There are two products that we sell that can read the program in a factory ECM:

BURN1/BURN2 with a F2A and F2E – This setup can be used to read ECMs on the bench.  ECM does not need to be powered.

QuarterHorse – This setup requires the ECM to be powered either by a vehicle’s battery or a 12V bench power supply.

Reading with BURN2+F2A+F2E

1. Start with all cables disconnected (F2A,F2E,USB,etc.)
2. Connect the F2E to the F2A
3. Put the F2A in the BURN1/BURN2
4. Connect the Burn1-2/F2A/F2E Assembly to your ECM.  Make sure your ECM is powered off if it is in the vehicle
5. Connect the USB from the BURN2 to the PC
6. Start Flash n  Burn Software on the PC
7. Choose appropriate settings for the Supported chip type based on the ECM type:  J3 Ford EEC-IV Reader or J3 Ford EEC-V Reader
8. Choose appropriate settings based on the number of banks used:
   • 56k EEC-IV = 032000 start 03FFFF end
   • 64k EEC-IV = 030000 start 03FFFF end
   • 2-bank EEC-V = 010000 start 02FFFF end
   • 4 bank EEC-V = 000000 start 03FFFF end
9. Click “Save buffer to file” and choose a filename.

Reading with QuarterHorse

At the time of writing (Aug5-2010) Binary Editor is the only software that supports this feature of the QH reliably.  Select “Read PCM” from within the software.

The HDR1 memory adapter is primarily designed to download the existing code from a stock Memcal.
It can be used for other things as well. For instance, if you want to use a UV eraser on your stock Memcal and then reprogram it without tearing stuff up, the HDR1 allows this to be done very easily.

Step 1: Take the stock Memcal (or whatever) and identify where the pins come out for the existing EPROM.

Step 2: Insert the HDR1 into the Memcal and note the orientation of the existing chip.

Step 3: Place the assembly into your favorite chip reader / programmer (AutoProm shown, chip notch facing ZIF handle, empty spaces nearest to handle).

Step 4: Go ahead and read or re-program the chip.

That’s it! No mess, no fuss. Pretty straightforward. ]]> https://support.moates.net/hdr1/feed/ 0 https://support.moates.net/programming-chips-using-offsets/ https://support.moates.net/programming-chips-using-offsets/#respond Tue, 06 Apr 2010 03:04:49 +0000 http://support.moates.net/?p=775 Introduction

If you’re completely new to burning chips, you may want to take a look at the Beginners’ Guide before reading the rest of this article.  You will probably still need to read this guide in order to choose the correct programming parameters unless you’re in the situation where you’re programming a chip that is the exact same size as the chip you are replacing.  Programming chips with offsets comes into play in two situations:

1. If the chip you are programming is of a larger capacity than the binary file you are putting on it, you need to use an offset to ensure the tune ends up in the right spot on the chip.
2. Switching adapters which hold multiple programs require the use of offsets to fit multiple programs on a single chip for a switching adapter.

Both of these cases will be covered in this article.

Chip Offsets With a Single Tune:

We’re going to assume you have either TunerPro or Flash n Burn open at this point and the chip physically oriented correctly.  If you need help with this, look at the Beginners’ Guide before continuing.  We will be selecting the correct buffer and chip addressing to ensure the chip is burned properly and can be used.

When in the software:

1. Select the type of chip you’ll be programming from the drop-down menu. This will likely be either the AT29C256, 27SF512, AT90F040 or Moates J3 adapter (F3/F3v2).
2. Pick the ‘Load file to buffer’ option, and navigate to the file you want programmed on the chip. Select it, and it will be loaded to memory on the PC. Take note of the file size indicated in the message window. (You can typically “hover” over the filename before opening it and Windows will pop up an information box iwth the file size)  It will likely be one of five sizes: 4k, 16k, 32k, 56k or 64k bytes.
   • The file you have loaded will determine your buffer addressing (start/end)
   • 4k byte = 0000/0FFF
   • 16k byte = 0000/3FFF
   • 32k byte = 0000/7FFF
   • 56k byte = 0000/DFFF
   • 64k byte = 0000/FFFF
3. In the top right part of the window you will see the Chip Addressing offset values that need to be changed. The buffer addressing along with the chip size will determine what offsets you need to use. (Flash n Burn usually automatically selects sane offsets based on your chip type and file size in order to place your buffer at the end of the chip, where it usually belongs.)
   The following table summarizes what offsets you need to use depending on chip used and file size:

   File Size	Chip	Buffer Start -> End	Chip Start -> End
   4k (4096)	AT29C256	000000 -> 000FFF	007000 -> 007FFF
   16k (16384)	AT29C256	000000 -> 003FFF	004000 -> 007FFF
   32k (32768)	AT29C256	000000 -> 007FFF	000000 -> 007FFF
   4k (4096)	27SF512	000000 -> 000FFF	00F000 -> 00FFFF
   16k (16384)	27SF512	000000 -> 003FFF	00C000 -> 00FFFF
   32k (32768)	27SF512	000000 -> 007FFF	008000 -> 00FFFF
   56k (57344)	27SF512	000000 -> 00DFFF	002000 -> 00FFFF
   64k (65536)	27SF512	000000 -> 00FFFF	000000 -> 00FFFF
   32k (32768 EECIV)	F3/F3v2	000000 -> 007FFF	032000 -> 039FFF
   56k (57344 EECIV)	F3/F3v2	000000 -> 00DFFF	032000 -> 03FFFF
   64k (65536 EECIV)	F3/F3v2	000000 -> 00FFFF	032000 -> 03FFFF
   216k or 224k (EECV)	F3/F3v2	“bank” format: non-linear!	convert to 256k!
   256k (EECV)	F3/F3v2	000000 -> 03FFFF	000000 -> 03FFFF

   While the correct values are often selected, you can manually enter them.  For a single-tune single-chip scenario, you generally want the buffer (or file content) to be placed at the ‘end’ of the chip. The notable exceptions to this rule are 32k EECIV Ford tunes (which need to start at 0x32000 and end before the end of the chip) and 216k/224k Ford EECV bins (which are not in linear memory format and need converted to 256k before programming).

