Hijacking oem efi

[Tom Cloud]

 ....... the other responses (.....................) .... sound
>like someone doing this for commercial gain. I would like to see
>the info on a board archive, similar to the '332 project. You
>seem to be tho only one with such a project.
>
>The only problem with the ford unit is that the EPROM is not
>accessable, so any reprogramming has to either melt the potting
>or fool the inputs. Is that right?
> ....

WRT your question about removing potting, etc .... no, I don't
think that's the case -- nor do I think Terry's assertion about
7-layer boards is the real hang-up.  Apparently some have
rev-engineered the GM unit -- though I can't get anyone to
share  8^(

The EEC-IV is not potted, nor is its board difficult -- other
than the normal PITA of tracing traces, as far as I can see.
The problem lies in that they use proprietary chips -- cpu, eprom
and ram.  I think we've got the cpu fairly well figured out, but
the eprom and ram have on-chip decoding of some sort and on-chip
i/o .... so, there's nothing I know of commercially available
that could be put in it's place so we can take control of that
irritating piece of metal, glass and plastic !

I've been saying what you proposed for some time -- use an
existing platform (hardware) to implement our software (and
if we "accidently" stumble onto some software algorithms that
we "accidently" use in our system, then all the better -- after
all, we'd probably only be re-using algorithms that were already
in the units we bought anyway .... )

The EEC-IV has a "service port" that has a line that disables
memory and used memory connected to that port.  I don't know the
particulars of this but you'll soon see the name of Mike Wesley
pop up.  Mike has built and talked up a device he calls a "calibrator"
that plugs into that service port.  Problem:  Mike's been talking
about this for maybe two years and, AFAIK, has never delivered
even one !!   You say you've done controller design, and I have,
so I can understand the problems he must be having (he says that
his unit works with Intel and Toshiba processors but won't with
Motorola ... and who knows what other problems he's encountered)
but he's angered lotsa people who've put off doing things waiting for
this device.  Then, you'll run into those that are licensed by Mike
(like Matt Happy of Auburn Performance Equipment -- "APE" out of
Nasty-chussetts) that make "chips" that plug into the service port.
They burn these chips for about $250, I'm told, and I hear they work
okay -- but it's a one-time deal done by someone else.

One solution is to put a hardware/software device in-line with
the ecm to change what it sees to force it to do what you want.
The problem with this, as I understand, is that the Ford EEC is
quite sophisticated with an "adaptive" control algorithm that
lets it modify its operating parameters to compensate for
aging of sensors, driver characteristics, road conditions, etc.
So, the EEC is apparently not a candidate for this type of
control.

My (current) feeling about this whole mess ??

 - I own Fords, hence my irritation at not being able to modify
the controller, so I'll probably continue trying to mess with it

 - I recognize the immensity of the task

 - seems that we really need to either find hardware platform
(maybe GM ??) or build our own (EFI-332 ??) and make matching
cables to mate up with our stock systems.

Bottom line .... I'm frustrated.  Not enough time ... shouldn't
have to spend the time -- the danged manufacturer should be
tickled pink to sell me something so I can fiddle with my car
(look in the Summit catalog -- Mopar is doing just that !!) and
GM at least uses reasonably standard components that aren't soldered
into the danged PCB!!

Anyway, I'll be glad to share with you what I have.  Like you say,
it's frustrating to have people wiggle the carrot in front of your
face and then find out they want money  .... that's okay, but they
ought to get off the "diy" list !!!!!!!!!

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Tom Cloud