A Noob's Guide to Tuning Acronyms

[Abilor]

A lot of people on these boards have helped me enormously over the past two weeks with learning the basics of how to tune a Mazdaspeed 3 with the Cobb AP. Since I bought my car in September 2008, I have thrown on a lot of bolt-on poweradders and various other mods, but never really got into the tuning game. When a check finally came in the mail for some web design work I did, I decided to get some toys. I bought an AP (see below) thinking I would just flash some maps and away I would go, but faster. While this is partially true, tuning with the Cobb AP requires some basic comprehension of a few key concepts, or you risk blowing your engine (God only knows I still might blow mine - fingers crossed). While I was trying to pick up these major concepts, I came across an impenetrable number of acronyms that most people around here throw around left and right - I don't think they realize how often they use them. People would literally explain something basic to me, and I didn't understand a word of it because of the acronyms - Dano's 101 thread in particular won't make sense until you grasp these acronyms below; use the list as a guide, and read that thread twice until you can repeat it's concepts to others from memory.

This is by no means a complete list, but I wish I had this when I had started trying to learn to tune. Any errors are mine, and others will likely point them out ad nauseum; I will update this list often based on feedback.

LAST UPDATED: 6/3/2011

Here we go:

AFR - Air Fuel Ratio. The mixture of fuel and air entering the engine cylinders and being combusted. Calculated by a sensor which examines exhaust gas for oxygen content, AFR is measured in lambda, which is the same for all fuels. 1 Lambda = 14.7:1 AFR with petrol/gasoline. 1 Lambda represents different air to fuel ratios with different fuels, and is more consistent regardless of your gasoline/ethanol mixture.

ALT - Absolute Load Targets. Table only seen in gen1 version of ATR.

AP - Access Port, Cobb's handheld ECU programmer for multiple makes and models of vehicles.

APP - Absolute Pedal Position. AP maps will allow you to adjust this value in relation to TP, called "APP translation"

ATR - Access Tune Racer, Cobb's beta tuning software given out free to folks who buy a Cobb AP (contact Travis on the Cobb forums if you haven't got your copy)

BAT - Boost Air Temperature. The temperature of the air entering the engine at the IM; an upgraded TMIC or FMIC can bring these temperatures down, which is a VERY good thing, especially if you are upping your boost targets above stock values.

BCS - Boost Control Solenoid. In addition to EBCS aka boost control solenoid (see WGDC)

BD - Boost Dynamics. The increments by which the ECU will adjust the WGDC in order to meet specified boost targets.

BOV - Blow Off Valve. Vents excess boost pressure to the atmosphere (VTA)

BPV - Bypass Valve. Recirculates excess boost pressure through the system.

BSD - Balance Shaft Delete. Removal of the shaft in the engine fighting the NVH of naturally unbalanced four cylinder engines.

BT - Boost Targets. Your map’s boost targets across the RPM range. Also can mean Big Turbo, and upgraded turbo (see K04)

BTDC - Before Top Dead Center. A relative position of an engine's crankshaft used for calibrations.

CAN - Controller Area Network. Communication protocol used by automotive manufacturers to communicate data between computer modules within a vehicle. Includes ABS computer, ECU/PCM, radio/climate controls, instrument cluster, etc. Controller area network - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Controller_area_network Controller_area_network

CAT - Catalytic Converter. Transforms hydrocarbons into more inert states that are better for the environment. Typically referenced using lowercase letters, ex. "I deleted my second cat."

CBE - Cat-Back Exhaust. An exhaust that reduces pressure by placing CAT’s further away from the engine, reducing pressure.

CC - Combustion Chamber. This is where the magic happens: fuel and air are compressed by the piston in the cylinder, ignited by the spark plug, and combustion pushes the piston back down the cylinder imparting force to the crankshaft. Too much pressure in the cylinder over time can pop your fuel injector seals; seek help on this forum for assistance with the fix.

CDFP - Cam Driven Fuel Pump. Seen on Gen 1 and Gen 2 Mazdaspeed 3’s. Interchangeable with HPFP.

CEL - Check Engine Light. The yellow light on the instrument cluster that alerts you to an ECU self-diagnosis of an issue; the "code" for the issue can be pulled by a Dashhawk or AP, and researched here on the forums for resolution.