   
   To do this manually:

   • Ensure Buffer Addresses are correct for the file size you have loaded.
   • Adjust the Chip Addressing start value and end value until the end value is the maximum value for the chip AND buffer address values are correct.
   • A short list of common chip addressing settings:
     • 64k bin: 000000 start 00FFFF end ( SST27SF512 chip )
     • 32k bin: 008000 start 00FFFF end ( SST27SF512 chip )
     • 16k bin: 00C000 start 00FFFF end ( SST27SF512 chip )
     • 4k bin: 00F000 start 00FFFF end ( SST27SF512 chip )
     • 56k Ford EECIV bin: 032000 start 03FFFF end ( Ford F3 chip )
     • 256k Ford EECV bin: 000000 start 03FFFF end ( Ford F3 chip )
     • 112k Ford EECV bin: SPECIAL need other software ( Ford F3 chip )
     • 216k Ford EECV bin: SPECIAL need other software ( Ford F3 chip )
     • BEB files CANNOT be programmed with FnB / TP.  Must program using Binary Editor
     • eBIN file CANNOT be programmed
4. Once you are satisfied with the offsets, perform a normal Erase/Blank/Program/Verify cycle!  Consult the Beginners’ Guide for more information.

Using Switching Adapters:

Using our switching adapters (G2X, G3, GX, TwoTimer, F3, F3v2,F8) requires programming chips using offsets of making “stacked” bin files.  Switching adapters use chips that are larger than an ECU requires, allowing the extra space to be used for multiple programs.  The “extra” space gets divided up into chunks, each of which can store an individual tune.  There are two approaches to creating proper chips for use with switching adapters, both equally valid:

1. Lump all tune files together on your PC into one bin file “stacked” which is the same size as the chip, program chip at once.
   • The “Bin Stacker/splitter” function in TunerPro can be used to prepare a single file from a group of tunes.  (You can also use a hex editor or other tool)
   • This “stacked” file contains all the tunes and can then be programmed like a “normal” file using TunerPro, Flash n Burn, etc.
   • “Normal” programming cycle: Erase, Blank check, Load tune/buffer, Program chip, Verify.
   • Entire chip gets programmed at once, all tunes for the ECU get programmed on the chip in one operation as part of the “stacked” file.
   • Requires preparation of new “stacked” file and reprogramming of entire chip if any individual tune changes.
2. Program the chip multiple times, once for each tune, different small selected area of chip Program/Verify cycle instead of whole chip.
   • Instead of relying on a program to create a “stacked” file, knowledge of chip addressing is used to place tunes at correct places within a chip.
   • Programming cycle changes slightly: Erase, Blank check happens at very beginning of cycle ONLY ONCE.  Does NOT happen before every Program/Verify operation, like normal.
   • Erase/Blank is followed by multiple Program, Verify operations.  Each operation is for one tune.  Each operation will have different start/end addresses which are a portion of the chip.
   • Does NOT require preparing any special files in advance – uses the same bin files which would be used for single-tune programming.
   • If you want to chance a tune which is already programmed, the entire chip must be erased and all tunes individually reprogrammed.

As a rule of thumb, tunes start at the end of the chip and count down.  i.e. “Tune 0” is in the highest addresses on the chip, or the top slot in a stacked bin.  “Tune 1” will be the next lower slot.  Some adapters have chips which can hold more tunes than there are address lines for switching.

Each switching adapter we sell has different numbers of available slots, slot sizes and corresponding chip addresses start/end:

• G2X: 27SF512 chip (00000/0FFFF), 16x 32kbit/4kbyte slots on chip:
  1. F000/FFFF
  2. E000/EFFF
  3. D000/DFFF
  4. C000/CFFF
  5. B000/BFFF
  6. A000/AFFF
  7. 9000/9FFF
  8. 8000/8FFF
• G3: 29F040 chip (000000 / 07FFFFF), 16x variable size slots, Ex remote required, addressing varies according to settings on adapter
• GX: 29F040 chip (000000 / 07FFFFF), 16x 64k slots, Ex remote required, addressing varies according to size of base file.
  • There are 16 slots on the chip.  Each slot is 64k ( 0x0FFFF) in size.
  • Tunes smaller than 64k typically need to be top-justified so that they END at the end of each window
  • When using the Ex remote (or no switcher – floating switch inputs) slot “0” will be at the end of the chip and bigger numbers on the Ex remote will mean slots closer to the beginning (0x000000) of the chip.
• TwoTimer: 27SF512 (00000/0FFFF), 2x 256kbit/32kbyte slots, idles in “high position”
  1. 8000/FFFF
  2. 0000/7FFF
• F3 (version one – switch pin and 2 tunes): special case.  Cannot program entire device at once, stacking NOT possible.  Program chip twice, manually change state of switching pin during programming. Note: “Erase chip” function does NOT erase whole chip, only erases the “bank” selected by the jumper
• F3v2 (version two – 4 pin connector and dial switch, 8 tunes): special case.  Cannot program entire device at once, stacking NOT possible.  Program chip multiple times, manually change state of switch during programming to select different slots. Note: “Erase chip” function does NOT erase whole chip, only erases the “bank” selected by the switch
• F8: special case.  Use F8 device utility to prepare and program tunes.

