F1 software change | FerrariChat

F1 software change

Discussion in '360/430' started by marky1, May 4, 2006.

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  1. marky1

    marky1 Formula 3
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    Nov 1, 2004
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    Could someone help out here, saw a thread recently but can't find it now. What year was the software upgraded for the F1 system on the 360. Was it model year 02 or 03, and when in the calendar year do the new models start from. Is it sept? So, a build date of May 02 would be an 02 model year?

    Thanks
     
  2. Rifledriver

    Rifledriver Three Time F1 World Champ

    Apr 29, 2004
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    The first change great enough to justify a TSB and a part # change was in 8-01. There have been several subsequent changes and all are OK but IMO the unit intro'ed in 8-01 was the best.
     
  3. marky1

    marky1 Formula 3
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    Thanks Brian
     
  4. jamesw

    jamesw Karting

    Nov 7, 2005
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    James W
    Since I have an 01 360 spider I have the old style program. There is a great improvement if I upgrade? Thanks James
     
  5. Rifledriver

    Rifledriver Three Time F1 World Champ

    Apr 29, 2004
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    Remove the service panel behind the passengers seat that is held in with 6 or so phillips head screws. Under it, the largest component in there is the TCU. If it has a PN lower than 189542 it has an early TCU. A later generation is now about $1900 but will shift better, actuate the clutch better, rev match on down shifts better and help make the clutch last longer.

    The early TCU's were very variable in their operation, some were OK, some were terrible. I cannot grade your's with out driving it.
     
  6. gobble

    gobble Formula 3
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    Does the change to newer F1 software only help in auto mode? Would there be a big benefit to updating the software in my 2000 if I only use the paddles? I see lots of TCU's on Ebay.
     
  7. 360trev

    360trev F1 Rookie
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    360 TCU's, they are all effectively the 'same' Magneti Maranelli TCU hardware - just with different S/W programmed into them. The main difference introduced was that the earlier TCU's didn't have the software upgrade feature built in of the later firmwares so they couldn't be remotely flash upgraded from OBD-II. Without the new upgrade feature they couldn't be easily upgraded by dealers but they can still be upgraded by a specialist.

    This 'lack' of upgrade feature forced the TCU change Brian mentioned. From there on in they could be upgraded at will from software updates issued to dealers. The software went through at least 4 revisions before the 'final' releases on the Challenge Stradale (also the same TCU).

    Ofcourse you can upgrade ALL them though if your handy with electronics, have a eeprom programmer at hand and don't mind getting out your soldering iron and buying a $4 flash chip. The chip used an AMD AM29F200AB-90SI, for the technically minded its a 2 megabit (yes only 256 kbytes!) cmos 5.0 volt-only boot sector flash memory. Its well beyond the scope of what most people would bother to go through though but worth mentioning all the same. Exactly the same TCU is used on many cars, not just Ferrari's.

    Big big differences in the newer software, not just in features such as forward creep but in clutch life and responsiveness. Feels like a different car!
     
  8. 360trev

    360trev F1 Rookie
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  9. zstyle

    zstyle Formula Junior

    Jun 28, 2007
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    i believe in 03 and on the tcu is the same unit as the 575 tcu.
     
  10. gobble

    gobble Formula 3
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    #10 gobble, Feb 17, 2010
    Last edited: Feb 17, 2010
    Ok, so I'm EXTREMELY interested in this. I just ordered an eeprom programmer to clone a new key fob and that programmer would also allow me to flash the chip in the TCU.

    So the big question is, where do I get the new software to flash onto that $4 chip???

    btw, I did find your thread on updating to the CS software, but am more interested in an update than buying a CS TCU.

    Thanks
     
  11. blkdiablo33

    blkdiablo33 F1 Rookie

    Jul 12, 2004
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    the last time my 01 f1 was hooked up with a sd2 he could not read with 01 program he went to 03 program and it read,was my tcu reprogrammed when clutch was replaced?
     
  12. gobble

    gobble Formula 3
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  13. gobble

    gobble Formula 3
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    I talked with Gemballa today and they are just flashing the latest 2002+ firmware onto the TCU and taking your old unit back as a core. Seems like it would be a better deal to just plug and play the Stradale TCU for $1500 rather than send these guys $1000 and your old TCU.

    I read somewhere that mileage is stored in the TCU? Would swapping in a new TCU screw you up in the future if your car ever went through a PPI? A buyer might think you somehow rolled back mileage if there was a mismatch (although the odometer would read higher so maybe who cares)?
     
