| Support Center Items |
 Woolich Racing Tuned (WRT) Software - Getting Started |
The Woolich Racing Tuned (WRT) software allows you to tune your bike to the limit by writing a specific set of information to your engine control unit (ECU). You do not need to be a tuning expert to get great results from this software, however there are some key points to understand that will make your experience more successful and therefore more enjoyable.
We highly recommend that you read the following information carefully before getting started in order to avoid common mistakes and get the best results quickly.
ECUs are commonly used in modern vehicles and are responsible for controlling everything from the most basic functions of a combustion engine (like fuel delivery and ignition timing) to providing advanced features like traction control or engine braking.
In order for the WRT software to communicate with your ECU there are some basic things that you will need: - WRT software installed on a laptop or desktop PC.
- You can download the software here and find further support information here.
- Communication interface such as a Woolich Racing USB interface or a LogBox
- Woolich Racing provides communication interfaces for a wide range of motorcycle makes and models, you can find further information here.
- Harness - this is a set or wires and connectors which allows the communication interface to 'talk' to your ECU
- Woolich Racing provides harnesses for a wide range of motorcycle makes and models, you can find further information here.
- Part number of the ECU - there are thousands of ECUs used today and it is critical that we write the correct information specific to a given ECU and the related vehicle.
If we write the wrong information then the ECU and vehicle may not operate.
The ECU part number is unique and must be known BEFORE we can start to work with the ECU using the WRT software. Once we know the ECU part number we can typically read/write and modify all functions pertaining to tuning the vehicle.
We can find the ECU part number in a number of ways, these are described here.
- Bin file definition - a binary file or 'bin' file is saved inside the memory of every ECU and is directly linked to a corresponding ECU part number. The bin file definition contains all of specific information for how that particular vehicle functions. Bin files normally contain a set of 'maps' which allow the control of fuel supply, ignition timing etc.
Bin files can have any number of formats and it is critical that we write all of the different information into the correct places in the memory to the ECU. The bin file definition tells us exactly where to write all of the different information like ignition and fuel maps for your specific ECU.
You then will need a bin file definition corresponding to your ECU part number, these can be purchased from Woolich Racing here.
These Support Center articles may also be of interest to you:
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| How to Send a Bin File to Woolich Racing for Analysis |
Most of the time ECU flashing works without a problem but there is always the small chance that something could go wrong. ECUs from different manufacturers all have their unique characteristics as well as potential problems too.
This article describes how to read the bin file from your ECU and send it to the Woolich Racing technical support team so that they can resolve potential problems that you are having. This will typically be requested by the Woolich Racing team in a Support Ticket. Many technical support issues require that you read out the bin file from your ECU and send it to Woolich Racing so that it can be analysed in order to resolve problems and provide technical advice. If you have been asked to send your bin file to Woolich Racing, please follow the steps below. If you have a partial write failure and the ECU is non-responsive, the bike doesn't start or the fuel pump does not prime, you can go ahead and follow these instructions and create a ticket in advance, to save on Support time. **PLEASE ENSURE YOU READ THROUGH EACH STEP BELOW** NOTE: PLEASE DO NOT WRITE OVER THE ECU UNTIL THE STEPS BELOW HAVE BEEN COMPLETED! - Ensure that the computer running the Woolich Racing Tuned software is connected to the internet.
- Connect the harness to the ECU
- On-bike harness needs to be installed as per the User Guides
- Bench harness needs to be connected to ECU and powered using a 12V power supply
- Connect the communication interface (eg. Log Box or USB) to the ECU using the appropriate harness
- Connect the communication interface to the computer using the provided USB cable
- Turn on the 12V power to the ECU
- Switch on the ignition if using an on-bike harness
- Turn on 12V power supply if using a bench harness
- Start the Woolich Racing Tuned software and click on the 'New' button
- Select the Manufacturer (1), Model (2), Year (3) and ECU Part Number (4) for the ECU you wish to read as per the screenshot below. Click on 'New' (5) to open the bin file
Read the ECU as per normal by clicking on the 'Read ECU' button and following the prompts as shown below. If this does not work please attach a screen shot of any errors you receive in the software attempting to READ the ECU. Please position the error window so that the make/model/part number is visible on the main WRT window.
- Once read out, DO NOT SAVE THE FILE! If the file is saved then this transfer request will be invalid and this process must be repeated from Step 1 above.
You can always read the ECU again, and save the file after it has been sent.
- Click on the 'Tools' drop-down menu in the software and select, 'Send Bin File to Woolich Racing' as shown below.
Enter the reason for sending as 'Support Issue' as shown below.