CL - Closed Loop. A state in which the ECU relies on oxygen sensors and CL fuel tables to calculate AFR. This is actually a state in which the ECU makes corrections to the requested Injector duty cycle to achieve AFR/Lambda requested in a table in ATR. In "OL", open loop, the ecu still calculates AFR but does not make corrections to injector duty cycle.See ‘OL’.

CS - Corksport. An aftermarket parts company.

CPE - Custom Performance Engineering, a company that makes mods.

DBW - Drive By Wire. Substitution of traditional human interface elements with electromechanical actuators; in our case, usually refers to the electronic manipulation of the throttle plate given the input of the accelerator pedal.

DH - DashHawk - virtual gauge unit that plugs into OBD-II port and reads both generic and Mazda-specific PIDs.

DISI - Direct Injection Spark Ignition. The fancy engine found on Mazdaspeed 3/6, it injects fuel directly into the cylinders, which has a cooling effect, aiding combustion.

DO - Devil's Own. A Methanol/Water spraying kit company. Nozzle sizes go "DOX" for X gallons per hour sprayed.

DP - Downpipe. The pipe coming straight off the exhaust manifold and leading to the CBE. Upgraded DP’s are less restrictive due to placing a high flowing CAT in the exhaust stream, reducing back pressure and allowing the turbo to spool faster. Some downpipes have no cats, some downpipes have one in the stock location. They are less restrictive because they use one which allows exhaust gases to pass through it with less resistance. Resistance causes back pressure and slows the spool of the turbo, which increases low end torque but ultimately decreases peak output. The stock turbo in the ms3 spools so quickly that having some resistance in the exhaust stream is desirable as it prevents uncontrollable boost spikes.

EBCS - Electronic Boost Control Solenoid. The device which, when subjected to the WGDC, physically closes the wastegate to build boost.

ECU - Engine Control Unit. The computer that makes realtime adjustments to your engine’s performance as dictated by the AP map you are running.

EGR - Exhaust Gas Recirculation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exhaust_gas_recirculation

Exhaust_gas_recirculation

EGT - Exhaust Gas Temp. If it's too hot, there could be problems.

EWG - External Waste Gate. A wastegate that is located independent of the turbo.

FMIC - Front Mount Intercooler. A radiator type unit, but in reverse, that cools air driven by exhaust pressure from the turbo, which heats the air up; cooler air combusts better, so it’s necessary to cool it before entering the turbo intake. FMIC’s are located in front of the car’s radiator, and are not as susceptible to “heat soak”. An FMIC bleeds off some of the heat caused by pressurization of air by the turbo (the air entering the cylinders), not exhaust pressure (the air exiting the cylinders). "Heat Soak" refers to the tendency of the Intercooler to become hot itself, and therefore loose effectiveness as a heat dissipation device. This effect is exacerbated by engine bay temperature - the tendency of heat to rise means that there will be a higher concentration of heat at the top of the engine bay, where a TMIC (top mounted intercooler) is located.

FTW - For The Win.

FWIW - For what it's worth.

g/s - Grams per Second. see MAF

“Genpu” - a Gen 2 Mazdaspeed 3

HPFP - High Pressure Fuel Pump, seen on Gen 1 3’s.

IAT - Intake Air Temperature. The temperature of the air passing through the MAF; not nearly as critical as BAT. Comparing Intake Air Temperature to Boosted Air Temperature can be used to determine the cooling efficiency of the Intercooler, be it a TMIC or FMIC. Also, a lower IAT will result in lower BATs under normal operation, but variances in IAT seem to have less of an effect than similar variances in BAT.

IIRC - If I Recall Correctly

IM - Intake Manifold. The network of piping that allows air from a single intake to enter four separate cylinders. The smoother the airflow, the better.

ITV22's - Iridium plugs (Denso) 1 step (heat range) colder than stock.

IWG - Internal Wastegate. A wastegate physically located within the turbo.

K04 - The stock turbo on a Mazdaspeed 3/6. Some claim it's way too small for our engines and generally prone to fail.

KR - Knock Retard. The degree to which the ECU is reducing engine timing to prevent detonation. Values over 2, especially at WOT, indicate a serious problem - BACK OFF TP. It is important as well to know the causes of Knock (detonation), which you can discern via KR in an engine that is mechanically sound. Lean AFRs, hot BATs, advanced timing, all cause KR. Ideally, at WOT (wide open throttle), there will be no KR, although KR of less than 1 is acceptable if not seen consistently in a particular area of the rev band during WOT.

