Viz

Hi all,

I have a spare ECU for my 2002 STI Type UK (model AG820-2591) plus the PPP GEMS piggyback board for the STI so I can put the car back to standard.

I believe the wiring of the GEMS piggyback is the same for the STI as for the WRX ppp version & found info on the web at http://www.arcanumdesign.co.uk/PPP2.html so this went in fine, however there is also a red cylindrical device approx. 20mm long by 10 mm in dia which has 3 wires (white, blue & green) which seem to have something to do with the Rear O2 sensor readings & defintely goes in the STI version of the ppp ECU but according to the web site is not required in the WRX version.

The problem is after many weeks of scouting the Web, mailing several tuners & prodrive, I'm am no wiser as to what this device is/does & where it fits in the ECU, so starting to get suicidal & that lump hammer looks very tempting. The only markings on the cylindrical device is "Carplugs RC-10".

So, can some kind soul enlighten me with a few pictures of the inside of their STI v7 ppp ecu (hopefully showing this device) or provide details of how this is connected i.e. to what pins in the ECU.

Thanks in advance,
Viz

Viz

All,

here is a pix of my ECU with GEMS installed
http://s986.photobucket.com/albums/a...t=HPIM4431.jpg

Here is the mystery device
http://s986.photobucket.com/albums/a...t=HPIM4430.jpg

If anyone has a problem accessing these pixs mail me.

Cheers

Viz

spanner monkey

iTrader: (3)

I know this doesn't help but i think carplugs rc-10 is just the name of the plastic cover.
http://www.caplugs.com/productdetail...mno=RCL+SERIES

Dave.

Midlife......

iTrader: (2)

I'm not sure you will find someone with a piggyback PPP board who will be able to help.........they weren't around for long and were quickly replaced by a reflashed ECU.

I'd try and find a second hand one or get the one you have reflashed using something like open source which is probably the cheapest. I guess soemone like race dynamix could flash a generic PPP type map if you posted the ECU

HTH

Shaun

Viz

Spanner Monkey,
yep that Carplug RC-10 is just used as a casing for what's inside, but I don't want to break it open to see just in case it's required and I break it.

Midlife,
That is my understanding that these piggyback ECUs were not around for too long until Prodrive used a Ecutek flash instead which was locked so can not be d/loaded with tools like ECUFlash.
I'm quite familiar with the open source forums you refer to and tools like, ecu explorer, romraider, ECUedit, etc but as yet I've not found a map that I could flash onto the ECU that will replicate the PPP levels of boost, mind you saying that the Piggyback makes the ECU think boost is lower than it is so I guess if push comes to shove I could take a base map and just replicate the levels of boot (from 1.15 to 1.45 bar) across the rev range and leave all other tales the same i.e. fueling, timing, KC as the the piggyback does not change any of these anyway.

Spanner Monkey & Midlife thanks for your suggestions & observations, I hope someone can post a few pixs anyway.

Viz

bump

Viz

Bump, come on guys someone must have an old ECU and a digital/ phone camera

Jolly Green Monster

iTrader: (4)

Try pming dunks as he has one I removed to install a simtek

Viz

Thanks I'll do that. I assume Dunk is his name on this board.

Jolly Green Monster

iTrader: (4)

Will double check, dunks on another

Viz

Out of frustration I took the lump hammer to the mysterious red cylinder this post is about and found it contained a capacitor & resistor.

Reading some of the posts regarding the rear o2 sensor & de-CAT downpipes (mine has the prodrive sports CAT as part of the PPP package) it appears there is a fix for CEL P0420 issues which may occur if the CAT is removed in the down-pipe which is either mechanical (resistor & capacitor) or software (Romraider, ECUedit).

So putting 2+2 together my conclusion is, when the PPP ECU with the piggyback board is installed plus the sports CAT in the STI v7 there is a risk of triggering the P0420 error so Prodrive in their wisdom have included a permanent fix for this in their STI ECUs which have the piggyback board (does not apply to later upgrades as this is most likely disabled before flashing)

Consequently I downloaded the ROM image, disabled P0420 and flashed the image back to the ECU, sorted.

10/10 for persistence

Viz

Ok, had an outstanding question regarding the restrictor pill size for the PPP ecu in my 2002 STI type UK, I called Subaru Technical support today and spoke to Adrian, he confirmed my car had the upgraded fuel pump & other PPP bits fitted way back when, more importantly the 0.9mm restrictor that comes with the stock Type UK with 265ps is not changed as part of fitting the PPP kit, in my case the one with the boost clamp GEMS piggyback board, only the WRX PPP requires a restrictor pill change.

That's all interesting stuff as mine is boosting to 1.6bar on the guage and the knocklink is quiet as a grave yard on full chat, plus using the "Learned view" tool from the RomRaider web site after 100 miles of driving suggest the engine is very happy with no pulled timing or major fuel trim taking place.

I've read on this site that other are getting 1.3-1.5 bar so I'm a happy chap