GIAC Chips

[h100vw]

Aye, does this depend on the yr? have the ecu's changed between an early model mk4 and a later model? Because my '99 can't be flashed nor did a 2000 model GTI.

This applies to ALL mk4s. You can't flash cable throttle cars through the OBD port but you can flash them on the bench without replacing the chip. Unless someone has already replaced the chip, in which case you are stuck with that method really.

Gavin

[99gti]

I know some makers do it through the OBD port such as custom code but others like APR/Oettinger/GIAC do it by installing a new chip.

I'm not sure what advantages there are to either.

[h100vw]

You can't flash a non-dbw ECU through the obd port. The car isn't wired so you can do it that way.

I have leads that allow me to hook up directly to the ECU and power it off a bench supply. I then use the same lead to flash it, as if it were a later ECU still in the car.

Doing a bench flash has to be a better solution, you don't have the risks associated with removing a chip from the board. I work in Avionics for a day job and even with all the gear there is a chance of damaging the ECU permanently.

Gavin

[99gti]

Thanks Gavin - I thought it was through the OBD port but what you said now makes sense.

I'd hope that chips in cars are handled by profesionals who take the proper precautions of wearing earth staps etc. With this there greatly reduced chance of damage being done.

[h100vw]

Thanks Gavin - I thought it was through the OBD port but what you said now makes sense.

I'd hope that chips in cars are handled by profesionals who take the proper precautions of wearing earth staps etc. With this there greatly reduced chance of damage being done.

Most of these chips are installed by car mechanics, do you think they are best suited for the job????? I used to go to the Awesome GTI store in the UK, they are the APR master dealer in the UK and sometimes had to have a couple of tries at installing chips.

There were a few sweaty brows until they got those cars started, I'll tell you!

Bench flash all the way

Gavin

[99gti]

That would be a worry. I organise mine with my local dealer in VIC and they sent it to sunny Brisvegas to be installed by a profesional. Had it not been done that way I probably wouldn't have chose that product because I do agree with you.

I deal with techs daily who will try to 're-seat' a card to fix a problem. Sure enough after that and another 10k to Nortel to get a new one and then it works again.

Edit: In saying that I don't think I'd like a mechanic to bench flash it either with all due respect to our resident mechanics ...

[h100vw]

That would be a worry. I organise mine with my local dealer in VIC and they sent it to sunny Brisvegas to be installed by a profesional. Had it not been done that way I probably wouldn't have chose that product because I do agree with you.

I deal with techs daily who will try to 're-seat' a card to fix a problem. Sure enough after that and another 10k to Nortel to get a new one and then it works again.

Edit: In saying that I don't think I'd like a mechanic to bench flash it either with all due respect to our resident mechanics ...

Its no harder than upgrading firmware in modems and mobile phones and the like.

A bit scary the first couple of times.

Gavin

[99gti]

Its no harder than upgrading firmware in modems and mobile phones and the like.

A bit scary the first couple of times.

Gavin

Most of those you usualy only get one chance though... If only you could catch all the smoke and shove it back in...

[h100vw]

Most of those you usualy only get one chance though... If only you could catch all the smoke and shove it back in...

When I flashed mine the first time the laptop switched off half way through. It went into power saving mode. I was dreading the worst but it loaded perfectly once I had put it on 'never turn off mode'.

Gavin

[99gti]

When I flashed mine the first time the laptop switched off half way through. It went into power saving mode. I was dreading the worst but it loaded perfectly once I had put it on 'never turn off mode'.

Gavin

That's interesting. Normaly with EPROM's such as mobiles and modems etc. they require a checksum to confirm if the write of data was successfull (read before it writes and read again after writing. It must have powered down just in the spot between writing to a new address.

Do they have the facility to ignore any data currently on the chip before writing?

Sorry if I'm full of questions - just find this stuff interesting.

[h100vw]

That's interesting. Normaly with EPROM's such as mobiles and modems etc. they require a checksum to confirm if the write of data was successfull (read before it writes and read again after writing. It must have powered down just in the spot between writing to a new address.

Do they have the facility to ignore any data currently on the chip before writing?

Sorry if I'm full of questions - just find this stuff interesting.

TBH I'm no expert, as it loads you can see it doing short bursts then checking it.

I am guessing that it deletes some of the info on the chip and then writes to the space created. If so, then maybe that's why other tuners can't load to the std chip, as they try to flash it all in one go.

Gavin

[fuzion]

vdspro!