Just researched the ld9 ecu/harness swap for the eco and is there a reason more people don't do this? I read a 10 page thread on it and it doesn't seem all that difficult. I messaged a local tuning shop here in minnesota called DB performance tuning and he said he has an ld9 turbo tune ready to go. What am I missing here about this? What are it's downfalls? I have an 05 eco manual with the hahn stage II.
My setup runs too well as is with alpha-n after I learned how to drive it to justify going to a MAP tune. Thats my reason.
Cant justify spending the money to convert; and the car is just a toy.
"A car just isn't a car without a little blood, sweat, and beers." -- Shadowfire
Well up until this point I was planning on buying the portfueler because no one up here including myself knows how to tune an eco cav. So I was willing to spend $1700 but if I can make this swap for less than half price and be able to have speed density I'm gonna do it. I was just wonderin why more people haven't. But if you have the alpha n tuned good I can see why you wouldn't do the swap.
On paper it seems like EVERYONE boosted should be running this setup but in reality it seems to have a pretty low success rate, something like 50%. Some people have done the swap and had great results while others ran into problems with phantom knock retard and other issues. So for me, I'd rather not go through the hassle and spend the money for a 50% chance that I'd have to revert back anyway.
"In Oldskool we trust"
I guess I didn't realize it was that hit or miss it seemed pretty straight forward on the install. I'd like to know what addicted to meth thinks of it now because I was reading his write up on it from 2011. It's been a while. I priced the whole swap out by searching the local yards I can get everything for about $400. Minus the tune of course. I'd like to know more about why it's hit or miss. Is it human error?
Some of it probably is installer error. But Matt and Kyle both tried it with no luck and I'm sure those guys got it right. There's something about that pcm that sees a ton of phantom knock retard and makes it hard to get things right. Most people desensitize the sensor but that's risky business imo. I'm sure John can chime in and give you more info on it than I can.
"In Oldskool we trust"
Well this kinda sucks to hear, thought I found an easy way out. I'm glad I didn't go to this shop and have them talk me into it without knowing this stuff first, they told me this is what they had the last cavalier they tuned do.
The one car I did this on is still running on that setup. We never really pushed that setup as much as we could have. Owner is using the car as a DD and is not really worried about performance right now.
With that being said. I have tuned a good few handfuls of Alpha-n J's with boost. The most recent being the RWD Ecotec project that we made 405whp on a factory internal L61. This car can be driving on the street normally if wanted daily.
Here is what I have found. We have a lot of small ECU changes through out the years of the J's. In my mind on a Ecotec either a 04+ ECU is best for boost, or the Speed Density swap.
Now another very good option is megasquirt.
FU Tuning
I wish someone up here knew of to tune an alpha n J. I'm just lookin to get a good tune cause I know there is more to be had then just an fmu. But at the same time I want room for expand ability in the future. Isn't the alpha n only good to a certain point? Doesn't sound like this is really an option for the jbody. I was just trying to avoid sinking thousands into having a little tune ability. Maybe I'll just try have someone tune it as is.
If they say they can't tune an alpha-n pcm go somewhere else.
"In Oldskool we trust"
Well the first shop I talked to said he was gonna try to copy as much of the turbo cobalt ss tuning as possible then make the rest. I just nodded my head but that makes me think he can't do it. Then the shop I just talked just to were the ones that suggested I do the ecu swap. Addicted to meth you do any mail in tunes? Haha
At least the second shop knows SOMETHING. The first shop is totally out to lunch. I'd love to see them have a cobalt file open and then open a jbody file next to it. Look on their faces would be priceless.
"In Oldskool we trust"
Yeah I just went along with it but I knew that he had no idea. The second shop made it sound like they didn't know alpha n all that well. Maybe I'll just try the ecu swap. If it doesn't work I'll just stick with my fmu.
If I try it what do you think my best bet is
2200ecu with 2200 harness
2200ecu with ld9 harness
Or ld9ecu with ld9 harness
Akizzem wrote:If I try it what do you think my best bet is
2200ecu with 2200 harness
2200ecu with ld9 harness
Or ld9ecu with ld9 harness
The ECU is the least important part when doing the swap. I say that because they can all be flashed with the same file.
To me the important part is the harness. Why? Well the right harness makes routing etc.. easier.
LD9's and Ecotec's are setup very similar in the engine bay. Sensor's are in pretty much the same location excluding a few. Your TPS, IAC, IAT, MAP are in the same. O2 sensor's same. Knock sensor being one that is in different locations requiring some moving of wiring.
So if it was me a 2000+ LD9 harness.Then any 2000-2002 ECU.
FU Tuning
Also in the car we did it on we used a 2001 LN2 harnessthe knock sensor was still the old style which is a 1 wire. LD9 and L61 both use a 2 wire knock sensor.. So Ld9 harness keeps it going that way.
FU Tuning
So addicted to meth do you think it's worth the time and effort to try it or do you think I'll have problems like yellowcav said?
Can I use a harness out of a grand am?
The routing will likely be different. There are enough LD9 J's in junkyards, be patient and save yourself from doing more than you need to.
Y3llowCavBut Matt and [b wrote:Kyle both tried it with no luck and I'm sure those guys got it right.
Me? Or am I flattering myself?
I did start modding the harness, but never got around to finishing it.
Tinkles(KGM) wrote:Y3llowCavBut Matt and [b wrote:Kyle both tried it with no luck and I'm sure those guys got it right.
Me? Or am I flattering myself?
I did start modding the harness, but never got around to finishing it.
Whoops thought you finished it.. well, I know it didn't go well for matt.
"In Oldskool we trust"
This shouldn't affect the bcm right? Cause it's 00+?
