Ecu programing for boosted applications

[Eggman]

Okay is okay then. Back to ECU programming.

So, what is involved in reprogramming fuel delivery in today's vehicles? The Mirage has been in production for over seven years now and sold in North America since late 2013. Why hasn't this already been done? Is it because of some protection method by Mitsubishi that makes reprogramming difficult? Or is it because it's a small economy car with a weak 3-cylinder engine that doesn't draw the enthusiast crowd due to inherent weaknesses?

I understand the ECU has been reprogrammed (or at least claimed to) in other markets.

[Eggman]

I'm of the opinion that just because a car is cheap, doesn't mean it can't be fun. I really like alot about these cars, and it wouldn't take much to make this a fun little car.

For the record, I agree with this. However, I think the car is fun and fine as it is. I use the Mirage in the way it was intended.

The Mirage has changed how I drive. I get tired of aggressive driving on public roads and the problems it causes. Maybe this is because I have a family - I don't know. I can see how drivers who don't have a family or children to look after don't get it.

[kzelisko]

I suspect the only reason it hasn't been done yet is because it requires a lot of work and skill combined with the fact that this just isn't a particularly popular car, so no big name tuner is going to bother.

[Daox]

Id agree with kzelisko. Its not a performance car, so there isn't money to be made by shops who specialize in this kind of work. That leaves it to us to figure out. Its a pretty high level type of thing that not many posses the skill to do. So, it doesn't happen.

[namco]

I would just get an aftermarket ECU like Haltech. I had emailed them a long while back, and if you send them a pinout or image of the stock ECU, plus a fee, they can make you an adapter harness to plug right into their ECU. Then you can go ham.

[kzelisko]

I would just get an aftermarket ECU like Haltech. I had emailed them a long while back, and if you send them a pinout or image of the stock ECU, plus a fee, they can make you an adapter harness to plug right into their ECU. Then you can go ham.

The problem is in a modern networked car, there's a good chance that half the car won't work if you use an aftermarket ecu unless you use it as a piggyback and that kinda sucks.

[namco]

The problem is in a modern networked car, there's a good chance that half the car won't work if you use an aftermarket ecu unless you use it as a piggyback and that kinda sucks.

like what?.....

[kzelisko]

First thing that comes to mind is the push button start, probably cruise control, possibly some or all of the cluster, probably other stuff too. Pretty much anything that needs to talk to the ecu may not work correctly or at all. Now it's possible depending on how advanced the aftermarket ecu that it can communicate on the bus, but I don't know how well that would work.

[Eggman]

This illustrates my concerns nicely. There's lots of obstacles to overcome, for marginal gains.

This car is so locked down we can't even manage TPMS, much less an ECU.

[kzelisko]

I doubt the security on this ecm is outside of the ordinary. It's probably about the same as an evo or regular lancer of the same vintage, and those, for the most part, have all been cracked. A cracked factory ecu won't have any of those problems, making it the best choice if someone can figure out how to do it.