Standalone ECU with stock Gauges and AC

7028 Views 16 Replies 14 Participants Last post by HTH9000, 27 d ago

kiteu

Discussion Starter · Jul 20, 2021

Hi.
I'm Daniel, I'm working on an IS300 related project and just wondered... will anybody care?
What I'm making is a device that will hook up a standalone ECU (Ecumaster Black in my case) with all the convenient bells and whistles that AFAIK would require a parallel harness and running both aftermarket and stock ECU at the same time. My goal is to ditch the factory ECU completely.
The things that i have in mind are

AC
Engine temperature gauge
Cruise, snow, oil etc. indicator lights
SNOW button
Cruise Control
Outside temperature gauge

I have a prototype ready and accomplished pretty much everything from the list above, minus the Cruise Control. Haven't tested that yet although i have the DBW working which everyone said was impossible (?) and said to do a DBW-Delete. Other stuff is pretty much functional and tested with EMU but I'm still making a harness to put EMU permanently in the car.
This device is my engineering degree project but i figured that maybe it may do some good for other IS folks. In theory it would also work for other cars with MPX like LS400 or Supras.
So tell me, how many of you are running a parallel harness and would be interested in getting a converter like this? I could make a few more than I need. Don't know the final price but I guesstimate it would be in the ballpark of 200-300 USD.
As a side question, why exactly the DBW is considered impossible/not recommended? I have it hooked up and moving. Autocalibrated in EMU software and did a movement test but EMU is not fully connected so the car doesn't run on it.

Cheers

Reactions: 2

1 - 17 of 17 Posts

Hodgdon Extreme

· #2 · Jul 20, 2021

Welcome to the forum and the engineering trade, Daniel. Sounds like a neat project.

You'll find there are a lot of folks with parallel/piggyback ecu arrangements, so I would think there'd be some interest.

Isn't the Toyota MPX/BEAN architecture just a proprietary CANbus? Where I'm going with that is most ecus on the market these days are capable of working on a CANbus - the only question is the protocol of the bus. It seems you've figured out that protocol and identified the individual functions (which is really cool, I'd like to know more about how you did that), so can't that just be programmed into the bus of any ecu that has CANbus support?

For example, the Link G4+ and G4x are not only capable of this, but enterprising folks have figured out the MPX protocol the same way you have. I'm a gears/springs/levers type engineer though, so perhaps I don't know WTF I'm talking about. Maybe the MPX/BEAN system requires special hardware...?

Another thought: I think there would be a LOT of interest in a similar device that were able to control the automatic transmission in these cars. The AT guys are married to the stock DBW throttle body arrangement and ecu in order to have a working trans.

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Reactions: 1

kiteu

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jul 20, 2021

MPX is nowhere near CAN. Proprietary bus created by Toyota, basically one wire needed for communication but ECUs are arranged in Ring network hence why there are 2 MPX wires for each ECU. My device translates some of the MPX signals to CAN signals and vice versa.
As on how I figured out the network... partly it was already documented on the internet, partly i was just driving around with a homemade MPX sniffer and just looking at signals and correlating that with what I'm doing with the car. I'll post the full explaination of frames and signals here or on my github.
About the auto transmission. I might try doing that in the future. As of now i don't even have a suitable car. My is300 is a manual.

Pnut00

· #4 · Jul 21, 2021

kiteu said:
As a side question, why exactly the DBW is considered impossible/not recommended? I have it hooked up and moving. Autocalibrated in EMU software and did a movement test but EMU is not fully connected so the car doesn't run on it.

Its not considered impossible, as mentioned above most decent ECU manufacturers now have DBW features built in, and can adjust the response to be instantaneous. The main problem is with the OEM ECU setup as most dont like the level of interference the DBW gives, particularly in delayed throttle response. e.g. Often when i coast up to a roundabout up the road from my home, see a gap and hit the gas the car delays the throttle enough for me to think it isnt going to work and hit the gas more, which it then comes on hard and launches me across to almost into another car. I believe if it didnt have that delay most would be pretty happy with running it, it also is needed for traction control, cruise control if you have that option, and a few other functions. Some want to go to larger throttle bodies which means ditching the DBW unless you can get one from another similar DBW system.

