Installing the appropriate engine management system to coordinate all of the different hardware components is vital to the efficient and effective operation of any modern vehicle. My 1989 built Corrado is crude and could be considered medieval when compared to the sophisticated systems employed in today's automobiles. Nonetheless, there are still numerous subsystems, both hardware and electronic, that have to be managed in this ca to achieve peak performance and efficiency. And this car could benefit from sport tuned software.
The 1990 Corrado is simplistic in that it does not have to deal with Anti-lock braking systems , traction control or any of the other complex systems found in newer automobiles. This car is equipped with electronically controlled fuel injectors which must respond appropriately to a number of environmental conditions that are monitored by specific sensors strategically placed in various locations around the engine.
The need for changes to the engine management system came when I modified certain components surrounding the motor. The addition of a free flowing exhaust, the increased forced induction of the modified supercharger, the installation of a Porsche Fuel Pressure regulator, and other modifications have changed the dynamics of the stock motor. A properly programmed ECU ensures proper fuel delivery and timing under various driving conditions. The increase in performance is measurable.
A properly modified chip can increase the stock horsepower from the OEM 156hp to 175hp simply by adding the proper software chip. Modified engine management software applied with the corresponding hardware modifications can boost performance well over 250hp
Proper manipulation of the software and flashing of the eprom are best left to those with the equipment and experience. Fortunately for me, there is no need to equip myself for this modification. The software for this system is flashed to a simple eprom which is mounted on a single PC board called the Electronic Control Unit (ECU) Modifying the engine management is best left to professionals and I employed the services of Sam Brown of SNS Engineering to make the modifications. SNS has invested a lot of time in optimizing the engine management for Glader equipped cars.
Sam asked me about the modifications done to my automobile. He inquired about fuel injector flow rates, supercharger type, quality of gasoline, and even the region where the the car would be driven. He incorporates these changes and modifies the fuel maps on the eprom. The Corrado is also known for a slight delay in response to hard sudden accelerations. Sam knows where this "built in" delay is located in the software and has eliminated it. He flashes the appropriate code onto a fresh eprom and sent it to me via US Postal. I simply disassemble the existing ECU, remove the stock chip and insert the new "SNS no lag" chip. The programming is done!
Then the assembly is simply the reverse of removal.
The ECU is located in a black box tucked deep beneath the windshield. It is a tight place with very little room to work. There is also a vacuum tube which takes intake manifold pressure reading from the engine that are connected to a sensor within the ECU box. This is a very specific inside diameter tubing and is exactly 1 meter in length. Any modifications to this tubing or its integrity will result in dramatically poor performance. 
Everything must be removed from this area in order to gain access to the ECU box. This area also collects lots of debris as the years pass and should be cleaned out. Also note: There are two water drains at each end that could get clogged with leaves and dirt. Clean
these out with a coat hanger. They drain directly to the ground. If they should get plugged, the water build up in this area will flow into the passenger side air intake for the Air Conditioner and could soak the ECU causing severe water damage.
Once this is in, replace all of the covers and rubber seals to prevent any exposure to engine heat or moisture from the outside environment. Once this is all in place and settled, Ill take this to a dyno and have the results measured objectively.
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