Haltech first start-up procedure

Where do I begin?

So, you’ve installed your new RoadsterWireWorks patch-harness and new Haltech Elite 1500. What’s the next step now you’ve got it all plugged in? Don’t worry is a lot less difficult than you think!

Can anyone program the ECU?

Yes. Theres three basic things you’ll need. Starting with the most important, common-sense.  Haltech’s software is relatively easy to use. Things are in the places you’d expect them to be once you start exploring the software.

Now how are you going to communicate with your brand-new Haltech ECU you ask? Well, with a basic laptop. Haltech don’t officially provide a minimum hardware requirement list. The general consensus for hardware is ideally a Windows10 or better Windows11 Laptop with 4GB of memory, 500GB of storage and a quad-core CPU. Windows10 is the minimum operating system required for the latest NSP software. I strongly suggest your tuning laptop have an SSD for the boot-drive.  Me personally. I use a old HP Probook 455 G3 that has a AMD A10 APU, upgraded 8GB RAM, upgraded Samsung SSD boot-drive with the old boot drive in a disk-drive caddy. So, I now have a separate storage and boot drive. A very sensible idea. This laptop does not officially support Windows11 however a fresh .iso install will allow you to use a laptop that does not meet the nonsense Windows11 hardware criteria, within reason of course. Neat trick if you’d like to upgrade to the faster Windows11.

The third requirement is a timing-light or inductive-strobe-light. We must use this to verify that when the ECU sees 0degrees (TDC – Top Dead Centre) the engine is at TDC on cylinder 1 compression-stroke. Cylinder No.1 is the closest to the timing-chain.

If you have not yet done so the LF-VE and Duratech’s use a pin that can be inserted into the engine-block just underneath where the alternator lives on the exhaust side. What you need to do is, remove both battery cables from their respective terminal posts. Remove the sealing-plug in the location circled in the image below. Install the correct SST (special service tool) into the threaded port by hand. DO NOT tighten the SST, finger tight will do. Then remove all four spark-plugs from the engine. Using a shallow 21mm socket on a 1/2″ ratchet rotate the engine clockwise until the cylinder No.1 crankshaft counterweight comes into contact with the SST pin. You will no longer be able to rotate the engine and feel positive contact with counterweight. This is the perfect time to now align the crank position sensor using the slide adjustment on the sensor to aim dead centre at the X tooth on the crank-pulley-trigger-wheel. You tighten the sensor up, then make a thin mark using a paint-pen on the timing-cover and mark the crank-pulley so you can see this while the engine is rotating. This mark will be your reference for 0degrees (TDC) to verify the ignition-timing is synchronised with the ECU.

Before we try to operate the engine, first we will download the last version of Haltech ESP from the downloads page. But didn’t I say earlier NSP? Yes, your quite right. In order to use the latest Nexus Programmer software package we need to preform a firmware upgrade on the Elite 1500.

Before starting this upgrade it is vital you have a battery charger connected to the vehicle. It’s also not a bad idea to plug you laptop in to charge during this process. If this process is interrupted you will brick your ECU. If you don’t have a battery charger then I strongly suggest the legendary CTEK 5Amp lead-acid battery charger. This works well with regular car batteries and the modern AGM type which I use. It’s also very easy to use and can be easily obtained from Amazon.

Now we’ve got the battery on charge. We can connect are laptop via the yellow USB cable supplied in your ECU’s cardboard package. We will then open the last version of ESP. We will

What tools are required besides a laptop?

How do we mark TDC on the LF-VE?

Why do we have to disabled injectors?

Why do we have to lock-timing?