Anyone have any experience with an ECU upgrade from JET Performance Products out of Huntington Beach, CA. I sent the ECU for my 2002 Maxima SE in for the upgrade ($399 plus shipping, got it back and when I reinstalled the ECU--- car would crank but not turn over and start?
I followed all of JET's instructions i.e. disconnecting negative battery cable on battery before removal of ECU, not starting vehicle without ECU, etc. so I'm wondering what could have gone wrong?
I am contacting JET tomorrow to see if they can troubleshoot and get authorization to return the ECU to see if problem is with the ECU or their reprogramming.
In the meantime, I'm bummed because my Max is grounded and I'm not sure what will get her running again... Any help would be appreciated...

 

They better as hell fix it, they broke it I don't see why you would have to get authorized to return it if it didn't work they should have to refund your money and then some. i frankly do not believe in messing with the ECU on cars, cause they never work as well as they're suppost to. Bummer, dude.

 

 

I'm starting to think that it was a bad idea to mess with the ECU but it was recommended by a rep at Stillen Performance and I figured that they wouldn't steer me wrong since they specialize in Maxima Performance.

For now, I'm going to give JET Performance Products the benefit of the doubt. I'm sure they'll do everything they can to help since it wasn't broke till I sent it to them... But I'll keep everyone updated so that they'll have the heads up on attempting this type of modification..

Thanks for your input. Hope I won't be bummed for long..

 

Go to "Search" and look at the comments on JET products....there not to good.

 

JET makes a questionable product. If you ask about JET chips on most automotive message boards, they will laugh at you. I hope their service turns out to be better than their products. Good luck.

Jesse

 

I wanna know what happens to this thread

 

I bet it has to do with the chip in your key. I've heard of others going to dealers and when the dealer would mess with the ecu, they'd have to reprogram the code from the key.

 

That could very well be the deal.

However, I wouldn't trust JET upgrades for any car newer than the 1995 model year. I've see similar "Jet" issues with Hondas over the past few years; more grief than grace.

Peace.

 

Well I called Jet Performance Products this morning and started to explain the problem I was having to a customer service rep named Mike. CLICK. Oooops! We must have gotten disconnected, so I dialed the number again. Someone else answers, and when I asked for his name... CLICK. Hmmmm... A faulty phone service perhaps? I dial their number again and this time I recognize Mike's voice. Hello, is this Mike? CLICK. Now I'm really getting ****ed so I dial their number again and hit "0" for the operator. I get some lady who asks me how she can direct my call. I promptly tell her that I had a problem but that their customer service people kept hanging up on me. Being a beautiful person, she proceeds to ask me what I expected her to do about it. YES, EVEN MORONS CAN FIND A JOB!
I settled for having me transfer me to customer service where another guy finally gave me a return number to include with the ECU when I ship it back to them. They should get it tomorrow so my saga is not quite over yet. I'm less than optimistic about this getting resolved, but so far, I would never deal with JET again!!!

 

So how's that work? Would I have to take the ECU to the dealer with my master key and they would program the ECU with the proper code? Or do I have to put the ECU back in the car and have the whole thing towed to the dealer? (Remember, right now it doesn't start!)

If it is something to do with the key, then I assume that when JET sends my ECU back to me, it's still not going to start.(so much for $35 in FedEx charges to send it back to them)

Any certified Nissan mechanics out there? Does this key code thing sound right? Any advice would be appreciated since I'm expecting the ECU back on Wednesday and need a back-up plan...

 

Dude, go straight to the ***** f"£kin' top. Corporate offices. Excuse my language but this sh!+ really burns me up. Don't turn this into a month, two month, three month ordeal. Go for the jugular now!

 

Sorry, but the ECU must be plugged in, however i do believe that the ECU does not carry the duties for the anti theft key..

Before going buck wild, i think you need to understand how this alarm works.

You say you can crank. IF i have this straight, if you use a key that has the incorrect chip on the key or invalid, i believe it kills the fuel pump, or ignition.

Try and find out which is which, and use a test (multimeter) to the wires attached to the accesory. If you dont get any accessaroies working (like fuel pump or spark) then you know its the security system)..

IF not, you have more major issues.

Does JET understand that this car is equipped with a drive by wire system??

ED

 

Okay, I'm obviously not as mechanically versed as you, but for those of us new to the world of performance motoring, what exactly do you mean by "drive by wire system." Damn! I knew I should have taken Auto Shop...

 

I had a similar problem with the hard start. When I was installing my remote start I unplugged the immobilzer unit(device that reads the code in the key) as well as the battery to see what would happen. When I plugged everything back in, I tried starting it and it took like 10-15 tries, seriously, before it would turn over. I did this twice but the first time it took less cranks to turn it over.
It seems like the ECU has to "relearn" the the code in the key or something. I've been told that Toyota has a procedure for start up for some of their cars with chipped keys.
This was my experience when I disconnected the power to the ECU and so I hope this helps. Later.

