Classic Scooby ECU chips
Discussion
Hi Guys i am new to Jap chat so am not sure if anyone has asked about this before?
I have owned my Classic Scooby wagon for 4 years and recently retired it to a toy rather than daily driver, and am now thinking about mods.
Now as i was brousing through e bay, i came accross some ecu chip upgrades for not bad money and claims for a massive power increase and "Its realy easy to fit".Now not being a wizz about these things i thought i would ask a couple questions:
Is it that straight forward to do?
Am i likley to completely reck the car and granade the engine?
Spend a load of money getting the car remaped cause the chips are pants?
Or should i spend more and get it done by the pro's?
So can anyone tell me, is it a case of " if it sounds to good it probably is" or go for it?
I have owned my Classic Scooby wagon for 4 years and recently retired it to a toy rather than daily driver, and am now thinking about mods.
Now as i was brousing through e bay, i came accross some ecu chip upgrades for not bad money and claims for a massive power increase and "Its realy easy to fit".Now not being a wizz about these things i thought i would ask a couple questions:
Is it that straight forward to do?
Am i likley to completely reck the car and granade the engine?
Spend a load of money getting the car remaped cause the chips are pants?
Or should i spend more and get it done by the pro's?
So can anyone tell me, is it a case of " if it sounds to good it probably is" or go for it?
What year of Scoob? Sounds like a "ScoobyECU" to me.
If it's 1992 to 1996 and UK spec then yes, it's going to give huge gains and is simply a plug-in-and-go arrangement. If it's a JDM import, then you'll need a soldering iron to fit a chip carrier to the ECU. It's not difficult if you have done any electronics before. Gains aren't as impressive as on a UK car, but that's only because the UK cars are VERY detuned to start with - you end up with approximately the same power and torue figures.
I used to make, sell and fit similar chips a while ago, so if you get stuck with fitting I may be able to help.
If it's 1992 to 1996 and UK spec then yes, it's going to give huge gains and is simply a plug-in-and-go arrangement. If it's a JDM import, then you'll need a soldering iron to fit a chip carrier to the ECU. It's not difficult if you have done any electronics before. Gains aren't as impressive as on a UK car, but that's only because the UK cars are VERY detuned to start with - you end up with approximately the same power and torue figures.
I used to make, sell and fit similar chips a while ago, so if you get stuck with fitting I may be able to help.
I'd say 'you get what you pay for'.
The UK Impreza (MY00 was 215bhp vs JDMs minimum 276bhp) is strangled as said above, but the biggest gains to be made are with improving the breathing - first the exhaust and then the turbo, and a remap for each change (or change the ECU depending on which year car you have) to match. You might then be needing improved fuelling (fuel-pump and bigger injectors), but it is reckoned on stock-internals the engines are 'safe' for 330 bhp/torque? IIRC
With just a chip change, I'd be worried that power was being obtained at the expense of engine life?
If I were you, I'd look into exhaust and ECU packages - I haven't used these guys, but they get a good press - Greenwood Racing
http://www.greenwoodracing.co.uk/tuning_packs_wrx_...
ETA from your profile-photo, I'd guess you have a MY98 car? Have you had any issues with the pistons?
The UK Impreza (MY00 was 215bhp vs JDMs minimum 276bhp) is strangled as said above, but the biggest gains to be made are with improving the breathing - first the exhaust and then the turbo, and a remap for each change (or change the ECU depending on which year car you have) to match. You might then be needing improved fuelling (fuel-pump and bigger injectors), but it is reckoned on stock-internals the engines are 'safe' for 330 bhp/torque? IIRC
With just a chip change, I'd be worried that power was being obtained at the expense of engine life?
If I were you, I'd look into exhaust and ECU packages - I haven't used these guys, but they get a good press - Greenwood Racing
http://www.greenwoodracing.co.uk/tuning_packs_wrx_...
ETA from your profile-photo, I'd guess you have a MY98 car? Have you had any issues with the pistons?
Edited by Orangecurry on Tuesday 14th October 15:32
Cheers Guy's interesting comments. I have changed the centre section to straight through and put on a new SS rear box, not sure the make but sounds the dogs withought looking over the top.May decat at a later date. Car is UK 208BHP origanaly, had it on the rollers in Surry before rear box for 224bhp.Never had engine issues runs well even though the millage is over 100k maintained by indipendent Subaru in Northhants.I do not have a big budget and am doing a bit at time, so may give the ecu chip a go. Cheers again
If it's one of the ebay listings I think it is, then it won't work with your car 
There's only one company I know of making stuff for the 97/98 ECU and they don't sell on Ebay to the best of my knowledge. Anything ECU chips for the older cars don't fit, and you can't ECUTek map them either.
There's only one company I know of making stuff for the 97/98 ECU and they don't sell on Ebay to the best of my knowledge. Anything ECU chips for the older cars don't fit, and you can't ECUTek map them either. It's not the engine type that's the problem, it's the ECU type. So it's still a "not fit" based on what you've said so far
The easiest way I can see to make sure is to look at your ECU model code written on the case. If it's D6/Z4/W4 (or a few other less common ones that I have written down at home) then it CAN be chipped with with the Ebay method (assuming you haven't found something other than what I found - PM me the link if you don't want the world to know about it. I definitely won't bid for it or tell anyone else about it.).