Enter the Support Ticket Number if this is part of a current Support Ticket. If this was requested by the Woolich Racing team in a Support Ticket, please go into the Support Ticket and let us know that you have sent in the bin file. If this is part of a new support request, please Open a new Ticket and let us know. When we receive the support ticket reply, we will review the File and reply back to you with the outcome.
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| My BMW ECU Failed to Write Sector 6 or 7 |
Most of the time ECU flashing works without a problem but there is always the small chance that something could go wrong. ECUs from different manufacturers all have their unique characteristics as well as potential problems too.
This article is about issues encountered when writing to a BMW ECU with the Woolich Racing Tuned software. This could occur if there was previously a problem with communication during a write operation (eg. USB cable damaged), if Windows shut down during the write operation (eg. restart after system update) or any number of other possible reasons. The Woolich Racing Tuned software might also show an error log with a message that the write "Failed after trying to write to sector 6 or 7".
If you find yourself in this situation please do not panic as the Woolich Racing technical support team have seen these problems before. Please open a support ticket so that we can provide you with further information to get you up and running again.
These Support Center articles may also be of interest to you:
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| My Denso ECU File is Not Recognised by WRT |
Most of the time ECU flashing works without a problem but there is always the small chance that something could go wrong. ECUs from different manufacturers all have their unique characteristics as well as potential problems too.
This article is about issues encountered when writing to a Denso ECU with the Woolich Racing Tuned software. This could occur if there was previously a problem with communication during a write operation (e.g. USB cable damaged), if Windows shut down during the write operation (e.g. restart after system update) or any number of other possible reasons.
In some cases the bin file on the Denso ECU is not recognized by the Woolich Racing Tuned software even though it has been written to successfully earlier. In this case you will see a message like "This file does not exist in Woolich Racing Tuned".
If you find yourself in this situation please do not panic as the Woolich Racing technical support team have seen these problems before. Please open a support ticket so that we can provide you with further information to get you up and running again.
These Support Center articles may also be of interest to you:
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| Writing to Harley Davidson ECUs |
Harley Davidson ECUs are technically a little different to those from other manufacturers and so there are some key points to be aware in order to avoid potential problems. Most models of ECU from other manufacturers can be written to using a stock bin file with the same part number as the ECU and the bike will run fine. Harley Davidson ECUs require that the bin file first be read from the ECU using the Woolich Racing Tuned (WRT) software and that this file is then subsequently used as the starting point for any modification and is subsequently written back to the ECU.
Writing a stock bin file to a Harley Davidson directly from the Woolich Racing Tuned (WRT) software without first reading your own ECU can cause permanent damage!
You can only write to a Harley Davidson ECU with a Bin File that has been read out from the same bike.
Please use a copy of the backup file as your starting Bin File as described below.
Harley Davidson use the same electronics platform and ECU across many models. Woolich Racing categorizes the Harley Davidson models into groups (e.g. Softail, Sportster etc.) as often the differences between individual models within a group is cosmetic or frame related. The ECU part numbers for Harley Davidson are then shared across several models so are not always unique like they are for other manufacturers.
In order to write to your Harley Davidson ECU, please follow these steps:
- Before writing to the ECU, read out the bin file from your ECU and save the file to a known location on your computer.
- Do not modify this file!
Once the bin file has been read click 'File' > 'Save', and save the file as your MASTER BACKUP file. - Use this file as starting point that you can always revert to should you want to return your ECU to stock.
- It is a good idea to use the Motorcycle VIN as the filename to easily identify it in the future.
- Create a backup copy of the bin file that you read out in Step 1 above
Save this file as your TUNING file. Use this bin file for all changes made during tuning You must only use this saved TUNING file for tuning/setting changes, and writing back to the ECU. - If you make significant changes then it is a good idea to save versions of the bin file at stages which you can easily revert to if you have problems later
- When you have finished making changes to the tuning and would like to write them to the ECU, be sure to load the tuned bin file created in Step 2 above
- Write to the ECU normally.
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| Diagnosing "The ECU VIN could not be read" |
Most of the time ECU flashing works without a problem but there is always the small chance that something could go wrong. ECUs from different manufacturers all have their unique characteristics as well as potential problems too.
This article is about issues encountered when writing to ECUs where the VIN is used by the Woolich Racing Tuned software to identify the specific ECU and associated bin file key. The term 'VIN' stands for Vehicle Identification Number which is a unique manufacturer for every vehicle worldwide. Some newer ECUs have a VIN written into them which allows us to recognise the vehicle as well as the specific ECU. Upon writing to these ECUs for the first time with the WRT software, the VIN is first read out and associated with the bin file key for that specific ECU. This has the advantage that the bin file key cannot be lost as it can always be recovered by simply reading the VIN from the ECU.
