How to do chip tuning with your own hands

When can this be done?

Often, changes to the electronic unit program are introduced after the car is converted to gas equipment, that is, when the composition of the combustible mixture changes. This way you can maintain the power of your car without compromising on fuel consumption. And as far as we know, after converting a car to gas equipment, its power drops by 5-10 percent, and consumption increases by 1-2 liters.

But this does not mean that for such tuning there should be a reason in the form of installing gas equipment. You can do chip tuning yourself (Ford Mondeo will not be a problem in this regard either) even on a newly purchased car. Automakers, due to the fact that their cars are exported all over the world, set average values on the electronic control unit. Therefore, to unlock all the potential of the car, experts recommend updating the electronic engine control unit of the car. As a result, the power increase is up to 8-10 percent. But this is not the main problem that can be solved with chip tuning. Reprogramming the unit eliminates the following technical shortcomings:

floating idle speed;
failures during acceleration;
reduction in fuel consumption;
“freezing” of revolutions;
car jerking at low speeds.

Thus, do-it-yourself chip tuning for the engine allows you to remove all the defects that were missed or not noticed by the manufacturer itself during testing, as well as change the behavior of the car to be more dynamic. What’s most interesting is that most domestic cars undergo this type of tuning. It is their owners who complain about the problems mentioned above.

What is chip tuning?

Any modern car is equipped with an electronic control unit (ECU), which is responsible for many functions: ignition, timely fuel injection and much more. The block does this because a special program is installed in it, called firmware among car enthusiasts. Like any other program, it can be optimized, patched, and, in case of emergency, completely erased and replaced with a new one. Chip tuning is the process of optimizing or completely replacing the firmware in a car's ECU, allowing you to more fully unleash the potential of the engine.

What engines can be chipped?

Any engine equipped with an ECU can be chipped. The only difference will be in the tuning procedure (which depends on the engine type) and in the final results of replacing the firmware. Chip tuning is recommended for the following engines:

turbocharged engines. For engines of this type, chip tuning is especially effective. By replacing the firmware, it is quite possible to increase engine power by 20–25%
diesel engines. And in this case, chip tuning can provide a significant increase in power, especially if it is a turbodiesel. Engine torque can increase by a third, and the number of horsepower by a quarter;
engines are atmospheric. Here the effect of tuning is much more modest. The maximum that can be squeezed out of replacing the firmware is an increase in power by 9–10%
HBO engines. If the car is equipped with gas equipment, then chip tuning is not a whim, but a necessity, since with the transition to another type of fuel, many performance characteristics in the engine change.

Please note: before work is carried out, the engine compartment is usually detailed. This helps keep it clean longer, and unlike conventional washing, the method protects the integrity of all electronics.

The influence of chip tuning on the engine

Before listing the pros and cons of chip tuning, one thing should be clearly understood: high-quality ECU firmware is a program that has been tested on thousands of cars. There are similar programs, but there are few of them and they, like any licensed software, are very expensive. Typically, the situation that a car enthusiast faces looks like this: he takes the car to a service center, where they assure him that they only have proprietary software from the car manufacturer. Then the ECU is reflashed and the car enthusiast immediately feels the difference: the engine has really become more powerful! But if the firmware is “pirated” and poorly tested (and in 70% of cases this will be the case), then the driver’s joy will not last very long. The car travels 10–20 thousand km and troubles begin:

problems arise with the gearbox (especially if the gearbox is automatic);
if the mixture supplied after incorrect chip tuning becomes too rich, this is guaranteed to cause valve burnout;
Disturbances may occur in the engine injection system, which will lead to overheating. This problem will become especially relevant on hot summer days;
the exhaust gases formed after the combustion of a too rich mixture have a high temperature and can melt the catalyst cells (and this is a very expensive spare part);
problems with detonation. If detonation occurs during standard firmware, the driver immediately sees the CHECK ENGINE message on the dashboard. And if the firmware is “pirated”, then the knock sensor in it can simply be disabled, so that the driver will not know anything about this destructive process until the engine fails;

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On the other hand, competent chip tuning, performed using high-quality software, also has advantages:

the traction and speed characteristics of the engine are significantly improved;
fuel consumption is reduced (though only slightly - by only 4–6%!, but still);
chip tuning improves engine performance without mechanical intervention, which is much cheaper than the traditional engine boost procedure;
new high-quality firmware eliminates a lot of errors that were present in the earlier version of this program;
some firmware versions make it possible to remove factory speed limits;
well-made firmware can be easily rolled back to the previous, factory version;

