NICO ECU UPDATE (some for sale, news/updates).

[cccpman]

NICO ECU = ALOT more power

http://www.nicoclub.com/articles.php?id=170119

"gives 30HP proven on the dyno", better gas millage, higher shift points

Install should only take a couple minutes - when I get mine I will tell you :P

[Q45tech]

Reprogramming ecu to remove some of oem safety for defective gasoline purchases and mainteance shortfalls can increase early Q by 10% especially in peak and average torque from 3750 to 5500 rpm.

This improves the acceleration from 25 mph upwards.

A well maintained engine/transmission can complete quarter mile in 2nd gear at ~~97-98 mph [at 70F ambient] just before hitting hard rev limiter.

[maxnix]

Have there been any negative side effects to the NICO ECU?

Yes, traffic is now going 10% slower than before.

[elwesso]

How easy is it to install these ECU's?

Benefits of a NICO ECU compared to a OEM?

Uhh, read the above?

Install I would say would take about 20 mins for the novice. all you need is a 10mmn socket or wrench and a phillips screwdriver.

[Haitian_King]

ok. I want one.

[silver2k2]

So people actually get better gas mileage? I know its probably hard to tell as you are romping on it all time.

[bone_stock_240]

So people actually get better gas mileage? I know its probably hard to tell as you are romping on it all time.

I don't see why it wouldn't give you better gas mileage if you retain the same driving habits as before.

[Freakazoid]

Hey Wes, when you get some more in please put my name on the list. Want to put it into my Patrol.

[cccpman]

Just arrived today, if I can piece the car together I will be able to give it a test run

[Q45tech]

Realistically mpg is controlled by the oxygen sensor under closed loop [steady speed] so that doesn't/can't change.

WOT is slightly leaner so it would be valid to say that the mpg WOT improves for the few seconds WOT is used.

Part throttle acceleration is not modified so that doesn't change.

[bone_stock_240]

Realistically mpg is controlled by the oxygen sensor under closed loop [steady speed] so that doesn't/can't change.

WOT is slightly leaner so it would be valid to say that the mpg WOT improves for the few seconds WOT is used.

Part throttle acceleration is not modified so that doesn't change.

[Haitian_King]

I definitely want one. How soon until a new batch is ready?

[bone_stock_240]

HOLY ****ING **** WES! You really should have warned me that this would turn the Q into the ultimate sleeper. Car feels so much more lively at all RPM, and absolutely ****ing screams after 4000 up to redline. This is going to get me in serious trouble with the popo.

[elwesso]

I am working on some more hardware issues right now, basically i have some custom made boards that need to be made, so once those are ready to rock we can go.

[Haitian_King]

Question about ECU's and TCU's. I looked in the FSM and searched the site. I can't find out where these things are located and how to install/uninstall them. Any help?

[bone_stock_240]

ECU is right down by the passenger's right foot. In order to remove it, you need a 10mm socket with an extension, a rachet, and a philips screw driver. To remove it, all I did was undo the nut on the firewall. It holds the panel in place, then pull that off, and pull off the plastic panel under the dash, so you can get to the 2 screws that hold the bracket for the ECU in place. Also, use your 10mm socket to remove the harness frmo the ECU. Then once that is all out, undo the 4 screws that hold the bracket to the ECU, swap the other ECU in and reverse the process. It is very quick to do.

[cccpman]

I tried to remove mine with too small a Philips, get a pretty wide one (does not have to be long). It will save you both screws, or at least a lot of time

Also I needed to let the glove box down to remove one of the panels - philips and a finger is all thats required

Total time including searching for a bigger philips was 20 min.

I used a simple on/off toggle for the wires... really hope that works but I wont know until im able to test drive

[elwesso]

one thing you can do is take one of those small screw driver things you put in the removable socket driver. Stick it ina 1/4 in socket, that way you dont have to drop the trim panel under the glovebox.

[qsiguy]

HOLY ****ING **** WES! You really should have warned me that this would turn the Q into the ultimate sleeper. Car feels so much more lively at all RPM, and absolutely ****ing screams after 4000 up to redline. This is going to get me in serious trouble with the popo.