If you are interested in purchasing Moates.Net products in bulk, or would like to be a reseller of our products, the following discount structure is available to you:

10% off for 10 – 19 pieces more of a given item
15% off for 20 – 49
20% off for 50 – 99 and
25% off for 100+ units

NOTE!
This discount can be applied retroactively as well for a 12 month rolling total. For instance, if you buy 5 units at regular price of $20 each and then later on purchase 6 more units in a 12 month period at $20 each, then a discount will be applied to the total so you’ll get a partial refund of 10% on all 11 units, or $22.

Furthermore, if you subsequently purchase 12 more units, you will be eligible for the 15% price break on all 23 units, giving you an additional $47 off. The total net discount on ALL same items purchased in a 12 month rolling period would effectively be 15%. We chose a 12 month rolling time period instead of a calendar year so you won’t lose your discount if you buy in December and then more in January.

This may seem confusing, and it does add to order processing complexity on our side. However, it is designed to lower the risk level for entry-level shops and resellers. You don’t need a big buy-in, since the retroactive discount structure takes care of you!

This discount structure is not valid for small incremental orders (one part here, one part there), and does not apply to individual drop shipments. Instead, it is limited to quantity orders of 3 or more pieces at a time going to the same destination. So if you buy 3 units and 8 units, then you get the 10% discount on all 11. If you then buy 1 separate unit separately, the 1 separate unit doesn’t get the discount and doesn’t count toward the total accumulation for bulk retroactive discount.The reason for this is that the 1 piece at a time approach still requires all of the administrative order processing burden on our side, and part of the reason for bulk discounts is that it is easier for us to ship quantities of units than shipping them individually.

Group buys:

Pre-arranged group buys are available. The same normal discount structure as described for bulk discounts applies based on the number of participants, but the minimum individual order quantity of 3 isn’t required.

Any purchase made on the website or over the phone under a group buy situation should be CLEARY INDICATED, preferably in the comments section of the order. That way we know what to do with it.

For example, one group buy coordinator will contact us ahead of time and initiate the group buy period (up to two weeks in duration). We will agree on the close-out date for the group purchase.

If the coordinator wants to have all of the units shipped to them and then distribute them to the individual purchasers, then it will be handled no differently than a standard bulk discount situation.

If the buyers decide to pay for the units individually at our webstore and have them shipped separately to each buyer, then that is also fine. In this case, full price will be charged initially. At the close of the group buy, a discount will be applied as a partial refund to each participant separately.

The total discount will depend on the total number of participants. So for 10-19 it’d be 10% and for 20-49 it’ll be 15%. We usually don’t know how many participants are involved until the close of the group buy period, so that’s why the partial refund / discount is delayed until that time.

Hope this helps!

It is unlikely that your chip or burner has failed, such events are actually quite rare. All devices are fully tested for all functionality prior to shipment.

We have many folks that send their units back to us, but very few that actually exhibit failure during bench testing once they arrive.

However, it is possible that something is wrong with your procedures.

Please utilize the following test matrix. This should take about 5 minutes:

1) Disconnect all USB devices, close all software, and re-install USB drivers.  See here.  If you suspect that your drivers may be confused, use the FTCLEAN procedure outlined here.

2) Re-connect the Moates device, and allow the drivers to associate with it. Wait about 30 seconds.

3a) Go into the Windows Device Manager, and look under ‘Ports(COM/LPT)’. If there is a ‘USB Serial Port’ listed, right-click on it and select ‘Properties’. If not, carry out step ‘3b’ on this list first.

3b) If you saw the ‘USB Serial Port’ from step (3a) then go directly to Step 4. If not, then expand your ‘Universal Serial Bus controllers’ section, and right-click on the ‘USB Serial Converter’. Go to the ‘Advanced’ tab, and check the box indicated as ‘Load VCP’. Then hit ‘OK’, unplug the device, and plug it back in. You should then be able to carry out (3a) successfully.

4) Go to the ‘Port Settings’ tab and then click the ‘Advanced’ button. Change the COM port setting on the pull-down to COM4, COM5, or COM6, regardless of ‘in use’ warnings. Accept any warnings. If you are running multiple devices (for instance an Ostrich and BURN2), make sure you assign different COM port numbers to each of them. But, make sure your COM port assignments are in the range of COM4-COM8. Also, while you’re on this page, change your ‘Latency timer’ to 1mS via pulldown. Click OK to apply all settings and close all Windows Control Panel sub-windows. If you like, you can unplug and replug the USB cable to the device to verify that it appears in the list with the new settings.

5) Download and install the latest version of Flash-n-Burn from here:
http://tunerpro.net/download/SetupFlashBurn.exe
Note: If you’re working with an APU1, check the back and make sure the horizontal switches are placed in the ‘outboard’ position, away from the USB connection.

6) Download a 64k ‘test’ bin from here:
http://static.moates.net/zips/00-512-TEST.zip
Unzip it, and open the FlashBurn software.

