Big question and various searches bring me to no answer. Now if anybody has done this plz chime in but does a TRD reflashed ECU w/ a base Unichip tune from Turbonetics result in a very bad tune for the Turbonetics kit. Bro of mine is switchin out his TRD Kit for the Turbonetics kit and we can't tune the Unichip till we go to Phoenix (bout 100 miles away). Now I do know the TRD reflash is pretty conservative and so is the Unichip tune. I was thinking of running it on 10psi to lean it out a bit but the fact that Unichip tune was made for a base tC. Now I read that ZPI tried a Stage 0 Turbo on a TRD reflash alone and that it worked. Would this work on a Turbonetics kit on 8 psi?? Any info helps thanks !

And for the record this is so that we can at least get the car safe enough to drive around for a week and go to Phoenix to tune. I don't plan on letting him drive with no tune on a turbo kit. Thanks again.

 

Best bet would be to try it but make sure you ahve a wideband to monitor you air fuel ratios if its lean at all i owuldn't drive it.

 

Just stay off boost and he should be fine.

 

well the unichip would correct any problems, that what the unichip is for... But if I'm correct the unichip from Turbonetics comes with a base map which makes the car run fairly rich so its safe to drive until you get to a tuner. Essentially the TRD reflash does the same thing. So I'm not sure what benefit you'd pick up if any because any advantages to the TRD map will be immediately negated by the unichip base tune.

So what I'm saying is that I don't think it would be death, I think it would be pointless and would give you no advantages or disadvantages over someone running the factory map. Perhaps MIAPLAYA could chime in for a more informed answer as I'm just speculating from what I know about piggyback units.

*Edit* Afterthought: It might actually be worse for the engine because it is possible to run so much fuel it can actually run down your engine walls and deprive your cylinders of oil and well, you know where that can go.... So basically I don't see any advantages just a possible disadvantage or being pointless

AGAIN I'M JUST USING MY EXPERIENCE FROM PIGGYBACK ECUS SO I COULD BE WRONG!!!

 

You are correct in thinking the tune will be WAYYYY off. The Unichip is going to pull even more timing then the flash already does and the Unichip is setup to run 630cc injectors and the flash is already scaling down the pulse width for the smaller TRD injectors so it will probably idle really screwed up. Personally its not worth the risk. Pay the money to have the car towed or have the ECU reflashed back to stock.

 

Just do not install the turbo until you get to Phoenix. This is the easiest way of dealing with the problem. Also if you stay out of open loop I am sure the stock ecu can handle compensating for the difference in injectors with the long term fuel trim.

 

Most likely stay out of boost then for the drive to phoenix being there is no way I will install it in Phoenix... being that its gonna take a while to remove and install. i'd rather do it at home. Could u tell me MIAPLAYA where the nearest unichip tuner is in the Tucson/ Phoenix area??

 

I know Dynocomp in Scottsdale tunes them. I believe WOTM might also tune it as well.

 

Since you can't reflash back to stock I suggest picking up a junked tc's ecu off of car-parts.com. They start at like $150 in areas around me.

 

The junk ecu will crank the engine, but will not start it.

 

yes it will... everytime you reset your ecu it automatically takes the first three keys inserted... i've already done this drill so no sense arguing with me... I've blown an SC motor and gone back to stock....

 

That is interesting information to know that a replacement ECU will work sort of. I think that is an excellent way to deal with these new ECU’s.

 

Well The car is up and running and better than I thought. The idle was a little rough then it corrected itself and now runs like stock! Not raggin on it though and will not boost till the tune which is this thursday at Dynocomp in Scottsdale. Now currently the car smokes at idle and only at start up but goes away pretty quick( could be the pig rich reflash with a conservative tune which burns more fuel at idle and drowns the cylinder walls of oil) So right now it looks like it burns a little oil. Gaskets are new and before I blew my motor, oil got into some strange places so I expect it to burn for a little bit. On another part we tried the whole ECU switch out for one with a factory tune and it started but turn off a second later. After that crank after crank... nothin. Put the SC flashed ECU back in and it started so tc2nut4 your correct.
BTW the Megan exhaust sounds so wicked on a Turbo!!

I'll post more info after the Tune thursday

 

i wouldn't be very concerned with the smoke for now. As you said its either a by product of the retarded rich tune you are running or its a byproduct of the recent engine build.

 

Yay I like it when I'm right lol... Glad to hear everything went smoothly for you. Hope the tune turns out well

For that another turbo TC