Reviews from car enthusiasts about chip tuning, as already mentioned, are very contradictory. If we try to bring them to some common denominator, we can draw 3 conclusions:

the success of flashing directly depends on the quality of the software;
Only those who have a good idea of what they are doing should do chip tuning. Amateurism is completely unacceptable here;
Even if chip tuning is carried out according to all the rules, it still accelerates engine wear. This is recognized by both supporters of the procedure and its opponents. And it all comes down not to whether the engine will be worn out, but to how much it will be worn out;

Types of chip tuning

It should be noted that flashing the engine ECU is not the only way to increase its power. Chip tuning comes in two types:

tuning by reprogramming the control unit of the machine;
tuning by connecting special optimization modules (such as TunungBox, for example);

Flashing has already been discussed above, but the modules should be discussed in a little more detail.

Optimization modules are connected directly to the engine ECU. Their purpose is to correct the signals coming from this block. In this case, the standard firmware in the ECU is not rewritten and the risk of its damage is minimal. Even a novice car enthusiast can install such a module. That is why the installation sequence of one of these modules will be described below.

Is it that easy?

Flashing an electronic unit on new cars (from the last decade) does not present any particular difficulties. To replace software equipment, you only need a computer (laptop) with a COM port and a special programmer. The entire operation takes about 30 minutes.

As for older cars, flashing their “brains” will be more difficult. The fact is that such chip tuning comes down to using a soldering iron. They are the ones who need to replace the microcircuit and only then flash the ECU through the programmer.

Become an ADACT-enabled chip tuner

If you have no experience, we will conduct theoretical and practical classes. Find out more about training.

You can buy 20 of any firmware. To purchase the following you need a SenseLock key.

Order a SenseLock key

Needed to purchase more than 20 firmware. Price - 2000 rubles with delivery.

Make money from chip tuning

After receiving the key, you will be able to buy any number of firmwares. Install them for your clients!

DIY chip tuning for beginners

So, how to perform this operation? First of all, you should check the technical condition of the car. Chip tuning is done only if the engine is working properly (no tripping or blue smoke from the exhaust pipe), clean injectors, filters and properly functioning sensors. Otherwise, programming may harm your car.

So, first, let’s choose the method by which chip tuning will be done with our own hands. Lanos, like other passenger cars, can be flashed with or without modification of the ECU. But in the first case we need to solder resistors. The second method is simpler and faster. It is performed via the ODB-II diagnostic connector. If you have a proven calibration program, install it on virtual Windows XP. To do this, download the Virtual PC program. After installing it, download the ISO image of our operating system and set up our “virtual”.

Attention! Installation of virtual XP is required only if the current operating system is Windows Vista, 7 or 8.

After all, you need to purchase at least the essentials:

Computer stand Motor-Tester = from 40,000 rubles
Gas analyzer = from RUB 30,000
Stand for washing injectors = from 20,000 rubles
Well, and also cables, pressure gauges and all sorts of little things = 15,000 rubles
total amount approximately = more than 100,000 rubles.

Yes, this is true, and one cannot but agree with this. The purchase of equipment for such amounts is usually done by centralized car services, with professionally trained personnel, and you and I have neither one nor the other, but we have a good idea.

And this idea is that today you can start providing diagnostic and chiptuning services without large investments, with a budget of only 10 - 15 thousand rubles. At the first stage, you can easily do without expensive equipment.

Let me show you my arsenal, which helps me earn good money, for the fourth five-year period already =)

Absolutely any laptop with a CD drive and a USB port.
Universal cable with USB-K-Line adapter for connecting to a car controller.
An oscilloscope is also not needed, the same laptop works in its mode.
High voltage spark gap for testing ignition coils and modules.
Pressure gauge with adapter and hose. Working pressure up to - 5At
Multitester.

After some time, this list may increase a little more. This will be a sensor emulator and possibly a splitter, but this will only be needed if you want to fly into the wilds, agree to make rejected cars, those that have been to all service stations and were rejected, and you are the final one, that is, the “last hope”...

This small kit is enough to find and fix a problem in 90 cases out of 100 and, importantly, it allows you to always be mobile. This means that you can always put this stuff in some convenient bag and go to the customer. And going to the client is an additional service, and of course - additional income.

Let's calculate how much this farm will cost us:

I bought the laptop for 5,000, well, maximum 7,000.
A universal cable with an adapter cost 3,600 rubles.
A pressure gauge costs a maximum of 350 rubles, you can finish the hose and adapter yourself.
A high-voltage arrester can be assembled with your own hands from scrap materials within half an hour.
Multitester approximately 960 rubles.
The total is a little less than 12,000 rubles.

