Ok I have a spare ecu from an 05 evo(I have an 03). Now my reason having a spare ecu is just in case the other one goes bad and also it gives me way to send the ecu to any tuner for a flash and not having to have my car down. After all, this is my daily driver. Did a search and found that it has to be reprogrammed for the keys to work. OK no prob with that. So I call Mitsu service dept.(Brad Benson Mitsu dealer) and they are charging $276 to get it reprogrammed. Is this what it usually costs for the dealer to do this?

 

I know when I had to have my s4 key reprogrammed it cost $100.00 just for the key.

 

It doesn't make any sense to have a second ECU. The likelihood of it randomly "going bad" is slim-to-none, and you don't have to send your ECU anywhere to get tuned. You just receive your tunes via email and install them with EcuFlash. Besides the re-key by Mitsu, you'd have to worry about running a completely different firmware for a completely different year. 05s and 03s do not have the same programming.

 

I thought the same thing. I had also looked at having a spare ECU, but after asking questions and doing some research I found out they aren't compatible.

 

I would not use a different year ECU on your car. Granted we have been able to get 03 ecu's to work on 05's, but they are not internally the same. We would get a CEL because of it.

Sell that ECU to a 2005 user is my best recommendation.

 

Doh! I shoulda known. I'll go with Wartalons suggestion, sell the ecu and get into that ECUflash. I don't know anything about it. Just started to read up on the ECU flash forum. So all I need is a laptop, the open port cable from tactrix, ecu flash software and a tune emailed to me right?

 

Yeah, basically.

Read the EcuFlash tutorial thread in the EcuFlash forum. It tells you everything step-by-step, but it's really simple anyway.

You'll download and install the free EcuFlash software on your laptop, then connect the laptop to your Evo using the Tactrix cable. You turn the car to the ON position and then launch the software. It connects to the car, and then you set the options > port in the software to OpenPort 1.3. After that, you'll be able to DOWNLOAD your stock ROM from your ECU, which you then send to a tuner along with your list of mods, octane, and preferred boost level. That tuner adjusts the maps accordingly and sends back the ROM, which you then upload to your car. Voila, you're tuned.

 

Sounds like a plan. Thanks Warrtalon and everyone for your help!

 

I have used an 05 ecu in an 04 and it worked fine for the time being... we only used it for 2 weeks.. didnt race the car or anything and it ran fine no CEL... if you are a newbie to the whole ecu tunning thing... i wouldnt suggest you go out right away and buy the cable and start tryin to tune.. i would suggest you do alot of reading before attempting anything like that.. we did the ecu swap on an 04 for the same exact reason to send it out to get programmed.. return time wast bad.. and for them trying to charge you that much is rediculous.. just drive to a dealership and it should be noted on the sign right by where you sign in to get ur car checked in... near me it was $49.99 and that was the most expensive place... its better if you just show up to another dealer and ask them there.. becasue people feel they can do anything and say anything over the phone and online.. but face to face is different...

 

i just noticed he said recieiving a email map and loading it on.. its alot easier than trying to tune it urself.. lol so yea thats not a half bad idea.. just make sure you read up on it like warrtalon said..

 

No one said anything about him tuning. We're talking about him getting eflashes (tune through email) and loading them himself - no self-tuning involved.

 

I have two ecus a ralliart and the stock one for inspection time

 

Is there a stock tune that you can get via email and reflash back if you need to take in for service or something?

 

The stock tune is already on the ECU. When you download it to start the process, you will then have it for your own use in the future. You can flash back and forth whenever you want. I personally have 4 custom tuned maps plus my stock map.

 

Oh, so both tunes are on the ecu after flashing and you can switch back and forth?