L-Tuned Steering ECU - The FINAL Word
10-12-01, 01:39 PM
#16
Lead Lap
Join Date: May 2001
Location: CA
Posts: 518
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally posted by RealMarty
Sure would seem so -- the 430'S ECU is somewhere between the 300/400'S and the L-Tuned.
I'm beginning to wonder if they meant to put the L-Tuned ECU program in the 430s and screwed up the programming somehow and got something in the middle. Since they all have the same part number it woudn't be tough to confuse them.
How the hell can they be different and all have the same part number. What inventory genius thought that one up?
Wonder if I should keep my original ECU in case there's a recall?
Sure would seem so -- the 430'S ECU is somewhere between the 300/400'S and the L-Tuned.
I'm beginning to wonder if they meant to put the L-Tuned ECU program in the 430s and screwed up the programming somehow and got something in the middle. Since they all have the same part number it woudn't be tough to confuse them.
How the hell can they be different and all have the same part number. What inventory genius thought that one up?
Wonder if I should keep my original ECU in case there's a recall?
I purchased the L-Tuned ECU before, however, upon hearing that it's already in my 430, I sold the ECU. I do not like to test out electronic parts in my new car being that I've done extensive electronic upgrades to my other cars and I know what shape it's in today
Also, if Lexus or L-Tuned claimed that the L-Tuned ECU is in our 430, but it's not, shouldn't we get the right one by one of them, instead of paying out of our own pocket to correct their mistake? that just doesn't seem right to me.
Last edited by lex430; 10-12-01 at 01:50 PM.
10-14-01, 10:24 AM
#17
Lexus Test Driver
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: CA
Posts: 1,423
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Real Marty, your info has been most helpful. Thank you very much and we all apreciate your efforts in this report.
I just hope sooner or later Ltuned enhancements are a factory option that can be bought at the dealership at the time of purchase, similar to BMW offerring their sports packages. Most dealerships (especially my local one) do little or any Ltuning per a customer's request and they make you feel like it's a hassle.
I just hope Lexus will learn soon that a sports enhancement package (such as Ltuned) has to be offerred as a factory option, so we don't have to go through all of this confusion.
Thank you again.
I just hope sooner or later Ltuned enhancements are a factory option that can be bought at the dealership at the time of purchase, similar to BMW offerring their sports packages. Most dealerships (especially my local one) do little or any Ltuning per a customer's request and they make you feel like it's a hassle.
I just hope Lexus will learn soon that a sports enhancement package (such as Ltuned) has to be offerred as a factory option, so we don't have to go through all of this confusion.
Thank you again.
04-10-23, 08:05 PM
#18
L tuned ecu for Ls?
Does anyone know if the L tuned steering ecu will work for a 98-00 Ls400?
Bit came over today and installed the L-Tuned steering ecu in my GS 430.
First, thanks to Sasha for supplying the instructions. bit did his install a year ago and having the instructions as a reminder came in VERY handy.
Second, THANK YOU BIT . I know I could have figured it out. But I'd probably have taken four times as long and I'd probably still be putting it (and my sore vertabrae) back together. Really appreciate your doing it for me.
Now to the meat of the info.
1. I had a GS 400 for 3 1/2 years with the standard ECU.
2. Bit has a '00 GS 400 that came with the standard ECU and now has the L-Tuned ECU.
3. I've had an '01 GS 430 for a month. Two weeks ago I had the L-Tuned suspension installed.
4. The folks at L-Tuned have told me that the '01 GS 430 comes with the L-Tuned ECU while the GS 300s come with the non-L-Tuned ecu.
5. I purchased the L-Tuned ECU and bit and I proceeded to set up a test to compare the two to see what we experienced.
6. With the OEM ECU installed we both drove my GS 430 over a course that included some low speed turns and high speed highway driving. We did not talk to each other about the steering or compare notes about our experince of the feel of the steering so we did not influence each other.
