TECH: CODE BREAKING

“The Rover MEMS ECU has always been reluctant to reveal its secrets”

Ever since the fuel injected Minis appeared in the early 90s, there have been attempts to modify them for more power. Using traditional tuning methods – improving breathing, etc – have always shown good results, but unlike carburetted engines, there was always a clear limit which was difficult to get past. The very reason that had made the fuel injected Minis so frugal, reliable and able to comply with ever stricter legislation, was also the thing that held it back in the power stakes. Electronic control of the fuelling and injection was via an ECU, and unlike many similar units from other mainstream motor manufacturers, the Rover MEMs ECU has always been reluctant to reveal its secrets to tuners.

James Portman from Rover MEMS Diagnostic and Remapping offers a range of services and tons of free information on his website (). And after exploring various options in tuning his own and other people’s Minis, he has developed a reprogrammable ECU for the later MPI. Work is still progressing on a modified ECU for the earlier SPi cars.