ECUflash 2g feels heavy after tuning

[HX35GSX]

So I got my GSX tuned last year amd the afrs are great under wot. However, under normal everyday driving it feels heavy, almost like I have to give it a lead foot to get going. I was running 7es plugs and switched to 8es right before tuning. Could this be the cause. During cruising my afrs are 14.5 to low 15s. Before the tuning it was much more responsive during normal driving but of course wot was not ok. Is there a middle ground? Could it be my timing maybe? Any help is appreciated fellas. Thanks.

 

[airmail96]

I think you nailed it on the head with the timing. Look at the tune and see where its at in cruising.

 

[HX35GSX]

Which timing map? Its tuned using ecuflash big maps. Someone else tuned it, I got too much invested in the motor for me to have done it. But I can still get around the software good. Also, thetiming doesn't seem very different at all from the original maps. Maybe I'm not looking in the right spot. I've got some new 7es plugs now and will be picking up new wires tomorrow to see if ithelps as well. When I drive my brothers GST with a 16G its night and day. And I'm not talking about boost, just normal driving. The GST feels more responsive.

 

[airmail96]

I have never used ecu flash but most of the the programs I have seen have one timing map based off of either rpm or load or vaccum. You'd want to check the timing for anything in the low load/boost range in all rpms. Anyway you can post a picture of your timing map or something ?

 

[95blackGsTurbo]

Who did the tune on the vehicle? I would ask them if they have a saved file of your tune and if they can look at it. You're AFR's are fine but it's either going to be a timing or heat range problem.

 

[HX35GSX]

I'll post a timing map soon as I can. Im picking up my plugs wires today so I'll be reinstalling some 7es plugs with the new ngk wires. My magnecors are arcing in 3 of the 4 wires so I hope that helps but I'm sure it won't solve the issue.

 

[95blackGsTurbo]

If they are arcing it definitely can't hurt.

 

[HX35GSX]

Plugs and wires are done. No noticeable increase in throttle response but I'm hoping my gas mileage will increase. My laptop is at a friends house. I'm picking it up tomorrow so I can post a timing map amd maybe a log. Depends how much the wife lets me do haha. Just found out I got a ruptured disc. Couldn't walk all day so I figured I'd go to the doc. Mri confirmed a bad disc. Hopefully she lets me do something

 

[FLASH1970]

Who did the tune on the vehicle? I would ask them if they have a saved file of your tune and if they can look at it. You're AFR's are fine but it's either going to be a timing or heat range problem.

You can download the existing tune off of the ECU. No need to get the file from the tuner.

Plugs and wires are done. No noticeable increase in throttle response but I'm hoping my gas mileage will increase. My laptop is at a friends house. I'm picking it up tomorrow so I can post a timing map amd maybe a log. Depends how much the wife lets me do haha. Just found out I got a ruptured disc. Couldn't walk all day so I figured I'd go to the doc. Mri confirmed a bad disc. Hopefully she lets me do something

Not fun. I've had a couple back surgeries due to a herniated disk, then a dumb friend driving over potholes reherniating it after my first surgery. Still isn't right but it's good enough. I hope you don't have to go through surgery.

 

[HX35GSX]

Ok, so Im driving home last night. Mostly just normal throttle, even though I did have to give it more throttle once but that was it and by no means was it anywhere close to wot. It was about a 20, 25 minute at most, drive. Its also been running hot, so soon as I pull in my housing is glowing red under the blanket. Also, before the tune, the fans would come on and on like normal. Now i just noticed they're on all the time. I actually recently melted 4 fans so I had to get rid of my condenser and just install a driver side pusher instead. What do you guys think? Related? And I still haven't got my laptop back from my friend. Don't know where he is! [email protected]#k!

Forgot to mention i even installed a vent in my hood and I cant even tell if it helped... fans are still running 24/7!!!
Im also getting some crappy MPGs. Maybe 220 or 230 miles per tank on regular driving, not pushing it for the same reason of running hot.