If it's something else (eg D8 from memory) then it can't be chipped in this way. A company known as ESL are working on a solution that would work for you, although I expect it to be expensive because so far it looks to be aimed at the "custom live mapping" end of the market, not off-the-shelf tuning chips.
The easiest way I can see to make sure is to look at your ECU model code written on the case. If it's D6/Z4/W4 (or a few other less common ones that I have written down at home) then it CAN be chipped with with the Ebay method (assuming you haven't found something other than what I found - PM me the link if you don't want the world to know about it. I definitely won't bid for it or tell anyone else about it.).
If it's something else (eg D8 from memory) then it can't be chipped in this way. A company known as ESL are working on a solution that would work for you, although I expect it to be expensive because so far it looks to be aimed at the "custom live mapping" end of the market, not off-the-shelf tuning chips.
Sorry to bump up such an old thread, but im too looking at this type of thing...
I have just got a new track car (93 wrx import) and it currently has fitted decat headers, decat down pipe, straight through till the back box, front mounted intercooler, apexi induction kit and a boost controller.
Im looking to get it remaped and saw these scoobyecu chips for sale on another forum, was just doing a bit of research on them and this thread showed up.
I dont want to be spending £400+ on a new ECU if one of the above chips will work for my car?
I have just got a new track car (93 wrx import) and it currently has fitted decat headers, decat down pipe, straight through till the back box, front mounted intercooler, apexi induction kit and a boost controller.
Im looking to get it remaped and saw these scoobyecu chips for sale on another forum, was just doing a bit of research on them and this thread showed up.
I dont want to be spending £400+ on a new ECU if one of the above chips will work for my car?
Jamz said:
Sorry to bump up such an old thread, but im too looking at this type of thing...
I have just got a new track car (93 wrx import) and it currently has fitted decat headers, decat down pipe, straight through till the back box, front mounted intercooler, apexi induction kit and a boost controller.
Im looking to get it remaped and saw these scoobyecu chips for sale on another forum, was just doing a bit of research on them and this thread showed up.
I dont want to be spending £400+ on a new ECU if one of the above chips will work for my car?
Id personally go for a standalone ECU eg Apexi, Simtek, Solaris etc or an ESL daughterboard fitting. IMHO you get what you pay for.I have just got a new track car (93 wrx import) and it currently has fitted decat headers, decat down pipe, straight through till the back box, front mounted intercooler, apexi induction kit and a boost controller.
Im looking to get it remaped and saw these scoobyecu chips for sale on another forum, was just doing a bit of research on them and this thread showed up.
I dont want to be spending £400+ on a new ECU if one of the above chips will work for my car?
http://www.jollygreenmonster.com/ gives an idea of prices
chris-ST220 said:
Jamz said:
Sorry to bump up such an old thread, but im too looking at this type of thing...
I have just got a new track car (93 wrx import) and it currently has fitted decat headers, decat down pipe, straight through till the back box, front mounted intercooler, apexi induction kit and a boost controller.
Im looking to get it remaped and saw these scoobyecu chips for sale on another forum, was just doing a bit of research on them and this thread showed up.
I dont want to be spending £400+ on a new ECU if one of the above chips will work for my car?
Id personally go for a standalone ECU eg Apexi, Simtek, Solaris etc or an ESL daughterboard fitting. IMHO you get what you pay for.I have just got a new track car (93 wrx import) and it currently has fitted decat headers, decat down pipe, straight through till the back box, front mounted intercooler, apexi induction kit and a boost controller.
Im looking to get it remaped and saw these scoobyecu chips for sale on another forum, was just doing a bit of research on them and this thread showed up.
I dont want to be spending £400+ on a new ECU if one of the above chips will work for my car?
http://www.jollygreenmonster.com/ gives an idea of prices
The scoobyecu's are well.. a bit crap really.
For the money you want to spend, a second hand Apexi Power FC will do the job nicely. Have a word with Simon at JGM above and he will look after you
Agreed about Soalris ECU....Chap i know well runs a TA car with a Solaris ECU and he absolutely loves it. Real-time mapping, ALS, FFS, 8 switchable maps, fantastic real-time multi-parameter logging tools. I would kill for one!!
I looked more closely at his setup just a couple of weeks ago and it's mighty damn impressive!!
I looked more closely at his setup just a couple of weeks ago and it's mighty damn impressive!!
ScoobieWRX said:
Agreed about Soalris ECU....Chap i know well runs a TA car with a Solaris ECU and he absolutely loves it. Real-time mapping, ALS, FFS, 8 switchable maps, fantastic real-time multi-parameter logging tools. I would kill for one!!
I looked more closely at his setup just a couple of weeks ago and it's mighty damn impressive!!
Check my profile I looked more closely at his setup just a couple of weeks ago and it's mighty damn impressive!!
Charlie i had no idea. You kept that bloody quiet...when did this happen?? Are you one of the techy's behind this masterpiece?? 
Gazboy said:
Vixpy1 said:
Been working on it for 2 years now in conjunction with the Pat who is Technical director. Alas my role is a business one, Pat did all the specifications of the S6 and worked with Mark at Life Racing who is the genius behind the Platform.
We are very pleased with the result
I'm assuming my Bosch Motronic stuff would have to ripped out entirely to run a Solaris? Just wondering more than touting for business.We are very pleased with the result
btw, got space for a power run one morning in the second half of next week?
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