Hey all sorry 4da noob question but I've done some extensive searching but coudn't find no answers. I'm really looking into the RB flash as my next mod, the only thing is I'm not really wanting to send my ecu in & have a undriveable rx8 sitting around, being that it is my only means of transportaion...I weighed my options & thought it be more beneficial to go ahead and buy a extra oem ecu...until I searched & found an issue w/key mechanism or somethin.. ..If I purchased a oem ecu do I have to get it programmed or flashed to be compatible w/my vehicle?

 

For the price of an OEM ECU you can rent a car for a month. You would also most likely need dealership help in getting it to work with your car and keys. Maybe you can plan this during a vaction?

 

^^^^

+1.

the ecu is tied to your car... rb only changes the areas to increase preformance. they do not change anything else...

beers

 

Yes I understand that but (correct me if I'm wrong) if it can be done the benefits of having two interchangeable ecu's I could have one w/RB flash & the other stock or configured however I plz w/out having rb flash erased.
This site sells the oem unit for $499.95
http://www.ecudirect.com/
...I'm willing to pay that if this will work...


..or would it be better to learn how to tune & go w/a nice EMS

 

just do what someone else said... rent a car. Or use your old bike thats collecting dust in the shed :-D

 

I still haven't been able to fnd a single Mazda tech that can verify that a used RX-8 PCM can be made to work in another vehicle. As I've been told, it would have to be completely wiped clean of the previous vehicle data first and they can't do that at the dealership. It has to be sent back to Mazda engineering for this ... oh, and I saw that ECU Direct ad too and when I tried to get one they admitted to never having one and couldn't get one ...

the RB flash is not a complete PCM flash, they only change some of the data, not the entire software data

 

i think another ecu can be used but the keys need to be programmed to the ecu, also the used ecu would most likely be a older flash.

 

it's not that simple, the Techs aren't even trained in this by Mazda, only in reflashing the existing PCM or in flshing a new, completely wiped PCM, or so all the ones I've spoken have told me ...

example, the used PCM will have the VIN from it's original vehicle imprinted on it ...

 

What's a car rental about...30 something dollars a day for MAYBE a 10 day turn around (just guessing on that number)! I say save $200 and rent a vehicle maybe you get your ECU back sooner than that and save even more!

 

I have seen OEM ECU for sale on the FEED website, http://www.fujita-eng.com/rx8/index.html and I think it may also be available from RE-Amemiya?
If they sell this to the public it must be possible to have it flashed/programmed for your car? I know these are Japanese sites but still if they can we can, yes/no?

Correction; RE-Amemiya site has a piggyback unit not OEM type. The online translator does not help much

 

not piggyback either, those were the first performance flash upgrades, but they're JP spec only

even if you swap the PCM, you still have to match the model numbers, there must be almost two dozen US-spec PCM model numbers alone, I posted them up in an earlier ECU thread

 

Not even a 10 day turnaround...unless you live in another country or something. Most of the people I have seen here with the RB flash got it in less than 5 days. Rent the car.

 

Both RE-Amemiya and FEED are ECU reflash kind of thing. for JP Spec RX8 (RH model)

Buying a Brand new ECU from Mazda IS possible. but is it worth it ? I dont think so.

It takes 1 day to send to RB(overnight), 1 day for them to get and maybe another day to flash .Send it back to ya 1 day overnight. About 4 days in total if you're lucky.

Rent a car or something, if you have too much money to waste, buy yourself an exhaust or something.

 

Yeah I think Im a just hold off till spring or summer break and send my ecu off to RB...Yeah I actually did jus purchase an exhaust a couple days ago, I went with the JIC Ti catback & RP supercat they are on there way & God I can't wait... ...

Thanx all 4advice & info...