LTFT - Long Term Fuel Trim. The average value the ECU is using to adjust fuel injection to reach target AFR's. Will fluctuate while ECU is being "trained" after first 50 - 100 miles of being reset.

MAF - Mass Air Flow sensor. The reader that senses the air flowing into the engine; the ECU uses it’s realtime values to make critical calculations regarding how much fuel to inject into the engine. The ECU's calculations change depending on learned long term fuel trims (LTFT) in closed loop operation. These fuel trims are expressed as a percentage error between requested AFR/Lambda and observed AFR/Lamba. +2% means 2% more air is coming in than expected (and requires 2% more fuel to achieve requested AFR/Lambda), and -2% is just the opposite.

MAP - Manifold Absolute Pressure. Measured at the intake manifold post intercooler (same sensor as BAT). This is the 'boost PSI' that is read by a DH or AP.

MBC - Manual Boost Controller. A device which the driver can operate to control boost levels from inside the cockpit.

MBT - Minimum Timing for Best Torque.

NVH - Noise, Vibration, and Harshness.

OBD-II - On-Board Diagnostics protocol II. Definied by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) document J1979. The required standard PID protocol for all cars sold in the US after 1996. On-board diagnostics - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

OCC - Oil Catch Can. An additional reservoir in the oil circulation of the engine that prevents contaminants from entering the IM.

OEM - Original Equipment Manufacturer. An OEM part is a stock part.

OTS - Off The Shelf. Cobb's pre-made maps that be flashed onto the ECU.

OL - Open Loop. A state in which the ECU is relying on the MAF and OL fuel tables to calculate AFR. For this reason, it is vital you perform a MAF calibration prior to conducting aggressive tuning. In open loop, the ECU injects fuel according to how much air it believes is entering the engine, and does not correct for differences in requested and observed AFR/Lambda

PCV - Positive crankcase ventilation. http://www.aa1car.com/library/pcv.htm

PID - Parameter Identification. Term used for a signal input to the PCM/ECU, a value calculated by the PCM/ECU, or a system staus flag. Many are defined by the OBD-II protocol, and some are manufacturer-specific. OBD-II PIDs - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

PNP - Plug and Play. A device that can be used immediately and easily after installation.

PSI - Pounds per Square Inch. A pressure measurement.

RP - Race Pipe. A portion of an exhaust with the cat deleted.

RPM - Revolutions Per Minute. The rotating speed of the engine crankshaft.

SRI - Short Ram Intake.

STFT - Short Term Fuel Trim. The real-time value of adjustments made by ECU to reach targeted AFR.

STFU Noob - Shut the Fuck Up, Noob

SU - StreetUnit, a company that makes mods.

TB - Throttle Body. The part of the air intake system that controls the amount of air flowing into the engine.

TDC - Top Dead Center. A position of the engine's crankshaft used to calibrate timing.

TIH - Turbo Inlet Hose. Either stock or upgraded, this pipe is the second half of an intake that leads directly to the turbo turbine.

TIP - Turbo Inlet Pipe. Either stock or upgraded, this pipe is the second half of an intake that leads directly to the turbo turbine. On cars which use a larger than stock turbo (BT or Big Turbo), the intake and the TIP are one piece.

TMIC - Top Mount Intercooler. A radiator type unit, but in reverse, that cools air driven by exhaust pressure from the turbo, which heats the air up; cooler air combusts better, so it’s necessary to cool it before entering the turbo intake. TMIC’s are located on top of the engine; larger TMIC’s are more efficient and can be used to help increase boost, but are still prone to “heat soak”. See FMIC.

TP - Throttle Position. The position of the throttle on the engine applied by the ECU; the driver does not control this value, only APP. Throttle position refers to the position of the throttle plate, the maximum observed value of which is ~76%. The ECU controls TP based on APP and WOT targets (fueling, boost, load).

TP - Test Pipe. A portion of the exhaust with a cat deleted.

TRL - Throttle Request Load. A commanded parameter in ATR for engine loading as a function of both gear and RPM

VE - Volumetric Efficiency.

VTA - Vents to Atmosphere.

VVT - Variable Valve Timing, more specifically for Mazdaspeeds - intake valve advance

WGA - Waste Gate Actuator. Deploys the Wastegate.

