Mines ECU?

[SootyR32]

While fitting an immobiliser and turbo timer to my R32 (which finally arrived about 6 weeks ago) I discovered that it has a Mines ECU. Does anyone know where I can get info on them in English or of any tuners in Vic with the means to tune it.

[FLO]

While fitting an immobiliser and turbo timer to my R32 (which finally arrived about 6 weeks ago) I discovered that it has a Mines ECU. Does anyone know where I can get info on them in English or of any tuners in Vic with the means to tune it.

I think all a mines ecu is a standard ecu with a mines chip in it cant be tuned.

[Veilside R33]

actually im wondering the same thing, when i bought my car it had a "mines chip" in it, so what does this mean? does it help performance? or will i need it to be dyno tuned or what does it do?

[SootyR32]

Thanks for the reply. I'll get my mate to see if he can connect to it then and read it. I know the case is still the standard item and that l the Mines part is just a chip added to the main board but I thought maybe it required Mines software to be able to do any tuning. If we can find out more I will post it here.

[Guest RedLineGTR]

There have been some thread on it. check the search fuctions etc....but usally with a mines ecu its good to get a dyno run to see how the air/fuel ratios are running unless your upgrading your computer anythinhg soon.

[onevia]

How did you know your car has a mines ecu? I just brought an R32 GTSt over two weeks ago, and discovered that the ecu has pink scribbled writing on it, and there is a mines sticker on the bonnet. Guessing that maybe it has a mines ecu. Do you guys know if these ecus run alright on ultimate or would it be tuned for japans 104 ron fuel?

[FLO]

How did you know your car has a mines ecu? I just brought an R32 GTSt over two weeks ago, and discovered that the ecu has pink scribbled writing on it, and there is a mines sticker on the bonnet.  Guessing that maybe it has a mines ecu.  Do you guys know if these ecus run alright on ultimate or would it be tuned for japans 104 ron fuel?

Mines ECU's normaly have a mines badge on it. While we are on the subject of tuning has any one ever had a real time tune chip written for their factory ECU. If so how were the results.Cant decide if to get this or a power fc.

[Gav]

My GTR had a Mines computer in it when it arrived.

The ECU had a Mines badge on it and tamper proof stickers to show that it hadn't been opened since leaving the Mines' Workshop.

Anyway, I opened it up and there was a Mines' chip on the board, however it had a great big blob of expoxy resin over the chip preventing it being removed from the socket. In theory it would be possible to carefully solder on a socket from underneath the circuit board if you wanted to read maps, but personally I wouldn't bother.

Basically the differences were that there was no speed cut and the fuel maps were VERY rich. After lifting boost to 1 bar, the AFR came back down to a more realistic level of around 12.5:1, but still resulted in a puff of black smoke when boost came on and some flames from the zaust (no cat then) on rapid throttle off.

Steve from SST saw this actual ECU on his dyno in at least 2 other cars, and he may remember the settings better than me. I doubt that the ignition maps were altered, however, as we were able to advance the CAS 5 degrees to pick up some power without any detonation.

There is a good thread on chip replacment and chip programming - do a search. Personally, I would go the P&P route as ECU's such as Wolf (or used PFC) have never been cheaper and are typically less than the cost of a name brand exhaust. You can always recoup most of the money spent on the ECU by selling it separately when you sell the car, not so for a rechipped original ECU.

[SootyR32]

Thanks RedLineGTR, I've been registered round here for a year or two but will be a more frequent user now I have my car here. I used the search function and found heaps about it. I agree with you and think the first step is the dyno which I have access to for nothing anyway, just haven't got round to it yet.

Most Mines ECU's I've seen (which isn't many) will have a big gold Mines Plaque. It should also have Mines seals on the sides. I've never thought much about aftermarket ECU's but now that I've found mine has the Mines chip I'm a lot more interested.

Sorry Flo but can't help you.

[SootyR32]

Sorry Gav, didn't see yours until after my last reply. Thanks for the info. My mate did say that the chip swap was a oneway operation and couldn't be returned to standard. I'll post what I find when I finally get it on the dyno.

[Rowdyr32]

Just bought a rb26 to go into my r32gtst and it came with a mines computer. Will this comp be ok for my car or will it s**t me with the lag associated with running less timing. Gav how did your car run and what power figures did you get out of if?

[autObarn]

Just bought a rb26 to go into my r32gtst and it came with a mines computer. Will this comp be ok for my car or will it s**t me with the lag associated with running less timing.  Gav how did your car run and what power figures did you get out of if?

my soarer had a mines computer in it when i bought it, and most importers have a million laying around removed from car yard cars or even removed from thier own cars. that said i recommend whoever has one get it run up on dyno, to check for any signs of det. these computers do run rich but that is their tune style (like most jap tuners) the timing is the killer, tuned usually to run on their premium fuels not our dodge 98ron the timing is fairly aggressive by our standards. i have seen many a colapsed ring land and associated damage cause by these and most other jap remaps.

if it were me and i had a r32gtst i would run pfc, too dear? then just sacrifice throttle resonse and use a p&p like mtech or wolf. i know of a few stock ecu'd r32's, james from d1garages stock ecu'd cefiro ran good reliable figures 240~ rwkw 12.6 1/4. these cars ran only HKS fcd and a martin donnon rev/speed limit increase and map clean up. the cefiro even had stock injectors and fuel reg (compressed a little of course).

[Gav]

Just bought a rb26 to go into my r32gtst and it came with a mines computer. Will this comp be ok for my car or will it s**t me with the lag associated with running less timing.  Gav how did your car run and what power figures did you get out of if?

320 rwhp at 0.9 bar with pods and HKS front pipes/zaust (DynoDynamics, Shootout mode). Both Micko and GotBoost got something similar I recall with the same ECU (all of us use programable ECUs now, btw).

[SootyR32]

For anyone interested (I will get more details later) it just came off the Dyno and recorded 300 kw at the rear wheels with the 4WD fuse pulled. If anything, despite what we thought, it's running a little lean rather than rich. :headspin:

[Whoneedstherapy]

For anyone interested (I will get more details later) it just came off the Dyno and recorded 300 kw at the rear wheels with the 4WD fuse pulled. If anything, despite what we thought, it's running a little lean rather than rich. :headspin:

I've had a fair share of experience with mine's ecu's and it seems they have 2 tuning techniques, very very rich, ass loads of timing, or very very lean, moderate amounts of timing. Personally i hate the things and would throw them as far as i could. In my old silvia i actually made more power going back to a standard ecu than with the mine's ecu.

I haven't come across anyone out here who can tune them because of the aforementioned gobs of epoxy covering the whole chip. I'd definately get any car with a mine's ecu onto a dyno to make sure it's safe, and promptly change to something that can be tuned out here.

[BU5TER]

Aphex, whats the go with your signature Coming Soon: 89 R32 GTR Stocker??? What happened to the monster V spec

[Whoneedstherapy]

Aphex, whats the go with your signature Coming Soon: 89 R32 GTR Stocker??? What happened to the monster V spec

guys building it were a bunch of A$$clowns, i'll pm you about the rest lol

[BU5TER]

yep enough said i've dealt with arseclowns before

[Evo_Lee]

Mines ECU aka VX ROM is reprogramming your ECU with their chip. AFAIK they cannot be reprogrammed without a Mines S/W. So aftermarket is the only way if want more control or send your ECU back to Mines.

[rsx84]

i know its an old thread but towards the tuning side for mines chipped ecus would something like a safc make any difference to making the mines chip more useable??