Aside from the gains, how does OFT differ from Unichip or Ecutek?

[jamesm]

i'll add that the 'aside from the gains..' part of this thread title is misleading. there is no difference at all in the gains possible from using either of these tools (within the constraints mentioned before). that's like suggesting a guy could build you a better table because he used a stanley hammer instead of a harbor freight hammer. it's just a tool. the gains come from between your ears (or someone else's, if you pay someone for it).

[husker741]

Originally Posted by jamesm

i'll add that the 'aside from the gains..' part of this thread title is misleading. there is no difference at all in the gains possible from using either of these tools (within the constraints mentioned before). that's like suggesting a guy could build you a better table because he used a stanley hammer instead of a harbor freight hammer. it's just a tool. the gains come from between your ears (or someone else's, if you pay someone for it).

It means exactly what it says. I wanted to know if the OFT is easier to hide/flash back compared to the Ecutek tune. It's why I originally went with Unichip. The gains weren't as good but it was a piggy back. If the OFT doesn't have as good of gains, but it's easier to "hide" then I'm more interested, hence "aside from the gains."

[steve99]

Originally Posted by shiv@vishnu

Where in the ROM is the flash count Mike? Address?

With TECHSTREAM it appears can access a counter " number of starts since reflash" sorry dont know the ram address. and a couple of other counters time since DTC cleared ect .

So they could deduce its been flashed recently but probably not what it was.

Highly unlikely they will look unless their is other evidence such as rod poking out of block

[garfull]

What about this scenario.

User has an OFT. Later on buys an FI kit that comes with factory tune that is only on ecutek. Can they use the OFT to copy the original ecu map which is already on the OFT, then flash back a copy of the original tune while keeping the OFT locked to that original ecu. If understand this correctly the OFT doesn't care what modified map is then uploaded as long as it matches the correct ecu type.

Then now use the ecutek to flash the FI tune maps. From what I'm reading ecutek doesn't flash back to the very original map without some changes it'll flash back to an ecutek version of the stock map.

Can you then use the OFT that still has the original ecu map locked in it and unlock the OFT and flash it back to stock?

[steve99]

Originally Posted by garfull

What about this scenario.

User has an OFT. Later on buys an FI kit that comes with factory tune that is only on ecutek. Can they use the OFT to copy the original ecu map which is already on the OFT, then flash back a copy of the original tune while keeping the OFT locked to that original ecu. If understand this correctly the OFT doesn't care what modified map is then uploaded as long as it matches the correct ecu type.

Then now use the ecutek to flash the FI tune maps. From what I'm reading ecutek doesn't flash back to the very original map without some changes it'll flash back to an ecutek version of the stock map.

Can you then use the OFT that still has the original ecu map locked in it and unlock the OFT and flash it back to stock?

Or just flash back original map which unmarries the oft then sell the oft to a n/a user and use ecuteck for your fi application

[garfull]

I was thinking more along the lines of keeping the OFT as a means of preserving the original map. From what I've read unmarrying an ecutek tune leaves traces of it in the ecu, if u then unmarry the OFT would that then get you back to stock?

Originally Posted by steve99

Or just flash back original map which unmarries the oft then sell the oft to a n/a user and use ecuteck for your fi application

[steve99]

Originally Posted by garfull

I was thinking more along the lines of keeping the OFT as a means of preserving the original map. From what I've read unmarrying an ecutek tune leaves traces of it in the ecu, if u then unmarry the OFT would that then get you back to stock?

Advise from shiv its ROM is byte for byte ie writes exactly what was read. so it it read a stock ROM it would write that back exactly.

ecutek "stock ROM" leave a small signature in unused portion of ROM but I am am sure the ecutek tuner would be able to remove that for you.

[garfull]

Correct so I was asking for confirmation if using the OFT first before the ecutek tune will that allow for full restoration of the ecu at a later time. To me this seems like it would work.

Originally Posted by steve99

Advise from shiv its ROM is byte for byte ie writes exactly what was read. so it it read a stock ROM it would write that back exactly.

ecutek "stock ROM" leave a small signature in unused portion of ROM but I am am sure the ecutek tuner would be able to remove that for you.

[steve99]

Originally Posted by garfull

Correct so I was asking for confirmation if using the OFT first before the ecutek tune will that allow for full restoration of the ecu at a later time. To me this seems like it would work.

I have not had ecutek tune but if the OFT will read it it should be able to restore it

unless you get a locked tune then only tuner can read or write it

[nelsmar]

A master tuner can instruct you on restoring the original ROM version and remove the ecutek license if need be. However I have yet to see a dealer check anything in regards to flashing at this point.

Hell my dealer knows my Ecu is flashed I directly tell them not to touch it. They also know that when the tsb for the HPFP wad done on my car it was a TSB for an official reason and has nothing to do with my Ecu being flashed.

[jamesm]

Originally Posted by husker741

It means exactly what it says. I wanted to know if the OFT is easier to hide/flash back compared to the Ecutek tune. It's why I originally went with Unichip. The gains weren't as good but it was a piggy back. If the OFT doesn't have as good of gains, but it's easier to "hide" then I'm more interested, hence "aside from the gains."

I know, and my point is that the gains don't come from the device to begin with. The device itself is irrelevant. They come from the tune you put on it.

[jamesm]

I wouldn't let a dealership monkey work on my car even if the work was free, so te warranty don't mean much to me. That said, I've never heard of a real-world case of someone being denied warranty work on an 86 over a tune. Of course if they want to screw you they're gonna screw you, even if it's something as simple as losing receipts for an oil change 10,000 miles ago or using an aftermarket oil filter (customers at my old dealership used to hate that one!).

If you're concerned about warranty, don't do anything at all to your car and take it to the same dealer for every scheduled maintenance on time, and don't so much as change the oil yourself. Otherwise a motivated-enough service manager can find a way to screw you.

On the other hand if you luck out and have a good dealer (or one that likes you) the exact opposite is true and they can get just about anything covered. I once got an engine replacement covered for a girl who popped a head gasket because she was in a wreck and cracked her coolant bottle, didn't notice and drove without coolant for who knows how long. She was cute .

[transition]

With ECUTek you cannot transfer your license. This basically means if you are not happy with their system it has essentially 0 resale value with the exception of the grossly overpriced cable.

Compare that to something like the OFT which is not only about half the price but can also be removed and sold if you decide to go another route in the future.

[jamesm]

Originally Posted by transition

With ECUTek you cannot transfer your license. This basically means if you are not happy with their system it has essentially 0 resale value with the exception of the grossly overpriced cable.

Compare that to something like the OFT which is not only about half the price but can also be removed and sold if you decide to go another route in the future.

Yes, that is one often-overlooked benefit of oft. The same issue applies to brzedit, which I now own and have no use for, but can't sell. You can sell your ecutek cable if you choose to, though. With oft you can recoup the majority of your investment if need be.

Ecutek makes up for this by supporting a full upgrade path, such as to say that you'll never need anything else because you can run any combination of anything with it. Oft has resale value, which is good because you might need it when you decide to install a turbo or want flex fuel .