Mines racing ecu for FTO

mivecboy · Post by **mivecboy** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 10:01 pm

How much would you pay for a secondhand Mines ecu for FTO?

FTO338 · Post by **FTO338** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 10:33 pm

They are tune for 100ron, so basically useless in Australia, as it can do more damage then good.

kid_dynamite · Post by **kid_dynamite** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 11:12 pm

<enters judgemental mode>
I would not pay for oneesepcially if it's secondhand.

Why?
It serves no useful purpose in Australia.

A Mines ECU (usually the VX-ROM) is sold by Mines in Japan or the UK (who have an official distributor over there). They are basically standard ECUs that have been reflashed to suit a different level of conditions.
This usually includes higher octane fuel which they use in Japan, and ned to suit the modifications on the particular car. Also usually pretty heavily advanced on the ignition map.

As far as the Mines retuning policy goes, only the original owner can get a retune. And there is no-one in Australia who can do it. Some of the Mines ECUs also have the flash ROM encased in resin to prevent tampering (so it can't be retuned).

As Kev said, most likely more damage than good if you don't know what it's mapped for.

Just stick to your standard piggyback (SAFC, E-manage, Unichip, etc) over a stock ECU.

jonowong · Post by **jonowong** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 2:42 am

id save the money and get a nice ICE system and just run a SAFC

mivecboy · Post by **mivecboy** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 10:34 am

This Mines ecu was already installed when I bought the car together with mivec controller, A/F ratio meter and first gen Apexi AFC.

Im looking to get it dynotune, just wondering can dynotunning the AFC make good use of the Mines ecu or not? or like you said still doing more damage then good?

kid_dynamite · Post by **kid_dynamite** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 11:24 am

mivecboy wrote:This Mines ecu was already installed when I bought the car together with mivec controller, A/F ratio meter and first gen Apexi AFC.

Im looking to get it dynotune, just wondering can dynotunning the AFC make good use of the Mines ecu or not? or like you said still doing more damage then good?

You basically have a modified ECU and are modifying the ECU outputs two more times with the mivec controller and AFC.

It's always hard with the Mines ECUs because you just don't know what it's been tuned for. This is probably not so much a large factor on an NA car but for some of the Jap turbocharged imports, running a Mines ECU locally, on Aus fuel can (and has) resulted in engine damage, sometimes necessitating a rebuild..

My opinion - rip out the MIVEC controller. If you can find a stock ECU throw that on, but otherwise get the AFC tuned with the Mines ECU on a dyno by someone who knows what they are doing. The MIVEC controller will have no benefits on an FTO. Has been proven before in previous threads, that changing the MIVEC activation point actually decreases power.

I am actually in the same boat as you. Had a MIVEC controller and SAFC. Both were recently taken out of the car (SAFC removed because it was dying).
Yet to dyno the car post-change but I am pretty sure that I will yield more power on the stock ECU alone. Of course if you tune the SAFC, yeah I'll probably gain some power...

SILVERFISH · Post by **SILVERFISH** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 11:49 am

the next vic pizza night / cruise is on this monday...

http://www.ftoaustralia.com/modules.php ... c&start=20

why don't you come along and chat with everyone about it

khunjeng · Post by **khunjeng** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 1:12 pm

S1LVERFISH wrote:the next vic pizza night / cruise is on this monday...

http://www.ftoaustralia.com/modules.php ... c&start=20

why don't you come along and chat with everyone about it

eneter this into Autosalon....

FTO338 · Post by **FTO338** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 5:17 pm

From memory you use 91ron fuel Mivecboy, so if you going to dyno it, make sure at least you going to use 98ron, if not interesting smoke effect might come out from your engine bay...

mivecboy · Post by **mivecboy** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 6:58 pm

Been using BP98 ever since i bought my car.

My mechanic worked on many imports reckons that the parts, installations and the neat wiring in my car are very "japanese" and he reckons that these were probably done up like that in japan prior to import. Maybe even with some engine work like camshafts etc etc to get the most out of these computers.......but guess won't know until i open up the engine........oneday..lol

But I am still not sure whether I should ditch the Mines ecu and swap with a standard prior to dynotune. Would I get more out of dynotune with the Mines ecu installed?

kid_dynamite · Post by **kid_dynamite** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 7:10 pm

+1 for stock ECU + AFC (tuned).

mivecboy · Post by **mivecboy** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 7:16 pm

actually I have someone wanted to do a swapover with me plus some money. But don't know how much I should ask for though.

FTO338 · Post by **FTO338** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 7:24 pm

Don't get me wrong, i've seen your car, and i doubt it have any cam or anything special. If it does, it would sounds different and idle different too, the only sound i heard was the tappet going crazy. Wiring i agree with your mechanic, its certainly unique....

Like everyone had said, ditch the mine ecu and stick to a standard one. I think that was your original plan and thats why you ask how much other members would pay for one of them.

What do you want to achieve with a dyno tune? What sort of performance mods have you done to it? i know its got a muffler when you bought it.

Oh yeah and sorry about the 91ron, few members and i remember you said you use unleaded, so i just thought you mean 91ron instead of 98ron.

khunjeng · Post by **khunjeng** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 12:14 am

mines ecu = bin for the moment. You cant tune it.

Chuck on a stockie and run it up and tune with your SAFC then get 100rwkw. If that depending on your other mods.