I want to be able to use the AFX ECU, but since it's only for 97's then I figured it would be in alot of peoples interest to find out what was needed to convert any year. This is what I've got so far:
1.) 97 Wiring Harness
2.) Spec 97 sensors, or butcher/splice from old harness
3.) 97 Fuel rail/FPR
4.) Intake manifold? What if you got a sheetmetal one...are the runners different? To accomodate different fuel rail?
5.) Knock sensor on block(on 97)...I think?
6.) 97 coil if you're a 95/96
...Anyone please add or subtract from this list as needed, as long as you're at least 99% sure that you are right. I'm gonna bump the shit out of this one until its settled. I think this would be valuable information to anyone trying to go All Motor like me. Thanks!

good man, i hope this is made a sticky..id love to know what it takes

rumor has it that there are 1 or 2 non-97s running the AFX ECU without any problems. raise your hands please...

I was thinking use a 97 ecu(atleast until u get the afx unit), and the plug part from the harness to the ecu and splice the connector end of the 97 harness to your current wiring harness. as long as you matched up the proper wires (i.e. "A" to "A", "B" to "B") im thinking it has a chance to work. im doped up so this may not make sense...

I have run the 97 afx ecu on my 96 talon.

Open up your Chilton Repair manual, it has a detail diagram of the ECUs 95-99 and their pinouts. 95 ECUs are very different, so good luck.

Originally posted by TalonSpeed
I have run the 97 afx ecu on my 96 talon. Open up your Chilton Repair manual, it has a detail diagram of the ECUs 95-99 and their pinouts. 95 ECUs are very different, so good luck.

Suggestions, ideas, and how'd u get it to work? ;)

I have a 95. I'd also like to know what it takes, being that im an obd1. I want to be able to rev past 7k damnit. I have come across several junked 96+ eclipse's, and if i ever ran into one with some money, i could rip all sorts of cool shit out of it.

EDIT: This would be a great thing to do while rebuild i would think.

bump!

I'm '95. I want an ECU too!

97-99 (and maybe some late 96's) SHOULD be able to run the AFX ecu. you 95-96 guys may be more outa luck! your ECU aer much more different that the others. about the only way you could do it is to match X wire to X function to X pin hole.
it most certainly is not a "plug-n-play".

Originally posted by tim97rs
97-99 (and maybe some late 96's) SHOULD be able to run the AFX ecu. you 95-96 guys may be more outa luck! your ECU aer much more different that the others. about the only way you could do it is to match X wire to X function to X pin hole. it most certainly is not a "plug-n-play".

Yeah, I have a 99 and I was thinking of doing this. Getting a 97 engine harness and just rewiring it and getting an ECU.


You'd need all the other shit if you were 95-96, but 98-99 should be able to use it with a little soldering.

Why can't they just make an ECU for every year of our car. :rolleyes

why would they randomly choose 97

was that an especially good year for sales or something? lol

There would be a lot more cutting and splicing than yu guys think. You can't remove the wiring harness from the engine bay in a 2gnt.. the bundle that runs from the strain relief under the ecu, into the firewall at that passenger side grommet is continuous.. ie, there is no connector to unplug, it runs from the ecu to the dash as one solid bundle.

Have fun cutting and soldering a 1" thick bundle of wires back together...

What the hell? Did mitsubishi build the car around the harness or something?

Originally posted by mrj82
What the hell? Did mitsubishi build the car around the harness or something?

Who knows? The fact of the matter is that you cannot remove the harness from the car.

Crimp tool and butt connectors. =)

slice and dice! lots of soldering! That sucks, but I think I'd go through all the trouble for the AFX ECU.
I guess you'd just have to find a 97 with the same options you have, and cut it back from the firewall, then solder it all there????

It's not that easy ^, some of the wires are different going through the firewall.

We should all just email them saying it's hard to market a product they only manufacture for one exact model.

i think the reason they didnt manufacture the ecu for every year is because its EXTREMELY difficult and time consuming. Along with all the products they make with the limited staff it takes a long ass time to sit down and reprogram everything on the ecu..and from what ive read in the past..a 95 ecu will NEVER hit the market. Remember, there are slight difference in the years of the 2gnt..even tho the 96-97 can use the ecu, 95's are much different and the 98, 99 are different as well. Sucks IMO

on thing that could work.. is to find out if the 97ecu will work on a 95 or whatever year.. i dont know what differences there are, but what you do is first rework the wires.. you build a adapter harness that will connect to the 95 harness and then rework the wires into another harness that will then connect to the 97 ecu.. then.. you get a donor 97ecu and place it in and see what works and what doesnt... i would almost be willing to try that, and if the 97 ecu works then you can use the afx reprogrammed one. with the adapter harness like that made for car stereos there is no huge problem switching back if it doesnt work.. and will look neater in the end without hacking all the wiring up too... neways.. my thoughts until proven otherwise...

i am pretty much sure a 97 ECU will work on a 96,98, and 99. There are very small differences in those ECUs. But the 95 ECU has a totally different harness. The harness itself is one big plug while the 96-99 have two seperate plugs
Some type of standalone system is best for 95 cars.

