Removing Piggyback Ecu

[greensa14]

Hi all,

I got done by the EPA. I need to remove my Piggyback ECU (UNICHIP). Is it just a matter of pulling it out, and removing the relevant wired up connections?

I also have larger injectors, and Z32 AFM. I will be removing these and replacing with stock items.

Once these are removed i just reset my ECU and the car will run?

Or is there anything else i need to do for it to run off standard computer?

[Dose Pipe Sutututu]

You will see that some piggy backs actually run in series with the ECU wiring, just remove the piggyback & join back the relevant wires.

As long as you replace the aftermarket larger injectors & Z32 your car will run fine off the standard computer. Also make sure your base timing is correct to, the previous owner/tuner may have adjusted the CAS to suit the piggy back.

[Turbo Dave]

I pulled the Kick Panel off my GTR today, when I bought the car I was told it had a MIMO Piggyback (Dunno What that is) but cant actually see anything that looks like an ECU of any kind only a little brown box with some heavy gauge wires coming out of it, Plenty of Splicing though!!

[Don Dada]

That brown box is just used as a junction for earthing

[Turbo Dave]

Ok thanks for clearing that up I will have to look a little deeper, has Nismo AFM's so there has to be something in there surely!!

Edited April 8, 2010 by Turbo Dave

[greensa14]

Will have a good look tonight. see what needs to be done. EPA raping me hard.

[R31Nismoid]

greensa14 - totally depends as others have said - how the UNICHIP is installed.

Perhaps get some pics?

If you have to unwire it and so on, it's going to be a pain in the ass.

You'd be better off with a PFC or something that is a replacement setup - 30 sec to remove from the factory harness.

Ok thanks for clearing that up I will have to look a little deeper, has Nismo AFM's so there has to be something in there surely!!

Open the cover. I'd say it's a chip on the actual ECU board.

There is no way you'll have aftermarket AFM's without a chip to alter it as there is no wire-in piggy back in those pics

[Turbo Dave]

Thanks mate. Had me scrathing my head looking for a piggyback, chip on the board sounds to be on the money.

[greensa14]

I had a look last night. It is an external ecu that has been tapped in to the other wires on the factory unit to obviously change the readings as they pass through.

So it looks like i need to remove the spliced wires and re-solder the factory ones so they dont bypass.

Yea PFC would be good, but over worrying about defects etc. Dont want anything visible.

Looking at going Nistune.

[R31Nismoid]

Who said Nistune wasn't visible?

EPA here in Melb have opened ECU covers before.

[Bunta]

Who said Nistune wasn't visible?

EPA here in Melb have opened ECU covers before.

the stories coming out of Vic never cease to amaze me! Your modification rules are insanely harsh

[R31Nismoid]

This was 4 years ago as well... my very own car

Lucky the factory ECU was in there, not the chipped one!

[greensa14]

So they now go to the level of not only opening your kick panel but cracking your ecu also?

[R31Nismoid]

If they suspect, then yep.

As i said - it was 4 years ago, maybe 5.

Ole Lou Raffa & I go waaay back lol

[Duncan]

why is a nistune (or unichip for that matter) illegal? they are not programmable on the fly, and the factory ECU is just as retunable as they are.

Surely the final emission is the only issue for legality? Plenty of shops in NSW that can provide a tune that will get you past the emissions test, why would Vic be different?

[greensa14]

Because we are the Nanny state!

[R31Nismoid]

why is a nistune (or unichip for that matter) illegal? they are not programmable on the fly, and the factory ECU is just as retunable as they are.

Surely the final emission is the only issue for legality? Plenty of shops in NSW that can provide a tune that will get you past the emissions test, why would Vic be different?

Nistune can be retuned - the EPA here is retarded is the basic sense, archaic laws with no common sense.

Unichip go through the ADR testing/approvals, Nistune has not and can be retuned anytime.

Unichip you have to go back to them for (assumingly).

[darkhalf]

What is the criteria for an aftermarket system to meet ADR over there?

Nistune board can be PIN locked once the tune was able to meet emissions. The only way to retune it then is use the original PIN or reflash the board outside of the ECU

Transport SA documentation I have previously read states that any aftermarket/reprogrammed ECU will not be accepted due to the cost of the emissions testing required. However things may have changed since that was published

[Cowboy1600]

Cause we have some whack ideas down here.

A number of rules surrounding car modifications make zero sense.

The 1 intake mod for example. Senseless. No aftermarket ECUs....senseless.

I might get in touch with my local member and get her to ask Tim Pallas for a "please explain".

[R31Nismoid]

What is the criteria for an aftermarket system to meet ADR over there?

Nistune board can be PIN locked once the tune was able to meet emissions. The only way to retune it then is use the original PIN or reflash the board outside of the ECU

Transport SA documentation I have previously read states that any aftermarket/reprogrammed ECU will not be accepted due to the cost of the emissions testing required. However things may have changed since that was published

Vic is near enough to the same for the sake of the conversation.

PIN lock means nothing.

If its reprogrammable, not factory, its not allowed until all the full testing is done.