Self Tuning - Stock Block/K04

[BuddySpeed3]

Hey everyone, I've been tuning my car, and I'd like to share what I've learned. Please know that it's taken a long time to gather information on the subject. I do not recommend rushing, as making a mistake may cause damage to your engine. I've owned my 2009 MS3 for about 4 years now. Great car so far with no problems, and I'd like to keep it that way For those of us wanting more power from the Stock Block/K04, or any setup for that matter, there are many ways to get there. The best way is to get tuned by one of the Pro Tuners on this forum. I strongly believe that a tune from them, far surpasses any self tune because of the knowledge and experience that they have. This thread will be mainly focused on the process I follow to tune my car, along with some valuable information.

PRELIMINARY CONSIDERATIONS

When it comes to self tuning the Stock Block/K04, having realistic power goals is very important if your concerned with reliability. The stock block and stock turbo are exactly that, stock! So if you want your cars vitals to last, it's important to consider a few things.

Potential of the Stock Block
This is a topic that doesn't necessarily have a solid answer, as some people have been able to make over 400+ whp without any significant drawbacks, while others have blown up their engines at a much lower power level. I think one of the main reasons for this is targeting too much boost at low RPM's, which causes Pre-Ignition and Detonation. These two events are the worst enemy of any engine. If the tune on the car is causing knock, stop running it. The consensus for torque seems to be right around 400 ft lbs, but this is riding the edge. Every engine is different. Some have been neglected while others have been babied. It's important to consider the current state of health of your engine and drivetrain when increasing its power output, as you don't want to add to damage that is already there. Ensuring that your vehicle is in tip top shape before tuning it is important. At the end of the day, increasing power output will always wear the engine out faster, as there is more heat generated, and heat is our number one enemy. Too much heat for too long can cause cracked ringlands from the piston ring end gaps butting. Having a modest HP/TQ goal is very important when increasing power on the stock block if your concerned with reliability, and always keeping up with vehicle maintenance such as changing engine oil, coolant, and transmission fluid will help keep the engine and drivetrain protected. I personally change my engine oil every 4000 km's (2500 miles), replace the transmission fluid every 30,000 km's (18,600 miles), and flush my coolant every 50,000 km's (31,000 miles). In my case, 300whp/300wtq is the goal I have set for my self for the purposes of this thread and tuning the k04.

Potential of the Stock K04 Turbo
When deciding on the amount of boost you want to target, it's important to consider the efficiency of the K04 at different RPM's and Boost Levels. The K04 is a fairly small turbo, which means it will spool quickly, even at less than 2500 rpm, but will run out of breath at around 5500 rpm, depending on how much boost you are targeting. Stock Boost pressure is around 15.6 psi which the K04 has no problem generating. Stage 2 OTS maps may target 19 psi from 2500 rpm to redline. In my opinion, anything above 19 psi past 5500 rpm will be working the K04 much harder than it needs to be worked and cause it to over heat. This will surely wear out the turbo prematurely over time and increase the temperature of the air entering the engine. This increase in Boost Air Temperature will increase the probability of Detonation and Pre-ignition, which significantly reduces the life of the engine. Once again heat is our number one enemy. In my case, I've chosen a modest 18 psi from 3500 rpm to 5500 rpm. The boost curve then tapers off to 17.5 psi at 6000 rpm, 17 psi at 6500 rpm, and 16.5 psi at 7000 rpm, which I never usually rev to. I usually shift around 6200 rpm, because the K04 can't flow much more air past that. This modest boost curve will ensure that my torque doesn't skyrocket at lower rpm's (bad for stock connecting rods) from too much boost, and that the temperature of the air entering the engine does not get excessively hot at higher rpm's. It will also ensure that my K04 "lasts" to some degree.

Horsepower and Torque on the Stock Block
Once you have your Horsepower and Torque goals figured out (in my case 300whp/300wtq), it's time to consider what RPM you want these numbers to be made at. Personally I prefer to have my peak torque happen above 3500 rpm because I believe that by targeting peak torque at too low of an rpm, the engine doesn't have enough momentum, which shocks the rotating assembly, and causes the connecting rods to endure more load for a longer period of time, due to the longer, slower power stroke. Also a lot more heat is absorbed by the pistons when targeting excessive boost at low rpm's, due to them being exposed to the hotter fuel mixture, for a longer period of time. By targeting peak torque at a slightly higher rpm, the rotating assembly of the engine has more momentum and will not resist rotational forces as much. It's like pushing someone on a swing. As they start to develop momentum it becomes easier to push them, which reduces the load on your arms (ie. connecting rods). It also reduces the amount of heat absorbed by the pistons as the burning fuel mixture is not inside the combustion chamber as long. As rpm increases, Torque starts to drop off, Horsepower will start to increase due to the increased rotational momentum of the engine. I would want my peak torque to happen at around 3800 rpm or so, and my peak horsepower to happen at around 5500 rpm, right when the K04 starts to run out of breath.

