This basicly outlines how I street tune my car using DSMLINK. I've ran 12.5 @ 109mph with a 14b on a 2g with minimal supporting mods using this method to tune. It is important that you have a sufficent fuel pump and no boost leaks before using this method.
After you get the car's injectors idling properly (see DSMLINK users guide) you want to pick a boost level that is relevant to the turbo size your using. I have a 14b so I figured 18psi on pump gas and 20psi on 110 octane should be sufficent.
I turn up the boost and make a 3rd gear pull from 2000rpm to redline and data log it. I watch my egt guage and knock count everytime I make a pull to look for anything that might spell trouble.
If there is any knock on this 3rd gear pull, over 1 degrees of knock retard (look at your data logger), then you will need to access your timing controls first. Take 1 degree of timing out (set the sliders to -1) starting when boost hits up until redline. Make another pull and data log. If there is still knock, take another degree of timing out. If your still seeing knock try a lower boost level. I don't like to usually run under 2 degrees of retard.
Now that the baseline timing is set its time to set your fuel sliders. Start taking out (moving the fuel sliders in negitive) fuel a few % at a time and making 3rd gear pulls. Watch your "calculated air/fuel ratio" on the data logger. Keep taking out fuel until your calculated air/fuel is as close to 11:1 as possible. Use the rpm's on the log as a guide to which rpm's on the sliders you should be adjusting. Keep an eye on your egt's (you want them to be under 1550 degrees or so) and knock (under 1 degree of retard) to make sure things don't get out of hand. Also, watch your "injector duty cycle" to make sure your not running over 90%.
After you set your air/fuel ratio to 11:1 calculated, its time to add some more timing up top and hopefully make a little more power. Start by adding 1 degree of timing advance (move the sliders in a positive direction) starting as boost hits. Make a pull and watch your data log for knock. Keep adding timing until you see over 1 degree of knock. Use the rpm's on the log as a guide to which timing rpm sliders to adjust. Once you make a pull and see over 1 degree of timing retard from knock, go back to the settings you just used prior to that pull.
You will have to make 2 different settings for 2 different types of fuel. Save your settings and start again, this time with race gas. For the most part, my pump vrs race gas fuel sliders are set fairly similar. The timing settings are quite a bit different with race gas though. I run about 6 degrees more timing advance with race gas. It usually takes about 5-8 thrid gear pulls for me to get the car tuned. Once you do it a few times, you get more of a feel for how much to add / remove.
After getting the car tuned out decent, do a run from a stop from 1rst through fourth gear. Run the car really hard. Watch your egt's and log the compleate run. At the top of fourth gear your egt's should be under 1550 degrees F. You should also have no knock above 1 degree of retard through the entire run. Look at your total timing advance in the top of 3rd and 4th gear, it should be 18 degrees or more (if its over 20 degrees then your making nice power) If this is the case then your settings are good and your ready to rip it up.
You can try different boost levels with the turbo to see what you feel to make the most power at. Generally, smaller turbos (14b, 16g, etc) run 16-18psi on pump and 18-24psi on race. Bigger turbos (20g, t3/t4, green, l2r) run 18-24psi on pump and 24-30psi on race.
If you have any questions or comments feel free to shoot me a PM.
After you get the car's injectors idling properly (see DSMLINK users guide) you want to pick a boost level that is relevant to the turbo size your using. I have a 14b so I figured 18psi on pump gas and 20psi on 110 octane should be sufficent.
I turn up the boost and make a 3rd gear pull from 2000rpm to redline and data log it. I watch my egt guage and knock count everytime I make a pull to look for anything that might spell trouble.
If there is any knock on this 3rd gear pull, over 1 degrees of knock retard (look at your data logger), then you will need to access your timing controls first. Take 1 degree of timing out (set the sliders to -1) starting when boost hits up until redline. Make another pull and data log. If there is still knock, take another degree of timing out. If your still seeing knock try a lower boost level. I don't like to usually run under 2 degrees of retard.
Now that the baseline timing is set its time to set your fuel sliders. Start taking out (moving the fuel sliders in negitive) fuel a few % at a time and making 3rd gear pulls. Watch your "calculated air/fuel ratio" on the data logger. Keep taking out fuel until your calculated air/fuel is as close to 11:1 as possible. Use the rpm's on the log as a guide to which rpm's on the sliders you should be adjusting. Keep an eye on your egt's (you want them to be under 1550 degrees or so) and knock (under 1 degree of retard) to make sure things don't get out of hand. Also, watch your "injector duty cycle" to make sure your not running over 90%.
After you set your air/fuel ratio to 11:1 calculated, its time to add some more timing up top and hopefully make a little more power. Start by adding 1 degree of timing advance (move the sliders in a positive direction) starting as boost hits. Make a pull and watch your data log for knock. Keep adding timing until you see over 1 degree of knock. Use the rpm's on the log as a guide to which timing rpm sliders to adjust. Once you make a pull and see over 1 degree of timing retard from knock, go back to the settings you just used prior to that pull.
You will have to make 2 different settings for 2 different types of fuel. Save your settings and start again, this time with race gas. For the most part, my pump vrs race gas fuel sliders are set fairly similar. The timing settings are quite a bit different with race gas though. I run about 6 degrees more timing advance with race gas. It usually takes about 5-8 thrid gear pulls for me to get the car tuned. Once you do it a few times, you get more of a feel for how much to add / remove.
After getting the car tuned out decent, do a run from a stop from 1rst through fourth gear. Run the car really hard. Watch your egt's and log the compleate run. At the top of fourth gear your egt's should be under 1550 degrees F. You should also have no knock above 1 degree of retard through the entire run. Look at your total timing advance in the top of 3rd and 4th gear, it should be 18 degrees or more (if its over 20 degrees then your making nice power) If this is the case then your settings are good and your ready to rip it up.
You can try different boost levels with the turbo to see what you feel to make the most power at. Generally, smaller turbos (14b, 16g, etc) run 16-18psi on pump and 18-24psi on race. Bigger turbos (20g, t3/t4, green, l2r) run 18-24psi on pump and 24-30psi on race.
If you have any questions or comments feel free to shoot me a PM.
