Re: Does the ECU learn & adapt?

[Chris Newbold <cnewbold@transarc.com>]

Rob Winchell wrote:
> 
> How much does the ECU "remember" and adapt to a driver? Or does it at all?

I don't know about the "older" I-5s, but the ECU for the (12v) V6
has quite a bit of "adaptation". Mind you, none of it is for driving
style, etc.

The ECU "learns" things like idle speed, basic CO, etc. On my 1993
90CS, there are no mechanical adjustment for these "basic" settings.
After a "hard reset" (i.e. loss of battery power), the service docs
indicate that the motor will run rough for a while until the ECU
relearns all of the basic settings. They recommend driving the car
for about 10-20 miles, at varying speeds and over the entire RPM
range to start the learning process.

Despite changing both O2 sensors and disconnecting the ECU several
times, I've never really noticed much change in performance from
when it's first plugged in until it relearns everything...

-Chris
1993 90CS 63k mi