Why is ECMspy trying to kill me?

[upthemaiden]

I have a 2003 XB9. I've been fighting with ECMspy since I got my hawk exhaust back in August. Now that we've got that great video on Buellmods and I just traded in my computer for a new laptop that I can actually take down to the basement with my bike I thought I was ready to give it another shot. I watched the video the full way through twice, then I've been replaying it a 3rd time following it step by step. It was going well until I got to the stage where you open up notebook in 2 windows, open the stock map in one and the race map in the other, and copy the values.

I noticed right away that my numbers were very different. The ones in the video are close, and the blocks are in the same shape. My numbers were pretty different and the shape of the number blocks were pretty different. Even the shorter strings of numbers that aren't being copied look to be the same on the video, while mine are different. Stock is on the left, race numbers are on the right:

I figured for the sake of a learning experience I'd move on forward. Kept going, now I'm at the part of the video where you open two ECMspy windows, open the stock maps to compare, then open the map I just modified. This is what I got:

now seriously, I know that makes it look like I'm crazy, but I've followed the video step by step. What exactly am I missing? Has this happened to anyone else? I'm using the 2003 XB9 race map. Any ideas?

Also, does anyone else have a map saved that they have used on their 2003 XB9 that might work better than the generic race map that you'd be willing to share?? I really hate to put out cash for a race ECM when everyone swears remapping the stock ECM is so easy, but I'm just not getting anywhere.

 

[Sirius815]

Hey - I made the video and while I haven't done a lot with ECMspy, I can tell you right now, that the "new" map you have looks all out of whack! It's not your fault - it's the programming.

Before you upload that map to your bike, I highly suggest you download a different copy of a race map just to see what you get - and post up results.

The deviations on the "race" map are WAY to drastic to run well on the bike - now I might be wrong, but I'm sure many will agree.


Keep us posted! [up]

 

[upthemaiden]

Haha, it could be any number of things. Brief history:

-Bought exhaust

-had a friend help load new map, bike wouldn't start

-tried again a week later, same story

-tried at home, couldn't even get ECMspy to connect

-thought I made progress, ECMspy said map was incompatable

-current night, you already know the story


After this many times I'll definitely agree that something's gotta be my fault. I'll keep plugging away at it. I've got 4-6 weeks before it warms up enough for me to go out so I'll keep trying. I'll delete the maps I have and try downloading again.

Anyone have an opinion on trying it with a 2004 map?? I don't think they made any updated between 2003 and 2004, that map might be a better bet if the 2003 version is screwed up.

 

[dallasb]

Hey man if you want PM with with a phone number or something. I may be able to help you fix this. I would type it on here but there is alot of info and it could be a number of different things.

 

[cb750]

Have you tried logging data and modifying the stock map? As for the map being incompatible, what you put on would have to be the same firmware as the ecm you have.

Talk to Dallas, he's a good dude and helped me fix my f-ups on my bike.

 

[williegoat]

Don't use the '03 XB9 race map that is going around on the web. Use the '07.
If you would like, I can email you my '06 XB9 BUIB310 to which I have copied the '07 race fuel and timing maps. it works well with my Hawk and K&N

 

[upthemaiden]

Ok, well I'm feeling a little better now that I've deleted the maps I've had and tried to download it again. Before wasting my time doing anything else I just loaded the new eeprom into ecmspy and looked at the map and it looked like that from the start, so clearly it's just a bad map.

Dallas: I really appreciate the help. Now that I know the map is goofy let me try to track down a new map and try again. If that's all it takes I should be able to get farther this time.

CB750: as you can imagine from the problems I've had before, I'm no where near being able to doing any data logging.

Willie: Do you have a 2003 with a newer map? I wasn't sure if you could put a newer map on an older engine. If that's the case, I'd be willing to try any maps that you guys know work, as long as my bike will take it.

 

[williegoat]

The year of the bike shouldn't matter (up to '07). What matters is the firmware version of the ECM. My bike is an '06 and my firmware is BUEIB310.

 

[dallasb]

@upthemaiden

No problem man. I have a good map that I can send you. What are your mods? My custom tuned race/stock hybrid runs great with a hawk, KN, and open airbox. I also have an original race map that works as well if you would rather start with that.

 

[upthemaiden]

Well it looked like even if you use the correct year race map, the firmware doesn't always match us. So if I do the step with the copying and pasting, it doesn't matter which year I use?

It looks like my firmware is BUECB060

Dallas, that's exactly what I've got, 2003 xb9s with a hawk exhaust, K&N and an open airbox. If yours would work for my bike I'd love to give them a shot. Unfortunately it's winter so the best I'll be able to do is start my bike and see if it runs for a few seconds. I won't even be able to test it out for at least a month, but if my bike does indeed start with one of them it'll definitely be progress. As you can imagine after seeing the map we tried to load the first time, my bike wouldn't even start.

