **** usually. 0 help.

I'm actually about to get a 320lph fuel pump, 650cc injectors, and camber correction (thank baby Jesus), so this thread is going to be a slow one guys, just a forewarning.

Btw, ANY FACTUAL INPUT is more than welcome.

Who in Miami..?

Think his name is Bill. A GTR tuner but I'm right where you're at now. Can be tuned but with none of the features. Might still pull the trigger as I believe 08 can still get the knock sensor and control timing. I currently have Uprev.

Well the statement that it CAN be tuned is more than I got before! This would still be a huge benefit for Stillen supercharged cars who want to run speed density. So it seems like there is SOME progress SOMEWHERE, even if it's quiet and slow... there might be a light at the end of the tunnel yet!

Yeah...I think it was someone on myg37.com who told me that, one of their boys had just the tune, no extra features and goodies.

I'm going to ask ecutek if they can manage to just program one or two features in instead of the whole thing, but I'm sure that'll cost way more than nominal pricing .

After reading half the internet, I've found out two things:

1) haltech platinum pro series standalone is a good option, but that'll be a failsafe if I can't get this to work.

2) it MAY BE POSSIBLE to SWAP ECUs. After talking with Tommy (@tommyboykim on IG), it seems like I'll have to transplant the wiring harness along with the newer ecu. Meaning I have to get all the modules too.

Anyone know where I can find a list of all the control modules so I know what to burn my money on?

I don't think Haltech is available for our cars. I only know of 1 person that got it to work but he was Hal.

To answer my own question: FSM.

How To Use NICOclub.com

I'm pulling the I/O signals from the 09 and 08 and comparing the two to see if I can just do a straight up swap with minimal modifications to my wiring harness...or if I'ma have to swap out the entire control system.

Word..I took a look @ the thread I saw that in on myg37.com...and both people who were showering it with praise were banned lol.





on another note, even if swapping the ECU /and wiring harness works, the car is still going to have to go to the dealership to have it reprogrammed with the VIN, NATS, and new key...everything else (all the ECU re-learning procedures) can be performed by owner.


I'll have an update probably by the end of next week with a tentative grocery list of things to make this work.

I've found a few leads that I'm trying to follow up at the moment...I'm working out the signal input/output labels and signal strength to see if it can cross over signals effectively or even at all.

There have been a few ecu mods that I've come across, but nothing substantial.

Just recently got back in touch w/Ecutek, they told me that their techs are gonna start looking at this.

Happy at this point...seems like things are moving.

So I've gotten in contact with T. Sinclair and P. Blamire from Ecutek...they say they don't have any solutions, and I'm guessing they're not willing to dedicate any resources to solving it. I know I probably wouldn't in the larger aspect of things.

Still trying to signal match the 08/09 ECU input/output signals...haven't really been on the ball with that lately, pet got sick, nephew wanted to chill, etc. Hopefully no more distractions for now *knock on wood*.

A guy I talk to down in Florida claims to have the full Ecutek working on his G. I had originally thought that he had a 2010 IPL, but I guess not. He messaged me last night saying he was going to get in touch with his tuner. If this is legit, then I'll be getting Ecutek this year definitely...I had found a hookup on getting UpRev for the low in the meantime till I had figured out this situation with Ecutek.

So with that said, if this tuner turns out to be the genius my guy claims he is...and I'll definitely refer his name to everyone I come across, since I'm pretty sure he wouldn't want me divulging exactly HOW he can get Ecutek RaceROM to operate in its entirety on an 08 G37S.

*******UPDATE*******

got in touch with Tommy K. In florida, he has an 08 ipl w/ ecutek RaceROM. Find a like ecm, same transmission, it's a strait swap and reprogramming at the dealership (to reprogram NATS and the key)

I'm super ecstatic about this, I'll be getting the ecm in the next week months or so (just bought upper ctrl arms, ported TBs, and am about to buy new injectors/fuel pump.


I think the reason why J. Visconti's attempt didn't work is because the guy bought an ECM for a model w/ a different transmission.

Awesome! I am looking forward to hearing your results.

IPL as in the performance division of Infiniti? I'd double check what you are actually getting because that division didn't open until 2010, so a 2008 IPL ECU is unatainium.

*unobtainium

I'll have to check, but I'm pretty sure he said 2008 w/ 2010 ipl ECM .

2008 G37S 6mt coupe + 2010 IPL ECM= 2008 IPL G37S

Unobtanium???

wiki that ish :tiphat:

Huh...Been saying it wrong all these years. :tiphat:

ok, so here's some more details I found out as of last night:

I talked to Tony of Autosports Engineering down in Florida, he's the one who has gotten it to work!

so there are two different ways, depending on how much money you're willing to spend/blow:

1) obtain an ECM of like model and drivetrain, an 09 or 2010, and it's a straight swap out with a reprogramming of the NATS, BCM, and key to get it operational again. You'll need someone with knowledge of and access to the Nissan Consult Diagnostic tool to do the re-programming, or just go to the dealership.

2) if you get something from 2011 or later, you're going to need to swap out the ENTIRE WIRING HARNESS. I'll leave it at that lol.

