Haltech Platinum Interceptor - Manual (Page 3)

Interceptor Manual
3
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 engine’s factory ECU or
carburettor system. Haltech’s 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 Haltech’s 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.