7) Within the FlashBurn software, make sure the chip burner is recognized in the white dialog window. Select 27SF512 on the top left, and load the 64k ‘test’ file to the buffer. Make sure that the file size displayed in the dialog window is 65,536 bytes. If you’re loading a 32k file (like for Hondas etc), make sure the file size is 32,768 exactly.

8) The addressing should auto-select on the top right, but make sure it is correct. Chip addressing should be 000000-00FFFF. Buffer addressing should also be 000000-00FFFF. If you are loading a 32k file rather than the test file, make sure chip addressing is 008000-00FFFF and buffer addressing is 000000-007FFF.

9) Insert the chip into the socket, with the notch (pin 1) facing up toward the ZIF handle and USB cable. Make sure the chip is positioned furthest away from the handle and USB, such that the 4 empty slots are closest to the handle.

10) Select ‘erase chip’ and ‘blank check’. Verify that these steps were successful. Look up again at you addressing, and make sure it matches what is specified in step (8).

11) Select ‘program chip’ and then ‘verify chip’. Make sure you have success in the dialog box.

At this point, if everything checks out, you have illustrated that your chip and programmer are working correctly. If any of these steps fail, please send us a screen capture of the part of the process which failed, and we’ll do what we can to help you troubleshoot further.

Other problems can come from corrupt, incorrectly sized, or mismatched binaries for target application, incorrect chip and buffer addressing for a given file size, or incorrect COM port settings within the client software (such as Crome, etc).

For the burner itself, typical ‘next step’ troubleshooting would include taking apart the enclosure, blowing it out with compressed air to remove any metallic dust that might have accumulated, gently prying loose the ZIF socket to make sure there are no bent pins underneath where it snaps in, trying a different USB cable, trying a different chip, or trying a different PC or USB port.

Certainly if there is a true hardware failure, we’ll be glad to take care of it at no cost, but we doubt you want to spend time shipping back and forth if there isn’t a real hardware fault.

We are a small technically-oriented outfit that focuses on product development not fancy packaging, phone support, and marketing.  We bring you high-quality, value-priced products aimed at self-starters willing to read documentation, learn independently and most importantly try things on their own without someone providing guidance every step of the way.

About Moates.Net and our products:

It is important for you, our users, to understand what we expect of you and what we aim for in our products.  Our philosophy at Moates.Net is simple: we want to bring enthusiasts the highest quality products for tuning their cars at a reasonable price.  What we mean by “enthusiasts” is simple: people who are motivated to learn about tuning their car.  It doesn’t matter whether you’re working on your own car or work for a shop – if you’re willing to learn about tuning a car, you are part of our target audience.

Our objective isn’t to make a fortune – there are plenty of companies out there that sell comparable products for a whole lot more.  With that said, there are trade offs in our approach.  Our products frequently do not even have boxes, let alone fancy packaging like other vendors.  Our products do not ship with much printed instructions – instead our documentation can be found online.  (Like this support site!)  We devote most of our resources to product development, leaving limited resources for intensive support.  We have chosen instead to provide inexpensive products with fewer frills aimed at a more educated user.

What We Expect of You

Here at Moates.Net, education and teaching are things we value highly.   We don’t expect everyone to be born knowing how to tune a car or use our products.  We expect anyone who purchases our products to be willing to READ and learn independently. We will help you if you run into trouble, but we expect you to READ documentation and try to do it on your own first.  We base a lot of the technical documentation and guides we develop on the questions that you ask.  (If you have any suggestions for additional guide topics, we are always willing to listen.)  Many of our activities, such as this support site and our YouTube channel with its video tutorials, are aimed at providing resources to further educate our users.

If it doesn’t work out…

Worst case, we have a no questions asked money back guarantee for any parts returned in the condition they were received.  (We can’t issue a full refund for items damaged through neglect, negligence or abuse.)  We hope this isn’t how things end, but you’re only out the cost of shipping and the time you spent trying to figure it out.

We also often get asked, “Can I use your product to let me put _______ on my engine?” The answer to this is very simple: our products let you tune factory Ford computers.  If the factory Ford computer can do it, our products can help you tune it.  If there is another factory Ford computer that you can swap to run your engine that does what you want, great.  Some examples of what I’m talking about here include putting a MAF sensor on a car, running a car without a MAF speed-density, switching to coilpacks, etc.  If you can’t do it with a factory Ford ECM, our products aren’t going to help you achieve your goals.

We offer products that work with almost all ~1986-2004 Ford ECUs that have a J3 port (i.e. EECIV and EECV).  International users report success using our products with non-US computers that have a J3 port.  A J3 port looks like an edge of a circuit board that kind of sticks out.  J3 ports must be cleaned with a wire brush and solvents in order to remove the protective coating on the circuit board before they can be used.  They are almost always behind a rubber protective panel.  We do not offer any products for Ford computers that lack a J3 port, such as pre-1986 and 2005+ computers.  Also, cars branded by Ford but manufactured by others (i.e. Ford Probe, made by Mazda) often use computers that lack J3 ports.

It is critical that the vehicle is fully off before installing or removing anything on the J3 port.  Failure to power-off the ECM correctly can result in frying our hardware, your ECM or both!!!  If you have any doubts at all, remove the keys from the ignition 100% or disconnect the battery.  WARNING WARNING WARNING!

On this page “application” simply means the car/ECU/engine you are working with.

“ECU” means ECM, PCM – the computer running your car’s engine.

