EDIT:

Ok, so I decided to create a thread of my install and I will take pics as I go. I'm new to real tuning 'stuff' so I thought other n00bs would like some dummy pics and info in one place to help out. I'm going to be doing the install either tomorrow night, or Saturday morning depending on the answers to the questions below.

The install will be on my 2001 NB


Dec 17 2009
1.
Looks like my ecu will finally be here today based on the tracking number. I don't have my LC-1 yet but i really want to get this thing in! I am mostly stock right now, other than intake and exhaust. Would I be safe installing this thing and just running the base map on the Boundary site without trying to tune?

My turbo parts collection is not quite complete yet, but it'll get there.

2.
I ordered the 3bar MAP sensor, but I am not turbo'd yet. Do I have to do anything different to calibrate this properly, or do I just leave the boost cells on the fuel/ign tables alone? Should I be using a vacuum pump with gauge to set the minimum kpa value or is this already pre-calibrated?





December 18

Here are a couple pics of my car. I don't have many decent full pics






Pics of the contents





Should I be worried about this?

 

I don't have a wideband and I drove mine 100km to my tuner. Kept it out of boost though!

 

So I decided to turn this into my install thread. I find a lot of information in many different threads, but I thought it would be helpful to some if a lot of these install questions and info are in one place

 

1. I really really recommend a wideband if your going to be doing alot of driving. The maps aren't really made to plug into a narrow band. I drove around on that very map thats in there for a long time, but other people have reported less successful attempts at the same thing. Every motor is different, and that could be the difference between rock stead idle, and extreme vacuum leak idle. Ultra lean cruise, and safe cruise.


2.
Don't worry about converting anything with the 3-bar. The 3 bar reads atmospheric just as well as boost, and plus it will allow you to have more tuning time with your part load cells that will be hard to tune when you do go turbo.

 

I'm in for pics and install info. I'm not going to install mine until after January where I can finally get my inspection done before the ecu install. Good luck...

 

Thanks for the info, Travis.

I do not drive this car daily and it is mostly sitting in my garage for the winter, so I don't plan to do much driving, other than around the block a few times. The LC-1 should be here in a couple weeks.

I take it from your answer to question 2 that I can plug in the MAP sensor straight out of the box and go?

I'm due for an emissions test in January (valid for 2 years) and a bit reluctant to mess with much, but the curiosity is killing me. I may end up installing it to get things running and play with it, and then return it to stock shortly and take it for the e-test.

 

If you want it to be easily removable you can wire the MAP sensor into the Adaptronic plug-in loom so you don't have to butcher your TPS/AFM wiring. This is how I've been running, and it works well. In fact I have the MAP sensor inside the cabin next to the Adaptronic, but you could just as easily run wiring out into the engine bay.

 

Thanks for the tip, I will consider that too. I was planning on using a couple inline splice connectors as my temporary solution.

 

I was able to stop by the post office this morning to pick up my package. Everything looks nice but there are a few wires with broken strands at the base of the soldering point near the PCB. I may have to fix this up a bit so I have no issues later on. It was probably a combination of being mailed in the cold and shifting around. Pics to follow when I get home from work. I should have called in sick today so I can do the install....

What exactly is the 2-pin jumper for on the PCB? Is it to bypass the Adaptronic and use the stock ecu? How does this work if we are using a MAP sensor? Or is it for reading OBII codes and other diagnosis?

 

I'll be watching for your posts as I have an '02 in which I installed my Adaptronic, but had to swap back to stock until I can find more time to devote to it.

I followed the installation section that Travis sent me (basically Stein's install thread). Couldn't use the square tube bracket idea under dash for the ecu due to an electrical device mounted there. Securely zip-tied the Adaptronic ecu instead, worked fine. MAP sensor section of the manual addressed wiring colors for 89-95 and 99-00. You have to go to the last page of the install manual to find the correct 01-05 wire colors for tying the MAP signal wire into the MAF signal wire. I initially cut the pink MAF wire and connected the red MAP wire, but later respliced (all soldered connections) the pink MAF back in to make it easy to switch back to stock ecu. Now all I have to do to go back to stock is unplug the MAP and plug in the MAF (plus swap ecu connectors and injectors, if not stock). Works fine.