If the VIN cannot be read from these ECUs for some reason then the WRT software cannot identify the bin file key and will have issues when trying to write to these ECUs. In such cases you might see an error message like this:
If you encouter an error like this the first step is to try and read the VIN from your ECU to check that it can be read successfully. This can be done in the Woolich Racing Tuned software for supported models using Tools > Read VIN or Tools > Read Part Number and Serial Number.
The results are then shown as in the examples below:
These issues have been experienced for some ECUs from different manufacturers and the resolution depends on the specific bike details.
If this error occurs on BMW models (eg. S1000R, S1000RR, S1000XR) it is usually possible to restore the EEPROM (the place where the VIN is stored), in this case please see this support article:
If your VIN-related error is for a different bike please raise a Support Ticket: Open a new Ticket
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| Diagnosing "Failed to read address 0x...." Errors |
Most of the time ECU flashing works without a problem but there is always the small chance that something could go wrong. ECUs from different manufacturers all have their unique characteristics as well as potential problems too.
The Woolich Racing Tuned software is used to read/write information to/from an ECU and uses different communication protocols based on the specific ECU. Sometimes there are problems with the communication and an error like "Failed to read address 0x..." is shown in the software. This error typically indicates some basic communication issue which is sometimes seen on Keihin ECUs and is typically caused by a problem with the harness, power supply or computer.
These error messages could be something like this: - Failed to read address 0x0
- Failed to read address 0x599F8
- Failed to read address 0x7C740
- Failed to read address 0x3FFD8
- etc
The "Failed to read address 0x..." error means that the Woolich Racing Tuned software has attempted to read some information from a specific memory location of the ECU. The memory location (eg. 0x0, 0x599F8 etc) is a hexidecimal number that refers to the address where the information is be stored in the ECU.
Regardless of the actual address in the error message, these "Failed to read address 0x..." messages indicate that there is probably a fundamental problem with communication rather than an issue with the software, bin file, etc. The causes tend to be related to the harness pinout or installation which accounts for more than 90% of the cases that we support. There are a few other possibilities which are detailed here, this is a pretty easy checklist to run through so please take a few a minutes to review this information before creating a Support Ticket.
1. Harness issues - Check that you are using the correct harness for the specific ECU
- Verify that all of your wires are fully inserted into their connectors by gently pulling on them and checking whether they move or not. If they are able to move from the connector housing then they are a likely cause of the problem. You will need to unlock and locking tabs on the connector, re-insert the pin, and then lock the locking tab on the connector again.
- Look at the front of the connectors to ensure the wires/pins are fully inserted, are not bent and that they look like other OEM pins/connectors if applicable.
- This should be checked for ALL of the wires connecting to the ECU (bike or bench harness) as well as the wires going to your communication interface (Log Box or USB).
- Perform a wire continuity check using a multimeter on all the wires and verify that you have continuity end to end on each individual wire.
- Verify pinout and compare your installation with the photos in the installation guide, you can also send us photos so that we can verify the installation is correct and the harness itself is correctly assembled.
2. PC-related issues - Shut down your PC, let it sit for a few minutes and then restart it. It's important to do a full shutdown, sit for some time and then restart as opposed to a simple restart via the software. This approach clears all contents of RAM which may include configuration or temporary data that may be conflicting with the Woolich Racing Tuned software.
- It is also worth trying the following:
- Try a different USB cable
- Try a different USB cable in a different PC
- Try a different PC altogether
3. Interface-related issues: 4. Power Supply Issues - If bike flashing, turn the key on and kill switch on but do not start the bike. Measure the voltage directly at the battery and confirm you have 12.9 VDC or more. If 12.8VDC or less - put on a tender and let it charge for a while then retry later with the tender still on.
- If bench flashing, check your power supply with no load attached and ensure you have 13-14 VDC. Please check your power supply (if able to be completed safely) and verify your current is between 1-2A.
If you have checked the points listed above and are still experiencing "Failed to read address 0x...." errors please open a new Support Ticket
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| Diagnosing "Failed to unlock protocol" |
Most of the time ECU flashing works without a problem but there is always the
small chance that something could go wrong. ECUs from different
manufacturers all have their unique characteristics as well as potential
problems too. The
Woolich Racing Tuned software is used to read/write information from an ECU and
uses different communication protocols based on the specific ECU.
Sometimes there are problems with the communication and an error like
"Failed to unlock protocol" is shown in the software. This
error can occur on ECUs from different manufacturers.
If you see this error when working on a Harley Davidson ECU, please see this article: Diagnosing Harley Davidson "Failed to unlock protocol" If
you see this error on a bike/ECU which is not a Harley Davidson, please Open a new Support
Ticket so that we can assist you further.
