575M Shock Absorber ECUs

There have been many questions on the 575M shock ECUs caused by less than crystal clear descriptions in the parts catalogs. Here is my latest take including speculation two of the ECUs (there were 9 total) may have been part of HGTC retrofit kits sold by Ferrari.

Taz
Terry Phillips

Ferrari 575M Shock Absorber ECUs

At Assembly Number 52556, a new Steering Position Sensor was introduced on the 575M that required new Motronic ECUs, new wiring harnesses front and rear, and a new shock absorber ECU to use the signal provided by the steering sensor. Shock Absorber ECUs for 575Ms Assembly Number 52556 and later, including the HGTC shock ECU, will work on earlier cars but give a permanent suspension fault indication due to the missing steering sensor input.

Summary of Pre- Assembly No. 52556 Shock ECUs

Part Number 183960: What the Parts Catalog says:
-Valid till Ass. Nr. 47497 for RHD-
-Not as spare part-
-Replaced by 201673-
What we know: Fitted to early LHD and RHD cars, including those with FHP. Complaints in the British motoring press about sloppy handling led to its being sometimes retrofitted with 201673 on RHD cars and being fitted with 201673 at the factory until Ass. No. 47947 (SN 1308XX), after which it was replaced by 197211. On LHD cars, 183960 was replaced by 201673 at some point during production.

Part Number 197211: What the Parts Catalog says:
-Valid from Ass. Nr. 47498 for RHD-
-Not as spare part-
-Replaced by 201674-
What we know: Replacement for 183960 and 201673 at Ass. No. 47498 on RHD cars after complaints of soft handling with 183960.

Part Number 201673: What the Parts Catalog says:
-Valid till Ass. Nr. 47497 for RHD-
-Not as spare part-
-Replaced by 205618-
What we know: Used as a temporary replacement for 183960 on RHD cars until Ass.No. 47497, after which it was replaced by 197211. On LHD cars, replaced 183960 and was still being installed on all LHD cars, including FHP, until introduction of the Steering Position Sensor and new shock ECU at Ass. No. 52556.

Part Number 201674: What the Parts Catalog says:
-Valid from Ass. Nr. 47498 for RHD-
-Valid till stock exhaustion-
What we know: Form, fit, and function replacement for 197211 on RHD cars.

Part Number 205618: What the Parts Catalog says:
-Valid till Ass. Nr. 47497 for RHD-
-Valid till Ass. Nr. 52555-
What we know: Replacement for 201673. Never fitted at factory before introduction of the Steering Position Sensor and new ECU at Ass. No 52556. Possibly a retrofit for the HGTC kits for early cars.

Part Number 205619: What the Parts Catalog says:
-Valid from Ass. Nr. 47498 for RHD-
-Valid after stock exhaustion of 201674
-Valid till Ass. Nr. 52555-
What we know: Replacement for 201674. Likely never fitted at the factory. Possibly a retrofit for the HGTC kits for later cars.

Note 1: There is no apparent difference in function between RHD and LHD Shock Absorber ECUs and no apparent logic for why separate ECUs were produced for RHD and LHD cars. 197211/201674 does appear to provide slightly more aggressive shock scheduling than 201673, but not enough to warrant changing. Changing 183960, fitted to early RHD and LHD 575Ms, to either 201673 or 201674 will noticeably stiffen up handling.

Note 2: Shock Absorber ECUs 205618 and 205619 being part of the HGTC retrofit kits sold by Ferrari is pure speculation at this point. There is only one retrofitted HGTC 575M in the FerrariChat database, and that is SN 128905. If fitted with 205618 or 205619, that would confirm the speculation. Because the price is nearly double compared to 210673 or 201674, there has been no known retrofit of either of these two ECUs .

Note 3: Beginning at Ass. Nr. 52556, there is no distinction between RHD and LHD Shock Absorber ECUs.

Note 4: FChatters have successfully fitted LHD cars with 201674 with no problems on 2002, 2003, and early 2004 MY cars.

Summary of Shock ECUs Assembly No. 52556 and Later

Part Number 202954: What the parts catalog says:
-Valid from Ass. Nr. 52556-
-Valid till Ass. Nr. 55768-
What we know: Parts catalog description plain and accurate.

Part Number 210577: What the parts catalog says:
-Valid from Ass. Nr. 55769-
What we know: Parts catalog description plain and accurate. Last ECU fitted to non-HGTC 575Ms.

Part Number 210578: What the parts catalog says:
-HGTC Version-
What we know: Parts catalog description plain and accurate.

Note 1: HGTC ECU 201578 can be successfully retrofitted to any 575M, Ass. No. 52556 or later.

