Emira I4 ECU Flash Tuning is Now Possible (~510HP Turbo)

[lynchy73]

They will work just put on tender, but it won't work like standard battery that recharges when you drive, it will always be on the bare limit of having charge and cause some CEL eventually - but for a track car just keep it plugged in all fine. And yes any lithium since they are higher voltage and that is what causes issues.

The alternator does charge in short bursts (at high current) even when the lithium battery is at a relatively high SOC, but most of the time power to run the car is coming from the battery (at lower current levels), not the alternator. I’m keeping an eye on things to better understand what’s happening. It is quite strange how it behaves, it is not immediately obvious what’s going on or why. My battery is currently showing about 50% SOC after several drives, will continue to use it and see what happens at lower SOC. My battery is 60Ah, it’s at least as much or likely more capacity than the factory battery.

There are other types of cell that might be better suited to our cars that will better match how an AGM behaves. My company assembles battery packs, so I know lithium batteries well and we could build something ourselves.

Another possibility is that you might be able to change a setting via diagnostics, to change the voltage at which charging is initiated.

@Kaz Have you logged the voltage and current flows using the standard AGM battery? What is the capacity of the LFP battery you were running?

 

[lynchy73]

So basically any lithium battery will not work on the Emira correct?

Lithium Car starter batteries are almost always LFP type cells. That is not the only type of cell that could be used for this application.

It could be possible to change the alternator control logic so it is better suited to an LFP battery.

 

[Kaz]

The alternator does charge in short bursts (at high current) even when the lithium battery is at a relatively high SOC, but most of the time power to run the car is coming from the battery (at lower current levels), not the alternator. I’m keeping an eye on things to better understand what’s happening. It is quite strange how it behaves, it is not immediately obvious what’s going on or why. My battery is currently showing about 50% SOC after several drives, will continue to use it and see what happens at lower SOC. My battery is 60Ah, it’s at least as much or likely more capacity than the factory battery.

There are other types of cell that might be better suited to our cars that will better match how an AGM behaves. My company assembles battery packs, so I know lithium batteries well and we could build something ourselves.

Another possibility is that you might be able to change a setting via diagnostics, to change the voltage at which charging is initiated.

@Kaz Have you logged the voltage and current flows using the standard AGM battery? What is the capacity of the LFP battery you were running?

The alternator will do tiny bits of charge when you lift throttle (just momentarily) and under braking for a little bit. Every 4th, 5th? drive cycle the battery regardless of the state of charge will charge in all driving conditions. I have to look at my SOC and voltage logs but basically an AGM battery will drain to about 65% before the car decides to start charging via the alternator. This voltage trigger is hard to do with a lithium battery because it's just a higher voltage battery, I found even below 50% charge the alternator will not charge a lithium battery. You will see actual voltage while running the car will start to deterioriate to about 12.5V where it should be closer to 13.7-14V where the battery is charging. I had the 60Ah Antigravity with lots of reserve and I had to just plug it in all the time. Remember after a drive the I4 fans and pumps keep going for about 20 minutes and that further depletes your battery as well.
The behavior you are seeing is exactly what I and other are seeing with lithium, charges kind of once in a while, state of charge is about 50-60% max if you just drive the car around like normal. With my methanol pump and all the electronics in the car I just decided to not risk it and use a big capacity AGM battery.
If one day we can reprogram the car for lithium that would be great, but this is deep Mercedes efficiency code that is in all modern Mercedes cars. It's call Bluewave or something and saves a tiny tiny bit of fuel if the alternator is not engaging till the stock AGM battery gets down to about 65%. And again every 4th or 5th drive cycle the car will fully charge the battery no matter what.

 

[lynchy73]

The alternator will do tiny bits of charge when you lift throttle (just momentarily) and under braking for a little bit. Every 4th, 5th? drive cycle the battery regardless of the state of charge will charge in all driving conditions. I have to look at my SOC and voltage logs but basically an AGM battery will drain to about 65% before the car decides to start charging via the alternator. This voltage trigger is hard to do with a lithium battery because it's just a higher voltage battery, I found even below 50% charge the alternator will not charge a lithium battery. You will see actual voltage while running the car will start to deterioriate to about 12.5V where it should be closer to 13.7-14V where the battery is charging. I had the 60Ah Antigravity with lots of reserve and I had to just plug it in all the time. Remember after a drive the I4 fans and pumps keep going for about 20 minutes and that further depletes your battery as well.
The behavior you are seeing is exactly what I and other are seeing with lithium, charges kind of once in a while, state of charge is about 50-60% max if you just drive the car around like normal. With my methanol pump and all the electronics in the car I just decided to not risk it and use a big capacity AGM battery.
If one day we can reprogram the car for lithium that would be great, but this is deep Mercedes efficiency code that is in all modern Mercedes cars. It's call Bluewave or something and saves a tiny tiny bit of fuel if the alternator is not engaging till the stock AGM battery gets down to about 65%. And again every 4th or 5th drive cycle the car will fully charge the battery no matter what.