These Support Center articles may also be of
interest to you:
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| Diagnosing "Failed to Initialize..." Errors |
Most of the time ECU flashing works without a problem but there is always the small chance that something could go wrong. ECUs from different manufacturers all have their unique characteristics as well as potential problems too.
The Woolich Racing Tuned software is used to read/write information to/from an ECU and uses different communication protocols based on the specific ECU. Sometimes there are problems with the communication and an error like "Failed to initialise..." is shown in the software.
The ECU is a kind of computer that on a bike controls all the functions of the engine while the bike is running, in this mode the ECU is reading signals from the bike sensors and sending commands in real time to tell the bike's hardware what to do next. In order to read or write to the ECU it is necessary to stop this normal mode of operation and get the ECU ready to send/receive data to/from the WRT software.
This means that the ECU must stop trying to communicate with the bike and get ready to communicate with the WRT software. The first step in this process is known as initialisation and although it is different for various ECUs, the common factor is that we need to tell the ECU to stop what it is doing so that we can control it directly. If this is not successful then we may see an error like 'Failed to initialise...' and this may or may not contain further information about the error. This error will typically occur before any reading or writing has happened and there can be a number of causes.
This article is about issues encountered when attempting to communicate with an ECU (eg. read or write) however the operation does not complete successfully. In most of these cases the WRT software will provide further information about the error, this article provides information and tips on how to resolve these sorts of issues.
These error messages can come in a number of different forms, please see below for suggested resolutions: - Failed to Initialize Communications with ECU - No Initial Response.
- This means that the ECU is not answering requests from WRT which could be due to it not being turned on (ie. power issue), connected correctly (ie. harness issue), or maybe the wrong bike model is selected to the ECU doesn't understand the commands that we are sending.
- In this case please confirm the following:
- You are using the correct Woolich Racing harness for the bike and it is installed according to our Installation Instructions
- The USB Device is connected and installed correctly
- The Mode Switch on the v3 device is in the right-hand side position (Green LED on)
- The Ignition is switched on
- The Bike is in neutral
- The Kill Switch is in the Run position
- Failed to Initialize Communications with ECU. Read ECU is only available after the ECU has been written using Woolich Racing Tuned software.
- This error indicates that the ECU is unable to be read out and must first be written to using the WRT software. Only after writing to the ECU for the first time with the WRT software is it possible to read the bin file out.
- This issue has nothing to do with power, harness connections etc and is a well known issue which is common for many eg. Denso ECUs where reading the ECU is not natively supported
- It is also possible that the ECU may have been previously written to and locked by another software package. This effectively prevents the WRT software from being able to communicate with the ECU.
These Support Center articles may also be of interest to you:
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| Diagnosing Harley Davidson "Failed to unlock protocol" |
Most of the time ECU flashing works without a problem but there is always the small chance that something could go wrong. ECUs from different manufacturers all have their unique characteristics as well as potential problems too.
The Woolich Racing Tuned software is used to read/write information from an ECU and uses different communication protocols based on the specific ECU. Sometimes there are problems with the communication and an error like "Failed to unlock protocol" is shown in the software.
This error can occur on ECUs from different manufacturers however this article specifically applies to Harley Davidson ECUs. If you see this error when working on a Harley Davidson ECU this error could indicate that the ECU has been locked by another software. In this case please try to read the ECU Part Number and Read the VIN to check whether basic communication is still working.
If you are able to read the Harley Davidson ECU part number, serial number and VIN the please try and read the ECU:
If you are unable to read the Harley Davidson ECU and you see an error message like 'Failed to unlock ECU Protocol' then please Open a Support Ticket so that we can assist you further.
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| Harley Davidson Sportster 2006-2013 - Bench Harnesses |
Harley Davidson Sportsters manufactured between 2006 and 2013 have one of two different ECUs which have different pin layouts of the ECU connectors.
This does not affect on-bike flashing of these models as the harness used for reading/writing (Harley Davidson Harness Type 1) is connected to the 4-pin Harley Davidson Diagnostic plug. Bench flashing of these ECUs does require a direct connection to the ECU and so Woolich Racing offers two different bench harnesses for flashing these ECUs. Care must be taken to ensure that the correct bench harness for your particular ECU is chosen.
The images of the ECUs shown below can be used to compare with your ECU to ensure that the correct bench harness is chosen.
The image below shows an ECU that is compatible with the Harley Davidson Bench Harness Type 1. These ECUs have 36-pin connectors with 2 rows of 18 pins. If your ECU looks like this then it is compatible with the Harley Davidson Bench Harness Type 1.
