AS I write this, Ben is soldering some wire and resistors to my ECU. Talk about scary!

First of all he dismantled the area in front of the windscreen.

Then he used a grinder to put a flat head in the security bolts so he could remove it from the car.

Then he had to heat up the casing to soften the seal so that he could get into the circuit board.

We won't know if he can remap it until he has soldered the wires and required resistors onto the board and hooked it up to the laptop.

Mike

Edited 7 January, 201115 yr by rockhopper

AS I write this, Ben is soldering some wire and resistors to my ECU. Talk about scary!

First of all he dismantled the area in front of the windscreen.

Then he used a grinder to put a flat head in the security bolts so he could remove it from the car.

Then he had to heat up the casing to soften the seal so that he could get into the circuit board.

I salute your bravery.

I salute your bravery.

As Ben just said "He who Dares, Wins"

Mike

We have been able to read the ECU......

Some more photos:

open heart surgery finished:

Connected to laptop

The laptop doing its stuff

Mike

As Ben just said "He who Dares, Wins"

Mike

I damn well hope he does. Salute !

I've paid for my Remap (and DPF removal as well) already as part of Shark's 12 days of Christmas offers.

PS> So there's no 'keyhole surgery' involved then.

Looking forward to hearing how the performance improves.

Fascinating pics, thanks for that.

Hope he didnt connect it up to fax machine in the background.

(Though could be a useful add on)

Hope he didnt connect it up to fax machine in the background.

The remap is now written and installed.

Now to put it all back together......

Mike

Wow..... it does indeed sound scary! But seems to have worked! You will have a total blast driving back! Enjoy!

Thanks Mike,

very interesting to see the process in action, very much appreciate your updates. Far to scary a procedure for me to even consider putting a Monster through mind

Will stick I think to the old engineers adage; if it's not broke don't fix it

Anyway have a safe and enjoyable drive home,

TP

Im betting the drive home will be far more fun than the drive there!

Say Hi to Ben for me please!

Cant wait to read the 'post' remap update.

EEK!

More radical surgery than I expected.

Won't it be plain at Service time that the ECU has been opened?

I wonder if the 'Security' bolts are generally available? I have a set of 20 different 'Security sockets' - hopefully one of those might fit?

Edited 7 January, 201115 yr by Merlinman

Wont that somehow invalidate your warranty if you have a problem sometime ??

And presume you would also have to tell your insurers ??...is it a modification ??

The remap is now written and installed.

<Puts on IT Project Manager's hat>

I do hope he had taken a backup before he did that!

<Takes off IT Project Manager's hat>

Looking forward to hearing your impressions of the result.

Boring question: What's the VED situation with mods like this - presumably the manufacturer's quoted CO2 figures no longer apply?

I suppose the questions regarding warranties and VED co2 emissions are inevitable given the politically correct world we live in these years...

Surely the chap having the reconfiguration of his engine electronic control unit is not going to shout about the changes made to the garage performing its next MOT nor is he likely to beg for a premium increase by informing the insurance company. The chances are the MOT test won't fail and the insurance company are hardly likely to inspect the ECU !

I reckon it's in the same area of naughtiness as fitting 195/65R16 tyres instead of 195/60R16. As long as the owner is being responsible eg, the tyre is strong enough for the load, then there is no problem. I know what some are thinking: but surely his Yeti will be faster than it was intended to go, well, yes, but not by much and at the end of the day, it could to be more effecient on fuel and point us all in the same direction.

I too, am eager to hear the test results for power and fuel efficiency.

And presume you would also have to tell your insurers ??...is it a modification ??

Mike did tell the insurance and with Skoda Insurance it was only a 10% increase on the premium... and guess who insured my Yeti... Hmmm... Lustfully thinking of an upgrade....

Mike did tell the insurance and with Skoda Insurance it was only a 10% increase on the premium... and guess who insured my Yeti... Hmmm... Lustfully thinking of an upgrade....

+ 1.

I sorted my Insurance with Skoda Insurance (Allianz) yesterday and declared "Remap; 140bhp to 170bhp; not dealer installed; Shark Performance" - quick check with Underwriters = "that'll be + 10%, Sir". Fair enough to me.