WGDC - Waste Gate Duty Cycle. The values that operate the wastegate’s closing percentage; the higher the percentage, the more the wastegate is closed, and the more boost is built and crammed into the intake manifold for more power.

WMI - Water Meth Injection. A method of spraying a coolant into the engine cylinders to improve compression and reduce KR.

WOT - Wide Open Throttle. Otherwise known as “Lead Foot”

[DONOTBUGME]

cdfp is also on gen 1s
stft short term fuel trims
ltft long term fuel trims
BT can also mean Big Turbo
TIH turbo inlet hose, same as TIP but anything cobb will call it TIH

[dougefresh_]

WGA- Wastegate Actuator
EWG- External Wastegate
IWG- Internal Wastegate
EBCS- Electronic Boost Control Solenoid
MBC- Manual Boost Controller
TB- Throttle Body
CEL- Check Engine Light
EGR- Exhaust Gas Recirculation
BSD- Balance Shaft Delete
EGT- Exhaust Gas Temp
IM- Intake Manifold
PCV- Positive crankcase ventilation
PNP- Plug n Play
WMI or W/M- Water Meth Injection
OCC- Oil Catch Can

Ummmm.... probably some more too. Also your BATs are measured at your intake mani, after being cooled by the inter-cooler... it's not the temp at the turbo. Good list!

[Speed3eak]

