94-95 NICO ECU's are READY!!!!

[elwesso]

Just got word on friday that the NICO ECU's for the 94-95 Q are ready...

Heres the deal, basically just like the 90-93 ECU except.

1. We dont have much flexibility, we can only give you a basic reprogram.2. We have no cores.3. You must supply a core that is one that you intend on using for your car, meaning you cant just supply a core and we'll make it work.4. I can help you decide what ECU you need, and check the ECU numbers.

Finally the price will be $125

[maxnix]

I am in. Need to do two in sequence so I have one to drive.

Let me know how.

[elwesso]

Well if you dont want to have a car down, youll have to buy a core.

[maxnix]

Oh, I have one down now for under plenum hose job.

So time is of the essence! First one then the other.

Mom won't know what hit her!

[elwesso]

Ok I gotcha... Well reply to my email I sent you (with pics of course ) and we can maybe get you a priorty one done...

[DrewQ45]

Wow, cheaper than I thought they would be Wes. What's next, TCU?

[pdqwrx]

Just got word on friday that the NICO ECU's for the 94-95 Q are ready...

Heres the deal, basically just like the 90-93 ECU except.

1. We dont have much flexibility, we can only give you a basic reprogram.2. We have no cores.3. You must supply a core that is one that you intend on using for your car, meaning you cant just supply a core and we'll make it work.4. I can help you decide what ECU you need, and check the ECU numbers.

Finally the price will be $125

Wes-#3 are you saying that the core must be a working ECU ?

Are you running the same basic program as the older cars?

Do you have any older cores that will work in my 94 non TCS car that you want to sell with the new program so that I can keep my stock computer.

One way or another count me in this round....By the way, the Q goes in for paint on Monday to erase all evidence of the booboo, thanks for the doors.

CheersScott

[Q45denver]

So the 94-95 doesn't have the switchable ECU or Upgraded/Race Gas/Hi Power tune options? I have a 90-93 switchable ECU w/TCS in my 95. I think it just has the standard NICO tune. So far I have not noticed any incompatiblily issues. The switchable option is nice because you can switch it between the different programs while the car is running. I just wish I had the Upgraded/Race Gas/Hi Power without TCS program installed as well. If I send it back can that be installed in my ECU?

[Bayarea Q]

Count me in!My search for a spare ECU continues. 95 Federal in Ca. w/TCS.

[elwesso]

Wes-#3 are you saying that the core must be a working ECU ?

Are you running the same basic program as the older cars?

Do you have any older cores that will work in my 94 non TCS car that you want to sell with the new program so that I can keep my stock computer.

One way or another count me in this round....By the way, the Q goes in for paint on Monday to erase all evidence of the booboo, thanks for the doors.

CheersScott

LIke OI said, we do not have any cores available that we will sell without some sort of exchange... You are responsible for sending us an ECU that you konw works, and we will program it, and then send it back. If you want to reprogram your 90-93 ECU, we can probably do that.

Cant wait to see how your Q turned out with a partial skin transplant from my Q

Q45denver- like I said, we cannot install the switchable setup at this time...

[DougQ45]

Wes: I will take one. I noticed Robert lives in LA. Can I hand Carry? Doug

[elwesso]

yeah thats fine, fire him an email.....

[pdqwrx]

Heh Wes- are you ready to go???CheersScott

[elwesso]

Heh Wes- are you ready to go???CheersScott

yes sir.. fire me an email

[QE86]

Hey Wes I am in!! I live in LA can I just hand Rob the ECU and pick it up??

Thanks!!

[Race 1]

What kind of turn around time is there? I was also wondering if there is a difference in the reprogrammed 90-93 than the 94's, my car is a 94.

[RobertsnewQ]

No difference in tuning, but if you run the early ECU in the later car, the auxilliary cooling fans won't come on at 190 like they do with a 94-95 ECU.

Could be a problem depending on how marginal your cooling system is, but several people have run the early ECUs in their car with no problems whatsoever.

[Race 1]

So basically the 94 reprogrammed ECU is the best option.

[rsiwicki]

so far no problems here running a 90-93 ECU with my 95 car here in Miami, FL. Also when I had my other ECU in that would activate the aux cooling fan I could never get the fan to come on. I could be sitting idling for 20 min with hood closed and never got the fan to kick on...the only way was when I held the fan blade from moving...then after a couple minutes did the aux fan finally kick on.

[Race 1]

OKAY I WANT THIS!!!! Does anyone have any specs that show how much of a difference it makes, 1/8 or 1/4 e.t. or anything?

