DIY - How to mod your own tune (SAI Removal)

[Mɐʇʇ]

Intro

• I'm afraid this is only a partial DIY.
• I can't remember all the steps and I did this before I realised it could be useful for other people too - specifically for my SAI delete mod.
• However, framing it under an SAI delete mod, this tune mod enables you to remove the SAI pump from the car entirely.
• The only thing you need to leave in is the small solenoid that sits under the carbon RS6 cover on the motor - the ECU still electrically checks that's connected.
• It is easy to remove the coding for that too, however there's a handful of different "bits" that it could be to disable it, and I got bored of trying - it's no big deal to leave the solenoid electrically connected but disconnected from everything else.

Downloading your current tune (stock)

• If you are running a stock tune, this is simple. In my case, bought a Galletto 1260 cable and software off ebay.
• Would a generic OBD cable work - I don't know, maybe. You can certainly download the software for free - although I bought a cable too, since it was cheap!

• The Galletto software is super easy to use and lets you download, or upload, a tune.

Downloading your current tune (remapped)

• Most remapped tunes lock reading of the current tune.
• You can unsolder the eprom if you wish, , but it's also possible to jump the ECU at boot time which puts it into boot mode.
• This works around the lock.
• I can't remember the exact pin you need to ground when you turn the ECU on, but I think it's this one.

• If you need boot mode, google it - but this is pretty close to being on the money.
• Don't get all excited that we can all share our remaps now. A remap is almost worthless unless you also do the gearbox ECU too - which can only be done by replacing the chip physically!
• Otherwise the gearbox ECU just limits the torque anyway and the new engine map doesn't really add much value.

Uploading a Tune

• Uploading is easier - you don't need the ECU in boot mode. You just grab the tune file and use Galletto to upload it.
• VERY VERY IMPORTANT. Do not jog, knock, or otherwise disconnect or interrupt the upload or you will likely brick your ECU. Potentially boot mode could fix it - I dunno. Just don't do it.

Editing the Tune
There are a few things at play here

• Loading the bin file that is the tune
• Having a map on it to identify the correct memory locations you want to edit
• Resetting the checksums in the file correctly
• Saving it back down as a binary file to upload.
• For editing, I used TunerPro, which is free.

• To make this work, you need both the bin file, and an xdf template. See linkies below.
• To disable SAI, I turned off a couple of codewords:

• Which in TunerPro, you can see here :

  

• Just these 2 enables you to remove all your SAI plumbing with the exception of the electrical connection as noted above.
• Next, you then need to correct the checksums to avoid ECU complaints. I can't quite remember how I did that, but this link seems to be commonly referenced, although I don't quite remember doing it that way.

Custard?

• Yes, everything I describe above I did on my own wagon.
• Initially, I reverted the car to stock - albeit it with VCDS then raising an SAI error
• I then modified, uploaded & tested a stock tune to remove the SAI and verify I was getting it right
• Then I modified my Stage 1 tune (which I had backed up in advance) and uploaded that.
• The car has been running Matt's SAI mod tune since 2015.

Other things to note.

• All my notes above are referring to the 366304 software version, which is what my car is running.
• I believe there are 3 different software versions, possibly more.
• I suspect you'll need a different XDF/TunerPro template to mod the others - I don't know, I never looked.
• It tool long enough to learn the above as it was!

Software & Linkies.

• Gallatto 1260 lead & Software
• Galletto 1260
• TunerPro
• Checksum Setter/Checker
• Tunerpro XDF/Template file needed to parse the binaries
• Nef Moto - all the guides where much of the info in this post came from

ECU Binaries

• Stock, SAI On, 366304 Tune I have run this one
• Stock 366724 Tune Untested
• Stock 360874 Tune Untested
• Stock, SAI Off, 366304 Tune I have run this one
• Stage 1 Tune, circa 510hp, SAI Off This is my current tune

Anything Else

• Not so much - other than to say that between some of the software above, or other software and guides on the sites, plus a bit of advanced VCDS, there is nothing you can't do to the cars, software wise.
• With great power comes great responsibility - go carefully and cautiously and research and check everything before you do anything.
• Don't sue me if you brick your car - everything I know how to do is listed here (boot mode!)
• Finally, thanks to Sweegie for the assistance he gave me when I learnt to do this back in 2015

[Gregstv]

Thanks Matt. I will have a play over the weekend.