Originally Posted by Abilor Here we go: AFR - Air Fuel Ratio. The mixture of fuel and air entering the engine cylinders and being combusted. - Note: Calculated by a sensor which examines exhaust gas for oxygen content, AFR is measured in lambda, which is the same for all fuels. 1 Lambda = 14.7:1 AFR with petrol/gasoline. 1 Lambda represents different air to fuel ratios with different fuels, and is more consistent regardless of your gasoline/ethanol mixture. AP - Access Port, Cobb's handheld ECU programmer for multiple makes and models of vehicles. APP - Accelerator Pedal Position. AP maps will allow you to adjust this value in relation to TP. - Note: this is called "APP translation" I think APP is Absolute Pedal Position in ATR. ATR - Access Tune Racer, Cobb's beta tuning software given out free to folks who buy a Cobb AP (contact Travis on the Cobb forums if you haven't got your copy) BAT - Boost Air Temperature. The temperature of the air entering the turbo; an upgraded TMIC or FMIC can bring these temperatures down, which is a VERY good thing, especially if you are upping your boost targets above stock values. - Note: Boosted Air Temperature is the temperature of the air in the intake manifold, after it has been compressed by the turbo and heat has been bled off by the intercooler. IAT - Intake Air Temperature, the temperature of the air as it passes the mass air sensor (MAF), and therefore as it enters the turbo. BD - Boost Dynamics. The increments by which the ECU will adjust the WGDC in order to meet specified boost targets. BOV - Blow Off Valve. Vents excess boost pressure to the atmosphere (VTA) BPV - Bypass Valve. Recirculates excess boost pressure through the system. BT - Boost Targets. Your map’s boost targets across the RPM range. CAT - Catalytic Converter. Transforms hydrocarbons into more inert states that are better for the environment. - Note: typically referenced using lowercase letters. CBE - Cat-Back Exhaust. An exhaust that reduces pressure by placing CAT’s further away from the engine, reducing pressure. CDFP - Cam Driven Fuel Pump. Seen on Gen 2 Mazdaspeed 3’s. - Note: Interchangeable with HPFP CL - Closed Loop. A state in which the ECU relies on oxygen sensors and CL fuel tables to calculate AFR. See ‘OL’. - Note: This is actually a state in which the ECU makes corrections to the requested Injector duty cycle to achieve AFR/Lambda requested in a table in ATR. In "OL", open loop, the ecu still calculates AFR but does not make corrections to injector duty cycle. CPE - Custom Performance Engineering, a company that makes mods. DISI - Direct Injection Spark Ignition. The fancy engine found on Mazdaspeed 3/6, it injects fuel directly into the cylinders, which has a cooling effect, aiding combustion. DP - Downpipe. The pipe coming straight off the exhaust manifold and leading to the CBE. Upgraded DP’s are less restrictive due to placing the CAT further away from the manifold, reducing back pressure and allowing the turbo to spool faster. - Note: Some downpipes have no cats, some downpipes have one in the stock location. They are less restrictive not because of the location of the cat, but because they use one which allows exhaust gases to pass through it with less resistance. Resistance causes backpressure and slows the spool of the turbo, which increases low end torque but ultimately decreases peak output. The stock turbo in the ms3 spools so quickly that having some resistance in the exhaust stream is desirable as it prevents uncontrollable boost spikes. ECU - Engine Control Unit. The computer that makes realtime adjustments to your engine’s performance as dictated by the AP map you are running. FMIC - Front Mount Intercooler. A radiator type unit, but in reverse, that cools air driven by exhaust pressure from the turbo, which heats the air up; cooler air combusts better, so it’s necessary to cool it before entering the turbo intake. FMIC’s are located in front of the car’s radiator, and are not as susceptible to “heat soak”. - Note: a FMIC bleeds off some of the heat caused by pressurization of air by the turbo (the air entering the cylinders), not exhaust pressure (the air exiting the cylinders). "Heat Soak" refers to the tendency of the Intercooler to become hot itself, and therefore loose effectiveness as a heat dissipation device. This effect is exacerbated by engine bay temperature - the tendency of heat to rise means that there will be a higher concentration of heat at the top of the engine bay, where a TMIC (top mounted intercooler) is located. “Genpu” - a Gen 2 Mazdaspeed 3 HPFP - High Pressure Fuel Pump, seen on Gen 1 3’s. See also, "CDFP" IAT - Intake Air Temperature. The temperature of the air passing through the MAF; not nearly as critical as BAT - Note: Comparing Intake Air Temperature to Boosted Air Temperature can be used to determine the cooling efficiency of the Intercooler, be it a TMIC or FMIC. Also, a lower IAT will result in lower BATs under normal operation, but variances in IAT seem to have less of an effect than similar variances in BAT. K04 - The stock turbo on a Mazdaspeed 3/6. - Note: Way too small for our engines and generally prone to fail. KR - Knock Retard. The degree to which the ECU is reducing engine timing to prevent detonation. Values over 2, especially at WOT, indicate a serious problem - BACK OFF TP. [COLOR="rgb(139, 0, 0)"] - Note: it is important as well to know the causes of Knock (detonation), which you can discern via KR in an engine that is mechanically sound. Lean AFRs, hot BATs, advanced timing, all cause KR. Ideally, at WOT (wide open throttle), there will be no KR, although KR of less than 1 is acceptable if not seen consistently in a particular area of the rev band during WOT.[/COLOR] MAF - Mass Air Flow sensor. The reader that senses the air flowing into the engine; the ECU uses it’s realtime values to make critical calculations regarding how much fuel to inject into the engine. - Note: The ECU's calculations change depending on learned long term fuel trims (LTFT) in closed loop operation. These fuel trims are expressed as a percentage error between requested AFR/Lambda and observed AFR/Lamba. +2% means 2% more air is coming in than expected (and requires 2% more fuel to achieve requested AFR/Lambda), and -2% is just the opposite. OEM - Original Equipment Manufacturer. An OEM part is a stock part. OTS - Off The Shelf. Cobb's pre-made maps that be flashed onto the ECU. OL - Open Loop. A state in which the ECU is relying on the MAF and OL fuel tables to calculate AFR. For this reason, it is vital you perform a MAF calibration prior to conducting aggressive tuning. - Note: In open loop, the ECU injects fuel according to how much air it believes is entering the engine, and does not correct for differences in requested and observed AFR/Lambda PSI - Pounds per Square Inch. A pressure measurement. RPM - Revolutions Per Minute. The rotating speed of the engine crankshaft. SU - StreetUnit, a company that makes mods. TIP - Turbo Inlet Pipe. Either stock or upgraded, this pipe is the second half of an intake that leads directly to the turbo turbine. - Note: On cars which use a larger than stock turbo (BT or Big Turbo), the intake and the TIP are one piece TMIC - Top Mount Intercooler. A radiator type unit, but in reverse, that cools air driven by exhaust pressure from the turbo, which heats the air up; cooler air combusts better, so it’s necessary to cool it before entering the turbo intake. TMIC’s are located on top of the engine; larger TMIC’s are more efficient and can be used to help increase boost, but are still prone to “heat soak”. - Note: See FMIC TP - Throttle Position. The position of the throttle on the engine applied by the ECU; the driver does not control this value, only APP. - Note: Throttle position refers to the position of the throttle plate, the maximum observed value of which is ~76%. The ECU controls TP based on APP and WOT targets (fueling, boost, load) VTA - Vents to Atmosphere. WGDC - Waste Gate Duty Cycle. The values that operate the wastegate’s closing percentage; the higher the percentage, the more the wastegate is closed, and the more boost is built and crammed into the intake manifold for more power. WOT - Wide Open Throttle. Otherwise known as “Lead Foot”

Okay, so I added some things in red. Tell me what you think. There is more to say about AFR, but I omitted it in the interest of simplicity.

