Automotive/Transportation TEK !

[itechtv]

Patrick I am a car guy/techie and I would like to see more shows that feature "mods" for our vehicles or transportation in general. What I mean is not so much focus on the mechanical but the electronics.

I always wanted to know what options we have as owners tapping into car's ECU(cars computer) via OBD-I or OBD-II.

Anyways maybe you can digg deeper into the technology aspect of the automotive/transportation world.

just a thought.

[ozid]

The problem with that is different cars have different ECU's, so there's very little you can do in terms of gaining horsepower or performance from something you plug in.

Most manufactures have 3rd party companies making software to tune ECU's, but they are all different and aren't cross platform. Speaking for the Honda world, there's Hondata and Chrome (and some others). And if you have a newer iVTEC car, there's K-Pro (not all iVTEC's are capable of this, just K-series motors). K-Pro allows you to hook your laptop up to your ECU via USB (using Windows) and you can download programs people make online.

Of course you wouldn't want something like that unless its from a trusted source, but for people who add bolt ons to their cars, generally an Intake/Header/Exhaust program is going to be the same across the map, regardless who manufactured those parts.

My point is, its hard for Patrick to cover something like this when every car is application specific.

Something that would work, however, is if he had a diesel truck. They make units that plug into the ECU on those and have programs for the most common types of motors (Ford/Chevy/Dodge). You can use these to gain performance and they are relatively safe.

Lastly, there are also OBD2 readers out there that can perform basic functions from the unit itself. It can start the car, tun on the lights, unlock the car, roll up the windows, but can't really do anything useful, aside from reading CEL codes very specifically. Those units will run you 2000 dollars or more. A Basic CEL code reader is about 100, and doesn't give much info. A lot of people use paperclips to get the codes... that would be a n interesting segment, as I don't know how to do it.

[serafina]

This sounds more like Systm material than Tekzilla...

[kichigaimentat]

Seconded. Tekzilla is more about off-the-shelf technology, Systm is more about hacking or DIY. Or at least it seems that way.

[watuzi]

I saw the Tekzilla episode about OBDII just recently and I wanted to inquire about the AutoTap Express DIY. I called their 800 number and the csr told me they don't sell the scanner anymore. I think they're a different company now.