E series chip.

[gramey lad]

Hello has anyone fitted chip to an e.series ecu and how good are they.Do they really make a big difference to the performance?.How do they affect the the fuel consumption if at all.I would like to get one from manfred but would like to know how good they are before i buy. many thanks gramey lad.

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2003 mexibeetle (engine no ACD451023)

[phade]

From the year of your beetle I guess that you have already got the E series ECU.

Have a look at the part number when you open the engine controller with VAG-COM or a VAG 1551/1552. The last letter in that part number is the series of your ECU.

There's very little difference between the D and E ECUs. Both of these ECUs sometimes rev the engine up and down slightly to reduce emissions at idle and they communicate a lot better with the VAG-COM software as well (as I found out when I diagnosed Steve's B series ECU beetle).

Cheers,

Phil

[gramey lad]

Hi phil. Iam pretty sure its the e.series ecu that i have got and yes it does seem to rev up and down when you first drive it from cold which is rather annoying.Unfortunatley i dont have the software or the vag 1551 thingy that i have heard about on here.Do i really need one if i am to fit a chip.Is the software easy to understand for a relativley new computer novice like myself .Can i fit a chip myself or does a specialist have to do it ?.I know my way around an aircooled engine no problem but fuel injection and engine management etc is all new to me . hope you can shed some light on this for me phil as your the only one that seems to answer my questions . Thanks graeme.

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2003 mexibeetle (engine no ACD451023)

[phade]

Hiya Graeme,

The first thing you will need to do is to get yourself a VAG-COM lead (and the software) and make up an OBD II to mexican beetle adaptor lead. The pinouts are on the 1600i website and I have done a post somewhere in the forum on how to make your own adaptor lead.

The other thing you can do as well is to disconnect the vacuum pipes (at all ends) and blast them out with compressed air (make sure that you disconnect the vacuum pipe at the ECU end as well before you blast out the vacuum pipes !!). Also blast out the rubber elbow at the fuel pressure regulator end with compressed air. This is the usual cause of a mexican beetle's engine revving up and down (the ECU may occasionally store the fault: G71 intake manifold pressure sender - no signal /SP. SP means sporadic or intermittant).

VAG-COM leads are available from eBay (make sure that you get a non-HEX based one, eg. leads suitable for VAG-COM 3.11n) otherwise you may not be able to diagnose your beetle's ECU.

I hope this helps,

Phil

[gramey lad]

Thanks phil i will try what you said and see if that works.As far as the leads go are they easy to make myself?im also not sure if i would know how to use the vag software. If i have any problems could i give you a ring to pick your brains?.Overall i am pleased with the car although there have been some rust issues which i am dealing with now .I have now also changed the exhaust system completley and have noticed an improvement in performance but only slight .However i will have to change it over when the mot comes around again.I have noticed though how much cooler the rear apron is now as there is more airflow around the exhaust and the fact that i wrapped the header system with thermo bandage wich will also keep heat away from the oil filter .I have also experimented with the air box as i felt that the inlet was a little small so i simply removed this and again noticed an improvement especially in the midrange and this is quite easy to do as well.I have read somewhere that these engines although they are 1600cc they use the smaller 1300cc valves which will probably strangle the engine a bit.If this is the case could i simply change the heads for some 1600cc heads or would this mess up the ecu?.Sorry to ask so many questions phil but would like a bit more power .Hope you can answer a few of my questions phil thanks . graeme.

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2003 mexibeetle (engine no ACD451023)