[Gregstv]

Checked the file I pulled of the spares car ECU and it's the correct version. Address 181AE is already 00
Address 181B8 is 05.
Next I will pull the file from my car and see what is on it.

[Mɐʇʇ]

Cool - you spotted the exact addresses in the screenshot - thought that would be useful to you.

Don't forget the checksums need resetting too after editing, as evidenced on the diff screenshot....

[Nobby]

Mega stuff Matt.

[Mɐʇʇ]

Thank you Nobby.

I think, but am not completely sure as I've not tried it on cars other than my own, that if anyone just wants to delete their SAI, you don't need to manually edit your tune as I had to. I think you can just use Galletto to backup the current ECU memory and then overwrite it entirely with the stock SAI off binary I have shared above. Potentially Gregstv will be able to validate this.

There is also still the odd ECU that pops up on ebay - I've been tempted to try re-flashing one of them and seeing how it goes - but I do sometimes have a life, too.

The name "Gregstv" always confuses me. I used to be on a US Speedboat forum called Scream and Fly - it was run by a bloke called Greg and he and others there had a type of boat called an "STV" : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59JczGrFjVw
So I always read Greg's name as Greg STV

[Shoppinit]

IIRC, if bench flash you don't increase the reprogramming counter. If you program through the cable, you do. Although I don't know what happens when you flash from boot loader.

[Mɐʇʇ]

Yes, I saw the counter go up on mine, although can’t remember where. Is there any downside to to incrementing the counter?

[Shoppinit]

Not really. Resale? When the cars become classics?

[Mɐʇʇ]

Resale. I think anyone who joins here would plug VCDS in - but spotting that obscure parameter?
Let me do some research and see if we can adjust that......can you remember where you can view it?

[Shoppinit]

Not offhand. Like you say, you have to search around to find it.

[Mɐʇʇ]

Personally, I still want fis-control.de installed so I can play snake. That is priceless.

2013-01-05 - IMG_0014.png (8.77 KiB) Viewed 4887 times

[Classik]

Just wanted to say thanks for all the good stuff and spirit here.

[Gregstv]

Thank you Nobby.

I think, but am not completely sure as I've not tried it on cars other than my own, that if anyone just wants to delete their SAI, you don't need to manually edit your tune as I had to. I think you can just use Galletto to backup the current ECU memory and then overwrite it entirely with the stock SAI off binary I have shared above. Potentially Gregstv will be able to validate this.

There is also still the odd ECU that pops up on ebay - I've been tempted to try re-flashing one of them and seeing how it goes - but I do sometimes have a life, too.

The name "Gregstv" always confuses me. I used to be on a US Speedboat forum called Scream and Fly - it was run by a bloke called Greg and he and others there had a type of boat called an "STV" : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59JczGrFjVw
So I always read Greg's name as Greg STV

Gregstv was my old business name back when there was money in doing TV repairs. I was doing TV repairs for nearly 30 years. Now I work for someone else and get paid when I am on leave. Much easier.
Nice boats. You can see how easy the wind can get under them. I found the inboard I had was faster when there was a little chop on the water. Where these the same?

[Classik]

Hey Matt and all,

I finally found the time to test the above, and I have a couple of questions :

1/ is there a translated version of the xdf file? Surely one can use the acronyms ( like FKKVS), but the comments are in German and its not always easy to understand what's the purpose of every parameter
2/ you clearly mentioned that gearbox tuning is the limiting factor in the grand scheme of things. How to tackle the problem? Can the gb controller be 'easily' programmed and how?

Many thanks for your time!