AEM EMS issues

[sepulchralx]

I am trying to get my rb25 up and running on aem. I installed the supplied aem CAS wheel and performed the setup the options in the software for it to work correctly. The car starts up and drives fine, but I'm unsure if my timing is synced right. I have an advance digital timing light and with it set on the 2/4 cycle setting for an inline 6 it gives me the wrong rpm readout on the light which makes me think something is off with the light.

I don't trust what its telling me the timing is at. It reads about double the actual rpm the engine is running at. If I set the light on its other setting 4/4, which i would normally use for an inline 4 cylinder it reads double that value. I.e. with it set on 2/4 it reads around 2000 rpms. With it on 4/4 it reads around 4000rpms. The aem reads around 1000rpms. Any idea what is going on here? I have the inductive clamp hooked up around the lead on the number one spark plug. Any ideas?

Also the timing light reads fine on my friends 2jz supra.

And anyone know why my knock sensor signal is reading 0V... is there some rewiring i need to do to get the knock sensors to work right with the AEM? (No problem with knock sensors on stock ecu)

Thanks for any help you guys can give me.

[WhatsADSM]

The issue with the RPM not reading correctly is with the light. If you are using the loopback connector I suggest removing the coil and running an actual plug wire from the coil to the plug and then clamping around the actual plug wire. I have had many bad experiences using the loopback connector.

AEM runs wastespark so each channel (or plug wire) will fire once a revolution. So however you need to configure your light to read wastespark 6 cylinder is what you should do.

As for the knock sensors the 0V is normal. Knock sensing is basically worthless with most standalones.

[Carl H]

knock sensing is good for a blinky light on the dash telling you that the pistons are currently in the oil pan.if you give the block an nice whack with a wrench near the knock sensors you should see the voltage spike.

[sepulchralx]

The issue with the RPM not reading correctly is with the light. If you are using the loopback connector I suggest removing the coil and running an actual plug wire from the coil to the plug and then clamping around the actual plug wire. I have had many bad experiences using the loopback connector.

AEM runs wastespark so each channel (or plug wire) will fire once a revolution. So however you need to configure your light to read wastespark 6 cylinder is what you should do.

As for the knock sensors the 0V is normal. Knock sensing is basically worthless with most standalones.

Nothing is wrong with the timing light and where I hook it up, I think I'm supposed to set up the light for the wasted spark. I was a little confused when I called AEM. They said to lock the aem at 15deg and zero the light. They also said something about revvign the engine to 3000rpm and setting it to zero. They were kind of unhelpful, anyways I might just use the old non-display light.

[WhatsADSM]

knock sensing is good for a blinky light on the dash telling you that the pistons are currently in the oil pan.if you give the block an nice whack with a wrench near the knock sensors you should see the voltage spike.

Good knock sensing isn't like that, plenty of OEM vehicles can sense knock long before it ever hurts anything seriously. But yea for most standalones it is pretty s***ty and unreliable.

Nothing is wrong with the timing light and where I hook it up, I think I'm supposed to set up the light for the wasted spark. I was a little confused when I called AEM. They said to lock the aem at 15deg and zero the light. They also said something about revvign the engine to 3000rpm and setting it to zero. They were kind of unhelpful, anyways I might just use the old non-display light.

You are taking what I said wrong. I'm not saying your light is bad, but possibly whatever way it is configured.

AEM is correct. You should be zeroing your light if it has configurable advance.

Then you go into the AEMPro program connect to the ECU and there is an option to set your ignition timing.. I don't remember exactly where it is, but it is in one of the menus on the top. Set it for something like 15, so that the AEM is running a static 15* of timing, and then with the light rotate the cas until it reads 15* on the crank.

[sepulchralx]

Alright thanks...

Car is going for a final tune friday, so far 330whp on 10psi at a timing of 10deg lol.

[FAST-DATSUN]

Many of the newer timing lights will not work off the timing loop. you need to remove the #1 coil pack and install a plug wire from the coil pack to the plug and clip the light to the new plug wire to read timing correctly...