Sportster ECU - Compatible with Harley Davidson Bench Harness Type 1
The image below shows an ECU that is compatible with the Harley Davidson Bench Harness Type 3. These ECUs have 73-pin connectors. The connector has 2 rows of 16 pins, another 2 rows of 20 pins as well as a large single pin. If your ECU looks like this then it is compatible with the Harley Davidson Bench Harness Type 3.
Sportster ECU - Compatible with Harley Davidson Bench Harness Type 3
These Support Center articles may also be of interest to you:
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| Diagnosing "Failed to unlock Mitsubishi Protocol" Errors |
Most of the time ECU flashing works without a problem but there is always the small chance that something could go wrong. ECUs from different manufacturers all have their unique characteristics as well as potential problems too.
The Woolich Racing Tuned software is used to read/write information from an ECU and uses different communication protocols based on the specific ECU. Sometimes there are problems with the communication and an error like "Failed to unlock Mitsubishi Protocol" is shown in the software.
This error is typically only seen when working with newer Mitsubishi ECUs such as 2021+ ZX-10R, ZH2, etc. If you encounter this error when working with a Mitsubishi ECU please try the following steps to resolve the issue:
- Restart your PC
- Reconnect the interface (USB or Log Box) to the computer using the provided USB cable and to the ECU using either an on-bike or bench harness
- Check that your power supply (battery or bench power supply) has a voltage of at least 13.5V. If using the battery connect a charger/tender.
- In the Woolich Racing Tuned software select Tools > Recover ECU as shown below
- Once the process has completed switch the ECU off for 10 seconds and then switch it back on again.
- Check that communication with the ECU is now possible by selecting Tools > Read Part Number and Serial Number
If you are unable to recover the Mitsubishi ECU and you still see an error message like 'Failed to unlock Mitsubishi Protocol' then please Open a Support Ticket so that we can assist you further.
These Support Center articles may also be of interest to you:
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| Identifying the Correct Part Number for Your ECU |
The ECU part number is used by the WRT software to ensure that only compatible bin files are written to that ECU. Sometimes we do not know the ECU part number but there are several methods of finding this out.
Some ECUs have the part number written on the outside of the casing, this is useful if you are able to visually inspect the unit.
Keihin ECU showing part number on label (38770-MKP-AP2)
If you can't find the part number written on the ECU but know the year and model of a bike, you can connect to the ECU using the WRT software. To do this first you need to open a new bin file for the same model and year and select one of the existing ECU part numbers from the list. Don't worry if it is not identical to your ECU part number, this will be read in the next step.
First click on the 'New' button to open the Model Selector: In the 'Model Selector' window select your specific model (In this case a 2022 Honda CBR500R), select one of the ECU part numbers (here we have selected 38770-MKP-A01) and click on the 'New' button.
and use Tools > Read Part number and Serial Number.
When the software identifies the part number, click ‘Yes’ and the software will open up that part number for you.
If this is the first time writing to a particular ECU, your PC will need to be connected to the internet for the key to be registered. After an ECU has already been flashed, you do not need to be connected to the internet to flash it.
You can find the part numbers by using the search bar in the 'New' bin files section. This search will work no matter which part of the part number you begin with, so you can also begin by typing the second part of the part number.
The following video provides an overview of both of these methods:
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| I can't find my ECU Part Number in the WRT Software |
If you know your ECU part number but cannot find the same part number listed in the WRT software (list of part numbers under the bin file definition), or cannot find it when using the search bar, then the ECU bin file needs to be read out and sent in.
Some ECUs can be read by you directly if you have the correct harness, while other ECUs will need to be sent to the Woolich Racing support team so we can read it out manually and add it to the software. Please see this article to learn how to check if your ECU would need to be sent to Woolich Racing, or if you can read it out yourself.
WARNING: DO NOT ATTEMPT TO FLASH THE ECU WITH A NON-MATCHING PART NUMBER.
For BMW (Bosch), Ducati (M-Duc) and new D-CAN ECU's, the Part Number cannot be found externally (ie. it is not written on the outside of the casing), and you will need to use the 'Read Part Number and Serial Number' feature in the 'Tools' menu.
If you see this message after reading an ECU part number, then you will need to click OK, fill out the form and contact Woolich Racing Support.
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| What is the difference between Bench Harnesses and On-Bike Harnesses? |
Bench Harness
The Bench Harnesses are plugged directly into the main plug on the ECU itself. You need to unplug the bike's main harness ECU plug and then plug in the Bench Harness to Read/Write to the ECU. The ECU is powered by a 12 V power supply while using the Bench Harness. No modifications are required to the main bike harness when using the Bench Harness. Live engine data, data logging and Diagnostics is not available with the Bench Harness.
