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After a D17a2 headswap on a D17a1, can I used the a2 ECU with the a1 harness, and just run a wire from the VTEC solenoid to the ECU to activate it?

Will it works?

 
Rep Power: 281

My buddy just used a VAFC to activate Vtec with his head swap so an EX ecu is not necessary.

 
Rep Power: 350

Yes, it will work. You just need to know your pinouts....click the link in my sig for them (and hit me up with some rep, lol.) Only thing you'll have to do is setup the o2 sensors which is a little bit of a pain. Your wires are the same for the primary o2, but the secondary, on the a1, they run through the engine harness (different ecu pinouts) and on the a2, they run with the fan harness from the floorboard fusebox.
What I did was just splice the wires from the pins off of the a1 harness and ran them out to the secondary sensor. Make sense?

 
Rep Power: 305

oh boy is he gonna have trouble with that one lol

if you are gonna spend the money to go with the A2 ecu (get it reflashed), why not just keep the A1 ecu&harness and run the vafc to control vtec? either way you still got a lil work to get done.

 
Rep Power: 297

the cost of getting an ecu reflashed, plus the cost of towing it to the dealer, also the labor you gotta put into redoing the whole harness (either redo the harness or buy an a2 harness) is WAY to much in my opinion. Its just way cheaper and easier to get a vafc2 and be done with it.

Trust me with that one. I was the first one to do it and made a write-up on the head swap and also made a write-up on how to properly install the vafc2 also. Plus getting a vafc2 gives u more options then using a stock ecu.

 
Rep Power: 350

The afc is much more expensive, it's what, 200-250? All he's really got to pay for is the ecu which you can easily find for 50, then to have the immobilizer set for is key is going to be around 30-35 bucks. You don't have to tow to the dealer, you can drive the car with the a1 ecu still hooked up, you'll just have a code for the secondary o2, then get to the dealer, swap the ecu's and have a tech reset the immobilizer, voila, you're done. That's exactly what I did.

 
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My vic is my daily driver and I intent to keep it for a while. I know that the VAFC will work and I was first going that route, but after all my readings, I feel that the a2 ECU is more reliable on the long run.

But, my final decision is not made yet. I am still investigating! Presently, A2 ECU+reflash look in the same price range as the VAFC+tuning...

3 questions:

A) I read somewhere that after a while the ECU kind of regain control over the VAFC and the fuel mapping return to stock... is that true?

B) I have a manual 2004, is my ECU pinouts different or not? On andyman97 thread about ecu (+1 rep!) it's said that 04+ may be different...

C) So if I use the A2 ECU + A1 harness I'll need to rewired the 2nd O2 sensor and wire the VTEC. IF I use the A2 ECU + A2 harness, I guess I still need to rewire a bit? the engine is still a D17a1, only the head change!

 
Rep Power: 299

One thing you really need to consider is how your going to avoid the vtec system malfunction due to not having the vtec oil pressure switch hooked up, The a1 harness does not have a connector for this. IMO go for the a2 ecu and harness. Other things to consider, Ex and LX have different fuel and ignition timing maps.

 
Rep Power: 297

Well.. we had the vafc2 running on my cousins car for 2 years now and he just redynoed it again last month and his settings are still the same.. havent changed.. i know we were debating on this in the DIY with me and gearbox but i can finally confirm his settings didnt need to be changed.

 
Rep Power: 297

well i got my vafc2 for 200...

as far as parts pricing goes it all depends where you live and where you get it from. in my area the cheapest ecu i found was $100. honda here charged $50 to do the reflash. so although where i live it costs $50 cheaper than getting the vafc2. I would definitely pay the $50 more it costs the vafc2 to avoid the hassle of swapping (or rewiring, which ever route you go) and driving to honda to have them reflash. Plus for just spending a little more you do get more tunability with your car. You can actually tune your car for all intakes headers and exhaust that you do put on to your car. It may not add much power but you gotta remember that the stock ecu will not compensate for the extra air that is coming into and going out of your engine from the performance parts.

 
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Well I have a ECU (Manual) & wiring harness for sale on the forums and also it is from a JDM civic so you don't have to go to the dealer to get it reflashed. JDM ECU's don't have the immobilizer, Just like the PRC ECU for the DC5 (ITR).