L-Tuned ECU Installed
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Lead Lap
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 771
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From: California
L-Tuned ECU Installed
I picked up an L-Tuned ECU from Steve Ganz at Carson Toyota today (oh, and I just happend to order some L-Tuned side skirts too... 
). I met Steve, Bobby and Gordon in person for the first time. What a great bunch of guys!
The embedded images are the smaller versions automatically created by the Gallery. Check out my gallery for much higher resolution versions.
Here's what ~$130 will get you:
Here are the required tools for the installation:
Here's a good close-up of the new ECU:
For anyone who has had questions about how the ECU is installed, it's pretty simple. Here, I've paraphrased the supplied instructions, eliminated those that I found to be obsolete and added some tips that I've picked up here at CL.
Step 1 - Mark the new ECU with anything that will allow you to identify at the L-Tuned version, in case you somehow manage to confuse the new ECU with the old one. I learned from previous CL posts that this was a very good idea, but as it turns out the new ECU was a different color than my old unit.
In this image, I'm marking my new ECU with two perpendicular lines. Why? I dunno, it just seemd to make sense at the time. (Note that I'm not really marking the ECU in the picture. I'm really right handed and had marked the ECU just prior to taking this picture. I used my left hand as a stand in for this picture while my right hand snapped the picture.)
Step 2 - Loosen two screws and two clips holding the access panel beneath the steering column. See the image below for the locations of the screws and clips.
The screws are located in the left-most and right-most hilighted areas. One clip in located in the center hilighted area.
Here the access panel has been removed. This is the location of the second clip, directly beneath the steering column. Also hilighted in the location from which the clip should be unfastened.
Step 3 - Locate the ECU according to the instructions. You may have to stick your head into the underdash area to get a good view of the ECU location. I found that I could peek through a slit beneath the parking brake release and clearly see the ECU. Once you've found the ECU, pull the plug on it! Like most automotive electrical connections, the plug has a spring loaded tab that must be pressed in order to release the plug.
Step 4 - Ignore the supplied instructions when trying to remove the ECU. The instructions specified a 6mm bolt that needed to be removed. I found that the ECU bracket was mounted to the dash with a 10mm bolt and tried very briefly to remove this bolt. It wasn't an easy task, so I sat back and thought about another approach. I then realized that the ECU's could be slid from the steel brackets to which they were attached. So, I just slid both ECU's from their brackets (do this slowly as not to bend the bracket) and swapped the new ECU in for the old.
Step 5 - Reassemble everything. Reconnect the ECU plug to the new ECU. Reaffix the access panel to the dashboard by realigning the two clips and reattaching the two screws.
Step 6 - Go for a test drive!
The instructions indicate that the installation should take about 20 minutes. The only reason it should take anyone this long to swap out their steering ECU is if they can't figure out which way to turn a screwdriver to loosen the screws!
As far as the ride goes, I can't say that I notice a tremendous difference. While I've only driven to the supermarket and back, and thus haven't had a chance to really notice any difference, I can say that it does feel like there is somewhat less assist at the speeds I have driven so far. Maybe it's real, maybe it's a placebo effect. Who knows? Some people seem to think that the SportDesign GS's (that's what I have) already come with the L-Tuned ECU, so perhaps I shouldn't notice any change at all. After I've had a chance to do a bit more testing, I'll update this post with my results.
). I met Steve, Bobby and Gordon in person for the first time. What a great bunch of guys!The embedded images are the smaller versions automatically created by the Gallery. Check out my gallery for much higher resolution versions.
Here's what ~$130 will get you:
Here are the required tools for the installation:
Here's a good close-up of the new ECU:
For anyone who has had questions about how the ECU is installed, it's pretty simple. Here, I've paraphrased the supplied instructions, eliminated those that I found to be obsolete and added some tips that I've picked up here at CL.
Step 1 - Mark the new ECU with anything that will allow you to identify at the L-Tuned version, in case you somehow manage to confuse the new ECU with the old one. I learned from previous CL posts that this was a very good idea, but as it turns out the new ECU was a different color than my old unit.
In this image, I'm marking my new ECU with two perpendicular lines. Why? I dunno, it just seemd to make sense at the time. (Note that I'm not really marking the ECU in the picture. I'm really right handed and had marked the ECU just prior to taking this picture. I used my left hand as a stand in for this picture while my right hand snapped the picture.)
Step 2 - Loosen two screws and two clips holding the access panel beneath the steering column. See the image below for the locations of the screws and clips.
The screws are located in the left-most and right-most hilighted areas. One clip in located in the center hilighted area.
Here the access panel has been removed. This is the location of the second clip, directly beneath the steering column. Also hilighted in the location from which the clip should be unfastened.
Step 3 - Locate the ECU according to the instructions. You may have to stick your head into the underdash area to get a good view of the ECU location. I found that I could peek through a slit beneath the parking brake release and clearly see the ECU. Once you've found the ECU, pull the plug on it! Like most automotive electrical connections, the plug has a spring loaded tab that must be pressed in order to release the plug.
Step 4 - Ignore the supplied instructions when trying to remove the ECU. The instructions specified a 6mm bolt that needed to be removed. I found that the ECU bracket was mounted to the dash with a 10mm bolt and tried very briefly to remove this bolt. It wasn't an easy task, so I sat back and thought about another approach. I then realized that the ECU's could be slid from the steel brackets to which they were attached. So, I just slid both ECU's from their brackets (do this slowly as not to bend the bracket) and swapped the new ECU in for the old.
Step 5 - Reassemble everything. Reconnect the ECU plug to the new ECU. Reaffix the access panel to the dashboard by realigning the two clips and reattaching the two screws.
Step 6 - Go for a test drive!
The instructions indicate that the installation should take about 20 minutes. The only reason it should take anyone this long to swap out their steering ECU is if they can't figure out which way to turn a screwdriver to loosen the screws!
As far as the ride goes, I can't say that I notice a tremendous difference. While I've only driven to the supermarket and back, and thus haven't had a chance to really notice any difference, I can say that it does feel like there is somewhat less assist at the speeds I have driven so far. Maybe it's real, maybe it's a placebo effect. Who knows? Some people seem to think that the SportDesign GS's (that's what I have) already come with the L-Tuned ECU, so perhaps I shouldn't notice any change at all. After I've had a chance to do a bit more testing, I'll update this post with my results.
Last edited by rominl; Aug 26, 2007 at 05:02 PM.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 2,702
Likes: 16
From: CA
I thought (...and have read in other posts) that any of the newer cars had the updated ECU...especially your '03 SD. I would be very interested in feedback after you have drove it around for a while.
Off the subject, but did you buy the side skirts before the GB? Hope not.
Off the subject, but did you buy the side skirts before the GB? Hope not.
Thread Starter
Lead Lap
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 771
Likes: 0
From: California
Originally posted by KVA
I thought (...and have read in other posts) that any of the newer cars had the updated ECU...especially your '03 SD. I would be very interested in feedback after you have drove it around for a while.
Off the subject, but did you buy the side skirts before the GB? Hope not.
I thought (...and have read in other posts) that any of the newer cars had the updated ECU...especially your '03 SD. I would be very interested in feedback after you have drove it around for a while.
Off the subject, but did you buy the side skirts before the GB? Hope not.
)Regarding the side skirts, I was in on the GB and got the GB price.
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