Introduction
What is an interceptor?
Haltech has been in the aftermarket ECU business for over a decade offering fully programmable replacement ECUs that completely replace an enginefs factory ECU or carburettor system. Haltechfs ECUs are high quality programmable ECUs that can be setup to run any engine at optimal tune. For many years, this has been the preferred method of achieving consistent accurate tuning in a modified engine. In recent times however, modern car manufacturers have been consolidating the many electronic boxes that were previously independent systems into a single electronic box, or at least a much reduced number of electronic boxes that have much higher control complexity. Not only have engine electronics increased in complexity, but the modern ECU also controls much more than just the engine, with control now extending to automatic transmission control, instrumentation control and much more. Although Haltech has added many advanced control features to satisfy increased requirements, it is impossible for Haltech to keep up with the many new features being added to the vast models of vehicles being released each year.
Haltech continues to support these vehicles by recommending the install of full replacement ECUs in a piggyback arrangement. This is achieved by leaving the stock ECU in place to control all functions that are not related to engine performance, and using the Haltech to control features that affect engine performance. This approach is very effective, and allows a high degree of engine control to tune the engine for optimal performance. In many cases however, the Haltech ECU is running the engine exactly the same as the still present factory ECU except at large throttle openings. Haltech tuners must still tune the difficult areas of light load, idle and cold start that the original ECU did so well.
Haltech recognized a need to add a product to a car that retains the factory ECU for everything it does so well, but adds the ability to tune the factory ECU in areas where performance gains may be made. The Haltech Interceptor is Haltechfs response to this need.
The Haltech Interceptor is an electronic box that is designed to read and/or intercept factory ECU signals in order to control the factory ECU to deliver desired tuning settings. The interceptor is fully programmable, so it can be used to adjust only the engine load/rpm areas where the factory ECU is less than optimal in its tune. This then leaves the factory ECU to continue to control the areas of the map that it does so well like cold start, idle etc.
Why does the factory ECU need to be retuned?
All factory ECUs control the amount of fuel injected into an engine, as well as the ignition timing of the engine. In addition, many factory ECUs also control features like turbo boost pressure, variable cam timing, and many other modern engine features that affect engine performance. Car manufacturers do not set out to deliberately detune the engine, but there are often many requirements aside from engine performance that the tuner of the factory ECU must meet. Most of these requirements are to the detriment of engine performance:
- Emissions targets.
- Durability under worst-case conditions (high ambient temps with poor car maintenance).
- Minimization of warranty claims.
- Need to provide lower engine performance in lower priced models.
Even if the factory ECU does tune the engine optimally for performance, it is unlikely that the standard factory ECU will run the engine optimally if the engine receives performance modifications.
Haltech recognizes that many performance car enthusiasts prefer to gain increased engine performance rather than retain worst-case safety tunes. Other enthusiasts prefer to take this further to perform mechanical engine modifications aimed at increasing engine performance and then require the ECU to be tuned to optimize the modifications.The Haltech interceptor is designed to offer the cheapest and most effective way of achieving retuning of the factory ECU to meet the requirements of the modern performance car enthusiast.