Tuning tips

Draco · Post by **Draco** » Fri Jul 16, 2010 2:12 pm

I am on the right track it seems, after the last few days driving and recording, then tuning the map where I see lean afr's, is working....bit by bit, I am seeing decent afr's on cruising, slight throttle and more load slowly, at around 60% load I am seeing afr's of mid-high 13's, around 80% load I see high 12's, on high revs at 90% load+ it still needs fuel, which I have added and will check later today.

The car pulls stronger, not great but much better than it was, I still need to sort out some stuff, I can tell now the power is coming on, for the first time this morning I fealt the breaks fading when I needed them, preveously it was not a problem, that tells me they are working harder to stop the car.

Things I have adressed till now: idling better, better afr's on cruising and boost, heavy backfire much less when off throttle in gear, when car is taken out of gear and runnig free normally revs fell almost stalling, now settles without almost stalling, after cold start keeping car running is not what I want yet but getting there.

For those interested, this is what I have seen and "learned" apart from the obveous...general things I think will help on tuning a CA.
As preveously stated this might not be dot on to different application but give a general guideline I think.

Tips:
timing low revs into boost: higher on low revs and as you go into boost gradually retard timing as boost increase.

Off throttle after load(when you were gunning or driving, leaving it in gear and taking foot off fuel while still in gear...in full vacuum) retard timing to prevent heavy misfire and less fuel on those minimum loads when foot is off throttle.

Daniel · Post by **Daniel** » Fri Jul 16, 2010 2:37 pm

Don't mean to clutter up your thread. But that sounds excellent dude, well done. Seems you are slowly coming right. Super impressed you are out there doing it.

*edit

what are you using to check your AFR?

Draco · Post by **Draco** » Fri Jul 16, 2010 3:13 pm

Thanks Danny, I do not feel this is my thread, I feel it is for anyone in my position needing some guidance.

Some more tips just in general to help the beginner like me....maybe common knoladge for the wise....but for us beginners, this info helps.

Before you try and tune a car, do your best to know the software or the general workings of the software......no matter how good a tuner you are....if you don't know the general workings of the softwaRE....it's gonna effect your goal....

All management software have some things in common like fuel map, timing map, engine temp adjustment, air temp adjustment.

Fuel map is the obveous, this is your base of a good tune, without a good base fuel map, all the other adjustments around it won't serve you as good.

The same with the timing....

Then your angine and air temp adjustments, as your engine or wheather is colder, the more fuel it needs, thus, you have air and engine temp adjustments, this will use your base fuel map to add or to reduce fuel at certain temps, this uses your fuel map but automatically add or reduce fuel at certain temps, this is why it is so important to make sure the person installing the system connects these "sensors" and configure them if needed.

The same thing happens in many systems(not all), your timing map has the same function....almost, the sensors will also help by adding or reducing timing with different temps, only the other way around than fuel, the colder, slightly more timing, the hotter the engine and air gets the timing is reduced....these adjustments will allow automatic timing adjustments according to your settings.

Hope that helps someone, by no means expert....but something to help the unknown.

Draco · Post by **Draco** » Fri Jul 16, 2010 3:16 pm

Daniel wrote: what are you using to check your AFR?

The wolf has a wide band lamda installed by Barend, I am sure it is not as accurate as the better stuff but at least I have a better indication than reading plugs.

RB25SX · Post by **RB25SX** » Fri Jul 16, 2010 4:50 pm

Works really well if u can run a log with AFR, makes mapping a lot easier if u do it by your self.

Draco · Post by **Draco** » Mon Jul 19, 2010 7:40 am

If I did not have the log I would have been lost, alone all the time so tuning would not have happened.

Toby · Post by **Toby** » Thu Jul 22, 2010 10:33 am

Nice one, Derek! Thanks for sharing as you're learning. It's really interesting to read. Not that I'll try my hand at tuning, but it's nice to know what goes into a proper tune.

Just a possibility regarding your revs dropping when you throw the gear into neutral - is your gearbox's neutral switch working and connected to the ECU? The ECU needs to know that you're going from full load into no-load and adjust accordingly, and if it doesn't get the neutral signal, your revs drop and sometimes stall your engine. I currently have this problem on my SX because the neutral switch is not working.

Anyway keep us posted and thanks to all the other guys for chipping in with advice

Draco · Post by **Draco** » Fri Jul 23, 2010 7:37 am

Hi Toby, thanks, the nutral switch is something new for me, I am sure it's not connected to the ECU but I have basicly sorted that, it just dips now and then, but not close to dieing anymore....

I have nurtured the cold start and post start inrichment for a while now, just did not get it to run in the morning directly after start, I inriched the post start little by little but did not get far, last night I decided I'm going to enrich it alot more, - 'C to 10 'C I have now inriched it past 70 % and what do you know.....it kept going this morning.....barely but it did....so I am close.

I am seeing afr's of high to mid 13's on 55% load to 70%...then high 12's but from about 85% it leans to 14 again.....indicating my fuel pressure is dropping, I'll have to get a stronger pump in there and when money falls from the sky....a proper FPR.....

For now tuning has to stop, this weekend I need to rip the turbo out and replace the center and replace the actuator, tighten everything up and get it to stay like that, it's leaking air everywhere now....sounds like a tractor, then the fuel pump....when this is done I am sure the lamda will give me more acurate data....but I believe I am in the ball park.....somewhere.

With me driving hard most of the time to log afr's....I am still getting 400km's on a tank...That is not bad me thinks....

RB25SX · Post by **RB25SX** » Fri Jul 23, 2010 8:30 am

Draco wrote: but from about 85% it leans to 14 again.....indicating my fuel pressure is dropping, I'll have to get a stronger pump in there and when money falls from the sky....a proper FPR.....

Do u still have a std feul pump ?

Draco · Post by **Draco** » Fri Jul 23, 2010 8:36 am

It does not look like the standard one, don't know what flow rate.....

Gary57 · Post by **Gary57** » Fri Jul 23, 2010 8:37 am

he has Walbro, no need for FPR. Stock regulator works just fine, you will need bigger injectors if anything.

Draco · Post by **Draco** » Fri Jul 23, 2010 8:41 am

Barend said he does not know what fuel pump it is....and it's defenately not a walbro....I was in there a few times....

Gary57 · Post by **Gary57** » Fri Jul 23, 2010 8:42 am

Then first thing I would do is buy a Walbro...

Draco · Post by **Draco** » Fri Jul 23, 2010 8:43 am

I do agree that I need bigger injectors.....I did boost one bar with my preveous sx and was able to give enough fuel just with a bigger pump...

RB25SX · Post by **RB25SX** » Fri Jul 23, 2010 8:50 am

Draco wrote:I do agree that I need bigger injectors.....I did boost one bar with my preveous sx and was able to give enough fuel just with a bigger pump...

even with a walbro, 1 bar might be pushing it a bit on std inj's. Maybe just check your feul pressure to see if the regulator works. I know on my RB25 std regulator was at 4 bar. Think std should be 3.5-4 bar.