ronniebiggs

LOL. Im alittle worried about it blowing but getting them rolling roaded in the UK ive been told is a problem due to me having a MS fitted as there are not many people here who will tune MS on a rolling road. I was going to aim for somewhere near to the 250bhp limit but aim for the reliable side of that figure

sixshooter

iTrader: (12)

There is nothing reliable about going straight to 15psi. You really are going to blow your engine in the first 15 minutes. That was what Dean was trying to tell you and what I am telling you.

People on this forum with years of experience tuning don't do it that way. They tune the idle, then the low rpm cells, then the cruise cells, then the atmospheric cells, then the low boost (non-boost controller cells), then gradually do all of the cells above that adding one or two psi at a time.

If you take an untuned car into 12psi you will blow it up. You just will. But go ahead.

ronniebiggs

I appreciate your experience and take it all onboard as no doubt you know far more than me. I just thought that you would have set the boost and then tuned around that. I had my ECU set up wth base map etc by Brain so I know I will have a bit of tuning but as I dont have it running im not able to see the MS software to see how it all works yet.

I thought the settings for fuelling and air etc wold be completly diferent if you run 6psi to 15psi?

If so arnt you just setting up the software twice. Like double handling?

Isnt it better to pick the boost you want to run and then set up the car to that or as you said is it a case that you have to start at low boost set up the maps then increase and adjust then increase further?

richyvrlimited

iTrader: (1)

They are completely different, but for the sake of your engine, it's far FAR safer, and far FAR easier on your sanity to take baby steps as previously mentioned.

1st get the car running
Then tune so the car will idle and drive, stop & go etc etc
Then edge into boost a bit
Slowly add more boost (with more right foot) until you're happy with the fuelling and that you're getting no detonation.
(the baove is like an hours worth of tuning to get it 85-90% of the way there).

Drive it like that and be happy for a month or so, work all the kinks out etc etc

THEN up the boost.

To do it all in one big bang is asking for fail (and a big bang of a different kind). Plus when you do have an issue, you'll be chasing your tail trying to figure out what the hell is wrong - wheras if you'd done it a bit at a time, you'll know it was the last bit you changed that caused the problems.

sixshooter

iTrader: (12)

A base tune is a rough approximation that probably won't even idle properly on your car without adjustments, much less run well in every other parameter. Every one of our cars is different than the one on which the base tune was created. And every bit of our turbo component list will be different with dissimilar efficiencies and flow characteristics. The base tune is primarily designed to give you an opportunity to crank and run well enough to allow you to start tuning, because you can't tune a car that doesn't run at all.

Your tuning needs to be a gradual process. Stomping on the throttle at any given rpm will not immediately take you to your target boost, but rather through all of the pressures up to your target: 2 psi, 3, 4...7...9...etc. You will then end up at your boost peak. It is a gradual rise. There are good reasons why you should tune with no boost initially then gradually tune all cells in boost a couple of psi at a time. Tuning the vacuum and low boost cells will teach you what your car needs and alert you to any problems before continuing to the danger zone. It is entirely possible to blow up your engine with 8 psi and a 10% error in tuning. The learning curve is much less expensive at 4 psi and therefore a much better place to practice and gain experience. Additionally, since your engine must transition through the lower pressure tuning cells on its way up to the higher pressure cells, the quality of tune in the low pressure cells will determine how quickly and smoothly your car will transition to higher pressure levels. Bad tuning in vacuum and low pressure cells will make your car much slower, rougher running, and much less fun to drive.

If you have read much of the advice given to noobs on this forum you will see a common thread of advice to add your Megasquirt and tune your car for a while before adding the turbo to your engine. This allows the user to become familiar with the Megasquirt and gain some proficiency in its manipulation. It also allows him to spend quality time tuning idle and cruise cells for optimum drivability.

Piston rings are brittle and fracture easily with a rubbish tune. They are not fun or cheap to replace and I don't want to see you with a trashed engine. Start slow and save yourself the pain. Our engines make about 100whp without a turbo. Gradually tuning in 50%, 60%, 80% 100% more power will be fun enough. Trust me.

Plan on road and idle tuning taking hours and hours, but it will be interesting and fun if you don't break anything.

ronniebiggs

Thanks I did read the threads and I chose not to add the MS first as I wanted to get the turbo and all equipment on. However I will respect your advice and do as you said. Like I said it was my noobiness that made me want to jump straight to my target boost it was what I believed you did that why. Now I know that you start small and then increase and now I know why. I will do the same.

sixshooter

iTrader: (12)

I think it is enthusiasm, exuberance, and excitement...and those are wonderful feelings to have about a project. It gets worse as you get really close to finishing putting it all together. Good luck with the build.

Larimer

iTrader: (4)

It happens all the time. People get all excited and throw all the parts on and then never really get the tuning part down. I don't know how many cars I've seen for sale that "just need tuned."

ronniebiggs

I have to be truthful and say im alittle worried about the tuning I will be honest.
But I do have a while to try as I dont plan on using it much at all during the winter.

I can imagine it will frustrate me when I start as I have never done it before and it is hard not to just ask question after question on a place like this. Which people dont think highly off so self teaching seems to be the hardest but only real way.

Bring on the fun (If I ever get a manifold and downpipe sorted)!