Injector Seals and Oil Catch Cans
Direct Injection means the fuel is injected directly into the cylinder. Port Injection on the other hand sprays fuel above the Intake Valves which keeps them much cleaner. Since our engine is direct injected, we do not have that nice spray of fuel on top of the intake valves keeping them clean. The PCV (Positive Crankcase Ventilation), and EGR (Exhaust Gas Re-circulation) system's are what contribute to carbon build up and "goop" caking onto the top of the intake valves. Over time, this "goop" builds up and can restrict airflow into the engine and cause other internal problems. To combat this problem, I've installed a JBR Oil Catch Can, which is essentially a filter that prevents oil from the crankcase from entering the intake manifold. However, it allows Fuel Vapors to pass through to be burned. It's also a good idea to run a vented catch can setup when targeting higher boost pressures to prevent excessive crankcase pressure. An EGR delete is another thing to keep the valves clean. There are several EGR delete kits available. I have not done this modification because I do not feel it is necessary. I do a lot of highway driving and would much rather have my engine run cooler while cruising, due to the re-circulation of the inert exhaust gases, which reduce combustion temperatures to reduce NOx emissions.

With Direct Injection, The injectors are exposed to combustion pressures from the expanding fuel mixture. As we tune for more power, these in cylinder pressures rise significantly. This may potentially blow out the Injector Seals. You may notice what appears to be oil leaks beneath the injectors. Depending how bad the seals are leaking, you may find that you are getting a lot of false knock in your logs because it cannot be cured by higher octane. This is caused by the injector seals causing a rattling type noise as you accelerate which you can sometimes even hear. These are signs that your Injector Seals are leaking. With leaking Injector Seals, the engine will lose compression, which lowers fuel economy and power, depending on how bad they are leaking. So with that in mind, it may be a good idea to purchase and install some high quality Injector Seals before tuning for power. I have not yet done this, as I am not getting any false knock, and have yet to see any visible leaks beneath the fuel rail.

MAIN PLAYERS TO CREATING POWER

Air to Fuel Ratio (AFR)
The main reason AFR's need to be on the rich side at higher loads is to prevent detonation. As the saying goes, "Lean is Mean". Sure, running a leaner AFR at WOT may net you a few ponies, but for some reason, these cars don't lose much by running on the rich side, but not too rich. Cobb OTS V231 Maps have AFR's set to 11.4:1 for 91 Octane, and 11.6:1 for 93 Octane; Clearly more rich for 91 Octane for added safety. I choose 11.5:1 at WOT, because it's not too rich, or too lean, and seems to be a nice safe ratio. I target this ratio from 2500 rpm to 6000 rpm. It then tapers to 11.4 at 6500 rpm, and 11.3 at 7000 rpm. By tapering the AFR at higher rpm's, it reduces the chances of detonation (which may be induced by higher BAT's, from the slightly overworked K04, and possible hot spots in the combustion chambers at higher rpm's by cooling the combustion chamber further, with excessive fuel. From what I've read, anything more rich than 11:1 may reduce power. On the other hand, some people run leaner at WOT closer to 12:1 without signs of detonation (most likely due to higher octane fuel, and the cooling effects of direct injection), although with leaner mixtures comes higher temperatures which cause detonation, So with Pump gas, 11.5:1 is the choice I go with at WOT, because I'd rather have more protection than I need

Boost Pressure and Waste Gate Duty Cycles (WGDC's)
I base my boost curve off of what RPM I want Peak Torque and Peak Horsepower to happen at. My K04 seems happy with 18 psi from 3500 rpm to 5500 rpm because my Boost Air Temps at the end of the pull are the same if not lower than they were at the beginning of the pull even on a hot day. It then tapers to 17.5 psi at 6000 rpm, 17 psi at 6500 rpm, and 16.5 psi at 7000 rpm. I believe that this boost curve keeps torque output at low rpm's fairly conservative, and Boost Air Temperatures (BAT's) at higher rpm's fairly consistent and safe. Targeting higher than 18 psi is completely normal, as many people run close to 21 psi on the K04. The trick, is to ensure that you don't target excessive boost at low rpm's (to keep torque at bay), and to taper the boost curve, to around 17 psi or so near red line to stay within the K04's "efficiency" range. The K04 is small, and as rpm increases, so does the engines demand for air. The K04 can only flow so much air due to it's small size. By targeting higher boost pressures near red line would mean that the K04 would have to spin much faster to meet that boost target. The faster it spins, the hotter it gets, which heats up the air it is compressing significantly. When it comes to Boost Air Temperatures, heat is our enemy. In my opinion, if the BAT's in a 4th gear log are higher at the end of the pull, than they are at the beginning, then too much boost is being targeted at high rpm's. We don't want to over heat the turbo, and turn it into a detonation causing flame thrower. Unfortunately at that point, the turbo is pretty much maxed out, and it may be time to consider a larger turbo. Also, the K04's design, limits it to the amount of heat it can handle, before becoming damaged from the high Exhaust Gas Temperatures generated above 5500 rpm at higher boost levels. Take care of your little snail.