The amount, frankly speaking, is meager; what kind of business can be opened with such a budget doesn’t even immediately come to mind.

Diagnostics is probably clear, let's now talk about chip tuning.

We install the virtual machine step by step

Now let's tell you all this in more detail. First, launch the Virtual PC program. A BIOS window will appear in the virtual machine window. On its top panel, click on CD-Capture ISO Image. Here you need to specify the image of the Windows operating system. Next the installation will begin. Afterwards the virtual axis should be loaded. To do this, select Action-Install on the top panel. Then we install, restart and close the “virtual”. We share the software for the ECU and the folder with drivers on the K-Line adapter. A disk containing files from our folder will appear in the “My Computer” folder. It needs to be transferred to the desktop.

Next we install the adapter drivers. It is also recommended to check the functionality of the flasher. To do this, specify the COM port 1 in the settings. Close the “virtual” and proceed to the procedure for loading the firmware into the electronic engine control unit.

Special equipment

If a car enthusiast does not know where to start with chip tuning, he should at least approximately know about the amount of special equipment that will later be useful to him. As practice shows, most vehicle owners will be happy to give their car to a qualified specialist who, using modern technologies, will be able to accurately diagnose the power unit, even if they have to pay a lot of money for this. Professional repairs and chip tuning are in demand much more than the subjective opinion of a specific “specialist” who relies solely on his skills and carries out the engine check procedure only through his intuition and knowledge.

The basics of chip tuning cannot be considered separately from the configuration of the diagnostic section. It is worth noting that the equipment intended for high-quality diagnostics and chip tuning of the power unit is divided into three main types. Any modern area for engine chip tuning cannot do without such devices, which is why it is advisable to have at least one representative of each type, which will optimize the process and clarify the test results. So, types of diagnostic equipment for chip tuning:

scanners;
motor testers;
gas analyzers.

Scanners

Any modern scanner is capable of checking the electronic control unit of the engine, informing the diagnostic specialist about the current state of the power unit. Using a scanner in your work, you will be able to:

see signals coming from the system sensors, and also track their changes over time;
learn about the functioning of various executive elements of the system through visual inspection;
check unit malfunctions by reading the codes stored in the system;
find out the identification data of the ECU.

Those who are interested in chip tuning for beginners should understand that the readings of any scanner are nothing more than a display of data stored in the ECU. In this connection, the specialist conducting diagnostics and chip tuning perceives the displayed values not as the real values of certain parameters. A scanner can only display data without first identifying it in the same way that measuring instruments do. In addition to displaying parameters, scanners inform you about existing fault codes. True, you should not treat all the codes indicated by the scanner as an incentive to urgently replace or repair one or another engine part. Any reading from a scanning device should, first of all, prompt the specialist to further think and search for real threats.

There are portable and software scanners for chip tuning on sale that cannot function separately from a PC. When purchasing software equipment, you will need a laptop equipped with a COM port or a PCMCI-COM adapter. Along with this, you will have to purchase a K-Line adapter with many wires and connectors.

To carry out chip tuning, each master must be trained in various diagnostic software. Some choose budget applications for work, such as SMS-Diagnostic (allows you to check new VAZ/GAZ ECM). If a car enthusiast is going to diagnose various foreign-made cars, then he will most likely need to buy either several highly specialized scanners or one universal unit that has fewer capabilities.

Motor testers

The basic concepts of chip tuning can only be revealed with a complete study of all types of devices necessary for work. For example, motor testers are measuring instruments that read data directly from the power unit, while identifying faults that no scanner can detect. Motor testers determine voltage waveforms, sensor currents, and display oscillograms of high voltage and pressure in the cylinders. In addition, these multifunctional devices help measure fuel pressure, starter current and SOP (which should definitely be taken into account when carrying out chip tuning).

For example, a motor tester allows you to indirectly assess the ignition and combustion of the fuel-air mixture, for which the device provides secondary voltage oscillograms. Thanks to the graph obtained after measurements, you can understand:

whether the timing belt phases are set correctly;
what is the condition of the cylinder-piston group;
is there any air leak in the intake tract;
what are the exhaust system back pressure indicators;
state of the ignition timing.

The motor tester easily (within a few minutes) determines the presence of a break or turn-to-turn short circuit in the injectors, and carries out a qualitative measurement of the starter current (thanks to this, the diagnostic specialist assesses the condition of the battery and starter). In addition, the device checks the functionality of various sensors, which makes chip tuning a simpler and easier procedure.

