How to tune!

[FP3065TSI]

As the title indicates has anyone tuned their AEM standalone with success? I have no experience with tuning whatsoever, but i plan on learning all the tricks to the trade. I have been reading the manual that came with my AEM. But I want to see how you started to tune your car to go fast/ faster. So far I am learning to always see your "knock count", get a Wideband for real-time readings.

I am not looking for answering like "if you don't have experience with tuning then why did you get a standalone system" All I would like to see is how to start out tuning my car and how to get it to its optimal performance. I have checked the Aem forums without success.. sadly. Your help will be greatly appreciated, thanks in advance!

 

[kahl23]

I know this isn't what you were looking for in an answer but the hard cold fact is that you're in way over your head. AEM is the worst place to start tuning. It is extremely finicky and even very experienced tuners have a lot of trouble with it. I REALLY recommend you put it back in the box and return it because I guarantee you that the car will never run up to its potential with the AEM unit unless you pay someone else to tune it for you and what's the fun in that? Instead, go get DSMLink. It's still a very powerful solution and the DSMLink forums (which are only available to DSMLink owners) are a treasure trove of information that will help you get started tuning. Don't get sucked in because the idea of an AEM Stand Alone is sexy. Right now, you've dropped over $1,000 to ensure that your car doesn't run right. Spend at least a year playing around with DSMLink and then you MIGHT be ready to move to AEM. Now for information, I suggest a bit of reading. Engine managment books are all over the place. Head to Barnes and Noble and start browsing (they're in the transportation section). My personal favorite is:

Amazon.com: How to Tune and Modify Engine Management Systems (Motorbooks Workshop): Jeff Hartman: Books

Online, there's also a lot of stuff. Unfortunately, most of the stuff I used was in the DSMLink forums. They do have a knowledge base that you can access, see if you can make sense of it:

start [ECMTuning - wiki]]start [ECMTuning - wiki]

Again, I hate to write a post like this, but I'm telling you that you're making a big mistake here. Slow down, take your time to do it right and your car will thank you for it in the long run. Good luck!

 

[FP3065TSI]

Thanks for showing me a realistic POV kahl23... And to my surprise I actually bought the exact book that you showed me today at borders book store today. I agree with what you say. Have you personally dealt with the AEM system? I do not mean this in any kind of mean way. I just would like to know maybe this is why you are stating this. Again thanks for the useful info.

 

[oplix]

I do not have any personal experience with AEM standalone but I have to agree with kahl that going with DSMlink will be a lot better than AEM for a beginner. AEM is good for when you have a expert education in your fuel system and there is no chance for error like kahl said. DSMlink is perfect unless you really know what you are doing.

 

[snowborder714]

Say you're just installing an AEM system. The way it works (vs. ECMlink) is you start from scratch. Once you install it, you can't just fire up the car since you have not made any changes to the system, whereas ECMlink uses the stock fuel, timing, and airflow settings so it's "plug and play." Most people who have AEM systems either pay to have it tuned (mucho $$$$) or have many years of tuning under their belts and know their way around different systems. I have downloaded the AEM software and looked around in it and it is very complicated. ECMlink is starting to becoming more like a full stand alone system, except without the need to know how to use it. There are plenty of people on this forum and the ECMlink forums that are more than willing to help you out with a tune (including the creators!). Try and find even a dozen people online that'd be willing to help you out with an AEM tune, let alone ones that will help out for free.

I say sell the box and get something a little less complicated to start out with. If you feel that in a few years you outgrow your tuning system, or feel that you've hit a peak, then think about a stand alone.

 

[FP3065TSI]

I would get the dsmlink but I can not retract from my decisions anymore. I am pretty much stuck with the AEM unit. I know I can sell it but I will not get what I paid for it. More then a 1g (FYI) My brother is getting a Dsmlink unit for his '92 talon soon. I have started my car with a base map among the several maps that the program comes with but I have not gone WOT on it since I didn't want to bend a valve or just hurt the engine.

