Ditching standard ECU

[rdoxenham]

Hi All,

If I didn't care about the dash and wanted to go full custom, could I ditch the existing loom/ECU and replace it with one of the normally discussed ECUs (Gen90, Omex, EC1 etc) ?

I'd want to have a very basic dash and maybe go something like a Stack dash, I suppose that getting rid of the original ECU and building a custom loom would allow me to do this?

Cheers
Rhys

 

[Chip-mk1]

Yes of course, no problem at all, just bear in mind you'll lose some of the functionality like the immobiliser and cruise control etc, but not an issue if its a pure track car.

 

[Toastfrenzy]

Yes, its the route I'm now going down, getting rid of all std wiring\displays etc and fitting aftermarket.

 

[BIGASH]

Yes, its the route I'm now going down, getting rid of all std wiring\displays etc and fitting aftermarket.

Are you getting rid of the chassis loom for the indicators, brakes lights etc Pete?

 

[Toastfrenzy]

Are you getting rid of the chassis loom for the indicators, brakes lights etc Pete?

suspect I'll keep the rear light\Fuel pump loom and front light loom only, everything else is coming out...

 

[BIGASH]

suspect I'll keep the rear light\Fuel pump loom and front light loom only, everything else is coming out...

Good stuff Pete getting rid of the UCH then?

 

[Chip-mk1]

suspect I'll keep the rear light\Fuel pump loom and front light loom only, everything else is coming out...

Some good weight saving to be had, a lot of cars it runs into over a dozen kg for the loom, its hard to believe such tiny little wires can add up to so much the first time you see it weighed.

 

[Toastfrenzy]

Good stuff Pete getting rid of the UCH then?

Yes that's the plan.....I don't need to keep ...do I?

 

[Toastfrenzy]

Some good weight saving to be had, a lot of cars it runs into over a dozen kg for the loom, its hard to believe such tiny little wires can add up to so much the first time you see it weighed.

yes the under dash loom is a weighty old thing....just hoping it all works out in time and not too costly..lol!

 

[rdoxenham]

Thanks for the comments guys, yeah I'd want to ditch pretty much everything, will keep the rear chassis loom for rear lights etc, but the rest I'd want to be manually wired in. There will be so much that I won't want to use and would rather keep everything very simple. When new ECU's are fitted, are they primarily 'piggy backing' the old ECU which is just there to run dash etc?

 

[BIGASH]

Yes that's the plan.....I don't need to keep ...do I?

Good plan! No you don't but you will just want to replace with a different fuse and relay system. I think one I've used seems pretty good and I've learnt a few things about it which would make it easier if I did it again.

 

[Chip-mk1]

Yes that's the plan.....I don't need to keep ...do I?

Are you planning on keeping the original switchgear for indicators etc? Cause im pretty sure all the inputs go through the UCH, although im sure its possible to wire them direct.

 

[Chip-mk1]

Thanks for the comments guys, yeah I'd want to ditch pretty much everything, will keep the rear chassis loom for rear lights etc, but the rest I'd want to be manually wired in. There will be so much that I won't want to use and would rather keep everything very simple. When new ECU's are fitted, are they primarily 'piggy backing' the old ECU which is just there to run dash etc?

Depends on the application, if its a road car where you want to keep the standard dashboard and immobiliser etc it makes sense to piggy back IMHO

 

[Toastfrenzy]

Are you planning on keeping the original switchgear for indicators etc? Cause im pretty sure all the inputs go through the UCH, although im sure its possible to wire them direct.

no, going to toggle switch everything, though only having the bare min, lights beam dipped side, rain lgt, rear indicators, wiper one speed, wash, start, ecu, think that's it.

Oh and rev, fuel guage, volts and temp...of what not sure yet...

Though would rather one function that just said "STOP" and that's it....easy.

Easy and will save time and money...

 

[BIGASH]

no, going to toggle switch everything, though only having the bare min, lights beam dipped side, rain lgt, rear indicators, wiper one speed, wash, start, ecu, think that's it.

Easy and will save time and money...

You want me to email my wiring lists over? Has a list of my circuits and will help you maybe double check you haven't missed anything

 

[Toastfrenzy]

yes please...I'll pm email..cheers

 

[rdoxenham]

You want me to email my wiring lists over? Has a list of my circuits and will help you maybe double check you haven't missed anything

Out of interest, I'd really like to see this also (please)

 

[Chip-mk1]

no, going to toggle switch everything, though only having the bare min, lights beam dipped side, rain lgt, rear indicators, wiper one speed, wash, start, ecu, think that's it.

Oh and rev, fuel guage, volts and temp...of what not sure yet...

Though would rather one function that just said "STOP" and that's it....easy.

Easy and will save time and money...

Yeah for a race car thats fine, but a bit of a pain on the road though with toggle switches for indicators, lol

 

[Toastfrenzy]

Yeah for a race car thats fine, but a bit of a pain on the road though with toggle switches for indicators, lol

Hoping I wouldn't have to operate the toggle switch multiple times to make it flash though...:S

 

[rdoxenham]

Hoping I wouldn't have to operate the toggle switch multiple times to make it flash though...:S

Surely you could embed a relay into the wiring?

 

[Chip-mk1]

Hoping I wouldn't have to operate the toggle switch multiple times to make it flash though...:S

FLOL!
Simple enough to wire in a flashing relay so Im sure it wont come to that.

 

[rdoxenham]

More annoying on the track... one handed steering and flicking the indicator! lol!

 

[Chip-mk1]

More annoying on the track... one handed steering and flicking the indicator! lol!

On a trackday it would be a real pain as you potentially need to indiciate quite a few times (like when im passing you etc lol) but on a race car that happens less often as they dont indicate to each other much unless their car is broken, lol

 

[rdoxenham]

(like when im passing you etc lol)

FLOL! This will definitely be happening!!

 

[BIGASH]

Out of interest, I'd really like to see this also (please)

Not a problem mate drop me a pm with your email and I'll fire it over when I get home tonight. It might not make sense to anyone but me but it lists fuses switches etc