Tuning and ECU Flash

[LogicGate]

Post Edited and moved to:
How to: Tune using ECU Flash and other tuning informatoin

Updated Post with Quick Overall information:

Here is a post I did on the 2gstratus with all the files and things all put together somewhat like a how-to but without the tuning stuff.

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Tuning and ECU Flash

Important Information

Disclaimer:

In tuning there are no guarantees. Tuning can be dangerous and cause your engine to fail or damage, harm to your self and others, including death. There is always a cost, but when things are done safely and realistically you can achieve great results too. This will also technically void your warranty if you visit the Dealership and they check your ECU for codes. Before you go to a dealership always flash the original rom into the ECU.

Things you will need:

* OpenPort 1.3M Cable sold at tactrix
* ECU Flash Program (free) found at Main Page - OpenECU
* Datalogger Software = Allows us to log and monitor all sensor information from your vehicle.
- Mitsulogger (Free) Download link: Mitsulogger 1.6 Alpha
- EvoScan ($$$) sold at EvoScan OBDII Mitsubishi MUTII DataLogger Scantool

* Read/Remove Codes, log basic sensors and much more
- ScanTech OBDII Gen Software (Free) for Tactrix Cable Download Link: ScanTechOBDII for the Tactrix


Required Files before you attempt anything

How to Use ECU Flash Tutorial (You MUST download, read and also view the video)
* ECU Flash Tutorial = http://www.coe.uncc.edu/~jaseward/Club3G.c...sh_Tutorial.doc
* ECU Flash Video = YouTube - How-to flash your Evo ecu using ecuflash
* Definition Files = Download Definition Zipped File
- Download and unzip. Go to "C:\Program Files\OpenECU\ECUFlash\"
- Rename "rommetadata" folder inside the ECUFlash folder to "backup"
- Copy and Paste the "rommetadata" folder from the zip file
- Restart the software to allow the new definitions to take effect. You done!
* Mitsubishi and Other Roms = Various ROMs

Compatible ECUs

Currently with the latest version of ECU Flash 1.34 we are only able to flash:

*68MC Motorola based ECUs
*SH7 Hitachi Based ECUs

We are currently able to download but not flash back:

*H8 Hitachi Based ECUs

**If I'm missing any Processor Family post them up so I can update it

I don't know exactly which Stratus Years that are actually flashable but:

* If your car is a Cali Spec:
- Has 2 pre-cats and 2 O2 sensors(Front and Back of the engine) before them on the exhaust manifold.
- Your odds are that you have a currently supported Processor that we can Flash.

* If your car is Fed Spec:
- Has no pre-cats and no O2 sensors in the exhaust manifold.
- Might have a Processor which currently supports only downloading the ROM. But still not flashable

If your one of the happy lucky people your in for a treat and some fun.

How does it work?
The ECU uses a memory called EEPROM which stands for electrically erasable programmable read-only memory. It was implemented in some early model cars in 1994 and eventually was standardized in 1996 on the OBDII which is the current standard on all our vehicles. This is a system requirement for the sole purpose of emission control and updates. Not to make us more happy.

The ECU Flash program communicates with the Processor of the ECU to request a dump of the content of the EEPROM through the OBDII communication port. The software receives the data which is the ROM and allows us to modify it and change it as we see fit. Then once we are done doing changes, the software allows us to contact the Processor and activates the ECU to allow is to Flash into the EEPROM the rom we just modified. Once your done flashing the ROM into the EEPROM it will stay in the memory for the life and existence of your ECU no matter how many times you remove your battery from your car.

Its called "Flashing" because the way the memory chip works is like the film of a camera. When light hits it, there is a chemical reaction that cause it to capture the image, then it goes through a process to retain that image. The same thing happens with this chip but in electronic form. Once its developed like the film it never changes unless you damage it physically, in this case with this chip electronically (short circuit or damaging the chip physically, but they can also be replaced )

How does the ECU Flash knows where the data is and modifies it?