“Strategy” is Ford lingo for a set of procedures (i.e. code) that an ECU runs.  (Closest GM term: Operating system)  Most of the time, a strategy is particular to an ECU, i.e. the GUFB strategy runs onA9L ECUs.  Sometimes more than one strategy can run on the same ECU (i.e. GUFB/A9L + GUFC/A9P) .  Most of the time the “tuner” cars (i.e. Roush, Saleen) use unusual strategies that are often simply renamed factory strategies.

“Definition” means a file that describes the location of parameters that can be changed in a strategy.  All of the Ford tuning software uses definition files to process raw files.

“Patch code” refers to special routines that change the way a strategy operates in order to allow Quarterhorse to log all vehicle parameters.

Hardware used with Ford:

F3 Chip adapter – This stores a new program for a Ford ECU and clips on the J3 port.  This is a simple Ford “chip” that can optionally store two programs.  It works with both EECIV and EECV.

Jaybird – This is a Ford-specific device that writes F3 chip adapters ONLY.  It uses the same Flash n Burn software as a BURN1/BURN2

F2A – The F2A is a Ford interface for the BURN1/BURN2 programmers.  It lets you write a F3 chip adapter using a BURN1/2 programmer and the Flash n Burn software.

F2E – the F2E is used with a F2A and a BURN1/2 to read the stock program from a ECU.

BURN1/BURN2 – These general purpose ROM burners can be used with a F2A to program F3 chips

FORDEMU – This adapter allows the use of a Ostrich emulator to make real-time changes with a Ford ECU.  This product has been replaced with the Quarterhorse.  It does not work very well with EECV ECUs.

Quarterhorse – The Quarterhorse (or “QH” for short) is our flagship Ford tuning product.  It allows changes to be made while the vehicle is running.  It also allows datalogging by spying directly on RAM locations.  In order to log all vehicle parameters, patch code that is specific to each strategy is required.  Many of the features of QH require special definition files and/or software support that may not be available for all applications.

Software for Tuning Fords:

You can read the binary from any J3 Ford computer with our gear (BURN2+F2A+F2E), but that does NOT mean that any J3 ford computer is fair game.  In order to be able to display a raw binary from a Ford ECM in a real-world units that might make sense to you, a definition is required.  The def is kind of like a roadmap that allows software (Binary Editor or EEC Editor) to translate what runs the car’s computer into something meaningful to you.  Defs have to be developed by a human being for each application.  PLEASE ASK US FOR HELP IF YOU ARE NOT SURE YOUR APPLICATION IS SUPPORTED!!!

TunerPro / TunerPro RT (www.tunerpro.net) : Great for basic editing.  Free.  Somewhat limited definitions compared with other software.  At time of writing (11/28/09) lacks full support for QH, but beta versions have support.

EEC Editor http://www.moates.net/eec-editor-software-from-paul-booth.html : Cheap ( <$50 ) software with fairly extensive editing support for editing Ford tunes.  EEC Editor requires you to purchase definitions on a per-strategy basis.  One strategy will cover more than one box code.  Definitions for datalogging can be purchased separately.  As of time of writing (11/28/09) has QH support for MANY applications including Fox body mustang (GUFB/GUFC/etc. A9L/A9P/C3W/etc.) 94-95 Mustang (T4M0, CBAZA) along with many 96-03 applications.  Custom definitions available for a fee.

Binary Editor (http://www.eecanalyzer.net) : Relatively cheap ( $80 BE / $130 BE + EEC Analyzer) software with comprehensive editing support and comprehensive support for QH.  See here for a list of strategies supported.  Binary Editor comes with a bunch of definitions that are free and there are others you need to pay for.  You can see most of them at http://www.eecanalyzer.net in the downloads section.

With that out of the way, you’re looking at this page because your USB drivers are very broken.  You have devices in Device Manager with yellow exclamation marks that cannot load, cannot start or just plain don’t work.  This procedure will forcibly remove everything FTDI related and allow you to start over with a clean slate.

1. Step one: download FTCLEAN from FTDI’s website – link
2. Step two: unzip the file into a directory on your computer.
3. Step three: run FTCLEAN.EXE
4. Step four: click “Clean system” then click Yes to confirm
5. Step five: REINSTALL FTDI DRIVERS!!!  You should be starting from scratch.

Almost all Moates.net products have a USB interface to connect to a computer. (ALDU1, HULOG, Hondalog, BURN1/2, Ostrich 1/2, Roadrunner, Quarterhorse, Jaybird) Fortunately, all Moates.net products with a USB interface use the same USB support chip so they can all use the same drivers. This makes it easy for you – one driver install will take care of ALL Moates products! Check out USB Driver Installation for more on how to reinstall drivers.

The chip in our devices is made by a company called FTDI. This chip is VERY common and is used in everything from USB-serial and USB-parallel adapters sold in computer stores to other automotive electronics products. This is important because of the possibility of a driver conflict between drivers for your Moates.net devices and other devices that also use the FTDI chips. AEM FIC, Hondata S300 and K-Pro and the USB Instruments Stingray and Swordfish (among others) have a tendency to obliterate our drivers and cause driver conflicts. Be warned: the troubleshooting instructions later on this page may cause other devices that use the FTDI chips to stop working. Tip: If you start having driver conflicts, installing the latest drivers from FTDI will often be enough to resolve conflicts and make everything work again.

Making Sure Everything is Working and Configured

First step to making sure you don’t have a connection issue is to unplug all USB devices that are not absolutely necessary from your computer.