[rsiwicki]

you will haul a$$....I have or had one of the fastest Q's around and was running a JWT ECU. I was getting rather board with the performane until I bought the 8 way programable ECU. I personally don't notice much of a difference at the lower rpms although it is faster than my JWT, but at 6,000+ rpms the car is amazingly fast and where I notice the big difference. This price is a steal. I am dead serious when I say the car is really a lot faster from 6,000+rpms. Get the programable ECU....you will like it a lot. I have a 4.08 rearend in my Q so I am somewhat limited at take-offs from street light as I have to ease into the throttle to keep my rearend from spinning too much even at 20mph as when the torque curve hits the damn car really wants to run hard and fast.

[Q45CALIBER]

No difference in tuning, but if you run the early ECU in the later car, the auxilliary cooling fans won't come on at 190 like they do with a 94-95 ECU.

Could be a problem depending on how marginal your cooling system is, but several people have run the early ECUs in their car with no problems whatsoever.

What are some solutions to this...besides flushing your system regularly and keeping a funtioning thermostat and OEM water pump which I have done.

Would a electric fan be a option? Or a bigger radiator.

Sometimes because of so much traffic I am doing alot of stop an go driving in New York which I know can cause the engine to run at a hight temp. California guys probally know what I mean. For those of you that are in the midwest (my original home) and burbs may not have any problems.

thx. Caliber

[Q45CALIBER]

Guess it is not a big deal rsiwicki is in Miami so I know it pretty hot down there. I dont know about the traffic but all in all I am still hype about getting the mod for the Q!!!!!!!

Just got a new paint job and head lights too. Yeah Baby!

Next brakes..

[pito11213]

Hey Wes can you guys get any chip reprogrammed? I know an acura legend board that would give you guys lots of business??

[Q45tech]

All new models are tested in Arizona for over heats under VERY severe conditions: They use a 3 walled [front and roof open] enclosure and let car idle forever AC on full.

I do some coolant temp vs time vs ambient test ocassonally. To find and fix really obscure degradations.

Over heating MEANS coolant system has a worn defective component!Bent fins, corroded fins inside or out, dirt, leaves, hair, dead animals applies to both condenser and radiator, worn/degraded foam surround for radiator.As electric motors age they slow down.

60k cars ARE NOT NEW!

Reminds me time to do coolant system spring cleaning.

[ddrumman]

Just got word on friday that the NICO ECU's for the 94-95 Q are ready...

Heres the deal, basically just like the 90-93 ECU except.

1. We dont have much flexibility, we can only give you a basic reprogram.2. We have no cores.3. You must supply a core that is one that you intend on using for your car, meaning you cant just supply a core and we'll make it work.4. I can help you decide what ECU you need, and check the ECU numbers.

Finally the price will be $125

So for someone like myself who is definitely a car nut but NOT mechanically inclined, what are the pros and cons of getting your ECU reprogrammed?

If by doing that, we are not damaging anything I'd be way into it.

D.

[RobertsnewQ]

You're not damaging anything by doing it - basically I lean out the fuel at high RPMs to compensate for the overly rich stock tune.

Then I advance timing in various areas of the stock timing map to increase peak torque over stock.

I increase the rev limiter to 7200, and change the VTC switchover point to 4200 rpm.

I also increase the temp at which the ECU goes into closed loop fuel operation to match the JDM programming, and reduce the high-RPM knock sensitivity.

I also modify the code to use only one fuel map, instead of three as stock.

The downsides are that increasing the timing reduces the ECU's ability to cope with low-octane gas. You must always use at least 91 octane.

[maxnix]

I also modify the code to use only one fuel map, instead of three as stock.

Guess I don't see the advantage of less flexible choices for the ECU. Could you elaborate why the restriction to one vs. three maps is better?
Modified by maxnix at 7:41 AM 3/11/2006

[ddrumman]

The downsides are that increasing the timing reduces the ECU's ability to cope with low-octane gas. You must always use at least 91 octane.

Thanks for the info. The octane is not a problem as I've done everything to spec and always serviced the car either at the Santa Monica (earlier years 99/01) dealership or at the Thousand Oaks (01 to present) one.

If everything else you mentioned is ok then we are good to go.

D.

[RobertsnewQ]

The three stock fuel maps are:

lo gear hi octanelo gear lo octane4th gear

In the early ECUs, all three are different. By 1993, all three are the same.

The 94-95 ECUs have only two maps - lo & hi octane.

In JDM ECUs, the 4th gear map is disabled. In USDM ECUs, the 4th gear map is enabled, but is the same as the lo gear hi octane map in most ECUs.

So.... I disable the hi gear map because it is not used in most ECUs and that simplifies the tuning.

I disable the lo octane map because for the most part it is the same as the hi octane map. There are some differences in the midrange, but they are minor and involve dumping more fuel in when knock is detected.

One other bad thing related to the hi gear map is that if you change final drive ratio, you can have a situation where the ECU drops back and forth between the maps, running lean.

The ECU has two timing maps only - lo and hi octane. I keep both since they are an important part of the timing algorithms.

Interesingly, the 1990 ECU is the only one with a third timing map - for hi gear. Weird!