Bench Harness key points: - Used when the ECU has been removed from the bike
- Requires separate 12V power supply (not included with Bench Harness)
- Cannot read live Engine Data or Diagnostics
On-Bike Harness:
Most On-Bike Harnesses are installed permanently onto the bike. They allow you to easily Read/Write to the ECU and Read and Clear Diagnostics (only on applicable supported models). On-Bike Harnesses generally allow you to connect to Engine Data allowing you to view real-time Engine Data on the computer screen. On-Bike Harnesses are the best option when tuning on the Dyno or logging data for Autotuning.
On-Bike Harness key points: - Installed and typically left on the bike
- Can read live Engine Data
- Can be used for Autotuning with a Log Box interface or on a Dyno
- Can read and clear Diagnostics if available from manufacturer
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| Harness Installation (On Bike Harness) |
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| Reading an ECU with a V3 Interface |
Once you have connected your on-bike harness or bench harness to the ECU, connect it to your USB or Log Box interface, and connect the USB cable from the interface to your PC.
Then go and open a bin file in the WRT software by going to NEW.
Select your part number and then click New.
Please note that you will only be able to open the bin file for the selected ECU if you have purchased it already, or if it is one of the free versions. If the 'New' button is 'grayed' out or you cannot select it, this means that your account does not yet have access to this bin file. In this case please see the support item ' Opening Bin File Definitions'.
Now click on 'Read ECU'.
Depending on your ECU it may take several minutes for the software to read the ECU.
If you do not see the 'Read ECU' button then it may not possible to read this particular ECU model. Some ECUs cannot be read out until they are first written to (eg. most Yamaha ECUs) and some ECUs cannot be read at all (eg. 2021 Yamaha YZF-R1) but can be written to.
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| Step-by-step guide to reading and writing to your ECU with a v3 interface |
You’ve received your hardware and want to get flashing your ECU. Here’s where to start:
Reading an ECU
This video demonstrates how to read from an ECU using the Woolich Racing Tuned (WRT) software.
The following are the steps to read an ECU using the WRT software:
-
Install Harness according to the Installation Guide for your specific harness and model
- Ensure bike's battery is connected to a charger if using an on-bike harness
- If using a laptop, ensure it is connected to power
- Open Woolich Racing Tuned Software
- Ensure v3 Interface is in normal operation mode
- Switch to the right-hand side, green LED is ON
- Connect the Interface to the harness
- Connect the Interface to the computer with the supplied USB cable
- Open the bin file definition for your model
- Click the "New" button then select the manufacturer, model, year and part number and click on 'New' button
- Turn the bike ignition on, or turn the power supply on for bench flashing
- In the WRT software select the menu "Tools" > "Read ECU" menu item
- Follow the prompts relating to switching ignition on/off (instructions vary depending on the bike model)
- The WRT software will connect to the ECU and read the bin file from the ECU into memory.
- Save the file if you wish to save the existing maps.
Writing to the ECU
This video explains how to write to an ECU using the Woolich Racing Tuned (WRT) software.
The following are the steps to read an ECU using the WRT software with a USB v3 or Log Box v3 interface:
- Install Harness according to the Installation Guide for your specific harness and model
- Ensure bike's battery is connected to a charger if using an on-bike harness
- If using a laptop, ensure it is connected to power
- Open Woolich Racing Tuned Software
-
Connect the Interface to the harness
-
Connect the Interface to the computer with the supplied USB cable
- Ensure v3 Interface is in normal operation mode
- Switch to the right-hand side, green LED is ON
- Open the bin file definition for your model
- Click the "New" button then select the manufacturer, model, year and part number and click on 'New' button
- Click the "Open"
button to open a previously saved bin file
-
Turn the bike ignition on, or turn the power supply on for bench flashing
- In the WRT software select the menu "Tools" > "Write ECU" menu item or click the "Write" button on the main form
-
The WRT software will connect to the ECU and write the bin file
- The progress is shown at the bottom of the Main Form
- DO NOT disconnect power or USB cable during the process or you may permanently damage the ECU
- Wait until progress is complete, and follow the software prompts regarding turning the ignition off and on.
Troubleshooting
Having difficulty reading and/or writing to the ECU? Here’s our 'Troubleshooting Checklist'. Problems related to reading and writing an ECU are generally not software related. They are generally caused by one of the following issues: - The Bike Ignition should be turned on or 12V power supply (ideal output 13-14V) connected if using a bench harness.
- The bike's battery must be connected to a battery charger if using an on-bike harness
- You harness may not be installed correctly - please check installation instructions.
- Check for broken or loose wires in harness or bad plug connections, please check circuit continuity from white 8 pin molex plug right through to the pins in the ECU Plug.
- Please check you are using a high speed USB 3.0 compatible USB Port on your computer.
- Ensure your computer meets our Specifications.
