EcuTek How the system Works
 

Ecutek Cable kit Tunes licensing explained


Ecutek Tuning system consists of several components

Basic ProECU Kit Retail - (OBD cable and DESKEY, mst people refer to DESKEY as a dongle, note its not a memory stick))
Warning: If you buy secondhand kit make sure it contains both the cable and the DESKEY(dongle), without DESKEY(dongle) kit is useless. also make sure the cable/dongle kit is assigned to 86/BRZ/FRS , the hardware is same and you will be able to flash a 86/BRZ/FRS with say a Nissan GTR kit. but you wont be able to open or edit even unlocked tunes or make your own tunes with a kit that is not assigned to a BRZ/86 platform I believe ECUTEK can re-assign the kits but their may be an additional cost to do so, safer to buy a kit that designated for 86/BRZ/FRS
ECU Licence - licence to allow you to program/flash one ECU ( this is now called flash points you need 255 flash points for a brz\86 licience) sold separatly, one required per ecu flashed with ProECU kit. One off cost per ECU. (note this ECU licience is separate to the DESKEY/dongle)
Tune/ROM file - either you self tune or you buy a tune from tuner, tunes from a tuner will generally be keyed to your dongle id.


To actually flash a tune to a car you need 4 things
1. Ecutek cable - you cannot use other cables must be genuine ecutek cable
2. Ecutek DESKEY (Dongle)- looks like a memory stick, but its not
3. En Ecutek ECU licience- ( or 255 flash points if your ecu doesnt already have ecutek tune) this is NOT the DESKEY. (unless ECU in car has already be flashed with ECUTEK and licience is already in ECU)
4. A tune file keyed to your DESKEY(dongle) or an open unkeyed tune . Unkeyed tunes are rare in ecutek tuning world.



Basic ProECU Cable kit (OBD interface cable and DESkey Dongle that allows you to run Ecutek software on PC), without these items plugged into your PC ecutek software will not run.

Each Dongle(Deskey) has a 6 charater code associated with it like 6a 5b 5c. This code is referred to a licience key or tune key or dongle ID or key.
Any tune you get from a tuner will almost always be coded to this Dongle ID so cannot be shared with other Ecutek users. Open or un-keyed tunes are rare in ecutek tuning world.


http://s3.amazonaws.com/MRT/images/E...PROCABLE-3.jpg


Ecutek ECU Tuning license - one license required for each car you want to flash - not transferable or onsellable, a licience is now called flash points you need 255 for each brz/86 ecu you want to flash unless its already been flashed with ecutek previously ie already has licience in ecu.
These licences/ flash points are sold separately to Cable/Dongle kits. The tuner will apply the licence/ flash points to your dongle ID ( the desk key) so next time you fire up ecutek software connected to internet the ECU licence purchased will appear.
You can flash the licensed ecu as many times as you like, but its not transferable

RaceROM Extension Pack - Not required to flash tunes- only required to give fullaccess Racrom Features for self tuners.



Tunes purchased from tuner - these care generally emailed to you , they are keyed to your Dongle(Deskey) ID code . They will generally be keyed to just your dongle ID so only you can flash.
Other dongle ID will have no access at all.

If you keep using your Basic Pro ECU cable kit to program lots different cars, Ecutek may require you to purchase a full tuner kit these are quite expensive
They track the number of ECU licenses sent to Each Dongle ID.

If you have a Ecutek cable kit, you will also need to purchase an ECU licience to be able to flash a car, unless the car has been flashed with Ecutek previously.

Ecutek embeds the ECU license in the ECU on the first flash, then it checks for this licience before it will flash ECU.

Tunes you purchase from an Ecutek tuner will in most cases be coded to your dongle ID. This means that only that dongle ID can flash that tune.
It also means that you cannot look at the tune tables inside the tune all you can do is flash
Another dongle wont even be able to flash or load the tune.