[Abilor]

Going to bed now; will collate and update all changes tomorrow.

[whos_MS3]

good stuff. this is much more detailed than that other guide and actually explains stuff instead of just wat the acyros mean

[Abilor]

Updated with contributions. This is becoming a useful little encyclopedia! Thanks!

[silvapain]

MAP - Manifold Absolute Pressure. Measured at the intake manifold post intercooler (same sensor as BAT). This is the 'boost PSI' that is read by a DH or AP.

DH - DashHawk - virtual gauge unit that plugs into OBD-II port and reads both generic and Mazda-specific PIDs.

PID - Parameter Identification - term used for a signal input to the PCM/ECU, a value calculated by the PCM/ECU, or a system staus flag. Many are defined by the OBD-II protocol, and some are manufacturer-specific. OBD-II PIDs - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

OBD-II - On-Board Diagnostics protocol II. Definied by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) document J1979. The required standard PID protocol for all cars sold in the US after 1996. On-board diagnostics - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

CAN - Controller Area Network. Communication protocol used by automotive manufacturers to communicate data between computer modules within a vehicle. Includes ABS computer, ECU/PCM, radio/climate controls, insturment cluster, etc.

Controller area network - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Controller_area_network

[Abilor]

Originally Posted by silvapain MAP - Manifold Absolute Pressure. Measured at the intake manifold post intercooler (same sensor as BAT). This is the 'boost PSI' that is read by a DH or AP. DH - DashHawk - virtual gauge unit that plugs into OBD-II port and reads both generic and Mazda-specific PIDs. PID - Parameter Identification - term used for a signal input to the PCM/ECU, a value calculated by the PCM/ECU, or a system staus flag. Many are defined by the OBD-II protocol, and some are manufacturer-specific. OBD-II PIDs - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia OBD-II - On-Board Diagnostics protocol II. Definied by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) document J1979. The required standard PID protocol for all cars sold in the US after 1996. On-board diagnostics - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia CAN - Controller Area Network. Communication protocol used by automotive manufacturers to communicate data between computer modules within a vehicle. Includes ABS computer, ECU/PCM, radio/climate controls, insturment cluster, etc. Controller area network - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Updated.

[rfinkle2]

Thanks for the effort @Abilor. No doubt this will become a sticky.


ALT : table only seen in gen1 version of ATR = Absolute Load Targets
BCS: in addition to EBCS aka boost control solenoid (see WGDC)
BTDC : Before Top Dead Center
DBW : Drive By Wire
ITV22's : Iridium plugs (Denso) 1 step (heat range) colder than stock
g/s: Grams per Second - see MAF
MBT : Minimum Timing for Best Torque
RP: Race Pipe
TDC : Top Dead Center
TP: besides throttle position, sometimes aka Test Pipe
VE : Volumetric Efficiency
VVT: Variable Valve Timing, more specifically for Mazdaspeeds - intake valve advance



debatable: (it's your thread Abilor)

SRI: Short Ram Intake

Breakpoints
e.g. ms3
0-5.7
5.71-18
18.01-30
30.01-77
77.01 - full sensor range

ms6
0 – ~5.70 grams/sec
~5.71 – ~18 grams/sec
~18.01 – ~30 grams/sec
~30.01 – ~69 grams/sec
~69.01 grams/sec – full sensor range

[Abilor]

Updated

[dougefresh_]

Congrats on sticky, good work!

[Speed3eak]

Originally Posted by dougefresh_ Congrats on sticky, good work!

+1

[Abilor]

Hey, how about that! That's great! I feel like I've given back; thanks to everyone for making this a great community.

[atvfreek]

Thanks for the thread. I've been wondering what IIRC stood for for the longest time. Haha.

