Lada Granta first rolled off the assembly line in 2011. This car immediately took a leading position among cars in its class. Car enthusiasts were attracted by a good range of available options and the ability to choose a power unit. Car enthusiasts were given the opportunity to choose a transmission. You could choose to purchase the Grant with a manual 5-speed gearbox or with a Japanese automatic transmission.
Fuel was supplied to the Lada Granta through a line consisting of one pipe. The feed itself, like many things in this car, was controlled by an electronic control system. The electronic part, or computer, the ECU, received and processed data from various sensors, and then issued commands to the engine and other systems. Firmware for Lada Granta is a procedure for making changes to the operation of the main components of the car. This is nothing more than chip tuning.
Electronic control unit Lada Granta
Today, cars are no longer produced that are not controlled using electronics and software. An ECU is a control system, a controller. The ECU is the “brain” of any car. The controller, as already mentioned, receives various signals from sensors that are located on all important parts of the car. Sensors are located everywhere, from the fuel system to the chassis and wheels. Next, the control unit processes the received data. The ECU is designed to provide the main components of the car with more efficient and safe operation.
Smooth operation of the vehicle is guaranteed by the control unit
The ECU is a special chip that ensures trouble-free and proper operation of the main vehicle systems. If the chip fails, then the entire car fails. Like any electronics, this microcircuit can also be either reflashed or completely replaced. The ECU chip is enclosed in a sealed metal case.
In a car it can be found under the instrument panel. The plant uses the ECU to enter all the basic parameters of the engine and other main components, as well as the algorithms by which the engine and the car as a whole will operate. Let's look at the ECU that is equipped with the Lada Granta.
The main sensors and the control unit itself are integrated into the electronic engine control system, or ECM. It is here that the ECU chip exchanges data, and then the main controller controls the engine, injectors, regulates idle speed and the operation of many other components. To find out which unit is in the Grant and what version of firmware it is flashed with, it is not necessary to disassemble the car. This information can be found in the technical passport. It is duplicated on the block itself. This data is very important; without it, flashing or new firmware of the Lada Grant is impossible.
The ECM includes a system that is responsible for self-diagnosis. This system always checks whether the sensors are working correctly. If any data does not match anywhere, the self-diagnosis system informs the car owner about this in the form of error codes. The system stores all errors in its RAM.
Reviews from car owners about the 87 hp engine.
Most reviews are positive.
Mostly problems occur due to low-quality fuel and lubricants. The engine may start to stall and run intermittently (floating idle, stalls, loss of power, etc.). In this case, the “Check Engine” malfunction icon (indicator) should light up on the instrument panel.
The engine pulls well at low end; on the highway, even with a full load, there is enough power. This is especially noticeable when compared with a Ford Focus automatic: engine capacity 1.6, power 100 horsepower. Granta drives more fun, Focus “deflates” after 80 km per hour. As for Focus - personal experience, I owned just such a car.
How does the electronic unit on Grant work?
Before making changes to the car's firmware or performing diagnostics, you need to consider the basic principles. As much as some would like to jump right into making practical changes, you need to understand how the electronic “brain” works.
Any computing system, be it an ECU or a home PC, is a storage device. A home PC contains photos, videos, games, and work software. The computer constantly stores the user’s actions, errors, and data about software failures. All this is hidden among system files hidden from view.
The Lada Granta electronic control unit is also a computer, only the tasks it is designed to solve are more specific. There is also diagnostic information here. It is stored in RAM. This memory stores all the data that comes from various sensors. Information is stored until the block calculates everything it needs for some actions, then the information is erased from memory.
When it comes to diagnostic information, the car owner must be very careful. RAM cannot operate without a power source.
The control unit is a mini computer with specialized functionality
However, in addition to the RAM, there are other memory blocks of the controller. They are completely independent of nutrition. The data stored in them is unchanged. Unchangeable until new firmware is updated. These are PROM and ERPZU.
The first chip stores all the firmware data that was made at the factory. All the original algorithms and operation schemes of all nodes are embedded here. All diagnostic information, calibration data, vehicle weight, engine power and other Grant parameters are also stored here.
Engine life
Under the hood in the “Norma” configuration
The question that causes the most controversy. Officials talk about a mileage of 150,000 km before major repairs; some have traveled 200 thousand km or more without problems. I have a friend who already had his engine repaired at 40 thousand km because the timing belt broke. Yes, the engine here is “plug-in” - this means that if the timing belt breaks, the pistons meet the valves and you can see the fist of friendship.
Engine resource 87 hp. 21116 according to the passport - 150,000 km!
Studying the forums, based on my own experience, I can say that it all depends on how you will operate the engine. The most banal thing: the quality of the oil (choose correctly) and engine operating modes - this is what the mileage before you need to do major repairs depends on.
