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Welcome to prograle.org |
Helping to put that smile in your face ;-) |
prograle.org is a result of the passion for the Lancia Delta HF integrale and engine management. I hope this site becomes a source and sharing place of valuable information for tuners and hard users of these iconic cars.
FAQs:
Why do you say Prograle Mapper is Beta? What does it mean?
- "Beta" is the word used in software development when the author considers an application not yet finished enough for a 1st release. Beta versions might be buggy or uncomplete in functionality, or both. I cannot ensure Prograle Mapper being free of bugs, bugs can always be reported, even the Romulator or Ostrich themselves might have bugs. However I can say that although not complete in functionality Prograle Mapper is robust enough to be used for what it was intended, I tune often with it and its operation in such a critical thing like updating the contents in the memory is done without known errors.
What are Romulator and Ostrich?
- Romulator and Ostrich are very interesting devices called Memory Emulators. You can buy them at xtronics.com or moates.net for around 150eur. Take into account not a long time ago a memory emulator like these sold as a chip tunners tool was in the range of 1.800eur. Currently the Prograle Mapper only supports the Xtronics Romulator. Future support for the Ostrich will be done when possible.
What is a memory emulator?
- A memory emulator is a device that replaces the eprom ("the chip") with volatile memory. This permits the memory to be updated without messing with any tedious erasure process like the stock eproms require. Memory Emulators use a button battery to feed the memory this is why their use is only recommended during the tunning process. The beauty of the memory emulator is that they can be interfaced with a PC given you use the right application and edit in comprehensive units the contents of the memory in real time. It is the modern device that allows you to do what some years ago consisted in tuning a carburator and the ignition distributor. It permits you to use your ecu as if it was an aftermarket programmable one.
What Prograle Mapper does?
- The Prograle Mapper is a Win32 application (only tested under Windows XP) that interfaces the Romulator providing the user with an edition environment in comprehensive units. Prograle Mapper is not the only application that can do this. Tunerpro (downloadable from tunerpro.net) is a far more complete and advanced application that can do that. However, TunerPro is a generic tool that requires a definition file to work with a particular ecu.
How can I upload/download binaries with Prograle Mapper?
- All particular questions about Prograle Mapper are answered in the forums. Subscribre to the e-mail list to get access.
Just this, is chip tunning so easy?
- Not at all. The memory emulator and the software to interface them are only part of the tools needed to tune an engine. YOU NEED MORE TOOLS to know what is happening in the combustion chamber and the KNOWLEDGE to interpret it and react acordingly. I say this can bring you a smile, but it is very true that this tool in bad hands and bad use can cause a lot of damage. Be warned. This is a very sharp knive, it is very usefull but it can also become dangerous. You can melt engines, break pistons, conrods ... sometimes even doing things well! On the other side this tools undercover the black art of chip tunning with stock ecus and can provide you with the joy to improve yourself the behaviour of your engine. I warn you, the retrofeed of experiencing the changes you can apply to the ecu program is *very* addictive ;-)
Why do you share this?
- For many reasons. I don't think not doing it brings me any profit. I don't think nowadays the value added is in these tools (It is in knowing what to do, and soon even that won't make a difference). I see these sort of tools available for other cars, so Why, not for integrales? and Last because I think that extending the practice and knowledge of chip tunning in integrales will produce lots of information and experiences that will become very usefull to the community. Ok, probably some broken engine, but overall I thing sharing this is positive (Don't let go the Thema/Dedra Turbo 8v/16v engines to the scrapyards ;-)
Disclaimer:
I provide the tools here as are and for free. It is a result of leasure time spent on them. You must use them under your own responsibility. As a result of a bad operation with them or to an existing bug you could damage your engine. I repeat, you use them under your responsibility. I won't accept any liability about what the tools and informations in this webpage could have caused. Tools can be buggy and informations mistaken or inaccurate.
Support:
Visit the forum (community.prograle.org) to resolve doubts about tunning the Delta (access: community / bazza).
The author of this webpage wants to thank the following people for his technical contributions related to the IAW and Delta integrale in general: Bas van Elten (Base5), Xavier Ros (Sendo), Paul Miller (PaulM69), Nikola Radenkovic, Alex Segala (HF Alex) and the never forgoten Barry Waterhouse (Bazza). All of them directly or indirectly helped this project.
A big thank you also for the people of Schuderia Lancia, HF Squadra Corse, Lancia Corse, Abarth and Martini Racing. Thanks Gianni, Sandro and Cesare ;-)