Idiot guide to Tune ECU

[benebob]

I've been trying to install the drivers to run the usb cable for Tune ECU.  Came with a disk loaded with one for VWs but it can't find the device Van com or something like thatIs there an idiot guide to setting this stuff up.  Not the most computer savvy person when it comes to anything but dos stuff.  Just want to be able to see what map m bike has since it gets worse mileage  then 2 of my cars ( right now 20mpg with my normal commute).  Never had a cel on since I've owned it.  Have tired resetting the computer by starting cold and letting sit but nothing

Please help.  Might as well drive one of the Jags to work.  They're faster, warmer, safer and get better mileage! :)

[NKL]

From memory you don't install the drivers that come on the disk with the cable but use the driver from the Tune ECU website.

[Bixxer Bob]

  Benebob,  start here: http://tigertriple.com/forum/index.php/topic,8852

NKL's right you need the TuneECU drivers, but you also need to do a whole lot of reading before you go too deep.  It's not that hard, and if you keep to a few simple rules, you can't do any damage.  But there are things that can go badly wrong if you don't so, as I said, read on....

Oh, and you'll probably find this dissapearing off to the Girly Forum when Mustang finds it...
(I've seen it and your right it belongs in the Girly forum ...................so off we go to Girly land..........mustang)

[benebob]

Not sure why you would move it to the Girly forum as it pertains to every tiger out there sans the exploder but oh well.   Yes I read that thread and no it doesn't makes sense to me.  I have no problems working with far more complicated systems then what appears to be atari based but I still need an idiots guide to understanding it.  What do I need to download?  There doesn't appear to be any drivers at the tune ecu site aside from the actual maps. 

[John Stenhouse]

Not sure why you would move it to the Girly forum as it pertains to every tiger out there sans the exploder but oh well.

Did you miss the fact that every Tiger that is pre '99 is carb fed and hence has no ECU?

[benebob]

Yeah, I've only seen one in my life so I do tend to forget about the 1st gens. :)

[John Stenhouse]

I have a yearning for a steamer but I'm afraid of Carbs

[benebob]

I'd much rather have carbs then an early fuel injection system like the girlies have.  My TVR has an early bosch mechanical fuel injection system as well that I cannot stand.  Carbs are easy so long as you use the bike.  Biggest problem with carbs is on bikes that get left to rot in the winter.  I've never had a bike that was as needy as this Girly.  Hell my 3 british cars are less needy.

Anyways anybody know what I need to install and how to do it.  The cable is too happy with a driver it found on the system and won't let me download anything to change it.  Is it a bad cable or what.  A little help please.

[Bixxer Bob]

OK Bene,  The link to the driver took about 30 secs to find so maybe it was well hidden.  Go here and click on the link for your operating system.

http://www.ftdichip.com/Drivers/D2XX.htm

If you have Windows XP or later the executable file should do the driver install for you, but I'm not making any promises, I haven't needed to do this for a very long time.

Once you've got it working you need to PM MetalGuru for advice as he uses TECU much more than I do,  I have Tuneboy which I bought long before TECU was available.

20mpg is rubbish, I get 45mpg with most of my maps,  42 at the very worst, ragging it everywhere with a 102bhp-at-the-wheel map.

MAke sure you have a strong battery well charged or else you'll have difficulties if you do any more than read the map.  I'm not convinced it's the map alone to blame but you have to start somewhere.  Unless it's corrupt.  But then it usually runs rough as well.  A good indicator of a corrupt map is if TECU can't identify the map in the ECU or if it can't download it (you should downlaod your original map and save it somewhere before you tinker,  likewise, take some screenshots of your settings so you can refer back to them).

Let us know how you get on....

[NKL]

And if you don't have a light switch take the fuse out.

[Bixxer Bob]

And if you don't have a light switch take the fuse out.

To take load off the battery.  In case you were wondering.....

