Questions & Answers

1. Q: How do I find out which ECM is installed in my bike?
Download EcmSpy, install it and try to connect to the ECM. If the connection will be successfull, the ECM type will be shown in the status bar at the bottom. In case you get an error message as shown in the user's guide, have a view at the a list of the supported ECM types.
2. Q: My copy of EcmSpy shows a "Mono.dll not found" error message and stops.
This error message could be caused by either an invalid PATH variable (the PATH variable must include the directory where the executable mono.exe resides) or when an inappropriate Mono runtime version was installed. Please adjust your PATH variable or install the required Mono runtime version, as appropriate.
3. Q: My copy of EcmSpy fails to start/crashes unexpectedly. How to proceed?
Open the Mono Command Prompt. Change the directory to the EcmSpy home directory (usually "C:\program files\EcmSpy_Mono") and enter: "mono --debug ecmspy_mono.exe". (Please note the double dash before 'debug'!) You will now hopefully get some error messages displayed in the command window, pointing in the direction to search.
4. Q: I get an error message when I try to do some task. What's going wrong?
First of all, the error message should give a first hint what's happening. If the problem can't be solved from the error message alone, close EcmSpy. Start EcmSpy and open the "Messages" tab. Set the severity level to 3 (do not set it to 0 as this might lock up your PC) and redo the task that led to the error message. Again open the messages tab and reset the severity level to 9 (this suppresses most messages except critical errors). Locate the debug log (it's name is shown in the messages tab also, usually stored in the "%userprofile%\documents\ecmspy\applog\" directory). Close EcmSpy and backup the log file for further processing. This text file can be opened with the notepad or wordpad application, or any other text processing application.
5. Q: I get an error message regarding missing drivers when starting EcmSpy. Why?
The EcmSpy application embeds software from FTDI to directly connect to a FTDI USB-to-Serial convertor cable. If no drivers for this cable are found, the embedded software will show a message. This message can safely be ignored or fully supressed by installing the drivers for a FTDI USB-to-Serial convertor cable, available from the FTDI website.
6. Q: Can I connect to a Buell Factory Race ECM or a EBR Race ECM?
Yes, you have to choose 'Factory Race' as the ECM type from the connection dialog then. Some 'Street' ECM from EBR do not require this, so best to try both options.
7. Q: Changes in entry fields are not kept and revert to their old setting as I proceed to another one.
Entry fields, that hold numbers or characters, require changed values being submitted by hitting 'enter' or 'return' on the keyboard. This is to inhibit unintended changes.
8. Q: Can I burn an EEPROM copy from another ECM type into mine?
No, and EcmSpy will protect you from doing so. Never try to do this (using some other tool), as the EEPROMs are of different size and the ECM will stop working then.
9. Q: When performing a TPS reset, will EcmSpy modify the EEPROM?
No, as a TPS reset is performed by starting a routine available at the ECM's firmware, similar to running a fan or fuel pump test. No data will be sent to the EEPROM. The TPS reset procedure is common to all available tools as well as H-D's Digital Assistant.
10. Q: Can I perform a TPS reset or a ECM reset by removing power from the ECM?
No, this is impossible. All data are stored in the EEPROM, which is made to keep data when powered down. To change data inside the EEPROM, it has to be powered on and old data need to be overwritten by new data.
11. Q: How are rear and front values named in the log file?
If the sensor is available in DDFI-2, then it's mostly the rear cylinder which is monitored. In that case the name is unchanged. If for DDFI-3 a front sensor is available additionally, it's value will have a trailing '1': O2 - O21, AFV - AFV1, EGO Corr. - EGO1 corr. and so on. If in DDFI-2 were two values present already, these are kept unchanged, e. g. pw1 & pw2, veCurr1 & veCurr2, spark1 & spark2 ...
12. Q: Will EcmSpy log both O2 sensor for the new bikes (2010 models)?
Yes, as long as the ECM is not configured otherwise. The O2 sensor voltages will show up as O2 and O21 (suffix 1 for the front cylinder) and as O2-ADC and O21-ADC for the raw byte values in the log file.
13. Q: Why are there 3 MAP variables (MAP, MAP1, MAP2) in the logfile?
DDFI-3 Helicon engines are equiped with one MAP sensor, which is connected to the front and the rear manifold. Front and rear MAP values are taken at different times, but from the same sensor. Therefor all values related to the sensor hardware have no suffix, whereas all values related to the front or rear cylinder have the '1' or '2' suffix.
14. Q: Which wideband O2 sensors are supported?
Currently up to two Innovate LC-1 lambda cables or PCX SM-AFR controllers are the only devices supported. If you use LC-1 controllers and frequently experience an error code 8 in overrun after WOT, please contact Innovate Motorsports and ask for the latest firmware, describing your problem.
15. Q: Are the wideband O2 values shown in the logfile?
Yes, these values are displayed as lambda and AFR (calculated for gasoline, stoichometric AFR=14.7). The wideband variables will show up in the text log only and not be stored in the binary log.
16. Q: Will EcmSpy store accel and decel conditions in the logfile?
Yes, all required engine parameters used by the MLV software are stored in the logfile, to help the VE analyzer to skip unusable records.
17. Q: MLV is complaining about TPS-8bit not found in the log file. What happened to the TPS-8bit value?
The TPS-8bit value, which represents the Y-axis in all DDFI and DDFI-2 maps, has been renamed to 'Load' (rear cylinder) and 'Load1' (front cylinder, where applicable). DDFI-3 won't use the TPS input on it's own for calculating load, but is capable to add MAP sensor input to this calculation also. This is reflected in the new name and requires an adjustment of the MLV software.
18. Q: Will using two wideband O2 sensor make MegaLogViewer run VE analysis for both cylinders together?
No, each cylinder needs to be analyzed on it's own.