NS Diesel ECU Flash Update

[Wilmo]

Hi All,

I noticed a Check Engine Light on my GLX NS Diesel Auto last weekend - it went off with a couple of cycles of the ignition and it still ran fine, yet was driving past MM dealer where I bought it today and ducked in for them to pull the codes.

No codes found (they thought it may be related to DPF, but I haven't had that light on yet) and the Service Manager told me they had just gotten a new ECU Flash from MM, which is designed to quieten the diesel rattle at low RPM/cruise and idle and he said if I waited 20mins he'd flash mine.

So I waited around, and they uploaded the new flash - I must say the engine rattle is a lot less than what it was and makes the NS Diesel considerably more refined to drive. The engine rattle was the one thing that dissappointed me about the car after picking it up, but now its greatly reduced so very pleased.....

[WALLYBURGER]

Wilmo, Thanks for that,that was one of my concerns as well.My old man reckoned that i should have test drove other DID pajero`s to see if the noise was common or just mine.It`s now obvious that it`s common to all.

[Wilmo]

Spent a bit more time driving it home tonight from work and I'm ecstatic that this flash has now made the Paj the refined drive it should have been since new. I'd urge anyone who's getting a service to ask for this to be done - its made that much of a difference. Very happy.

[Proudy]

Spent a bit more time driving it home tonight from work and I'm ecstatic that this flash has now made the Paj the refined drive it should have been since new. I'd urge anyone who's getting a service to ask for this to be done - its made that much of a difference. Very happy.

Wilmo...great news! - I would expect that MM would do this anyway? but I will ask for sure!

[dunkinx]

wilmo, do ECU flash have version no.s? so I can tell which version I'm getting?

[Wilmo]

no, I wasn't told any version numbers

[WALLYBURGER]

That`s cool , I will get mine done when we take our`s in for the Auto selector bolt re-call issued this week , they have to re-set the engine check light as well anyway.

[Nova Artist]

I sent an email to MM asking for more info on this ECU flash update, but they only directed me to my local MM service centre as they couldn't answer my questions. I will try and ring them about this, but in the meantime, does anyone here know exactly how the ECU flash update decreases the noise? Does it change the amount, rate or timing of the compressed fuel droplets in the common rail system, and if so, is there any word on whether it will go through more/less, the same, fuel while it is producing this quieter engine sound, and would it impact upon the KW/Torque curves, with less/more or same power?

Surely, if there is a fix for the loud engine around 1500 to 2000 rpm (which is starting to annoy me, mainly because I keep turning the radio up while driving, but the following morning, I turn the car on, and get blasted with loud music). I have about 3200 km on the car so far, and once warmed up, the engine is a little quieter already than from new.
I have to say though, that apart from the intrusive engine noise, the rest of the car appears rock solid, with top quality switch gear and road holding (and cornering) that is very impressive. If this flash ECU unit is real (I can't find any reference to it doing google or dogpile searches, or looking at Shogun sites in the UK) then you would think a lot more people will be clammering for a Pajero, as it appears this is a significant reason why people are opting for different modern diesels instead of this one.

Cheers

[Eastie]

I had the ECU re-done yesterday along with a service and after 100km I honestly haven't noticed any change (increase or reduction) in noise, fuel consumption, power... Then again, I don't recon mine has been that noisey for a diesel to begin with. If you buy a diesel and expect the loise levels of a petrol engine there's a very good chance you'll be sadly disapointed.

[Wilmo]

Mine is definitely quieter - markedly so - and fuel consumption/driveability hasn't suffered from what I can tell.

[Nova Artist]

Never did I say that I (nor anyone else on this forum to my knowledge) expects the noise suppression of a petrol engine, and I agree wholeheartedly that you cannot expect a diesel to be the same as a petrol (although the Jeep comes close). Everything is relative. For a diesel engine, it is quite coarse under acceleration, and can be rough around the edges in the rev band that you are going to be sitting at for a considerable period of time. Compared to other modern Diesels that I have driven (albeit breifly) over the last 4 months (Jeep Grand Cherokee, Hyundai Santa Fe, Toyota Prado, Disco 3, Volvo XC90), it is the noisiest by quite some margin. But hey, every car has its faults, and engine noise I considered minor compared to a whole list of other things that other cars have. Sure, I've never owned a Diesel before, and this is my first foray into the whole 4WD thing (excluding my old Subaru Liberty - but AWD in that was a different thing altogether), but if Mitsubishi hold up a sign stating that they have corrected some of the coarse engine noise compared to its compeditors (mainly Prado I suppose), then that is a good thing.
I have spoken to my local Service manager now, and he believes that the ECU fix enriches the fuel mixture entering the chamber, which theoretically could increase fuel consumption a little, but there was no word from Mitsubishi on this. Where I am, our local dealer has only done one Pajero so far, but the service manager believed that the car they did appeared to feel more powerful afterwards, so perhaps the KW/Torque band is different with the ECU patch. I will be getting this done tomorrow, so I'll soon find out.

[Geekay]

Nova, I'll be interested to hear the result. Had mine in service last week with the DPF/Engine Warning light last week. Today, the DPF is back on again and Engine Warning light too.

Looks like back to the Dealer.

Has this Flash got a name/number?

[matthewfnorbert]

i doubt mm simply increased the fuel, this would nicely increase the power at that point though... guessing they changed "when" the injectors fired (timing) so that the pre ignition noise is lessened, they may have also fiddled with boost for mixture changes, in any case i doubt the change in consumption either way would be measurable.

[Proudy]

Mine is booked in Thursday...Will elt you know my thoughts.

Hoping it s a measurable change in the noise....

Also getting a few oter things fixed up whe nI am in ther. (like the AVN coming out and OEM HU going in untill a suitable solution can be found)

[Eastie]

Appreciate your perspective having read back over it. I recon my NS DiD puts out less noise than our nissan 4.2L TD cab chassis, and it's definitely interesting (variables in driving style, fuel, oil, etc ..... aside) that there's a marked variation in percieved/actual/reported change following the ECU flash update. I've not noticed it hammer blowing or being real coarse. Perhaps it's time I got my ears tested

On another note the 7500km service cost me $260, including oil filter, front and rear diff oil and transfer case oil changes due to regular water crossings at the moment. I supplied the engne oil (15L of penrite, 5L for a flush and just under 10L for refill). Interestingly, the dealer said they are moving away from MM Diaqueen and are going with Castrol low ash.