Ignition Timing
This part of the tuning process isn't something that should be rushed. Overly advanced ignition timing values can cause severe detonation in the engine. It's also important to understand that Ignition Timing directly relates to the production of torque. Since we are talking about tuning the stock block, I like to have Peak Torque happen above 3500 rpm, with my modest goal of 300whp/300wtq. Before I started making changes to the Ignition Tables, I wanted to get a clear understanding on what Ignition Timing is and how it effects the way the engine produces Horsepower and Torque, so I started reading as much as I could.

Ignition Timing is the angle of the crankshaft during the compression or power stroke, at which the spark plug ignites the air fuel mixture. This angle can be displayed as a positive number, which is when the spark plug fires before the piston reaches the top of the compression stroke. Or it can be a negative number, which is when the spark plug fires after the piston starts to go down. If I target a number of 5 degrees, the spark plug will ignite the Fuel Mixture 5 degrees of the crankshaft, before the piston reaches the top of the compression stroke. If I target -5 degrees, the spark plug will ignite the Fuel Mixture 5 degrees of the crankshaft after the compression stroke, as the piston starts traveling down on the power stroke. ADVANCING Ignition Timing means the spark plug fires before the piston reaches the top, and RETARDING Ignition Timing means the spark plug fires as the piston goes down. Targeting a number of 0 degrees, means the spark plug ignites the fuel mixture when the piston is at the very top of the compression stroke and is neither moving up or down (Top Dead Center).

Since the fuel mixture takes a small amount of time to burn, we need to ignite it at the optimal time before the piston reaches the top because we want the maximum pressure from the expanding fuel mixture to push down on the piston about 15 degrees of the crankshaft after the piston starts to go down. As engine rpm increases, there is less and less time for the fuel mixture to expand, and the rate at which the fuel mixture expands does not necessarily change. So advancing the Ignition Timing further as RPM's increase is necessary to have pressure peak from the expanding fuel mixture push down on the piston at the same optimal leverage angle of approximately 15 degrees After Top Dead Center. I saw a video called the Magic of ECU Tuning where he described Ignition Timing like pushing down on a bicycle pedal. If you push down on the pedal whens it's too low in it's rotation, you won't be able to get as much thrust. If you push down on the pedal as it is coming up, you will turn the pedal backwards. But, if you push down on the pedal, right after it passes the top, you will generate the most amount of rotational force. The same principle applies to Ignition Timing, by having the most force push down on the piston at the optimal leverage angle (This is called Minimum Spark Advance for Best Torque Output ie. Mean Best Torque - MBT). If we advance the Ignition Timing too much, we may have a case where the maximum pressure from the burning fuel mixture happens before the piston reaches the top, which would cause the engine to work against it self, essentially trying to rotate the crankshaft backwards. At that point, we would have gone past MBT, and who knows what kind of damage may occur.

When Tuning on Pump Gas, we don't really need to worry about going past MBT, because we are normally limited by Knock, which is picked up by the knock sensor and viewed in our WOT logs as Knock Retard (which is the amount of Ignition Advance that is reduced when detonation is detected - the amount reduced will vary based on the intensity of the Detonation detected). Although, it may be possible from what I've read on this forum, to go past MBT if you are targeting very low boost, with very good pump gas, without any knock. To avoid this problem, may I suggest targeting the same boost (or more) as the OTS Map you are building off of. I personally always monitor my Knock Retard anytime I drive. The Knock Sensor is, in my opinion the most important feedback tool when self tuning because it lets us know the limit of our fuel type and or octane level, by letting us know if the engine is experiencing detonation by displaying knock retard values.

On the other hand, if you are using an E85 mix, or Water Methanol Injection (WMI), it is possible for Detonation to be completely eliminated even at higher Boost Levels and more advanced Ignition Timing. At that point, It is highly possible to go past MBT without any signs of Detonation. It would be wise to get tuned on a Dyno to determine whether the car is making any more power with the addition of more Boost or Ignition Timing to avoid going past MBT. From what I have read, Once you feel the power from Tuning the car on E85 or WMI, you can become addicted. But, this is still a Stock Block/K04 thread, so for me, E85 and WMI would be used just for added safety from the increase in octane that both provide. Not necessarily more power. I currently run a small WMI nozzle right before the throttle body that kicks on at 10 psi for consistently low BAT's and increased octane at WOT, and will be running 1 gallon of pure methanol in the gas tank this spring, although my power goal of 300 whp/300wtq remain the same. It is possible to reach this goal on just 93/94 octane pump gas. But, pump gas quality varies during different parts of the year depending on where you live (ie. Winter Grade and Summer Grade gasoline). When I was tuning for pump gas, I started to get knock with winter grade gas on the same pump gas tune I ran in the summer, which is proof that seasonal gas varies, so having more octane than is needed is the safe way to go.

TUNING APPROACH

I Tune by building off of a Cobb V231 Boost Based OTS Map, using Access Tuner Race Software. This allows me to follow some of Cobb's strategies. I use the Hybrid tuning strategy, which like a boost based map, targets boost pressure, but prevents the engine from hitting too much load. This puts a safety net in place, to prevent an over load condition on the engine. At this point in time, of owning my car, I am more concerned with the safe production of Horsepower and Torque, rather than fuel economy, although I find that Cobb's OTS maps yield decent MPG if you stay out of boost. I mainly only modify values under load, but also take "Smooth Transitions" from Part Throttle, to Wide Open Throttle into consideration. Making small incremental changes is the best way to go to ensure safety of the engine.

