My car is currently at ~15AFR, reported by sniffer last we ran the dyno when fabricated the exhaust.

I got the Utec and tried to tune it at a friend's shop, open loop.

However, we spent couple hours to adjust the AFR to be closest to ideal and smooth as possible, we lost power instead. The hp and tq curves were much smoother but we're loosing power.

Any tips? Or any idea how long it'd take on an NA car? I thought it'd be quick (1-2hrs - given we tuned AEM EMS on Hondas before).

I have custom CAI, Ported Upper plenum, 5/16" spacer, ported, MREV2, Headers, and a full 2.5" True dual headerback system (cats deleted).

If possible, can someone please prove their NA maps so we can take a look at the parameters and see if we missed any. We will not use your maps as we know the consequences.

Thanks.

 

After a couple of runs, you need to cool down the motor, it will yield a lot more dyno horses and give you a more accurate representation of your WHP.

Also you should be aiming for 13 AFR, which is where the VQ seems to make the best power all around. You could add a little fuel near WOT for some safety but you will lose power.

Spray some water on the plenum, intake tube, try not to get any on the air filter. Do this until everything feels cool to the touch.

Also if your CAI is a long-tube intake you might want to try replacing it for the stock airbox... since CAI have been shown to lose power on a dyno (this is secondhand info from some before and after dyno tests that Tony @ Motordyne has witnessed)

For tuning N/A I would figure about 1.5 hours to 2.5 hours. Any more than that, and you had BETTER be getting into very FINE tuning, like tweaking 1 degree of timing here or there.

 

Thanks Wired 24/7.

We tuned it on a cold day, so the motor is pretty cool. The plenum is cool to luke warm at most.

Also, we targeted 13-13.2AFR. The HP/TQ curve looks smoother, and so is the AFR reading (13.2 and ended at 12.5 during redline)

The CAI was fine as we had a strong blower on it. It didn't show any loss, instead, a gain of 2whp (compared to baseline when the motor was cool) right after we switched back to map for double check (within 2 min from the previous run).

I guess I'd have to wait for Sharif to get back from SEMA then. We were trying to tune it to a good range and have it ready for him when he's back.

 

I dunno man, even on a cold day, when the car is not rolling anywhere, you get very little airflow to cool the engine. Even if you have a huge blower or fan blowing right on the radiator (which I did), it can get pretty hot. The water cooling trick works wonders, give it a try.

So for your timing on the UTEC, you set everything to "ECU" for now?

 

Wait I'm confused. You already tuned it for air/fuel, now you want to know how long it will take for a pro to tune it?

If I were you I'd save the UTEC map you made, but let the tuner start from scratch

 

Yea that is what I am wondering too... His tuner has never tued a UTEC but has tuned Hondas before..??

Dude, I am hesitant to send my map over.. My timing is fine tuned to my vehicle and is pretty radical.. Not sure I would want o do that..

 

why?

 

Trefling - Water mist can help cool down those breather component faster.

KenK - With regard to my friend, he works for a shop and tuned numerious cars before, from down to regular Hondata S300, unichip, Emanage, to AEM EMS. I guess he should have a basic common knowledge. Then again, I don't really like it since he doesn't like to read the manual for the UTEC.

Wired 24/7 - We attempted to tune for A/F. However, due to the fact that the output doesn't seems right - Lost of power, though AFR's reading is correct (per dyno's feedback); I'm now running Map 0, which is the bypass straight to ECU. I don't want to risk anything with the tuned map. It could be disastrous if something was set wrong.

 

Most people who use the UTEC strongly suggest reading the manual not once, but twice or more...

Good luck with the pro tuner

 

Hey bro,

If I were you I would take it to Shariff and pay the $350 or whatever it is to get your car tuned.. IMHO, he is the best tuner for the VQ and is on a major hot streak.. He is making incredible power and will deff. do you right..

 

I was going to take it to him but this is Sema week and I drive the car 120mi/day. That's why I don't feel safe and wanted to have it coarse tuned before it's too late. I have 3-4 more days until I can bring it to him, which is already a lot of miles (2K miles on the car since then.)