JWT ECU question

Oct 14th, 2002, 11:58 AM

A friend has a 98 Altima SE and we want to do an FMAX Stage 1 kit on it. FMAX says their kit will only work with the 97 and older Altimas, because of the JWT ECU. In other words it's the same problem SE-R owners have - JWT hasn't cracked the 98+ ECUs, and you can't just bolt a 97 ECU into a 98, it won't work.

So my question is, does anybody have any information on getting an older Altima ECU to work in a 98? On the SE-R side it requires a little rewiring, nothing too major - if anybody has any information on specifically what needs to be done to get an older JWT ECU to work in a 98 Altima, I'd really appreciate it. We don't want to go standalone with the engine management if we can avoid it at all.

Oct 16th, 2002, 05:35 PM

JWT is able to reprogram the obd2 cpu to run an obd1 engine correctly for sr motors. So maybe they can do the opposite for you.

DanTheMan · Mar 30th, 2004, 06:54 AM

Yeah, JWT is not very consumer oriented though, especially toward low-end or econo-cars. They like to tune old se-r's and spankin' new maximas and 300's not anything between 97-99 for sentra,200sx,altima, all reuire conversion to old ecu and they don't offer tech advice either. F-em

Ruben · Mar 30th, 2004, 09:38 AM

Hey now... NOBODY has an ECU replacement for 97+ ODB-II cars. They are encrypted by the automakers and it isn't like hacking a PC. This is all binary code, and requires a LOT of work.

Look at their site, they have parts for your car, just not an ECU. JWT has done more for Nissan owners than any other aftermarket company out there.

DanTheMan · Mar 30th, 2004, 09:24 PM

[quote=Ruben]Hey now... NOBODY has an ECU replacement for 97+ ODB-II cars. They are encrypted by the automakers and it isn't like hacking a PC. This is all binary code, and requires a LOT of work.

What ever happened to the open source code/anti-competitiveness laws.
One of these days the automakers will be brought up on WTO violations,
how are software companies in the aftermarket supposed to stay in business?
And if they can't "crack" the OBDII cars why do all the new sports cars have ECU mod's available,(350Z,G35,All hondas,BMW,saab,etc....) ahem....., because they are high-end. I am just saying the company JWT does not give a rats mother-suckling ass about a 1.6L engine even if it was produced in large volume and has a fairly good aftermarket. Therefore I could care less what JWT has done for you. What we need is a stand alone ecu for NISSAN vehicles. It is worth it. JWT should be and would be out of business if it were available. Who the hell wants to send out an ecu every time you adjust something or mod a part or change out turbos/injectors etcc.....
There are some stand alone units out there and anything non-obdII should be a quick connect /disconnect to the stock wiring harness so you can place the OEM back in prior to SMOG or better yet make it OBDII compliant. The OBDII is not encrypted. The source code may be, so doesn't this defeat the entire purpose of modding your car for high performance?
I get around my ECU by putting the VSS on a switch. Speedo off at 100, GPS lets me know my speed and I whiz by 109 stock limit since the stock ECU is now out of da loop! It's also great for keeping the mileage down.

**Asleep** · Apr 2nd, 2004, 02:11 PM

my buddy is running an earlier ecu on his 97.5(obdII) turbonetics kit and hes having problems with it now. jwt is not the best place there is for the turbo setup but unfortunately, its probably the only place for an altima at the moment. there are various pin-out diagrams on the net that are available and if memory serves me correctly, i have one of them on my computer at home. when i get home later, ill see if i can find that and post it. until then, youre more or less stuck with changing the wires over to run the earlier ecu's that have been reprogrammed by jwt.

nissansofspokane · Apr 21st, 2004, 03:39 PM

you can get fairly inexpensive standalones from a company in spokane, wa call ptr injection, i know they have 2 different types. 3 guys in our club use them and love them. i have a 98 ser and have a wolf ecu, i am on my 2nd update and it has now with shipping cost me al most as much and my friends standalones, and i am still getting mil's and other bs, plus they can lean out for emmisions, which is cool for them since we have sniffers here..you can visit our club site www.nissansofspokane.org and link to ptr's web site, they are also making sweet new intakes for sr's we have 3 experimental's now to find out how big they can go... the last one is HUGE. we have been working close with them to make a street legal nx2000 hit 10's with full interior. they are estamating with the t3/t4 that he will be in the 400 hp club pretty easily, will post #'s when he finishes the build up