 

[FLASH1970]

your turbine housing is glowing when you get home? Yeah, not the best thing for it. Something is really not right in the tune. He might have edited the ROM to have the fans be on all the time instead of just over a certain temp. Is your coolant temp sensor plugged in and working?

Also, is the car low on coolant? Is the thermostat good? That'd be the first things I check if my car was running hot on the temp gauge.

 

[HX35GSX]

Cooling system is completely overhauled. WP new with the build(3k or so), hoses 170* tsat, and cap all have less than 1k. I've been having cooling issues for a while now as well. Just got home again and same thing. I even took a picture of it. Most I went to was 3.5k rpms on acceleration. Most of it was highway cruise at 3k rpm. I think its taken its toll already. When I started it at work I noticed a plume of smoke. I think my turbo seal are fried!

I'm thinking if I solve the timing issue I'll fix the glowing hot-side which will also fix cooling issues.

Coolant levels are good until they start spewing out the reservoir when it does get to hot. I've installed a ghetto ass heat shield to keep the radiator from heat soaking and its helped quite a bit but still doesn't solve my problem. The more I think about it, the more I beleive its the tune. I felt the timing right after the tune. I emailed the tuner but he hasn't got back to me. It got done by Phoung from Wingz Performance. I've heard nothing but good things about him even from honda guys. I hope he just doesn't leave me hangin out to dry.

 

[HX35GSX]

Got my laptop back! Here are some logs... also the tune... if someone could chime in I'd really appreciate it.

 

[PieEyedPiper]

Just as a mere observation, I didn't see anything over 36% TPS in your log while the car was at operating temp. Additionally, logging 1byteload would be helpful in completing the picture.
By the looks of the logs, you're running very low timing everywhere maybe even with a lean mixture.
The tune looks to be a fair bit more aggressive than stock maps. I wish I could say much more than that.
Hopefully a timing guru can jump in cause I don't know what to say about why you're almost cruising with only 1* of timing unless you're really hitting loads of 320 at 3k rpm with only 27% TPS and a rather steady mph.

Low fan set to come on at 197* and hi fan set to come on at 204*. Hi fan will shut off at 196* and low will shut down at 190*.

Soooo.. yep. These things will basically always be on with the current configuration - slight chance you may observe the hi fan shutting down for a brief period.

 

[GofaST4life]

If your having all those coolant heating issues, id imagine thats where most of your problems are coming from.

The car is running hot, keeping the fans on most of time, so your ECU is pulling timing, etc.

I hate to say it, but if after all the cooling system overhaul, your STILL pushing coolant...you may want to look into the HG.

 

[PieEyedPiper]

...you may want to look into the HG.

This thread does kinda has that vibe. Glad you noticed.
I agree too, about his coolant issues... its just that the log doesn't really show him hitting beyond 199*F in the adjusted column.

 

[HX35GSX]

This thread does kinda has that vibe. Glad you noticed.
I agree too, about his coolant issues... its just that the log doesn't really show him hitting beyond 199*F in the adjusted column.

God I hope not. I just changed my oil yesterday and no chocolate milk. No blueish white smoke or odd smelling exhaust when I give it throttle. I pressure tested the cooling system about a month or so ago. So with the HG aside, timing could defenitley be the issue? How's the timing map in the tune from your perpective(s)? Thanks for the input guys.

I zeroed out the ign timing vs air temp map and it feels better. The laptop died as I started logging so I couldn't get a log. I did do a few runs tho and my knock light (CEL mod) didn't come on so I'm hoping that's a good sign. The hot side was red again but I did run it hard a couple times in a matter of ten or fifteen minutes. I'll take a log tomorrow.

 

[HX35GSX]

Here is a log from this morning. It sure feels better and my timing is better from the log as well. No abnormally high temps either. Could I still run more timing?

 

[PieEyedPiper]

Still very low load and TPS for the kind of timing you're seeing.
I'm unsure of how accurate loadmut2byte is, I'm sure it's close. Try to log 1byteload if you can. (Personally my numbers were very similar between the two and in this case probably isn't crucial)

You're still only around 2* in the 80 load cells @~ 3000rpm. For reference, the stock maps call for no less than 5* anywhere and around 24* @3k and 80 load. Your maps from a few days ago call for 33* with no less than 5* elsewhere, just like the stock maps.