- Check your USB port is not worn out (try another USB port)
- Use the supplied USB cable. Do not use a long cable.
- Check the PC is not busy doing background tasks
- Check you are switching the Ignition key on/off at the right time. (follow software prompts)
If you have reviewed the list above and you are still having issues, please contact us. These Support Center articles may also be of interest to you:
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| How to Write ECU using On Bike Harness |
These Support Center articles may also be of interest to you:
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| How to Write ECU with Bench Harness |
These Support Center articles may also be of interest to you:
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| Diagnosing "Failed to Unlock ECU" |
Woolich Racing provides hardware and software to allow users to write tune files to their ECUs, thereby modifying the vehicle performance. This requires that we can communicate with the ECU using our Woolich Racing Tuned software. This works very well for all stock ECUs of all supported part numbers (see the Products page for details on supported part numbers) however sometimes ECUs have been modified already from the original factory settings so are no longer 'stock' ECUs. This can result in an error when trying to write to the ECU with the message "Failed to Unlock ECU".
It is possible that ECUs that have been written to by another third-party software (ie. non-Woolich Racing software) and that these ECUs can be locked to other software. This is common with many Denso models, and means that the WRT software is unable to write to the ECU.
This happens when the other software product changes the 'key' used to unlock the ECU, so that it can be read or written to. If it has been locked, the Woolich Racing Tuned software will give an error message saying 'Failed to Unlock ECU'.
Unfortunately in most cases there is no way around this, and usually the ECU will need to go back to the previous tuner, to have that software/code removed from the ECU, and returned to 100% factory stock, before it can be written to using Woolich Racing Tuned. For a few select models we do have an 'Unlock ECU' feature that if available, you may try using to unlock the key in the ECU, but this may take some time to complete.
In some cases the other software will not be able to return it to stock, because it does not support that option, and they can only rewrite to it with a new bin file. This will not remove the lock, and a replacement ECU may be required to flash it with Woolich Racing Tuned.
The Woolich Racing Tuned software supports going back to 100% stock, but it can not remove another software's lock.
These Support Center articles may also be of interest to you:
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| Diagnosing "Failed to Sync Baud Rate" |
The Woolich Racing Tuned software is used to read/write information from an ECU and uses different communication protocols based on the specific ECU. Sometimes there are problems with the communication and an error like "Failed to Sync Baud Rate" is shown in the software. The error "Failed to Sync Baud Rate" is typically caused by harness issue either with the pinout or installation, this accounts for about 90% of the cases that we support. There are a few other possibilities which are detailed here, this is a pretty easy checklist to run through so please take a few a minutes to review this information before creating a Support Ticket.
1) Harness issues
- Verify that all of your wires are fully inserted into their connectors by gently pulling on them and checking whether they move or not. If they are able to move from the connector housing then they are a likely cause of the problem. You will need to unlock and locking tabs on the connector, re-insert the pin, and then lock the locking tab on the connector again. - Look at the front of the connectors to ensure the wires/pins are fully inserted, are not bent and that they look like other OEM pins/connectors if applicable - This should be checked for ALL of the wires connecting to the ECU (bike or bench harness) as well as the wires going to your communication interface (Log Box or USB). - Perform a wire continuity check using a multimeter on all the wires and verify that you have continuity end to end on each individual colored wire. - Verify pinout and compare your installation with the photos in the installation guide, you can also send us photos so that we can verify the installation is correct and the harness itself is correctly assembled.
2) PC related issues
- Shut down your PC, let it sit for a few minutes and then restart it. It's important to do a full shutdown, sit for some time and then restart as opposed to a simple restart via the software. This approach clears all contents of RAM which may include configuration or temporary data that may be conflicting with the Woolich Racing Tuned software..
It is also worth trying the following:
- Try a different USB cable - Try a different USB cable in a different PC - Try a different PC altogether
3) Interface related issues:
4) Power Supply Issues - If bike flashing, turn the key on and kill switch on but do not start the bike. Measure the voltage directly at the battery and confirm you have 12.9 VDC or more. If 12.8VDC or less - put on a tender and let it charge for a while then retry later with the tender still on. - If bench flashing, check your power supply with no load attached and ensure you have 12-14 VDC. Please check your power supply (if able to be completed safely) and verify your current is between 1-2A.
If you get to this point and none of those have helped, then it is very possible this ECU has been reflashed elsewhere and locked by that software that last flashed it.
These Support Center articles may also be of interest to you:
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| Failing to complete the pre-write checks |
Each time you write to an ECU, the WRT software asks you to confirm that you have completed the displayed checklist (as shown below), before attempting to write to the ECU. These items are very important, and failing to make sure you have checked each one can result in a failed flash.
