WinOLS Mastery: Map Identification & Editing: File Management
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File Management
02.55
| 00:00 | - Any time you're tuning an ECU regardless whether it's an aftermarket or factory ECU, managing your files is very important. |
| 00:08 | In particular when we're reflashing a factory ECU, it's critical to carefully save the stock calibration in order to make sure that we always have a standard backup to revert to if something goes wrong or perhaps we're not happy with the way the car is responding to our tune. |
| 00:23 | This takes on another layer of importance with OLS since as previously discussed, we always start with an original file and then any changes to that file are saved as versions. |
| 00:35 | This allows us to easily revert to stock but also to view our tune changes in relation to the original file at a glance. |
| 00:42 | This process of saving aptly named versions that include sufficient information about what was changed and what the file suits becomes increasingly important if you want to become a file reseller where you're providing your files to others, either as a plug and play solution or as a starting point that they can then further refine. |
| 01:02 | This leads us to one issue that's becoming increasingly more important as time goes on. |
| 01:08 | It's increasingly likely that you may be faced with tuning a car that already has a modified calibration. |
| 01:15 | Back perhaps 10 years ago this was less of a concern as the likelihood of being presented with a tuned vehicle was slight. |
| 01:23 | Perhaps in the range of 10%. |
| 01:25 | These days the chances are much higher, perhaps in the vicinity of 40% depending on the specific region of the world you're operating in. |
| 01:33 | So how do you know if you have a stock file and what do you do if it's not? That admittedly is a tricky question to answer. |
| 01:41 | Hints that the vehicle may have been modified include the obvious fitment of aftermarket components, although that alone doesn't guarantee the vehicle's been tuned. |
| 01:50 | If you're tuning on a dyno then power output that exceeds the factory specification is obviously a clear giveaway. |
| 01:57 | Another way of confirming whether the car has been tuned is to check the flash counter. |
| 02:02 | This is a number that's incremented every time the ECU is flashed. |
| 02:06 | This does need to be treated with a little care as there may be a legitimate factory software upgrade that's been performed as part of regular servicing that will also increment the flash counter. |
| 02:16 | Depending on the tool that you're using for reading and writing as well as the generation of controller that you're tuning, often the read will be what's referred to as virtual where the ECU identifier will be used to download an original calibration from the internet. |
| 02:32 | This ensures that you're always working from a stock file but it does mean that if you're dealing with a tuned car, you're going to lose any previous calibration changes. |
| 02:41 | Some tools will also provide a back to stock function which allows you to source a stock file and flash this back into the vehicle to ensure that you're starting from an original file. |
