EcuFlash preamble 1 error

User topics relating to software that reflashes or modifes ECU code and data

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EcuFlash preamble 1 error

Postby cmsaab » Wed Oct 19, 2005 9:31 pm

I have tried to download an image of the ECU on my car (a Saab 92x - identical to a USDM 2005 WRX wagon in most respects) and a friend's USDM 2005 WRX wagon using EcuFlash V0.90, and I get a preamble 1 error on both cars. Here's what EcuFlash says:

1428 byte kernel read.
kernel checksum is valid (n = 2).
kernel image loaded and verified.
Connect the green test mode connector under your dash, turn your ignition to the 'ON' position,then quickly, press the D key to dump all of ecu memory,
or any other key to cancel.
denso_cmd_0x81
denso_cmd_0x83
denso challenge-response
denso_cmd_0x10
validating denso kernel ram area addr: 020000 len: 0594
validating denso kernel ram area addr: 020000 len: 0594
writing denso kernel area addr: 020000 len: 0594
writing denso flash block addr: 020000 len: 0080
validating denso kernel ram area addr: 020000 len: 0008
entering kernel
kernel get version
rkrv: preamble 1 error

I have tried running EcuFlash on two different computers. Both are running Windows XP. One has a built-in serial port, and I used a usb serial port adapter with the other. I'm using an AccessPort cable.

So it has failed with two different 2005 WRXs and two different computers. My cable could be bad, but the TARI logger works fine, and the EcuFlash process is able to communicate with my ECU to some extent.

The command line that I am using is:

ecuflash /c com1 /m wrx2004 /dq filename

Does anybody have any idea what could be wrong? Has anybody experienced similar problems?
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Re: EcuFlash preamble 1 error

Postby ahains » Thu Oct 20, 2005 6:06 am

cmsaab wrote:I have tried to download an image of the ECU on my car (a Saab 92x - identical to a USDM 2005 WRX wagon in most respects) and a friend's USDM 2005 WRX wagon using EcuFlash V0.90, and I get a preamble 1 error on both cars. Here's what EcuFlash says:

1428 byte kernel read.
kernel checksum is valid (n = 2).
kernel image loaded and verified.
Connect the green test mode connector under your dash, turn your ignition to the 'ON' position,then quickly, press the D key to dump all of ecu memory,
or any other key to cancel.
denso_cmd_0x81
denso_cmd_0x83
denso challenge-response
denso_cmd_0x10
validating denso kernel ram area addr: 020000 len: 0594
validating denso kernel ram area addr: 020000 len: 0594
writing denso kernel area addr: 020000 len: 0594
writing denso flash block addr: 020000 len: 0080
validating denso kernel ram area addr: 020000 len: 0008
entering kernel
kernel get version
rkrv: preamble 1 error

I have tried running EcuFlash on two different computers. Both are running Windows XP. One has a built-in serial port, and I used a usb serial port adapter with the other. I'm using an AccessPort cable.

So it has failed with two different 2005 WRXs and two different computers. My cable could be bad, but the TARI logger works fine, and the EcuFlash process is able to communicate with my ECU to some extent.

The command line that I am using is:

ecuflash /c com1 /m wrx2004 /dq filename

Does anybody have any idea what could be wrong? Has anybody experienced similar problems?


Do you connect the green test mode connector under the dash?
I'm fairly certain that you cannot dump the image without doing so.
To write a new image, you definitely need the green test mode connector connected and the flash block jumpered (either with an actual connector, or just using two pieces of wire like I do).

You can see a picture of both connectors here:
http://www.dvihdmicables.com/WRX/ECUF-How-To.htm

-Adrian
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Postby cboles » Thu Oct 20, 2005 8:31 am

The problem is with the serial port / AP cable. At the point at which you enter the kernel, EcuFlash and the OpenEcu kernel shift to using ~39k baud communications, which may be too fast for the AP electronics, or difficult for your serial port replicate the baud rate exactly. It would appear that your serial port IS able to communicate at the odd 15625 baud rate, or you wouldn't even be able to load the kernel at all. I'm guessing that the AP cable just isn't fast enough. I may try to make a kernel with adjustable baud rate in the future to support slower cables. For now, you need a faster interface (e.g. OpenPort) to get reflashing to work.

Colby
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Re: EcuFlash preamble 1 error

Postby cmsaab » Thu Oct 20, 2005 8:32 am

ahains wrote:Do you connect the green test mode connector under the dash?
I'm fairly certain that you cannot dump the image without doing so.
To write a new image, you definitely need the green test mode connector connected and the flash block jumpered (either with an actual connector, or just using two pieces of wire like I do).

You can see a picture of both connectors here:
http://www.dvihdmicables.com/WRX/ECUF-How-To.htm

-Adrian


Thanks for your reply and the link, Adrian. I should have provided those details in my original post.

