Jump to content
SAU Community

Recommended Posts

Hi all,

I got done by the EPA. I need to remove my Piggyback ECU (UNICHIP). Is it just a matter of pulling it out, and removing the relevant wired up connections?

I also have larger injectors, and Z32 AFM. I will be removing these and replacing with stock items.

Once these are removed i just reset my ECU and the car will run?

Or is there anything else i need to do for it to run off standard computer?

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/315807-removing-piggyback-ecu/
Share on other sites

You will see that some piggy backs actually run in series with the ECU wiring, just remove the piggyback & join back the relevant wires.

As long as you replace the aftermarket larger injectors & Z32 your car will run fine off the standard computer. Also make sure your base timing is correct to, the previous owner/tuner may have adjusted the CAS to suit the piggy back.

I pulled the Kick Panel off my GTR today, when I bought the car I was told it had a MIMO Piggyback (Dunno What that is) but cant actually see anything that looks like an ECU of any kind only a little brown box with some heavy gauge wires coming out of it, Plenty of Splicing though!!

post-34973-1270690830_thumb.jpg

post-34973-1270690891_thumb.jpg

greensa14 - totally depends as others have said - how the UNICHIP is installed.

Perhaps get some pics?

If you have to unwire it and so on, it's going to be a pain in the ass.

You'd be better off with a PFC or something that is a replacement setup - 30 sec to remove from the factory harness.

Ok thanks for clearing that up I will have to look a little deeper, has Nismo AFM's so there has to be something in there surely!!

Open the cover. I'd say it's a chip on the actual ECU board.

There is no way you'll have aftermarket AFM's without a chip to alter it as there is no wire-in piggy back in those pics :woot:

I had a look last night. It is an external ecu that has been tapped in to the other wires on the factory unit to obviously change the readings as they pass through.

So it looks like i need to remove the spliced wires and re-solder the factory ones so they dont bypass.

Yea PFC would be good, but over worrying about defects etc. Dont want anything visible.

Looking at going Nistune.

why is a nistune (or unichip for that matter) illegal? they are not programmable on the fly, and the factory ECU is just as retunable as they are.

Surely the final emission is the only issue for legality? Plenty of shops in NSW that can provide a tune that will get you past the emissions test, why would Vic be different?

why is a nistune (or unichip for that matter) illegal? they are not programmable on the fly, and the factory ECU is just as retunable as they are.

Surely the final emission is the only issue for legality? Plenty of shops in NSW that can provide a tune that will get you past the emissions test, why would Vic be different?

Nistune can be retuned - the EPA here is retarded is the basic sense, archaic laws with no common sense.

Unichip go through the ADR testing/approvals, Nistune has not and can be retuned anytime.

Unichip you have to go back to them for (assumingly).

What is the criteria for an aftermarket system to meet ADR over there?

Nistune board can be PIN locked once the tune was able to meet emissions. The only way to retune it then is use the original PIN or reflash the board outside of the ECU

Transport SA documentation I have previously read states that any aftermarket/reprogrammed ECU will not be accepted due to the cost of the emissions testing required. However things may have changed since that was published

Cause we have some whack ideas down here.

A number of rules surrounding car modifications make zero sense.

The 1 intake mod for example. Senseless. No aftermarket ECUs....senseless.

I might get in touch with my local member and get her to ask Tim Pallas for a "please explain".

What is the criteria for an aftermarket system to meet ADR over there?

Nistune board can be PIN locked once the tune was able to meet emissions. The only way to retune it then is use the original PIN or reflash the board outside of the ECU

Transport SA documentation I have previously read states that any aftermarket/reprogrammed ECU will not be accepted due to the cost of the emissions testing required. However things may have changed since that was published

Vic is near enough to the same for the sake of the conversation.

PIN lock means nothing.

If its reprogrammable, not factory, its not allowed until all the full testing is done.