LFP is not the only cell type used in starter batteries. Sodium Ion offer some advantages and should have a voltage curve closer to an AGM, so it might play nicer. Not quite as light, but still much lighter than lead. Would be cool if it works.

For me, the LFP is certainly usable, as this is not my daily and in order to avoid battery issues with my AGM I was having to top it off with a charger anyway. I was getting lots of random errors occurring (no CEL) that seemed to be voltage related due to low battery voltage, but I never actually had an issue starting the car, ever…

 

[675430VME]

The alternator will do tiny bits of charge when you lift throttle (just momentarily) and under braking for a little bit. Every 4th, 5th? drive cycle the battery regardless of the state of charge will charge in all driving conditions. I have to look at my SOC and voltage logs but basically an AGM battery will drain to about 65% before the car decides to start charging via the alternator. This voltage trigger is hard to do with a lithium battery because it's just a higher voltage battery, I found even below 50% charge the alternator will not charge a lithium battery. You will see actual voltage while running the car will start to deterioriate to about 12.5V where it should be closer to 13.7-14V where the battery is charging. I had the 60Ah Antigravity with lots of reserve and I had to just plug it in all the time. Remember after a drive the I4 fans and pumps keep going for about 20 minutes and that further depletes your battery as well.
The behavior you are seeing is exactly what I and other are seeing with lithium, charges kind of once in a while, state of charge is about 50-60% max if you just drive the car around like normal. With my methanol pump and all the electronics in the car I just decided to not risk it and use a big capacity AGM battery.
If one day we can reprogram the car for lithium that would be great, but this is deep Mercedes efficiency code that is in all modern Mercedes cars. It's call Bluewave or something and saves a tiny tiny bit of fuel if the alternator is not engaging till the stock AGM battery gets down to about 65%. And again every 4th or 5th drive cycle the car will fully charge the battery no matter what.

Luckily I checked with you guys before I place an order. No wonder Ryan does not have one installed.

 

[Lotus F1]

They will work just put on tender, but it won't work like standard battery that recharges when you drive, it will always be on the bare limit of having charge and cause some CEL eventually - but for a track car just keep it plugged in all fine. And yes any lithium since they are higher voltage and that is what causes issues.

Be careful with this recommendation. It will only work for shorter daily trips between charges. If you go on a longer trip you could deplete the battery and be stuck on the side of the road. Remember the alternator will not be charging the battery before potential BMS shut down at 20% on lithium batt

 

[Nelumbo nucifera]

He managed to clone (this part is unlocked for data transfer and conversion) the Emira ECU onto an older version of the MB M139 ECU

Referring to the above comment (see thread starter) unlocked would indicate does it not, that all information pertaining to the vehicle the ECU is attached to, can be extracted to a file.
This would seem a logical conclusion, since in the case of replacing with new, an existing ECU (for whatever reason) this very information would have to be loaded on to the replacement unit before anything will fire up.
In my naivety or wishful thinking, can this not be done via the OBD port? The files then downloaded and sent to be uploaded onto the “clone “ ECU. No need to send, in my case, my original ECU to the other side of the planet hoping it doesn’t get lost in transit.
In the case of a stage 1 power re-flash to an f-type Jag I had, the Company in England sent me an OBD plug in unit (they called
V-Switch - you may identify that company). I downloaded the files off via the OBD sent it to them, they changed/added whatever was needed, sent it back, I reloaded it and hey presto heaps more power and torque, no issues.
In our case, we are simply (naively perhaps) looking to make the clone compatible with our individual Emira, so the thing starts and runs, like that Jag, with no issues.
Wishful thinking on my part is it? displaying an absolute ignorance of what is actually involved? Sorry.

 

[lynchy73]

This is not possible on the Emira Turbo ECU so far. Cloning cannot be done remotely. Unlocking cannot be done remotely.

 

[Nelumbo nucifera]

This is not possible on the Emira Turbo ECU so far. Cloning cannot be done remotely. Unlocking cannot be done remotely.

Ummm, perhaps I have worded my previous post incorrectly. Perhaps I can clarify any misconstrued thoughts.
If the present in car ECU files pertaining solely to the Emira being worked on, are not locked, as is suggested, and can be readily (via the OBD port, preferably and for example) accessed/downloaded, is there any reason why these downloaded files cannot be sent to the ECU tuner for inclusion on the clone ECU?
This is not a remote proposition, but rather negates the need to send the original ECU by transport/airfreight/courier removing any chance of the ECU being lost in transit.
I’m sure this is the aspect that would concern all participants.
What method would the tuning specialist use to extract the (already unlocked) files to load them onto the clone unit. If a method can be found for owners to do that ‘in their own driveway’ (using we would hope the in car OBD port), rather than removing the original and chance sending it away, then requests for cloned ECU’s will skyrocket.

