Buying ECU for 182 TURBO!!! Help!

[TurboTaylor]

I have my RenaultSport Clio 182 Turbo booked in at K-Tec racing on the 8th of January for a cambelt, auxbelt, tensioners and pulleys and dephaser pulley change... along with other maintainance like spark plugs, oil, filter... pretty much everything!
The last owner cammed it and since then it's producing more power but runs lumpy. It was running very strange anyway as the car is turbo'd with a garrett T28 but is running the standard ECU.
It has a tendancy to spool the turbo, takes ages to acknowledge the boost and all of a sudden out of nowhere it will go mad and all the power will kick in at once!
I asked K-Tec if they could remap it to suit but they said they don't touch standard ECU's anymore so I am looking to buy a second hand GEN90 Ecu as their cost of £1020 is mad! Just under 1/3 of the cost of the car!
Anyone selling one or I have seen RStuning make an ECU for the clio as well if anyone has one for sale.
Thanks very much!

 

[tom172cup]

Try Chris at efi parts the Ecus that he supplies are reasonably priced and have pretty much if not more "spec" as some of the other more expensive brands

 

[TurboTaylor]

Sweet have you got his number / contact details and will K-Tec be able to map this thing? It's going to stay in Dorset for a few days so I'm looking to buy one soon and post it down there cheers

 

[mi16chris]

Never tryed to fit one to a clio but if I was turboing one I would buy a link g4 storm or if money is a problem a haltech sprint 500 and wire it so the stock ecu still controls the fly by wire sorted for 550 ish , haltech is a great ecu and link are even better imo

 

[Dan519]

Gen90 plugs straight in so no loom and very minimal fitting cost. "cheaper" ECU's aren't cheaper once you need a loom and lots of fitting labour. Just get the Gen90, it smashes everything else in the face for functionality, and it's so easy.


What cams are fitted and why? I think I saw this for sale and the cams were a very odd choice being totally unsuitable for use with a turbo. Unless they're turbo cams, remove them, sell them, and put the money towards a Gen90.

 

[mi16chris]

Gen90 plugs straight in so no loom and very minimal fitting cost. "cheaper" ECU's aren't cheaper once you need a loom and lots of fitting labour. Just get the Gen90, it smashes everything else in the face for functionality, and it's so easy.


What cams are fitted and why? I think I saw this for sale and the cams were a very odd choice being totally unsuitable for use with a turbo. Unless they're turbo cams, remove them, sell them, and put the money towards a Gen90.

Can any one change the settings in the gen90s with the lite software or do u have to go to a dealer ? U don't know who makes the ecu for ktr ?

 

[TurboTaylor]

I'm not even sure what cams are in this car but it runs very, very strange. There is very lumpy juddery power down low and then when it gets into high power on the boost it is just unmanageable sometimes if not completely dry and hot weather.
Need some advice on what I am doing really my first mental car haha

 

[BIGASH]

Can any one change the settings in the gen90s with the lite software or do u have to go to a dealer ? U don't know who makes the ecu for ktr ?

I believe K tec are doing a dongle, the unit is made by gems and any Gems dealer can map it from what I've been told.

OP I agree with Dan, while 1k is a lot of money it will be the cheapest fitted solution I imagine as you won't have to pay for a loom and I bet installation of that Ecu is less than 1 hour as its only changing a few pins around from what I've seen. You've then got a really decent spec ECU that I bet you could sell on for nearly full price if you ever wanted rid.

If its going for belts it would only cost about £50 to swap back to standard cams so I would also do what Dan says and remove the aftermarket cams and then sell them on.

 

[TurboTaylor]

I am a mechanic myself so I could fit the stuff just wondering what would be the best to gain power and stability. It's staying at ktec for a couple of days so ill get them to look over everything but I was wondering why the idiot who had it before me cammed it if it reduced power?

