DIY - DME/ECU Read Write and Tuning Guide

su_root · 05-29-2016, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by te37

Quote:

Originally Posted by thisisdave

My guess (and a wildly uneducated one at that) is that the buses needed to throw the DME into a TPROT password dump state are no longer accessible via the cabin's OBDII port. Prior, they had been, and an adequately-equipped device would be able to signal to the DME to dump the TPROT bytes, would store them, flip the DME into boot mode (via the equivalent of our "Pin 19" on the MEVD17.2.G in our cars--perhaps another bus unavailable via OBDII) and store the stock file, and then write its own file.

This is just conjecture, again, and is based only from my understanding of how my Cobb AP behaved with my N54 e82.

So what are the other flash tuning companies doing to the DME that lets them write to the full memory? Because if I remember correctly one company told me that once they bench flash my DME and send it back to me I can change maps on my own (go up to stage 2 or back to stock) through the OBD port.

That functionality is beyond the scope of this DIY.

On another note. I should be back in town tomorrow night and continue progress this week.

Thanks for all the input and motivation. Im confident this will open many new possibilities for Fxx owners and tuning houses alike for that matter.

te37 · 05-30-2016, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by su_root

That functionality is beyond the scope of this DIY.

On another note. I should be back in town tomorrow night and continue progress this week.

Thanks for all the input and motivation. Im confident this will open up a world of new possibilities for Fxx owners.

The task you are trying to accomplish is to read and write the whole flash to modify the engine parameters? Not to crack/hack the ecu to do new things i.e. read and write full through obd?

heckyeahbro69 · 05-30-2016, 11:20 AM

I one day hope to live in a world where I can tune my own car again. I used to drive around paul walker style with a laptop open so i could log and flash my evos and r33 at will. Maybe one day

su_root · 05-30-2016, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by te37

Quote:

Originally Posted by su_root

That functionality is beyond the scope of this DIY.

On another note. I should be back in town tomorrow night and continue progress this week.

Thanks for all the input and motivation. Im confident this will open up a world of new possibilities for Fxx owners.

The task you are trying to accomplish is to read and write the whole flash to modify the engine parameters? Not to crack/hack the ecu to do new things i.e. read and write full through obd?

Correct. This is basic DME Read/Patch/Write 101.

te37 · 05-30-2016, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by su_root

Correct. This is basic DME Read/Patch/Write 101.

I assume the file needs signed/ hashed whatever before it can be uploaded back? You can't just modify it then put it back on?

su_root · 05-30-2016, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by te37

Quote:

Originally Posted by su_root

Correct. This is basic DME Read/Patch/Write 101.

I assume the file needs signed/ hashed whatever before it can be uploaded back? You can't just modify it then put it back on?

Not exactly. just hang on until the writeup is complete and then we can jump onto q&a.

su_root · 06-13-2016, 08:45 AM

After 2 weeks of not having any spare time to work on this Im happy to report some updates! Base dyno numbers were done over the weekend and I pulled the DME.

Pulling the DME was part straightfoward and part discovery. I started a separate thread and posted all the videos there. I figured Id keep this thread focused on the reading/writing part.

I brought the DME into work today and Im hoping to get it wired up and attempt an initial read later today

G30 B58 · 06-13-2016, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by su_root

I brought the DME into work today and Im hoping to get it wired up and attempt an initial read later today

What is your day job super user?

su_root · 06-13-2016, 01:32 PM

DME has been dumped and attached in the post #2.

Feel free to use the file and play around with it with any tuning software you may have available to you. What Id really like to see is a collaborative effort to find the maps that we all want(ZCP or GTS stuff) and then share your finding with the community.

Enjoy!

[EDIT] In order to follow forum rules I cannot post the full DME as this is BMW intellectual property.

stealth70mde · 06-13-2016, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by su_root

DME has been dumped and attached in the post #2.

Hi, I can't see the file you are referring to in post 2.

aboulfad · 06-13-2016, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stealth70mde

Hi, I can't see the file you are referring to in post 2.

That's because it's not for your eyes

it's not there, my guess OP took it out realizing it's a no no to publish and share your DME read. Btw, do you have tuning software and know how in this area? Because we can team up and gut your M

su_root · 06-13-2016, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aboulfad

That's because it's not for your eyes

it's not there, my guess OP took it out realizing it's a no no to publish and share your DME read. Btw, do you have tuning software and know how in this area? Because we can team up and gut your M

Correct. I was on a bit of a high given what I was just able to do but I cannot share that file in its entirety.

I have 0 tuning experience but I do have a slighter outdated install of ECM Titanium. However since its outdated it does not have a pre-loaded driver for this vehicle and so it wasnt able to auto-identify maps when I loaded it up.

At this point I can either hand the file over to a remote tuner like i mentioned in Post1 or attempt to learn how to tune on my own. I dont have the resources or knowledge/equipment/etc to learn how to find and edit maps manually so I will likely take the former option.

stealth70mde · 06-13-2016, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aboulfad

That's because it's not for your eyes

it's not there, my guess OP took it out realizing it's a no no to publish and share your DME read. Btw, do you have tuning software and know how in this area? Because we can team up and gut your M

I was just curious to see what the file was containing and it's structure.

I wouldn't have been able to do anything with it that's for sure.

Besides, I am busy enough trying to understand the coding

aboulfad · 06-13-2016, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stealth70mde

...

Take any binary file and look at it with a hex editor and you'll think you are looking at the S55 DME file

maybe su_root can post a pic of a part of it!

te37 · 06-14-2016, 07:50 AM

Yummy! Now I'm curious to see what you do with the dump and how much a 3rd party will charge to "tune" your file.

su_root · 06-14-2016, 08:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by te37

Yummy! Now I'm curious to see what you do with the dump and how much a 3rd party will charge to "tune" your file.