[benebob]

OK Bene,  The link to the driver took about 30 secs to find so maybe it was well hidden.  Go here and click on the link for your operating system.

http://www.ftdichip.com/Drivers/D2XX.htm

If you have Windows XP or later the executable file should do the driver install for you, but I'm not making any promises, I haven't needed to do this for a very long time.

Once you've got it working you need to PM MetalGuru for advice as he uses TECU much more than I do,  I have Tuneboy which I bought long before TECU was available.

20mpg is rubbish, I get 45mpg with most of my maps,  42 at the very worst, ragging it everywhere with a 102bhp-at-the-wheel map.

MAke sure you have a strong battery well charged or else you'll have difficulties if you do any more than read the map.  I'm not convinced it's the map alone to blame but you have to start somewhere.  Unless it's corrupt.  But then it usually runs rough as well.  A good indicator of a corrupt map is if TECU can't identify the map in the ECU or if it can't download it (you should downlaod your original map and save it somewhere before you tinker,  likewise, take some screenshots of your settings so you can refer back to them).

Let us know how you get on....

That doesn't load, I can download it but the computer using xp tells me that it has a better driver than the driver I want to choose and won't let me manually change.  The driver the computer has isn't recognized by the Tune ECU software.


Yes 20mpg is pathetic.  My last bike on the same commute netted around 70mpg but that was an ancient Honda CB175 so there is a slight difference in bikes.  Granted my commute is 2 miles to work 1.5 to the gym after work then 2 miles home (usually interupted by a groccery store stop on the way home.  Temps are now in the 20s going to work and 40s going home but I'd at least expect mpg in the 30s.  Battery goes on a tender every week so it doesn't loose a ton during the commute.  Gotta start somewhere is right.  Over the summer when I had more places to go I'd get around 40mpg again, mostly that commute with some longer trips thrown in.   Plus I don't know whwat map the previous owner has on there as it does have a TOR exhaust on it.  Biggest problem I have aside from the mileage is the revs don't like drop down when you get off the gas and wanted to narrow things down before I accumlated everything for my 24k service.

[Stitch]

Sometime the operating system of the computer needs a little directional coaching to use the correct driver. With your USB adapter in the USB port,  open "Device Manager" and scroll to index marked "Ports". Left click on the index marker next to "Ports" and you should see the USB cable adapter listed in a drop down (i.e. USB serial port adapter). LEFT click to highlight your adapter, then  RIGHT click on the cable adapter and scroll to "Properties", left click to open the properties submenu. One of the tabs of this submenu is listed "Driver", a left click on the tab will allow a view of your options. One of the options is to "Update Driver" of which you can manual control to tell your operating system where to look for the driver you wish to use. It is beneficial to save the downloaded driver to your desktop so it is easier to locate it when performing this action.

But what if this doesn't work? Some hardware manufacturers require the drivers installed first, then install the hardware (to where the "automatic found device driver function blah , blah" works just fine). If you did install the driver after install the device, simply uninstall the hardware (hardware remove) and then re-install by connecting the device for auto-discovery. The automatic function of XP should find the correct driver this time, automatically. How do you know if it did? Simply go through the steps outlined above with device manager to view which one was installed.

[iansoady]

Granted my commute is 2 miles to work 1.5 to the gym after work then 2 miles home (usually interupted by a groccery store stop on the way home.  Temps are now in the 20s going to work and 40s going home but I'd at least expect mpg in the 30s. 

TBH you're not doing the bike any favours going such short distances in cold weather (I assume your temperatures are Fahrenheit) as it's not going to get anywhere near normal temperature and the rich mixture is going to screw up any mpg calculations you make as well as washing oil off the bores, causing acids from incomplete combustion etc.

Perhaps not feasible but if I was in your position I'd be looking for a lightweight to do the commuting (a ratty CB175 might fill the bill). Or even get a pushbike then you could forget the gym....

[Chris Canning]

Sorry for derailing the the thread boys,but if you have a CB175 in any condition it's worth serious money,e'r better make that a CD175 as well,commute on one blimey no

T