"remoting" early C4 MEMCAL?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 993
Likes: 4
From: Glen Burnie MD
"remoting" early C4 MEMCAL?
I'm doing tuning and need to keep pulling my chip but I'm leery of leaving the ECM sitting on the floor - that may be why my current computer is acting oddly (I have a feeling it got stepped on). So I'm wondering if anyone has tried running a short ribbon cable to the socket on the ECM and plugging the chip into a new socket and maybe mounting it on the hush panel out of the way. I realize there's a potential timing issue with adding additional wires in-line, but since these are pretty slow computers maybe I could get away with 6-10" or so?
Thanks.
[RICHR]
Thanks.
[RICHR]
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,923
Likes: 0
From: GA
Originally Posted by rrubel
So I'm wondering if anyone has tried running a short ribbon cable to the socket on the ECM and plugging the chip into a new socket and maybe mounting it on the hush panel out of the way. I realize there's a potential timing issue with adding additional wires in-line, but since these are pretty slow computers maybe I could get away with 6-10" or so?
Thanks.
[RICHR]
Thanks.
[RICHR]
Intermediate
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
Adding wire length to that part opens it up to a ton more RF. The PC board engineers spend countless hours designing the PC board with filtering caps and multi-layered ground plaining to reduce the RF to the chips just to make it work in that harsh enviroment.
My cousin owns , runs , and is the chief Engineer at Digital Delay Inc. I see what he goes through with every new product he puts out and it is amazing what he has to do to keep the processors from getting scrammbled. He is so good at what he does, a few years back, NASA called him to discuss an issue they were having with some "thing" or other.
You racers out there might recognize the "Delay Box, Nitrous controllers, RPM switches, Throttle controllers, etc" stuff out there at the track. I used to work for him 7 years ago. Cool stuff.
Back on topic - Modifying the placement of parts on a PCB will cause some major headaches.
Even removing it from it's cradle can cause issues. To be consistant, you need to keep it right where GM had it and always make sure your grounds are TIGHT.
My cousin owns , runs , and is the chief Engineer at Digital Delay Inc. I see what he goes through with every new product he puts out and it is amazing what he has to do to keep the processors from getting scrammbled. He is so good at what he does, a few years back, NASA called him to discuss an issue they were having with some "thing" or other.
You racers out there might recognize the "Delay Box, Nitrous controllers, RPM switches, Throttle controllers, etc" stuff out there at the track. I used to work for him 7 years ago. Cool stuff.
Back on topic - Modifying the placement of parts on a PCB will cause some major headaches.
Even removing it from it's cradle can cause issues. To be consistant, you need to keep it right where GM had it and always make sure your grounds are TIGHT.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 83,383
Likes: 87
From: Boston, MA
As was said, it has been tried, but not much success has been found yet. Sometimes wrapping the cable in aluminum foil helps to cut down on RF, but it is still a crap shoot. FWIW my ECM has been sitting on my floor for probably 2 years now. 
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Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 993
Likes: 4
From: Glen Burnie MD
An Ostrich - is that the Moates thing? I've seen mention of the name, but wasn't familiar with what it does. Trying to do this without sinking a lot of cash...
I'd thought about wrapping the cable in tin-foil, or also using a flat/twisted pair cable (i've seen them, every pair is braided together but is still fastened to the set next to it).
Maybe what I need to do is just find a better temporary mounting point for the whole ECM.
Jabez, FWIW, the ECM on my early 86 normally belongs behind the dash on the passenger side. It requires some minor contortions to install/remove.
[RICHR]
I'd thought about wrapping the cable in tin-foil, or also using a flat/twisted pair cable (i've seen them, every pair is braided together but is still fastened to the set next to it).
Maybe what I need to do is just find a better temporary mounting point for the whole ECM.
Jabez, FWIW, the ECM on my early 86 normally belongs behind the dash on the passenger side. It requires some minor contortions to install/remove.
[RICHR]
Pro
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 552
Likes: 13
From: Oz
yes, the ostrich is a moates product. at $175 it is well worth it if you have motor that needs a fair amount of tuning..
good luck with the eprom extension... manyhave tried before..
have you considered making an extension harness for the ecm and relocating it? This would work better.
good luck with the eprom extension... manyhave tried before..
have you considered making an extension harness for the ecm and relocating it? This would work better.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 993
Likes: 4
From: Glen Burnie MD
Originally Posted by ben73
have you considered making an extension harness for the ecm and relocating it? This would work better.
Thanks for the info, guys.
[RICHR]
Pro
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 552
Likes: 13
From: Oz
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,110
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From: JUPITER FLORIDA
So im trying to figure out, does this upgrade your ecm so that you can custom tune it? or does it make the computer like the 91 and later c4's?What is the exact advantage of havning this? 
Pro
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 552
Likes: 13
From: Oz
its an eprom emulator.. it plugs into your ecm in place of the eprom. you can then change the tuning in the emulator (ostrich) and its is the same as making changes to the chip EXCEPT you can do it while the engine is running and you don't have to mess around with burning/erasing/removing/replacing pesky chips..
basically the ecm still thinks it has a normal eprom connected.. but its really just a device that emulates an eprom and its contents can be changed far more quickly and easily 'on the fly'..
does that make sense??
basically the ecm still thinks it has a normal eprom connected.. but its really just a device that emulates an eprom and its contents can be changed far more quickly and easily 'on the fly'..
does that make sense??
Former Vendor
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 7,204
Likes: 6
From: St Marys PA
I tried exactly what you talking about and got to work moderately with aluminum foil around EVERYTHING. But who wants that?
I finally got a Romulator which worked very well and allows you to realtime tuning. Much much quicker than the standard way.
I have the romulator and was going to put it up for sale, but it keeps slipping my mind. I really don't need it anymore since I am toying with DFI to learn that side of tuning.
Let me know if you would be interested. I am going to be selling it.
I finally got a Romulator which worked very well and allows you to realtime tuning. Much much quicker than the standard way.
I have the romulator and was going to put it up for sale, but it keeps slipping my mind. I really don't need it anymore since I am toying with DFI to learn that side of tuning.
Let me know if you would be interested. I am going to be selling it.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,110
Likes: 0
From: JUPITER FLORIDA
Originally Posted by ben73
its an eprom emulator.. it plugs into your ecm in place of the eprom. you can then change the tuning in the emulator (ostrich) and its is the same as making changes to the chip EXCEPT you can do it while the engine is running and you don't have to mess around with burning/erasing/removing/replacing pesky chips..
basically the ecm still thinks it has a normal eprom connected.. but its really just a device that emulates an eprom and its contents can be changed far more quickly and easily 'on the fly'..
does that make sense??
basically the ecm still thinks it has a normal eprom connected.. but its really just a device that emulates an eprom and its contents can be changed far more quickly and easily 'on the fly'..
does that make sense??
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 993
Likes: 4
From: Glen Burnie MD
Originally Posted by ski_dwn_it
I finally got a Romulator which worked very well and allows you to realtime tuning. Much much quicker than the standard way.
Let me know if you would be interested. I am going to be selling it.
Let me know if you would be interested. I am going to be selling it.
[RICHR]
Drifting
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,730
Likes: 1
From: Charlotte NC
St. Jude Donor '05
Craigs got somethign called a autoprom too that is a emulator, a datalogging interface and a chipburner all in one.. You might want to check with him to see if he still carries them as I know he was gooing to give them up soon.