Hi all, recently I changed an ECU in my B4 and I wasn't sure exactly what parts were needed or how I was going to get it working. Through trial and error I managed to sort it out and get it working.
Long story short, I had a factory Subaru 2001 B4 ECU with a tune mapped on it that I wanted to use for obvious reasons including a lust for PSI.
If for some reason you need to change the ECU, there's a few components you need from the car the ECU came from for a quick & easy swap.
This will apply to most later model Subarus because, let's face it, they're all very similar.
Firstly, you'll need an ECU.... this bad boy was the one I removed.
The factory ECU is mounted under the carpet in the passenger footwell and is covered by a metal protective plate.
The other components needed are...
The corresponding Subaru factory immobiliser control unit, which is mounted to the underside of the steering column.The key circuit board from inside the key housing. Not needed. You can reprogram it to suit. Procedure listed below
And also the key chip.
So you pretty much need the key that was used in the car that the ECU came from. Nope, just the transponder chip.
.
The chip in the center of the pic.
The circuit board, to the right, simply pops out of the key housing and is swapped into the car's existing key. Not required
The Immobiliser control unit pictured on the left.
The chip itself can be removed from its cute little protective casing as shown below, from the back side of the key housing where the battery sits.
Connect all that up and Wob's your uncle.
The only down side is the central locking won't work. It needs to be reprogrammed to suit the new key hardware.
I'm pretty sure there's a link somewhere here on how you do that.... cue Morgan. Now listed below
That's basically it.
So if you need to swap your ECU for whatever reason, make sure all those parts are included or you're going to have a bad day and you'll be seeing a big red key shaped light flashing on your cluster, which means.... no starting or driving for you!
Peace out 
Replacing an ECU - What you need.
#1
Guest_KONG_*
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Posted 18 January 2016 - 09:04 PM
#2
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Posted 18 January 2016 - 09:45 PM
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
#3
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Posted 19 January 2016 - 08:22 AM
Nice work Kong
I put up with people from amnesty, red cross and now the cancer council almost daily hounding me!! Throw in the greens, green peace, unhcr, save the forking children and I've well and truly hit my limit for the number of fuckstains wanting me to sign something or give money. Seriously cubts,right off.
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Posted 19 January 2016 - 08:58 AM
Very interesting. I thought you needed the ignition barrel as well? Ignition barrel is often mentioned when discussing V9 STi half cuts, which is why I was planning on using the ignition barrel and driver's door barrel from my donor wrx.
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Posted 19 January 2016 - 10:28 AM
Can't think of any other reason for you to need to use the barrel but I'm not familiar with imprezas.
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Posted 19 January 2016 - 11:42 AM
interesting. did you try just the transponder chip in your key before swapping the receiver over?
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Posted 19 January 2016 - 12:23 PM
I thought you can reprogram the transponder chips doing the door look button dance...
I know in foresters you can...
#9
Guest_KONG_*
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Posted 19 January 2016 - 12:24 PM
interesting. did you try just the transponder chip in your key before swapping the receiver over?
Sure did, mate.
I was about to give up, then I swapped the key circuit board into the key housing for one last shot and it fired up.
I then tried plugging back in the original control unit and it was immobilized again..... red key light on the cluster was solid.
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Posted 19 January 2016 - 12:40 PM
I thought you can reprogram the transponder chips doing the door look button dance...
I know in foresters you can...
Are you 100% sure about that ?
I doubt it would be that simple to be honest and I would be surprised if that was the case.
In my mind it doesn't make sense as it is a security feature after all and I think that would make the cars way too easy to steal.
I'll will try it out tonight anyway and report back.
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Posted 19 January 2016 - 01:46 PM
Is that what you mean?
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Posted 19 January 2016 - 03:29 PM
Are you 100% sure about that ?
I doubt it would be that simple to be honest and I would be surprised if that was the case.