Its as if they are insuring a CR170 Yeti (not a CR140).

I'm taking delivery of Kevin tomorrow and am booked to see Shark Performance once I've run him in.

Edited 7 January, 201115 yr by bahnstormer vrs

+1

I got the same treatment

I suppose the questions regarding warranties and VED co2 emissions are inevitable given the politically correct world we live in these years...

Surely the chap having the reconfiguration of his engine electronic control unit is not going to shout about the changes made to the garage performing its next MOT nor is he likely to beg for a premium increase by informing the insurance company. The chances are the MOT test won't fail and the insurance company are hardly likely to inspect the ECU !

I reckon it's in the same area of naughtiness as fitting 195/65R16 tyres instead of 195/60R16. As long as the owner is being responsible eg, the tyre is strong enough for the load, then there is no problem. I know what some are thinking: but surely his Yeti will be faster than it was intended to go, well, yes, but not by much and at the end of the day, it could to be more effecient on fuel and point us all in the same direction.

I too, am eager to hear the test results for power and fuel efficiency.

Well said sir!

Enjoy the car Mike!

I suppose the questions regarding warranties and VED co2 emissions are inevitable given the politically correct world we live in these years...

Surely the chap having the reconfiguration of his engine electronic control unit is not going to shout about the changes made to the garage performing its next MOT nor is he likely to beg for a premium increase by informing the insurance company. The chances are the MOT test won't fail and the insurance company are hardly likely to inspect the ECU !

I reckon it's in the same area of naughtiness as fitting 195/65R16 tyres instead of 195/60R16. As long as the owner is being responsible eg, the tyre is strong enough for the load, then there is no problem. I know what some are thinking: but surely his Yeti will be faster than it was intended to go, well, yes, but not by much and at the end of the day, it could to be more effecient on fuel and point us all in the same direction.

I too, am eager to hear the test results for power and fuel efficiency.

That's the kind of point of view I like to hear. I AM the man with 215/55 - 16 tyres instead of 205/55 or 215/60.

Well done and another strike against PCness.

John

I suppose the questions regarding warranties and VED co2 emissions are inevitable given the politically correct world we live in these years...

Jeez, all I did was ask about the legal situation regarding VED. I genuinely don't know, and it just occurred to me to ask. I wasn't judging anyone or telling anyone else how to behave. Are you sure that a Nissan Micra is your usual mode of transport? It looks more like a high horse from here.

I too am interested to hear what the OP thinks of his remap, as I said in my original post.

Jeez, all I did was ask about the legal situation regarding VED. I genuinely don't know, and it just occurred to me to ask. I wasn't judging anyone or telling anyone else how to behave. Are you sure that a Nissan Micra is your usual mode of transport? It looks more like a high horse from here.

I too am interested to hear what the OP thinks of his remap, as I said in my original post.

The VED is not based on actual emissions, it's based on the manufacturers figures so it will stay the same.

<Puts on IT Project Manager's hat>

I do hope he had taken a backup before he did that!

<Takes off IT Project Manager's hat>

Oh yes, every single one

Jeez, all I did was ask about the legal situation regarding VED. I genuinely don't know, and it just occurred to me to ask. I wasn't judging anyone or telling anyone else how to behave. Are you sure that a Nissan Micra is your usual mode of transport? It looks more like a high horse from here.

I too am interested to hear what the OP thinks of his remap, as I said in my original post.

Indeed you did. How on earth others have interpreted that as anything to do with political correctness is beyond me! I too am extremely interested in Mike & Sharks efforts (beats East Enders any day!) and thought about raising the point again around warranty issues arising if there is an engine management problem (fully accepting it is likely to be nothing to with Shark) and the dealer sees that degree of tampering. That could end up being really expensive! If the ECU box needs to be heated to open it up will that subsequently allow ingress of moisture that the sealing was designed to keep out?

As I say, I was going to ask because I am genuinely interested in knowing others' views but I'm afraid of being called a heretic