The usb/OBD cable is not specificly keyed to the dongle but it does contain some form of keying such that you must use a genuine ecutek usb/obd cable or the ecutek software will not detect the cable. However you could use somone else's Ecutek cable if yours failed, but you would need your dongle else you cannot load tunes keyed to different dongle Id's

The ECUTEK software requires your dongle (deskey) and a genuine ecutek cable to be plugged ito PC for the ECUTEK software to work.


ECU Locking

ECU is locked once an Ecutek tune with RaceRom features is added is flashed.
The ECU Lock is dependant on if the tune flashed has Racrom features added, no racerom no lock, racerom features added then flashing tune will lock ECU.


The ECU lock is achieved by altering the access code sequence in the ECU.


No other tune system can access the ECU until you or tuner flash back an ecutek rom without Racrom features installed.
Ecu can be unlocked by flashing back an Ecutek stock rom WITHOUT Race ROM features added
Note if you flash your ECU that is unlocked with another tune system, you will write over and loose your Ecutek tune licence. You will need to get your Ecutek tuner to re-new licence.

licenses already in ecu or tunes not transferable only cable kit can be on sold

Tunes from tuners are generally locked and not viewable or editable by anyone other than the tuner, even if the tune is keyed to your dongle ,all you can do is flash it.

You can tune yourself with ecutek, but for full racerom feature access you will need to buy additional RaceRom extension pack.
Laptop required to log and flash.

Ecutek supply the tune system but they do not tune.
You need to go to an Ecutek tuner for a tune and flash licences or to buy cable kits.
The Roms you get with Ecutek are just the STOCK roms and the Racrom patches for each rom type (calibration ID)
The cable kit can be used to flash or log multiple cars but you need a ECU licience for each car you want to flash
Once the Ecutek licience is transfered to your ECU its permanently in ECU and you can flash tunes as many times as you like with ecutek to that ECU.

The cable kit can log and clear/read DTC on a car without a Ecutek licience in ECU
If you buy a tune from a tuner it will have access to all racerom features like map switch, SD tuning ,custom maps etc.
If you self tune the basic proECU software only gives access to the basic RaceRom features like launch and flat foot shift.
You cannot access stuff like 4 map switching you can only access Map 1 tables and you dont get access to custom maps SD tuning , custom maps and a lot of other high end features.


If you want that as a self tuner you need to buy the RaceRom extension pack for another $350. even with RaceRom extension you cannot access locked tunes, it just allows you to add in those features to a tune you make yourself.


Editing Your own ROMS.

IF you obtain any BRZ/86 ROM in standard Hex format (with no additional patches or calibration ID adjustments/hacks) you can use Ecutek to edit these roms.

However once edited with Ecutek they can only be saved in ecutek encrypted format, and then they are only readable or flashable by Ecutek

The Rom that come with Ecutek are just the stock roms encoded to ecutek format, you don't get any free tunes with an Ecutek cable kit.

Mininum requirements and aprox costs

Ecutek cable kit aprox $350 USD (if you want to flash tunes yourself)
Ecutek ECU licience (1 per car) $350 USD
You may get a better deal if you buy a cable kit and tune from same vendor.
Tunes not supplied tunes start from 100-500 or so USD
If you want full access tune/modify all Race Rom Features add the RaceRom extension for about $350


Check around for pricing as well some tuners discount licences, but charge more for tune or other way round




Ecutek ECU Connect Blutooth interface

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGCfprEsezE"]The New EcuTek Bluetooth Interface and iPhone App - ECU Connect - YouTube[/ame]



This is now a complete solution for Flashing (via mini usb connector) and logging via Bluetooth or USB

Note that you also need a dongle key to be able to flash tunes with the Blutooth dongle. Currently the Blutooth kits only contain the interface, so you need to already have or buy a ecutek dongle key to use the flash usb interface on the blutooth dongle

This is a separate Bluetooth dongle (sold separatly to standard ProECU Cable/dongle kit) - Update the Blutooth dongles can now flash tunes via the mini USB interface on rear of dongle ie via hardware connection to your laptop.


