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RomRaider - I need help

13K views 20 replies 5 participants last post by  Toddasaurus  
#1 ·
Okay, I'm at my wit's end with RomRaider. I've installed and reinstalled it several times. I've read through the FAQ on the romraider website along with the getting started page. I believe I have everything downloaded correctly.

RomRaider opens just fine, but when attempting to connect to the car for datalogging it is unable to connect.

Computer is a laptop with Windows 10 64-bit. Downloaded latest version of RR (also ecuflash) along with the most recent definitions.

I assume the cable I'm using is the problem, but I want to make sure I'm not missing something.

I'm using a VAG-COM style cable that works perfectly with FreeSSM, however evidently it's not working on RR. I've tried switching COM ports under Device Manager, but it's no different. Do VAG-COM just no longer work with the most recent version of RomRaider? Or are there some settings I should play around with?

I'll be honest, even just setting up RomRaider is confusing to me. I followed a video to do it....ugh. I used to be good with computers but apparently not anymore.

Here is the video I followed...


Any help will be greatly appreciated. I primarily need to datalog, but I will most likely be making some fuel and ignition timing adjustments down the road. Right now I've got a code P0171 that I'm trying to diagnose so I'm getting a bit stressed and I'm probably making mistakes.

Anyone? Do I just need to sack up and buy a legit Tactrix cable?
 
#2 ·
If your cable communicates with the ECU using FreeSSM then I believe it should work with RomRaider and other software.

I have connected to a Subaru ECU to use ECU flash but I could never get RomRaider to work due to all the various other files that were needed. In the end I was able to do what I needed just using ECU flash so I did not bother trying to get RomRaider to work.

I now have an Autel scanner that can see live data.

Seagrass
 
#5 · (Edited)
First of all, THANK YOU everyone for responding. I really appreciate all of your input!





Hmm... I tried ECU Flash as well, but it wasn't able to connect either! But perhaps I just don't know how to use it. Upon opening the program, I selected this under the ECU list tab...

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But afterwards basically everything else is blank (including the "read from ECU" option) so it doesn't even let me try to connect... Maybe my cable sucks AND I don't have the full software installed?


Assuming you got RR set up correctly, it could very well be a problem with the cable. The most common variety of cheap KKL adapter cables on the market use a CH340 + LM339/LM393. To makes things worse, a lot of times they'll have fake or low quality LM339/LM393. It's a miracle they work at all.

A 'good' cable will use an FT232 + proper K-line communication IC like the L9637 or similar.
Looks like mine is the more common variety of cheap POS cable...

Image

Image



I'm seeing LM339+CH340T chips in there... Suggestions?





As was noted, if FreeSSM works with the cable, it should work with Romraider because it is able to communicate with the ECU. But verifying the chip inside the adapter is a good idea because the FT232 ones often work more reliably.



Is that with the Logger opened, or just the default start up Editor?

The video seems to cover all the setup steps, but even with having set up RR many times myself, I found it to be rather rushed, when unzipping and saving the ECU and Logger def files, and particularly when linking the Editor and Logger to the definition files.

When the Logger is opened (even with the USB cable not attached), does it display the very long list (it's longer than what will actually be available when connected to the ECU) of parameters on the left hand side?

With the logger opened it does not connect to the ECU... :(

This is how it looks like with the logger opened (cable not attached)....

Image




Perhaps I missed something during the install?
 
#3 ·
Assuming you got RR set up correctly, it could very well be a problem with the cable. The most common variety of cheap KKL adapter cables on the market use a CH340 + LM339/LM393. To makes things worse, a lot of times they'll have fake or low quality LM339/LM393. It's a miracle they work at all.

A 'good' cable will use an FT232 + proper K-line communication IC like the L9637 or similar.
 
#4 ·
As was noted, if FreeSSM works with the cable, it should work with Romraider because it is able to communicate with the ECU. But verifying the chip inside the adapter is a good idea because the FT232 ones often work more reliably.

RomRaider opens just fine, but when attempting to connect to the car for datalogging it is unable to connect.
Is that with the Logger opened, or just the default start up Editor?

The video seems to cover all the setup steps, but even with having set up RR many times myself, I found it to be rather rushed, when unzipping and saving the ECU and Logger def files, and particularly when linking the Editor and Logger to the definition files.

When the Logger is opened (even with the USB cable not attached), does it display the very long list (it's longer than what will actually be available when connected to the ECU) of parameters on the left hand side?
 