 

[Dan519]

no pins need changing around except on a ph1. it plugs straight in on a ph2 172 or 182

mapping license and dongle isn't quite that straightforward. I have a dongle for full access, and as a GEN90 dealer I have full firmware and CANbus strategy support

 

[Dan519]

I was wondering why the idiot who had it before me cammed it if it reduced power?

answered your own question


find out what they are first before deciding to remove. They might be ok, or they might be dreadful

 

[scotty2hotty81]

I am a mechanic myself

why on earth are you going to ktec then? Just wondering.

 

[TurboTaylor]

Because I need it drivable pretty quickly as I need to get to work. The ecu they are going to try and map as good as possible and that is something that I can't do - I don't have the equipment. Also the dephaser pulley has died and I don't have the time to do it. Ktec will do it all in 1 day so its convenient for me. Ecu is the standard one and they said they have had cars throw a rod because the car can have a massive surge of power so I'm looking to try get a second hand one cheap as possible fit for the job and if I can't get it before jan the 8th I will fit it myself afterwards

 

[mi16chris]

no pins need changing around except on a ph1. it plugs straight in on a ph2 172 or 182

mapping license and dongle isn't quite that straightforward. I have a dongle for full access, and as a GEN90 dealer I have full firmware and CANbus strategy support

That would put me right of not being able to map it my self tho I'm sure most guys won't care ,I was put off getting a hks f con v pro cos of I had to go to a pro dealer (untill I got the cracked software lol) , can't be that hard wiring up a haltech or link to control the fuel, timing and vvt and let the stock do it stuff with the fly by wire etc

 

[Dan519]

Ecu is the standard one and they said they have had cars throw a rod

took me 3 days to clean up the rolling road when that happened to one car in particular.

 

[Dan519]

That would put me right of not being able to map it my self tho I'm sure most guys won't care ,I was put off getting a hks f con v pro cos of I had to go to a pro dealer c**till I got the cracked software lol) , can't be that hard wiring up a haltech or link to control the fuel, timing and vvt and let the stock do it stuff with the fly by wire etc

long term plan was to sell the ECU with a single unit License dongle. No idea if it's still happening


not that simple, you have fly-by-wire throttle to contend with, so you'll be converting to cable throttle etc too

 

[TurboTaylor]

took me 3 days to clean up the rolling road when that happened to one car in particular.

Ouch, that's exactly what I don't want to happen lol. Worried that I'm going to see my cars guts all over the road one day. Anyone experienced a juddery acceleration when on boost and then at about 3k smoothed out and power surge?

 

[Dan519]

Anyone experienced a juddery acceleration when on boost and then at about 3k smoothed out and power surge?

yes, every turbo'd clio on stock ECU. it's a shitty way to do it, which is why it was dropped

 

[mi16chris]

long term plan was to sell the ECU with a single unit License dongle. No idea if it's still happening


not that simple, you have fly-by-wire throttle to contend with, so you'll be converting to cable throttle etc too

Could u not just wire it so the stock ecu is still geting all the inputs to make it think its still running the engine so it still runs the fly by wire ? Piggy bank it but let the link control the fuel ing timing and vvt ? I've seen it done with other cars and done it my self with a few to keep the dash board etc working tho not fly by wire , would be something I would like to try .

Just over 1k is not bad for a plug in ecu tho keep every thing looking tidy too

 

[scotty2hotty81]

That's detting under load mine did that to. (Standard Ecu)

 

[TurboTaylor]

Unbelievable how a computer can make an engine explode! You would of thought that the standard one would of been good enough! Bloody car lol. Might just put the 1.2 16v engine in lol.
Anway thanks for your info so far everyone please let me know if someone on here is selling an ecu. Also if I get a brand new one I will be selling this Clio in the summer as I fancy a change from Renault. Clio has a full and extensive service history too, ktec are servicing everything in January so will be another stamp to add to the book!

 

[Dan519]

it's not exactly the standard ECU's fault. It's not designed to be manipulated. Being "good enough" says exactly what the problem is with explaining how important engine control is, it's regarded as the expensive afterthough, where is should be just as important as which turbo you buy.