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Running a kit car with stock ECU
Benzine - 19/3/11 at 10:35 AM

I know people have done this, used an engine from a donor car with the stock ecu and put it in their kit car. If you leave the intake side of things as standard but change the exhaust to a nice free flowing one will it work great and free up some horsies or will it mess things up with the stock ECU?


big_wasa - 19/3/11 at 10:55 AM

Some ecu's are self learning to some extent and when running closed loop will add the fuel needed within its set parimiters.

Zetec "should" produce an extra 15bhp over stock with breathing mods on a standard ecu.

I guess your on with your volvo lump ? Does the ecu need signals from the auto box ? The newer the car the more complex it gets.

[Edited on 19/3/11 by big_wasa]


Benzine - 19/3/11 at 11:22 AM

quote:
Originally posted by big_wasa

I guess your on with your volvo lump ? Does the ecu need signals from the auto box ? The newer the car the more complex it gets.




Yeah volvo engine, it's a manual box gearbox. From 1995.


ashg - 19/3/11 at 01:56 PM

if it has got a maf then it will cope if it has got a map then you will need to check the fueling.


RichN - 19/3/11 at 03:32 PM

I did, with a '97 Zetec-SE from a Fiesta. It's running the standard ECU, with the Sylva Riot exhaust.

I changed the air filter to a K&N. It seems to be running fine.

The Ford ECU unit is self learning though, and it gets "reset" when you disconnect the battery.

The hassle with this unit is that you need to keep the ignition key and barrell for the immobiliser, although this is good for the IVA !


coyoteboy - 20/3/11 at 01:19 AM

You need to be cafeful when talking of self-learning ECUs. As far as I'm aware there are no self learning ECUs out there. They'll often trim themselves for closed loop operation (i.e. when cruising/light load they'll adjust a fuel trim to make it's corrections smaller and timing-wise they'll push for a max on their maps until they hear knock and then back off a bit, but few can make sense of completely changed breathing. MAF based systems are by far the best, as they actually measure airflow rather than pressure to guess from (as said above). In summary, most will cope with normal operation in light load and cruise, but only MAF systems will compensate at heavy load (when it matters) and even then they're limited in their compensation.

However a quick change to a slightly lower-backpressure exhaust system will make only a small difference to the required fueling and the fact that it's in a kit makes no odds that you'll be able to do anything about (dynamic loading will change due to much lighter car but I doubt you'd notice the difference).


big_wasa - 20/3/11 at 10:26 AM

quote:
Originally posted by RichN
I did, with a '97 Zetec-SE from a Fiesta. It's running the standard ECU, with the Sylva Riot exhaust.

I changed the air filter to a K&N. It seems to be running fine.

The Ford ECU unit is self learning though, and it gets "reset" when you disconnect the battery.

The hassle with this unit is that you need to keep the ignition key and barrell for the immobiliser, although this is good for the IVA !


The chip can be taken from the key and glued to the aerial under the dash but as it works so well you may aswell use it.


Ben I was under the impresion the 3.0 24v was only ever auto is that not the case ?


Volvorsport - 20/3/11 at 11:06 AM

youll be fine .....

ive got an emulator here if you need to improve things anyway .

bosch jetronic/motronic does self learn , it bases WOT values on what it sees at part throttle , theres lots of other variables , if youve not changed cams or headwork something that would alter the scaling of the maps itll be pretty much ok .

it only self learns to a degree tho ...

i was going to ask if you have a manual ecu , i need one really for my whiteblock project .


franky - 20/3/11 at 11:06 AM

I know of a few using stock ecu's, actually all of the GKD's that are being built/have been built are using stock BMW ecu's. Some of these have all the EWS systems fitted still.

Its a huge cost saving if you can as you don't have to buy an ECU then get it all mapped.


Benzine - 20/3/11 at 11:58 AM

Thanks for the info everyone ^_^

quote:
Originally posted by big_wasa

Ben I was under the impresion the 3.0 24v was only ever auto is that not the case ?


I think so... I have a 3.0 currently in my kit car, manual box bolts straight up to it, and I have a 2.5 engine with manual box with ecu and wiring. I rebuilt the 3.0 with lower compression but am no longer using a supercharger so I thought I'd transplant the 2.5 engine with standard ECU in the kit and use the 3.0 in something like a volvo 245 with a turbo/supercharger. I've faffed around for so long with MS and I just want it to get back on the road, using the stock ECU seems easiest and most locost ^_^