23 replies to this topic

[Gibbo]

Is it possible / necessary to reset the ECU or anything else for that matter after any modifications? fitting a stage 1? engine rebuild / rebore?

can't seem to find much info other than a few comments saying it can be done?

[Sprocket]

Just drive it and take it easy for a short short period, the ECU will learn the new characteristics

ECU adaptive parameters can only be reset with a diagnostic service tool

[Gibbo]

Brilliant, wasn't sure if there was anymore to it than that.

cheers

[PMM]

With the ignition set to the power postition ((i.e. engine not running but electrics on)

5 quick presses of the accelerator resets the Dizzy
10 quick presses of the accelerator resets the ECU

[Sprocket]

With the ignition set to the power postition ((i.e. engine not running but electrics on)

5 quick presses of the accelerator resets the Dizzy
10 quick presses of the accelerator resets the ECU

Says whom?

You forgot the bit where you have to get out of the car run round it twice and then get back in

But then i assume you know this, and you are winding me up

[PMM]

quite genuine....

Ignore the fact the link says stepper motor but the contents is right for the ECU reset

http://www.minifinit...e_stepper_motor

Dizzy is 5 presses

On the Dizzy you will hear it tick as it steps though the adjustment

proper info is on a uk classic mini parts place can't quite remember which one but will try to find it.

Did both because I had to replace the vac tube elbows that had gone brittle and another one as well as adjusting the accelerator cable as the throttle body was not opening to it full extent... was exploring options at the time for different possible airfilter assembly.

The changes required the dizzy to re-sync to get the correct tick over speed but I decided to do the ECU one as well so it could re-train there and then.

Runs an absolute dream

Edited by PMM, 02 March 2008 - 10:46 PM.

[Sprocket]

Id like to see that in a Rover worksop manual

http://www.minifinit...P...&highlight=

Its ********

[Mini_Magic]

Sorry but how can you "reset" the coil pack? Did you mean reset the ignition timing from the ECU?

As said above, give the ECU time to adapt to the changes. Just remember that the ECU will be set up for reliability and fuel economy, not performance.

[DaveRob]

Its ********

LMAO..... that so made me laugh....

[PMM]

Id like to see that in a Rover worksop manual

http://www.minifinit...P...&highlight=

Its ********

maybe your not doing it correctly ?

Funny how you dis the mini-infinity thread over the Dizzy I certainly know that one works go give it a try I'll tell you know exactly how to do it and you report back....

Per the instructions put you ignition to the II position
((Now just incase your throttle cable is slack )) Open the bonnet
Locate the throttle linkage arm
Now very quickly push it forward to its full extent then let it flick back
repeat 5 times within 5 seconds

Tell me what sound you hear after the 5th press..... might not be in the workshop manual but you can't say it does not do what its doing

Don't make me attempt to borrow a vid cam from somebody... !!!!!

Now admittedly the ECU reset I can't quite remember
but it may have been 10 times within 10 seconds then turn the ignition off for at least 2 mins

Edited by PMM, 03 March 2008 - 06:33 PM.

[tmsmini]

Edited by tmsmini, 04 March 2008 - 09:49 PM.

[Sprocket]

If you feel you notice a difference, then i am happy for you.

The noise you hear is nothing to do with the distributor, the ignition, or advance, has nothing to do with the MAP sensor, throttle position sensor or anything else other than the stepper motor.


Would any manufacturer, not just Rover ever have a method so easy and simple to reset any sort of engine tune, such as pressing the throttle pedal 5 or 10 times. So with your kids, sitting in the drivers seat, having a play, as they do, pressing the pedal and tuning the key, im sure there are plenty of parents out there who allow kids to do this supervised, you know, push the horn, turn the wipers on and off, squirting the wahser jets, pressing the pedals, inadvertantly reseting the tune of the engine. the engine then runs rough and you return the car to the dealer where you bought it complaining of a problem, under warranty, the dealer then spends 2 hours on it unble to actualy find anything wrong. Multiply that by however much you wish considering the production numbers of that perticular vehicle, and those 2 hours soon add up to a massive un nescisary expense, all because some one pressed the pedal 10 times.

Dont think that the manufacturers are blind to this, they are not. If they spend hundreds of thousands of pounds tunning and mapping the engine management system, to the near perfection where fueling and ignition under every likely concieveble condition, so that the owner of that vehicle wont notice any difference in how it drives, or they may be back to the garage under warranty, they certainly are not going to give the general public any sort of 'switch' that causes a change in tune with out their knowing it.

when the management system is suffering a fault, however small, even a dirty air filter, the adaptive parameters will adjust around it, and most of the time becomes un noticable. You then your kids inadvertantly reset the ecu and when you next go for a drive, the engine runs poorly untill it re adapts. The manufacturers envisage this and wont let it happen.

Its like some people think that the ECU adapts to the way you drive, when its actualy adapting as you drive.

You have to look at the bigger picture, rather than be thinking inside a box.

You do what you want, its your car, who am I to doubt you, Im no expert and do not confess to be, I am a self taught amature. I know all the ******** that 'garages' come out with and i fix cars that these highly trained ' experts' cannot. I dont get big headed about it, i just fix stuff in a practical, methodical manner, that others cant. I do however think that what you experienced is the 'placebo effect' you have done something that you have been told will do something, so in your mind it has.

Chinese Whispers comes to mind 'I heard it from a mate who heard it from a mate who heard it from his brother in law who heard it from his mate who works at a garage'

[Mini_Magic]

So what have we learnt today kids? Don't play with throttle pedals!

But seriously, stamping on the throttle pedal will only flood your engine.

[Sprocket]

So what have we learnt today kids? Don't play with throttle pedals!

But seriously, stamping on the throttle pedal will only flood your engine.

Not in an injection mini

[Avl_Paul]

That's a pretty funny thread. I used to work for Magneti Marelli and worked directly with the ECU programmers and calibrators. I have to agree that they would not have made resetting be something like repeatedly hitting the throttle - mainly because it is not an exacting method. That said, I can also easily imagine them not thinking about the possibility of a kid doing it - that made me laugh since my kids routinely sit in my Mini and play with all the buttons.

In the U.S. market ECU's, most of the OBD units have the tables reset when you disconnect the battery for ~3-5 minutes as it clears volatile memory. I used to reset my Ford check-engine lights that way all the time. I miss the early ECU cars that allowed you to read the check engine codes by putting a voltmeter on certain pins and it woudl give you the error value as a voltage. Or the ones that blinked a light in a certain pattern. Those were the days (when manufacturers didn't expect us to have all these tools). Anyone got a Crypton ACT for sale yet?