 

[Nelumbo nucifera]

Greetings all. With a need to understand just which

ECU is suitable to use as a clone for our AMG 2.0 cars, I wonder whether someone more clever than I, would kindly tell me whether the unit I have in the photograph is a suitable ‘candidate’. It comes from an A45S.
Mention is made that Mercedes applied greater lock controls from 2022 on. Is there a way to identify this example as post or pre 2022. And if so, is it an easier unit to use as a clone.
Thank you in advance for any help you can offer.

 

[Nelumbo nucifera]

It looks like a manufacture date of 21-11-16
(16-Nov- 2021) before 2022 but only by a smidgen (translated means: yowsa, that’s close to cutoff date).

What’s the chances 16-11-21 will not have the issues 0i-01-22 will potentially have in regard to any extra layers of locking and the need to change the CPU

 

[Milk242]

I’m pretty sure if boomgear could, they wouldn’t do remote cloning of the ecu. Their ability to read the lotus ecu without opening the thing is basically their secret sauce. You could always make a quick trip to Guangzhou China with your ecu in hand since you live somewhat close in Australia

 

[Emira Fan]

Ummm, perhaps I have worded my previous post incorrectly. Perhaps I can clarify any misconstrued thoughts.
If the present in car ECU files pertaining solely to the Emira being worked on, are not locked, as is suggested, and can be readily (via the OBD port, preferably and for example) accessed/downloaded, is there any reason why these downloaded files cannot be sent to the ECU tuner for inclusion on the clone ECU?

Hi Nelumbo,​

ECU map Files aren't downloadable from ODB, need to bench the ECU and connect all harness. Clip this for you below. If your purchase a used ECU go with an older ECU to be safe.

------------​

Specialized Hardware and Tools​

The equipment is designed to communicate with the ECU directly, often bypassing standard diagnostic ports (OBD-II) to read the internal memory (Flash and EEPROM).

ECU Programmer / Chip Tuning Tool​

• Bench Mode: Connecting directly to the ECU pins without opening the casing.
• Boot Mode: Connecting directly to internal test points on the ECU's circuit board, which requires opening the ECU's casing. This is often necessary for newer, locked ECUs.
• Examples of Professional Tools (often used for modern ECUs):
  • Autotuner (Known for speed and modern protocol support)
  • Alientech Kess 3 / K-TAG (Versatile professional tools)
  • MAGIC MOTORSPORT FLEX (Supports multiple connection methods: OBD, Bench, Boot)
  • Microtronik Hexprog II (Specifically known for handling certain secured ECUs)
    
    Connection Interface / Harnesses
    To connect the programmer to the ECU on the bench, you need:
  • Bench Adapters and Cables: Specific harnesses that plug into the ECU connectors (or specialized probe tips) to make secure connections without soldering.
  • Benches/Jigs: Specialized frames (like BDM/JTAG frames) that hold the ECU securely and use weighted probes to make contact with test points for Boot Mode operations.

 

[docron]

This is my older A45 ECU

This is from the new OEM ECU i just received

 

[Nelumbo nucifera]

Hi Nelumbo,​

ECU map Files aren't downloadable from ODB, need to bench the ECU and connect all harness. Clip this for you below. If your purchase a used ECU go with an older ECU to be safe.

------------​

Specialized Hardware and Tools​

The equipment is designed to communicate with the ECU directly, often bypassing standard diagnostic ports (OBD-II) to read the internal memory (Flash and EEPROM).

ECU Programmer / Chip Tuning Tool​

• Bench Mode: Connecting directly to the ECU pins without opening the casing.
• Boot Mode: Connecting directly to internal test points on the ECU's circuit board, which requires opening the ECU's casing. This is often necessary for newer, locked ECUs.
• Examples of Professional Tools (often used for modern ECUs):
  • Autotuner (Known for speed and modern protocol support)
  • Alientech Kess 3 / K-TAG (Versatile professional tools)
  • MAGIC MOTORSPORT FLEX (Supports multiple connection methods: OBD, Bench, Boot)
  • Microtronik Hexprog II (Specifically known for handling certain secured ECUs)
    
    Connection Interface / Harnesses
    To connect the programmer to the ECU on the bench, you need:
  • Bench Adapters and Cables: Specific harnesses that plug into the ECU connectors (or specialized probe tips) to make secure connections without soldering.
  • Benches/Jigs: Specialized frames (like BDM/JTAG frames) that hold the ECU securely and use weighted probes to make contact with test points for Boot Mode operations.