The ECU Flash uses a file called a definition file. This file is created by a developer that knows where the data we need to modify is located in the ROM. Once the software knows where the data is and what it is, it allows us to view the data in a format we can understand (%, Air/Fuel Ratios, etc). The software uses this information and then through a mathematical process which it calculates everytime you open and modify the data. It translates it back and forth between modifications back into binary code which you can flash back into your ECU's EEPROM.

Engine Tuning Theory
"To tune an engine effectively, you will need to understand the theory of Volumetric efficiency, burn rate, spark advance, air/fuel ratios, temperature, air-pressure, detonation, and fuels" (Jeff Hartman, 2003)


Here is a video from Innovate Motorsports which talks about their LM-1, Tuning Theory and others. ( Innovate Videos :: Engine Tuning Resources )

Volumetric Efficiency:
Is the ability of an engine to introduce air into the combustion chamber. The more air we can introduce into the chamber the more fuel we can inject and generate more power. Peak torque occurs at the engine speed and loading at which an engine is most efficient at ingesting air into the cylinders. Therefore, peak torque is also peak volumetric efficiency or VE.

Fuel Burn Rate:
Is the rate at which the Fuel Burns inside the chamber. It has been studied and found that the fuel burns the fastest at 11.1:1 (AFR).

Spark Advance:
Is which is optimally timed to achieve best torque by producing peak cylinder pressure at about +/-15 degrees ATDC (after top dead center piston position), increase octane requirements by a half to three-quarters of an octane number per degree of advance. Spark advance also increases cylinder pressure and allows more time for detonation to occur.

Air/Fuel Ratios (AFR):
Ideally, air/fuel ratio should vary not only according to loading but also according to the amount of air present in a particular cylinder at a particular time (cylinder VE). Richer AFR combat knock by the intercooling effect of the cooling heat of vaporization of liquid fuels and a set of related factors. The volatility of fuels affect not only octane number requirements but drivability in general. The chemically ideal AFR mixture, at which all air and gasoline are consumed in combustion occurs with 14.68 parts air and 1 part fuel, which is rounded to 14.7. This ratio is referred to as "stoichiometric" or "stoich".

At high loading and wide-open throttle. richer mixtures give better power by making sure that all air molecules in the combustion chamber have fuel present to burn. At wide-open throttle, where the objective is maximum pwer, all four-cycle gasoline engines require mixtures that fall between lean and rich best torque, in the 11.5 to 13.3 gasoline range. Since this best torque mixture spread narrows at higher speeds, a good goal for naturally aspirated engines is 12.0 to 12.5, perhaps richer if fuel is being used for combustion cooling in a turbo/supercharger engine.

Typical mixtures giving best drivability are in the range of 13.0 to 14.5 gasoline-air mixtures, depending on speed and loading.

Temperature:
Inlet air temperature increases octane requirements by 0.5 octane number per 10 degree increase. Temperature affects fuel performance in several ways. Colder air is denser than hotter air, raising cylinder pressure. Colder air inhibits fuel vaporization. But hotter air directly raises combustion temperatures, which increases the possibility of knock.

Air-Pressure:
Increasing altitude reduces octane number requirements by about 1.5 octane numbers per 1,000 feet above see level.

Detonation:

When an engine knocks or detonates, combustion begins normally with the flame front burning smoothly through the air/fuel mixture. But under some circumstances, as pressure and temperatures rise as combustion proceeds, at a certain point, remaining end gases explode violently all at once rather than burning evenly. This is detonation, also referred to by mechanics and tuners as knock or spark knock.

Preignition: It is another form of abnormal combustion in which the air/fuel mixture is ignited by something other than the spark plug, including glowing combustion chamber deposits, sharp edges or burrs on the head or block, or even overheated spark-plugs electrode. Heavy, prolonged knock can generate hot spots that cause surface ignition, which is the most damaging side-effect of knock. Surface ignition that occurs prior to the plug firing is called preignition, and surface ignition occuring after the plug fires is called post ignition. The preignition opposes the pressure generated by the piston resulting in power loss, engine roughness, and severe heating of the piston crown.
* Understanding Detonation is extremely important. To learn and gain more information please click on the following link Detonation vs. Pre-Ignition



Some Sources
*How to Tune and Modify Engine Management Systems (Motorbooks Workshop) by Jeff Hartman
*Car Hacks and Mods for Dummies by David Vespremi
*Engine Management: Advanced Tuning by Greg Banish

[LogicGate]

Moved to original post.