Features of the ECU for Lada Granta
The controller in this car has one feature. Thanks to it, there are enormous opportunities to make changes to algorithms and data.
A special feature is the CAN bus. The technologies used to transmit digital data are a highly complex system. However, it makes driving easier and improves reliability. This is achieved due to the higher speed of calculations based on information from sensors. A complex system in an ECM is a clear logical diagram. This makes it possible to eliminate failures in the electronic unit.
The bus uses broadcast technology to transfer data more efficiently. When additional sensors or other equipment appear, there is no need to make modifications to the firmware. This scheme allows you to increase the reliability of the control of vehicle components and saves wiring.
The bus allows you to combine a huge number of different sensors, control units and all sorts of systems without being tied to a specific control system in the engine. An immobilizer that runs on this bus can easily work with all devices.
Results
Most Grant owners switched to them from previous AvtoVAZ products. Granta, Priora and Kalina are almost identical cars, the only difference is “in the filling”, and the ancestors of these engines were installed on the VAZ-2108.
By modern standards, the engines are reliable and should not cause trouble to their owners.
At the end of last week, we visited a completely fresh Lada Granta, which we did chip tuning. Engine 1.6 with 8 valves and 87 hp. The exhaust system was replaced with a kit from the Stinger, so Euro-2 firmware was required with modified fuel supply schedules, OZ, etc.
Lada Granta cars were equipped with M74 units with K-line or CAN interfaces. We will program this unit by removing it from the car and connecting it on the table. What’s noteworthy is that the unit has a CAN bus, but “wanted” to be programmed only via K-Line.
For work we will use the original J2534 Openport 2.0 adapter, a universal Combiloader cable and a bootloader from the same manufacturer.
Reasons for flashing the ECU
Incorrect operation of the system can be eliminated by flashing it
Granta is equipped with an M74 controller 11186-1411020-12. Its functionality is significantly different from what was installed on cars previously. Firmware methods that could be used on other ECUs do not work here.
The car, configured at the factory, meets the requirements of car enthusiasts and Grant owners. However, some still flash the system. And there are several reasons for this:
- The 8-valve Granta does not hold speed when the air conditioning is on;
- there are difficulties in starting a cold engine;
- temperature conditions are incorrectly determined;
- stopping the engine;
- lack of dynamics;
- increased fuel consumption.
A Lada Granta with an automatic transmission may experience various kinds of difficulties when choosing the required gear already at medium speeds. Granta constantly wants to drive at lower speeds. In city mode with small traffic flows this is not critical, but when driving on the highway and in a dense flow of cars there may be problems when maneuvering.
Some motorists complain about the impossibility of smooth transitions and weak traction if the engine operates at low speeds. There is an opinion here that the controller was initially flawed, namely, the parametric characteristics were not calculated at the factory. Only firmware will help solve this situation.
Dynamics
External view of engine 21116
This is not a racing car, but there is enough power for both city driving and highway driving. If we compare it with the 16-valve engine of the Lada Granta, which is installed on the Luxury versions, then it has more torque at the bottom. This means that you can drive in 5th gear at a speed of 40 km/h.
For example, you are driving at 5 speed, the traffic light in front lights up red. You release the gas pedal and the car brakes with the engine. The light turns green and you can continue driving in 5th gear even if the vehicle speed has dropped to 40 km/h.
I was pleasantly surprised by the elasticity of the motor. Considering that I previously owned a Priora, and it has a 98 hp engine, then the engine is 87 hp. I like grants better.
What can be optimized in the power units of the Lada Granta
The plant sometimes releases new firmware and makes adjustments to the operation of the Unified Control System at warranty stations. But not everyone's car is under warranty, and not everyone who is under warranty receives this adjustment.
Many people continue to drive unfinished cars, not even suspecting that all their problems can be easily solved. You just need to make small changes that will optimize the operation of the engine and transmission components.
The Granta firmware allows you to solve the problem with the ignition timing, change the injection time, modify the exhaust gas toxicity control system, make changes to the algorithms that allow you to determine the octane number of gasoline, and optimize the operation of the automatic transmission.
Noise level
I switched to this car from the Renault Megane 2. My Renault was equipped with a 1.6-liter engine, a power of 113 horses, and the number of valves was 16.
After it, the Granta engine works like a tractor. Regardless of the car's mileage. Even the engine on the carburetor VAZ-21093 seemed quieter to me.
I specifically compared the noise level on a new Grant with a mileage of 5,000 km and on mine with a mileage of 55,000 km. As it warms up, the sound becomes quieter, but most likely you just get used to it.
