Tune ECU Knowledge

[Bixxer Bob]

Ok,  I put my hand up to creating a Tune ECU Sticky thread.  After spending an afternoon reading, I realised that the basics could be covered in just a couple of links:

http://www.tuneecu.com/TuneECU_En/index.html (http://www.tuneecu.com/TuneECU_En/index.html)

And:

http://www.tuneecu.com/TuneECU_En/links.html (http://www.tuneecu.com/TuneECU_En/links.html)

The first link is an overview page which contains some pertinent warnings.  At the bottom of that page click on "Downloads" which will take you to a "links" page.  If you're starting this for the first time, I strongly recommend you take the time to work your way through and read as much as you can.  I've not included other links here as there's a risk they'd get out of date.

If, after reading all of this, downloading the software, buying the cable and loading the Tune ECU driver NOT the OBD drivers that come with the cable you have issues, please feel free to PM me and I'll help if I can.

If you have Tune ECU questions, or you can add / correct anything I've posted, please PM them to me, and I'll get them added via Mustang.  That way we'll develop a knowledge base which reflects the best no-how available.  

Also, it's worth reading the other thread on Tuneboy as well because many questions will be equally relevant.  Cheers  

[Bixxer Bob]

And straight in with a question I answered earlier today.  The tune ECU guide advises that your battery is in good order and well charged and that your laptop is on mains whilst the software is in use.  It also advises pulling the headlight fuse.

The reason for this is simple: you have to do the reading or writing with the ign on but the engine not running.  The maps that you are either reading from or writing to the ECU are stored in a programmable chip.  Reading is straighforward, but writing involves raising the voltage on one of the chip's pins to tell the chip to record the incoming data.  If the battery is not up to scratch, or you've been at it a while but have left the lights fuse in and the lights on, the voltage may drop sufficiently for the software to no longer be able to hold that pin in the write mode.  If that happens, you get a corrupt record because it's not finished properly.  Worse, depending on what you are doing, you may end up with a bricked ECU (brick = something only good for building walls or throwing at idiots).  For the first instance of a corrupt map, te software has a "recover from failed upload" facility but I've never had to use it so can't comment on how well it works.  

Having said that, the only scenario I can envisage you'd brick an ECU (and I'm theorising now so take care) is if you're loading a Tune from a different model of bike, for instance, I bought a Daytona ECU and loaded a Tiger Tune.  The Tune is in two parts: the program that controls what's going on, which youy can't see, and the maps, which you can.  This type of upload takes longer than a simple map change although still only a minute or so.  A fault during this upload may brick the ECU because you're changing function software as well as data.  

Replacement used ECUs cost on the region of £100.

If you've a view on any of this so far, PM me rather than open a debate here.  I'll happily edit this to reflect greater knowledge.

[Bixxer Bob]

Next question was about Tune ECU instructions warning that some uploads can take up to 20 minutes.  For reading I've done elsewhere, I believe that warning is directed to KTM owners due to the idiosyncrasies of their ECUs.  Tiger map uploads - for me - have never taken longer than 20-30 secs.  A full Tune upload (see previous post) only takes about a minute.

[Bixxer Bob]

Had a question from AESDJ today:

"Hi Bixxer. There's an option to reset the TPS which I'm taking as throttle position sensor. I've not opened this so I don't know what you get when you do but my questions are:-

1. Is it important to do?

2. How do you know if yours needs doing?

3. What exactly are you doing?

4. Does it make a big differance to the running of the bike? "

My reply:

"It resets the throttle position to zero. If yours reads other than zero when the throttle is closed it needs doing. Whether it needs doing or not it won't do an harm if you do. Just press the reset button. Turn the ign off, back on, start her up and let her idle for 30 secs or so. Pressing the button sets the stored voltage value high, the 30 secs gives the ECU a chance to trim it back to where it needs to be. That's then the reference voltage for throttle movement as the TPS is simply a potentiometer. As you move it the resistance lowers and the voltage read by the ECU increases. And don't worry if fully open throttle doesn't read 100%, that's normal. If I remember rightly, mine reads about 74% at full throttle.

There are some schools of thought that it needs doing after a re-map so I usually do, although I've never noticed any real difference afterwards. The consequence of the reading being incorrect is that the ECU is reading from the wrong part of the fuel map if (for instance) the TPS reads 5% when the throttle is closed. But I repeat, I've never noticed a difference."

