Power upgrades

[andrewk]

Hi folks,

Some of you will know that I have an ongoing problem with an overboost error on my Patrol. I've pretty much exhausted all of the options, yet still it overboosts. The MAF sensor is fine, the MAP (boost) sensor is fine, the turbo VNT calibration is OK, the VNT actuator holds it vacuum, the VNT control solenoid is OK, the turbo does NOT have sticky vanes.

I cannot help but wonder whether this overboost problem is the result of some attempted power upgrade (by or on behalf of) the first owner that has gone wrong. I know there are a number of options for power upgrades (but don't know about any in detail) - and that some involve re-flashing or replacing an ECU chip.

I guess that some of you folks will have investigated or even installed power upgrades. Can anyone give me a simple walk-through of how I might go about checking whether someone has installed a power-mod on my Patrol (2005, ZD30)?

Any thoughts?

Andrew

 

[rayf3262]

For what its worth, as far as I am aware "re-flashing" of circa 2000 Nissan/Zexel/Bosch ECU's is not possible. I have a couple on on my bench, they mostly use Hitachi/Motorola parts that are certainly not flash memory.

The only way that I know of changing the ECU mapping would be to perform open heart surgery and remove the ROM and replace it with one of you own making, not a trivial task, and one that I would think would be apparent by use of MK1 eyeball inside the ECU.
It is also possible that someone may have tinkered with some of the analogue circuitry, but there is not so much of that on yours as the IP is CAN bus controlled.
The board is conformal (clear) coated so any mods should be readily apparent.

 

[Timbo_1975]

The edc15c2 is only flashable via replacing the two rom chips (and usually socketing them so they can be replaced again and again) as you can only flash the chips once.

2001-on c3's are flashable over and over via the OBD connector without opening the ecu.

I am not sure which exact ecu the zd30 uses depending on year.

If it's a later ecu then the only way to check for a non stock map would be to read the checksums unless the map is really poor inwhich case an experienced man would soon spot it as being non-stock.

Any half decent remap will raise the overboost/limp threshold, as greater boost response always comes with more fuelling, that said unless it was a particularly poor map, the programmer would always arrange for better boost control over the stock map- which as we know is pretty close to shocking.

 

[andrewk]

2001-on c3's are flashable over and over via the OBD connector without opening the ecu.

I am not sure which exact ecu the zd30 uses depending on year.

Doe this help?

Andrew

 

[rayf3262]

If you have any more than 7 populated pins in the DLC then chances are you have an EOBD compliant ECU.

As your vehicle is post 2004 (2005?) that suggests it could be EOBD.

 

[andrewk]

As your vehicle is post 2004 (2005?) that suggests it could be EOBD.

A 2005 Patrol is a Consult-II jobbie, so is neither EOBD or OBD-II compliant - though the diagnostics connector is OBD-II format (physically, but not electrically).

Andrew

 

[Thomas-the-Terrano2]

Andrew have you travelled or driven any other troll, cant say i have but wonder
about a get together to compare notes performance,

tbh not had a check light for over a month and that includes towing thru roundabouts
and up ramps that normally produce the code.

perhaps just lucky for now. though i have still wonders if mines a grunty as was when
towing. it got quite warm on a motorway grade good friday but then on a roads at
50mph was just on half on temp gauge.

was thinking if low on power or not set right would work harder and make more heat
though do wonder what our caravan is really tipping scales at loaded!

looking at a hol in southport are this year perhaps meet up or even solo between homes
and compare.