Those who are interested in chip tuning for beginners should be prepared for the fact that purchasing a motor tester will require huge expenses. There are many different devices on the Russian market; devices from Quantex Laboratory have a good price-quality ratio.

Gas analyzers

As for this device, four-component devices performed best. Previously, two-component units together with carburetors, actively used for chip tuning, are no longer found at more or less “cool” service centers. Therefore, it is necessary to buy only high-quality gas analyzers that do not allow you to “adjust CO”, but only become a source for diagnosed information.

The basics of chip tuning imply the presence of all three types of devices, which, using completely different methods of determining data, are capable of providing the motorist with different information. Naturally, there are parameters that can be equally accurately determined by all three units, however, in most cases, all data for each device is unique. It should be understood that competent troubleshooting should be based solely on analysis of the data obtained and measurements.

Auxiliary devices

In addition to the main equipment, those starting to carry out the procedure of chip tuning a car can purchase various auxiliary devices that allow optimizing the work, including:

fuel pressure gauge;
a device for cleaning injectors;
stands that facilitate high-quality testing of spark plugs or ignition modules;
ampere-voltmeter;
high-quality tools;
various instruments and devices used by experienced craftsmen, manufactured exclusively “for a specialist.”

DIY chip tuning - downloading new calibrations

Launch the flasher and select errors. They need to be removed. Next, select the “Download” item and specify a new file with the firmware. The operation may take up to 15-20 minutes. After this, turn off the ignition and wait 5 minutes. At this time, disconnect the adapter.

There may be an error when loading new calibration parameters. In this case, turn off the ignition and start the procedure again. After installing the program, turn off the ignition for 5 minutes. Next, turn it on and see how the engine behaves.

Procedure for flashing the ECU

First of all, you need to make sure once again that the engine does not have any problems and is working properly. Only in this case do we get to work.

The laptop must be securely fastened so that it cannot move during operation. We connect a programmer to it, which will make the entire work process easier. If necessary, use the instructions (they should always be at hand).

To get to the electronic control unit, you will need to remove the panel located under the center console (first the right and then the left). You must work carefully and remember that it is best to disconnect the battery before doing this.

There is a control unit under the left panel; to get it out you will need to remove the latch. The connector is removed from the socket, but you must be careful not to touch the contacts with a tool or your hands. Now you need to unscrew the fastening nuts to get the ECU itself along with the bracket, which is also secured.

To open the block you will need to bend the latches and remove the cover. There is a printed circuit board inside. You will have to be extremely careful here, as electronic components are extremely sensitive to statistical electricity.

The ROM chip may have characters, but the number of outputs is 28. Before replacing it, you must mark the first output with a marker. When removing the chip, you must carefully press it upward. If it was soldered, then you should use side cutters to cut all the joints and then solder the panel. Only then can you install a new microcircuit, but at the same time prevent distortions through your actions.

Next, close the lid and return the control unit to its intended place, following the reverse procedure. To reconfigure, you will need to connect the laptop to the diagnostic port and make sure that the wires are securely fastened.

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Now turn on the ignition and install, in accordance with the instructions, the engine calibration program. Typically installation takes 20–30 minutes. After this, turn off the ignition and other equipment.

If after 5–10 minutes the engine starts up smoothly, then everything was done correctly. If there is a failure during the procedure, you must immediately turn off the ignition and wait 5 minutes. Then you will have to repeat everything again. This is why it is so important to have reliable software.

Which option is better, whether it is worth changing the chip or whether it is enough to just configure it, will have to be decided in each case separately. Chip tuning of some cars can generally bring minimal benefits.

Result

After programming the ECU, you will notice that the car begins to behave differently. This is especially true for the sound of the engine and the acceleration dynamics of the car. This creates the feeling that the car has become more playful on the road.

Moreover, no additional factors such as a switched on air conditioner or stove affect the power. As for the emissions standard, it will be within the normal range, that is, the one set by the factory. Many car enthusiasts remain satisfied after such a procedure as chip tuning. You can turn a VAZ with your own hands almost into a foreign car (of course, within reasonable limits). And all this only if you have a COM port, Internet access and a laptop with the appropriate port. By the way, Dell produces laptops with a built-in diagnostic COM port. These are the Latitude D series models.