First, Right click on My Computer. (You might find this on the desktop, you might find this in your start menu. Desktop pictured)

Next, go to the Hardware tab and select “Device Manager.” (note: Windows XP is pictured, but the exact placement of device manager may vary slightly in Win98 and Vista)

Next, go to the “Ports” section of device manager and click the + sign next to it to open it, if it is not already open. You should see something like this:

Now plug in ONE of your Moates.net devices. We are going to plug them in one at a time to figure out which ports Windows is assigning to them. Assuming everything is working, you should see something like this in device manager:

The “USB Serial Port” device pictured is using COM10. Some software has issues with COM ports greater than 8, so the first thing we are going to do is change the port it uses to a port less than 8. Looking at device manager, you can see that Bluetooth Communications Port has used COM5 and a Communications Port has used COM1. We should not use either of these ports. We are going to change to COM3, which is unused. First step: right click on the “USB Serial Port” device and click “Properties.”

Next, click on the “Port Settings” tab at the top of the Window.

Next click the “Advanced” button.

On this screen, there are several things to change. First change the COM Port Number to COM3, the port we decided was open. If all of your ports say “in use” you can still select them, but it is recommended you find an unused port under 8. Second, set the Latency Timer to 1 msec. When you are done, click OK on this screen and the driver screen that follows until you are back at Device Manager.

These are the optimal settings for our devices (COM1 – COM8 and Latency = 1ms). If you had trouble, try again with these settings. Remember which port your device was using in device manager when it comes time to configure your tuning software.

Common Issues with USB Drivers and Connections

It is possible to disable devices in Windows. Sometimes this can happen accidentally. If a device is disabled, it has a red X across its icon, like the Bluetooth Communications Port in this picture.

To enable it, right click on the device and select “Enable.” Afterwards, the device should not have a red X across its icon.

Devices can also have issues loading or have device driver problems. When this happens, a yellow exclamation mark appears. Almost 100% of the time, this is a sign that you need to reinstall device drivers. If a simple reinstall does not fix the issue, there is a more heavyhanded method to reinstall drivers using FTCLEAN.

As a rule of thumb, the WHQL drivers which will be downloaded automatically will work fine.  However, it is recommended that you use the drivers from our site with Win98, WinXP and Vista.  Automatic drivers will generally work fine for Win7 but there are certain known good drivers.  We specifically recommend the latest drivers available from FTDI for machines running Windows 8, 8.1, Win10 or newer.

Specifically recommended driver versions:

• Windows 98/ME drivers can be downloaded by clicking here.
• Windows 2000/XP/Vista drivers can be downloaded by clicking here.
• There is a Vista Specific Guide that may be helpful to those running Vista.  Vista is also known to work well with the 2.08.x.x series of drivers in addition to the drivers listed above.
• Windows 7 is known to be stable with the 2.08.24 driver (available under “no longer supported drivers”) as well as the 2.12.x.x series (latest at time of writing) which are both available here.  In some cases, the 2.08 series works better than 2.12 series, your mileage may vary.  Use of drivers older than the 2.08 series is not recommended!
• 8 and 8.1 are known to be stable with the 2.08.24 driver (available under “no longer supported drivers”) as well as the 2.12.x.x series (latest at time of writing) which are both available here.  In some cases, the 2.08 series works better than 2.12 series, your mileage may vary.  Use of drivers older than the 2.08 series is not recommended!
• Windows 10 and newer machines are highly recommended to use the latest and greatest VCP drivers available directly from the USB chip’s manufacturer here. (at time of writing: 2.12.28.0)  In rare cases, the 2.08.24 driver (available under “no longer supported drivers”) can work better but this is NOT recommended.  Use of drivers older than the 2.08 series is known to cause issues!

If you have trouble, start with this troubleshooting guide.

If you have trouble, you may also want to look at FTDI’s Installation Guides for your OS.

Types of Nissan Computer

Trivially chippable Nissans fall into several categories:

28 Pin EPROM (VG30DETT 300ZX Twin turbo, KA24E 240SX, RB26DETT R32 Skyline GTR, …) – If you see a 28 pin EPROM inside the ECU, this is your application.  Ostrich 2.0 works in almost all cases, but many of these applications will require a SocketBooster.

20×2 ROM Board “S13” (SR20DET Silvia/240, SR20DE Sentra, SR20DET GTiR, etc.) If you see a spot on the edge of the circuit board with two rows of 20 pins, this is probably the application.  (also see below S14a)  The Nissan 20×2 Adapter board is intended for this generation.  Two Ostrich emulators can be used for realtime emulation.

20×2 ROM Board “S14a” (SR20DET “black top” VVTI, 95-97 “B14” Sentra, etc.) If you see a spot on the edge of the circuit board with two rows of 20 pins, this is probably the application.  (also see above S13) These are not supported at this time.  Future hardware may add support.

40×1 ROM Board (Late model sentra, 240?) If you see a single, extremely long row of pins that are very closely spaced together, this is your application.  These are not supported at this time.  Future hardware may add support.

Many Nissan ECUs are not trivially chippable (RB25 Neo, R33 Skyline, R34 Skyline, 350Z, …)

Software

TunerPro RT has definitions for most S13/B13 platforms.

925style ROM editor supports most JDM ECUs.  I’ve used sucessfully with S13 SR20DET and R32 GTR Skyline.  It isn’t officially available anymore but you can find it easily with google.

CROME is compatible with certain Nissan ROMs, particularly those used in S13 based vehicles.

