Getting Started with Crome and OBD1 ECU Tuning

Getting Started with Crome and OBD1 ECU Tuning

A write-up by XENOCRON

All of this information can be found in bits and pieces on PGMFI in the Crome forum.

http://forum.pgmfi.org/viewforum.php?f=35

This write-up is based on the parts I sell and how I would tell my customers if I was speaking to them, please use this guide as a reference. If I get any customer service inquires from non-customers…I am afraid I just don’t have the time to answer those types of questions…use the search function if something isn’t covered or clear enough for you in this guide.

Pieces you need:

- Chipped OBD1 Civic/Integra ECU (make sure J12 is cut)

- Datalogging Cable (I sell USB and Serial)

- Ostrich Emulator (Or BURN1 and Chips to burn)

- Laptop Computer with Crome Pro Installed

- LC-1 or LM-1 Wideband Unit

Or you can just pick up an entire Crome PRO Package from my site!

All parts need to be installed properly. If your car is OBD1, just plug the ECU into the harness. If your car is OBD0, you will need to convert to OBD1 which means you will need an OBD1 distributor (and to re-wire or buy a distributor jumper harness) and an OBD0àOBD1 Conversion harness. Install as per directions that come with this. If you are OBD2, you will need an OBD2(a/b)àOBD1 conversion harness. Nothing fancy here, just install the harness to your stock harness and into the OBD1 Chipped ECU.

The LC-1 needs to be installed as per the directions from Innovate Motorsports.

The Ostrich needs to be installed into the ZIF socket of the chipped ECU. The red wire goes to Pin1 which will face the red wire toward the ECU plugs of the chipped ECU.

You need to install the USB or Serial datalogging cable into the chipped ECU as per my directions.

You will have two cords now, for this write-up let’s assume that they are both USB connections. Connect one USB from the Ostrich to the laptop and the other USB cord from the datalogging cable to the laptop. If you are running XP, these devices most likely will install drivers automatically. If not, follow the instructions to install the drivers.

Now you need to determine what COM ports these devices are installed under. Open up your device manager. Using XP, click on the ‘Start’ button, and right-click on My Computer. Click on ‘Properties’ from the list. See the picture to the left.

That will bring up this screen where you will click on Device Manager.

Click on the little ‘+’ next to Ports (COM & LPT) to expand the list and see what ports your two devices are installed under. To determine which is which, unplug one cord, close the Device Manager and then re-open it. See which COM port is still in the list and now you know which is which. If you ALWAYS plug in the devices to the same spots on your Laptop, you will never have issues as the COM ports will always be assigned to those same COM ports.

Now that you know which COM ports are which, you can setup Crome. Open Crome and open the FileàSettings window. Click on the Real Time Tuning Tab and bring up this screen.

Set the COM port to whatever port you determined was the COM port for your Ostrich (or BURN1). The rest of the settings should already be set the same as you see in this window. On that same screen now click on the Tuner Comm tab.

Set the Serial Protocol to PGMFI OBD1 and set the COM port to whatever you determine was the COM for your datalogging cable.

Next, follow my other write-up on Crome Basemap Creation and come back to this write-up once completed.

Next you want to upload the ROM (this is the program) to your chipped ECU with Ostrich installed.

Click on the Real Time Programming Icon and this will open up the Real Time tuning Toolbar

TOOLBAR HERE

Turn the key in your car to the ON position (do not start the vehicle). Your Check engine light will most likely be ON.

Click on the PUT button on the Real Time Tuning Toolbar and watch the progress bar as the ROM is uploaded to your ECU.

Cycle the key OFF, and then turn the key back to the ON position again. You check engine light should now be OFF. If it is still on, try again. If it still doesn’t work you either have an actual problem or you didn’t disable the proper sensors in the Options for the ECU you are using.

You should now be able to start the car!

If everything is running properly, you can now click on the Datalogging Icon which will bring up the Tuner Toolbar at the bottom of the screen. Click on the Live Tuning button to begin logging.

You should now see a Pink highlighted Cell which signifies where the ECU is running in the maps and also on the right side of the screen you will see a Real Time readout of every sensor in your Honda.

Moates.net has also made a very nice PDF document for Crome Setup that might help if you are still a little confused, please download the PDF and try his write-up as well if needed.