Just noticed your airtemps are rather high. 120* is far from uncommon but even on the nastiest days I really only see that when I'm not moving. This is not the issue though. The ECU will not pull even 2* until temps are 132*F+. However, you are pulling 1* since your intake temps are over 120*F. Maybe a cold air box is in order. Is your heatshield installed over your evoiii mani?

I'm dissecting your old rom a bit more.

EDIT: Consider re-enabling bit 12. I had almost the exact reversal of your problem last week when I had bit 12 and 13 disabled. Re-enabling them both solved my issues and now my timing is accurate again after scrapping my old rom and copyi/pasting the info into a new one.
I wish I could do more for you but at this point the only real suggestion I have, assuming everything is hooked up and working properly (I found no issues with the rom), is to take your tune from a few days ago and copy and paste the ignition and fuel information into a fresh and unedited rom because from what I see, there is no reason for this behavior - it should be impossible.

 

[HX35GSX]

My timing is still off! I enabled bits 12 and 13 with no luck. I've zeroed out the air temp vs ign timing map. Its a bit better but still cruising with 3* advance. my temps for the most part are 206* on the high side and 193* on the low end. I dont know what to try anymore. I have attached the current tune. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[PieEyedPiper]

Time to try a fresh rom.
And even then, I might start with the plane jane bigmaps so that we're not introducing any outside variables.

Also, I've been meaning to mention that your super low timing is likely impacting your cooling system. It would be interesting to have the timing problem cleared up and then see your coolant issues (that may or may not still exist) disappear with it.

 

[HX35GSX]

Time to try a fresh rom.
And even then, I might start with the plane jane bigmaps so that we're not introducing any outside variables.

Also, I've been meaning to mention that your super low timing is likely impacting your cooling system. It would be interesting to have the timing problem cleared up and then see your coolant issues (that may or may not still exist) disappear with it.

Im sure its causing super high egts and maybe even unburned fuel igniting in the manifold or hot side. the tuner said he would send me a revised map 2 days ago so I'm still waiting. I dont have any "fresh" big maps either.

 

[PieEyedPiper]

Sorry I didn't post sooner. I was debating on whether or not I should "amend" the rom you posted for you but this is much better.
evo8v3settings [ECMTuning - wiki]

EDIT: Since you'd quickly discover that what I just did was suuuper mean, here's a hint:
Copy the data you're interested in from the evo8 rom and open Excel. Paste it.
Now copy the data you just pasted and then right click a single cell somewhere with lots of room and select Paste Special-->Transpose.
This will swap your X and Y axis so that your brain doesn't explode with acute dyslexia trying to type in a table backwards.

 

[boost97gst]

Cruising, low load should see high 20s maybe even 30* timing. I cant open those but such low timing can cause heat problems for sure. So can the opposite.

 

[HX35GSX]

Sorry I didn't post sooner. I was debating on whether or not I should "amend" the rom you posted for you but this is much better.
evo8v3settings [ECMTuning - wiki]

EDIT: Since you'd quickly discover that what I just did was suuuper mean, here's a hint:
Copy the data you're interested in from the evo8 rom and open Excel. Paste it.
Now copy the data you just pasted and then right click a single cell somewhere with lots of room and select Paste Special-->Transpose.
This will swap your X and Y axis so that your brain doesn't explode with acute dyslexia trying to type in a table backwards.

No worries, I appreciate whatever help I get. Thanks for the input. I actually flashed an old rom I used for emissions before the big maps tune and it actually runs the timing its supposed to. My temps are now about 196* compared to the 220+ I saw with the big maps tune. Its weird because I went thru both and made sure anything I knew was important and relevant was the same in both maps. Even then the big maps wouldnt run good timing. So I'm running on a drivability flash flash for now. I hope the tuner can do something for me since this should have been picked up in the logs during tuning. He is working with me so we'll see if he does a standard map tune for me. Tell you what tho, the peace of mind knowing I'm not running hot is priceless!