armchair theory on ecu reflashing - Toyota Yaris Forums

yariphilia · 04-26-2010, 05:08 PM

lol, as the title states this is purely skeptical... upon discovery of j2534 tools i was wondeering if it was possible to use these to reflash our ecu's and reprogram them with performance in mind. j2534 tools were created with the intention of "universalizing" pc to car ecm communication. tis, which is toyota's technical information service (iirc), would allow your pc to communicate with toyota ecu's. tis is an online database that also includes factory ecu programming. afaik this is common practice used everyday kinda stuff. the skeptical part is... could this process and tools be used to reflash our ecu's with performance fuel maps? much the same way openecu is used to flash subarus and evos. instead of reloading factory settings, could one load their own? as far as ive been able to find out a basic j2534 passthru tool costs around 300 or so and a 2 day subscription to tis is 55. and lastly, one would need to know what they were doing if they got that far lol. honestly i know a days worth of browsing on the subject and am very curious. if anyone (ctscott) has any info on this, im waiting anxiously.

H3LlIoN · 04-26-2010, 08:14 PM

I'm reading up now on ecu performance programming in hopes of taking a crack at this. Once I get a free saturday, we're going to plug in the yaris to the actual toyota diagnostics laptop, which uses and has access to TIS, to see what we can or cannot change on the yaris. Speaking generally, there is some amount of access allowed to actual toyota techs for playing with different settings and such. The only direct application I have seen is dealer installed power adders where the tech will connect with TIS and download the new maps for the added peripheral. As this would specifically apply to the yaris, and whether or not any changes outside of the commonly available TIS maps is possible, I do not know the answer yet. I'm hoping to find out within a few weeks though...I'm just waiting for my tech buddy to get some free time on a saturday to roll her in and plug her up.

CTScott · 04-26-2010, 08:26 PM

I have a techstream tool and a copy of the flash file for the 07 Yaris (as there was a TSB update for 07). I have pulled the data file (which is in S record format) into a hex editor and can see the fuel map areas.

I have not yet tried modifying the file to see if I can get it to burn back in. I would suspect that besides the per line checksum, that there is a checksum for the entire image.

I have done some research and have figured out what NEC microcontroller is used in the ECM and I think that the better route to doing a complete reflash will be to just overwrite the fuel map data. This reason that I think this is the better approach is that one would need the 08, 09, or 10 data file (which at this point does not exist) to ensure that the rest of what you are loading into the ECM is compatible with the rest of the systems of the car.

yariphilia · 04-27-2010, 12:47 AM

ask and you shall receive. its good to know you guys are looking into this. i wasnt sure if this was the route nexus was taking (not sure if he's on here or mi). would be a dream if this ecu was as easy as an evo's

severous01 · 06-07-2010, 12:22 PM

if anything comes of this (programs, cables, flashes or whatever) i'd like to get into this. specially if it's adjustable from a laptop. i've been wanting and talking about this for a long time.

turn on laptop, run program, hook up to ALDL port and make adjustments...turn car off and back on...ready to role. i'd like to see some timing and fuel maps available as well as some programs that are stepped for modifications...like a header/intake/exhaust program, a premium fuel program and a heavily modified program and such.

Nexus1155 · 06-07-2010, 02:38 PM

Same CTScott, I am about to toss some CL Ads up to search around as well.

Even Hellion told me to ask Garm to front for it. I can't ask anyone else to give me money to take the risk on something like this. If it did not work, then the people who donated would be upset. Plus I do not even accept money from my parents unless I am in an unrealistic predicament.

I'll tell you what, if I can find someone who wants to buy my JL Audio setup, I will put up a portion of that towards the programmer instead of buying a 1911.

Nexus1155 · 06-07-2010, 03:03 PM

Yup thats it, that website states the previous model of the FP4 in the same description, but I think the FP5 is the newest model? Or they're introducing the FP6, I haven't been on the NEC website in a bit

advocate · 06-10-2010, 12:27 PM

Absolutely tgui, we love all Toyotas here.

Although asking for donations is a great idea, I think $20 is a bit of a stretch.

Considering the number of group guys that fall through due to lack of payment... one shouldn't expect money to start pouring in magically from this forum.

I would expect people to donate anywhere from $5 to $10, that seems more realistic.

cali yaris · 06-10-2010, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Even Hellion told me to ask Garm to front for it.

First I heard about it. Funny.

Nexus1155 · 06-14-2010, 10:14 AM

Quote:

First I heard about it. Funny.

LOL exactly, because I'm not asking for a handout

bearda · 06-14-2010, 04:36 PM

Do you guys have any more info on the CPU you're trying to program? Package, etc?

CTScott · 06-14-2010, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bearda

Do you guys have any more info on the CPU you're trying to program? Package, etc?

The processor is a NEC uPD70F3155. It is a semi-custom version of the V850 series of 32 bit microcontrollers. That's all that I could get out of NEC about it. It is has 208 pins, but it is programmed by the 16 pin JTAG header.

severous01 · 06-14-2010, 05:05 PM

hey, pm me if you guys decide to do anything with this. i dont keep up with this page much cuz it's all in theory right now but if someone does decide to go somewhere with it i want to be kept up to date.

if anyone needs help im in as well.