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


  • Similar Content

  • Latest Posts

    • From there, it is really just test and assemble. Plug the adapter cables from the unit into the back of the screen, then the other side to the car harness. Don't forget all the other plugs too! Run the cables behind the unit and screw it back into place (4 screws) and you should now have 3 cables to run from the top screen to the android unit. I ran them along the DS of the other AV units in the gap between their backets and the console, and used some corrugated tubing on the sharp edges of the bracket so the wires were safe. Plug the centre console and lower screen in temporarily and turn the car to ACC, the AV should fire up as normal. Hold the back button for 3 sec and Android should appear on the top screen. You need to set the input to Aux for audio (more on that later). I put the unit under the AC duct in the centre console, with the wifi antenna on top of the AC duct near the shifter, the bluetooth antenna on the AC duct under the centre console The GPS unit on top of the DS to AC duct; they all seem to work OK there are are out of the way. Neat cable routing is a pain. For the drive recorder I mounted it near the rear view mirror and run the cable in the headlining, across the a pillar and then down the inside of the a pillar seal to the DS lower dash. From there it goes across and to one USB input for the unit. The second USB input is attached to the ECUtec OBD dongle and the 3rd goes to the USB bulkhead connected I added in the centre console. This is how the centre console looks "tidied" up Note I didn't install the provided speaker, didn't use the 2.5mm IPod in line or the piggyback loom for the Ipod or change any DIP switches; they seem to only be required if you need to use the Ipod input rather than the AUX input. That's it, install done, I'll follow up with a separate post on how the unit works, but in summary it retains all factory functions and inputs (so I still use my phone to the car for calls), reverse still works like factory etc.
    • Place the new daughterboard in the case and mount it using the 3 small black rivets provided, and reconnect the 3 factory ribbon cables to the new board Then, use the 3 piggyback cables from the daughterboard into the factory board on top (there are stand offs in the case to keep them apart. and remember to reconnect the antenna and rear cover fan wires. 1 screw to hold the motherboard in place. Before closing the case, make a hole in the sticker covering a hole in the case and run the cable for the android unit into the plug there. The video forgot this step, so did I, so will you probably. Then redo the 4 screws on back, 2 each top and bottom, 3 each side and put the 2 brackets back on.....all ready to go and not that tricky really.      
    • Onto the android unit. You need to remove the top screen because there is a daughterboard to put inside the case. Each side vent pops out from clips; start at the bottom and carefully remove upwards (use a trim remover tool to avoid breaking anything). Then the lower screen and controls come out, 4 screws, a couple of clips (including 3 flimsy ones at the top) and 3 plugs on the rear. Then the upper screen, 4 screws and a bunch of plugs and she is out. From there, remove the mounting brackets (2 screws each), 4 screws on the rear, 2 screws top and bottom and 3 screws holding in the small plates on each side. When you remove the back cover (tight fit), watch out for the power cable for the fan, I removed it so I could put the back aside. The mainboard is held in by 1 screw in the middle, 1 aerial at the top and 3 ribbon cables. If you've ever done any laptop stuff the ribbon cables are OK to work with, just pop up the retainer and they slide out. If you are not familiar just grab a 12 year old from an iphone factory, they will know how it works The case should now look like this:
    • Switching the console was tricky. First there were 6 screws to remove, and also the little adapter loom and its screws had to come out. Also don't forget to remove the 2 screws holding the central locking receiver. Then there are 4 clips on either side....these were very tight in this case and needed careful persuading with a long flat screw driver....some force required but not enough to break them...this was probably the fiddliest part of the whole job. In my case I needed both the wiring loom and the central locking receiver module to swap across to the new one. That was it for the console, so "assembly is the reverse of disassembly"
    • But first....while I was there, I also swapped across the centre console box for the other style where the AV inputs don't intrude into the (very limited !) space.  Part# was 96926-4GA0A, 284H3-4GA0B, 284H3-4GA0A. (I've already swapped the top 12v socket for a USB bulkhead in this pic, it fit the hole without modification:) Comparison of the 2: Basically to do the console you need to remove the DS and PS side console trim (they slide up and back, held in by clips only) Then remove the back half of the console top trim with the cupholders, pops up, all clips again but be careful at the front as it is pretty flimsy. Then slide the shifter boot down, remove the spring clip, loose it forever somewhere in the car the pull the shift knob off. Remove the tiny plastic piece on DS near "P" and use something thin and long (most screwdrivers won't fit) to push down the interlock and put the shifter down in D for space. There is one screw at the front, then the shifter surround and ashtray lift up. There are 3 or 4 plugs underneath and it is off. Next is the rear cover of the centre console; you need to open the console lid, pop off the trim covering the lid hinge and undo the 2rd screw from the driver's side (the rest all need to come out later so you can do them all now and remove the lid) Then the rear cover unclips (6 clips), start at the top with a trim tool pulling backwards. Once it is off there are 2 screws facing rearwards to remove (need a short phillips for these) and you are done with the rear of the console. There are 4 plugs at the A/V box to unclip Then there are 2 screws at the front of the console, and 2 clips (pull up and back) and the console will come out.
×
×
  • Create New...