96 1.8T ECU

[wizzo]

Hello everyone, new to this forum.

I just purchased a 96 b5 a4 1.8t with quattro and 5 speed manuel. I live in the United Arab Emirates, plan for the car is to go with a big turbo most likely a 3071 or 3076. However the ECU seems untunable and the more i read the more confused i become. Ive posted on vwvortex and audizine with little info. Seems that in the US they do not have the no letter ecu or 'box ecu' as some call it which i have sitting in my engine bay.

What are the solutions other than a a standalone such as lugtronics or a haltech?

Ive read about swapping ECU's from other VW's and Audi's in place of this ecu?

Would it be very hard to swap in a me7 ecu so that we could run with a wideband even though that would involve swapping the throttle body and gas pedal?

How about flashable me5 ecu's so i would have the option of running software such as eurodyne maestro7 so that i could tune my car?

Thanks for any help everyone.

 

[Bradderz_1988]

Convert it to the later style AEB loom and ecu and have it chipped.

or same as above and use an ecu from a a3/golf with agu ecu ending in 018 R or 018 CJ and remove the immo !!

 

[jcb]

get a eurodyne chip from the US if you want to stick with the stock ECU/loom
They produced an option for the earlier non flash ECU's

I had one in 630cc tune (planned for a 3071) which I sold to a guy in the US, but you sometimes see them pop up on VW Vortex

I also have an AJL ECU for sale if you wanted a spare!!

 

[wizzo]

get a eurodyne chip from the US if you want to stick with the stock ECU/loom
They produced an option for the earlier non flash ECU's

I had one in 630cc tune (planned for a 3071) which I sold to a guy in the US, but you sometimes see them pop up on VW Vortex

I also have an AJL ECU for sale if you wanted a spare!!

But even if i got the eurodyne chip i wouldnt be able to flash the ecu and make changes..

If i change to the newer ecu and loom, it is a me5 ecu, which is flashable and i will have alot of tune options however not mafless? Also when installing the new loom is it almost plug and play or more of a big job..

Last thing, has anyone here tried to swap in a me7 ecu from the newer b5's and b6's?

 

[aragorn]

You wont get anything for the old 557 ECU. Hard enough just trying to get a normal chip for them these days, never mind big turbo stuff.

There are some options for the 558x ECU's as JCB mentions.

Marks converted his to ME7.5 and i've got the bits to convert mine, i just need to get my finger out and do it.

Loom is almost plug and play on a 2000 car, but your '96 will need the bulkhead plugs cut/spliced to fit.

 

[wizzo]

You wont get anything for the old 557 ECU. Hard enough just trying to get a normal chip for them these days, never mind big turbo stuff.

There are some options for the 558x ECU's as JCB mentions.

Marks converted his to ME7.5 and i've got the bits to convert mine, i just need to get my finger out and do it.

Loom is almost plug and play on a 2000 car, but your '96 will need the bulkhead plugs cut/spliced to fit.

Do you have a parts list of what's needed? Also what are the bulk head plugs? Might be better off going with a haltech 500 or 1000 since I'm already drive by cable and have the dumb coil packs which work with haltech. .