Note 2: HGTC ECU 201578 (or any of the late ECUs) will work fine on pre-Ass. No. 52556 cars, but lack of a Steering Position Sensor ECU input from the Motronic ECU will cause a permanent suspension warning indication.
View attachment Ferrari 575M Shock Absorber ECUs.doc

 

Terry - Wow, impressive!!!

Thanks a lot for the great work!

Markus

PS: When I click on the word document you posted, I get the following message: "Invalid Attachment specified. If you followed a valid link, please notify the administrator"

 

Markus- It works for me, but it was the same thing I posted with some differences in fonts, colors, etc, but no changes in wording. Try it again, because you might have been trying it during the time I was editing it.

Taz
Terry Phillips

 

Terry - You are right. Now it works.

Thanks again for your great support to all of us!

Markus

 

Taz, parts have been a hobby of mine for years. +1 for Wow and Impressive on your work and explanation.
Thank You.
Bill
FL

 

TAZ .. excellent summation of the different shocker ECUs.

I still remain confused by 201673 and 201674 .. why are the numbers so close? Why do they appear to be the same functionally? Why are they different prices?

In the Parts list (Ricambi), table 134 'Front passenger's compartment control stations', there appears to be no reference to LHD cars?

Road to house STILL under repair from floods .... BawaBawa

Philip C

 

Philip- On the closeness of 201673 and 201674 in part numbers, no clue on that or the price differential and there is only a small functional difference either. Note also the last two ECUs, 210577 and 210578 are sequential. Maybe Ferrari reserved sequential part numbers for shock ECUs, who knows? Also if they were produced at around the same time, why was 201673 fitted to some RHD cars instead of 197211 or 201674. The parts catalog infers the order of production was:

183960
201673
197211
201674
205618
205619

To make matters even more confusing, why was my 197211/201674 ECU marked Fiorano H Pack in two places when there was no shock ECU included with FHP? Does the 167/200 indicate only 200 ECUs manufactured? One of our FChatters has an FHP from 2002 with 183960.


Taz
Terry Phillips
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Great work as always Taz. Invaluable to us green behind the ear newbies!!!!

 

Good day Terry,

and sorry in adavance for a stupid question. There is NO shock absorber ECU in a car with FHP ?

Tks
Gianni

 

No : as I understand it there is no difference to the standard unit then being fitted

 

Gianni- Jimmie is correct. There was no FHP specific ECU. FHP cars used the same ECU as the rest of the 575Ms and Superamericas. HGTC had a package specific ECU, FHP did not.

I need to edit the document to show the last two ECUs, 210577 and 210578, were the ECUs fitted to the Superamerica, too.

Taz
Terry Phillips

 

Tks Guys.

Now have to find out, for my peace of mind, which ECU is installed on my car.

Best
Gianni

 

This page may help for both LHD & RHD location

http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=253871&highlight=197211&page=2

 

Hello Ferrari friends,
Today I went by at Ferrari Kroymans, Hilversum, Holland, where my 575 M Manual HGTC is in maintanance.The Shock ECU currently fitted is 183960 the Chief Mechanic told me. I could update my car to an HGTC Shock ECU, 210578 costing Euro 569,09 excl. local VAT according to him. So although my car was completely retrofitted to HGTC specification by Rossocorsa Ferrari Dealer in Milan in May 2005, the ECU was left as it was. This was done correctly according Ferrari Technical documents at that time.The car was delivered new with FHP. The rear antiroll bar diameter is 21 mm, we measured.
According to the Chief Mechanic of Kroymans, my car feels correctly set up when tested, and he did not see a necessity to change the Shock ECU to HGTC 210578.

The undertray fitted is of the correct HGTC type, part number 68595500, called Aerodynamic bottom, front section, with the 2 NACA ducts leading to the 2 air delivery pipes for the front brakes, all as per the HGTC Bulletin. (refer to Terry's FNA Bulletin 1265/A). I could luckily compare my HGTC front undertray to a regular 575M undertray also available in the workshop, and compare it to Ferrari documentation at hand at Kroymans workshop.

 

Michael- If you fit the HGTC shock ECU to your car, you will get a permanent suspension fault light because the steering position sensor is missing on your car. So I do not recommend that for owners of early (52555 and earlier Assembly Numbers) 575Ms.

Your car being fitted with 183960 answers one question, though. My speculation that 205618 and 205619 were part of the HGTC upgrade was incorrect. They are just replacements for 201673 and 201674. That is how we learn, by screwing up and then finding out how things really are.

Will edit the document and post tomorrow.

Incidentally, there were several versions of the HGTC upgrade kits, but I have been unable to get complete details on what was included with each.

