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Can I overwrite EcuTek?

PostPosted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 1:18 pm
by imprezarsx
I know that the newest ecutek flashes can't be read.

but I can still overwrite an ecutek reflash correct?
The flash was done last month on a 2006 USDM WRX. He hates it. Less power than before. Someone must have messed it up. it was a mail in flash.

So I'm going to fix it for him. He's prepared to lose the 650 for the license.

Just plug in, and click write to ecu. Am I smoking crack?

PostPosted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 1:41 pm
by Tea cups
No, you can't flash it either.

PostPosted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 4:53 pm
by imprezarsx
so what can be done?
anything?

PostPosted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 7:54 pm
by Tea cups
Apparently Ecutek dealers will flash it back to stock for free. There's also utility by Malibu Jack for Ecuflash (check on evolutionm.net) that will supposedly allow the Evo guys to read locked Ecus (factory locked and maybe Ecutek), but I don't know of anyone who has tried it on Subarus. I guess it is worth a shot.

PostPosted: Mon Sep 18, 2006 2:52 am
by DarkECU
Tea cups wrote:Apparently Ecutek dealers will flash it back to stock for free. There's also utility by Malibu Jack for Ecuflash (check on evolutionm.net) that will supposedly allow the Evo guys to read locked Ecus (factory locked and maybe Ecutek), but I don't know of anyone who has tried it on Subarus. I guess it is worth a shot.


No problem
I can read and write anyone reflashed of ecutek ecu on all cars

PostPosted: Mon Sep 18, 2006 4:33 am
by imprezarsx
sweet. is that the program on aktivematrix?

PostPosted: Tue Sep 19, 2006 4:08 am
by imprezarsx
I tried the one on Aktive Matrix and it didn't work for the Subaru ecu.

Any guidance would be awesome! Thanks

PostPosted: Tue Sep 19, 2006 6:27 am
by Tea cups
Well then that's it. You'll need to take it back to the Ecutek dealer so they can take the lock off. There's no other way. They'll flash it back to stock.

PostPosted: Tue Sep 19, 2006 7:47 am
by swifty
I don't know if ecutek have provided the ability to have the ecu reverted to stock. It is possible for the ecutek dealer to flash a stock map on but I think the ecu may still be locked the same. If I'd paid 650 then I'd expect the map to be good, or have a refund.

PostPosted: Tue Sep 19, 2006 7:47 am
by ahains
The other option of course is to buy a used ECU, sell the EcuTek ECU, and reflash the used ECU.
I don't really follow how EcuTek does business, but I believe the majority of their "license" fee is one-time right? If so, anyone who actually wants to get tuned with EcuTek would save money by starting with a lame EcuTek tune and having a tuner go from there.

PostPosted: Tue Sep 19, 2006 7:51 am
by Tea cups
ahains wrote:The other option of course is to buy a used ECU, sell the EcuTek ECU, and reflash the used ECU.
I don't really follow how EcuTek does business, but I believe the majority of their "license" fee is one-time right? If so, anyone who actually wants to get tuned with EcuTek would save money by starting with a lame EcuTek tune and having a tuner go from there.

There would be immobilizer issue to deal with then, though.

PostPosted: Tue Sep 19, 2006 7:54 am
by swifty
or you could even try and do a deal with someone who has a stock ecu and wants to get it remapped by an ecutek dealer

PostPosted: Tue Sep 19, 2006 7:54 am
by Tea cups
swifty wrote:I don't know if ecutek have provided the ability to have the ecu reverted to stock. It is possible for the ecutek dealer to flash a stock map on but I think the ecu may still be locked the same. If I'd paid 650 then I'd expect the map to be good, or have a refund.

Here's a thread on Nasioc about it:

Ecutek Customer
Hi Ben,
I am just joining this thread and wanted to ask you(being a representive for ECUtek), what was done to resolve this issue? I would like to unmarry my liesense and mess around with openecu but would still like the ability to bring my car to my tuner and have him give me my final tune. (This is considering my tuner is over 700 miles away from me and my car is heavly modified) Will this lockout feature you have installed on our ecus be able to be user deactivated? All I need to do is get my car running well enough off the ecu to be driveable, I would still want to use your product for my final tune.

Ben at Ecutek
Hello Nick,

Well, you will still have to send your ECU to your tuner so he can reflash it back to OE configuration, the EcuTeK license will stay in the ECU and will not be erased, unless you reflash oevr it with Open ECU. This would be out of my hands from there. We do not offer the 100% license unmariyng process because of the high risk of ECU failure.

I will see if I can get more information and get back to you later.

PostPosted: Wed Sep 20, 2006 3:12 am
by swifty
Perhaps ecutek have changed things a bit then, last I heard they hadn't provided the facility for an ecutek dealer to take the lock off.

PostPosted: Wed Sep 20, 2006 5:56 am
by imprezarsx
Tea cups wrote:
swifty wrote: We do not offer the 100% license unmariyng process because of the high risk of ECU failure.



wow... so basically, you pay 650 bucks to lease an ecu from ecutek. Because once they flash it, it's thiers.... sounds almost illegal.

I will NEVER go with ecuTek unless they change.