Roshaan

Hey guys,

I need some help having my flashpro tune looked at. I have never ECU tuned before. This is my attempt to ECU tune a car.

I was in the market for a fuel saving base civic but I ended up buying an 08 Civic Si coupe. It included a Flashpro tuner, which was a big plus but the stock tune was protected and I could not read it. The tune on the ECU was good for WOT but not for part throttle and the fuel economy was horrible.

Cost of 91 octane was 24.7% higher! at the time, up here in GTA Canada. $4.05CAD/gallon for 87 and 91 octane was at $5.05/gallon. So I decided to tune my k20 for 87 octane. I used the basetune from flashpro for an Si with skunk2 headers, CAI and exhaust. I have skunk2 catless headers, injen CAI and a bottle necked leaking exhaust on it.

On my first drive around on 87 octane, knocks everywhere, but only at part throttle. Nothing audible.

At the time, I didnt even know how to properly read a data log, so I read the first few pages of the manual, set the cam to 10 degrees, disabled VTEC and just pulled timing from where ever I thought there were knock counts. Copy pasted it for 20, 30 and 40 degrees. Got rid of all knocks! and then I attempted to set the AFR tune. The autotune feature helps aswell. Advanced timing in different areas, as long as I did not get knocks. Set cylinder 2 to -1.5 degrees and 3 to -0.5 degrees. Set the WOT adjustment tables




The car runs great and is a good bit faster on part throttle, and the fuel economy is better on this tune. I have not tuned for WOT or VTEC yet.

-Do I just keep advancing timing? and then read the data log for knocks, pull timing only in the section where there was knock and advance the rest of the table?

-My tuning table column, when datalogging AFR, does not go past column 7, column 8 if Im lucky. Is this normal? The table has space till column 10. It's almost as if TPS is not calibrated.

-On part throttle, how low of an AFR can I go? I want a fuel saving RPM spot around 3000rpm, that is usually where my RPM sits on the highway for long drives where I do not need the power or throttle response

-With WOT, vtec at 50 degrees cam angle, After I reach the point where I get knock, how much should I retard the timing? My concern is variation in fuel quality

I'm thinking, of tuning for full on fuel saving, until I hit VTEC, which will mostly change engine sound, to which I will tune maximum power. Abrupt change in character right after I hit VTEC. realistic tune?

I will attach a recent data log soon. I'm sure there would be a lot I have not set right. It would be great if you do not mind looking it over, all help is appreciated.

motoxxxman

isn't that car supposed to be premium fuel only?

Roshaan

your tune dictates what fuel you can use. Like you cant use diesel for sure, but you can use 94 and advance timing and you can use 87 and retard timing

I'm installing an AEM and Bosch wideband, just figuring it out the wiring. I think the stock O2 readings may not be very accurate

Attaching current tune v1.4 on 87 octane
Datalog from a 13 min drive. 3 knocks on this one. 1 of them is probably false knock
I decided I will tune for 94 octane after I am done completing this tune.

Anyone have any idea how to find ideal timing for a street tune without a dyno? So far, I have been advancing timing as much as possible, as long as I could avoid knock




For cam timing, can I use 50 degrees on a stock cam with headers, intake and exhaust? Mine is set to 40 degrees on my base tune and some parts of 50. But there is no table for 50 degrees that I can adjust

priceisalright

Yeah from the factory it is premium fuel only, but it doesn't seem unreasonable to think that you could tune the car to handle a lower octane fuel. It's just the same as tuning a car to run on e85.

Roshaan

My posts dont seem to be going through. I guess they need mod approval.

I tried to upload a later tune and data log and the post does not show. I will try again later if it still doesnt show

Im doing a tune for 87 octane and will do one for 94 octane later. If premium was only 10% more, I wouldnt even be doing this. Eitherway it needed a new tune. I just started with making my 87 octane map first

Im installing a wideband O2 from AEM and Bosch. Figuring out the wiring to pin B29 atm so the flashpro can read it

Roshaan

Interesting realizing that I will have to do all these tables again since Im instaling a wideband O2 and the AFR numbers will be different. But yea, current tune and datalog if someone wants to have a look at it. I still dont know how to read the datalog completely, all help is appreciated. Im just fixing AFRs, timing....dont know how to deal with fuel pressure, injector pulses, latency and **** yet

motoxxxman

see thats the problem. no it's not the same as tuning a car to run on e85, because thats an upgrade in fuel, not a downgrade like 91 to 87. if the motor is designed for minimum 90 octane, it's because no matter what you do for tuning it will always have trouble with anything lower. Usually of which not only causes a power loss, but also pretty extensive damage. there's a reason cars that require premium fuel actually require premium fuel, and actually have multiple labels throughout the car stating premium unleaded gasoline only. because anything less will cause damage. not because of the tune, but because of the physics of the motor itself.

Roshaan

Im running the car leaner to see how lean I can run it. This is making the exhaust run hotter, backfires once in a while. Current problem is smoothing out the power delivery, consistency in rev drops between shifts. I think its my column 1,2,3 on my AFR table are messed up. I tried 17AFR idle but the engine would stall on rev drops. I have my idle at 15.6AFR, light throttle at 16-17 for cruising, medium throttle to at 13.7 and WOT at 13.

If I manage to tune it right, it will be fine.

motoxxxman

please post pics when the carnage becomes apparent, I really want to see lol

Roshaan

No one? This is a honda forum... Someone here has to have some experience with ECU tuning

carnage? that word would mean a massacre relating to people and not 1 car. I get that you want to see my car fail, I dont get what makes you lol
Either way if the engine does fail, it is likely due to me pushing timing and running lean, not 87 oct
I may post a video of a few pulls on 87 and a few on 94 if people are interested but im far from my 94 tune atm so that may be a while.