#6 ·
While that cable isn't the best, it should work with RomRaider if you got it to work with FreeSSM (wouldn't work at all if the LM339 was blown). I had a cable like that I used with a Hyundai and Cascade Emulator, but it's flaky behavior is why I bought a good FT232RL/L9637D cable. Unfortunately, the cable I have is only available from one European source now. It's $15 + $50 shipping payable only via bank transfer. Not worth it IMO. Might as well just buy a Tactrix at that point.

I would start by uninstalling the drivers and installing the newest version if you just let windows install them or used a sketchy disk that came with the cable...


Also, I noticed that you don't have a COM port selected in RomRaider. When I open the program it's already selected, even without a cable plugged in, so I guess you never have?

It's been a couple years since I installed RomRaider on my diagnostic laptop and I only used it once out of curiosity since I already had a cable. My multiple TBIs won't let me remember the install process, so I can't be of much help trying to think of anything you missed.

Can you post a screenshot of EcuFlash without selection window open? Here are screenshots of what I get when I open both programs with no cable connected...
 

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#8 ·
Okay, thanks again both @Plastixx and @plain OM for your help thus far.

I first plugged in my cable to my laptop (not yet to the car) and COM3 pops up as an option next to "COM PORT" on the RomRaider logger, so I assume it's detecting my cable (which would make sense, as it works with FreeSSM).

I double checked my definitions....And as I was doing so, I saw this setting and switched it over to SSM K-Line (from DS2 K-Line) and now it's actually showing my parameters...

Image


Checked that both the RomRaider ECU and Logger definitions were set properly...

Image

Image



Okay, so some progress thanks to you guys. Now onto ECU Flash...

@Plastixx - this is how ECU Flash looks on mine right when you open it...

Image




Thoughts?
 
#10 ·
Good that Logger is running now.

In Logger, under Settings, see if Fast Polling is available. That would speed up the polling rate (lower right of the Logger screen).

Post the ECU ID # at the bottom of the screen. There might be a RR definition file for your specific ECU. If there is, it can be included with the saved Logger files. That would add a number of "extended" parameters. (Useful in some instances.)

I don't have an interest in modding, so haven't worked with ECU Flash. But I believe ECU Flash might require theECUFlash-related ECU definition file. It's different from the RR ECU specific def file. Perhaps someone with more ECU Flash familiarity can clarify.

Experiment with the different Logger displays, e.g. data (as shown), gauges, digital gauges, graphs.

That P0171 might be on the run soon!
 
#11 · (Edited)
@plain OM - Thank you for your help, I really appreciate it!

Unfortunately the 'Fast Polling' option is grayed out... :/ (EDIT: I was wrong, it is no longer grayed out when i'm connected to the car!)

Looks like my ECU ID is included in the latest RomRaider logger definitions - so I should be good to go, right?


As for ECU Flash, I made a breakthrough. I found a forum where a guy was able to use his cheap VAG-COM cable to both read and write with ECU Flash, but he had to use an older version. Version 1.28 to be exact. I downloaded it here: Index of /mirror/ecuflash/releases/

After removing the newest version of ECU Flash completely, I then installed version 1.28. Upon starting it, it allowed me to select the COM Port that my VAG-COM cable was set to. And guess what? IT WORKS!!!

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They didn't have definitions for my specific car, so when I saved the file it seems that RomRaider isn't able to recognize it... I'll post here if I figure it out.



EDIT: In order for this cable to work, I had to adjust the COM Port settings like so...

Image



When the FIFO buffers are set to High (14 and 16, respectively) it gives me an error message. Dropping both Tx and Rx buffers to 4 seems to work great.

As for the file saving, however, I may end up having to buy a TacTrix cable anyway as I'm unable to use the latest metadata for the 2005-2009 Outback 2.5i on this version - I tried downloading it, but ECU Flash says the .xml files are invalid. That said, It sounds like the newest version of ECU Flash simply doesn't support these crappy VAG-COM cables anymore. If I had a 2005-2006 WRX then it would probably work. Dang...
 
#12 · (Edited)
Looks like my ECU ID is included in the latest RomRaider logger definitions - so I should be good to go, right?
The ECU ID # at the bottom of the Logger Screen just identifies the ECU. It doesn't reflect the actual ECU ROM. To function, RR can use proxy definitions to identify the available parameters. It uses the definitions for ECUs that are defined in the downloaded ECU- def file. If you go back to the thread where that file was located, there's a list of the ECUs included. I don't see the 2006 USDM Outback . . there. If your ECU definition were included, the CAL ID # would appear at the bottom of the Logger screen. (Based on the 2013 reprogramming recall data, I believe your CAL ID after the reprogram would be either EV2L002A if CA-spec, or EV2L002B if FED-spec.)