 

Anyone know the proper procedure for the ECU to "relearn" the code in the key? Any way to ease the hard start without giving it 10-15 tries? I gotta admit I only tried 4 or 5 times--- I didn't think it 'd do anything to try anymore...

 

I don't have any tips or advice for you besides calling a nissan dealership and asking to talk to a master-technican. ask the service advisor for the technician that knows the most about nissan electrical stuff. every dealership always has a "go-to guy" (technician/mechanic) for certain things. once you get him on the phone tell him about the upgraded ecu and the no start and see if he has any advice for you. it is a long shot but worth the try.
I just saw your profile and you are in DG, IL. what dealership did you get the car at?? DG nissan? I have good luck with gerald nissan in naperville. 630 355 3337. ask for chris. he is the svc. mgr.
hopefully he can direct you to the right person.

 

Thanks for the advice! I got the car from Bill Kay's Downers Grove Nissan. I'll try them first, but I just might give Chris a call at Gerald Nissan. I don't mind a longer ride out to the dealer as long as it'll get my ride running again...

 

your welcome.

did you get my PM??

I tried emailing you but it said it wasn't activated from maxima.org.

 

Well, my nightmare with Jet Performance Products and the ECU upgrade is over. Jet shipped me the ECU which I had returned to them as defective and I reinstalled it into my car this morning. Happy to say, my car is running again.

I'm still not sure if there was a problem with the original upgrade they did to my ECU. One of my coworker's father works at Snap-On Tools at their division that makes diagnostic equipment. As luck would have it, they had a 2003 Maxima in their garage being tested.
He suggested that the problem might lie in the car's security system.I guess that the chip in the key will sometimes need to be reset because it lost the code and is preventing the car from starting.
He suggested resetting the key/security system as follows (as found in the Owner's Manual):
Put key in ignition and turn to "On" position. Wait 5 seconds then turn to "off" position and wait 10 Seconds. Repeat steps.

 

So how is the performance??? Is there a dramatic difference??

 

Jet Performance claims a 15+ horsepower gain with their ECU upgrade. I think that this figure is very optimistic. It's hard to say because I made the cardinal sin of NOT dynoing the car before I made my mods.
I did take my car to APG Performance in Wood Dale, Illinois and had the car dyno'd. Since I had no starting numbers to work with, they pulled the dyno results from a 2002 Maxima they had done earlier in the year so I had something to compare with.
The other 2002 Maxima in stock form dyno'd at 181.9 horsepower to the wheels with 189.4 lbs. torque. My Maxima with mods dyno'd at 205.5 horsepower to the wheels with 217.2 lbs. torque. All together, my car showed a 23.6 horsepower increase and a 27.8 increase in lbs.torque.

Anyone who's performed mods to their car have probably found the horsepower increases claimed by most manufacturers of aftermarket parts to be over-inflated to say the least. Stillen Performance was unique in that their horsepower gains seemed reasonable or even understated. The following are the Stillen Performance mods that I have installed on my 2002 Maxima along with the gains claimed by Stillen: Stillen Hi Flow Intake (6 HP), Unorthodox Racing Underdrive crank pulley (8 HP), and ECU Computer Upgrade* (9 HP). *Note that Stillen was actually the one that recomended Jet Performance as the place to contact for the ECU upgrade. If you add up the horsepower gains claimed, they match the 23 horsepower gain verified by the dyno results.
I also have a Magnaflow performance muffler, Stillen front strut brace, Stillen rear sway bar, Tokico struts/shocks, Eibach springs, clear side markers, 7.5x18 Konig Absolute wheels in graphite finish with 235/40ZR18 Nitto Extreme tires.
One side note, the horsepower gains measured on the dyno may have been lessened by my 18-inch wheels, since it takes more energy to turn an 18 inch wheel versus the stock 17 inch wheel.
How does the ECU upgrade FEEL on the street? I have noticed an overall increase in throttle responsiveness. It just seems like you just tap the accelerator and the car will go-- and much more smoothly than before the ECU upgrade. Mid-range (3,000-5,000 RPM) torque feels alot stronger.
Overall, the ECU upgrade is a mod that definitely improved the performance of my Maxima. But as the technician at APG Performance told me, if you're really looking to increase horsepower dramatically, than go get a supercharger or turbo...

 

Totally interesting, does this alone get rid of the hesitation and bogging that all of us 3.5L owners are suffering??

Does JET know how to deal with the drive bye wire system?? You may have stumbled upon a cure for the problems we are having..