With Hybrid Tuning and Boost Based Tuning, the "Use Boost Based Dynamics (Boost Control)" box must be checked under Advanced Parameters in Access Tuner Race.

[BuddySpeed3]

BOOST TABLES

Boost Comp : X Gear AB
Boost Comp AB.PNG
I leave all of the Boost Comp : X gear AB values the same from 1st to 6th gear. All 1.00 values. I find that by having them vary confuses the ECU. There is a better way to have a boost per gear setup, which I will go over in another post.

Boost Limits - Fuel Cut
fuel cut.PNG
I set these values 2-3 psi higher than my boost targets, while following Cobb's cell selections.

Boost Limits - Throttle Close
throttle close.PNG
I set these values 1-2 psi higher than my boost targets, also following Cobb's cell selections.

Boost RPM Comp AB I leave OTS. All values are 0 for both tables

Boost Targets
boost targets.PNG
I follow Cobb's cell selection for WOT values. I keep my boost targets conservative at low RPM's to keep the stock connecting rods happy, and taper boost targets at high RPM's to keep the stock K04 Turbo happy. The ecu will target these values and make corrections if the actual boost deviates by using other important tables which will be covered in a later post.

Over Boosting In The Mid Rpm Range
For the longest time, I couldn't figure out why I was always over boosting in the mid rpm range between 3000 and 4000 rpm when starting a 4th gear log at 2500 rpm, which would lead to the throttle plate closing. The reason, was that my boost target at 2500 rpm was physically unattainable, or set to high, causing the ECU to ramp WGDC way up, so that by the time the engine got up to about 3500 rpm, WGDC was way too high, causing an over boost/over load condition. The ECU would then see that the engine was over boosting way too much, and would then significantly reduce WGDC and begin to close the throttle, which would then cause an under boost condition. This pattern all starts by that one large under boost condition at the beginning of the pull at 2500 rpm where the ECU attempts to meet an unattainable boost target. This initial under boost compensation, causes excessive boost oscillations through out the majority of the boost curve, until it finally settles out at higher rpm's. The fix, is to target a more attainable boost target at 2500 rpm, to prevent the ECU from over compensating for an under boost condition that cannot physically be met.

Closed Loop Tables

The only tables I modify are the LTFT Learning Zone A-F Breakpoints as such. Everything else is Cobb Stage 1 OTS V231 :

OTS had these values set slightly higher in different zones, which in my opinion, reduces the resolution for fueling corrections at part throttle. And plus, the average driver would not take it up to 120 g/s without wanting to go WOT, which at that point the ECU would revert to Open Loop Fueling anyways.

Zone A : 5.7 g/s
Zone B : 18 g/s
Zone C : 30 g/s
Zone D : 50 g/s
Zone E : 80 g/s
Zone F : 120 g/s


The following tables are from my previous map revision. As you can see, the threshold in both tables at lower rpm's are set a bit higher. This would prevent fuel cut or throttle body closure which may cause an over load condition.

[BuddySpeed3]

FUEL TABLES

Fuel CL Commanded EQ (Base)
closed loop.PNG
For this table, I changed all the values above 1.19 load, from 2500 rpm to 5000 rpm from 11.6:1 AFR, to 11.5:1 AFR. I followed Cobb's selection of cells. I also used the 91 octane OTS values above 1.19 load, from 500 rpm to 2000 rpm, which are 0.2 of a point richer. This is just in case the car hits those load's at those rpm's which I doubt would ever happen. But better safe than not.

Fuel Commanded EQ Max Enrichment Allowed
Max Enrichment.PNG
I left this table OTS at 11:1 AFR across the board. Any richer than 11:1 AFR is not necessary at this point in time, and may reduce power output.

Fuel OL Commanded EQ (Throttle Closed) - I set these to the same values as the Fuel CL Commanded EQ (Base) Table above.

Fuel OL Commanded EQ (Base)
Fuel OL Commanded EQ (Base).PNG
Values below 1.25 load, from 500 rpm to 2000 rpm were set to 91 Octane OTS values (0.2 of a point richer). Values below 1.25 load from 2500 rpm to 6000 rpm, were set to 11.5:1 AFR, 11.4 at 6500 rpm, and 11.3 at 7000 rpm. This taper should cool things down slightly at higher rpm's, and puts a bit of a safety net in place.

Fuel OL/Part Throttle Commanded EQ (Knocking)
Knocking.PNG
I leave the values above 1.31 load OTS, and make the values below 1.25 load 0.2 of a point richer than the No Knock Tables.

I set the values in the Fuel OL/Part Throttle Commanded EQ (No Knock) Table, and the Fuel OL/Part Throttle Commanded EQ (Unused) Table, to the same values in the Fuel OL Commanded EQ (Base) Table - Once again I am following Cobb's cell selection strategy. Therefore, I am not making a drastic change to how Cobb designed this OTS map. I'm essentially keeping the OTS "feel" of the map, while making it run safer, by making things more rich in certain areas.

