JohnBoyToo

Ok - I understand now ---
they just do a software upgrade like the rest....
just a suggestion to buy a 2nd ecu for the upgrade and protect the software...

Got it...

revo (well, don istook ) , a local guy to me.... just flashed my ecu in place...


impetus was this sale thread on audiworld got the switcher too...
https://www.audiworld.com/forums/sho...ight=revo+sale

apoelistas

Abt has asked me to send them my original Audi Q5 ECU tfsi 2.0 and they quoted me the normal price.

So why chip it at an expensive price with ABT???? I see no reason why one would pay this huge price to ABT to get just the ecu chipped. E.g. one can buy the ecu from Audi and have that chipped at APR and preserve the initial ecu for use when one goes to Audi garage.

apoelistas

After rejecting ABT proposal they came back with the original wirring harness tuning box, they need 4 weeks of preparation in order to customize the wiring harness to my Q5. I rejected again, because I have to pay all amount in front and wait for more than a month until delivery.

Now thinking for doing an intercooler and a downpipe upgrades by myself, then getting the 2nd stage APR ECU mod.

MP4.2+6.0

Why exactly the second ECU box that has been in this thread off and on over the years? IIRC the box is locked electronically to the car, so you have go to the dealer to get it programmed in case of a swap out. Like 15 years ago they weren't coded to the car/Audi, but I think that is long gone. If this is about wink wink avoid dealer with chipped car until a blown tranny, engine, turbo's whatever, then I suspect back at the earlier step of box has to be sync'ed to vehicle the gig will be up. Thus, usual gotta pay to play probably applies.

Anyone with direct experience installing a second ECU in place of first one? If it is off warranty then I would just flash original box if it is the software type tune, whether in car or with box out depending on era of vehicle and exact set up. If it is a hard soldier chip like they used to be a pretty long time ago, those do have reliability issues longer term and bring in possible second box--from personal experience. Boxes (in USA at least) are also secured by a anti tampering set up. Where there is a will, there is a way as they say, but be sober that is also there and a hack job would of course be obvious for those who know the set up.

There are also the piggyback approaches (external box that modifies key data from relevant sensors to fake out the UCU and allow more boost, timing, etc.), but reports on those seem mixed. Not clear to me in the thread if the discussion about modifying wiring harnesses may actually be about that kind of approach. Also not clear if Audi can still "see those" indirectly from abnormalities in sensor data. They do look carefully these days from various owner accounts when it is a pricy drivetrain repair under warranty.