  14. tazandjan

    tazandjan Three Time F1 World Champ
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    Gobble- The odometer readings are contained in a 2 Mb chip (2000 Kbs, Trev, not 256) in the instrument cluster in both the 360 and 575M, upgraded to 8 Mb for the Superamerica and 430 with way more information (serial #, maintenance actions, etc). This chip also contains all the warnings for the engine, suspension, etc, gear indications, and instrument readings. So no worries about the mileage being in the TCU/F1 ECU.

    You 360 guys are lucky because the CS TCU is cheaper than the regular 360 TCU and way more effective. 575M equivalent is the HGTC F1 ECU from 2005, which I have been too afraid to price.

    Incidentally, the reason I found out about the instrument panel is that I swapped my panel for a Superamerica panel with yellow tachometer. FAI had to put in a 2 Mb chip and reprogram the odometer to match my car's mileage.

    Taz
    Terry Phillips
     
  15. gobble

    gobble Formula 3
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    The odometer readings are kept in the instrument cluster, but does the TCU keep some kind of backup reading? Like I think my Porsches have had hour meters or something similar in the ECU which is sort of a double check to the odometer number.
     
  16. lndshrk

    lndshrk Formula Junior

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    Does anybody have a copy of the contents of that memory chip?

    Stock? CS? I really don't care.

    If the ecu is flashable (and I'm sure it is) - all we have to do is find out how to flash it
    and I can write a flashtool for it.

    I need an image to disassemble.
     
  17. tazandjan

    tazandjan Three Time F1 World Champ
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    #17 tazandjan, Feb 19, 2010
    Last edited: Feb 19, 2010
    Jim- Probably the only way to get it for non-Ferrar personnel would be to take a CS TCU and dump the contents to your system and then program/clone the software to the TCU you want to upgrade. Eric355 is already doing something similar for cloning the much simpler key fobs.

    Once on your system, you may be able to reverse engineer it. From what I have read, you are good at that sort of thing. The big question would be whether you could upgrade a TCU through the CAN or whether you have to remove it to reprogram. Get one ahead and no problem. A core charge and send them one to exchange.

    I would like to upgrade my F1 ECU to HGTC. Might be willing to help you on that. The CS/575M HGTC software are different due to different redlines, etc.


    Gobble- I do not think the TCU contains any data that you need to worry about when exchanging or upgrading TCUs. Too many people have made the swap with no consequences.

    Taz
    Terry Phillips
     
  18. tazz99

    tazz99 F1 Rookie
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    Is there a down side to going with the CS TCU? I have a '99.
     
  19. SanderQV

    SanderQV Rookie

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    Hello,

    I am interested in the content of the flash chip of any Ferrari TCU also.

    The TCU on the picture looks almost the same as an Alfa Romeo Selespeed TCU. For the Alfa one there are just some components missing on the PCB compared to this one.
    The Alfa TCUs can be reprogrammed via the diagnostic connector, without removing it. This is done via the 'k-line' of the OBD connector and not CAN. It is even possible to read the complete Flash via this connection with special software.
    I have been able to connect with a Ferrari F1 ECU (in a F430) via the k-line of the OBD connector with my software also. At that time I only hat the opportunity to try to read all diagnostic data. I would like to try to read the Flash data also but don't have a Ferrari TCU available.

    Sander.
     
  20. F1.360.LOVER

    F1.360.LOVER Formula Junior

    Dec 12, 2009
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    I am about to buy a CS TCU from Ricambi America for my 2001 360. Can I just unplug my TCU and plug in the CS TCU? Any advice is appreciated.
     
  21. SfefVan

    SfefVan Guest

    Nov 28, 2008
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    Hi Sander,
    What kind of hardware (interface) and software did you use to read out the TCU? Knowing that Ferrari is using his own protocol over the K line, I'm interested to know how you were able to reverse it.

    TIA,
    Stef
     
  22. kopiokosong

    kopiokosong Formula 3

    Sep 25, 2009
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    this may be a dumb question ,but what happens to auto mode once u install the cs tcu into the 360?
     
  23. 360trev

    360trev F1 Rookie
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    Still works fine. All Ferrari did was remove the switch :) You can wire one back into a strad and it actually works fine !!!
     
  24. kopiokosong

    kopiokosong Formula 3

    Sep 25, 2009
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    hmmm i might think abt putting in a switch for the strad. thanks for the tip!
     
  25. SanderQV

    SanderQV Rookie

    Feb 5, 2010
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    Hello Stef,

    I used a slightly modified version of my own software, see:
    http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/UniDiag/
    The hardware was a 'standard' KL-line interface.

    My software is universal, but I have most experience with Alfa Romeo, including the Selespeed TCU. I did partly disassemble the code of the selespeed TCU to get more info on the used protocol. The kwp2000 protocol used by Ferrari is (almost) equal to that of Alfa/Fiat. For Ferrari I don't have the info to interpreted the data correctly yet.

    Ciao, Sander.
     

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