 

[snowborder714]

It sounds as if you aren't comfortable with the system. I would say to try and find someone local who will tune it for you, as well as kind of teach you what he's doing, or at least explain the changes he's making. I know, this will probably be next to impossible.

 

[jrohner]

but I have not gone WOT on it since I didn't want to bend a valve or just hurt the engine.

Bend a valve because of a tune being off? If a valve got bent because of a bad tune, you'd have more serious problems than a bent valve (piston, rod, etc).

 

[FP3065TSI]

okay so lets ignore the fact that its AEM standalone.

now:
"if you were tuning a vehicle how would you tune it?"
What do I look for AFR, Boost, knock, fuel settings, etc.

 

[snowborder714]

You want to have an AFR of 14.7 at idle and cruise and shoot for 11.0:1 at WOT.
Timing will be around 16*.
Boost is obviously whatever you want it at.
Fuel settings - these will be set to hit your target AFR's.
Knock will be 0, or as close as you can get it.

Is it possible for you to post a log so I could look at it? (You'll have to change the file extension to something the forum allows you to attach, such as .doc or .dat).

 

[FP3065TSI]

Bend a valve because of a tune being off? If a valve got bent because of a bad tune, you'd have more serious problems than a bent valve (piston, rod, etc).

thanks for stating the obvious but I'm just stating what could happen. I am not saying all that would happen if I tuned my car the only thing that is going to happen is bend a valve. So just state tuning facts(please) and thank you.

 

[FP3065TSI]

You want to have an AFR of 14.7 at idle and cruise and shoot for 11.0:1 at WOT.
Timing will be around 16*.
Boost is obviously whatever you want it at.
Fuel settings - these will be set to hit your target AFR's.
Knock will be 0, or as close as you can get it.

Is it possible for you to post a log so I could look at it? (You'll have to change the file extension to something the forum allows you to attach, such as .doc or .dat).

Thanks for the useful information snowboarder714. This is what kind of help I needed I will do some reading on the book I bought. I don't want to post to many ignorant questions.

For some reason I cant post a log on here. Ill see what I need to change the file to .doc/.dat files

 

[snowborder714]

The reason you can't post them is the forum has specific file extensions it allows to be updated, and AEM logs aren't one.

What operating system are you one? If XP, here's how to change it:
How to Change a File Extension in Windows

 

[kahl23]

Thanks for showing me a realistic POV kahl23... And to my surprise I actually bought the exact book that you showed me today at borders book store today. I agree with what you say. Have you personally dealt with the AEM system? I do not mean this in any kind of mean way. I just would like to know maybe this is why you are stating this. Again thanks for the useful info.

Well at least we know you have good tastes in books. I've been lucky in that when I was new to all this, three very good tuners took me under their wings and showed me how to tune. Two of them have since switched to Evos and use AEM and after listening to them and playing around with their cars, I decided that I'm staying away from AEM. I can get so much out of DSMLink, the little extra that could be squeezed from my setup using the AEM EMS isn't worth the headaches. It really is starting from scratch like Snowboarder said. You might loose a bit if you sell the AEM, but you could probably recoup most of your money, end up loosing at most $100. Throw it up there and see. Or, you could just stick it on a shelf for a few years while you mess around with DSMLink. In the world of eBay and DSMTuners marketplace, there's no such thing as being stuck with a part.

 

[e85_4g63]

Not to be a dick (directed towards the OP) but if your on this forum asking how to tune and AEM EMS (which I'm assuming you have) you are more then likely not anywhere near ready. I'm not saying you can't learn, or that it's impossible to tune it yourself. All I'm saying is, in a way, your going to a gun fight and not bringing a gun or a knife. Know what I mean. My 2 cents, download the EMS program, read the manual, and find someone else with the EMS and watch them do some tuning, nothing can match hands on experience and nothing will kill your motor faster (before it even runs) then screwing up a fuel or timing map. Oh and just a heads up, the cold start up part the AEM is a PITA to say the very least. I think you can do it, and I wish you the best of luck.

