Need to swap ecu's, need to make sure what I need coded before purchase?

[URS4surf]

So I need a stock 1.8T 6-speed ECU so I can pass inspection for it's last year. MY:2005 ecu ends in 518 AK
I have reflashed the past 5 years but my mechanic can no longer flash revo's products.
I think I only need the immobilizer coded out so that the car can start/function from what I've read so far.
I've also read I can't use a 5-speed or an automatic unless it's reprogramed in the donor car before it's pulled?

Anybody in the NE got one to rent 8)...

Thanks
Steve

[fR3ZNO]

Yes, you will need the immo either coded out or matched to your car to start if the ECU is coming out of another car.

It doesn't matter what transmission the donor car had, you can modify the soft coding to 6-speed with VCDS once it's installed in your car.

[URS4surf]

thank you for the reply!

That makes it much easier to find an ECU.
I have VCDS, is there a cook book on how to accomplish the changes?
I've always had the pro's do it cause I've seen people brick their ecu's in the past.

I'll keep searching but I must be using the wrong keywords.

[shurur9]

Yes, you will need the immo either coded out or matched to your car to start if the ECU is coming out of another car.

It doesn't matter what transmission the donor car had, you can modify the soft coding to 6-speed with VCDS once it's installed in your car.

https://www.audiforums.com/forum/diy...ur-car-181068/
I"m a bit surprised that you wouldn't just need the new ECU access code in order to just reconfigure it,
BUT it does make sense that the immobilizer would need to be shut off in the ECU as well.

I take it that once the new ECU is installed, the Immobilizer/Cluster can be readapted and to the ECU??

Wondering out loud..I might be handy to have the new ECU SKC/access code matched to the Immobilzer SKC/access code.
Would the ECU then just come up without disabling the immobilizer/cluster?
Is this what you, FR3ZNO, are saying??

[elewsader]

I take it that once the new ECU is installed, the Immobilizer/Cluster can be readapted and to the ECU??
?

Yep, the replacement ECU can be coded to work, but in order to perform the adaption, both the original SKC, and the new SKC are needed. Once conducted it will update the SKC, and the VIN number of the donor ECU to match the car.

OP would just need to find a working clone of K+CAN Commander and pull (read only) their old, and new SKC (or learn to use Argdub's utility, and cross their fingers it can communicate). During my donor ECU swap, I pulled the SKC on the bench for the replacement; I suspect it would be possible to do the same over the OBD port after it's plugged in, but I can't confirm that.

VCDS IMMOIII Swap

[imnuts]

You can get the SKC via ODBII. I have a spare ECU matched to my car and that is how I pulled the SKC. Since it's already plugged in at that point, all you need to do after you get it is fire up VCDS and go through the adaptation process. The hardest part was just getting to the ECU.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL

[fR3ZNO]

Yep, the replacement ECU can be coded to work, but in order to perform the adaption, both the original SKC, and the new SKC are needed. Once conducted it will update the SKC, and the VIN number of the donor ECU to match the car.

OP would just need to find a working clone of K+CAN Commander and pull (read only) their old, and new SKC (or learn to use Argdub's utility, and cross their fingers it can communicate). During my donor ECU swap, I pulled the SKC on the bench for the replacement; I suspect it would be possible to do the same over the OBD port after it's plugged in, but I can't confirm that.

VCDS IMMOIII Swap

This^

Pulling the SKC can be a challenge. I've never been able to get any cracked copy of K+CAN Commander to work, however other people have had better luck than me I guess.

If you're talking about argdubs utility, I'm pretty sure some functions are limited over OBDII. Some of them need to be done with the ECU in boot mode (which would require having the ECU out of the car).

I have used Argdub's utility from nefmoto to flash an immo off file to the eeprom. Doing this or pulling the SKC and matching the stock ecu to his cluster might be the best option for OP since it sounds like he would need to swap his ECU's once a year for inspection (or whatever MA law is).

[URS4surf]

This^

Pulling the SKC can be a challenge. I've never been able to get any cracked copy of K+CAN Commander to work, however other people have had better luck than me I guess.

If you're talking about argdubs utility, I'm pretty sure some functions are limited over OBDII. Some of them need to be done with the ECU in boot mode (which would require having the ECU out of the car).

I have used Argdub's utility from nefmoto to flash an immo off file to the eeprom. Doing this or pulling the SKC and matching the stock ecu to his cluster might be the best option for OP since it sounds like he would need to swap his ECU's once a year for inspection (or whatever MA law is).

This is my last year, mass has the 15 year limit on emissions then just safety inspections.
that's why I asked if anyone wants to rent one 8)

[fR3ZNO]

If it's your last year, maybe find another dealer to flash the revo tune back to stock for inspection. Otherwise, your best bet would be to post a Wanted ad in the classifieds for an immo off stock ECU.

[URS4surf]

Thanks for all the replies, I'm looking into another dealer but wanted to research this path in parallel just in case.

Thanks again
Steve