Emerald ECU tune???

[blackedoutaudi]

Hello everyone, I stumbled across another thread(through google search) in which a few forum members were talking about the Emerald stand alone. I am having a problem finding someone who can tune this thing. Everyone I spoke to never heard of it and said they wont dyno tune it. Does anyone here know where in the US i can get this done? Im on the east coast. Thanks in advance

[xcarguy]

Try Emerald Performance:

 

http://emeraldperformance.com/?page_id=17

[blackedoutaudi]

I should have said anyone besides them. they do street tunes, they dont have a dyno.

[Klasik-69]

Why don't you do it yourself. If you have the ability to hook up a laptop to the ECU, and have access to a dyno, it's a matter of working with the fuel map first and make changes that keep you in the correct AFR range. Following that, you make small changes to the ignition map to see any improvement or degradation in power output.

 

I ran into the same problem with my Pectel T2 in that nobody had worked with it. The Pectel distributor suggested a motorcycle tuner about 150 miles away. After calling him and being told he charges $75/hour from the time he leaves his front door, and he never worked on a Zetec engine before, I figured I had as much knowledge on this as he did. We spent almost 3 hours on the dyno making run after run, making adjustments with the laptop, and following that I had a great setup that has provided fantastic results. By the way I had never done this before and learned along the way. It's simple, Air Fuel Ratios are the guideline and you adjust the pulse time on the injector to get the up or down you need at the rpm you're working on. Timing is a bit more subjective and there, the power gain or loss is the telling factor, assuming you're after track results. Actually, street tuning is pretty much the same but likely a little less agressive. Beware of pre-ignition (detonation) and err on the side of caution.

[blackedoutaudi]

I never tuned a stand alone before, and would have no clue where to start. Also, Id like a professional to tune the car, less chances of blowing up a 600+HP engine.

[dallasdude]

klasik-69 is correct....tuning almost any ECU is the same. Tuners usually feel more comfortable with one or another, but if parameters are set up for the engine to start and run, it comes down to ignition and fuel tables. Basically a spreadsheet with vertical and horizontal columns. Average size may be 16 cells by 16 cells . Engine load goes one way, rpm the other. In the average case idle is in the lower left of the table and full RPM full throttle is in the upper right and everything else is in between. The cells tell the injectors how long to stay open at the point based on load and rpm, or the coils when to fire.

 

So what you need is

The tuning software from the company that made the ECR (usually downloadable)

The cable to connect the computer

A dyno with wideband sensor

A tuner willing to nose around in software he hasn't used before, and find where the tables are to tune. Yes lots of tuners won't want to use something different.....full engine load at too lean a mixture can detonate an engine to pieces.

 

There are people who password protect their software....and some you can't download the existing file to edit. But mostly you can download the file and tune it. Save a duplicate also to a jump drive or CD before you start.

 

If klasik-69 found someone to tune his Pectel, then you should be able to. Last Pectel I used was a T2, and the software is DOS based and it uses a strange cable to connect. Usually you just need a USB to RS-232 adapter to connect the computer to the ECU.

[wemtd]

Where are you located? I know of a guy in southern nh that would probably do it

[Klasik-69]

 

If klasik-69 found someone to tune his Pectel, then you should be able to. Last Pectel I used was a T2, and the software is DOS based and it uses a strange cable to connect. Usually you just need a USB to RS-232 adapter to connect the computer to the ECU.

 

 

The other caveat to this is since it is DOS based, you need a retarded computer that will run it, and one with a serial port. I tried the USB/serial conversions from about 5 different vendors and none worked, and none would have worked with Windows 7 or 8. So I went on Ebay and bought a used Dell laptop with Windows XP Pro and a serial port for $100. What really pisses me off about this is this old Dell runs better and faster than my brand new HP lap top that doesn't do very much at all.

 

As Dallasdude stated, tuning is really pretty easy. I added an AEM wide band gauge to the car and there was already a second O2 sensor port in my exhaust so I was able to monitor the AFR from the car as well as on the dyno. The really good thing about doing it yourself is when you need to make a change, you can do it yourself. Monitor your AFR and you won't blow up you 600+ HP, or 1200+ HP, or whatever you have. It makes no difference what engine, what HP, they all run the same and its based AFR and ignition, plain and simple.

 

My "Tuner" was talking about charging me between $500 and $750 + travel expenses, and he would learn about my car along the process. Yep, thanks a bunch for that deal. On top of that, I had the cost of the dyno. Add it all up, and you're talking $1100 to $1200. I did it myself with my dyno guys while I sat with the lap top, one of their guys in the car and the other running the dyno, $285 later I'm done. AND, now I know how to change the set up any time I want to and don't have to beg some prima donna tuner to give me some of his precious time while I give him some of my precious money. I can now piss away my money on the track :lurk:

[dallasdude]

Yes it is good to be able to re-tune yourself. Most of these setups on Caterhams use TPS only for load sensing....no MAP sensor so they make no allowance for altitude....MAP sensors (manifold air pressure) are commonly used in other applications and always with turbo setups, but hard to implement with ITB's. In this case, if your engine was tuned in Colorado, then if it's at WOT (wide open throttle) it is always going to expect that density of air molecules when the TPS tells the ECU WOT. It's going to get a lot more of the molecules at sea level and the ECU will give the same fuel, so it will be lean. You could do an alternate map to upload for big changes in altitude.

The T2 is a very high quality "mil spec" ECU, but not a lot of development since I think Cosworth bought the company. It is the spec ECU for FF2000, so a lot of them are used with Zetecs. Quicksilver has worked with them quite a bit. Once you get it tuned it will last forever.

 

The two of the best features of the Haltech I am now using is, it has a built in MAP sensor which can be used to provide secondary air density information even with TPS, and a direct USB (and CAN bus) inputs. The USB to serial adapters are often a PITA with any ECU.

[blackedoutaudi]

Where are you located? I know of a guy in southern nh that would probably do it

 

I am in new jersey.

 

this is going in a audi a4 1.8t which utilizes a map sensor.

if I cant find anyone who can tune this damned thing, im going to sell it.:banghead:

[S1Steve]

R/T Tuning

635 W. Third Street

Lansdale, Pa 19446

http://www.RTTUNING.COM

215-855-5565

 

Good Luck....

[1turbofocus]

I am located in North Carolina , I have tuned emerald before and have a DynoJet

 

Tom