[steadly2004]

Hey, I am going to be jumping headfirst into tuning my car, and need to hook up my AEM wideband to the laptop. I just tonite, purchased a laptop, installed ECU FLASH, and purchased EVOSCAN. Also, purchased a Tactrix cable, which should arrive by Friday, hopefully.

I have looked on EVOM, and all I can see to hook-up the wideband is a vague description on wiring the wideband into a serial cable. Have you hooked it up before? What would you suggest doing to get the wideband readings in evoscan?

[LogicGate]

AEM UEGO has good instructions on how to wire the RS232 connection. It should be only 2 wires. Let me try to get them for you... Still post what kind of AEM Wideband you have.

[steadly2004]

Its the AEM UEGO... but I dont' know if there is any more specific model.

[jakea333]

Originally Posted by steadly2004

I have looked on EVOM, and all I can see to hook-up the wideband is a vague description on wiring the wideband into a serial cable. Have you hooked it up before? What would you suggest doing to get the wideband readings in evoscan?

This thread had a bit of information regarding hooking up the wideband. It seems pretty simple, only two wires as Logic said.

[steadly2004]

I found the install PDF for the wideband, and it does seem pretty simple.


http://eclipse.erichmoraga.com/AEM/i...es_30-4XXX.pdf

[quote]When connecting to a third party EFI system, the AEM UEGO gauge’s WHITE Analog
Output wire shall be connected to the third party analog sennsor input of that system. Consult
the documentation provided with the system for detailed instructions.

Serial Output
The serial output can be used for data logging when an EFI system is not accessible.
To run the data stream, a RS-232 (DB-9) Female receptacle shall be purchased.

Two wires need to be connected to a RS-232 serial port. The BLUE wire from the AEM UEGO Gauge shall be connected to Pin #2 (RX) on the serial port for receiving data.in # 5 (GND) on the serial port shall be grounded. If a standard 9-pin serial cable is to
be cut instead, the (RX) wire is typically RED and the (GND) wire is typically GREEN.
owever, this should be confirmed with a continuity tester before attempting.[quote]

[LogicGate]

Updated original post with more information. Thats great!! Thanks for posting the link too!!

[quiksilver]

Is one cable better than the other? Evoscan vs Openport?

[LogicGate]

EvoScan is a datalogger and Tactrix cable (OpenPort) is the cable we use to download and flash the rom. We also use the the cable to datalog along with the EvoScan. The software we use to Flash the rom is ECUFlash and its free.

[LogicGate]

Added Tuning Video Link to Original post in the Tuning Theory Area

[LogicGate]

Updated Working Fuel Map and Timing. Also Updated valuable information at the beginning of the Tuning process. Review Tuning Practices!! Thanks

[LogicGate]

Is anyone finding this usefull?? Is this helping at all? Let me know! plz! thnx

[cszink]

quicksilver and I will let you know after this weekend.

[LogicGate]

I'll try to finish it as soon as possible then Also I can give you guys a baseline contact me through IM or PM me.

[00TampaBlueGS]

Originally Posted by LogicGate

Is anyone finding this usefull?? Is this helping at all? Let me know! plz! thnx

YES! +Rep'd

I saw this thread at the beginning of the week, but only now opened to find "the goods". I guess I'd blown it off as just another ECU Flash thread, but I like how you're breaking down the mechanics behind tuning.

Will follow, and possibly contribute (in some small manner).

[LogicGate]

Originally Posted by 00TampaBlueGS

YES! +Rep'd

I saw this thread at the beginning of the week, but only now opened to find "the goods". I guess I'd blown it off as just another ECU Flash thread, but I like how you're breaking down the mechanics behind tuning.