Link ECU plug and play solution!

[6A13TT TYPE S]

As far as I'm aware Gary and Jason from over on Clubvr4.com aren't active here so being as I've just got my car up and running using one of these link ECU base boards I thought Id sing their praises here.

6A1 Interface for Link ECU – Mitsubishi Legnum / Galant VR-4 – Adaptive Engineering

www.adaptiveengineering.co.uk

The link ecu plug in range are comprised of 2 circuit boards, the top board which is the brains of the operation (and all the same between all of variants of the plug in range) and the base board which is basically just a PCB version of a "patch harness" which allows the standardised top board to connect to specific vehicles.

Link unfortunately dont offer a plug in offering for the 8g 6A13TT VR4s.

In the past some people have used Evo 4-8 plug in ecus as they share the same header plug as the VR4. but evos only have 2 coils and 4 injectors so to make the evo plug in work you need to not only depin and repin the loom header plug to get the wires to connect to the right pins on the ecu but you also need to solder on some jumper wires inside the ecu itself to add the functionality to the pins where the evo ecu is lacking (injector 5/6 and the 3rd coil etc.) This obviously is a less than ideal soloution and introduces a labour cost to installing the ecu.

The Adaptive Engineering "base board" interfaces perfectly between a Link top board and the VR4 engine harness with no fucking around.
The beauty of the link plug in ranges standardised top board construction means you can buy the cheapest plug in ecu in the range as all the top boards are the same. Case in point a 2100NZD Evo 1-3 ecu is the same top board as a 3000NZD Evo 4-8 ECU
When you think about it that way a $2100 early evo ecu plus 500 odd dollars to get the base board landed this side of the world your still 400 bucks better off vs buying a late evo 4-8 plug in! and you dont have to do a hack job of soldering jumper wires onto your ecu.

Its as easy as buy a plug in, rob the top board off it, screw it onto the adaptive base board, load in a .PCLX tune/configuration file and voliá! You have a fully functional aftermarket ecu thats tuneable without the headache of roms and definition files. And with these cars getting older and older, less and less tuning places are willing to fuck around with reflash tuning unless they have buckets of experience on the platform such as people like TME Steve.

Not to mention the links ability to to add in sensors and extra functionality such as oil/fuel pressure/temp
Flex fuel. Drive by wire throttle etc etc

 

[Blackbandt]

I also own Garry and Jason's board and have had it installed since June 29th. Garry and Jason's support is wonderful. Whether you have problems or questions, you can always reach them via WhatsApp and help immediately as soon as you find the time. I took the link plugin from a Subaru WRX6 and it is very easy to install on Garry and Jason's board.

For me it was well worth it

 

[Adrian1999]

For my understanding, with these interface I can run a Link G4+ from Evo 1-3?

 

[6A13TT TYPE S]

Any plug in link top board will work but yes the evo 1-3 is one of the cheaper ones.

 

[Confused]

Thank you Adam for the lovely write up!

Must also credit Dave, who helped with the design process too, although it's myself and Jason who are the more vocal ones of the partnership!

We were frustrated with the lack of a plug and play solution for our cars, and there being basically no aftermarket support for them anywhere, and we wanted a better way to install a newer, faster, more capable ECU, so whilst designing it for ourselves, we thought why not also offer it out to others!


To answer your question, @Adrian1999 , as Adam said, any G4+ or G4X top board will work - so basically find the cheapest you can get, doesn't matter which car it's supposed to be for!

I'll set up notifications for this thread, so will try to answer any further questions people may have!

 

[haledubs]

HT-140831 Elite 1000/1500 Mitsubishi Galant VR4 and Eclipse 1G Plug 'n' Play Adaptor Harness - Haltech

HT-140831 Elite 1000/1500 Mitsubishi Galant VR4 and Eclipse 1G Plug ‘n’ Play Adaptor Harness.,,,,. Outputs: . Suits:Plug ‘n’ Play replacement of the factory ECU for Mitsubishi Galant VR4 (Australian Delivered and JDM) Eclipse 1G Turbo (JDM and USDM) Manual transmission only.. Includes: Injection...

www.haltech.com

This is showing base tunes for a 4G63T, these won't be plug and play with the 6A13TT vr4 legnums would they? Assuming since its showing as plug and play for a VR4 Galant and an Eclipse?

Otherwise will be looking into this link interface

 

[Confused]

That's for the 6th generation Galant VR-4 with the 4G63T - which is what almost everything "Galant VR-4" on the internet/aftermarket is targeted at...

So, they'll definitely not be plug-and-play, as it's only a 3 connector as well, like the Evo 1-3 Link board.

 

[haledubs]

Damn, thought it was too good to be true. Bloody haltech.

I've looked into the adaptive engineering kit, might have to spend some moolah

 

[Confused]

You'll find it everywhere, you think you've found a nice product, then only later do you realise that it's the 6th gen Galant

Even Link themselves do a VR4Link ECU - but again, it's the same thing, for the 6th gen...

No one out there even really knows these cars exist!

 

[haledubs]

yeah I picked up the leggy about a month ago and have some big plans for her, but slowly been discovering the lack of options offered. This forum has led me the way to rinse my bank account nonetheless

 

[Wakaba]

@Confused - Figured I’d ask this here to keep the knowledge source going for all to reference.

Talk to me about COP and the advantage/disadvantage to wasted spark v. Sequential. I’m still a couple months out before I take that step, but I’m trying to get my ducks in a row.

Additionally, is there a way to switch the MAF adapter harness 5v #2 to a digital input for an E85 sensor?

 

[6A13TT TYPE S]

Unless your doing individual cylinder spark trims you really dont need sequential spark. If your doing a wire in ecu you would just out of principal but running 6 coils in a batch fire (wasted spark) configuration is perfectly acceptable for 99.9 percent of people modifying their cars .

I put an ethanol content sensor on the maf wire but you need to depin the wire at the ecu header plug and repin it into DI1 to get the signal to the correct input on the link. Easily enough done.

 

[Confused]

Swapping out the standard 25+ year old coil packs and changing to individual Coil On Plug is a benefit, even if you stick with Wasted Spark. Just because it's COP doesn't mean it can't still be wasted spark. Until you get to about 9000+ RPM, the benefit of sequential ignition isn't really noticed IMO. I personally think that the 3 extra outputs is more useful than going to Sequential Ignition

And as Adam says, you could re-pin at the ECU end to use one of the spare wires in the MAF loom. We figured that analogue inputs for fuel pressure, oil temp/pressure etc would be most useful - no easy access to E85 over here in the UK, so Flex Fuel hasn't come into our thinking yet.

There is the Idle Position Switch in the throttle body connector which is routed from the engine bay to a Digital Input on the ECU - so if you wanted to keep the MAF wires for the analogue/temp, you could maybe pick up on the TPS connector for Flex Fuel signal?

 

[Wakaba]

Thank you gents. I’ll be doing plugs in the spring so might as well do a COP conversion while I’m in there. Just need to get the minister of finance to allow for it.

I figured using one of the extra MAF wires for an e85 sensor would be a simple repin.