Map O is the UniChip Tuned Base Map, the Map I is the ALTA map specific to your mods. UniChip is now requiring that we map them this way to help with any diagnostic concerns. Also, all warranty is now handled directly through UniChip Vs. ALTA was was done previously.

THANK YOU for your business and your questions!

 

Nice. More vendors need to take a similar attitude. So many companies forget "the customer is always right". I am amazed that some companies argue with their customers, or even worse, blame them for problems or grumble about the way the customer handled things. It may cost a bit of money in the short term but the goodwill is priceless. Because of how this was handled I will certainly shop alta when my mini arrives.

 

Towards any of the Alta employees... What are the plans for a '09 JCW specific tune by you/UniChip? Yes, I know someone's got to get their hands on it 1st. <grin> I'm just wondering if estimations were made of the form "we expect we could have our tune altered specific to that model N number of days from the date we get our hands on one..."?

thnx,
-steve

 

I recieved my PnP last week. During install, I was not able to engage hook on rearmost plug. The others went fairly easy. Any ideas on how to correct this? Yesterday the car threw a CEL that has not gone away even on "0" setting. Tried the stop/restart thing at least 5 times. I'll try to get to Autozone soon to read the code. Any thoughts in the mean time?

 

Well, today the CEL is gone. As I mentioned earlier, I couldn't hook the rearmost plug at the ECU. Trying to engage the today it broke (the metal hook). Is the hook a requirement? The plug will not enter any further to make a new hook a better solution. Any suggestions?

 

I'd say if you have the PnP ECU hooked up with only 2 of the three connections, you bet your gonna have problems.

I don't think the metal hook on the connector closet to the windshield is required, it would help hold the connector in place but it should be a tight enough connection that it is unlikely to come loose.

The first time I took off that smaller connector on mine, it was a pain trying to get it off. The front two connectors go in/out much easier. The more common problem is not having enough slack for the larger connection in front. Once you add in the connection adapter you don't have a lot of slack in the cable to make the connection.

 

As far as the front plug, I did what a couple other guys in this thread did. I plugged the Mini plug into the connector from the PnP then both into the ECU. There was enough slack in the cables that it fit easily. Hope you're right about the last plug. Just had a thought, I might be able to circle the ECU and plug with a zip tie. As a last resort.

 

Best to check that the plugs are fully engaged. If they are, then no problem. The use of a wire tie to hold the lot is likely A-ok! If the car starts and runs fine, then no reason for concern.

Let us know how we can help in anyway further!

 

Thanks for the update Adam. I have the ecu, but the intake and exhaust have not come. Will it throw a cel if I install and run on map 0 with no mods?

 

Nope! Go for it! Should be a-ok!

Thanks again for the patience and the business!

 

Great! I'll pop it in this afternoon. I assume that there is no issue with mounting the ecu on the fuse box cover as originally shown? The instructions that came with the pnp direct you to route things to the passenger compartment which seems to be a more involved install and harder to reverse for service should one choose to do so.

 

PnP installed. Nothing challenging except the previously stated fact that the front plug lead is VERY short and EXTREMELY tight. There is a noticable difference and the car pulls strongly now. Since the car is stock and only has 1400 miles I'm running map 0. Hopefully things will stay CEL-free when the CAI and Cat-back arrive and I switch to map 1.

The extra power magnifies the torque steer issue and though I don't want to wreck the daily-driver ride, I guess I'll have to consider lowering.

Thanks Alta

 

PnP installed today. Only problem I experienced in the install was that the middle and rear OEM plugs have tiny zip ties on them and because they were being pulled more than usual the ties were stopping the locking bracket that pulls over the top of the connector from fully "clicking" into place. Had to push the tie out of the way whilst pulling over the bracket and all ok.
Zip tied the OEM cover over the top of the connectors for good measure

Mounted the Unichip on top of the fuse box and taped up the connectors so they wouldn't get any water if it got all the way up there.

Took car out on setting '0' - all ok, seemed to actually pull a little better in the mid and upper end.

Switched to setting '1' after 2 or 3 miles - - initially drove ok, though didn't seem as good as '0' and then after about 1/2 mile I stepped on it a few times at low rpm in 3rd and it just bogged down. Tried again in 4th a few times at higher speed (but low rpm) and same and then got limp mode so no boost.