 

[kahl23]

Thanks for the useful information snowboarder714. This is what kind of help I needed I will do some reading on the book I bought. I don't want to post to many ignorant questions.

For some reason I cant post a log on here. Ill see what I need to change the file to .doc/.dat files

Definitely read that book, it will help you out a lot. Here's the basic gist of all tuning (please people, don't critique unless I said something totally wrong, I'm trying to keep this really simple). You need three things to make an engine run: spark, air and fuel. The ECU has no control over how much air is coming in (it can only sense how much air is there, it can't change that value), so what you can do is vary the amount of fuel and the time that spark occurs for each air level. The first step in tuning is to make sure that whatever sensor that's measuring the amount of air is accurate (this is generally a MAS or MAF). Once you're sure that the ECU is seeing the correct amount of air, you change the amount of fuel that's being delivered. This is done by varying the amount of time that the fuel injectors are on (the shorter the on time, the less fuel, the leaner the air to fuel ratio). So by adjusting the on time for the injectors at each RPM level, you are able to control the air to fuel ratio. Stoichometeric is a word you'll hear a lot. This is an air to fuel ratio of 14.7-1 and it is the idea combustion environment for gasoline. In other words, in a perfect situation, the maximum amount of energy will be released from gasoline at this air to fuel ratio. Now you were correct in your original post that you need to watch out for knock, which is premature detonation of the gasoline. This is when the air/gas mixture that's filling the cylinder ignites before the piston is at top dead center (the top of its travel in the block). There's an art to controlling knock, but for this briefest of explanations, we'll focus on one thing. By richening up the air to fuel ratio (I put it at between 11-1 and 12-1 at full throttle, depending on boost and fuel type) you reduce your chances of knocking. The last thing the engine can control is the timing. When all that air/fuel mixture is swirling around in the cylinder, it takes a milisecond to fully ignite. Therefore, you want the sparkplug to fire before the piston reaches the top of its travel. The question is how early. Too late and you don't maximize the potential power, two early and you're dealing with knock. So you mess around with the timing and keep a close eye on your ETs and your knock gauge. When the ETs stop going down or when the knock gauge starts acting up, you've hit the point of maximum return and it's time to back down a little and call it a day.
You've now recieved the briefest of explanations about tuning. Now go read that book and get yourself an edumacation.

 

[FP3065TSI]

Not to be a dick (directed towards the OP) but if your on this forum asking how to tune and AEM EMS (which I'm assuming you have) you are more then likely not anywhere near ready. I'm not saying you can't learn, or that it's impossible to tune it yourself. All I'm saying is, in a way, your going to a gun fight and not bringing a gun or a knife. Know what I mean. My 2 cents, download the EMS program, read the manual, and find someone else with the EMS and watch them do some tuning, nothing can match hands on experience and nothing will kill your motor faster (before it even runs) then screwing up a fuel or timing map. Oh and just a heads up, the cold start up part the AEM is a PITA to say the very least. I think you can do it, and I wish you the best of luck.

No offense taken!! And I know what you mean. But it's in my hands now.

 

[snowborder714]

One more way to measure the air is a MAP sensor, which is commonly used in stand alone systems since they tune using speed density. The other thing speed density systems need is an IAT sensor.

 

[95GSXCO]

Do you even have a wideband? (since some people dont put stuff in their profile Hint, hint.)

And just like snowborder714 said pick your boost, adjust fuel to get to traget AFR, bump your timming up until you knock and back it down -1,-2 degrees. Thats how you tune for WOT.

Maybe you should buy a AFC or ECMlink to get the fundamentals down then sell which ever one you buy and install your EMS. I would buy it off you if it was for a 2g

 

[kahl23]

One more way to measure the air is a MAP sensor, which is commonly used in stand alone systems since they tune using speed density. The other thing speed density systems need is an IAT sensor.

Damn, I knew I was forgetting one kind of sensor. In fact that's probably what he'd be using for an AEM. My apologies.

 

[FP3065TSI]

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