ECU??? (feel free to move this) - Hyundai Performance Forums

CCSPMP · 02-13-2003, 02:05 AM

i had read in previous threads about the ECU adjusting to your driving habbits by way of averaging your driving style with the amount of times you drive it.
do you remember this thread (tried looking for thread but couldnt find it)

well i was trying to explain this to my friend and he didnt think i was correct then he came back the next day and said he asked someone he knows and they said that this was not true either. now to get to my actual question... is this true does the ECU adjust to your driving habbits?
i.e. two mustang GT's one driven by grandma and one driven by some teen who beats on it every day. now assuming the ECU was reset before each acuired the car and they both drove the cars for the same amount of time. now lets say they line up to race would one respond differently or would they still be the same.
assuming that the ECU does adjust the granny should loose this race but get better fuel economy whyle doing so right?

he sais the only time you would reset the ECU is if there was a problem not to respond to any mods like has benn said so many times before.

do only the hyundais ECU's do this? if this is true is there somewhere i can go to get hard proof to print off and show my friend?

(sorry it was so long but i wanted to be thurough)

**i8acobra** · 02-13-2003, 04:51 AM

http://www.hyundaiperformance.com/forums/topic.php?t=16748

CCSPMP · 02-13-2003, 11:38 AM

thank you cobra

skierd · 02-13-2003, 01:37 PM

It does vary from car to car signifcantly. Hyundai's arent really as adaptive as some others. The WRX's ecm is super adaptive, responding very quickly. Hell, SCC couldnt even get straight dyno numbers w/o reseting the ecm after each pull. GM's ecms are pretty flexible as well.

AccentMangaGL · 02-13-2003, 05:26 PM

I have as of yet, seen NO evidence through dynoing or any other methods that prove or disprove the effects of the ECU actually 'LEARNING' your driving habits. No one here even knows HOW the ecu calculates your driving habits. On the flip side I have tested out different octanes after resetting the ecu. I resetted it once with 89 octane and drove it for a week, then reset it again with 93 octane and drove it for a week, same amount of miles and same normal driving style. The car will respond better with 93 octane after its reset. The timing will be slightly advanced due to the fact that the higher octane knocks later then lower octane fuel. Its not a huge gain but it is noticeable. I don't have any dyno's but when I get some money I play to do a bunch of different dyno's testing different octanes on normal driving habits and then different octanes driven hard on the same car. I'm also going to research this ECU 'flex' so I can get a better understanding of exactly HOW the ecu does this.

qtiger · 02-13-2003, 08:07 PM

The ECU does not respond to your driving habits and learn appropriately. What it does learn is your fuel curves. When you modify your car, all the fuel curves the car has 'generated' are incorrect. It will relearn eventually, but some people skip the middle man and reset their ECU, forcing it to start from the beginning.

AccentMangaGL · 02-13-2003, 08:30 PM

Ok well Qtiger I thought the same, but i've been doing some searching and come across some sites. These are just the sites I found relating to everyday cars

http://howstuffworks.lycoszone.com/car-computer1.htm

http://www.pep.com/aboutpep/etas.htm

I've found some other ones that talk about ECU's but they talk about them in BMW's and F1's. Apparently from what i've found so far you car only learns your driving habits when its a new car or the ECU is reset. After that they do not change. ECU's control much more and flex much more then just fuel/timing as well. Again if anyone has any proof that they can show to the contrary that'd be real helpful

qtiger · 02-14-2003, 02:58 AM

I don't see anything pertaining to 'adjusting to driving habits' on either web page.

AccentMangaGL · 02-14-2003, 06:32 PM

Quote:

[body]Cars are becoming increasingly sensitive creatures: Today if you drive off in your new Series 5 BMW with automatic transmission, within a few minutes the car works out what mood you are in. It then tunes its engine and gear management to your individual style of driving, whether you are in the mood for a sedate, comfortable ride or out for speed, by adjusting the rate of fuel injection as well as adapting its gear switching.[/body]

They used the bmw 5-series as an example but all cars do this. Certain cars have more flex then others.

CCSPMP · 02-14-2003, 10:51 PM

so you are admiting that the car can lear from your driving habits? or did i read that wrong?