Fuel OL/WOT Commanded EQ (Knocking)
OLWOT Knocking.PNG
I set these values 0.2 of a point richer than the values at 2.00 load in the no knock tables.

Fuel OL/WOT Commanded EQ (No Knock A and B)
WOT no knock.PNG
This is my targeted WOT AFR Curve, these values, are the same as the values at high loads in the No Knock Fuel Tables above. I always taper up top to cool the chamber down, and maybe even reduce Exhaust Gas Temperatures slightly. I also run a small WMI nozzle right before the throttle body, which helps to significantly cool things down, before and after the power stroke. Please note, that I do not tune the car with the WMI kit spraying. I strictly tune for what is in the gas tank, and then use the WMI kit for consistently cool BAT's, and added octane. This way, if the WMI kit fails at WOT, my engine will not detonate.

There are Fail Safe's that prevent damage to your engine in the event that your WMI kit fails. A Fail Safe setup can save your engine in a variety of ways. One way that seems to work well on this platform, incorporates the use of a Flow Meter. When the Flow Meter detects low flow in the WMI system, the system cuts boost pressure. I haven't done much reading on this topic, but if you plan on using WMI to actually make power, consider a good quality Fail Safe setup, to keep things happy.

By tuning for what is in the tank, and using WMI as an add on to performance, rather than a dependency, we can have peace of mind when winning! And plus, who said we can't put a gallon or two of Methanol in the tank? I've read, that In Tank Methanol can yield E85 type results. Also, adding more than 1 gallon of Methanol to your tank may require changes to the Fuel Gravity, and Injector Scalar Tables to meet fueling targets. Also, Methanol is more corrosive than E85, as tested by experienced tuners on this forum. So in my opinion, when it comes to adding methanol to the tank, anything more than 2 gallons may not be the best idea, due to it's corrosive characteristics.

[BuddySpeed3]

HPFP Control Tables

HPFP Desired Pressure - ECT Comp
HPFP Desired Pressure ect comp.PNG
I left these values OTS as I don't see a reason to change them. It doesn't make sense to have lower fuel pressure no matter what the Coolant Temperature is at.

HPFP Desired Pressure - Max A
HPFP Desired Pressure max a.PNG
I used the Stage 2 OTS values here. They are set at 1749 psi. The Stage 1 OTS values are set at 1669.6 psi.

HPFP Desired Pressure - Max B
HPFP Desired Pressure max b.PNG
Once again, I used the Stage 2 OTS value here of 1749 psi. That should be plenty for 18 pounds of boost.

HPFP Desired Pressure A, B, C
Originally, I just copied and pasted the Stage 2 OTS values into my map with no issues. A few months later I started noticing a chirping noise on cold starts when the engine revs high to 2000 rpm. It only lasted about a second. I soon found out (thanks to the genius' on this forum) that it was caused by the values in these tables being set too high at 1500-2000 rpm. This caused the HPFP to chirp on cold starts. It may have been due to a lack of lubrication, as I would imagine that some of the oil would seep out of the pump over night, although I am not exactly sure. The fix, was to target lower fuel pressure in those load and rpm regions as shown below:

Please Note that tables A and C are identical. Cobb made them the same, so I followed their logic.

HPFP Desired Pressure A.PNG

HPFP Desired Pressure B.PNG
This table is different. It targets higher pressures at lower loads, in the low to mid RPM range. I'm not sure why. I decided to extend this pattern to about 4500 rpm, but at the Stage 1 OTS pressure of 1669.6 psi.

HPFP Desired Pressure C.PNG
If you compare these tables with the Stage 2 OTS tables, you will notice that I reduced the pressures at 1500-2000 rpm to prevent the chirp noise on cold starts when the engine revs high. I no longer have the chirp noise on start up.

[BuddySpeed3]

IDLE TABLES

The only reason I modified these tables, was to prevent the infamous smoking K04 turbo, which is caused by engine oil seeping past the turbo seals, and burning up in the exhaust, causing a lot of smoke out the tailpipe.

Idle Base AC - A and B
idle base ab.PNG
Both of these tables are set to the same values. All I did was change them all to 1000 rpm. This ensures I idle at 1000 rpm with the Air Conditioning turned on.

Idle Speed Stability (Clutch Out)
idle stability cluttch out.PNG
I left these values OTS. I don't see a reason to change them at this point.

I left the next three tables OTS

Idle Speed Stability A
idle speed stability a.PNG

Idle Speed Stability B
idle speed stability b.PNG

Idle Speed Stability C
idle speed stability c.PNG

The next two tables differ slightly. All I did was change values below 1000 rpm, to 1000 rpm. All other values are OTS.

Idle Speeds Base - A
idle speeds base a.PNG

Idle Speeds Base - B
idle speeds base b.PNG

Having the engine idle higher than stock (750 rpm), will create slightly more vacuum in the crankcase, which will help suck the oil lubricating the turbo, back into the sump a little bit better. It will help to prevent the oil from getting past the seals, and into the exhaust stream. However, it does not guarantee a non smoking turbo. It is just a preventative action. Idling for excessive periods of time is in my opinion not recommended with the stock K04 Turbo. Also, many speed owners including me, use 5w40 engine oil, over the recommended 5w30, which will make it harder for the oil to leak past the seals because it is slightly thicker. Also, the oil will not become diluted with fuel and carbon so easily. Doing oil changes on a fixed schedule i.e. every 4000 km's, will also help. There are other preventative actions available on this forum, but I do not have much information on them at this time.

