Are the std & 190 ECUs physically the same?

The Oily Bits S1 Specific Topics
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Does anybody know if ECUs for the standard set-up (172bhp) and 190 are the same?Could in theory the safety recall download also be an upgrade?B&C are going to be doing my upgrade and safety recall at the same time next week and I don’t want to get ripped off for labour.Cheers, Ian [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/smile.gif[/image]

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IanDaft question perhaps, but have you run this passed B&C? If you don’t like their answer, let me know & I’ll see what I can find out.

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IDG - what is the going rate for the 172 to 190 upgrade? - v interested. Has anyone experience/cost of the Emerald or QED performance upgrade route?

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SimonRussT, Bruno & Phil Davies have gone down the Emerald ECU route, but they’ve also changed cams etc. If you’re not bothered about Lotus Warranty issues, Emerald is the way to go as the ECU can be mapped to your individual car on Emerald’s rolling road.Are you intending to do many track days, & driving very hard? If not, then the Lotus upgrade will be fine. The standard Exige’s capabilities far outweigh the capabilities of most drivers - I willingly include myself here!!!Like most things in life, you pays your money, you… [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image]

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The 172-190 upgrade that I had done at the same time as the recall cost �800 inclusive - that included changing the cam pulley and the thermostat.I looked at the Emerald but then got into a whole mess in my head with warranty, time to get it done ( look at the hassles Bruno went through), Air con control and in the end thought sod it if I get bored I need another car [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/smile.gif[/image]- reason …The Exige performance is about handling - having sat in with a skilled driver around the Nurburgring in MY car ( I was scared …) I have a long way to go with it yet …

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It is the same ECU. I watched them do mine (during the 190hp upgrade) and they just plugged a laptop into it and it was done.I was told the recall upgrade (which is also a download) does not apply to the 190hp upgrade??Roy

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Roy,The recall does apply to the 190 ECU !!!

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[image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/smile.gif[/image] Thanks for all your info guys - really appreciated. Too true std car is fast enough!! - perhaps thinking of future…Pesky - intend to partake in a few track days next year - but will have BIG BIG L-plates attached…

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quote:Originally posted by Pesky:Daft question perhaps, but have you run this passed B&C? If you don’t like their answer, let me know & I’ll see what I can find out.I did Pesky, but they kind of brushed it off as a way of trying to save money (funny that).I’m very keen to know if they are the same units because if they are then it is definately a way I CAN save money. If they are having to re-program the ECU at the same time as the upgrade and they can re-program it with the 190 prog rather than the std engine mapping. The very least that I should save is the labour, because the download is covered by Lotus as part of the safety recall.Anything you can find out would be appreciated.Cheers, Ian [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/smile.gif[/image]

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IanNick Whale told me it saved about 50 quid to have the uprgade done at the same time - I’m not sure if thats really true or just a figure to make you jump and get it done - but whatever time it takes to change the map is just labour really so you should save that cost [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/image] yeah right !!

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Ian,I tried this one with B&C just last week! They told me that the recall work is just a re-program, whereas the upgrade to the 190 was a replacement part. Therefore they couldn’t do the upgrade as part of the recall work - they would have to be dealt with seperately. A bit daft really, as they lost out on the dosh for the upgrade.Ian.

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quote:Originally posted by IPJ:I tried this one with B&C just last week! They told me that the recall work is just a re-program, whereas the upgrade to the 190 was a replacement part. Therefore they couldn’t do the upgrade as part of the recall work - they would have to be dealt with seperately.Great (Ian) minds think alike!But are they right? Can it be done?Let’s see if Pesky (or anybody else) can come up with the definitive answer on if they’re the same. I’m asking B&C to tell me if they are.Ian [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/smile.gif[/image]

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IDGAs far as I can ascertain, IPJ is correct. To upgrade to 190 you will have to pay for the 190 ECU, which will be already “recall tweaked”. Your old ECU will be physically replaced with the new one. They do not “just download” the upgrade (unlike the recall stuff)into your existing ECU. Whether they are able to, I just don’t know, but one thing is for sure, they won’t do the upgrade to 190 without you paying. Sorry but… [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/frown.gif[/image] Don’t forget that the 190 upgrade also includes 82 degree thermostat, different cam pulley & de-cat pipe.Bite the bullet & get it done - you won’t regret it [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/smile.gif[/image]

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quote:Originally posted by Pesky:Don’t forget that the 190 upgrade also includes 82 degree thermostat, different cam pulley & de-cat pipe.Bite the bullet & get it done - you won’t regret it [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/smile.gif[/image]Cheers Pesk (if that’s not over familiar)!I did expect to pay but maybe a little bit less (it’s worth a try!).All booked (inc. pulley, thermo, (silenced)de-cat, catch-tank and Pagids) I should be smiling all the more on Saturday morning!Ian [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/smile.gif[/image]

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quote:Originally posted by IDG: I should be smiling all the more on Saturday morning!Not when you see the bill you wont [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/wink.gif[/image]

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bugger, sorry, Ian, was away for some time and couldn’t answer. the 190 ECU is of course an improvement over the original spec but then again, that is not really hard to achieve, is it? the so called 190-kit is by all means much overpriced if you can have by far better driveability with an remapped Emerald ECU for 450 quid plus mapping.speak to Russ. he wil confirm this. to your original question, no, they are not the same. it is a matter of unplugging the original ECU and replaced it with the 190 ECU. they look exactly the same 'though. what is more, for some more dosh, you could fit some other cams and a decent back box and still wouldn’t pay more than the so called Lotus 190-kit.just my opinion, of course. later,BrunoPS: Rob, cheers, for the funny shots from some old guit at Le Mans…nice one…By the way, how is he?

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quote:Originally posted by Bruno:PS: Rob, cheers, for the funny shots from some old guit at Le Mans…nice one…By the way, how is he? That’s Mr Big Lens (Chris Regan), who you of course met at Donington in September 2001 [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/smile.gif[/image]He doesn’t improve with age though, does he? [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image]

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Rob… [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image] [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image]cheeky bugger…

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Thanks Bruno but I’m quite keen to keep to the Lotus route at the moment. After all, with 190 it will the way it was originally designed.For the record, I harassed B&C enough for them to check with Lotus and it is official - the std ECU is different from the 190 one.Ian [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/smile.gif[/image]

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Yeah - but they would say that wouldn’t they [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/wink.gif[/image]I was told by a reliable source that it would be possible to re-program a standard ECU to incorporate the recall change and the upgrade but that Lotus would not (for obvious commercial reasons) release the necessary programmeTherefore you have no alternative but to pay the full asking price [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/frown.gif[/image]David