Never having modded an electronic car before, I have no experience as to how/if this would work. I do have a lot of computer background though.
My question is this,
would it be worthwhile trying to pick up a CPU (say, out of a wrecked MCS) for reprogramming by Powerchips or EVOTech or whoever? My thinking is, can I have 1 chip that is remapped, and also have my stock chip to swap back in when I need to take Alice to the dealer? Are the chips freely interchangeable like that? Will it affect my odometer/engine/anything else if I was to do something like this?
Do the ECUs have the VIN programmed into them or something antipiracy like that? :???:

 

>>would it be worthwhile trying to pick up a CPU (say, out of a wrecked MCS) for reprogramming by Powerchips or EVOTech or whoever? My thinking is, can I have 1 chip that is remapped, and also have my stock chip to swap back in when I need to take Alice to the dealer? Are the chips freely interchangeable like that? Will it affect my odometer/engine/anything else if I was to do something like this?
No you can't do multiple ECUs. If you have powerchip or aftermarket ECU upgrades you can save your old file and then go through the trouble of reloading it but it requires hardware and software- it's not practical and you don't need to be worried about your dealer. Since there are so many problems with ECU updates just tell the dealer not to touch your ECU software version.

>>Do the ECUs have the VIN programmed into them or something antipiracy like that? :???:
Yes each ECU is for individual VIN so everything must match up.You cannot swap one program file from MINI to another MINI.

 

>>... can I have 1 chip that is remapped, and also have my stock chip to swap back in when I need to take Alice to the dealer?
>>
There is already one chip on the market [AmD OneClick] which allows you to switch back and forth between a performance mapping and the stock mapping.

I'm sure there will be others soon.

 

But what is the problem with swapping one ECU for another? I can swap any 2.2gHz P4 chip for any other 2.2gHz P4 chip in a pc, why can't I do the same with ECU chips that I assume came off the same production line? :???:

<edit>
Oops. Missed the line about ECUs matching the VIN. But i've seen posts where dealers replaced ECUs. How does that work? Could the software/hardware that is used to flash the ECU also overwrite the VIN?
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Alice (Cooper) is almost as much fun as I had hoped. Would my fuel economy improve if I didn't have so much fun?

LY/B MCS, black scoop & bonnet stripes. MINIAC plates.

 

>>Oops. Missed the line about ECUs matching the VIN. But i've seen posts where dealers replaced ECUs. How does that work? Could the software/hardware that is used to flash the ECU also overwrite the VIN?

Yes the ECU hardware is the same but that is not the problem. Right now the dealers cannot save the current ECU file for a given MINI VIN and then reinstall it into the SAME ECU. They cannot restore an updated ECU to it's former state.
Hopefully that will be corrected in the future.

I'm not sure how the dealer replaces the ECU- whether you need both new and old at the dealership or they have to send it out to convert VIN ID. I don't think think the software update that the dealers use will overwrite VIN- it doesn't have that capability.

If you are thinking of working on the ECU software you need to read this from Eric at Helix13
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...c=16190&10

I hope you have alot of spare time and are independently wealthy- it looks like a big project in the works.

 

I'm not wealthy, and I don't have a huge amount of free time, but I do have a lot of experience writing and debugging code in various languages. Not in this kind of application, of course, but still...
I wonder what language the ECU runs in, and how it stores the VIN?

 

I'd love to find out...let us know if you actually pursue this. :smile:

 

Can anyone either point me in the direction of the hardware I'd need to grab the configuration files from the chip in my car, or send me a config file to play with?
I probably have all the non-car computer bits I'd need, but I have no idea what's involved in connecting a computer to the car.

 

Like minihune said (at least I think he did), powerchips has the stuff to hook up to your car, it's just a special cable that hooks to your lab top and the diagnostic port, maybe they would loan you one for a price.

 

>>Like minihune said (at least I think he did), powerchips has the stuff to hook up to your car, it's just a special cable that hooks to your lab top and the diagnostic port, maybe they would loan you one for a price.

Agro-
Some ideas. If you are so inclined and interested then you can:
Contact Powerchips and let them know of your interest. Offer them help in whatever way you feel you can. They have the hardware interface worked out with their laptop computer and software for the MINI.

Eric at Helix is busy with alot of things. Contact him and let him know of your interest in the ECU upgrade as well-maybe you can get more info or assist. there is always much to do and much to consider (troubleshoot, get creative ideas, work out the bugs, you seem good with software so that is a plus maybe for them- depends on their resources).

Doing R&D might be fun. Or like dropping into a deep black hole.

 

When I had my Evotech software installed by Randy of Webb Motorsport, he told me that the dealer cannot detect the software upgrade. What you must be careful to tell your dealer if you have the upgrade is for them NOT to reflash your ECU because you are happy with the way the car performs and that you have heard through sources like MCO, that the new software upgrades have issues. My local MINI dealer does not reflash your ECU unless you ask them to because you have an issue (not a very good endorsement for the new software versions by MINI).

Despite other posts about the performance software by Evotech or Superchips, this is a fantastic mod IMHO. I would agree however it may be too highly priced at this time and should come down to the $300 to $400 range (comparable to other ECU upgrades for many other cars). One of the tuner magazines (I believe it was Sport Compact Car), several months ago said that ECU performance software really makes a difference with the MCS. If I remember correctly, the gain in HP was up to 20% primarily due to the MINI software not allowing WOT (partially closed). I am happy with my decision for both the pulley and ECU upgrade.

 

Cool. Thanks for the ideas Minihune. I might just do that.