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ECU repair tools?
- Thread starter dicer
- Start date
MikeHalloran
Mechanical
In the early 90s, Ford used a slightly special version of Intel's 8096 chip for the heart of its ECU.
You can find schematics and back-engineered source code for those boxes on the net with a little searching.
Regular 8096 toolchains would probably work okay, mostly, but Intel never gave them away.
In those days of yore, the program was stored in an EPROM, which could be read by a generic reader.
Nowadays, I suspect everyone is using completely special 'System On Chip' setups that are not easily accessed, and may bear no resemblance to any commodity chips.
Good luck...
Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA
You can find schematics and back-engineered source code for those boxes on the net with a little searching.
Regular 8096 toolchains would probably work okay, mostly, but Intel never gave them away.
In those days of yore, the program was stored in an EPROM, which could be read by a generic reader.
Nowadays, I suspect everyone is using completely special 'System On Chip' setups that are not easily accessed, and may bear no resemblance to any commodity chips.
Good luck...
Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA
MacGyverS2000
Electrical
Most ECUs have masked ROMs on them... not somethign the average user will have access to using a COTS programmer.
Dan - Owner
Dan - Owner
LionelHutz
Electrical
That's too broad of a question to get any meaningful answers.
- Thread starter
- #5
Why too broad of question? There are quite a few outfits that do automotive ECU repairs, they have to get test instrumentation and service literature from some place. And they need something to simulate the engine sensor signals to test it for proper operation. I know most problems with automotive control modules are caused from aged electrolytic capacitors and its likely that a very high percentage of the repairs are just swapping them out. Still the unit needs to be tested some how. I am truly amazed how difficult it is to find service information on any automotive electronic black box. Even the radios on some early 90's cars seems to be very scarce.
LionelHutz
Electrical
So, you want to know about every PCM every car manufacturer has ever made?
Generally, I'd think the manufacturers sell the information to the repair places since the newer stuff is way too complex to reverse engineer. Otherwise, companies are reverse engineering them and I doubt they'd want to share the info and lose their competitive advantage.
You make the test jigs, the ones you can anyways. Once again, the newer PCM's are way too complex to easily simulate the operation.
Generally, I'd think the manufacturers sell the information to the repair places since the newer stuff is way too complex to reverse engineer. Otherwise, companies are reverse engineering them and I doubt they'd want to share the info and lose their competitive advantage.
You make the test jigs, the ones you can anyways. Once again, the newer PCM's are way too complex to easily simulate the operation.
Panther140
Civil/Environmental
You would at least need a pinout of the connectors, make an adaptable breakout box, get an oscilloscope, and probably use a function generator.
You could supply the ECU with the expected inputs, and monitor the expected outputs with a scope.
Or you could buy/make a new one (once you are farmiliar with the transducers on the vehicle).
"Formal education is a weapon, whose effect depends on who holds it in his hands and at whom it is aimed." ~ Joseph Stalin
You could supply the ECU with the expected inputs, and monitor the expected outputs with a scope.
Or you could buy/make a new one (once you are farmiliar with the transducers on the vehicle).
"Formal education is a weapon, whose effect depends on who holds it in his hands and at whom it is aimed." ~ Joseph Stalin
Panther140
Civil/Environmental
Some modern computer systems in cars are gimmicks and could be improved by simplicity.
"Formal education is a weapon, whose effect depends on who holds it in his hands and at whom it is aimed." ~ Joseph Stalin
"Formal education is a weapon, whose effect depends on who holds it in his hands and at whom it is aimed." ~ Joseph Stalin
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