Download TunerPro here

Originally written to modify GM and Ford binaries, the uniqueness of TunerPro is its ability to have Definitions. While this adds a slight layer of complexity to the end user, the definition files (XDF) instruct TunerPro as to where tables and variables reside within the binary it is opening, allowing TunerPro to be compatible with virtually any binary.

Currently definitions are available for the following Vehicles at least as of 9/30/08, more being added regular (see http://www.tunerpro.net website for all the latest)::

General Motors

Ford (requires v4.13 or higher)

Subaru (Requires v4.13 or higher)

Nissan

Porsche (Motronic)

DSM (Eagle/Mitsubishi)

Renault

Registration

You will be emailed a key file to register to the address provided with your order.  In order to do this, we need your name, address, phone number and CORRECT EMAIL.  Make sure you can check the email address you provide with your order as this is where we will send your key.  Be sure to check any spam filters.  We do not need a key or any other information from you for TunerPro RT – we simply need a valid email address.

Periodically we release new firmware for our products. We generally recommend AGAINST updating firmware unless you have a very specific reason for doing so, as there is always the chance something will go wrong during an update leaving the device bricked in a state where it has to be sent in for repair.

If you are attempting to update your firmware because you think your current firmware is corrupt, be advised that you will not be able to update your firmware unless the old firmware actually works (a little) and is able to accept new firmware. You will have to return your device to us in these cases.  Some newer r

Again, most of the time problems can be resolved without a firmware upgrade. Consult this site and/or contact us at [email protected] if you think you need a firmware update.

Firmware Update Procedure

The information on this page pertains to the following devices:

• APU1 AutoProm
• Ostrich 1.0
• Ostrich 2.0
• Flash & Burn (BURN1 / BURN2 / Jaybird)
• Roadrunner LS1 16-Bit Emulator
• QuarterHorse J3 Ford Emulator
• Demon integrated tuning device
• NEMU integrated tuning device

Directions for updating firmware:

1. Download the following utility (new version as of 2017):
   Firmware Update Utility
   and unzip it to the location of your choice.
2. Download the appropriate firmware package for your hardware from the table below and unzip it to the location of your choice (preferably to the same location as the update utility).
3. Connect your hardware to your PC and close all software applications.
4. Start the firmware update utility. Your hardware should be automatically detected. If it isn’t, click the “Detect” button
5. Click the “Browse” button in the update utility and browse to the firmware package you downloaded and unzipped in step 2 above.
6. If the package and hardware match, the “Update” button should be available. Press it now.
7. Once complete, the updater should notify you of success and display the new version information.

Firmware downloads for individual units:

Only certain Hondas can be tuned using our hardware. In short, these are any vehicles that run a B, D, H, or F (Accord) series engine with a distributor and can run an OBD I ECU. Whether they accept these ECUs natively or via an OBD II to OBD I or OBD0 to OBD I conversion harness makes no difference.

Some of the OBD0 (pre-92) vehicles can be chipped and tuned natively, but the OBD I software tools are so much more advanced and user friendly that it is worth considering converting these vehicles to OBD1 with a conversion harness when possible.

If you have a 1996-2001 Honda, you will need to remove your stock OBD2 ECU and plug-in a supported OBD I ECU via a conversion harness. Please make sure you order the appropriate harness for your car as different model years used different connectors.

Supported Vehicles

• 1992-2000 Civic (1996-2000 Civics require OBD2-OBD1 conversion harness, use 92-95 OBD1 ECU)
• 1992-2001 Integra (1996-2001 Integras require OBD2-OBD1 conversion harness, use OBD1 ECU)
• 1992-2001 Prelude/Accord (1996-2001 Preludes require OBD2-OBD1 conversion harness, requires Integra or Civic OBD1 ECU swap, )
• 1988-1991 Civic/CRX Si-HF or swapped cars (can use OBD1 ECU and OBD1 tools with OBD1/OBD2 distributor swap and conversion harness)
• 1988-1991 Integra/CR-X/Civic with B16A swap (requires PR3/PW0 ECUs to use as OBD0 Vtec)
• 1990-1991 Civic/CRX Si D16A6 (will have PM6 ECU, ready to use as OBD0 non-vtec)
• 1988-1989 Civic/CRX Si, 1988-1991 CRX HF (requires use of a 90-91 ECU to use as OBD0 non-vtec)

Supported ECUs

• 1992-1995 Civic (P05 | P06 | P08 | P28)
• 1994-1995 Del Sol VTEC (P30)
• 1992-1995 Integra GS-R (P61, P72)
• 1992-1995 Integra RS/LS/GS/SE (PR4 | P74 | P75)
• 1992-1995 JDM Civic, Integra, Del Sol, etc. (P30, P72, P54, P08, etc. small square case. Place note in order!!! JDM ECUs require different parts than USDM)
• Chippable OBD-0 ECUs (PW0 | PR3 | PM6)
• see also pgmfi wiki on the subject

Note: If you do not see your car or ECU specifically listed here, please check to make sure you do not have an unsupported setup before purchasing anything!