You might want to make sure your knock sensor(s) aren't bad. With good knock sensors you should see 20-30hp diff at most. If your knock sensors are bad you can see about 70hp increase over the stock ECU. I verified this on a dyno switching from stock ECU to NICO stage 1 ECU. If you noticed that huge of an improvement there could be a knock issue. Don't get me wrong, I love my NICO ECU and it definitely rocks but I'd check things out just to make sure. If they are bad then you can get a few more ponies if you fix them!

[bone_stock_240]

You might want to make sure your knock sensor(s) aren't bad. With good knock sensors you should see 20-30hp diff at most. If your knock sensors are bad you can see about 70hp increase over the stock ECU. I verified this on a dyno switching from stock ECU to NICO stage 1 ECU. If you noticed that huge of an improvement there could be a knock issue. Don't get me wrong, I love my NICO ECU and it definitely rocks but I'd check things out just to make sure. If they are bad then you can get a few more ponies if you fix them!

Hahaha, my knock sensors check out. I was just exaggerating a bit out of excitement. Still feel a good difference, especially at regular street cruisining speeds ... accelleration is definately noticeably better. Accellerating on the highway from 110 km/h and up, is a bit quicker, but not earthshatteringly so. Definately a good buy though.

[elwesso]

did you try stage III?

I noticed a huge difference on stage III at highway speeds... from 60MPH on it pulls like a freight train.

[bone_stock_240]

Maybe not. I wired in the switch, but didn't check what position it was in. Didn't have as much time to play around yesterday as I would have wanted to. Do you need to switch between the programs at any specific time, like when the car is off or something?

[cccpman]

what, why would the KS being bad give the engine a 40 horsepower increase over good ones?

If it wouldn't kill my engine I would go back out there right now and slam both with a sledge

I read somewhere that NOT having good KS would cause the ECU to perform worse... whats the true story here?

EDIT

And where are you guys mounting the switch - I plan on a getting it in the glove box when my car starts moving later today but maybe you guys have found something more convenient?

[bone_stock_240]

I just put it in the glovebox. Ran it up underneath that plastic panel under the dash

edit: Made sure I was running stage III, and then drove home. Was going 100 on the highway, and then floored it. Back tires broke traction. Road was a little bit wet. Awesomesauce.

[qsiguy]

what, why would the KS being bad give the engine a 40 horsepower increase over good ones?

I think you misunderstood my comments. When I got my dyno done I had 1 bad knock sensor and had the related code in both my NICO and OEM ecu's. The dyno numbers with the NICO ECU with the bad knock sensor was 222.2 hp. The dyno number with the stock ECU with bad knock sensor was about 150 hp. The power is less with bad knock sensors regardless of which ECU but compare the OEM to NICO ECU's and the NICO ecu has much more power than OEM when your knock sensors are bad.

Now when I get the knock sensors replaced I should have WAY more power with the OEM ECU and more with the NICO ECU, just not sure how much more as I don't know how much power is lost with the NICO ECU while on the knock map. Never done a dyno with good knock sensors Next dyno will be with my turbo install complete and my 2 stage boost controller operational.

Does that make more sense?

...Awesomesauce.

Cool new word!

[Haitian_King]

What are these switches of which you speak? I need a switch for the ECU now?

[bone_stock_240]

Yeah, the Nico ECU has two wires coming off of it. An open circuit is one map, and a closed circuit is the other map. All you have to do is splice a switch onto the wires in order to choose between the 2.

[Rex]

If Wes is making them like robert did, they come with several "modes"StockValetJWTNICOMadMax(might be a couple more).

The NICO ECU that was in Da Beast when I got it from Rob (rswicki) had a dial switch hanging by the pass foot well, but others have done more elaborate set ups. I'll see if I can find them.

[bone_stock_240]

Wes said he is only doing 2 way switchables for now.

[elwesso]

Rob's ECU is special.. His has no EGR as well as a few other minor things that would be easy to replicate.

At this point, im only doing 90-93 2 ways and 4 ways, and 94-95 2 ways. Once i get my boards made I'll know more.