Do i need to datalog to tune effectively?

Discussion in '94-95 5.0 Tuning' started by OrangeMustangGt, Feb 14, 2007.

  1. OrangeMustangGt Founding Member

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    currently i have a custom dyno superchip. While its a pretty good tune, it does need some tweaking here and there, idle, throttle response, etc.

    Now, i plan on buying the burner setup and software so i can burn it, but the only problem is that i cannot, as i understand "read" the chip and make adjustments, i have to start off with a close tune and work from there.


    Here is my question.......I do have a wideband, but its a AEM, and dosent have datalog capabilities....whell it does have a 0-5v output but no memory on its own.



    SOOOO......Will i be able to do a good tune without an actual form of datalogging?
  2. final5-0 Mustang Master

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    Well Kyle

    The ability to gather data is extremely helpful :D

    I know ... You know the drill ;)

    Make a baseline pass or pull for reference
    Do some pcm adjustments
    Make a comparison pass or pull to analyze for positive results

    Hard Data will always be more accurate :nice:
    than
    The seat of the pants method :rlaugh:

    I see tuning as two parts ... WOT and everything else :)

    You could use a Dyno or the Strip for WOT
    and
    Like you said ... You have your WB for that as well :nice:

    It is for the Closed Loop part of tuning .....
    That is where having datalogging really shines :banana:

    Some of the time ... it can be really subtle changes that
    makes all the difference where drivability is concerned.

    Without hard data ... having that option available to you
    is gonna be more difficult to obtain.

    I have never tried to tune the Stangs of today without
    the data at my disposal :nono:
    so
    Having it is my only point of reference or perception :shrug:

    Another benefit I've gained from having real time data :D

    I could clearly see the pcm at work so I was able to
    more easily teach myself what all was going on with
    my Stang and what I would need to do to improve it ;)

    Don't know if I helped or not Kyle :shrug:

    Grady
  3. OrangeMustangGt Founding Member

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    you helped alot.....

    Thanks for a good explanation from someone who does their own tuning!

    well, i guess the next logical question, is what is the most affordable way of obtaining the data i need?
  4. final5-0 Mustang Master

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    Again Kyle

    My only perspective is with the Tweecer
    and since
    Its a Tuning Interface and Datalogger in all one package

    I've just not been all that motivated to look at other things because
    I have been able to achieve all my tuning goals and more with it.

    Please understand Kyle :D

    I really am trying to be unbiased about the Tweecer

    I know and believe ... Self Tuning with the Tweecer is not .........
    The ONLY Way ... or ... The BEST Way ... For Everybody

    Other than some very basic and generic knowledge ........
    That is all I got about most other tuning methods :)

    Just a thought or two here :)

    I know some WB's will store rpm and other data :shrug:
    I'd bet you can output your WB to a laptop.

    IIRC, Race Systems makes dl equipment called Sneec :shrug:

    PMS offers with their basic tuning system an additional software
    package that will datalog.

    Pretty sure you can put something together with the SCT stuff

    Edelbrock makes somekind of Data Acquisition equipment

    btw ... Look at the recent thread where someone asked about
    where to find a j4j1 bin file.

    Take the link and edit it to go to the home page ........
    I skimmed a few articles and info on that site and while is was a
    lot of generic info ... Some good stuff was there for sure.

    I noticed a page where a lot of tuning options were compared and
    I bet that could be of interest to you.

    I would say this to you about tuning and datalogging Kyle :D

    Talk to some of the PMS boys about their experience as they
    don't typically get all that involved in datalogging.

    Now ... thats not to say they don't use data to their advantage :nono:
    but
    As I have been able to understand that method of tuning :shrug:

    They use the data in real time form and unless they have purchased
    that additional software package ... they have no way to capture
    the data to a hard drive for the ability to analyze it at a later point
    in time.

    Again ... Not much help ... I'm sure of that :(
    but
    I've already told you more than I know :)

    Grady
  5. tjh566 New Member

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    I also have the AEM wideband, I dont know if your was the same way but mine has a serial ouput for a computer. You just need to get a serial connect from say radio shack or the likes, run the wire off the AEM unit to the RIght pin on it, dont know of the top of my head, and ground anther pin, agian, dont know off the top of my head. Then In order to data log to use hypertermial and input some settings that it had with the instuctions and you can datalog the A/F, to what extent, I do not know, I have the serial connection on thier but havent used it yet.
  6. final5-0 Mustang Master

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    Sure thing :nice:

    Long ago when I started hosing around with this stuff... I sent my
    old FJO WB output to an old junky Laptop I had laying around.

    While you could certainly see the output :D

    You had to have some way of syncing the data to a WOT test
    run :scratch:

    I finally found a way to easily toggle the start and stop sequence
    of the data capture ;)

    I rigged things up to the space bar.

    I started a WOT pass in third gear at around 1500 rpm

    I then touched the space bar at around 2K to start
    and then
    I touched it again to kill the capture just after 6K

    Kinda crude :rlaugh:
    but
    you work with what you got :)

    It goes without saying ... I had to kinda estimate a bit
    like
    The mid point of data was the mid point of the rpm range

    anyway ... I just remembered that since the above post kinda
    jogged my memory :shrug:

    Grady
  7. rio95 Member

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  8. OrangeMustangGt Founding Member

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    nice man....thats what i needed! I am actually going to get my chip burner and software from them.
  9. final5-0 Mustang Master

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    I don't see how you could go wrong doing biz with Don :nice:

    He knows his stuff
    and
    He has helped so many in the Stang Community

    Be sure to keep us in the loop with your progress Kyle :D

    Grady
  10. OrangeMustangGt Founding Member

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    i sure will man....thanks again for your help.

    I still have to get a good amount of stuff togther......A laptop, Burner/software and a datalogger.

    That and i need to paint my car lol......


    Its too bad i cant just find some type of "standalone" data logger, since i allready bought this wideband.....

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