Why ECU Flash:
I’m competing in AutoX this year in BSP class; so the modifications I can make on the car are strictly limited. I’m at 100% of my power modifications, so I got my ECU flashed by Altered Atmosphere. Altered Atmosphere has been doing Flashes for awhile now, and have a really good reputation – they have on file their past flashes they’ve done for cars and what modifications each of those cars had…that way, you can send them your ECU, tell them your mods, and they can give you a very good Flash.

An ECU Flash basically resets what the car's computer is telling the engine to do - it allows the engine to make more power by changing the amount of fuel and igntion timing is being run. Breifly, if an engine runs too lean, it will loose power. If it runs too rich, it will loose power. If it runs at Maximum power, the engine temps will get too hot....manufacturers usually set the engine to run a bit rich @ WOT. By moding you car (w/ intake, exhaust..) the engine usualy gets off the best power A/F ratio, so a Flash brings the A/F ratio back to it's peak. It allows the engine to fully maximize all of the mods you've done.

Removal/Install of ECU:
-One of the easiest things I’ve done on the Z so far. AAM’s instruction sheet is simple and easy to follow. I tried taking some pics of the process, but it's really hard to understand what the pics are...so I have a few just to give you an idea.
-I removed the ECU, and sent it overnight to AAM on Tuesday w/ a list of my modifications, requests, and dyno. They received the ECU on Wednesday, sent it out UPS overnight the same day. I got the ECU on Thursday, and the car was running Thursday evening. In all, the process was very fast – less than 3 days for the Z to be out of commission. (I live near Seattle, Wa and AAM is on the East Coast)

Flash involved:
-raise Rev limiter from 6,700 to 7,100 rpms. (The extra 400 rpms will come in handy b/c many times AutoX courses have between the redline in 2nd gear and needing to shift into 3rd)
-Remove top speed limiter (I have no plans to exceed 155 MPH, but I did it just in case  )
-Raise idle (With all of my mods, and exhaust silencer installed, my car idels a bit low, so I had them bump the idle RPM’s by 250)
-General Tune

Pics:

Here's a pic of the ECU w/ it's mounting brakcet still attached


Here's the area after the ECU has been removed (I know this is for a Z, but I'd assume it's similar for the G too)


Here's the ECU after being Flashed:



Dyno results:

Jan 26th: pre-flash dyno
Pull #1: Max HP – 235.8 Max TQ: 214.32
Pull #2: Max HP – 244.7 Max TQ: 226.47
I got a 9 HP gain!!!!! J/K – Pull #1 and #2 were 3 minutes apart from each other. I talked with the owner of the dyno shop, and he said he sees that kind of deviation a lot; he said that usually the 1st run is a bit lower b/c the engine needs to warm up a bit, but that all subsequent pulls are very close to each other. I just thought it was funny to see how much a dyno run can vary with the exact same car set-up and weather conditions…goes to show you how some companies can claim huge gains.

***I’m so sad that I didn’t get this one on video…when he let off the gas at redline, both times a flame shot out the back of the muffler! At least I knew I was running rich.
1st dyno pulls:




Feb 2nd: Dyno after AAM Flash
Pull #1: Max HP – 247.7 Max TQ: 232.2
Pull #2: Max HP – 253.0 Max TQ: 236.3
*since the first pull on the dynos are generally considered to be low, I’m only using the 2nd pull to compare.

2nd dyno pulls


1st and 2nd dyno pulls:


Flash Gain:
+ 8.3 HP
+ 9.8 TQ

I think those gains were very reasonable and am pleased with the results. And from looking at the dyno gaphs, it’s not just peak power, but a bump in the entire power and – but the good thing is that there’s more!

After the 2nd set of dyno pulls, I had them install my UR Aluminum flywheel/clutch – after that install, they did a 3rd set of dyno pulls. After looking at the 3rd set of dyno pulls, I’m thinking that the 2nd set might have been done with the car not fully warmed up b/c the A/F’s were richer on the 2nd set when compared to the 3rd set. So, the big reason why I’m so happy with the Flash is that when looking at the A/F’s from pre-Flash to post-Flash, I went from A/F’s of 13 to 14…there’s not much to be gained from the baseline – so the Flash did its job in maximizing what was left to be gained!

Here’s the data from the flywheel install:

Feb 2nd: Dyno after AAM Flash and UR flywheel install
Pull #1: Max HP – 257.9 Max TQ: 244.7
Pull #2: Max HP – 262.2 Max TQ: 249.6

Dyno set #3


#1, 2, 3 dynos together:




Flywheel Gain:
+ 9.2 HP
+ 13.3 TQ

AAM Flash + Flywheel Gain:
+ 17.5 HP
+ 23.1 TQ
Overall, it was a fun day.



Here’s the vids from the last 2 dynos. I was hoping to capture the flame shooting out the muffler on these dynos, but since AAM’s Flash did it’s job, I’m running the perfect A/F ratio, and don’t get the flames…


Dyno#1


Dyno #2



If you want a list of my mods, check out my cardomain site, page 2.



-Peter