Install time: approx 45 mins
Difficulty scale (1 easy - 10 hard): 2 (1 if you can solder skillfully)

Following RRM's directions is almost too easy. As long as you line up the appropriate piggy wire with it's ecu counterpart this job is simple.

Materials needed:
Wire Strippers
Utility Knife
Soldering Gun
Electric solder/flux (with rosin core)
Some sort of lighting
Electrical tape

1. Before I did anything I disconnected the battery, and warmed up the soldering gun.

2. Followed RRM's instructions for removal of glove box, plates, and disconnected the wires from the ECU.

3. Before I started splicing into any wires, I first determined which wires needed to be spliced into. ( I marked the wires that needed to be spliced with blue painters tape. This was overkill, but you can never be too safe when modifying cars.)

4. For the wires that are to be spliced but not severed:
(make sure that you are a sufficient distance from the ECU connectors))
4a. Locate a wire that needs to be stripped. Place the strippers on the wire that needs to be stripped. (use the 16 gauge hole)
4b. Rotate the strippers 360 Degrees. (make sure that the wire sheathing is separated from the wire itself. (DO NOT CUT THE WIRE)
4c. Go about an inch/inch and a half away from the previous cut. (preferably away from the connector side) and repeat 4b.
4d. Take the utility knife and score the inch/inch and a half section.
4e. Remove the sheathing from the wire.
Do this procedure on all of the wires that are to be stripped, not cut. (should be three)

5. It is very simple to strip the Piggy wires.
5a. Strip over an inch off of each piggy wire.
5b. Wrap the first Piggy back wire around the first ecu stripped wire. (according to RRM's directions)
5c. Make sure that the piggy back wire is tightly connected to the ecu's stripped wire.

6. FIRST take the soldering gun and heat up the section of stripped wire that needs to be soldered. (a couple of seconds is sufficient.)
6a. Introduce the flux. Don't be cheap when covering the wire.

7. Wrap all exposed wire tightly with electrical tape.

I don't have any special tips for the wire that you have to cut, I suggest getting some sort of soldering gun heat shield to protect the other wires from the heat. But that is just a suggestion.

Make sure that you cover all non-sheathed wires. Two inadvertently crossed wires is never fun. Don't be cheap with the electrical tape. Who is going to see it?

8. Plug in all the connectors to the proper place on the ECU

9. Reconnect the battery.

10.Start the car and don’t be alarmed at a high reving situation as the ECU is now in learn mode.

11. Allow the car to idle for 5-10 minutes

12. After idle period drive car for 10-15 minutes very conservatively taking care not to rev the car high or drive hard.

13. After this learning period the car should be fine and you should be able to stop the car and it will return to idle without a problem.

14. Shut the car off

15. Restart car insuring a good clean start as it has always done before install.



I intentionally did not put in the pin diagram/wire #'s.



As for review: I have AEM CAI, Magnaflow cat back.

With the stock RRM fuel map expect a smoother feel in the lower RPMs/lower gears. The highest gains are def in the low - mid range RPMs. High end RPMs will feel slight/no gains. The shift from first to second is ALOT smoother especially for me.

Secondly, Install took approx. 45 mins with soldering. A good trick is to have soldering Gun/soldering flux, proper lighting, ETC. all assembled before your tear into your ECU.

For reversibility, if you do not cut the wires but rather T into them, then returning to stock would be simple. Just re-heat the wires, and viola. back to stock.


PM me if you have questions about the install, Or better yet. Call RRM. They'd be glad to help you out.

Overall this mod gets an 8/10, for easy install and the ability to modify later.

I recommend buying this modification, even the un-modified car will experience some gains.

 

haha no one has anything to say? No flame nothing?

 

Here you go...

Very nice review on the install. I give it

 

nice walk through. I'd like to add that you need to use solder with a small diameter. I wasn't really thinking and I bought some thick solder which was pretty difficult to use on such small wires, but it worked out. It took almost a full week for me to notice my gains but they're definitly there especially in the low to mid range.

edit: where did you end up mounting yours? Is there room above the plastic plate thingy?

 

I cut a small hole in my glove box.. and bought some velcro. It's mounted on the inside. Easy to access for map changes.

 

Well do you have to solder? Im an electrician and wouldent it be easier to use wire nuts? Then tape around it.

 

yeah im with lanceroz boy i dont have access to a soldering gun and am looking into the piggy. Is what he said or ne other alternitive possible.

 

I woudln't trust anything else but soldering. I had to buy one and a extension cord too. Cost about 40 bucks and you'll never know when you'll need it again.

 

A soldering tool pack with solder, holding clamp, and a pick is only $15 at Radioshack.

Buy it. You have to pay to play.

 

Tape and wire nuts should work properly. If you have access to a soldering gun I don't see why you wouldn't use that.

If your going to use wire nuts, make sure that there is no bare wire exposed.

 

Soldering tool ftw and a clean look, other then having a bunch of nuts hanging off your wires

 

soldering is a sure fire connection. i tried t-ing in and it didnt work. ended up soldering in the end. now it works fine. great mod to.