Taz
Terry Phillips

 

The one HGTC upgrade car for which we have records did not get a new shock absorber ECU, so my speculation 205618 and 205619 might be part of the HGTC upgrade kits was incorrect. Here is a corrected version of the shock absorber ECU document.

Taz
Terry Phillips
View attachment Ferrari 575M Shock Absorber ECUs.doc

 

360Grigiotitanio found a typo on the HGTC ECU. Fixed here.

Taz
Terry Phillips
View attachment 575M Shock Absorber ECUs.doc

 

Reply to an old thread with some updates:

201673
201674
205618

Are NLA.

I was able to obtain 205619 new. This one is listed as correct for my assembly number. Swap was easy and no lights or issues. Not sure I notice a difference on my 1 mile test run.

Anyway, note that the label referenced Skyhook
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I must say I find the whole FHP legend quite silly, yes it does offer better handling but its perceived contribution to the worth of the car is quite silly. As we see above it doesn't even have its own "special" shock ECU. In my experience it is not even the most significant contributor to improving the handling of an early 575M. That comes from changing the shock ECU to 205619 which costs less than a grand and can be done in 5 minutes.
So FHP boils down to a steering ECU some springs and an anti roll bar. To further improve things you can take the option of the Ferrari approved dealer FHP retro fit (HGTC parts really, no bad thing) source the second hand springs which seem to turn up , speak to MSW or just add bit by bit. In the end these improvements are a very small portion of the cost of a 575M these days, even less if its a 6 pedal.
Its harder to retro fit a leather parcel shelf than sort out the handling of an early 575M so to anybody wondering if they should back away from purchasing an early one that you like the colour/spec/condition of because it doesn't have FHP, I say don't. For 2005 onward cars don't even consider it an issue. There cat, have a pigeon.

 

Graham we have a difference of opinion on what is the single biggest part of the FHP package. I have messed with this quite a bit and on a step by step basis. The single biggest FHP component improving handling on the early cars ('02 in this case) is the springs. I am not arguing or knowledgeable on how the package or recommended changes affect track times, simply road feel. And if you have ever changed springs and set ride heights, it's a bit more involved than dealing with a package shelf.
Also there is a noticeable difference between the ride in a FHP car and HGTC equipped car. Not saying its a huge difference, but if you have the experience you will know the difference.
Bill
FL

 

Graham- I would have to disagree with pretty much everything you said except the part about it being relatively easy to upgrade to HGTC suspension components, if expensive. MSW's hydraulic steering ECU is very affordable, though. 205619 is about 900 pounds from Maranello Classic Parts, without VAT, and there is little difference in function between 201673, 197211, 201674, 205618 and 205619.

We have swapped too many owners from non-FHP to FHP packages to say it makes little difference. So many, we ate most of the NOS FHP components. With the recommended order of replacement being:

Steering ECU
Shock ECU
Rear Anti-Roll Bar (no new FHP bars available, only used and HGTC)
Springs

Owners were still seeing noticeable improvements all through the process and the rear anti-roll bar, FHP or HGTC, noticeably cuts down on understeer and the springs on roll and jounce, regardless of shock ECU.

The part about not worrying about buying an early 575M without FHP is a good point, and nobody here has been saying one must have FHP or it is a no-sale. But FHP is definitely a positive for 575Ms, and even Superamericas without HGTC.

 

Hey Bill, my tongue was somewhat in my cheek. I do agree there us more to setting up the suspension system than just bolting the bits on, but its not being the ken of any decent dealer, independent or capable home mechanic. I'm saying its not worth rejecting a car that fits all your other requirements. Sourcing the right leather and correctly fitting it to the parcel shelf, now that is black magic

 

Taz, respectfully I think you are completely misunderstanding what I am saying.
This may be through my poor written English or poor English sense of humour, if so I apologize !

I am not saying that FHP is not desirable, nor HGTC either.
I am not saying that you will not see significant improvements to handling as you fit the the parts.
As you know I have done EVERY single thing you recommend

Steering ECU
Shock ECU
Rear Anti-Roll Bar (no new FHP bars available, only used and HGTC)
Springs

I am VERY pleased with the results.

What I am saying is that sorting out the handling of a non FHP car is not difficult NOR as a portion of the total cost of a 575M (especially a 3 pedal) these days, expensive.
As such I am questioning the whole idea that FHP is crucial in the selection of a 575M for the enthusiast buyer when such things can easily be addressed post purchase.

I don't really see where we are in disagreement?

 

Bill, beyond the ken i mean, ie beyond the ability, apols for typo

 

You are right, we are not and think Taz is onboard.
Sometimes humor is missed in the written word.
Had I held out for the complete package I wanted, would still be looking. And Taz was instrumental in making this point early on which enabled moving forward after several years of looking.
Bill
FL