If you have not checked all of those items, to make sure you will have problem free flashing, then you are responsible for the failure, and any associated losses such as the Bin File Key.
We include these checks to prevent issues, and every customer must agree that they have done these checks before clicking OK.
If you just click OK, and do not do these checks, Woolich Racing will not accept responsibility for your own actions, or the loss of your Bin File Key. You will need to repurchase a new Bin File Key to continue.
While we do understand that there will be a learning curve when you first start using the software, we will offer assistance and leniency for some mistakes. But, we can only offer to correct a limited number of 'accidents', and once you have some experience with the software, you are fully responsible for any losses caused by your own actions, or inactions. Basically, new customers will have a short grace period, and after that, full responsibility to do these checks, rests with the customer.
Please make sure you have completed ALL of those required checks before proceeding to write any ECU.
These Support Center articles may also be of interest to you:
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| Can I return my tuning/maps to stock after using your products? |
The Woolich Racing Tuned software allows you to modify the original stock maps by writing your own tune data to the ECU. If you make some changes that you want to undo (eg. poor performance or engine light error) it is always possible to return the tuning, maps, settings, etc back to the stock condition. This means that all maps will be the same as they were when the bike came from the factory
At any time you can open a new stock bin file in the Woolich Racing Tuned software as follows: - Click on the 'New' button
- Select your model, year, part number and click New
- Write the bin file to your ECU to return it back to the ECU's stock tuning and maps
- Note: This will NOT remove your Woolich Racing Bin File Key
You will be able to continue tuning and writing to the ECU after writing a stock file to your ECU. This is useful if you are having an unknown issue, and wish to remove all your changes from the ECU to troubleshoot. Another useful alternative is to return a specific map back to stock, while leaving other maps unchanged, this is described below. Putting a particular map back to stock: If you just wish to put the values in any particular map back to stock values, you can also simply go to the 'Value Trim' tab on a map, select all your cells (Ctrl+A), click the 'Set' button and enter '0'. The Value Trim map shows your changes from the stock map, therefore setting all of the Value Trim cells to 0 will return it to the original values.
NOTE:
This is not to be confused with the 'Return to Stock' function found in the 'Tools' menu, which returns the ECU to 100% factory form and will remove the existing Bin File Definition Key from your ECU. This function is only to be used under the direction of the Woolich Racing Support Staff, ie. requested to use it in a Support Ticket.
Using Tools > Return to Stock removes all Woolich keys and code from the ECU including Race Tools keys. To write to the ECU again after using Return to Stock, you will need to purchase a new Bin File Key, Race Tools key, etc.
These Support Center articles may also be of interest to you:
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| Troubleshooting Checklist |
Having difficulty reading and/or writing to the ECU? Here’s our 'Troubleshooting Checklist'.
Problems related to reading and writing an ECU are generally not software related. They are generally caused by one of the following issues: - Harness Connection/Installation issue:
- Check the Installation Guide and double check each step of the install.
- Check you have fitted any extension harness correctly to the ECU plug.
- Check all the wires are firmly locked into the ECU plug, and are not loose.
- Check your diagnostic plug is clean, and making good contact (if used)
- Low or Loss of Power to the ECU:
- Battery power should be 12.8v or more.
- Run/Stop switch must be in the RUN position.
- Check for a loose connection between the Interface and the ECU
- Do not move the interface/harness during flashing (aka loose connection)
- Connect a battery charger at the same time, (So the battery does not drain while flashing)
- Check you are switching the Ignition key on/off at the right time. (follow software prompts)
- Computer interrupted the write process:
- PC should be checked that all updates are installed, and has been restarted.
- Check the PC is not busy doing background tasks
- Check your PC is powerful enough to keep up with the ECU write speed (Minimum Dual Core 2.4Ghz, 4 Gig Ram. Recommended i5 with 8 Gig Ram)
- Check your USB port is not worn out (try another USB port)
- Use the supplied USB cable. Do not use a long cable.
- Check your PC Battery is fully charged if using a Laptop.
- We also have a range of interface Troubleshooting Videos if you believe that your USB or Log Box interface has a fault.
Other things to note: - If the ECU has been flashed by either a send-in service or any other flashing service before, it has more than likely been locked by that service. Please run the unlock function if available. Sometimes the ECU may have to be sent back to the original source to get returned to stock.
- Please check you are using a high speed USB 3.0 compatible USB Port on your computer.
- Your computer meets our recommended PC Specifications.
- If you are performing multiple flashes on a legacy v1 or v2 interfaces , remember to move the interface mode switch into the center position, then back to flashing mode (red led on), before attempting another write/read operation.
If you are still having issues troubleshooting and have completed all of these checks, please open a Support Ticket.
These Support Center articles may also be of interest to you:
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