Kris OK

· #5 · Jul 28, 2021

Sounds pretty neat. I may not be understanding everything though. I’m running AEM Infinity and the stock ecu together, on a MT car. The AEM is controlling DBW on a 2jzgte vvti throttle body. Everything the car came with factory works except cruise (ect and snow button don’t work either because the stock ecu is totally divorced from the DBW motor), and because AEM is a “race ecu” and therefore don’t see a need for cruise in a Motorsports ecu. I don’t see how any kind of adapter could add cruise control, if the aftermarket standalone doesn’t support it, unless you’re sharing control between stock and aftermarket ecus.

redsupra101

· #6 · Oct 2, 2021

https://all4swap.ru/product/is300 I ordered this to basically do the same thing for my Altezza, hoping to install in a few weeks to restore my dash gauges as well.

Gr4FFy

· #7 · 11 mo ago

Any update on this? I would love to get rid of my stock ecu

kiteu

Discussion Starter · #8 · 4 mo ago

Gr4FFy said:
Any update on this? I would love to get rid of my stock ecu

Yes, actually! I had to put the project on hold for a longer while, hence lack of updates but I already have a working device.
What it supports right now:

Engine temperature gauge
Fuel consumption gauge
A/C panel temperature display (to be tested with OEM ambient air temp sensor)
AC On signal readout from the A/C panel
SNOW button readout
Cruise control stalk input (to be tested)
Low oil pressure indicator
Battery charge fault indicator
SNOW mode indicator
CRUISE indicator
Sending vehicle speed to ECU via CAN
Fuel level signal on CAN
Optional digital and analog input/outputs

One thing to clarify, the device does not work as Cruise Controller. It just passes the signals from the cruise control stalk to the ECU and if needed illuminates CRUISE lamp on dash. Cruise control has to be supported by the aftermarket ECU.

I still have a few minor things to work out. Improve stability of the device etc. but I've been driving with it for a while and works fine. I'm using SNOW button to switch between DBW characteristics. This weekend I'm gonna do the rest of the wiring needed for cruise control. Already sold a few units to a local tuner who builds 400+hp cars. I will add a possibility of configuring the device via USB so anyone can adapt it to their project. Gonna test it with a GS300 soon as well.

I am aiming to make the device as inexpensive as possible, around 70USD but it may change due to inflation and supply chain issues. If anyone's interested, hit me up!

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Reactions: 4

glitchspeed.co

· #9 · 4 mo ago (Edited by Moderator)

kiteu said:
Yes, actually! I had to put the project on hold for a longer while, hence lack of updates but I already have a working device.
What it supports right now:

Engine temperature gauge

Fuel consumption gauge

A/C panel temperature display (to be tested with OEM ambient air temp sensor)

AC On signal readout from the A/C panel

SNOW button readout

Cruise control stalk input (to be tested)

Low oil pressure indicator

Battery charge fault indicator

SNOW mode indicator

CRUISE indicator

Sending vehicle speed to ECU via CAN

Fuel level signal on CAN

Optional digital and analog input/outputs

One thing to clarify, the device does not work as Cruise Controller. It just passes the signals from the cruise control stalk to the ECU and if needed illuminates CRUISE lamp on dash. Cruise control has to be supported by the aftermarket ECU.

I still have a few minor things to work out. Improve stability of the device etc. but I've been driving with it for a while and works fine. I'm using SNOW button to switch between DBW characteristics. This weekend I'm gonna do the rest of the wiring needed for cruise control. Already sold a few units to a local tuner who builds 400 hp cars. I will add a possibility of configuring the device via USB so anyone can adapt it to their project. Gonna test it with a GS300 soon as well.

I am aiming to make the device as inexpensive as possible, around 70USD but it may change due to inflation and supply chain issues. If anyone's interested, hit me up!

would this work with a jzx100 ecu?

kiteu said:
Yes, actually! I had to put the project on hold for a longer while, hence lack of updates but I already have a working device.
What it supports right now:

Engine temperature gauge

Fuel consumption gauge

A/C panel temperature display (to be tested with OEM ambient air temp sensor)

AC On signal readout from the A/C panel

SNOW button readout

Cruise control stalk input (to be tested)

Low oil pressure indicator

Battery charge fault indicator

SNOW mode indicator

CRUISE indicator

Sending vehicle speed to ECU via CAN

Fuel level signal on CAN

Optional digital and analog input/outputs

One thing to clarify, the device does not work as Cruise Controller. It just passes the signals from the cruise control stalk to the ECU and if needed illuminates CRUISE lamp on dash. Cruise control has to be supported by the aftermarket ECU.

I still have a few minor things to work out. Improve stability of the device etc. but I've been driving with it for a while and works fine. I'm using SNOW button to switch between DBW characteristics. This weekend I'm gonna do the rest of the wiring needed for cruise control. Already sold a few units to a local tuner who builds 400 hp cars. I will add a possibility of configuring the device via USB so anyone can adapt it to their project. Gonna test it with a GS300 soon as well.