[BuddySpeed3]

IGNITION TABLES

Ign BAT vs ECT Comp. - % Used
Ign BAT vs ECT Comp %.PNG
I kept these values OTS V231. I haven't found a reason to change them.

Ign BAT vs ECT Comp. A and B
Ign BAT vs ECT Comp A.PNG
I set both of these tables to OTS V231 93 Octane map values. The 91 Octane map values, will pull timing when Coolant Temperature, and Boost Air Temperatures get too high, but the threshold is set too low in my opinion. The last thing I want is timing to be pulled, when my engine is at operating temperature, and my BAT's at 100 degrees F. It may be that 91 Octane in certain areas isn't always consistent in terms of quality, so Cobb must have realized this, and put a safety net in place. Remember, heat increases the probability for detonation to occur. Higher Octane resists Detonation (Self ignition of the fuel from too much heat). Using more Octane than is needed is a good way to keep Knock/Detonation at bay.

Ign Max Global (BETA)
Ign Global.PNG
I left this value OTS V231. It is set to 60 degrees, which is the maximum amount of Ignition Timing the ECU is allowed to use. I've seen this value on my Access Port while cruising on the highway at Part Throttle. I believe the ECU targets this Ignition Advance under certain conditions, while in closed loop, to increase gas mileage. It will never go any higher, and it may be for a good reason. So, it may not be a smart idea to raise this value, or tamper with it in any way.

Low Octane Reduction Table
low octane reduction.PNG
I left these values OTS V231. I haven't found a reason to change them.

THE FOUR TABLES BELOW ARE ALL SET TO THE SAME VALUES IN THE V231 OTS MAPS:
- Ign Table - High Throttle/OL (Knocking)
- Ign Table - High Throttle/OL (No Knock)
- Ign Table - Low Throttle/CL (Knocking)
- Ign Table - Low Throttle/CL (No Knock)

The values in these tables, can cause Detonation to a point where engine damage can occur, if set too high. These tables should not be rushed. Also remember, that the Ignition Table values in your selected OTS map, are tailored for a specific Octane of Fuel, Boost Level, and Air to Fuel Ratio.

If you plan on targeting higher boost pressures, or leaner AFR's, than what the OTS map targets, you should lower the Ignition Advance values at higher Calculated Loads (i.e. above 1.25 load), before tuning AFR's and Boost Pressures, to ensure the car runs safe while doing so.

If you plan on targeting the same AFR and Boost Pressures as your selected OTS map, then the OTS Ignition Timing values should be okay to use, as long as you are using the recommended Octane Rated Fuel. If you want to be super safe, it may be a good idea to reduce the timing a degree or two at loads higher than 1.25, and even reduce WGDC's quite a bit to reduce boost.

By lowering WGDC's, and Ignition Timing, we can safely dial in AFR's first, and then dial in Boost Pressures second. It is a good idea to dial in your Part Throttle MAF CAL first, before dialing in the WOT MAF CAL. Once AFR's and Boost Pressures are dialed in, I perform a final WOT MAF CAL, to take into account higher MAF Voltages, that the Final Boost Curve may reach. Once that's done, I can start slowly increasing the Ignition Timing in the corresponding RPM and LOAD regions of the tables. Just modify one table, and copy and paste the values to the other three. The following is the Ignition Timing Table I ran during the summer on straight 94 Octane Pump Gas. But as it got colder out, Winter Grade Gas was causing some knock, so I had to reduce Ignition Timing back to similar Stage 2 V231 OTS values, at higher loads:

Timing #.PNG
Based on my WOT 4th gear logs, the amount of calculated load starts to drop off in higher RPM's because of the stock K04 not being able to flow any more air. Timing adjustments need to be made at these specific load regions, in small increments (0.5 - 1 degrees) at a time for every map revision. Since Calculated Load can fluctuate with different ambient temperatures and air densities, it's a good idea to set 4 or 5 cells in those general Calculated Load regions, to your Targeted Ignition Advance. This will ensure that with varying Calculated Load, the car will still hit targeted Ignition Advance. From there, I interpolate the values upwards for smooth transitioning. I also reduced Ignition Advance in the calculated load regions that the car does not reach at higher RPM's by 0.5 degrees per cell. This will ensure that if my car, for what ever reason, hits those higher loads, the Ignition Advance will be less, which keeps things safe. Every map revision needs to be flashed to the ECU, and tested with several WOT 4th gear logs, preferably in the hottest weather the car will see, to verify that the engine does not Knock. Once about 1 degree of Knock Retard is consistently detected in the logs, reduce ignition timing at WOT by 2 or 3 degrees to be safe because remember, that the quality of Pump Gas is not the same all year round - at least for me. The car has now reached the limit for the fuel being used. Higher Octane is required to safely Advance Ignition Timing further. Remember that Pump Gas is usually limited by Knock, so going past MBT is not too much of a concern. But with WMI and E85, Knock can almost become non existent, so getting tuned on a Dyno to see where MBT lies, is the way to go.