Blutooth interface does NOT flash or read Tunes/ROM from the ECU.
Its purely for logging and adjusting pre-setup features in your ecutek tune.


However the mini USB socket on Back of Bluetooth Dongle can be used to flash tunes


You need a Tune with RaceRom version 9.1 or higher for the Blutooth interface to work. The features and adjustments need to be set up in your tune by the tuner or you using Racerom extension pack.


More info on Blutooth interface
http://www.ecutek.com/Products/Retai...CU-Connect-BRZ


EcuTek Website
www.ecutek.com






Alternative Tune Systems
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=106068

thanks man!! really appreciate you typed out all this!!

Just to add, this is the write up I send confused customers (of which there are a few)..

There are 5 components of the ecutek end user/retail system.

1. EcuTek OBDII cable
2. EcuTek dongle/usb key or its correct name "DESkey"
3. ProECU software
4. License
5. Tune file

All of these are separate things. The software and license are both software items and aren't physical.

The OBDII cable is used for transferring data from the ProECU software/laptop to your cars ECU.

The DESkey is a software encryption key that allows you to open ProECU on your computer. It is like a password for a program but it is physical and impossible to crack/hack. It's purely used so you can't copy the ProECU software, kind of like how some games etc used a product key.

The license is a string of code that attaches to your ProECU software until you write it to the cars ECU. The license, once applied to an ECU, is no longer connected to your particular EcuTek programming kit. You are free to use whatever cable and dongle you wish, otherwise people would be locked to one tuner and one tuner only.

The tune file is created by your tuner. If they are doing it in person, you won't see a copy of it. If you are doing it remotely, they will compile it and "key" it to your dongle ID (DESkey ID). This allows you to flash it to your car but not allow you to open, view or change any mapping. This doesn't lock your ECU either, but using EcuTek means you are locked to EcuTek's software UNLESS you flash a stock tune file, which will allow different programs access.

Thanks guys. Dont blame me for my next question please - Im owning a full programming kit (incl DESkey) but Im asking myself if its possible to "copy" the DESkey because sometimes Im running out of USB ports at my laptop. Its cool for me if the DESkey would be married with my laptop if this is possible in any ways - if not, its ok.

Possible: yes
Legal/allowed: no

It would require some very in-depth hacking and cost and absolute arm and a leg. The DESkey encryption system is used on extremely high end computer software that can sometimes cost tens of thousands of dollars and in that case, someone might want to emulate it and lock the original in a safe. For our $400 software it's no where near woth it nor worth the legal ramifications

I have one of these get 3 extra usb ports and ethernet port no software drivers required works on windows and mac and cheap

http://m.ebay.com.au/itm/USB-2-0-to-...807?nav=SEARCH

Steve, thanks again for another super informative post. One quick question if you don't mind.

So I've currently got a B01C OFT tune. Obviously it's patched and would not work through ecutek, but if I'm reading this right, I could simply hand-copy the table values over into a totally stock B01C and flash that with ecutek. Is that correct?

My one hangup with ecutek is being able to flash to near-stock tunes, seems that's not an issue.

Yes that can be done, ecutek may not name tables same as romraider though, but you can work it out.


ecutek also comes with all the stock roms but they are in ecutek coded format.


you will also need an ecutek ecu licence to flash.


also you can then add the ecutek racerom features to the rom you create.

thank you for the post!!!

Noob here, about to install my Edelbrock S/C kit. It comes with the ECUtek license and ProECU tuning kit.

Before flashing, do you copy the original factory ROM file and save it to your laptop first? In case you want to go back to stock? Kinda like how the OFT tablet saves a copy of your stock ECU image before writing the "tuned" file.

theirs no facility in retail ecutek siftwsre to ssve your stock rom or resd out rom in an ecu. Ecutek only writes. Its posible to read it out in some weird format only accesible by ecutek guys but you canot flash these back either.