Big shout out to Tony (Autosports Engineering) for being the one to give the final solution to the problem w/ details, also shout out to Jon P of Z1, Nakia Bramwell, Tobin Sinclaire (Ecutek), and Mike Mixon (bullitt5897) for providing the knowledge/references to help the research. I just dropped $$$ on a bunch of other stuff thinking it would be a while before I found a way for this to work, so it'll be a min (few months) before I get any headway on this stage of the project.

Awesome, so there you have it folks! Thanks for chasing it down to a final answer.

Did you happen to ask if it can be done by sending in both ECUs? Or does the 09-11 ECU have to be in the car when the reprogramming is done? Just wondering if this can be a service that a shop can offer.

I didn't ask that directly, but I'd imagine no. You'd have to program the vehicle's VIN into it, as well as the key..but you don't need the older ECU. 2008-2010 are interchangeable, just as long as you have a base map .rom file loaded to it and the NATS disabled/bypassed/fixed. That all can be done with the Nissan Consult Remember, 2011 and later you need to swap the entire harness and modules along with the ecu.

I'm assuming it'd be easier to either go to the dealership with it and say your ECM is acting screwy and you want it all re-programmed to work, or you can find a local guy who knows how to do it.:ughdance:

I think I'm going through Tony in Florida to purchase AND re-program the ecu...all I'd have to do is get Ecutek flashed on (and probably reprogram the key). I found a guy local to me who can do the reprogramming part, but as with any service, I couldn't find a track record of the guy's work, so I'm leaning toward pulling into the dealership, swapping the ecu in the parking lot, and tell them that my ish don't work when I walk in lol.

I asked him, and actually got in touch with his tuner too. It IS an 08 with the 2010 IPL ECM, so technically a 2008 IPL :happydance:

Thanks hooey_b for the info. Also thanks to radio for his detailed email/review on the stillen SC.

What exactly are we missing out on if we go with uprev on an 08? (no flat foot shifting, no flex fuel, no launch ctrl)?

Is it the general consensus that ecutek just runs better especially in FI applications?


Now which money pit to throw some cash at? The G or a down payment on a house :facepalm:

No problem mayne.

As far as I know, the main selling points that got me were the boost by gear control (eliminates need for boost controller), flex fuel that adapts to ethanol content (inline ethanol sensor tied to the harness to provide live input on ethanol content for adjustment), and also they have the true values for the VVEL, so you can actually change your intake cams' timing. I dunno by how much, but you can. UpRev has a "virtual cam" that pretends to mess with the intake cams- that's when I made the choice with Ecutek.

And yeah, there are the other benefits you've mentioned, the flat-foot shifting (i dunno how much that is actually needed), map switching on the fly, TRUE 2 STEP (UpRev, from what I understand, you have to have 2 maps, one that cuts fuel @ specified launch rpm, then you have to switch maps AS you launch. stupid IMO.) That, and majority of the reviews I've read (if not all of them) mention smoother throttle control, and usually an average of about 10 hp increase over UpRev with the same modifications.

If you're worried about it becoming a money pit, don't worry. I've got a latina gf who dictates the budgeting lol. If you're not too particular about who tunes, I know of a shop down in Texas called Dynotronics, they're selling an e-tune package that includes the license, tuning suite kit, and the initial calibration (tune) with unlimited revisions to keep up with Ecutek updates. $660+ tax, free shipping. That coupled with the cost of the ECM swap will more than likely even out to what the average cost of an Ecutek tune will cost you ($700-$850), probably no more than +$200 more. I'm expecting to pay around $1k for the entire thing, ECM swap, reprogramming, and tune.



Anyone else, please chime in if I'm wrong or missing anything :nutswinger:

Tread carefully with Dynotronics. He did quite a few members here wrong.

I was hoping that someone would chime in if I mentioned them enough...thanks mayne.

I couldn't find any reviews on their services. I knew he sounded a lil "too happy" when I asked him why they were so cheap.

Looks like I'll be going with Jon P. of Z1 then.

There's a failed group buy he tried here, and he boned a bunch of guys. He's mainly a Mazda tuner, and he doesn't have a glowing reputation there either.

I talked to him a while back, and he was evasive as hell on details and was just blowing smoke up my ***.

This is a very interesting finding. I guess this is good for 6mt but for us with 08' 5speed auto wont work due to 09' and up are 7spd so it's not compatible.

Just curious, how exactly would you explain to the service tech that you need everything reprogrammed? Especially when they ask how you got it there and ask for symptoms? Lol.

Labor couldn't be too bad to reprogram it? 1-2 hours shop time sounds about right? ( want to be sure to call them out on overpricing, my local dealer sucks. They tried to scare me into a new transmission on my 35 when I went in for a simple transmission flush!)

I may take the lead on this, I have been checking into secondhand ecu prices and really want to get the ball rolling on my tune even though I only have a few bolt ons. FI isn't really in the cards for another year or so but I CAN'T STAND the MASSIVE throttle lag / surge I have been experiencing. Seriously sucks the fun out of this car...