Need a retune...bad

UTEC/Hydra/MOTEC? STi, WRX, EVO, Legacy, R32? Come on in!

Moderator: Moderators

Post Reply
User avatar
Stiletto
I'm a n000b
Posts: 16
Joined: Tue Jan 15, 2008 4:33 pm
Location: Manassas, VA

Need a retune...bad

Post by Stiletto »

So, since moving up here from humid and ungodly hot Florida, it seems that my car is running different in the cooler weather. I've had this experience before w/ my swapped RS. I had two maps on my EcuTek, one for cold weather and one for hot. The difference was a 10 whp/ 12 wtq gain on the cold weather map. Obviously the hot map was done to prevent things from overheating and just generally working too hard since I was using a TMIC.

Now onto my current issue: I've been running rich since moving to this area. I've checked all my vacuum hoses and inspected as much of my FMIC piping as I possibly could, and nothing seems wrong. I really think I just need a tune for this weather and altitude. I have Cobb APv1, so the tuner should probably posses Pro-Tune software or at the very least Street Tuner. I spoke w/ Dan at Mach V, and they don't do street tunes and still don't have their dyno up an running. So, any suggestions for another local tuner??
An 06 Aspen White WRX TR and 07 OBP FXTS are blocking my garage.
User avatar
ElZorro
DCAWD Founding Member
Posts: 5958
Joined: Thu Aug 12, 2004 8:00 pm
Location: USA! USA!

Post by ElZorro »

PTuning, but Darrin and a couple other folks know some good street tuners if thats really what you want.

Why do you think you are running rich? Could it be a case of 'winter gas'?
Jason "El Zorro" Fox
'17 Subaru Forester 2.0XT
DCAWD - old coots in fast scoots.
User avatar
Stiletto
I'm a n000b
Posts: 16
Joined: Tue Jan 15, 2008 4:33 pm
Location: Manassas, VA

Post by Stiletto »

Already stopped by P-Tuning, the guy there said they don't have a Cobb license yet.

I don't know much about winter gas. I've heard it is basically higher octane for easier winter starts and thus might be a reason for the higher exhaust content. But, even still, you tune for higher octane, in order to maximize it. If I'm burning off excess fuel by running rich, I'm not getting the most out of this winter gas.
An 06 Aspen White WRX TR and 07 OBP FXTS are blocking my garage.
User avatar
Mr Kleen
DCAWD Founding Member
Posts: 15034
Joined: Mon Apr 18, 2005 6:46 pm
Location: Wiesbaden.DE

Re: Need a retune...bad

Post by Mr Kleen »

Stiletto wrote:I have Cobb APv1, so the tuner should probably posses Pro-Tune software or at the very least Street Tuner. I spoke w/ Dan at Mach V, and they don't do street tunes and still don't have their dyno up an running.
I also have a v1 AP, I'm running Cobb's stock Stage 2 map. I wish Cobb would allow another shop to get a license to do Pro Tunes for just this sort of situation.
one shop for the entire DC area :?:
User avatar
complacent
DCAWD Founding Member
Posts: 11651
Joined: Sun Aug 29, 2004 8:00 pm
Location: near the rockies. very.
Contact:

Post by complacent »

The winter gas here is oxygenated. It hurts performance and mileage. It is also inconsistent between vendors and a bit of a pain to tune for. :(

I *think* Agile Automotive can do a protune on the road.

To be honest, I'm not too up on Cobb tuners in the area.
colin

a tank, a yammie, a spaceship
i <3 teh 00ntz
User avatar
Sabre
DCAWD Founding Member
Posts: 21432
Joined: Wed Aug 11, 2004 8:00 pm
Location: Springfield, VA
Contact:

Post by Sabre »

complacent wrote:To be honest, I'm not too up on Cobb tuners in the area.
:plusone: There are two other tuners in the area, but I have no experience with either of them as far as tunes are concerned:

Agile Automotive
2315 Bel Air Rd
Suite C1
Fallston, MD 21047
(410) 877-3003 Phone
www.agileauto.com

Atlantic Motorsports
8001 Queenair Dr.
Gaithersburg, MD 20879
(888) 267-1788 Phone
www.amstuning.com/atlantic

The weird thing is, with winter air being colder, if anything, you should be running leaner. Colder air is denser and there for expands more. Also, you're probably running a little more boost since boost creep in the winter is fairly common (depending on your setup).

