Hey All-

Was doing some research on the GIAC ECU Flash....and found that I could do it myself...All you need is an OB2 Connector ($20) and a laptop PC....And you can download the GIAC Program for free!

My question is, with all this available for such low costs why are people like Helix charging $325 for an ECU Flash? If we can do this all for free with one connector valued at $20, why spend the extra $300?

 

My guess is that it's like MTH -- you get the connector, download software to pull your ecu file and upload the GIAC file, but it's the tuning of the GIAC file to your specific car/mods and needs that warrants the cost.

But having never dealt with GIAC, I don't know for sure...

 

The logic levels are different, so you can't just plug a serial port into the OBD-II connector. I've seen relatively low cost circuit scematics, but if what you say is true, you could download a map from any "tuned" car and upload it at will to other cars!

Let me know your progress....

Matt

ps, or course that would be theft, but it would be cheap!

 

The GIAC software that can be downloaded from their website is the application needed to download the GIAC file to your ECU. It's not the tuned file itself.

From my understanding, there aren't many places that have tuned the GIAC for the MINI.

You may want to verify this, but I pretty sure that's how it is.

 

That downloadable program is simply a method of transferrance, it does not contain the tuned and encrypted files for a MINI. Further, you can't load GIAC tuned files through a generic OBD2 interface. Why? To prevent people from stealing software. But I'm sure that Silverbullet3687 and Dr Obnxs weren't advocating software theft, right?

 

But I don't really understand. I thought that the upload/download was mandated by the EPA via the OBD-II stuff, and that would allow anyone to download a tune, or upload one too! I don't honestly know if there's any encriptions or not. But it sure does seem that the system is hackable, just look at all the tuners that offer the services. There are many, many more in Europe, and even some that will sell you the keys to the castle, so to speak. But they aren't cheap!

But not matter what the trueth is here, I think that doing so would really run afoul of a lot of digital copyright stuff, and term of use agreements and the like.

I just want a SW package that can let me tune my own car! And all the ones I've found that will let me do this are over $5k!

Matt

 

I suspect you'd have to sniff the port after the OBD2 adapter; the data would have to be decrypted by that point. But I don't know a whole lot about flashing ECUs. I wouldn't advocate copying the software anyway, that's Garrett's intellectual property and I'm sure he'd lay the lawyer smack down on you if he found out!

 

Hey All,
$325.00 is a steal! The local GIAC dealer in this pit hole of a city want's $595.00 plus tax! And to think about it I think $325.00 is a rip-off! Because if you read GIAC web site they won't warranty crap!

 

Hehe. I've got a certain project in the planning stages regarding said hack. I'll post if and when I get time to work out the little details.

 

chris, you don't understand it, haha. you're not gonna get an ecu flash for free...period. take it to a licensed GIAC dealer, or remove your ecu and send it to GIAC. i got mine done on-site at Waterfest by EIP tuning. Although since my GTI is engine code AWW, I actually had to have a chip soldered on.