Usage directions

[evan-chaney]

There aren't really any directions in the repo on how to wire the computer to the ECU. I assume you're doing it through the OBDII port but you don't specify, nor is there any mention of which hardware works between the PC and ECU.
Is it possible to to use this project over something like a CANable, or wired directly to the ECU running off of a bench PSU?

[Robo-Kronos]

I second your comment.
I am also trying to gain access to the ECU in my RX-8 so that I can edit and re-flash the file. To actually make my car drivable again, not for performance. I know what I need to edit to fix the car, but getting the file and making the computer talk to the ECU is the problem I'm having.
Have tried: OBD2 interfaces: USB to Serial CH341 Adapter FTDI chip, and USB to OBD2 vGate Linker adapter, and various bluetooth adapters. I know the 341 cable works, as I have used it on my Nissan.
If I need to pull the ECU, I have a USB to EEPROM adapter in both 24 and 25, with 5v or 1.8V options.

[ConnorRigby]

very sorry guys, i hate to say it, but if you are asking those questions, this project probably won't be much help to you. really trying not to be gatekeepy, but the reality of it is it's just not ready for that level of user yet.

If you do want to try it out, you'll have to get a J2534 compatible CAN interface. A good example is the tactrix open port 2, but in theory, any j2534 interface will work. I've personally tested with Tactrix as well as with an official Ford/Mazda VCM device.

As for physically connecting them together, the OBD2 port is fine if your ECU is installed in your vehicle, and i use this method when i'm testing on the actual car. Personally, i also have a spare ECU on my bench that i use for most testing so i don't have to be working in the garage; anything that gets power to the ECU in all the required pins as well as the CAN bus wires is fine. @gooflophaze made a pretty good writeup on one possible way of doing this on an rx8club.com post

That's the only hardware required, but there's so much more than that before you can do anything meaningful - we still don't have any romraider or ecuflash definitions, so there's realistically not any "tuning" that can be done.

And even if there were, i haven't finished another crucial part required called the "kernel" or "bootloader". Basically, this repo only allows you to dump the flash from the ECU, but not write it back.

I do have some progress being made there, i've implemented a basic kernel with flashing functionality, but there's still much to be done on it before it's ready for general availability.

One last thing that i should mention is that in the case of frigging your ECU up, there's a set of pins on the mainboard of the ECU itself that allow dumping/flashing firmware directly, alongside dumping ram contents. If you're serious about using this project, that's another thing that i consider to be a must, since there is a fairly good chance you will mess the flash up.

I'll leave this issue open for discussion, and maybe someone else to write up a "real" guide for, but in reality, i wouldn't expect anyone to be using this project directly in the end - it will almost certainly be integrated into a larger, more user friendly project.

[Robo-Kronos]

I am going with a theory with some software and tools that has never been used before to my knowledge. The company that is developing the stuff is very up to date. And the white sheets look promising.
I will share everything if it helps or is successful at all.
They already have a flash bootloader and several other apps including an arithmetic generative system for defining the tables along with everything else on an ECU. They did their programming with the chip makers not the automobile companies.
I ordered a j2534 compatible VDI Ford Mazda tool.
So once that arrives I will test everything.
I suspect it could take some time if the software has to reverse engineer the tables to id everything.
But maybe not if they have spec from the actual PCB/ECU makers?
Time will tell

[ConnorRigby]

The company that is developing the stuff is very up to date

what company are you referring too? Renesas, the manufacturer of the ECU maybe? they publish tooling, but they didn't develop the firmware for the ECU. To my knowledge, the firmware was developed primarily by Bosch. It's copyrighted as Vehicle OS 1999. Im sure Mazda or Ford went out of their way to modify it, and they also developed the diagnostic side of the software.

They already have a flash bootloader and several other apps including an arithmetic generative system for defining the tables along with everything else on an ECU. They did their programming with the chip makers not the automobile companies.

There are other aftermarket companies with access to what you describe - Versa, Cobb etc are all decent examples. They have a bootloader, tune definitions etc all obtained by reverse engineering the original firmware in the same way that I might.

I suspect it could take some time if the software has to reverse engineer the tables to id everything.
But maybe not if they have spec from the actual PCB/ECU makers?

it takes a ton of time - even with automation, you still need to have a lot of context to know what the table is for etc. That's why reverse engineering the firmware is almost always required.