I recently bought a return-to-stock 2011 EVO X. Prev owner told me that it has been flashed back to stock before putting it up for sale but I want to make sure just in case.

He told me the car had downpipe, catback, UICP and made 320whp on a dyno.

I am a n00b when it comes to evos and do not have any ecu or computer related equipment.

Is there any way, besides hooking up to a laptop, to check whether the car really has stock tune?

If the car hasn't been flashed back, am I risking anything by driving it like this? (stock car with a tune that was given when the car had mods above).

 

you would need a laptop or a tuner to check if its running on the stock map. without either those its not possible.

those are basic bolt on mods, so now there is no risk driving it if it hasnt been flashed backed.

 

Maybe a dumb question. But how can you use a laptop to see about the tune?

 

Curious about the OP's second question because I am in a similar boat.

If a car that had been modded with intake / exhaust and tuned for those mods is returned to stock yet retains the 'modded' tune, would I be risking anything by driving it?

Am I right in assuming that there won't be any real harm aside from runing rich?

 

I would buy a Cobb ap. That way you can read any codes without having to go to a mechanic

 

Ecu will throw a service engine soon light if it's too rich

 

find a runner around town and ask him if he can check it

 

If you are unsure of what tune could be on the car my advise would be to simply get the car tuned. Even if the car has stock parts it can be tuned. If it has basic bolt-ons even better. Regardless, at the end of the day you will know exactly what your setup is. Spending a few bucks for a tune on a used evo is worth it in case you were misinformed.

 

what type of tune did it have on it? the short answer is you'll need to find someone who either has the tactrix cable or accessport or something to verify.

 

I was told that it had a custom tune by a local MD tuner. It was apparently a conservative 93 octane tune just enough to take advantage of the mods he put on (dp, catback, and uicp).

Am I over worrying this? Even if the car wasn't flashed back to stock and still has the tune mentioned above, since the car is now stock, it'll just run rich and not blow anything up, right?

 

^^^^exactly. and you'll know if you're running rich by if your mpg is ****ty or if you spit flames.

and yes your over worrying about it, if something bad was going to happen it would have already happen. Whats your car idle at? if it starts up fine, ilde is solid, at WOT you get no sputter, clutch doesnt slip, etc, then you're fine.