But it is also worth considering that there are no hydraulic compensators, so you will have to adjust the valves. By the way, the engine in the luxury version (98 hp) also rumbles.
What to expect from ECU tuning
Reflashing allows you to correct errors and optimize vehicle performance
Companies offering chip tuning services develop and offer various software that allows you to optimize the basic performance of cars.
This process allows you to correct all sorts of errors, create a backup copy of the initial settings, study and adjust characteristics, as well as make changes and test new firmware of electronic components.
If you need to return to default settings, this is done almost instantly. But those who have already reflashed Granta will never return to the standard factory settings. After flashing you can get:
- reduction in fuel consumption by 5%;
- high speed characteristics;
- 10% increase in power;
- smooth operation of the automatic transmission;
- improved traction.
And that's not all. In this case, not a single intervention is made in the mechanics. This is one of the cheapest ways to make Granta better. There is one caveat. If the car is currently under warranty, after flashing the ECU, the warranty is invalid.
Modern chip tuning specialists offer 3 different firmware options for the Lada Granta controller. Of course, there are more of them, but not all are ideal. Particularly popular systems are “Paulus”, “Icebreaker” and “Adakt”. They are the most tested and tested.
Some experts suggest installing one of the control programs, or all three. Sometimes they offer to try each one and then choose the one you like best. The actual firmware installation takes about 30 minutes on average.
Lightening the car
Lightening the car will not affect engine power, but will significantly increase maneuverability and reduce fuel consumption.
For this purpose, you need to throw away everything that is constantly tinkering in the trunk: spare tire, jack, tools, personal items. You can lighten the car itself by replacing heavy parts with lighter ones: the metal hood and trunk lid with carbon ones, and the wheels with aluminum. All this will reduce the weight of the car by 200 kilograms.
Tuning the multimedia system
In addition to the ESUP, you can also reflash the multimedia system. After the procedure, new functions will become available to the car enthusiast, and the system itself will be more modern. After the procedure, you can install rear view cameras, you will be able to access the Internet, and the player will read new file formats. You can install navigation.
So, you can look for problems in the mechanical part of the car for a long time and not find them. Or you can simply reflash the electronic system, and a lot will be resolved by itself.
As the sad experience of some car owners shows, not everything that comes off the assembly line is gold. In addition to the disappointing statistics of various parts with manufacturing defects, modern realities have added one more item - electronics. Electronic equipment often has imperfections that can make driving a vehicle very difficult. The main blow, as expected, is borne by the control unit. It is about the ECU and how its firmware and flashing is carried out that will be discussed.
Firmware process
Now that everything is assembled, you can proceed directly to the process of flashing the “brains”. Let's consider the sequence of actions aimed at completing this process:
- Set the ignition key to position 1.
- We connect the K-line cable to the required connectors. One into the OBD II connector, and the other end to the laptop.
- When the PC has found the ECU, it is necessary to launch the appropriate program (it will be different for each car manufacturer).
- The first step is to carry out diagnostic operations and determine the mechanical and software state of the “brains”.
- Next, after the diagnostic operations have been carried out, you can proceed directly to the firmware process.
- By launching the software for flashing the ECU, we begin the process of “pouring” it into the “brains”.
- After everything is done, you need to reset all errors.
- Disconnect the cable from the car and turn the key to position 0.
- Turn the ignition key to position 2 and after 10 seconds start the car. If everything was done correctly, then there will be no problems. If the car enthusiast did something incorrectly, then the car may not start the engine at all.
Underwater rocks
The only pitfall that can happen along the way when programming the engine ECU is the incorrectly selected software. It is this that determines the operating order of the control unit. Therefore, before performing this process yourself, you need to consult with professional electricians or tuning specialists who know how to perform the process correctly.
Recommendations
Before completing the process, you should consult with professionals. Manufacturers do not recommend interfering with the electrical, and especially the electronic part of the car. This can lead to a number of problems and malfunctions, as well as complete failure of the car engine, especially on new models.
Automakers such as GM, BMW and Honda have posted a number of original firmware for their cars on their official websites. There, you can find not only the software, but detailed installation instructions with pictures.
So if a motorist decides to carry out the process on his own, it is necessary to familiarize himself with all the pros and cons, as well as the manufacturer’s recommendations.
Conclusion
Flashing the “brains” of the power unit is quite simple, since detailed instructions for each motor can be found on the global network. The hardest thing is to choose the right firmware and comply with all the conditions of the process.
How to find out which ECU is installed on the Lada Granta
The primary difference of this module is the integrated “CAN bus”. Previously produced models used the “K-channel” to ensure the transmission of pulses. If you set out to experiment and replace the Itelma with a similar device with functionality in the K-channel, then in the end the devices on the panel will certainly “fall asleep”.
