I'd really like to get into tuning but where do I start?
ECU Tuning
- Thread starter 97SlickSerpent
- Start date
Call Diablo or SCT and get a copy of the software and some literature.
I bought a DSM and went from there. Got DSMlink, which allows you to go as simple or in-depth into tuning every aspect of your cars fuel, timing, airflow tables as you like. Leaning stuff like injectory dynamics and scaling, volumetric efficiency, specific gravity of fuels used (chevron vs shell vs exxon, 87, 89, 91, 93, e85, e92, etc), injector dead times (making 1800+cc injectors act like 400cc ones to compensate for low IDC injector lag), etc. Its so crazy how when you think you know everything, someone comes by with a thread with the shit above and you go "i never thought that would have such an effect on tuning" and ultimately everyone who read the thread went out that night and retuned their cars to compensate and posted how much better they drove the next morning. I cant wait to get DSMlink on my Spyder, even stock with the 14b turbo (from a 1g) and stock fuel system, the gains to be had are IMMENSE.
Domestic support for end-user tuning solutions is few and far between. And whats out there for end-users is pretty lacking at best. Everytime someone says "go to a dyno" the aftermarket community loses even more potential knowledge base. When you rely on someone else to do everything for you, you never learn anything. Thats one of the things I hate about the domestic aftermarket community. If you go to Evo, Subie, SRT4, etc, its based around the end-user doing most the stuff himself and learning as he goes along. Domestic, its based on the end user taking it to a shop and getting it done, and then not learning anything and being at the mercy of said shop whenever anything arises.
Good luck and let us know what you come up with.
Domestic support for end-user tuning solutions is few and far between. And whats out there for end-users is pretty lacking at best. Everytime someone says "go to a dyno" the aftermarket community loses even more potential knowledge base. When you rely on someone else to do everything for you, you never learn anything. Thats one of the things I hate about the domestic aftermarket community. If you go to Evo, Subie, SRT4, etc, its based around the end-user doing most the stuff himself and learning as he goes along. Domestic, its based on the end user taking it to a shop and getting it done, and then not learning anything and being at the mercy of said shop whenever anything arises.
Good luck and let us know what you come up with.
I wouldn't need any kind of hardware? I've been reading and I found this article on tuning but it seems like its Evo specific so I don't know if a Cobra would use the same hardware
nope, two different types of ECU formats. I do believe though the Evo ecu relies on reflashing and needs to be powered down to do so.
you can get software from SCT/Diablow, but you still need the interface device (XcalII, Predator) to interact with the ECU. You cant make on-the-fly changes cause the ECU needs to be shut down while its reflashing the tune. DSMlink i can tune on the go, meaning i hop on the freeway, do a 3rd gear pull, slow down, have a buddy read me what the log was, i tell him to input changes, he presses OK and changes are then inputted into the ecu, and were off again to do another pull. one-man tuning isnt too difficult, you do have to pull over to read and change things but you never have to power off to reflash anything.
The best ive seen for a Mustang is Sniper Special Forces. Its got a simple interface and you can do quite a bit with it.
you can get software from SCT/Diablow, but you still need the interface device (XcalII, Predator) to interact with the ECU. You cant make on-the-fly changes cause the ECU needs to be shut down while its reflashing the tune. DSMlink i can tune on the go, meaning i hop on the freeway, do a 3rd gear pull, slow down, have a buddy read me what the log was, i tell him to input changes, he presses OK and changes are then inputted into the ecu, and were off again to do another pull. one-man tuning isnt too difficult, you do have to pull over to read and change things but you never have to power off to reflash anything.
The best ive seen for a Mustang is Sniper Special Forces. Its got a simple interface and you can do quite a bit with it.
Last edited:
Im kinda, sorta, thoroughly confused. Maybe I shouldn't have read that article. Here it is if you'd like to take a look at it. How To Tune an Evo - evolutionm.net
I guess what I'm confused about is that it says a WBO2 is needed as well as a laptop with ECU Flashing software and a logging/flashing hardware cable. But I'm guessing thats for Evo tuning only?