Specialist training

In addition to equipment and special software, anyone who wants to learn chip tuning is interested in the issue of training. True, even despite the fact that some companies recruit groups of car owners to train in chip tuning, in fact, few of them receive useful knowledge that will help in the future to provide high-quality services to other car enthusiasts. Most often, the person who does chip tuning undergoes training directly in practice; through trial and error, he learns to “understand” the power unit, change its properties and increase productivity.

Tuning module

Finally, let's talk about such a thing as a tuning module. This part is an alternative to chip tuning. It is also called a power or optimization module. It is a device used to improve vehicle performance parameters. This module is installed between the ECU and the working elements of the engine. The device modifies signals from the original unit and transmits them to the injection system. The module is installed in standard connectors.

At the same time, the firmware of the unit itself remains factory. Judging by the reviews of motorists, after installing this module the car behaves more quickly, while its fuel consumption is reduced by several percent. The idle speed is also stabilized and jerking when driving disappears. We can say that this is the same chip tuning, but safer. Without interfering with the electronic “brains” of the car.

So, we found out how to do chip tuning yourself.

What is chip tuning and what does it give?

Chip tuning is tuning or reconfiguring engine electronics.

Chip tuning is performed to improve the following engine characteristics - improve the operation of the cooling fan, stabilize cold start and idle modes. Professional programs, purposefully written, improve about fifty operating parameters of the engine.

This tuning method is designed for most modern engines controlled by an electronic unit, designed for maximum resource savings, minimal fuel consumption and low exhaust emissions. According to the manufacturer, it is not configured to get the maximum. Replacing the engine control program is the task of reconfiguring this unit.

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Thus, the solution to this problem is to reprogram this electronic chip containing this program. And this replaced program must take into account a lot of features, and most importantly, the capabilities of a given engine model.

Such tuning is a very responsible task. Programs written by amateurs are simply dangerous to use - after all, only a professional can implement the optimal combination of the interaction of technical factors. Therefore, such chip tuning by car manufacturers is usually carried out for a fee. It is the manufacturer who will perform such tuning in the safest way for each specific engine model.

It should be understood that as a result of the chip tuning, to one degree or another, there will be a decrease in service life and an increase in fuel consumption, from one liter or more for every 100 km of track. In addition to the fact that the engine will start operating at higher speeds (this is what causes the increase in power), the very possibility of pressing the pedal provokes a high-speed driving style. It should also be understood that the requirements for the grade of fuel may also increase. However, with the help of chip tuning you can curb your appetite, but as a rule, the most economical settings are set at the factory.

On engines with turbocharging, chip tuning has the greatest effect, since the program will be able to control the timing of turning on the turbocharging more optimally, as well as the value of the maximum pressure. This factor gives an increase in power up to 30%!, and torque - up to 40%!

General instructions for chip tuning

How are chip tuning steps performed?

Before you start, you will need:

Desktop computer or laptop.
Firmware for the control unit specifically for your car. Of course, you can find the firmware on the Internet, but no one can guarantee that it will be functional and up-to-date. It is because of the firmware that many of our compatriots entrust this task to specialists.
You will also need software to calibrate the motor.
Adapter for connecting to the control unit (video author - bormankh).

Briefly about how engine chip tuning is performed:

First you need to find the diagnostic connector, which can be installed in different places depending on the car. It is usually located to the left of the steering wheel, but may be under it, behind the center console, in the glove compartment, etc.
The adapter is connected to this connector, and its other output should be connected to the laptop.
Then the laptop turns on, and the power unit calibration program starts. Typically it takes no more than 20 minutes to complete, but sometimes it takes longer to complete.
If necessary, the firmware of the control unit is changed, which is important in almost all cases. After all, the motor will have to operate in a different mode, and for this the control unit must have the appropriate characteristics. The flashing procedure requires certain knowledge and skills, so if you do not have them, then it is better to entrust this task to specialists.
If, as a result of the performed actions, the program displays a message about successful flashing, then you can disconnect the adapter and check the operation of the engine.

Photo gallery “Do-it-yourself ECU flashing”

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Features of the ECU and factory firmware

Software developers for injection system controllers take into account efficiency, engine life, exhaust toxicity, fuel consumption level, and based on this information they offer standard (factory) software settings. The program is stored directly in the read-only memory (ROM) of the control unit - this is software for data processing, tables with coefficients for all modes of motor operation.

But what is engine firmware and how is it related to data changes in the electronic control unit software and car chip tuning? The ECU receives data from various sensors and provides control of actuators taking into account factory coefficients. If you change this data through chip tuning, you can affect the operation of any devices controlled by the unit.