so a friend was talking about engine computers and i was wondering if it's possible to reprogram these to be useful elsewhere? it might be a neet project since it sounds like it's basically a big microcontroler designed for actuators (valves ect)

 

Well your simplifying them a lot..hehe You need to remember that most of the engine is composed of sensors, so without the sensors they are useless. All the reprogramming does is change the values stored to different values. MAP, O2, Knock, Petro, Timing, etc. Even Cam position sensors on todays engines.

-BaC

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As the previous poster said, only the cal values can be changed. The program code will not be changable because it is ROM (not flash).

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so would a skilled person be able to rip out the rom and reprogram a new one with something more useful? hypothetically of course.

 

If it's an external ROM, but it's quite probably a mask programmed device, which isn't re-programmable.

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I have never opened a modern one but you could if as Nigel said it not a uC with onboard mask programmed memory. There is a good chance the memory would be surface mount. Rip is not a good description of the removal and replacement process. If you were lucky you could find an automotive computer with a socketed memory. You might try looking at GM cruise controls from the 80's.

IMHO there is not much pont in doing so. You can buy a uC for under $5 with as much or more processing power. Reuse the case if it strikes you fancy.

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uC you say? google fails me in learning about this. i was really thinking that an engine computer might be good because it would need to output enough juice to power an actuator so with input from a PIC lets say it could be a makeshift motor controller with tons of outputs.

 

uC is micro controller

The job of a the uC is to determine what to do when. The uC activates transistors (and such) that power the actuators. If you need motors to reverse direction use a h-bridge. H-bridges can be built for most any current/juice load.

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Power output is nothing to do with the computer part, only whatever drivers are used between the computer and the outside world.

My bosses son at work bought a Metro 6R4 a number of years back, full professional ex-rally car - he bought it after they changed the rules and banned such 'super cars' in rallying.

Anyway, morale of this story, he disconnected the battery to do something, and after that it wouldn't start - the program in the engine management system was only held in RAM, and not even battery backed. Bear in mind the car was designed to be run by a huge team of engineers, who presumably changed the software on at least a daily basis - if not for each stage?.

Another big problem was the clutch, he was posing about in the car, slipping the clutch and showing off, he killed the clutch in a week - it was only used originally for stopping and starting, with gear changes just crashed in! - again, your team of highly trained mechanics probably changed it daily when rallyed

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