It is based on a special type of algorithm, the formation of which occurs on the basis of software pre-integrated into memory. This allows the module to process signals from all sensors present in the ECM in real time.
The process associated with processing streaming information allows the control unit to subsequently carry out corrective actions regarding the functioning of such systems:
2. ignition system coils;
3. throttle mechanism;
4. sensor-regulator of idle modes, etc.
To be able to identify the type of device in a LADA Granta car and the firmware version of its software, a special marking code is applied to the body, which allows for the correct selection of an analogue if there is a need for replacement, and in some cases pinout of the ECU is required.
Increased motor power
To a greater extent, the speed characteristics of a car depend, of course, on engine power. There are also many methods to increase it, such as:
When increasing engine power, it should be remembered that any intervention associated with changing the limiting parameters in its operation is not so harmless - it can significantly reduce its service life, and therefore its durability.
If you decide to “reflash” ECU programs, you should trust it only to experienced specialists, otherwise it can lead to irreversible consequences.
How to remove the Lada Granta ECU step by step instructions
In order to remove the Lada Granta ECU, you will need to perform the following procedure:
- De-energize the system by removing the terminals from the car battery
- The ECU controller is located under the glove compartment under the passenger's feet and hidden under the upholstery. The upholstery is attached to the body on the right with a self-tapping screw. We unscrew this screw.
- Next, we move the sheathing away from the floor with our hands as shown in the figure.
- Now we bend the soundproofing material to the side
- After unscrewing the nuts, we move the ECU away from the body.
- Now we squeeze the clamp of the wire harness fastening bracket and fold back the bracket.
- We disconnect the connector from the block and similarly disconnect the second harness with wires, after which we remove the ECU from the car. Make the necessary repairs, then install in the reverse order.
Step-by-step instructions for removing the brains of a Lada Granta - video
Installing a rigid suspension
The increased engine power can be reduced to almost zero if the car has a soft suspension, since most of it will be spent on compressing strut springs, soft shock absorbers or springs.
When installing stiffer springs or additional springs on the car, it will significantly increase the dynamics of the car.
Improving the dynamics of a car cannot be limited to just one of the methods - only the combination of most of them can bring the expected result: up to 50% increase in power and up to 30% increase in dynamic characteristics when accelerating to 100 km/h.
It is also impossible to change only the engine power in one step, since all other functions of the car are designed for lower loads. Therefore, you will have to strengthen the brake system, suspension, transmission, and steering.
When making a decision to improve the dynamic characteristics of your car, you need to realize that manufacturers, in their calculations when designing a car, base their calculations on average performance indicators, so any increased load on the car’s parts reduces their service life, and therefore its overall durability.
The best prices and conditions for the purchase of new cars
Source
We flash the Itelma M74 (Lada Granta) ECU with our own hands
In order to independently flash the Itelma M74 ECU, which, as we already know, is installed on the Lada Grant, you need to perform the following procedure:
- Disconnect the battery mass.
- Remove the ECU block. The connectors are disconnected like this:
- Let’s make a “spider” like this (I recommend signing the wires)
- We connect the connectors: Connector 1 (large) J1 - switchable voltage (K15) (12V) - second switch B2 - programming permission (12V) - first switch A4 - programming permission (12V) - first switch Connector 2 (Small) G2;G3; G4 - Ground (can be connected to any) H1; H2 - non-switchable voltage (K30) F2 - switchable voltage (K15) (12V) - second switch D2 - K-Line
- here's EL. diagram (many people write that they are flashing, but there is no diagram anywhere)
6. It is not recommended to apply voltage to all wires at the same time! It is necessary step by step through a double switch.
7. 4-And so the whole circuit is assembled and the KKL VAG-COM cord is inserted into the USB PC. Here is the voltage supply sequence
- Apply voltage (+12 V) to H1; H2 (throw the hooks onto the battery)
- Turn on the first switch (programming permission) B2 A4
- We launch the WinFlashECU program (-Select M74, -select the port number on which KKL VAG-COM hangs -it’s better to set the speed to the minimum)
- Next, turn on the second switch (which is on the “switch-off voltage”) F2 J1
- Communication with the ECU should appear (this is an indicator that the circuit is assembled correctly)
- Then we save copies of your “firmware and immo” on your computer, click
- Reading EEPROM and Reading ECU just in case (at the same time we check how everything works)
- code copying finished
- click ECU programming, look for the required firmware on your computer and download
Attention ! A window may pop up stating that this software is not for this ECU, but click “OK” anyway
- We are waiting for the download to finish (it took me 4 minutes to load) when the window pops up: the operation has been completed successfully.
- Close WinFlashECU.
- Turn off the power.
- And only then disconnect the wires.