[sick_role]

Maybe add: CS = Corksport (I figure they are common enough at this point to add)

typo - "TIH - Turno Inlet "


also, STFUN = hilarious.

[dougefresh_]

Originally Posted by sick_role typo - "TIH - Turno Inlet "

TIP/TIH are synonymous. Everyone but Cobb refers the it as a TIP. However, on Cobb's AP maps, they call it TIH for trubo inlet hose. Not sure why they do that, but it means the exact same thing.

[sick_role]

while I agree on that; I have no idea what a "TURNO" is.

[Abilor]

A 'turno' is a test to measure your turning radius by driving in circles repeatedly; also known as NASCAR.

[Eric28243]

Nice.

Well, I feel like I've gotten a good start now. Time to try to somehow organize all the pieces of information into something that starts light and easy and gets progressively deeper and requiring ADHD medication since I still have absolutely no idea how to tune my car myself, despite knowing what should happen ideally with the humongus list of numbers.

My current tuning process:
1)Order the AP
2)Unbox it when it gets there
3)Plug it into the computer, let it do it's thing.
4)Add the 1.08v map that most closely matches my setup (stage1+ms3CAI2 93)
5)Plug it into my car
6)Save, Load, and crank the car.
7)Drive around for 10 miles to make sure it would still run, then play.

I didn't know anything about calibrating the MAF or giving it time to learn, covering my ass with the 91-octane map cuz of the possibility of local gas-station negligence, boost spikes, afr drops, KR, or any of that stuff that is apparently imperative to using the AP without blowing your engine. I swear I feel like they could've done a little bit better of a job with the literature of the AP warning against lack of experience or general research potentially causing damage with costly repairs. That is unless of course the OTS maps aren't really that dangerous and all of these parameters to monitor and correct are for if you plan on screwing around with those maps. That's my 2 cents. This is a great place to start though if you have no idea what you're doing like I me.

[Abilor]

I think the MAF Cal is the best possible place to start for beginners. You have to get the hang of ATR, and spend time in noob purgatory while you wait for trims to settle. Keeps you from spiking, knocking, or otherwise blowing up while you study...

[Eric28243]

Originally Posted by Abilor I think the MAF Cal is the best possible place to start for beginners. You have to get the hang of ATR, and spend time in noob purgatory while you wait for trims to settle. Keeps you from spiking, knocking, or otherwise blowing up while you study...

I agree. That was a great place to start. Now that it's done, I'm back in noob purgatory again. Once I get the Cobb SRI and TIP, I'll install the 1.08 stage1+sf 93 and repeat the process. After that, what comes next? Assuming the fuel trims look good and there are no knocks, what do I need to check before assuming the tune is safe? Cobb forums don't seem to be helping. People just say "read the helpfile." Great guys as they are, I don't know how good at teaching they are.

I've expressed disapproval at the awkward wording, misleading literary errors, and lack of supporting information and visual aids, but then I realized the kick-backs that comes from the people who tune the car professionally using the owner's accessport. Why in the world would a company spend ass loads of time behind a computer screen writing a good helpfile that teaches you to do something when they can charge you almost as much as the accessport costs for only one tune that will only pay for itself if you stick with the parts you had at the time of the tune.

Guess that's cuz it's not MSF. Shame on me for expecting similar experiences. Is anybody that doesn't work for cobb convinced they are good at this? Don't say yes unless you want to be harassed. I do however have fairly humorous christmas cards that go out during the holidays in appreciation for good deeds done for fellow MS3 owners (aka, me).

KayThx!

[Abilor]

Originally Posted by Eric28243 I agree. That was a great place to start. Now that it's done, I'm back in noob purgatory again. Once I get the Cobb SRI and TIP, I'll install the 1.08 stage1+sf 93 and repeat the process. After that, what comes next? Assuming the fuel trims look good and there are no knocks, what do I need to check before assuming the tune is safe?

That depends. "Safe" is generally no knock, LTFT's always under abs(2), good BAT's and EGT's (if you're lucky enough to have pyrometer - I want one), and steady boost that matches targets.

I have found though, that once you are safe, you tend to want to know the limits. I am currently installing a meth spraying kit to find just that. It gets stupid hot here, so the meth will keep my BAT's and EGT's low, and possibly allow me to advance my timing, all on my -{MAD CUNT}- map that started as a Stage 2 + Intake + TMIC 93 map that targets 20 psi from 3500 - 5500 and then tapers to 19. I started getting a little knock, nothing crazy, but timing and meth will sort it out.

