I know I've seen the post here before about L-tuned steering ECU, how to differentiate it from a stock one. However, I don't remember if there was an answer to it.
So, here I am with this question again. I just got what supposedly is l-tuned ECU from Carson Toyota (www.l-tunedparts.com). First, their instructions state it's so easy to remove the stock one - just remove two screws and snap off the clip, take off the bottom panel and you are done. Stock steering ECU is right there, just remove the nut holding the bracket. Yeah right.
Not sure about other year / models, but on my 99 GS300 it was impossible to get to the stock one this way. I had to almost remove the whole steering column and surroundings.
Anyway, I managed to remove the stock steering ECU, and there comes my disappointment. I put the stock one and "l-tuned" next to each other, and they are totaly the same. All the engraved letters and numbers on one side totally match. The only numbers that are different are the ones stamped that you can barelly see on the other side. My stock one reads "10T 6 A78" and the l-tuned one reads "6D 6 A199" The box that l-tuned came in doesn't have any l-tuned indication either.
So, can anyone tell if the stamped numbers is the only difference, or should engraved ones be also different?

Thank you.

 

Nope. There is no physical way to tell. This is why everyone suggests marking the L-Tuned one before you install it or you may get it confused with the OEM one.

As for the install, I have a 98 and did not have to do anything with the steering column.

 

Well, that's not my point. I am sure that I put the one that came from Carson Toyota, but I am not sure that the one that came is l-tuned one.

 

It was too late for me, but maybe some one who is about to do the swap can measure electircal difference (with ohm meter) between various pins... again no gaurantee that there will be one.

Barring that, you have to drive around and FEEL the difference (very subjective). I did other suspension changes so never could do apples to apples comparison.
Trust in the seller. I bough mine through SteveGanz and I trust him.
We need to do our part by marking the non-Ltuned and essuring they do not get into the market stream.

Salim

 

lexusgs, neo answered your qusetion exactly already. there is NO difference in the appearance of the two ecu, NONE, nada. that's why people usually mark which one is ltuned and which one is oem.

and the setup is the same for all yrs, from 98 to 05. it was pretty easy to change out, at least i my case

 

This issue has already been discussed oevr and over again.

You're just going to have to trust that the one that was sent is a genuine L-Tuned ECU. Again, they look exactly the same and you'll just have to feel the difference. You might feel it, and you might not.....that's been discussed at length as well.

 

Ok, I guess I have to just trust that the one I got is l-tuned.
But I have to tell you guys, as for the feeling - I don't feel ANY difference from the stock one on ANY speed whatsoever . Makes me think that Lexus stock steering ECU is already great by default. So, IMO it was a waste of $140 for this mod. First time I regret about some mod...

 

If you searched, you would have read that too......I myself am still waiting to do this mod. It hasn't been an important one since some people have noticed no change and some have........when I have $150 laying around with nothing to spend it on......or after gas prices go down, I'll go ahead and make that change.

 

I did make a search (here on CL too) before I got it, and many people were happy with this mod, so I decided to go with it. But in my case it was a disappointment

 

Definitely. If you purchased though Steve / Carson Toyota, you should have no worries about getting a legit product.

 

When I upgraded to the new L-Tuned ECU I just unpluged the old one and connected the new one and just let it lay in there. Never makes a sound and the old one is still mounted in case I ever need to remove the new one.



Was much easier than removing the original. Just an FYI to others.

 

well, one thing you can do is drive the car with the new ecu for a while, and then put back the old one in, and see if the steering wheel suddenly got a lot loose. sometimes it's hard to notice improvement, but easier to notice otherwise