ECU Flash Log Longevity

[TrippyPancakes]

I am thinking about ordering a KTuner and tuning my car, I know I run the risk of voiding my warranty even if I reflash back top stock before taking it in.
I have a more nuanced question about this though. I only plan to have my car flashed in the summer and will return it to stock each winter. If something were to go wrong in the middle of the winter (roughly 3 consecutive months of stock flash) will a honda dealer still be able to tell I flashed my ECU and void my warranty? Or are the logs too old at that point?

Thanks!

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[dallasjhawk]

Theses Ecu's do not have flash counters and do not store data logs on them unless you have an event like a DTC or cel. A reflash erases them anyway. You would be fine as long as you were flashed stock before you took it in. Doesnt matter if its 3 minutes before or 3 months before. The only "clock" this ecu has is a counter that starts at 0 and counts the time since ignition "On"

 

[Shankmeyster]

So if there are no readiness codes set then what are they going to say when you bring it in with a major motor failure?

You will always run the risk that you flashed and blew something up and there will be no way to set readiness with a motor that won't run. Happened to someone on here that they had flashed, blew the motor, tried to flash back and Honda had the ECU dug into and found he had flashed it and denied engine warranty. You always take that chance when you start tuning the ECU. Just be aware.

 

[dallasjhawk]

So if there are no readiness codes set then what are they going to say when you bring it in with a major motor failure?

You will always run the risk that you flashed and blew something up and there will be no way to set readiness with a motor that won't run. Happened to someone on here that they had flashed, blew the motor, tried to flash back and Honda had the ECU dug into and found he had flashed it and denied engine warranty. You always take that chance when you start tuning the ECU. Just be aware.

well if you blow your motor up to where it doesnt run, you have far bigger problems than no codes being set. That one case was in Canada as well. If you just have you typical CEL and you flash stock and then drive and you still have an issue, the CEL is going to come back on. If it doesn't then it was something in your tune you did. Yes there is always a risk, life itself is a risk, a dump truck could hit you in a cross walk tomorrow, but you weigh the risk and go on with life.

 

[mpir413]

I know this post is old now, but I have a question. Would you be able to hide the fact that you used a flashed ecu on a 10th gen civic if you purchased a secondhand ECU for the car, flashed the 2nd hand ECU and pulled the original one out and put it aside? Thus running the car on the 2nd hand flashed ECU and not the original ECU that came in the car. WOuld this help in any way?

 

[Shankmeyster]

In reality, we don't know what they can see or what gets logged in the ECU. All we do know is that the ECU manufacturer can pull a lot more off the ECU than a Honda dealer. The only reason they'd have to do this though would be a major engine failure.

 

[dallasjhawk]

I know this post is old now, but I have a question. Would you be able to hide the fact that you used a flashed ecu on a 10th gen civic if you purchased a secondhand ECU for the car, flashed the 2nd hand ECU and pulled the original one out and put it aside? Thus running the car on the 2nd hand flashed ECU and not the original ECU that came in the car. WOuld this help in any way?

Wont work, you would have to take the ECU in to the dealer for the immobilizer or the car wouldnt run. Then they would want to know why.

 

[Shankmeyster]

Apparently they do have flash counters and freeze logs for certain events. Here's one of the posts I was thinking of from last year. https://www.civicx.com/threads/sport-vs-base-1-5t.10398/page-3#post-238366

 

[dallasjhawk]

Apparently they do have flash counters and freeze logs for certain events. Here's one of the posts I was thinking of from last year. https://www.civicx.com/threads/sport-vs-base-1-5t.10398/page-3#post-238366

Ive always said they have freeze data if you have an event. They have no idea how many times he flashed, they dont have flash counters. Ive seen the HDS and dealt with service tech, service manager and adviser.

 

[dallasjhawk]

Apparently they do have flash counters and freeze logs for certain events. Here's one of the posts I was thinking of from last year. https://www.civicx.com/threads/sport-vs-base-1-5t.10398/page-3#post-238366

counterpoint, as I also have said, flashing is like unplugging the battery, it erases codes and stored data

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