In my mind it doesn't make sense as it is a security feature after all and I think that would make the cars way too easy to steal.
I'll will try it out tonight anyway and report back.
Is that how we program new remotes/keys? I remember when both I and Morgan blew our Control units, when i put the replacement (same 4 digit code as original/remote) I still had to do the dance
So Chris, I suppose to test this out I put the old key circuit back in the key with my new chip, plug in the old reciever and do the reprogram dance.
Is that what you mean?
If you have swapped everything over already no point I guess but you could test it with the old chip/key
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Posted 19 January 2016 - 03:39 PM
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Posted 19 January 2016 - 05:54 PM
very good write up 
#15
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Posted 19 January 2016 - 07:46 PM
I've conducted the tests and the results are conclusive.
The first thing I did is reprogram my central locking to suit my key fob.
This procedure was to get my key remote working so I knew I was starting from scratch with a fully working set of keys and a starting car as I began my testing.
Keep in mind that everything else was working except central locking.
There's some conflicting instructions on how to reprogram the central locking about on the internet but the process is quite simple....
1) Remove the driver side kick panel cover & get in the driver's seat.
2) Lock the door manually on the door.
3) Plug in the white plugs in the kick panel.
4) Hold down the "lock" button on the key fob.
5) Flick the door lock to "open" then release the "lock" button on the key fob.
6) Hold down the "open" button on the fob then flick the door lock to the "locked" position then back to "open".
7) Release the open button on the fob.
8) press the "Lock" button on the fob and the door switch will lock then open immediately to confirm the process worked.
9) Unplug the white plugs and you have a working central remote locking system.
So the tests began....
First test was to swap the key circuit board with the one that previously worked before the ECU swap and was in the car's original key. The car wouldn't start and was immobilised. On the cluster there was a solid red key light showing & the central locking didn't work either.
So I did the programming dance and the central locking worked again and the car started.
I then swapped back to the first reprogrammed circuit board and it now didn't work the central locking only.
So.... The key circuit boards are completely programmable but individual in their own right. Once the central locking is working, the car will not be immobilised but it does need to be recognised by the ECU or the Immobiliser control unit by doing the reprogramming dance. This was what stopped me from starting the car when I put the new ECU, chip & immobiliser unit in. The one that was in the key just needed to be reprogrammed.
These tests could go further and I'm sure I could sync both key circuits, but I can't be forked dealing with that right now or ever.
I only have one key anyway.
The next test was to swap transponder chips & do the dance to see if the ECU recognised the chip. Unsuccessful. Car was immobilised.
Next I swapped the control unit and repeated the dance. Unsuccessful.
I then swapped chips to the known working one and again I was unsuccessful in starting the car.
I think I covered all possible bases here with my testing.
Results....
1) Transponder chip programming is not possible using the central locking reprogramming procedure, there's more involved.
2) The circuit boards inside the key are interchangeable between cars and are reprogrammable .
3) To swap an ECU without Subaru's help you need the ECU's corresponding transponder chip & immobiliser control unit.
I will amend the original post to reflect what I have found.
If anyone knows how to reprogram a transponder chip to suit an unrelated ECU, please feel free to chime in.
#16
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Posted 19 January 2016 - 07:49 PM
As he did it with his b4 single conversion
#17
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Posted 19 January 2016 - 07:54 PM
Pretty sure willc has an idea about this stuff
As he did it with his b4 single conversion
Yeah well I now have a forking idea too mate!
Wob Wob Wob.
And Will told me all I needed to do was put the ECU in and swap the transponder chip.
That didn't work and here we are.
Will, if you read this..... I'm better than you, cubt 
And taller.
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Posted 20 January 2016 - 08:23 AM
Josh was your old ECU stuffed or still usable? I'd be keen on picking it up if its still in good working order
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Posted 20 January 2016 - 08:40 AM
I only swapped it because the new one is tuned.
#20
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Posted 20 January 2016 - 11:30 AM
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