Technical Remap / Replace ECU

[Funkstar De Luxe]

I'm really looking to get a remap done on the B. Problem is, I don't know what ECU I have. My Barchetta is an Italian import, bought in December 2001. It also has the engine/throttle body which makes it impossible to fit a strut brace.

So does anyone know what ECU I have, and is it mappable? I have a great garage near me (Angel Tuning), but I'd like to know a little more about the operation before I go in.

 

[Rustbucket]

If its a Hitachi ECU mounted behind the engine block then it can't be re-mapped. If its the orginal Italian MotoMorelli? unit mounted in the passenger footwell then it can be re-chipped.

Watch out because there are a number of dodgy tuners who state they can re-map the Japanese unit..it can't be done. The reason being that the chip doesn't have flash memory for Japanese emission law.

Its possible to get a 'rebuilt' Hitachi unit from Italy (N-Power Racing) I think which is a rally ECU, gives 168Hp with high lift cams but the cost is huge and the car has to go to Italy to have the work done. Also its a rally job so drivability and engine life suffer. I don't think the result is street legal.

I had a long go at this before doing my engine swap. Regretably getting more poer from the 1747 na block without turbo/suopercharging etc is lots of cash for little return.

You'd be better witha sports catback exhaust, CDA type airbox and platinum plugs.

 

[Funkstar De Luxe]

Cheap BHP increases are not easy to find, huh? :-( Anyway, I'm running a GSR induction, Supersprint Backbox and Denso Iridium - just looking for a few more BHP.

Some cams would be nice, but they seem to be extrmemly expensive (~£1200?!). Could probably engine swap for a 4pot Coupé turbo for that kind of money :-D

Anyone got some more feasible recomendations for me? I don't want to add a turbo, some how feels like cheating to me.

 

[Rustbucket]

I know, worthwhile power gains on the standard block are expensive. That's why I had a 2L Coupe turbo block fitted. Still it cost €6000 and isn't finished yet. Upside is its a factory recon unit and produces screaming power. Downside is the cars character has completely changed..now driving a suicide skateboard with bad brakes and an appetite for expensive tyres.

(Yes I know..I spent the value of the car in getting the engine changed) Enough people have told me I'm batty:- so please no more half witty comments. :bang:

 

[Funkstar De Luxe]

I know, worthwhile power gains on the standard block are expensive. That's why I had a 2L Coupe turbo block fitted. Still it cost €6000 and isn't finished yet. Upside is its a factory recon unit and produces screaming power. Downside is the cars character has completely changed..now driving a suicide skateboard with bad brakes and an appetite for expensive tyres.

(Yes I know..I spent the value of the car in getting the engine changed) Enough people have told me I'm batty:- so please no more half witty comments. :bang:

Not at all, the Coupé engine is very nice indeed, and you've really built yourself something special there (I'm more than a little jealous). I'm not sure of what other mods your B has, but with the right suspension setup and wheels/tyres, the B should be able to handle 200BHP I would have though. I estimate mine is somewhere around 140-145 - and it's screaming out for more power.

If you're really having trouble you could look into a LSD...

 

[Funkstar De Luxe]

PS, any pics?

 

[Rustbucket]

When I've got it safely drivable then I'll post a slew of pics. At the moment the beast is on stands in a hanger wating on wheels, shocks and brakes.

At the moment its a runway cruiser...

 

[HP]

Seeing as though it's practically an Alfa 1.8 TS engine just without the TS head, is it possible to swap for the 2.0 TS engine?

Or a 2.5 V6?

 

[Funkstar De Luxe]

2.0 TS fits without much trouble. The 2.5 V6 is the same size as the 3.0 V6 - which would never fit in the B's engine bay

 

[KC3]

If its a Hitachi ECU mounted behind the engine block then it can't be re-mapped. If its the orginal Italian MotoMorelli? unit mounted in the passenger footwell then it can be re-chipped.

Watch out because there are a number of dodgy tuners who state they can re-map the Japanese unit..it can't be done. The reason being that the chip doesn't have flash memory for Japanese emission law.

Its possible to get a 'rebuilt' Hitachi unit from Italy (N-Power Racing) I think which is a rally ECU, gives 168Hp with high lift cams but the cost is huge and the car has to go to Italy to have the work done. Also its a rally job so drivability and engine life suffer. I don't think the result is street legal.

I had a long go at this before doing my engine swap. Regretably getting more poer from the 1747 na block without turbo/suopercharging etc is lots of cash for little return.

You'd be better witha sports catback exhaust, CDA type airbox and platinum plugs.

Hiya, I think you may have mixed up the ECU's

I have my ECU, up behind the passenger footwell, which is a hitachi unit. and was looked at by RED DOT in Watford. The guys there desolded the original chip and installed another which is plug and go.

This allowed them to read it from a laptop and adjust air/fuel mixture to improove the map. My B now has 153bhp. but i know from my other B turbo which also had the same ECU and was rolling road at 188bhp.

Check out my WILD THING Barchetta Turbo Thread.

 

[KC3]

Hiya, have a look at this,
mentions about remap to the Hitachi ECU.

http://fiat-barchetta-mondo.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!56BB1B09DD031461!455.entry?

 

[Rustbucket]

If its got the ECU in the footwell you can play with it. If its the more recent unit bolted to the back of the block you can't, unless you have access to serious electronics..ie the N-Power unit which is a modified Hitachi box.

Nothing to stop you replacing either unit if you can find a replacement and stump the cost..I was quoted €550+ VAT for a replacement for mine which gave 10Hp increase ..bad economics.

I checked with Novitec and they don't do the turbo conversion/ECU re-map anymore

 

[s130]

even if a chip cannot be replaced or new map loaded, pre / post ECU signal modification is perfectly possible and effective. Turbo diesel engines can have an in-line active connector inserted that basically does this.

For petrol engines I think things get a little more complicated, however pre and post mapping is perfectly viable but not as effective as doing directly to the ECU chip.

 

[MattB2k]

Hey Funkstar what about Nitrous?

 

[Rustbucket]

I've seen NOX kits available on ebay for €400-500. I'm sure they work but its an expensive and short term power hit..good for drag strips and timing gates and it doesn 't work all the time..you have to push the tit to make it go.

There's a laddie on barrys shedtastic site who reckons he's got a LOX (liquid oxygen) kit for his Saxo (why am I not surprised?) LOX is horrible stuff, and your're basically driving a bomb..

 

[Funkstar De Luxe]

Nitrous? Hahaha, no thanks There are cheaper ways to ruin an engine

 

[MattB2k]

Are there any more exciting ways to ruin an engine though?:devil:

 

[s130]

Yes !

Try compressing water at high rpm.

Nothing (or very little) survives, including you bank balance

 

[afroking]

I wouldn't say that was exciting, more heart wrenching....

Exciting would be running a standard car on a type of top fuel such as 90% nitromethane and 10% methanol.

 

[desert rat]

Yes !

Try compressing water at high rpm.

This can have quite exciting results..... Especially when its a 60 - 40% mix of water and methanol injected into the intake :devil: