Paulryan

So I finally have everything I need to boost my Miata thanks to Lars, Brainiak, amazon and a few others. Today I installed my MS3X from Brainiak. Got everything wired up. It was straightforward and easy. Once I went through all the calibration procedures for the sensors with tunerstudio I turned the key and Bam!!!! Started up beautifully and idles perfect 875-950.

Everything was great. AFR was seemingly a little low cold 11.5 and once warmed up 12.3 but otherwise perfect. I was getting ready to start checking timing and decided to give it a little gas. RPM's climbed to 2k and stayed there. Shut the car off started again and it went right back to 2k. I suspect I need to add some fuel to get my AFR's back to a normal level for idle and I'm sure I shouldn't mess with timing until I have my idle correct. I'm looking into how to do that since tuning is brand-new to me. While I'm searching I figured I'd throw this up here since so many people here seem to have tuning abilities much greater than mine.

Any Advice is appreciated and I am so pumped just to be started getting this thing going!!

ramensoop

iTrader: (1)

if idling at those numbers, you need to take fuel away not add it.

verify your timing first

Paulryan

Yes sorry, remove fuel.. thanks for correcting me.

Lexzar

iTrader: (2)

Timing and fuel with idle is like a ying and yang, must find balance.. Once timing is verified. Lock timing to 10* and adjust as needed. I've had luck with 10-14* for all idle cells and then adjust fuel as needed for 13.5 if a batch fuel car or 14.7-15 with sequential.

DNMakinson

iTrader: (3)

Set timing. Do it according to the Setting Up Manual available from MSExtra Manuals for Megasquirt-3 - Megasquirt EFI Timing is locked so RPM is not important in the 800-2000 range. Then learn about setting up idle, tune VE table, starting, etc.

EDIT: However, if you wish, you can go to open look idle and drive it down to 1000RPM while you set base timing. Timing light required.

Paulryan

Ok thanks I will move forward with the timing. I wasn't sure if locking in the timing while it sat at 2k was ill advised. I did look at the timing for a moment before I blipped the throttle (which caused it to go up and stay at 2k) and it was at 10'

thanks again!!

Paulryan

So I got my timing locked in at 10'. Once done I switch back to "use map" and the idle goes back up to 2k and stays there. The timing seems way to advanced. Directions from Brainiaks instructions say it's normal to go up to 15-18 but mines not even close. I took a picture of it idling at 2k and you can see where it sits. Is this just the norm for learning to tune or do I have a strange thing going on? AFR's seem ok. Maybe I need to adjust ithe idle screw?

Im probably just expecting results to quickly but I don't want to damage anything before I even get started. Thanks again for any advice.

DNMakinson

iTrader: (3)

You control the timing. Learn how to.
1. There is the ignition timing table that gives an amount of advance based on MAP and RPM.
2. If in closed loop idle (Tuner Studio has an annuciator that says when you are) AND you call to use a separate idle Ignition Table, then that is used during idle.
3. If in Closed Loop Idle, and you call for Idle RPM offset, then there is an idle offset advance curve that is also affecting total advance.
4. There are other advance adjustments possible: CLT offsets, MAT offsets

So, if you do not want to idle at 20 degrees, you have to correct those things.

There is a display in TS that will show all of the Advance corrections being used on a real time basis. I think it is at the bottom of the Ignition drop down list. It will help you sort out where the total of 20* is coming from.

DNMakinson

iTrader: (3)

Base maps get you running. Then you have to tune everything for your exact installation.

Paulryan

Well problem solved and I win the idiot of the year award. Literally spent the entire afternoon trying to figure out what the problem was and assumed the worst the whole time. After reading tons of info on tuning idle and high idle problems you name it I went back out with fresh eyes and this is what I saw. If you look close you will see my timing light cord stuck in the throttle linkage. Yes I should have seen that and yes I should have noticed my throttle position gauge in tuner studio showing the throttle open a bit but in my nervousness and being unfamiliar with tuning I overlooked the obvious and went to the extreame thinking there was a major problem. Anyway all is good now. Idles perfect and next thing I will do is VE Analyze live to get things working even better. Lesson learned. Thanks for trying to help.