I am aiming to make the device as inexpensive as possible, around 70USD but it may change due to inflation and supply chain issues. If anyone's interested, hit me up!

Hey I am interested in this for my JZX100, stock ECU with daughterboard modification currently. If I need to switch to a standalone. EMU or LINK G4 I want to retain use of all factory options. Do you have an instagram or facebook we can communicate on ?

my instagram is @glitch.speed if you can message me on there. I just stumbled across this site right now thru google searching for a solution. Thanks

Reactions: 1

Purp3bean

· #10 · 4 mo ago (Edited)

How hard is it to wire up

When can i get one

AlwaysBroken

· #11 · 4 mo ago

Very exciting. Good to see someone besides Link getting it to work. This might open up all the other standalones to do what Link managed to do, a full ECU replacement. Especially if the standalones have a open CAN protocol cough*everybodybutHaltech*cough

Reactions: 1

kiteu

Discussion Starter · #12 · 4 mo ago (Edited)

glitchspeed.co said:
would this work with a jzx100 ecu?

Hey I am interested in this for my JZX100, stock ECU with daughterboard modification currently. If I need to switch to a standalone. EMU or LINK G4 I want to retain use of all factory options. Do you have an instagram or facebook we can communicate on ?

my instagram is @glitch.speed if you can message me on there. I just stumbled across this site right now thru google searching for a solution. Thanks

I don't really use instagram but i have facebook. Gonna drop you a PM with contact details. Software for sure is not ready to work with JZX but if you still have factory ECU it might be possible to figure out the signals with that.

@Edit: realised that this forum doesn't have PM system. Lol. Created an instagram account and messaged you there

Purp3bean said:
How hard is it to wire up

When can i get one

It's not difficult to wire up. It requires 12V power, 2 wires for CAN connection (CAN High and CAN Low) and 2 wires for MPX (MPX in and MPX out). CAN connection needs to be routed from the standalone ECU. MPX can be hijacked either from AC panel or gauges.

I am selling those devices. Next batch should be available next month

Reactions: 1

Wagon2jz

· #13 · 4 mo ago

kiteu said:
Hi.
I'm Daniel, I'm working on an IS300 related project and just wondered... will anybody care?
What I'm making is a device that will hook up a standalone ECU (Ecumaster Black in my case) with all the convenient bells and whistles that AFAIK would require a parallel harness and running both aftermarket and stock ECU at the same time. My goal is to ditch the factory ECU completely.
The things that i have in mind are

AC

Engine temperature gauge

Cruise, snow, oil etc. indicator lights

SNOW button

Cruise Control

Outside temperature gauge

I have a prototype ready and accomplished pretty much everything from the list above, minus the Cruise Control. Haven't tested that yet although i have the DBW working which everyone said was impossible (?) and said to do a DBW-Delete. Other stuff is pretty much functional and tested with EMU but I'm still making a harness to put EMU permanently in the car.
This device is my engineering degree project but i figured that maybe it may do some good for other IS folks. In theory it would also work for other cars with MPX like LS400 or Supras.
So tell me, how many of you are running a parallel harness and would be interested in getting a converter like this? I could make a few more than I need. Don't know the final price but I guesstimate it would be in the ballpark of 200-300 USD.
As a side question, why exactly the DBW is considered impossible/not recommended? I have it hooked up and moving. Autocalibrated in EMU software and did a movement test but EMU is not fully connected so the car doesn't run on it.

Cheers

hello, I’d be interested. My insta is wagon_2jz

Jonhimman

· #14 · 2 mo ago

I'm interested in a couple or 3 maybe @Jonhimman

grizzly8181

· #15 · 2 mo ago

Hello I am very interested in purchasing one. My IG is @jesus__pedraza thank you!

Theneil300

· #16 · 2 mo ago

Me too

HTH9000

· #17 · 27 d ago

kiteu said:
I don't really use instagram but i have facebook. Gonna drop you a PM with contact details. Software for sure is not ready to work with JZX but if you still have factory ECU it might be possible to figure out the signals with that. @Edit: realised that this forum doesn't have PM system. Lol. Created an instagram account and messaged you there It's not difficult to wire up. It requires 12V power, 2 wires for CAN connection (CAN High and CAN Low) and 2 wires for MPX (MPX in and MPX out). CAN connection needs to be routed from the standalone ECU. MPX can be hijacked either from AC panel or gauges. I am selling those devices. Next batch should be available next month

Would you mind posting your insta handle so myself and other users can find/ contact you?

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