Thank you so much. I wonder on the assembly line if the ECU’s come already loaded I.e. coded with the specific vin number of the vehicle in line waiting to have an ECU installed. Or, is that coding specific for that particular vehicle loaded on further down the assembly line.
One of our contributors stated that the files specific to the vehicle to which the EUC is connected, are not locked to the physical installed unit. This would seem reasonable in view of a replacement if needed being able to be coded with the vehicle in question. This is one reason why owners are reticent in letting their original ECU’s out of sight.
Perhaps some might join me in finding and confirming that these particular and needed files can be downloaded from the factory installed Lotus ECU. IF WE CAN DO THIS, HALF THE BATTLE IS WON.
The other half, namely, unlocking the ‘clone’ unit seems an easier task, from what we read. Still tough, perhaps, but do-able.

Thomas Edison when perfecting the light bulb made over 1000 experiments before he got it perfected. A student said to him, “Mr Edison, how do you feel about all those 1000 failures?” His answer: “I never had 1000 failures, I simply discovered a thousand ways in which a light bulb will not work!”.
Keep at it friends. ‘Suffering’ from determination can be a good thing.

 

[Nelumbo nucifera]

This is my

Thank you docron. How do you plan making your ‘new’ (2024) ECU compatible to your Emira? Or has it come already matching the car vin and any other required info to make it all work?
Your comments are welcome, my friend.

 

[docron]

I have been indirectly told via service tech at Galpin in California that the new ECU will need to be programmed/married to my car and VIN by my local Service Department. I am contacting my local Service Manager here in Ohio early next week to confirm programming process. (I have to take car in anyway to get updates according to dash messages)

I had my Parts Manager ship my virgin new NONprogrammed/NONmarried ECU to tuner in Oklahoma to be read for whatever base files and tables are on the “naked” ECU. Then the tuner will ship me back the ECU when i will then take it to local Service to program/marry to my car. Then I will send that programmed spare ECU back to tuner to be read again. I dont know yet if the tuner will want me to run the new ECU for a few hundred miles on the car to get some ECU table adjustments specific to my car before I send it back.

 

[675430VME]

Ummm, perhaps I have worded my previous post incorrectly. Perhaps I can clarify any misconstrued thoughts.
If the present in car ECU files pertaining solely to the Emira being worked on, are not locked, as is suggested, and can be readily (via the OBD port, preferably and for example) accessed/downloaded, is there any reason why these downloaded files cannot be sent to the ECU tuner for inclusion on the clone ECU?
This is not a remote proposition, but rather negates the need to send the original ECU by transport/airfreight/courier removing any chance of the ECU being lost in transit.
I’m sure this is the aspect that would concern all participants.
What method would the tuning specialist use to extract the (already unlocked) files to load them onto the clone unit. If a method can be found for owners to do that ‘in their own driveway’ (using we would hope the in car OBD port), rather than removing the original and chance sending it away, then requests for cloned ECU’s will skyrocket.

It all comes down to cost and how much people are willing to spend.

 

[Nelumbo nucifera]

I have been indirectly told via service tech at Galpin in California that the new ECU will need to be programmed/married to my car and VIN by my local Service Department. I am contacting my local Service Manager here in Ohio early next week to confirm programming process. (I have to take car in anyway to get updates according to dash messages)

I had my Parts Manager ship my virgin new NONprogrammed/NONmarried ECU to tuner in Oklahoma to be read for whatever base files and tables are on the “naked” ECU. Then the tuner will ship me back the ECU when i will then take it to local Service to program/marry to my car. Then I will send that programmed spare ECU back to tuner to be read again. I dont know yet if the tuner will want me to run the new ECU for a few hundred miles on the car to get some ECU table adjustments specific to my car before I send it back.

Your approach to solving the ECU unlocking, appears very thorough, logical and commendable. I’m assuming your new unit is a genuine Lotus ECU, supplied via a Lotus dealership/agent.
Was there any reluctance on their part to
a) supply the unit
b) provide it unlocked
It sounds like you have a congenial relationship with your local Service Agent. Are they bound by any standing Lotus in-house requirement to return the newly programmed unit to you locked?
With our original ECU locked, making it impossible (presently) to extract needed information, do you envisage any problems obtaining each and every factory generated ‘file’ needed for inclusion?
I’m sure, for many owners, myself included, the approach you are taking certainly sounds more acceptable and comfortable (dependant on the answers to the above questions) compared to cloning an older ECU.
Of course while cost may be a contributing factor, peace of mind may far outweigh such an outlay.
Fact is, availability of an older used ECU may dwindle and any associated rising cost may simply make your well thought out approach the way to go.
Thank you so much for providing good ‘food for thought’. If you would kindly keep us updated with progress and the final outcome together with, if possible, a cost comparison (to cloning) I’m sure all following this thread will be pleased and grateful.

 

[TurboTambo]

When the ECU is flash tuned, how does this effect future Lotus ECU updates??? Could a Lotus update over write/change the tune????