Like I said, once I feel "safe", I'm bored. I want to be safe don't get me wrong, but I also like being able to see the edge from where I drive.

The rest of the forum can help you understand reasonable goals for your mods. Start a "I want to learn to tune" thread, but be patient if people don't just help you out. You have to give to get....

[Eric28243]

I hear ya. That's great. To be honest, I have a couple of "dickspeed" roads near my house and even without screwing with the car too much more than I already have, it's plenty fast enough for me. I just don't want to blow anything up and I like that it sound cool. If I log those functions and upload the spreadsheet, is there any chance you could take a quick look-see? I seem to remember boost spikes around 21ish. That ain't good, I'm fairly certain. (running stage1+ms3cai2 93 with just a MAF cal) No knocks though after the car warms up and fuel trims look pretty good. Until it warms up, it displays knocks at 0lbs boost... pretty sure that's not actually happening. Is that normal?

[Abilor]

Originally Posted by Eric28243 I hear ya. That's great. To be honest, I have a couple of "dickspeed" roads near my house and even without screwing with the car too much more than I already have, it's plenty fast enough for me. I just don't want to blow anything up and I like that it sound cool. If I log those functions and upload the spreadsheet, is there any chance you could take a quick look-see? I seem to remember boost spikes around 21ish. That ain't good, I'm fairly certain. (running stage1+ms3cai2 93 with just a MAF cal) No knocks though after the car warms up and fuel trims look pretty good. Until it warms up, it displays knocks at 0lbs boost... pretty sure that's not actually happening. Is that normal?

You have a festiva in your avatar; I will help you until I am dead. My first car was a festiva, and began my love for manual transmission hatchbacks. Start a thread, post some logs, and PM me, and I'll take a look along with several others I'm sure.

[Eric28243]

That may very well be the funniest thing I have ever seen anybody say to me.


There is a story behind that car. I was in a car club back in college. 12 of us went to Western Carolina University and capitalized on an opportunity to use our nerdery to make some cash by opening our own networking business and adopting a traffic-characterizing smart router. We programmed the QoS ourselves to best optimize network capabilities in order to save land owners money by halving their IT costs. Our car club's meeting place was a Hooters just outside of Gastonia. One day a dude walked in and started buying us drinks and talking about how he wanted to sponsor us and our sweet cars. We found out he was from American Parts Company and was some sales technician with an unmonitored company credit card telling lies to gain admiration. We picked the stupidest looking car we could find (your festiva there) and took some pictures, then put decals of it and "Sponsored by APC" logos on our back windshields. Apparently you can get in trouble for that because they sued my buddy and won. Guess that's what we get for trying to lower the rusted out festiva with a garden-edge body kit and rice wing to their level. 7 years later, I join mazdaspeed forums and find that on my hard drive. It was crying to be an avatar.

This will be my last absurdly off-topic post. I'll put a suggestion in it so it's not a total loss. If you want to tune your car, make a post especially for that and post CSV's. Also hit the thank button under at least 2 abilor posts per day. I know I'll be doing that when I get 3 seconds of free time.

[tikibug]

Originally Posted by Abilor CBE – Cat-Back Exhaust. An exhaust that reduces pressure by placing CAT’s further away from the engine, reducing pressure.

This one's incorrect, Cat-Back Exhaust actually just refers to the section of the exhaust "from the catalytic converter, back" which starts from the back end of the catalytic converter and covers everything else beyond that, including the muffler(s) and any resonator(s) along the way. It has nothing to do with moving the catalytic converter's position along the exhaust piping. In fact, the catalytic converter will cause the same pressure drop regardless of where it's located along the exhaust pipeline, and moving it further away from the engine will only cause it to function poorly since it requires high levels of heat to carry out its chemical reactions.

[Abilor]

cool niggling bro

[blahrios]

I've said it before and I'll say it again... I love this fucking forum!!! I'm a newb when it comes to tuning with some basic knowledge of cars, but a lot of the terminology thrown around on here makes me wtf.

Genius thread, thank you!!!

[CWP_MS3]

Discuss Here: http://www.mazdaspeedforum.org/forum/foru...cronyms-79573/