ECU auto manual differences

Discussion in 'Technical' started by vbevan, Jul 22, 2012.

  1. vbevan

    vbevan Active Member

    Hi,

    Just wanted to confirm if there are any differences between an auto and a manual ECU? Looking the service manual and also on courtesyparts.com, it seems the only differences are between TT and NA systems. I know the AT computer is a different module, so I'm assuming the ECU couldn't have anything inside extra, else chipping them would disable that? I'm also assuming the pinouts must be the same too?

    Reason being, I need to get a nistune chip put in my car but can't use my Mines ECU (since the chip is epoxied in), so I'm going to start looking for one but had to check first that there aren't any differences?

    Cheers.
     
    vbevan, Jul 22, 2012
    #1
  2. mmarschall

    mmarschall 3.5 zeds in sheds

    You can use an MT or AT ECU on a MT car, but not the other way around.
     
    mmarschall, Jul 22, 2012
    #2
  3. pexzed

    pexzed Forum Administrator

    Auto ECU advances base timing at closed throttle by 10 degrees outside of neutral and park, to compensate for the drag of the torque converter.
     
    pexzed, Jul 23, 2012
    #3
  4. JEDI-77

    JEDI-77 Jedi Master

    5th gear map changes...

    There is also differences in the ECU maps in regards to switching to the 5th gear map....

     
    JEDI-77, Jul 23, 2012
    #4
  5. vbevan

    vbevan Active Member

    Yeah, I thought there may be some variation with timings, but wouldn't this be stored in the chip too? So if I get a Nistune put in, whoever tuned it would take the fact it's an auto into account and put base timing adjustments etc. in, since all that info is stored in the chip?
     
    vbevan, Jul 23, 2012
    #5
  6. vbevan

    vbevan Active Member

    5th gear? 4th/OD you mean? So ACTU decides to lock and engage OD and tells ECU which then adjusts timing and/or fuel map it's running? I assumed that might happen, but if a Nistune is put in, won't you lose that anyway? So the Nistune would have to have that data for shift changes?
     
    vbevan, Jul 23, 2012
    #6
  7. lurker_nz

    lurker_nz New Member

    Depends on who is writing the tune to the chip. Just remeber the old adage "if you don't ask you don't get". Never assume anything. If you supplied a tuner with an auto chip and just asked for it to be loaded then that's most likely exactly what they did.
     
    lurker_nz, Jul 23, 2012
    #7
  8. vbevan

    vbevan Active Member

    No, that's fine. What I am trying to get to is, is there anything about the ECU that varies between auto and manual, that would matter if you were getting a Nistune done. Makes hunting for a replacement easier if I can grab any ECU varient. From the sound of it, everything unique to the auto version is contained in the chip which gets replaced, meaning it doesn't matter what sort of ECU you use to get chipped.

    Anyone know anything that contradicts this, otherwise I'll start searching ;)
     
    vbevan, Jul 23, 2012
    #8

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