Same table in graph form:
Timing Graph.PNG
I use the graph as a visual aid when interpolating and smoothing values. As you can see, the graph looks very smooth. My goal with the Ignition Timing Tables, is to target less timing at lower rpm's, to keep torque under control, and more Timing at higher rpm's, to allow for torque to be produced a little bit later in the rpm range, and to compensate for the lack of boost pressure at higher rpm's to generate more top end horsepower. The values at lower Calculated Loads have not changed very much compared to OTS V231 values. The idea, was to target power at higher loads, but keep things smooth at lower loads with the OTS "feel" so to speak. The values at lower loads are actually slightly less, than the low load values in the Stage 1 V231 93 Octane OTS Maps, but higher than the Stage 2 V231 93 Octane OTS Maps. I tried not to deviate significantly from Cobb's selection of values at part throttle, but wanted to ensure that everything looks and feels smooth.

Ign Table - Max A and B
Ign Table max a b.PNG
Both A and B Tables are set to the same values. I left them OTS V231. They limit the maximum amount of Ignition Advance that can be run.

Ignition Per Cylinder Comp
Ign per cylinder.PNG
I've found no reason to modify these values. I left them OTS V231.

[BuddySpeed3]

INJECTOR CONTROL TABLES

These tables must be modified when using different fuel mixes and types, such as mixing certain amounts of E85/Methanol in the gas tank. Here is the fuel mix cheat sheet to use if you plan on mixing alcohol in the gas tank for more octane by Enki:
Fuel mix cheat sheets

Injector Phasing Multiplier
ipm.PNG
I left this table OTS as I found no reason to change it.

Injector Scalar
is.PNG
Table Description - This value determines the size of the fuel injectors. If tuning on pump gas, it is not necessary to modify this value. For my pump gas tune, I left it OTS. If tuning for higher Ethanol/Methanol contents in the gas tank, this value may need to be raised higher, as per the mixing cheat sheet in the link above.

Specific Fuel Gravity
sfg.PNG
Table Description - This table allows the entry of the specific gravity of different fuel types and fuel mixes to be entered to allow the ECU to properly calculate fuel delivery requirements. I left this table OTS for my pump gas tune, but it may need to be modified, using the mixing cheat sheet mentioned above, when using higher Ethanol/Methanol contents in the gas tank.

I haven't done any tuning yet with mixing Ethanol/Methanol in the gas tank, although from some of the reading I have done, leaving these values OTS with high alcohol contents in the gas tank may cause the engine to run lean. Of course how lean depends on the amount of alcohol mixed. Running an alcohol mix in the gas tank will allow more ignition timing and boost to be ran without causing knock due to the higher octane it brings, but will also use more fuel due to the higher oxygen content in alcohol based fuels.

KNOCK TABLES

The only table I modified in the Knock Tables was the Knock Retard Active - RPM (Max) which I raised to 7000 rpm to allow the ECU to pull timing at the highest possible rpm if knock is detected:
kr.PNG
I also made the Knock sensor active as early as 500 rpm. There are other tables that can be modified such as the decay rates, but I did not change these. I left them at 640.

LIMITER TABLES
Since I don't use FFS (Flat Foot Shifting), I have only set my LC Rev Limiter to 2500 rpm, and verified that my REV Limiter is set to 6700 rpm. All else is OTS.

[meicalnissyen]

You may be more stubborn than I am

So, you DL'd ATR pre ban and remain married to Cobb


Grrrr., i was hoping to get some VT advice from you

[BuddySpeed3]

Originally Posted by meicalnissyen You may be more stubborn than I am So, you DL'd ATR pre ban and remain married to Cobb Grrrr., i was hoping to get some VT advice from you

Sorry man, I don't use Versa Tuner, I use ATR because it is what I started with. I will be adding more to this thread shortly by covering the rest of the tables in ATR in order. The struggle has been tough, but I feel that over the years of owning this car, I have gotten a pretty good grip on dialing in a pretty solid tune with my k04/stock block using ATR. All thanks to the internet and the very knowledgeable individuals on this awesome forum. In finishing this thread, I intend to share as much info as possible to help those who are interested in self tuning their cars.

Stay tuned...

[BuddySpeed3]

LOAD TABLES

These are the tables that bring the Hybrid tuning strategy into play. These tables are used to set up safety nets to prevent the engine from experiencing excessive load. The trick with these is to dial in Boost, AFR, and Timing, and verify no knock first to see what calculated load the car is seeing through your logs, preferably in the coldest temperatures the car will see. Then, setting the load caps slightly higher. If these load caps are exceeded the ECU will attempt to correct this through the use of the throttle plate, and or reducing boost. We will cover the tables that control this correction in a later post. The ECU also uses the throttle plate to limit or prevent the engine from even reaching excessive load to begin with as I explain below. You will also notice that my load targets below 3000 rpm are set very low. This is to prevent the ECU from opening the throttle fully if I floor it below 3000 rpm which prevents excessive boost and torque at low rpm's.