Checkout my thoughts on Post#3. Its very likely my MPC will head over to Heinz-Performance or Sedox. I havent decided just yet.

Cost of their tunes start at 120-180 EURO. At the current exchange rate thats about $135-$202 USD. and they turn the file around in 30 minutes(during open business hours of course.

su_root · 06-14-2016, 08:18 AM

File extensions can vary from tool to tool being used to read. But after dumping the DME with my KTAG/KTM100 clone I ended up with 4 files.

.dim - ECU code?
.mpc - microcontroller
.e2p - EEPROM
.dtf - flash area?

the .mpc file is the file that needs to be sent to editing.

su_root · 06-14-2016, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stealth70mde

I was just curious to see what the file was containing and it's structure.

I wouldn't have been able to do anything with it that's for sure.

Besides, I am busy enough trying to understand the coding

The files are binary and read either in any HexEditor or in ECU tuning sofware. ECU Tuning software is essentially a purpose built HEX editor that works around the concept of maps/drivers/etc(each brand calls it their own name). These maps are shortcuts to the area of the file that controls say timing, or fuel delivery, or etc etc.

I will post some Hex 'compares' between my original files if enough people want to see them

CaryTheLabelGuy · 06-14-2016, 08:40 AM

Does anybody know of a good Open-Source ECU tuning software that has some of these tables already defined for the F-Series Bosch DME's? If so, let me know as I'd like to have a look to see what is in there.

I can tune just about anything, but I don't have any of the software required to properly read this DME's file. I'd need something with the tables already defined.

su_root · 06-14-2016, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaryTheLabelGuy

Does anybody know of a good Open-Source ECU tuning software that has some of these tables already defined for the F-Series Bosch DME's? If so, let me know as I'd like to have a look to see what is in there.

I can tune just about anything, but I don't have any of the software required to properly read this DME's file. I'd need something with the tables already defined.

I've looked around quite a bit but I havent come across free software that includes maps for the M4/S55 DME

su_root · 06-14-2016, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stealth70mde

I was just curious to see what the file was containing and it's structure.

I wouldn't have been able to do anything with it that's for sure.

Besides, I am busy enough trying to understand the coding

No worries. I can always dump your DME for you if you send it over. Same for any local guys in the South Florida area. Free of charge

te37 · 06-14-2016, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by su_root

Checkout my thoughts on Post#3. Its very likely my MPC will head over to Heinz-Performance or Sedox. I havent decided just yet.

Cost of their tunes start at 120-180 EURO. At the current exchange rate thats about $135-$202 USD. and they turn the file around in 30 minutes(during open business hours of course.

Little cheaper than tunes out now haha. Plus you have to tools to go back and forth.

05-30-2016, 11:20 AM	#25
heckyeahbro69 Captain 518 Rep 629 Posts Drives: m3 Join Date: May 2013 Location: united states iTrader: (0)	I one day hope to live in a world where I can tune my own car again. I used to drive around paul walker style with a laptop open so i could log and flash my evos and r33 at will. Maybe one day __________________
	Appreciate 0 Quote

06-13-2016, 08:45 AM	#29
su_root Lieutenant 168 Rep 405 Posts Drives: E92 M3 Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: CFL iTrader: (0)	After 2 weeks of not having any spare time to work on this Im happy to report some updates! Base dyno numbers were done over the weekend and I pulled the DME. Pulling the DME was part straightfoward and part discovery. I started a separate thread and posted all the videos there. I figured Id keep this thread focused on the reading/writing part. I brought the DME into work today and Im hoping to get it wired up and attempt an initial read later today Last edited by su_root; 06-13-2016 at 09:18 AM..
	Appreciate 2 Quote

06-13-2016, 01:32 PM	#31
su_root Lieutenant 168 Rep 405 Posts Drives: E92 M3 Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: CFL iTrader: (0)	DME has been dumped and attached in the post #2. Feel free to use the file and play around with it with any tuning software you may have available to you. What Id really like to see is a collaborative effort to find the maps that we all want(ZCP or GTS stuff) and then share your finding with the community. Enjoy! [EDIT] In order to follow forum rules I cannot post the full DME as this is BMW intellectual property. Last edited by su_root; 06-13-2016 at 03:15 PM..
	Appreciate 1 Quote

06-14-2016, 07:50 AM	#37
te37 Major 545 Rep 1,132 Posts Drives: F80 SS/SO 6MT Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: ATL iTrader: (3)	Yummy! Now I'm curious to see what you do with the dump and how much a 3rd party will charge to "tune" your file.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

06-14-2016, 08:18 AM	#39
su_root Lieutenant 168 Rep 405 Posts Drives: E92 M3 Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: CFL iTrader: (0)	File extensions can vary from tool to tool being used to read. But after dumping the DME with my KTAG/KTM100 clone I ended up with 4 files. .dim - ECU code? .mpc - microcontroller .e2p - EEPROM .dtf - flash area? the .mpc file is the file that needs to be sent to editing.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

06-14-2016, 08:40 AM	#41
CaryTheLabelGuy Colonel 2634 Rep 2,809 Posts Drives: 2016 M4 ZCP Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Jacksonville, FL iTrader: (0)	Does anybody know of a good Open-Source ECU tuning software that has some of these tables already defined for the F-Series Bosch DME's? If so, let me know as I'd like to have a look to see what is in there. I can tune just about anything, but I don't have any of the software required to properly read this DME's file. I'd need something with the tables already defined.
	Appreciate 0 Quote