Anybody wanna buy my 96 MT ECU??

Sell it and buy the 97 imo. :P (Sorry. Couldn't resist there.)

I think that, for the amount of time, energy, and risk involved with hacking the harness like that, it'd really be a better idea and put that $500 or so towards the turbo or rebuild fund. Just my 2 cents...

Originally posted by TalonSpeed
i am pretty much sure a 97 ECU will work on a 96,98, and 99.

Ever tried it? Didn't think so. They don't. a 97 may work in a 96 or a 98, but i know for a fact it won't work in a 99.. tried it.

Originally posted by DarkOne

Originally posted by TalonSpeed i am pretty much sure a 97 ECU will work on a 96,98, and 99.

Ever tried it? Didn't think so. They don't. a 97 may work in a 96 or a 98, but i know for a fact it won't work in a 99.. tried it.

Look at the wiring diagrams, if you want to rewire you will need one.

The differences between 96 and 97 are minimal and I think not anything crutial. Probably just enough for a CEL.

I'm pretty sure the 98-99 differences include wiring involving the coil pack, good luck trying to drop it in and go with that not gettin a signal.

If you want to rewire the harness, you'll have to rip apart the inside and disconnect everything inside too. Oh yeah and the harness new is around $900. The junkyard will sell you one... cut up and you'll have to splice into every connection going into the car.

The 97 was done by Howell as the first ECU, because a 97 is what was offered to them. I don't think the sales have been enough to justify more spending on other years developement



Exile Racing Technologies: http://www.exileracing.com
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It's holding down the garage floor right now.

Originally posted by DarkOne

Originally posted by TalonSpeed i am pretty much sure a 97 ECU will work on a 96,98, and 99.

Ever tried it? Didn't think so. They don't. a 97 may work in a 96 or a 98, but i know for a fact it won't work in a 99.. tried it.

96-99 Here are the differences:

-96&97 use a different wiring for the DUTY CYCLE PURGE SENLENOID VAVLE(A\T) than the 98&99 ECUs do

-The TO GENERATOR pin on the 96 ECU is B4 and the pin on the 97-99 ECUs are B8, but pin is in same location on diagram

-The wiring going to the ignition coil is different. The 96&97 ECUs use pin B2 while 98-99 ECUs use B11, but pins are in same location

My 96 MT ECU worked on my friends 98 MT Eclipse. The Diagrams I have show NO DIFFERENCES between the 98 and 99 ECU, so in theory it should work, but havent tried it yet.

anyone wanna trade cars...lol

ok like i said.. adapter harness like that used when adding aftermarket stereos....

ive mapped out most of the wires between the 95 and 96-98 and most of the "important" stuff matches up.. the 95 does have less wires than that found on the 96-98, so im not sure how that will effect this idea.

ok some of the things that dont seem to match up on from the 96-98 to the 95 are these: DUAL PRESSURE SWITCH, TACHOMETER, CHARGE INDICATOR, FUEL INDICATOR, CRUISE INDICATOR, AUTO CRuise Cont. Main Switch, and Auto Cruise Cont. Switch.

those dont seem to be huge problems or anything that may be able to be worked around.. i suppose for some of those items since they arent found on the 95 ecu that the ecu doesnt control them perhaps and thus wouldnt really need to wire them up to the 97 and they would still work.. obviously i have no real proof one way or another.. some may say this may be a waste and could screw up something, but hey.. sometimes when it comes to modding there has to be a first person to try something differnt when it really hasnt been done

id be willing to attempt unless anyone has direct proof that it will not work..

neways.. call me crazy.. cause i am..

^^^A '95 WILL NOT WORK, because of the OBD1 and OBD2 differences. The '95 ecu is made for the older system. You would have to convert your current setup to a newer OBD fuel and evap system. Preferbly from a 1997. Other than that, the harness converter is very possible and should work. I say get a newer '96 as the first test vehicle. Then try it with a '98, then the older '95 and '96 models.

actually the 95 is actually obdII.. just not fully complient.. there is a post around here discussing this..

whoa there...a lot of weird info getting thown around here, I think you'll be able to work and still be ok but your best bet would be to setup up every fuckin wire ready with quick dissonnects and rewire the harness,l I think it can be done I just don't think it will be easy, but have fun