ABS LOAD LIMITS - FUEL CUT
abs load limits fuel cut.PNG
I left this table OTS because I don't want it to interfere with my power production. I still have the Boost Limits - Fuel Cut Table under the Boost tables column. The last thing I need are two fuel cut tables fighting for who will get to cut fuel. You'll notice that the values are set to 3.00 which is way out of reach.

ABS LOAD TARGETS
abs load targets.PNG
*Please note that the values in this table are the same in the following tables*

- THROTTLE REQUESTED LOAD A
- THROTTLE REQUESTED LOAD B
- THROTTLE REQUESTED LOAD C

These are the values that the ECU will target through out the RPM and range of the Accelerator Pedal Position. Below is the same table in graph form to illustrate how keeping things smooth without any abrupt changes makes the car drive in a more controlled fashion. Note the very low load targets below 3000 rpm for safety I have no fear starting my 4th gear logs at 2000 rpm anymore because if the load targets are low enough, the ECU will limit the throttle even if your foot is to the floor.
Capture.PNG

CALC. LOAD MAX A and B
calc load max ab.JPG
The values in these tables should all be set to 5.00 load across the board (just like OTS) in order to maintain fueling compensation at higher loads. Setting these to the same values as the other load tables, or lower, can cause an undesired lean AFR, and a loss of fueling correction through maf curve adjustments. (Ignore the table in the attachment box at the bottom of this post, those values worked with the k04, but I found a loss of AFR control with my new bnr s4 turbo due to higher loads). Set these to 5.00 load across the board for tables A and B to maintain full control of AFR at higher loads.

THROTTLE - GEAR BASED REQ. LOAD - HIGH BAT FLAG OFF
high bats flag off.PNG
I left this table OTS. If the High BAT Flag is On, the ECU will only revert to targeting the higher loads when Boost Air Temps come back down to this value.

THROTTLE - GEAR BASED REQ. LOAD - HIGH BAT FLAG ON
high bats flag on.PNG
I left this table OTS. When Boost Air Temps get this hot, the ECU will turn the High BAT Flag On and target the lower load values in the following tables to prevent the chances of detonation.

THROTTLE - REQ. LOAD 1ST - 6TH GEAR (HIGH BAT)
1st-6th high bats.PNG
These values are all the same for 1st to 6th gear (High Bat) tables. These are the load values that the ECU will target when BAT's reach 194 degrees as per the High BAT Flag On table above. As you can see they are considerably lower than the Norm BAT tables to prevent knock, and I've set them lower in the mid range. I may go ahead and follow Cobb's logic by setting them even lower near redline.

THROTTLE - REQ. LOAD 1ST GEAR (NORM BAT)
1st gear norm bats.PNG
I set these values lower to reduce wheel spin in first gear. The ECU will target these load values when in 1st gear using the throttle.

THROTTLE - REQ. LOAD 2ND GEAR (NORM BAT)
2nd gear norm bats.PNG
And for 2nd gear, I can target a bit more load because the car has more momentum and won't break the tires free as easily. I found that these values work very well to take the car right up to the limits of traction for 1st and 2nd gear.

*Please note that for these 1st and 2nd gear load limitations to work, you MAY have to lower the APP translation tables for 1st and 2nd gear as well. I found that without lower APP translation values, the throttle would sometimes not be limited in the first two gears until I reduced them. What I found was that it's better to have the APP translation values slightly lower than the throttle position that would actually correspond to your load target in a log, because it's easier for the ECU to allow the throttle to open more to meet load targets, than it is to close the throttle to correct for an over load situation. Plus it's better to minimize the over load situations all together. So for example; if it takes 30% throttle to hit 1.45 load in 1st gear, set the APP translation tables to 25%, and your load cap to 1.45 load for 1st gear. Remember that in different ambient temperatures, varying amounts of load will be generated at the same throttle position due to differences in air density. So just how it's better to under boost than over boost, its better to under load than over load.*

THROTTLE - REQ. LOAD 3RD - 6TH GEAR (NORM BAT)
3rd-6th norm bats.PNG
I set load targets the same from 3rd to 6th gear. These are my main power gears where traction isn't an issue.

THROTTLE - REQ. LOAD - MAX A
throttle req load max a.PNG
I set these tables the same as all the other load tables at full load.

THROTTLE - REQ. LOAD - MAX B
throttle req load max b.PNG
This is the maximum load that the ECU will target (The maximum Load Cap).

THROTTLE - REQUESTED LOAD - BARO VS. RPM
load baro vs rpm.PNG
I set this table up with the same load caps as the other tables using Cobb's cell selection strategy. This allows the ECU to have the same load cap at various altitudes. I don't drive in varying altitudes very often anyways, but at least I have some leeway lol.

All in all the important thing is to target minimal loads below 3000 rpm, and keep all the values the same so the ECU doesn't get confused.

[kpeezy188]

subbed

[danb]

Sfl

[CalvinMS6]

This is an incredible write up. Doing some research myself now but this gives more than ample information to provide a starting point. Thanks for taking the time to write this up!