Yes - I always connect the green connectors, and the fans cycle, etc. until I press the 'd' key to start downloading the image. A couple of times I also tried connecting the flash jumper, but that didn't change anything.

I notice that the release notes for EcuFlash V0.9 give an example of downloading a 2005 WRX image, and the example uses the "/m wrx2005" switch (the link you included reminded me of this). However, this switch doesn't seem to be valid from looking in the source code and trying it on the command line, so I have been using "/m wrx2004" instead.

I see that the person who wrote the page you linked to sometimes gets a preamble 1 error, but it sounds like the exception rather than the norm. I have tried downloading my car's ECU 15 or 20 times and my friend's car 3 times and have always received the preamble 1 error at the same stage in the process.
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Postby cmsaab » Thu Oct 20, 2005 8:48 am

cboles wrote:The problem is with the serial port / AP cable. At the point at which you enter the kernel, EcuFlash and the OpenEcu kernel shift to using ~39k baud communications, which may be too fast for the AP electronics, or difficult for your serial port replicate the baud rate exactly. It would appear that your serial port IS able to communicate at the odd 15625 baud rate, or you wouldn't even be able to load the kernel at all. I'm guessing that the AP cable just isn't fast enough. I may try to make a kernel with adjustable baud rate in the future to support slower cables. For now, you need a faster interface (e.g. OpenPort) to get reflashing to work.

Colby


Thanks, Colby! I thought that I had seen posts from people who used the AP cable with EcuFlash, but it probably was TARI instead.

A follow-up question for everybody: One of my goals in using EcuFlash was to preserve an image of my ECU before trying out an AccessPort, in part because my understanding is that the stock maps that the AccessPort installs when you revert to stock are generic and may not match the map that actually came on the car (even assuming that you select the correct ECU version in the AP software). Are my concerns founded? Are there any differences between, say, an A4TF800F map from one WRX and an A4TF800F map from another? Is there car-specific information stored in the maps, or are they completely generic?

Thanks for the quick replies, everybody. I should have posted earlier instead of banging my head against the wall.
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Postby ahains » Thu Oct 20, 2005 11:15 am

cmsaab wrote:Thanks, Colby! I thought that I had seen posts from people who used the AP cable with EcuFlash, but it probably was TARI instead.

A follow-up question for everybody: One of my goals in using EcuFlash was to preserve an image of my ECU before trying out an AccessPort, in part because my understanding is that the stock maps that the AccessPort installs when you revert to stock are generic and may not match the map that actually came on the car (even assuming that you select the correct ECU version in the AP software). Are my concerns founded? Are there any differences between, say, an A4TF800F map from one WRX and an A4TF800F map from another? Is there car-specific information stored in the maps, or are they completely generic?

Thanks for the quick replies, everybody. I should have posted earlier instead of banging my head against the wall.


I can tell you that at least in my case, my image was 100% identical to other cars of the same version. I assume it is the same for all versions, except starting with the 2005's I think they may have had the VIN encoded in them somewhere. At least I think I recall reading something on Cobb's site that they take that into account when restoring the stock image.. I could be totally wrong.

The main thing would be to figure out what version your car is running from the factory so that you can go back to that particular version.
Not that it should be a problem to go with a different version, I just like the idea of actually going back to stock if I'm trying to go back to stock :)

-Adrian
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Postby qoncept » Thu Oct 20, 2005 11:35 am

Not to hijack, but is there any way a 2004 could be reflashed with an ecu version from an earlier car and maybe fix the CL/OL problem without even to have to do any of the tuning?

Also, at one point I'd considerred getting an 02/03 ECU to do the same thing, would that be a viable option? I kind of ruled it out as all the tuning options I was considering at the time had a fix for it, but it seems now it might be easier.
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Postby ahains » Fri Oct 21, 2005 6:44 am

qoncept wrote:Not to hijack, but is there any way a 2004 could be reflashed with an ecu version from an earlier car and maybe fix the CL/OL problem without even to have to do any of the tuning?

Also, at one point I'd considerred getting an 02/03 ECU to do the same thing, would that be a viable option? I kind of ruled it out as all the tuning options I was considering at the time had a fix for it, but it seems now it might be easier.


I am pretty sure that it will not work to flash an 02/03 image on to an 04 ECU. I know that I have seen it said that it should not work, but I don't know if anyone has tried it. I certainly would recommend you not go this route.

At least one person, probably more, has successfully installed the physical 02/03 ECU into an 04.

If your goal is getting rid of the OL/CL delay, CrazyMikie has a MY04 image in beta testing that does has this OL/CL change (and only this change - nothing else like fueling/timing/turbo/etc is touched).

If you don't want to wait, you could most likely ask him for a pointer to the image and join in on the beta testing. My seat of the pants experience and datalogs have confirmed that his image works great in my MY04 wagon. At least a few other forks are running it with great success too.

HTH,
Adrian
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