Now, I had heard of some issues with some Alta intakes collapsing and my intake already appeared a little "squashed" about 2/3 of the way from the MAF. So I grabbed a large hose clamp and placed it around the suspect section and tightened it up so that it evenly touched around the pipe resulting in a more circular appearance.
I then took it out again and it was a lot better and didn't bog down immediately but in higher gears (4th & 5th) it was definitely worst than setting '0' and after a few pulls it went into limp mode again and threw a CEL. CEL did not reset after 8 consecutive restarts but it did

Will contact ADAM and get him to send me an updated intake pipe. In the meatime I switched it back to '0' and it runs fine even with CEL

 

Any ETA yet ADAM ?

 

put your OEM turbo inlet back on and see how it works. That solved the CEL and boost issues for me. Just a suggestion to help you get to the bottom of it faster... so you can go faster! MAP 0 is for the grannies

 

Thanks for the post and the feedback. I am out of the office until Monday, so lets chat then! Thanks again!

 

UPDATE :-

Changed out the ALTA intake pipe and reinstalled the OEM pipe .... NOTE ... the OEM pipe is MUCH sturdier than the ALTA when you try to squeeze it.
I Checked the other ALTA silicon pipes and although they were a bit stiffer than the ALTA intake pipe they were no where near as stiff as the OEM intake, however, they dont need to be as stiff as they handle positive pressure not negative. They just need to be stiff enough that they don't "swell".
This explains why true racing engines use custom steel piping that will neither collapse nor swell.

So, took car for a run on setting '0' to warm the engine up and all was well so switched to '1' and all was still good with no "bogging" or limp mode but it actually felt a little LESS powerful than setting '0'.
After driving a few miles I took it back home and double checked the clamps I could reach and they were all tight (couldn't reach OEM clamps on FMIC exit side)
I then decided to disconnect battery and depress brake pedal as I believe this resets the ECU learning/adaptive software, right ?

Anyways, took it out for a drive and again all was good on '0' with no real change felt from before the reset but then when switched to '1' you could now feel it was more powerful than '0', just not what I was expecting (having had a 2002 GTI 1.8T chipped) but it has yet to fully learn so will give it time and then disconnect it all and run stock to compare.

I am obviously not making the most of the ECU upgrade as I do not have a DP and CB exhaust. On my 2002 GTI I did the same and had the ECU done prior to any exhaust mods. I then had a 3" DP & catback installed and it was as if 50% of the power/tq gain was waiting for the exhaust to be installed.

Anyway, no exhaust for me on this car so will try it out and see for a week or so.

 

FYI: The newest versions of the ALTA Inlet tubes now feature an internal wire to help maintain shape in even the highest of boost levels or plugged filters.
The earlier versions (if cured properly) should be just as firm as what he describes the boost tubes to be. If yours is softer than you expected it to be PLEASE let us know. A few early softies did cause some issues as described above.

Thanks again folks! As always let me know how I can ever help further!

 

.... and for those contemplating an ECU PnP unit I would highly recommend you get at least your boost tubes upgraded to better flowing aftermarket tubes from ALTA, Forge, M7 etc as it definitely made a difference on my engine performance and smoothness. This is all assuming you have upgraded to a better flowing intake filter system 1st

Also, forgot to add that testing conditions where I live in Ft Worth TX were 92 F and around 750'-1000' above sea level

 

Excellent points!

 

Okay, silly ECU question here.... do the ECU's actually "learn" or have any real adaptive capacity? I thought they were "map" or table driven. Is the "learning" thing urban/internet legend?

 

Almost every engine management computer and every automatic transmission management computer in every new vehicle available for sale has adaptive learning. They have been this way for quite a few years now.

 

They are map/table driven. However the active map can be switched.
It's more accurate to say the ECUs switch between several different maps, based on the driving style. I.e. the throttle angle and rate of speed of the change of the throttle angle, the rate of release of the throttle, etc. I'm sure that an ECU can't "interpolate" and algorithmically select an AFR & ignition timing as the RPM changes based on load requirements... it's all programmed into a table and the active table that is used is swapped in & out. ...the way I know it.

...I also thought this was a trait only of automatic transmissions... With manual transmissions this doesn't occur, other than having the "sport"/"standard" button. I may be wrong.

MB started using this in the mid-90s. Is is also the single most vile thing ever invented. I call it the car going into "grandpa mode". If I don't beat on my C43/55, the responsiveness to movement in the throttle becomes close to non-existent. With the E55 engine swapped, in, I need to press the peddle even less to get up to speed ... accelerating the activation of "grandpa mode"! <grrr>

 

im still lurking haha . How much will it cost to upgrade the inlet hose and intake hose? Also, do I have to get new boost tubes?

 

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