gene1

Hi,
Wondered if any info out there to give me a few ideas.Have uk my99 with full de-cat,blitz d/valve and blitz sus ind kit,after reading different threads on running lean etc wondered which is a best option for me.
Do i find somewhere around the Mids and have my standard ecu re-mapped to make sure all in the fuel department is ok and hopefully gain some power too,or look for an aftermarket ecu or 2nd hand unit and fit that.Will the aftermarket have to be re-mapped anyway to suit different mods on diff cars.
I dont keep cars too long and will prob sell it next summer and look at another scooby but want to rest at ease with the eng management until then.
What are the costs for standard ecu re-map compared to aftermarket ecu and re-map and wheres the best place around me?
Thanks in advance
Gene

nom

Don't worry about what ECU is in there (well, except a new ECU will be more expensive than remapping the current one!). The 'thing' to pick is the mapper, and then find out what they prefer to use/what would suit you. With a MY99 you are open to EcuTek, Unichip, Link, Gems, etc. Unichip is probably the cheapest option, but, well, just but. Ecutek is a cunning idea & I believe the mapping technology is fairly well spread about now. Anything else is a replancement ECU - you're looking at £800+ for the bare minimum really, and that's befoere the mapping!

Cheapest thing to do with good gains & pretty good security is: get rid of the Blitz induction kit (MAF killer!); get knocklink/lambdalink or similar for constant monitoring of fuel & possible problems; if interested enough, get DeltaDash & learn what all the various readouts mean so you can really keep a check on things. The fueling should be fine on the setup as you have it.
If you want more performance, and you have the above kit (and a boost gauge as well), then stick on a Dawes for a bit more oomph. Works wonders!

But the immediate thing is to check the fueling with LambdaLink - the Blitz may have already knackered the MAF, which will then make you run lean... it may be fine, but I wouldn't risk it myself

gene1

Nom,
Have a boost gauge and also have an Apexi unit that is supposed to read out a/f ratio as one of its features.This is tapped into the o2 wire of the ecu.The book says average running is around the 14.5/14.6 mark,which it sticks to on normal throttle.Ths rises on backoff to show richness as expected but drops when booted hard down to the 12"s.My problem is how accurate is the unit and if it was transferred onto a standard scooby would it still read the same perhaps.
Was going to get a lambdalink but isnt the apexi doing the same?Have seen a HKS advertised that you can alter the settings rich/lean as needed by yourself and wondered if this would be a worthy purchase as you can try to correct things if they are rich or lean.
Gene

nom

Better check with someone who knows the Apexi but the numbers look OK, roundabout... the 'normal running' one it'll only be guessing at anyway as the sensor isn't accurate around stoich (14ish).
Most of the 'enrichment' things do it across the range - not great, and I think probably not necessary anyway! As long as the MAF is working & you don't go too nuts on the mods, the ECU should be able to sort the fueling out. The mods you have it should be fine - just watch it with that Blitz 'filter'!

gene1

Nom,
I know this is not much of a help either,but just changed the plugs sa had some from a group buy and they all came out as the books show ideal,a light brown electrode,unlike pitch black or baked white.
If i put the Dawes on is it like the old bleed valves and will shorten or lenghthen the range and punch of the boost,and are there any probs that come with these also.Apart from if you are stupid and crack it up for top boost and try to maintain it.
Gene

john banks

If you add a knocklink to your setup it is my opinion that a Dawes is safe up to fuel cut (17.6 PSI).

AFR should be in the 10s on a standard car, but the narrowband is inaccurate away from stoich (14.7:1). In addition the Blitz is probably leaning it out and advancing the ignition even if the MAF sensor is OK. It is just spotting when it is too much hence the knocklink. Also a gas analysis at full boost on a rolling road would be a good idea.

If you want to run 17-18 PSI which is about the sensible limit on the standard turbo, then HKS fuel cut defender would raise the fuel cut to say 19-20 PSI. Alternatively a Tek remap from Bob Rawle would do the trick nicely and he could map your ignition and fuelling to make sure it is all OK with your induction kit on your chosen fuel at an appropriate boost level. He can also offer you a Link ECU which would get rid of MAF worries for you. Speak to him about the pros and cons of each option.

gene1

John,
Would all cars show a leaner light when on near or full boost under hard acceleration then?
If i carried on running the apexi unit or used the lambda link and that also showed a caution light under hard acceleration would a HKS air,fuel,regulator be any good as they advertise that the 12 settings can be manually altereed from lean to rich at 1notch intervals.Or if you adjusted it so that under acceleration it wasnt lean would it then be too rich under normal driving conditions?????
Gene

john banks

A regulator is not going to give you the control you want where you want it. Narrowband lambda sensors do run leaner the hotter they get. A car around the track today had the 9% CO light on at full throttle full boost for the first lap, but after four laps was showing 3% CO and detting. The original figure could have been optimistic and the second one pessimistic, but who knows? Certainly making it too lean does not make it quicker. Just makes it dangerous and likely to detonate, and kills any hope you had of good timing.

My car got much quicker from adding up to 1.5 AFR points of fuel and then optimising timing again using a wideband lambda. FWIW my car now runs lambda voltages that would light up another two or three LEDs beyond the rich end of the lambdalink or most AFRs but is in fact running a fairly nice 11:1.

Andy F's car today with injectors 6&7 off ran AFRs of about 12.5:1 at 1.5 bar, and AFRs of 10.5:1 at the same boost. The second one felt quicker to me and wasn't detting. With the richer AFR he could turn the boost up to 1.7 bar and the AFR was then 11-11.5:1 which was det free and sweet as anything

At the end of the day what numbers you put into the ECU matter more than the ECU itself.