Supported Tuning Software

• Neptune (targets primarily 92-95 OBD1 ECU hardware, very actively developed, advanced feature set, per-vehicle licensing)
• eCtune (targets primarily 92-95 OBD1 ECU hardware, starting to be poorly maintained, advanced feature set, per-vehicle licensing)
• CROME Pro (targets OBD1 ECUs, supports datalogging, getting to be poorly maintained, great for “simple” tunes, flexible licensing)  There is a very nice PDF tutorial written up by Darren Kattan. Check it out by clicking HERE.
• CROME (as above, free but without datalogging support)
• BRE (Primarily targets OB0 Vtec computers: PR3, PW0. Also has limited support for PM6. Only recommended for “simple” setups. Not very actively supported)
• TurboEdit (Primarily targets OBD0 non-vtec computers, i.e. PM6. Only recommended for non-vtec engines and very simple setups. Not very actively supported)
• Uberdata (Older application. Targets OBD1 platform. Once thought to be dead but seems to be some recent development activity)
• FreeLog (Free, datalogging package, works with Crome, not heavily supported/updated.)

Although our hardware uses USB connectivity, you don’t have to be a kernel level device driver programmer or any sort of expert in the USB framework to interface our devices.Our devices simply create a virtual COM port that can be written to via all sorts of methods.

Old-school Windows programmers may be familiar with using the Windows API to play with serial ports. While this is fun, the new school .NET programmers can throw together applications in literally minutes using serialPort objects. We would love to see a C# Moates Hardware Class with all of our hardware features implemented. Unfortunately, we haven’t gotten around to doing it.

One of the downfalls of using a virtual serial port is that customers seem to have problems remembering baud rate settings. Luckily there is a (not so simple) solution. FTDI devices can be interfaced through what is known as the D2XX API. Basically, you import functions from their unmanaged DLL and you can connect to their devices without the user ever having to select a COM port. We have begun developing a C# Class based on an example from the FTDI website, but it is far from completion.

The following guide (MS Excel format) details the commands and expected responses for all of our devices.  If you don’t see something you need or have questions, email us.

Download the Moates Hardware Interfacing Guide here (v19 2/11/10)

In terms of understanding what commands are used when and how they fit together – looking at an ADX for TunerPro RT that makes use of the device is a great way to put things together.  The ADX has sections for connect, initialization, packets, etc.

Devices with Onboard Logging

Although the command structure is outlined in the above document, the procedure for using the onboard logging facilities of newer integrated devices is complex and the order of operations maters.  The example that will be illustrated here will be for the Demon / Demon2 but it should be more or less the same for the NEMU and have much in common with the SuperLogger.

1. Pause for data rate (otherwise TunerPro could potentially hammer the Demon faster than it could retrieve new packets from the ECU) and limit to 10Hz (or whatever you want)
2. DR command: setup packet = “0x44 0x52 0x0F 0x17 0x00 0x05 0x04 0x05 0x05 0x1D 0x1B 0x14 0x1E 0x15 0x05 0x05 0x20 0x10 0x11 0x12 0x13 0x05 0x05 0x16 0x22 0x1C 0x17 0x18 0x05 0x05 0x19 0x1A 0x21 0x22 0x1F” =
   1. 0x44(‘D’) 0x52(‘R’)
   2. 0x0F(ADC fetch mask = all channels)
   3. 0x17(baud rate divisor 17hex=23decimal for 38400 baud)
   4. 0x00(c=reserved)
   5. 0x05(d=reserved)
   6. 0x04(4 elements in structure, can use ‘0’ for ADC only)
   7. 0x05(5 bytes to send for first element)
   8. 0x05(five response bytes expected)
   9. 0x1D 0x1B 0x14 0x1E 0x15 (req1)
   10. 0x05 0x05 0x20 0x10 0x11 (req2)
   11. 0x12 0x13 0x05 0x05 0x16 (req3)
   12. 0x22 0x1C 0x17 0x18 0x05 (req4)
   13. 0x05 0x19 0x1A 0x21 0x22 (req5)
   14. 0x1F (checksum)
   15. expect “Okay” repsonse: 0x4f (‘O’)
3. Send retrieve packet: 0x64 (‘d)
4. Wait for packet of configured length (in this case: 30 bytes)

(above section is work in progress)

Flash & Burn Screen Shot

Download Flash & Burn here.

Flash & Burn is a software package used with the Burn1 and Burn2 EEPROM burners, as well as the Autoprom (APU1).

Note, many tuning software packages (like CROME and Hondata) can interface with these burners directly making this software not necessary.

The Burn1 is a revolutionary device that was designed with the automotive enthusiast in mind. it supports chips used in our products aimed at ECUs/ECMs from the late 80s and early 90s.

The BURN1 can:

• WRITE SST 27SF512, ATMEL AT29C256 and 29F040 chips.
• READ but NOT WRITE 2732A, 27C128, 27C256 chips (and most other 24/28 pin EPROMs/EEPROMs that can replace one of these chips).
• With a F2A adapter, it can WRITE our F3 EECIV/EECV chip modules.
• With a F2E adapter, READ factory Ford ECMs.
• with a HDR1 adapter, READ factory GM TPI ECMs that would use a G1 chip adapter .

As you can see, it is designed to comprehensively work with our products but it is NOT a general purpose EPROM programmer.  If you require programming chips outside these specifications, you probably should look at another product.

Before the Burn1 was developed, there were only a handful of chip burners known to be compatible with these chips. These burners were usually not cost-effective, used outdated PC interfaces like a parallel Printer port. They also required external power supplies, so forget burning on the fly. Examples include the $160 Pocket Programmer II.

The Burn1 was revolutionary with its simple USB interface that provided all power to the unit. An internal DC voltage step-up circuit is used to provide the high erase voltage required on certain chips.

The latest generation of the Burn1 is the Burn2. It has the same same command set and features as the Burn1 but has a smaller size.

How to Buy

This product has been replace with the Burn2. Please visit the Burn2’s page on our webstore here