205hp at the wheels sounds like you got no gains. I saw stock 02's dyno in and around that range... EMAX has got 230hp at the wheels with ypipe, intake, and other assorted stuff and i believe his baseline was 205hp..

I am not to particullarly intersted in power gains, but more along the lines of getting the stupid car to feel more linear..

ED

 

Joe is your car auto or 6spd? If your auto then it sounds like your car is definatly making some extra power. But if your 6spd your not doing any better then a stock max, infact your TQ is a little low. A stock auto max put's down about 190 HP and 215 TQ. A stock 6spd does about 203 HP and 222 TQ on average.

 

Ed,
I might not be the one to ask, because I'm very new to the whole scene of mods to the Maxima. All I know is that after the JET upgrade to the ECU, the car seems to have a very smooth pull all the way to full throttle. I had a buddy in the car with me today and he said that the car definitely seemed like it accelerated more smoothly. You might want to contact JET Performance directly (www.jetchip.com) and speak to one of their technical people.

As for the whole dyno thing, it was the first time I've ever had a car dyno'd before so I couldn't even tell you if it was done right. Again, I assume that the numbers are right but something makes me wonder if the numbers it spit out were wrong since according to Emax95's posting, a stock 6-spd should do about 203 HP and 222 TQ. The numbers that the tech from APG Performance used as baseline from an '02 Maxima earlier in the year (181.9 HP/189.4 TQ) are so much lower--- even if you compare it to stock numbers for an auto max.
I would hope that the few mods I've made would result in some power gains. The car feels & drives like there've been gains made.

 

sounds like the JET chip worked for you, some say that it does, and some say that its a waste. as long as you are happy with the purchase.

 

Sounds to me like the shop dynoed a 2001 and "thought" it was a 2002 since it looked similar to yours. Stock 2002's dyno at 203-207 HP.

As for JET...well, I put a system in my GSR. The one with the red lights that increase as you push the throttle in. Supposed to re-program my ECU for optimal HP. Well, all it did was constantly trip my check engine light and put my car into limp mode. I wasted about $400 (install and product). I will not be using JET on my maxima.

 

Sorry to hear you had so many problems with the Jet system. So far, no problems with warning lights coming on but I'll be on the lookout. Seems like the consensus on the Jet product seems to be sometimes it works & sometimes it doesn't...

 

Hate to say it but it sounds like they just performed the same timing advance Mod many of us have hade done at the dealer for $39.00. I say this because his description of improvements is the same as mine with the timing advanced.

 

How has the timing advance worked out for you? Any problems?

 

I don't care if this Jet mod gives your car 50 hp and only costs $10, after the crap they put Joe Maxima through, I'll never buy from them. In fact, I don't think anyone should buy from them. That's such BS. Call the Better Business Bureau, and file one whopping complaint.

As for the key chip thing, how come Jet didn't know about it, assuming it needs to be done? If it's needed, then they obviously didn't do much testing, and that right there is enough for me to tell them where to stick thier ECU mod.

 

None what so ever. The best part about it was the dealer I worked with was very helpful. The spec timing in the ECM is 15' BTDC, mine was at 14'. We moved it up 3' to 17' which is the max the ECU will allow (3'change) and I test drove the car. That 3' increase appeared to be to much since I was getting some knock at around 2600 rpm so we moved it back 1' to 16'BTDC---WOW what an improvement--on the butt dyno any way. No knock at all either.

 

Sounds good to me. If you are always dumping 93+ in teh car, why not take advantage of it. Did the dealer give you any flack? Like, "why would you want to do that?"

 

I had to try 3 dealers; the one I bought the car from said no, the one nearest my house said no, and finally found one 30 miles away who said "it's your car and as long as the adjustment was in factory tolerances no problem". He did check with his master tech first to see what he thought and came back that it would not do any harm.
The tech thought it was a cool idea.
The ones that said no seemed to do so out of ignorance. Claimed that it would voilate EPA standards or the warranty ect. B.S.

 

Thats why i skipped the service writers and went straight to the tech that likes to mod cars. He hooked me up for free.

 

what year car is this for? and what mod did u do. is the improvment all through out the rpm range or just part of it?

 

WoW!!

I guess i got a lot of people doing this mod to there maximas!!!


Keep in mind, you soon get used to it fast and then it feels like you never did it!! I did my 4 weeks ago and boy i wish i have even more power!

ED

 

So, how does it feel in the end? is this on a 2k2 maxi? what rpm range did u feel the power?

 

I have an 02 and it seems solid throught the powerband.

 

I have a 2k2 w/ advanced timing, and initially it felt like power was throughout the power band..

Even at 6th gear at 60mph, it pulled strongly to 90mph without any downshifting ..

ED