hondata question, could not find any info on

[Black 02 SI]

if i bought a new ecu, how would that work? would I have to put it in my car and take it to honda to get programmed, then send it to hondata. or is this not possible? i just don't like the idea of changing things on my car that i can not change back. any input would be great.

[Peking]

Originally posted by Black 02 SI
if i bought a new ecu, how would that work? would I have to put it in my car and take it to honda to get programmed, then send it to hondata. or is this not possible? i just don't like the idea of changing things on my car that i can not change back. any input would be great.

This could work, and when I mean could work. It is the trouble of having to reprogram you keys each time you swaped out the ecu. Did you know that you can undo the flash on your ecu. And if you wanted it back, since you already had it, you could get it back for a much lesser price.

[jandetuning]

Originally posted by Black 02 SI
if i bought a new ecu, how would that work? would I have to put it in my car and take it to honda to get programmed, then send it to hondata.

Yes, it would work if you were only switching out the ECU. You could then have two ECUs programmed to your keys.

[Peking]

Originally posted by jandetuning
Yes, it would work if you were only switching out the ECU. You could then have two ECUs programmed to your keys.

Yes, you would have like four keys (if you wanted an extra two for both ecu's). Then again, not worth the trouble to me.

[fsugatorbait]

Originally posted by Black 02 SI
if i bought a new ecu, how would that work? would I have to put it in my car and take it to honda to get programmed, then send it to hondata. or is this not possible? i just don't like the idea of changing things on my car that i can not change back. any input would be great.

Yes, what your'll need to do is get the extra ECU and VIN # from the car it came from. Find a dealership that will reprogram the ECU to your immobilizer and then your set. Honda charges around $70 for the service.

[jandetuning]

Originally posted by Peking
Yes, you would have like four keys (if you wanted an extra two for both ecu's). Then again, not worth the trouble to me.

Why? The key code is programmed into the ECU. This will not create a need for extra keys.

[Peking]

Originally posted by jandetuning
Why? The key code is programmed into the ECU. This will not create a need for extra keys.

Can the ECU store more than two key codes at a time? Now that I think about it, makes sense. Wait two different ECU, could have the same codes for the keys. I see that now.

[jandetuning]

Originally posted by Peking
Can the ECU store more than two key codes at a time? Now that I think about it, makes sense. Wait two different ECU, could have the same codes for the keys. I see that now.

Yeah, just program the key code into the ECU. The Hondata flash seems to be smog friendly, but for those of us in CA two ECUs would allow for a worry free smog.

[jandetuning]

Well, I went to the local Acura dealer to get the A2 ECU to match my immobilizer and found out that our immobilizer retains which ECU it has mated with. I assumed and so did the Acura tech, because he has done this for other Acura vehicles, that we would be able to match the codes and be done with it, then I would have it ready and available for the head when it went on. No dice. We first tried to look at the codes I currently had in the ECU by hooking up the scan tool. (Btw: the scan tool I saw today was just amazing, costs about 6k and is the size of a large textbook with touch screen). We ran into a problem right off, cause my car is Canadian and the iN (Immobilizer codes network) did not recognize my VIN. So I had to call my dealership back home to get them to obtain the 4-digit code for the scan tool. Apparently they change every 1-2 days. Once we got that the rest was easy. We flashed the New ECU and thought it was over. NOT! When I put my own ECU back I found that the immobilzer was now not being recognized by the ECU. This lead us to believe that the immobilizer itself retains a mating code as well. Strange, and the Acura tech. said that he does not have this problem with other Acura vehicles. Anyways, after reflashing my original ECU back, I was left at square one again and it looks like I will have to make the swap first, then travel to the dealer to get it flashed. I should not have a problem, or so the dealer thinks, driving my car with the new head and the old ECU temporarily. My guess is that the Vtec solenoid will kick in early at 2200 rpms. I wonder how that will be, not to mention the hondata? Could be an interesting power gain or loss, not sure.

This came from myeverlovinsir's post on his head swap. There may be a new style of immobilizer in our cars. I have reprogrammed the immobilizer in my girlfriend's '99 Prelude, and I didn't have any of these problems.