Are you logging your AFR's and that's why you think you're running richer?
Sabre (Julian)
Image
92.5% Stock 04 STI
Good choice putting $4,000 rims on your 1990 Honda Civic. That's like Betty White going out and getting her tits done.
User avatar
Phibs
DCAWD Groupie
Posts: 1197
Joined: Tue Dec 21, 2004 7:00 pm
Location: Sterling, VA
Contact:

Post by Phibs »

I've heard good things about Agile.

AMS was good except that they left a clamp on my boost line thus forcing full boost.... They did however spend all day tuning my car and fixed
a few issues. Given that, I've heard quotes like... "Wow, I think I've got the hang of this tuning thing" from other vendors regarding AMS so draw your own conclusion.
Bryan
2012 WRX 5-Door Limited
User avatar
Phibs
DCAWD Groupie
Posts: 1197
Joined: Tue Dec 21, 2004 7:00 pm
Location: Sterling, VA
Contact:

Post by Phibs »

Sabre wrote:
complacent wrote:To be honest, I'm not too up on Cobb tuners in the area.
:plusone: There are two other tuners in the area, but I have no experience with either of them as far as tunes are concerned:

Agile Automotive
2315 Bel Air Rd
Suite C1
Fallston, MD 21047
(410) 877-3003 Phone
www.agileauto.com

Atlantic Motorsports
8001 Queenair Dr.
Gaithersburg, MD 20879
(888) 267-1788 Phone
www.amstuning.com/atlantic

The weird thing is, with winter air being colder, if anything, you should be running leaner. Colder air is denser and there for expands more. Also, you're probably running a little more boost since boost creep in the winter is fairly common (depending on your setup).

Are you logging your AFR's and that's why you think you're running richer?
Ask Darrin to borrow his awesome car adapter led modified LS1 ;)
Bryan
2012 WRX 5-Door Limited
User avatar
zaxrex
DCAWD Founding Member
Posts: 6350
Joined: Mon Sep 06, 2004 8:00 pm
Location: asiandale

Post by zaxrex »

Small extra note on gas.
The winter oxegynated blend is to help with air quality in the winter.

Additionally, Most blends will increase the amount of ethanol in their gas, and as a byproduct, that increases the effective octane for the fuel. Increasing octane means it is harder to ignite, so less good for cold starts, but you can tune for it and get more power. Your mileage will decrease on winter blend fuel (oxygenated, ethanoled, or a combination of the two).
Patience is the ability to idle your motor when you feel like stripping your gears
User avatar
Stiletto
I'm a n000b
Posts: 16
Joined: Tue Jan 15, 2008 4:33 pm
Location: Manassas, VA

Post by Stiletto »

Sabre wrote:Are you logging your AFR's and that's why you think you're running richer?
No, I don't have a wideband, and my laptop doesn't have a serial port. But, the nasty puffs of smoke and excess exhaust on my bumper aren't something I experienced down south.

I got a dyno run once a few years back at AMS. But I think I'll give Agile a call.
An 06 Aspen White WRX TR and 07 OBP FXTS are blocking my garage.
User avatar
Phibs
DCAWD Groupie
Posts: 1197
Joined: Tue Dec 21, 2004 7:00 pm
Location: Sterling, VA
Contact:

Post by Phibs »

Stiletto wrote:
Sabre wrote:Are you logging your AFR's and that's why you think you're running richer?
No, I don't have a wideband, and my laptop doesn't have a serial port. But, the nasty puffs of smoke and excess exhaust on my bumper aren't something I experienced down south.

I got a dyno run once a few years back at AMS. But I think I'll give Agile a call.
USB->Serial adapter: $15
Borrowing a Wideband from Darrin: priceless
Bryan
2012 WRX 5-Door Limited
User avatar
zaxrex
DCAWD Founding Member
Posts: 6350
Joined: Mon Sep 06, 2004 8:00 pm
Location: asiandale

Post by zaxrex »

You don't even need a wideband just to see what your fuel trims are doing to our off and light throttle AFRs. The stock ECU can tell you what the narrow band is seeing and how bad off you are. OBDScan and others will let you look at realtime variables through the OBD-II interface.

If you wanted to make the truck out my way, you could borrow El Zorro's cables and my computer to check things out.
Patience is the ability to idle your motor when you feel like stripping your gears
User avatar
Stiletto
I'm a n000b
Posts: 16
Joined: Tue Jan 15, 2008 4:33 pm
Location: Manassas, VA

Post by Stiletto »

Phibs wrote:USB->Serial adapter: $15
Borrowing a Wideband from Darrin: priceless
I might have to get one of those.