Thier is no need to do so as ecutek comes with all the stock roms for you to flsdh back. Tou end up 100% stock tune wise but still with embeded ecutek licience in ecu which is detectable if you resrly looking

Can you log Ecutek flashed ECUs with a Tactrix dongle?

Say I have a friend with an Ecutek tune. Can I do a log for him with Tactrix?

I would assume so, the base addresses should be the same as an OEM ROM.

Can confirm that you can log ecutek tuned cars with tactrix ecutek doesnt alter the logging ram addresses from the base roms. However you wouldnt be able to log the ecutek specific stuff like custom map outputs and map switch mode unless you somhow figured out those ram locations. Also oft will log ecutek tuned cars.

It also works the other way you can use ecutek to log oft or tactrix tuned cars, no licience in ecu required for logging only.

Thank you both.

I assume you need a laptop connected to log with Ecutec (unless using their new Bluetooth connector)? Hence the question, since Tactrix would be a more compact solution.

Another question:
If starting out from an unlocked tune file which already includes Racerom, is it then Is it necessary to purchase Racerom to edit said tune (including modifying the Racerom features)?

Afaik the new bluetooth dongle only logs to apple phone\tablet it doesnt flash tunes and its extra on top of normsl cable kit. And you have to have tune in ecu with letest v9.1 i think racerom features added.


You get racerm patchs for roms with basic proecu kit you can add racerom patch to base roms but you xan only edit or see, mode 1 maps and base features likr c ffs auto blip and per gear rpm limits. You cannot access custom maps , mode 2 3 4 maps or any other racerom features which i suspect includes tge setup of fancy blutooth features

ECU Connect is now available for Android too. You do indeed need RaceROM 9.1 patched ROMs.

On the standard dongle license (End User) you have access to:
Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced classified maps
Add RaceROM patches to base ROMs
Edit launch control, Flat Foot Shift and Aito-Blip on patched files

The RaceROM upgrade gives you access to:
Fuel and ignition timing maps for modes 2-4
Custom Maps

Thanks steve

Do you get access to set up blutooth app features on base proecu kit ? Assume you need custom msps to set up pops and map change though ?

Assume the logging via blutoith jyst works on eacerom 9.1?

But other fance stuff you would need racerom full access ?

If it now works on andriod thats great might even think about one :-)

You recon they will flash with it ever ? , Looks like a micro usb on back end of. Blutooth dongle is that used for anything ?

I've heard that there is an updated unit coming out that will allow you to flash via the laptop using the BT device. However I guess it requires the same form of security as the dongle to allow flashing from a phone or tablet. Whether they will get BT flashing from ProECU though....

The App is designed for 9.1 (on the BRZ) only. I'd imagine you get just the OEM parameters if you use an earlier version, I'm sure that was confirmed on here before.

I can't confirm what the End Users get access to with regards to the Custom Parameter Settings. I would assume it's RaceROM upgrade at a minimum as you use the parameters as inputs into custom maps etc.

Thanks a lot for all your answers.

My car is running really well as it is. Is it worthwhile switching to Ecutek? Are there any tools in in the Ecutek software that makes tuning easier compared to Romraider? Or is it the same footwork required?

It seems like I could copy over my present tune to Ecutek with just purchasing a cable and a license. Would I have any benefit except for the gimmicks like proper FFS? And would it be better to hold off and see if the cable will be completely replaceable with the BT adapter?

I like the EcuTek log viewer, but no extra tools are built in. The aids come in the custom maps as you can use these to save time using multiple maps or variable settings.

If the updated BT device does come to production, I could see it replacing the cable, as it would inevitably provide laptop logging and flashing plus the app connectivity. Plus it comes in a nicer case....

nothing is impossible to hack crack...
 

High end software programs have used dongle encryption for decades. Back in the day there were programs like dongle spy that record all the information that passes between the dongle and the dlls for the program and rewrite dlls with all of the encryption data already in them so that the software works.