As usual, if you have anything to add PM me so I can get it added, after all - this is a knowledge base, not just what I know

[Bixxer Bob]

Thanks for this hint regarding connection speed go to Tigergotcha.  He says that it's safe to raise up usb to serial port speed from default 9600bps to 115200bps (all other settings have to be left unchanged) It seems it helps up- and downloading maps from/to the ECU really A LOT. He had some timeouts before, now it works fast and smooth, and maybe it can be changed to even faster settings - but he didn't test it.

I've tested this tonight and it's as he says, although I've not been having the timeouts that he spoke of.  Just be aware that if, like me, you use the Tuneboy cable for Tuneboy and Tune ECU, you may have to turn this down again for Tuneboy as I haven't tested wether Tuneboy can cope.  If you're just using Tune ECU then you're fine.

If you use Windows XP you need to go to Control Panel, System, Hardware, Device Manager, and pick Ports.  Click on the cable you're using and in the Port Settings click on the drop down list for Bits per Second and select the appropriate value - in this case 115200.

If you're using Vista, it's almost the same except it's Control Panel, Device Manager, then as for XP.

Have fun!!

[tigergotcha]

Had a question from AESDJ today:

"Hi Bixxer. There's an option to reset the TPS which I'm taking as throttle position sensor. I've not opened this so I don't know what you get when you do but my questions are:-

1. Is it important to do?

2. How do you know if yours needs doing?

3. What exactly are you doing?

4. Does it make a big differance to the running of the bike? "

My reply:

"It resets the throttle position to zero. If yours reads other than zero when the throttle is closed it needs doing. Whether it needs doing or not it won't do an harm if you do. Just press the reset button. Turn the ign off, back on, start her up and let her idle for 30 secs or so. Pressing the button sets the stored voltage value high, the 30 secs gives the ECU a chance to trim it back to where it needs to be. That's then the reference voltage for throttle movement as the TPS is simply a potentiometer. As you move it the resistance lowers and the voltage read by the ECU increases. And don't worry if fully open throttle doesn't read 100%, that's normal. If I remember rightly, mine reads about 74% at full throttle.

There are some schools of thought that it needs doing after a re-map so I usually do, although I've never noticed any real difference afterwards. The consequence of the reading being incorrect is that the ECU is reading from the wrong part of the fuel map if (for instance) the TPS reads 5% when the throttle is closed. But I repeat, I've never noticed a difference."

As usual, if you have anything to add PM me so I can get it added, after all - this is a knowledge base, not just what I know <!-- s:wink: --><!-- s:wink: -->

UPDATE - resetting TPS on Sagem ECU Girlies (successfully tested)
http://tuneecu.com/TuneECU_En/tasks.html (http://tuneecu.com/TuneECU_En/tasks.html)

Reset TPS Sagem ECU, Triumph, Benelli & Aprilia (resets throttle to zero position),
generally Applicable to all Sagem models.

- Ignition and Run switch on but engine off
- Double-click the Reset TPS button (this sets closed throttle position to a temporary high value)
- Start engine and let idle long enough for the ECU to trim the value down to match the set target idle RPM (60 seconds), at this process, don't touch the throttle.

[JoeDirt]

I found this YouTube video back before I used TuneECU. This video was recorded by a guy named Mark Robbins back in 2011.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hE2GnnqWWE (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hE2GnnqWWE)

Demonstrates everything you need to know to upload and download MAP's.

[Cooperman1205]

Hi all my tiger runs a bit rich and it has a Blue Flame endcan i have bought the hardware and softwear to update the map but it gives vin number from -to and there are all 6 figures my vin reads (numbers only)3169350 so as a newbie i am now confused the full vin is smttg720wt3169350 i guess the question is what part of the vin are they talking about?
thanks for any replies

[Lee337]

The Tiger 955i runs a Sagem MC1000 ECU.There are basically 2 models, spoked wheels (early) and cast wheel (late)

Last 6 numbers are the ones you want. The switch from spoked to cast was at VIN #206546, so any VIN below this was an older spoked wheel Tiger.

I have a Blueflame exhaust on my cast wheel model (2006) running map 10173 (original map is 10172). For earlier bikes, which I suspect your's is, then you wants map 10121, which is for bikes fitted with an after market exhaust. Technically it's for a TOR *Triumph Off Road) exhaust, but the map generally works for other after market cans too. The original map for spoked wheel Tigers should be 10120.