I installed my Injen CAI about 2 weeks ago now, and after about 4-5 days I noticed that the power wasn't as noticeable as after installation. Well today I disconnected the battery for about 10 minutes, then took it out for a quick drive, and it seemed that the power returned.

I talked to a local friend who owns a performance shop and he said that a lot of the newer cars have an "intelligence" program/chip with the ECU, which will "learn" of any modifications, and adjust itself to it. The older cars do not have this, thus allowing the power gains to be continuious.

My question is, how do we over-ride this if possible? I know there is a encryption, but can overriding this "intelligence" be done without needing a piggyback ecu?

 

https://my350z.com/forum/showthread....threadid=28593

 

Sorry all but I don't believe any of this, my car have more than 3000 miles with the Injen and still have the power. Just this nigth I went to the track and the times and trap speed stays the same. I saw the increase of power for the Injen rigth after I installed and still see it.

 

It is real, maybe your car is the carburetted model?

What was the weather like when you made those runs. around 70 degrees and dry is my guess, and at sea level.

 

Around 85-90, dry and sea level... but the point is that I never saw a loss of HP after 3000 miles already, so for me is hard to believe that the ECU learn and adjust the HP.

 

What does the altitude and temp has to do with the ECU learning about changes?

If the ECU is doing that, it will do it no matter the altitude or the temp.

 

Let me break it down: (I think I've got it right)

According to Technosquare; when a CAI is added the ECU accomodates for this with more fuel, as we would expect. Eventually, the ECU wants to go back to it's initial fuel injection map. Since it can't do this, given the increased amount of air provided by the CAI, the ECU resorts to adjusting the timing. This allows the ECU to run with the built in fuel map with was originally programmed with. The symptom we see is that we lose power.

This seems to me to be absolutely idiotic. If Nissan did this, the engineers should be fired. Why not just create new fuel maps on the fly. It seems to make more sense, especially with the amount of aftermarket modifications that is to be expected with a sports car. It is also extremely inneficient to do this because of the varying areas of the world and the amount of oxygen that is available there.

What I think is plausible (although still stupid); We have a drive by wire car. When I press the throttle, I'm not opening the Throttle body, I'm sending a signal to a Computer that decides how much it should open it based on various sensors. Maybe the ECU recognizes there is more air available and decides to not open the TB as much. This would allow for the car to use the original Fuel map and take into account the different elevations.

Any thoughts???

 

In a sense, the car is writing its own new fuel maps on the fly, thats why is compensating so much with more fuel, retarded ignition... its trying to go back to the pre-set factory settings.. this is needed because if not. you would have probably like a few thousand different Fuel/Air map combinations out there, so when you take it to a dealer, he's not going to know what the hell the car is doing.. there has to be a base program that the car of where the car will operated at the performance envelope (super hot, really cold, high altitude, sealevel, etc)

the drive by wire is in a sense to be 'smarter' by eliminating the mechanical contraptions for a phyiscal throttle cable... yes, there is an inherient lag on the intial stomp on the gas pedal to go WOT.... but overall drive-by-wire is just the evolution of car manufacturing... soon we'll have no side mirrors and just camera.. that kind of thing... what would probably benefit us, and what i'm looking into.. is getting a Q45 electronic throttle body from a 2k+ Q45 and we can program the ECU to control that instead of the stock TB... we would gain almost 4mm or so in additional opening size more air!

 

i like how you think
franklinz

 

I like that idea of the Q45 TB!

 

im still curious as how he can "feel" 4-8 hp so easily....

 

I dont "Feel" the power I "Saw" the power in the Dyno Sheets and in the track. I saw a 10 whp and 1 mile in the 1/4 mile trap speed when install the Injen and after 3000 miles the Dyno sheets and Track times still the same.

 

Again, what was the weather the day you dyno'd, and the time you ran? Even with that said, I have no doubt some gains are possible with the stock ECU, I just think it negates most of the potential gain with it's adjustments.

Why are we talking about this anyway, Chebosto's guys have PROVEN this already, the ECU doesn't like.

 

Firts I done several Dyno and track times(w different temp.) and never saw any lost of power, second I agree that the ECU is stolen some ponies but not all of them.

P.S. I think "Chebesto" is doing the rigth thing, I'm convince that the ECU have some limitations. I'm gonna buy the ECU upgrade as soon is avalible.

 

I was referring to Ricky's first post.

Like you, i don't buy into any of this.

 

To answer your question, I'm not 100% sure there was gains, BUT when I first drove the car after installing it, it felt a bit "torque'ier" (if thats a word ).. It felt as if it acclerated a bit faster. I remember one thing specifically, when I pressed the gas, I felt more pushed into my seat. I'm not saying I was held down, but it did feel as if there was more force.

Now when I drive it, (IT IS POSSIBLE IM USED TO IT).. I don't feel as much pressure when I gun it. My "butt dyno" is definatly not very accurate, but it just doesn't feel as torquey as it did.

It's possible I'm just getting used to it.

 

Just something else to consider in the mix...

One of the guys in the Ontario Z-Car club has a VERY close relationship with Nissan.

He told me that the ECU's will "learn" the driving style of the driver and tune itself accordingly. One of the reasons two exact models will drive differently.. agressive driver vs. passive driver..

If, after resetting the ECU you drive hard, the car will learn that and tune itself accordingly, and vice versa.

Any thoughts?

 

Sorry...

 

Hmmm... I never do Break-in on any of my car and always drive hard, so maybe you have a theory...I don't know!