My email is [email protected] for any maps that people want to volunteer. I'm gonna see if I can remember who it was that started the Buell Mods site and let him know what's going on with the map he's got on the downloads page.

 

[williegoat]

Here are BUECB060 EPROMS:
https://sites.google.com/site/ecmspy/xb9/2003

 

[Sirius815]

Hm..funny thing - I used the '05 race map that Kyle (guy that did the buellmods site) put on Buellmods.com and didn't have any issues. FYI - the video was made using the buellmods.com 05 race map - so you know that ones good (at least the xb12 one). Also my BUEIB310 ecm *should* be under the 05 maps as well with the race map already loaded.

upthemaiden: Keep at it and don't give up!!

EDIT: Scratch the last - just saw you have a 9 not a 12 - Doh!

 

[kyle_dewald]

I uploaded another 2003 XB9 Race Map I had

 

[dallasb]

email sent

 

[upthemaiden]

We might have a winner! I didn't try anything with it yet, but I downloaded that last one Willie linked me to and this is what the map looks like...

MUCH better. Not as big of a difference from my stock map as the 2 in the video for the 05, but it's still different. I'll give that one a try tomorrow night.

Also, since they're both BUECB060 eeproms, does that change anything about the way I load it? Do I still just follow along the video, or does that save me some of the copy/paste steps? I don't mind doing the extra steps just to be safe, but I wasn't sure. You guys are giving me hope that I might actually get this to work before spring!

 

[williegoat]

Since the firmware version is the same, you should be able to burn the file to your ECM, but if you don't trust the file, you can create a "Hybrid" EPROM, using the fuel and timing maps from the race file.

Here is how I did it, without all of the "cut and paste":

It is important to remember that eproms are .txt files and maps (which are a portion of the date in an eprom) are .msq files. Never try to directly edit these files unless you know exactly what you are doing.

First and foremost, connect to the bike, fetch your stock eprom and save it in a safe place. It will be a .txt file.

Now, away from the bike, create a new folder and copy your stock eprom and the race eprom to the new folder. This way you lessen the risk of destroying the original data. This new folder will be your working directory. All of the file operations in the next steps should be done from this directory.

Next, open the race eprom in ecm spy (File > Load EEPROM...) *it will be a .txt file*
Save the maps in your working directory (File > Save Map...) *you will create a .msq file*
Now, open your stock eprom (File > Load EEPROM...) *it will be a .txt file*
Next, load the race maps into your stock eprom (File > Load Map...) *it will be a .msq file*
Now, save your newly created hybrid eprom with a name you will remember (File > Save EEPROM...) *you will create a .txt file*

I found the following steps necessary, though others may not.
Close ECM Spy.
Now, open two copies of ECM Spy and open the race eprom in one and your newly created custom eprom in the other.
Go to the 'Maps' tab and compare the column headers (RPM values) in your custom eprom with those of the race map. Make sure that the values in your custom map match those of the race map. If they do not, right-click on the cell in your custom eprom, choose 'edit' and change the value to that of the race map, then re-save your custom eprom. Now, the maps in your custom eprom should match those in the race eprom.

To be on the safe side, you could now open your custom eprom along side the stock eprom and make sure that all of the data in the other tabs match.

Now, burn your custom eprom to the bike, reset AFV and TPS, and go for a ride.

 

[Sirius815]

That looks 81356781561280x better!

 

[willyam1]

You should be carful loading the eeprom to you bike. If the firmware isn't right or if some of EEPROM setting are wrong you might run into more problems. All you need to do is load the race EEPROM into ECMspy and save the fuel and timing maps. Then connect to your bike and save the new fuel and timing maps to you bike. Then you have no risk of messing up your ECM. You still get all the performace and keep your same EEPROM. I have a download with all the EEPROMS race and factory for 07 and older. I got it from someone on here a year ago. It worked great on my bike.

 

[MotoX6]

i am having the same problems. im lookin for a map for a jardine exhaust and k&n filter. i have a 2003 xb9 and stock ecm. anyone got a good map.

[email protected]

 

[upthemaiden]

Hey moto, I sent you a PM back, but wanted to mention that there's no specific map for the race/hawk/jardine/drummer exhausts. There are just the stock map and the race map. Aside from that, this is the race map I used... https://sites.google.com/site/ecmspy/xb9/2003 and it doesn't feel/sound any different from the stock map I had. If anyone here has a good 03 map they works well, please share!