04-26-2010, 05:08 PM	#1
yariphilia Drives: 08 lb Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: tampa Posts: 13	armchair theory on ecu reflashing lol, as the title states this is purely skeptical... upon discovery of j2534 tools i was wondeering if it was possible to use these to reflash our ecu's and reprogram them with performance in mind. j2534 tools were created with the intention of "universalizing" pc to car ecm communication. tis, which is toyota's technical information service (iirc), would allow your pc to communicate with toyota ecu's. tis is an online database that also includes factory ecu programming. afaik this is common practice used everyday kinda stuff. the skeptical part is... could this process and tools be used to reflash our ecu's with performance fuel maps? much the same way openecu is used to flash subarus and evos. instead of reloading factory settings, could one load their own? as far as ive been able to find out a basic j2534 passthru tool costs around 300 or so and a 2 day subscription to tis is 55. and lastly, one would need to know what they were doing if they got that far lol. honestly i know a days worth of browsing on the subject and am very curious. if anyone (ctscott) has any info on this, im waiting anxiously.

04-26-2010, 08:14 PM	#2
H3LlIoN View User's Garage Drives: '09 Yarrrr hatch Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Midatlantic Posts: 727	I'm reading up now on ecu performance programming in hopes of taking a crack at this. Once I get a free saturday, we're going to plug in the yaris to the actual toyota diagnostics laptop, which uses and has access to TIS, to see what we can or cannot change on the yaris. Speaking generally, there is some amount of access allowed to actual toyota techs for playing with different settings and such. The only direct application I have seen is dealer installed power adders where the tech will connect with TIS and download the new maps for the added peripheral. As this would specifically apply to the yaris, and whether or not any changes outside of the commonly available TIS maps is possible, I do not know the answer yet. I'm hoping to find out within a few weeks though...I'm just waiting for my tech buddy to get some free time on a saturday to roll her in and plug her up. __________________ Toyota Moving Forward ...even when you don't want it to. Special thanks to Cali Yaris, 1NZYaris1 and lilredrocket

06-14-2010, 04:36 PM	#11
bearda View User's Garage Drives: 2006 Mazda3 Sedan Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Germantown, MD Posts: 116	Do you guys have any more info on the CPU you're trying to program? Package, etc? __________________

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04-26-2010, 08:26 PM	#3
CTScott ULTIMATE View User's Garage Drives: 09 5dr LB, 2x 08 3dr LB Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: USA, CT Posts: 13,450	I have a techstream tool and a copy of the flash file for the 07 Yaris (as there was a TSB update for 07). I have pulled the data file (which is in S record format) into a hex editor and can see the fuel map areas. I have not yet tried modifying the file to see if I can get it to burn back in. I would suspect that besides the per line checksum, that there is a checksum for the entire image. I have done some research and have figured out what NEC microcontroller is used in the ECM and I think that the better route to doing a complete reflash will be to just overwrite the fuel map data. This reason that I think this is the better approach is that one would need the 08, 09, or 10 data file (which at this point does not exist) to ensure that the rest of what you are loading into the ECM is compatible with the rest of the systems of the car.

04-27-2010, 12:47 AM	#4
yariphilia Drives: 08 lb Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: tampa Posts: 13	ask and you shall receive. its good to know you guys are looking into this. i wasnt sure if this was the route nexus was taking (not sure if he's on here or mi). would be a dream if this ecu was as easy as an evo's

06-07-2010, 12:22 PM	#5
severous01 Drives: 2008 yaris, stripped, red Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: SE Texas Posts: 977	if anything comes of this (programs, cables, flashes or whatever) i'd like to get into this. specially if it's adjustable from a laptop. i've been wanting and talking about this for a long time. turn on laptop, run program, hook up to ALDL port and make adjustments...turn car off and back on...ready to role. i'd like to see some timing and fuel maps available as well as some programs that are stepped for modifications...like a header/intake/exhaust program, a premium fuel program and a heavily modified program and such.

06-07-2010, 02:38 PM	#6
Nexus1155 Bathroom + Laptop = <3 Drives: Audi Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Dorchester Posts: 1,009	Same CTScott, I am about to toss some CL Ads up to search around as well. Even Hellion told me to ask Garm to front for it. I can't ask anyone else to give me money to take the risk on something like this. If it did not work, then the people who donated would be upset. Plus I do not even accept money from my parents unless I am in an unrealistic predicament. I'll tell you what, if I can find someone who wants to buy my JL Audio setup, I will put up a portion of that towards the programmer instead of buying a 1911.

06-07-2010, 03:03 PM	#7
Nexus1155 Bathroom + Laptop = <3 Drives: Audi Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Dorchester Posts: 1,009	Yup thats it, that website states the previous model of the FP4 in the same description, but I think the FP5 is the newest model? Or they're introducing the FP6, I haven't been on the NEC website in a bit

06-10-2010, 12:27 PM	#8
advocate Drives: car Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: location Posts: 1,033	Absolutely tgui, we love all Toyotas here. Although asking for donations is a great idea, I think $20 is a bit of a stretch. Considering the number of group guys that fall through due to lack of payment... one shouldn't expect money to start pouring in magically from this forum. I would expect people to donate anywhere from $5 to $10, that seems more realistic.

06-14-2010, 05:05 PM	#13
severous01 Drives: 2008 yaris, stripped, red Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: SE Texas Posts: 977	hey, pm me if you guys decide to do anything with this. i dont keep up with this page much cuz it's all in theory right now but if someone does decide to go somewhere with it i want to be kept up to date. if anyone needs help im in as well.