Who is Darrin??
An 06 Aspen White WRX TR and 07 OBP FXTS are blocking my garage.
User avatar
zaxrex
DCAWD Founding Member
Posts: 6350
Joined: Mon Sep 06, 2004 8:00 pm
Location: asiandale

Post by zaxrex »

Darrin is DRWRX, with the silver wagon buggeye that you don't want to test.
Patience is the ability to idle your motor when you feel like stripping your gears
User avatar
drwrx
DCAWD Founding Member
Posts: 4382
Joined: Mon Sep 20, 2004 8:00 pm

Post by drwrx »

Stiletto wrote:Who is Darrin??
That would be me. I have a wideband o2 sensor with tailpipe adapter.
It has a serial connector for a laptop and requires USB to Serial adapter to work properly (Phibs failed to say how many adapters had tried to find one that worked). It also requires the application LogWorks to retrieve and display the data. If you feel like you want to try your luck you can borrow the wide-band and software and you can pull some logs and see where your at. You could do more if you had a Tactrix cable. Someone has mine already.
Last edited by drwrx on Fri Mar 28, 2008 9:58 am, edited 1 time in total.
avriette
DCAWD Groupie
Posts: 1316
Joined: Sun Oct 01, 2006 3:48 pm
Location: Arlington, VA
Contact:

Post by avriette »

Stiletto wrote:
Phibs wrote:USB->Serial adapter: $15
Borrowing a Wideband from Darrin: priceless
I might have to get one of those.

Who is Darrin??
everyone should have a serial to usb adapter.

edit: per darrin's comments, this is a good reason to keep an old pc laptop around after you're done with it. new machines just aren't coming with serial ports anymore.
rocket scientist
User avatar
zaxrex
DCAWD Founding Member
Posts: 6350
Joined: Mon Sep 06, 2004 8:00 pm
Location: asiandale

Post by zaxrex »

Ha, and you all laugh at my 8 year old indestructo computers.

Who's laughing now?

If you don't want to mess with the serial/usb converter issues, you can borrow one of my machines (battery only lasts 15 mins or so) and get the wideband from darrin.

But again, if you just need to see what your idle and off throttle AFRs are, then the stock O2 sensor will work through the OBD-II port and the adapter that I have.
Patience is the ability to idle your motor when you feel like stripping your gears
User avatar
Stiletto
I'm a n000b
Posts: 16
Joined: Tue Jan 15, 2008 4:33 pm
Location: Manassas, VA

Post by Stiletto »

So, what's the difference between a Tactrix cable and the cable supplied by Cobb which connects to the AP module and the car's OBD port??
An 06 Aspen White WRX TR and 07 OBP FXTS are blocking my garage.
User avatar
drwrx
DCAWD Founding Member
Posts: 4382
Joined: Mon Sep 20, 2004 8:00 pm

Post by drwrx »

The tactrix cable has a USB port which allows interface between a laptop and the ECU via the OBDII port. With the correct software you can access all your ECUs info as well as modifiy it with the right programs.
User avatar
complacent
DCAWD Founding Member
Posts: 11651
Joined: Sun Aug 29, 2004 8:00 pm
Location: near the rockies. very.
Contact:

Post by complacent »

The guts are different.

The tactrix cable is more compatible with aftermarket/open source tools.

The COBB cable can currently only be used for logging.
colin

a tank, a yammie, a spaceship
i <3 teh 00ntz
User avatar
Phibs
DCAWD Groupie
Posts: 1197
Joined: Tue Dec 21, 2004 7:00 pm
Location: Sterling, VA
Contact:

Post by Phibs »

drwrx wrote:
Stiletto wrote:Who is Darrin??
That would be me. I have a wideband o2 sensor with tailpipe adapter.
It has a serial connector for a laptop and requires USB to Serial adapter to work properly (Phibs failed to say how many adapters had tried to find one that worked). It also requires the application LogWorks to retrieve and display the data. If you feel like you want to try your luck you can borrow the wide-band and software and you can pull some logs and see where your at. You could do more if you had a Tactrix cable. Someone has mine already.
nooooo it works with a special build of enginuity as well, I has it if you neeeeeeeeeeeds it! :)
Bryan
2012 WRX 5-Door Limited
Post Reply