Some ECUs have been defined separately after that file was generated, which goes back to ca 2009. The RR forum can be searched for your ECU ID #, and if it has been defined it would likely be posted for download. (Search requires registration but I can do a search for you.)
 
#13 ·
You should be able to read and write with the Vag-COM. ECUFlash has to also know where the defs are located and it uses the same defs as RR.

By the looks of your screen shot it pulled the lines of data, but doesn't coorelate it to definitions. Either your specific defs are not in the defs/cars files, or ECUFlash is looking in the wrong place for it.
 
#15 ·
You should be able to read and write with the Vag-COM. ECUFlash has to also know where the defs are located and it uses the same defs as RR.

By the looks of your screen shot it pulled the lines of data, but doesn't coorelate it to definitions. Either your specific defs are not in the defs/cars files, or ECUFlash is looking in the wrong place for it.

Okay, that makes sense, I'm with you now. So, perhaps I need to find the ECU definition that @plain OM is referring to.




Open the read image in RR Editor and see what it does with it.

This is what it tells me...

Image



Selecting the only ecu definition file that I have ("ECU definitions 0.8.3.1b 10-07-09") doesn't make a difference...
 
#17 ·
OKAY - MORE GOOD NEWS!!

I figured out the metadata .xml file problem. All I did was I edited the ECU Flash .xml file while looking at another XML file that came with the 1.28 version, and deleted a few small things that the newer .xml file had.

Here.... (BEFORE is the box on the left, AFTER is the box on the right)...


Image



Basically deleted all of the warning text, in addition to <romid> info that wasn't present in the older 1.28 version xml files.

Now, when I start up ECU Flash, I don't get an error message!

Image





Now I'm going to try reading the ECU image again and making a new image file now that I have the definitions all set up properly to see if it runs smoother this time without any guess work when saving it. fingers crossed
 
#19 ·
Well.... Something changed and I don't know what it is.

When opening ECU Flash and attempting to connect, it's not even letting me pick the metadata.

Image


Data cable is connected and set properly. I tried removing the edited .xml file, uninstalling ECU Flash then reinstalling it (again, v1.28), running the program under windows 7 compatibility mode. Still the same damn thing. WTF? What changed?
 
#20 ·
Well, after reinstalling the software several times, and even switching to the newer version, then back to the older version, and turning OFF compatibility modes in Windows 10, I somehow got it working again.

When attempting to use my new .xml definition file, however, it wouldn't allow me to test the new image against the ECU image, as it didn't know what flashing metadata to refer to (even though it is included in the .xml file). So, I just removed my custom .xml file and decided to save it as a non-inherited image file, essentially starting from scratch for the metadata. This let me put in the parameters manually. I opened the new .xml file that I downloaded for my ECU above to use as a reference, and then just copied over the identifying data. Specifically the Flash Method, the Memory Model, the Checksum Module, and of course the Internal ID (the xml file tells you what hex address it is [2000, with a length of 8 ] ). Thankfully the older version of ECU Flash has these very same modules/tools already so the newer version, seemingly, is not needed.

The downside to this is that I cannot see the parameters for my image file; but, that's fine, as that is what RomRaider is for!

Anyway, thank you everyone for all of your help. I've gotta fix my P0171 code first (I'll be doing some datalogging tomorrow) then I will see what I can do as far as tuning is concerned. (gonna keep it simple).
 
#21 ·
Everyone, just wanted to give you an update. Flashing the ROM with ECU Flash works!!! Also, I found that I had to unplug all USB devices for ECU Flash to recognize the COM port that the VAG-COM cable was connected to in order for it to connect to the ECU reliably. I usually have a wireless mouse USB module plugged in when using my laptop, and evidently ECUFlash doesn't like it.

Anyway, I modified my stock ROM by changing the MAF scale. I increased the first 2/3rd of the values by 10% (ie increased the MAF g/s value in each box, relative to the associated voltage) then tapered down to a 6.75% increase. I did this as a rough test. This seems to have fixed my p0171 code. However, there is a LOT of fine tuning I need to complete to make the fuel trim corrections smoother. I've been scouring the RomRaider forums related to the MAF table - I've got a ways to go to tune this to account for my mods.

Anyway, here are some pics....

Flashing new ROM....

Image



Flash complete!

Image




It's idling great just like before, but my fuel trims are MUCH better already, even with my hastily made rough estimate MAF scale.

Just wanted to say THANK YOU to everyone being so helpful!! Hopefully this thread can come in handy for anyone else wanting to tune their NA EJ253 with just using a cheap VAG-COM cable.