Unfortunately, I'm still stock but hope to get back to that project soon. I'm hoping that all the idle issues with '01+ models will be resolved by that time. Mine were/are a bitch.

Good luck,
Norm

 

Anyone know what I should be using to set the minimum kpa value or is this already pre-calibrated? Is there a common name for a pump like this? Is it the same pump you would use for bleeding brakes?

Just putting a list together of the things I want to pick up on the way home.

I've been reading the transient throttle and idle documents over and over for the past few weeks just to get this stuff to stick in my head. It doesn't sound too hard....in theory.

 

Picked up my USB>serial adapter and cable. I'm going to start doing the install and head to the auto shop to get a vacuum pump.

Looks like the broken strands of wire may be just from being a thicker gauge wire and unable to fit through the PCB hole. If it were up to me, I would have enclosed this in some sort of other case.

 

It's alive! The idle was hunting from about 300-1500 rpm and trying to die. I was revving it a bit, keeping it under 3k rpm and it eventually smoothed out. Once the fans kicked on the idle went up and then the engine died. I've seen a couple other threads about fans and idle issues which I'll read up on later.

1.
Is there any reason why my fuel pump is louder with the adaptronic? I never used to hear it....ever. And I have never had my fans come on at idle, at least not while sitting in my driveway.

2.
As I was revving the engine ever so gently, I was watching the gauge window. I noticed the knock incrementing to a max of 8. Is this normal? Should I be getting any knock at all?

3.
Occasionally while the engine struggled, I would hear popcorn noises coming from the intake. I've also seen a couple other threads on this that went unresolved. Is this a concern?


I've never felt so lost before. It's like reading about a foreign city vs actually traveling there.

Don't worry, I'm going to clean it up.

 

I am planning on doing the same thing as soon as I can get the propper harness for the adaptronic. I will be watching this build thread and writing my own. Good luck and keep us updated.

Have a great day,
Jared

 

if you haven't already installed the 2.000 firmware and started using the V2.000 WARI, do that and convert over to VE from milliseconds. The reason your idle is like that and it dies is probably fueling. the VE method will allow you to more finely tune idle.

check the output that runs the fans. verify it's set correctly. i haven't noticed any fuel pump issues but my pump is run off the stock ecu.


look at the knock background noise map. it should have a big hump or peak to "ignore" noise that isn't knock. once the car is running pretty well, while sitting still, rev the engine somewhat smoothly to redline and back again while datalogging. take a look at the logs and see how much knock is registered. map that number into the background noise table at the appropriate RPM. some of mine go up to like 60-65 around 4000 rpm.

oh and make sure the ignition closed loop setting for "Knock level to retard 1 degree" is set to a reasonable value (20-40 to start with maybe) so it doesn't pull your timing to ZERO when it sees any knock or noise.

dont know what that noise is. maybe just bad tuning sounds?

good luck!

Matt

 

My fuel pump is doing the same thing. I don't know why.

 

ugh, couldn't get it started this morning. It's about -10* C. I decided to put everything down and do some more reading before frustration and broken parts set in. I upgraded to V2.000 firmware and Wari V2.000. That's the only change I made since last night. I am going to warm it up on the stock ecu and then see if I can get it going after that.

 

post up a screen capture of your cranking enrichments and then tell me your injector size.

 

This the screen you want to see? I have stock injectors right now. Everything is just the base tune that Boundary provides, except I have it in open loop idle. It wasn't starting in closed or open loop idle this morning. I haven't set it to VE tuning yet either.

 

What should my kPa value be roughly, during cranking? While at rest and cranking, they are reading the same. Shouldn't there be some vacuum?

Ignition during cranking is set to 7* BTDC

It starts and runs fine on the stock ecu, so my plugs are still ok. The only change I made from last night was the upgrade to V2.000 which probably wouldn't cause this no start.