That's how programs like 3D Studio Max and Lightwave 3D and Maya, etc.. have cracked versions out there.

That being said, I don't condone cracking software nor do I know how easily it can be done for this software, but to say it's impossible is a misnomer.

Jaden

I'd rather say to a customer that it's impossible, rather than say it's very hard as that's something they don't really need to know.

Anything's possible, the impossible just takes longer.

I got ecutek just for the map switching, but i use it to switch fuels with 95 ron 98 ron , E 40 and e85 maps in the 4 slots, saves me reflashing all the time and cheaper and easier than full flex. I ws able to sell my oft for goid price and picked up a secondhand cabke kit cheap. I probably would not do it just for lc ffs and auto blip on na car.

Im lucky to have a protune thats unlocked. Im interested in adding ignition timing and adjusting my duty cycle on my Boost controller after my motor build is complete and broken in. Does anyone have an English guide that translates each table in EcuTek for a dumb down English for learning purposes?

Open the table theirs often help option

Theier is also some pdf documentation that comes with ecutek, but with the base proecu it its prety basic , tuner version you get more info

Boost controller is likely controlled by custom maps set up by tuner, so depends how they set it up might be their own setup usually uses evap purge solenoid output of ecu from memory.

Unfortunatly unleass you have racerom extension pack you cannot se or slter custom maps even in unlocked tune

Nice to see james martin still doing unlocked tunes

Funny, i found what i was looking for just after i posted. Ill need to purchase Racerom and i found the pdf in the help dropdown. Thank you sir!

Simple rule of thumb, increase boost, reduce ignition advance..... don't go doing both ;)

Did I say add , i ment modify. :bonk:

Is it possible to have different timing per gear?

Yes

This seems like a feature alone that would make Ecutek worthwhile. Is it available without Racerom?

No, it would have to be done in Custom Maps.

I was recently tuned by James went i went FI. I have an OFT that I am trying to sell. So if James tunes are unlocked, which I will double tap on, it should be as easy as flashing ECUTEK to stock, then connecting OFT and flashing back stock to unmarry it, and then flashing back my ROM?

Unfortunatly no


James tunes are unlocked meaning you can view and ecit his tunes using ecutek, but ecutek still locks the ecu if a non stock tune is in ecu.

If you flash back stock rom with ecutek it will unlock ecu, and you could write with oft but dont as you will loose yoyur ecutek licience.

Talk to james to see if he could re issue ecutek licience

@steve99 - Is it possible to use EcuTek to log your stock tune?

I want to log my tune to see if I need a custom tune. Trying to figure out if I have to pay the $300 license fee for that to work.

You dont need licience in ecu to log, base pro ecukit will log any brz\86

That is great news. Thank you!

@steve99 - I was able to borrow an EcuTek cable today and do a log. Let me know what you think: https://datazap.me/u/jreifer/2017-br...12-16-21-29-30

Trim the datalog to between about the 8 through 24 time s marks to see the pull. I couldn't figure out how to get this view permanently.

Some things I noticed (I'm a beginner here, so these are more observations/questions than answers):
Long Term Fuel Trim is steady at -1.6 during the pull.
Ignition timing takes a slight dip between 4400-4800 (normal?).
Actual Lambda is about .90-.86 until the end of the run when it dips to .75.
AFR actual takes a second to get in line with the target AFR.
Lambda actual and target take a second to get in line and then are very close.

I'm sure there are a ton of things I'm missing here. Interested to hear your thoughts. Thanks!

Just and FYI AFR Target and Lambda Target are the same thing. Same for AFR/Lambda Actual.

So long as there's no real FLKC (Ign Correction - Fine) then it's OK, but I can't see that you logged that.

It looks like a loss of traction at 6.5k RPM?

Engine load would possibly explain the loss of ignition timing, but you didn't log that either.