7. We then both drove the same course after the ECU was installed
8. We then compared our conclusions.
What we concluded:
There is DEFINATELY A DIFFERENCE. Both bit and I came to the same independent conclusions and only compared notes after both test drives.
a. The GS430 ECU is NOT the same as the L-Tuned ECU.
b. The L-Tuned ECU makes the wheel stiffer to turn at all speeds. The wheel offers more resistance to turning whether you are standing still or going 80 mph.
c. There in less "slop" in the wheel. The inch or so of turning play before the steering wheel starts to turn the car is gone. At low speeds when you begin to turn the wheel the car begins to enter the turn.
d. The "dead" spot in the center of the wheel at highway speeds is gone. At high speed if you turn the wheel a half inch you have just changed lanes.
----------------------------------------------------
Now some opinions -
Although the ECU cannot change the mechanical steering ratio, I believe the lack of slop in the steering mentioned in item "c" above is why the L-Tuned ECU makes the steering appear to be "faster" on tight turns.
Another opinion - The GS 430 ECU feels different from my '98 GS400. I believe there is a difference in the ECU between the older GS400s and the 01 GS300s and the GS430 but this test produced no emperical data to confirm it.
First, thanks to Sasha for supplying the instructions. bit did his install a year ago and having the instructions as a reminder came in VERY handy.
Second, THANK YOU BIT . I know I could have figured it out. But I'd probably have taken four times as long and I'd probably still be putting it (and my sore vertabrae) back together. Really appreciate your doing it for me.
Now to the meat of the info.
1. I had a GS 400 for 3 1/2 years with the standard ECU.
2. Bit has a '00 GS 400 that came with the standard ECU and now has the L-Tuned ECU.
3. I've had an '01 GS 430 for a month. Two weeks ago I had the L-Tuned suspension installed.
4. The folks at L-Tuned have told me that the '01 GS 430 comes with the L-Tuned ECU while the GS 300s come with the non-L-Tuned ecu.
5. I purchased the L-Tuned ECU and bit and I proceeded to set up a test to compare the two to see what we experienced.
6. With the OEM ECU installed we both drove my GS 430 over a course that included some low speed turns and high speed highway driving. We did not talk to each other about the steering or compare notes about our experince of the feel of the steering so we did not influence each other.
7. We then both drove the same course after the ECU was installed
8. We then compared our conclusions.
What we concluded:
There is DEFINATELY A DIFFERENCE. Both bit and I came to the same independent conclusions and only compared notes after both test drives.
a. The GS430 ECU is NOT the same as the L-Tuned ECU.
b. The L-Tuned ECU makes the wheel stiffer to turn at all speeds. The wheel offers more resistance to turning whether you are standing still or going 80 mph.
c. There in less "slop" in the wheel. The inch or so of turning play before the steering wheel starts to turn the car is gone. At low speeds when you begin to turn the wheel the car begins to enter the turn.
d. The "dead" spot in the center of the wheel at highway speeds is gone. At high speed if you turn the wheel a half inch you have just changed lanes.
----------------------------------------------------
Now some opinions -
Although the ECU cannot change the mechanical steering ratio, I believe the lack of slop in the steering mentioned in item "c" above is why the L-Tuned ECU makes the steering appear to be "faster" on tight turns.
Another opinion - The GS 430 ECU feels different from my '98 GS400. I believe there is a difference in the ECU between the older GS400s and the 01 GS300s and the GS430 but this test produced no emperical data to confirm it.
The following users liked this post:
annjones13 (10-04-23)
04-11-23, 01:27 AM
#19
You would probably have better luck posting this question in the 2Gen LS forum but if you have already tried that, your best bet would be going to eBay and pull up pictures of both a stock LS steering ECU, and find photos of a stock GS steering ECU and see if the part numbers are the same? And see if the wiring harness looks identical. And that should answer your question pretty quickly
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
