Starting to tune

[scooz14]

hey guysi am currently in the process of getting my track car ready for next season. i am planning on racing it in the modified stock class at my local track, which is stock engine with bolt ons, no power adders unless it came stock. i have decided to stick with my single slammer, as the short block still has good compression, but i will be getting the head milled and new springs installed, and maybe a slightly larger cam. i also will have a header back exhaust, and an intake.

i am going to want to get the most out of my n/a setup, but do not feel the need to do a stand-alone ems. i feel that an safc and a wideband will work just fine. my question is this, does the ka24e have a knock sensor, and if so, is there anything that will decode the signals?? if not im, going to have to find out some way to get a knock sensor hooked up.

thanksmatt

[modulation]

i am going to want to get the most out of my n/a setup, but do not feel the need to do a stand-alone ems. i feel that an safc and a wideband will work just fine. my question is this, does the ka24e have a knock sensor, and if so, is there anything that will decode the signals?? if not im, going to have to find out some way to get a knock sensor hooked up.

SAFC is a hack and is weak, it's just as bad as using FPR for turbo's.

Look into nistune, or bikirom.

I know the ka24de has a knock sensor, but it's not really worth-while for tuning. I can hear knock long before the knock sensor goes off.

Just remember to tune from rich to lean (the stock ECU runs way rich uptop so you'll be taking fuel away anyways except down low.) I've had my car knock cause I've tuned it too lean or advanced timing and months later it's still running strong, just remember to get off the gas the second you hear knock..

Also with Nistune you can see if the knock sensor has been triggered. As far as aftermarket knock lites go they are mostly snake oil, seriously I've done alot of reading about it and have failed to see some one right a good review about them, they are either too sensitive and give too many false alarms or they aren't sensitive enough and you'll hear knock long before the sensor goes off.

I was all worried about not hearing knock or not knowing that I was hearing knock, but trust me, you'll know when you hear it if you pay attention to your car.

[the converted]

Safc install how tohttp://forums.nicoclub.com/zerothread?id=380918

Calumsult, megasquirt, and others listed above are much better options at about the same prices.

[modulation]

I don't know much about SAFC's but he can't really tune in the same way as if he had something like nistune, bikirom, calumsult etc..

I mean with a SAFC he can increase fuel in a certain rpm range, but he's only doing that by tricking the maf into reading more air then it's really pulling.. He can't tune with as good as resolution as actually seeing where the computer is access on the fuel/air or spark map and tuning that value. He can't actually adjust the injector pulse width right? It's all just faking signals to the ecu to get it to do what you want..

I see SAFC is a device for some one that wants to put a turbo on, not something that can really be used to gain that much NA horsepower?

Or am I totally wrong, cause I could be..

[ward28465]

no you can't adjust pulse width modulation with a safc. but you will be able to make air and fuel corrections +/- 50% for every 16 engine revolution, so on an N/A setup i'm not to sure if it will help you or if it will be a waste of $ you might want to check out jim wolf technology and get your ECU "chiped" but if your gonna turbo your car or make some real horse power changes one day you'd be better off just spending the money now on something with more tune-ablilty, that way you are only spending the $ once!...
Modified by ward28465 at 6:26 PM 11/16/2008

[scooz14]

i have done some more research, i registered on the eccs tuning board, poked around on ka-t.org and have come to the conclusion, that while the safc may not be the bet tuning aid, it should be fine for what i want to do with it.

my setup will not be far from stock as i have NO plans of turboing this motor, MAYBE a mild cam. so my base eeprom will be pretty close. it will just take a little bit of dialing in with the safc and wideband. the other issue is the lack of knock sensor. there are ways to set up a knock sensor, the the only 2 options that i would even consider doing, one was 450 YIKES the other one needed me to wire it in and basically let it take over spark control for 800 AHH

there are much better ways to tune then the safc. just cost/effort is not worth it to me. if i

when i decide i want some power, all i will need to do to tune it is hook up my horsepower tuner if you know what i mean

[ward28465]

right on man....and for 800 smacker they can keep it... go buy come q-tips and keep your ears clean!

[modulation]

Wait how much is a SAFC?Fully equipped nistune (board,cable,software) is only like $450.

[480sx]

Nistune is the only way to go if your trying to save money and tune your car. SAFC is a hack job that blows motors when you try to use it as your soul tuning device. It is ONLY good as a piggy back for fine adjustment on top of a chipped ECU. It can also help with VTA BOV's, can be used as a MAF translator, ect.

The thing that kills you with a SAFC is this. Your only trying to modify your fuel maps. However, when you tell your ECU that less air is coming in than really is, it advances your timing maps also. This is why SAFC blows motors.

Just be really careful, if i were you i would pay a professional to tune your car the first time and go over the basics with you. That way you at least have some idea about what to do. The 10 hp gain you might get from tuning yourself doesnt outweigh a blown motor.

Honestly, you should do other mods first, exhaust, cams, intake, ITB's or whatever. Save the tuning for when it will make a bigger difference.