I guess what I'm confused about is that it says a WBO2 is needed as well as a laptop with ECU Flashing software and a logging/flashing hardware cable. But I'm guessing thats for Evo tuning only?
yeah pretty much.
you cant do much without knowing your exact o2 measurements. With a DSM you can do a little just reading off the narroband o2's (0-1v sensors) but you have to know what voltage they need to be, ie "0.94v, 0.96v, 0.92v" in order to be somewhat in the a/f range you want, and even then its sketchy at best. However they have a knock sensr to fall back on, so if you tune too lean or too much timing and get knock, the ecu will always override your settings and pull back timing and/or add fuel to compensate. You cant do anything really unless you have zero knock, or disable the knock sensor alltogether.
Evo tuning with that software is a little harder, because you can royally screw yourself over if you make the wrong changes, and takes a little more time than something you could pull over and do in 5-10 seconds. DSMLink V3 (or ECMlink as it is now) is like that, however V2 still uses bar and graph style tuning (an option for V3), however with column/row style tuning like that, you can do a little bit more and get even better results, however its less user friendly, especially when boost is involved and the ecu runs its fuel/timing map off boost and loading values. Kinda why i never really want an Evo, STi or SRT4, i dont like that the ecu has control over boost and runs its parameters around that.
you cant do much without knowing your exact o2 measurements. With a DSM you can do a little just reading off the narroband o2's (0-1v sensors) but you have to know what voltage they need to be, ie "0.94v, 0.96v, 0.92v" in order to be somewhat in the a/f range you want, and even then its sketchy at best. However they have a knock sensr to fall back on, so if you tune too lean or too much timing and get knock, the ecu will always override your settings and pull back timing and/or add fuel to compensate. You cant do anything really unless you have zero knock, or disable the knock sensor alltogether.
Evo tuning with that software is a little harder, because you can royally screw yourself over if you make the wrong changes, and takes a little more time than something you could pull over and do in 5-10 seconds. DSMLink V3 (or ECMlink as it is now) is like that, however V2 still uses bar and graph style tuning (an option for V3), however with column/row style tuning like that, you can do a little bit more and get even better results, however its less user friendly, especially when boost is involved and the ecu runs its fuel/timing map off boost and loading values. Kinda why i never really want an Evo, STi or SRT4, i dont like that the ecu has control over boost and runs its parameters around that.
I looked at the XCal2 and it seems user friendly and makes for quick tunes, but I'm looking to do more than just "press a button, tunes done" which is what, at least it seems to me, is what those interface devices do.
I would rather use a laptop and take my time. Just kinda study the graphs and tables and learn what everything is.
Im looking at the Evo tuning how-to and I realize it's different because Evos are boosted but do Stangs have software similar?
If it sounds like I don't know what I'm talking about, it's cause I don't so please bear with me :thumbsup:
I would rather use a laptop and take my time. Just kinda study the graphs and tables and learn what everything is.
Im looking at the Evo tuning how-to and I realize it's different because Evos are boosted but do Stangs have software similar?
If it sounds like I don't know what I'm talking about, it's cause I don't so please bear with me :thumbsup:
the handhelds only have "rpm ranges" that you can add increments of fuel or timing to. I had the Predator and it was like 2.5k-4k and 4k-7k, and you could only add percentages of fuel and degrees of timing for those two rpm points. I set timing on both points to +10 and leaned out the fuel a bit and didnt feel squat difference in my 02 GT, however i was able to pop off a 14.0 @ 102mph with a crap 2.4 60ft and 295 BFG KDW2s out back as my only mods. All stock from intake to midpipe. Had custom side exit catback with spintech mufflers, but its configuration (to match roush setup) was probably just as restrictive as the stock mufflers.
i wouldnt divulge too much into Evo tuning unless you have an Evo. Tuning techniques really vary from car to car, as variable (engine dynamics, displacement, all the way down to vehicle weight, gear ratios, etc) all have an effect on tuning and how or which way to go about it.
i wouldnt divulge too much into Evo tuning unless you have an Evo. Tuning techniques really vary from car to car, as variable (engine dynamics, displacement, all the way down to vehicle weight, gear ratios, etc) all have an effect on tuning and how or which way to go about it.
That was the only tuning guide I could find. It just happened to be for an Evo.
I've been searching for something similar but relating to Cobras... no luck
I've been searching for something similar but relating to Cobras... no luck
Users who are viewing this thread
