Hello folks,

I'm looking to buy an X in great shape, that has had a mystery reflash (dongle has gone missing), for a great price.

The car drives well unless you wail on it then it overboosts and enters some kind of limp mode. It has a nice turbo-back exhaust in the trunk.

Engine compression is good, interior and paint are in great shape.

I need to reflash it back to stock to pass CA smog.

How do I do this?

Thanks in advance.

 

You need Ecuflash, a tactrix cable, and a stock ROM. Or take it to a sho pthat has though things and have them flash it to stock. Or tune it to pass smog..

 

Thanks.

So I just need to buy their OpenPort 2.0 gizmo, and OBD extension cable?

When you say I need a "stock ROM", do you mean I need to solder in a stock ROM chip? Or do you mean I need the stock ROM file to upload into the car?

Cheers.

 

ROM = map = software. No soldering needed.


You'll need OpenPort 2.0 (which plugs into your OBDII), and a micro-USB cable to plug into a laptop. Don't need OBD extension, unless you plan on permanently keeping a logging setup in the car.

 

Thanks.

So where might I download the latest factory tune?

Cheers.

 

What Evo do you have? GSR or MR and what year? USDM?

 

2008 EVO X MR USDM with SST.

BTW it looks like it has a locked Cobb flash. Car has a Cobb intake and a Cobb license plate frame.

 

If its locked in that means its married to an AccessPort. Do you have the AccessPort? If not you'll have to bench flash the ECU.

 

The Accessport didn't come with the car. Indeed Tactrix said it was locked.

Is it not possible to borrow someone's Accessport to marry it, return to stock, then unmarry it?

 

Thats a negative, it's locked into the AP that was used on the car. Its actually not too hard to bench flash the ECU. Heres a write up. Of course you can always seek the help of those around you that may have some experience.

http://www.evoxforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=29820

 

Thanks!

I looked over the procedure, and it looks fairly straightforward.

My question is regarding the step "Load up your 'Last Known Good ROM'".

If I am running ECUFlash for the first time on an unknown ECU, is it just a matter of downloading the right factory ROM and loading that up instead?

 

Yup its that easy!

 

Thanks.

What is it about bench-flashing that allows you to delete a locked tune and you can't do it with the ECU in the car?

 

access to the correct pins on the ecu. These pins wouldnt be available to you on an ecu that is still wired into the car. You could maybe do it with the ecu in the car if you made the right kind of harness, but one wrong pin and you could fry the ecu hardware, so ultimately the time to remove the ecu is a small price to pay for ensuring you dont screw it up.

 

To be honest I have no clue, but maybe it has something to do with the direct connection and running in recovery mode?