Idle issues with a foxbody and microsquirt

[Nightstang00]

I am new to tuner studio and microsquirt. I hooked up everything and got the wide band setup. I calibrated the sensors and verified timing. When I start the car up it starts fine but hangs at 2k for a few mins. I blip the gas and it will lower Rpms after the engine warms up. Then it still hunts and or surges. I was playing with a few things but can’t seem to get it right.

 

[a91what]

idle is the most difficult thing to get right for the beginner. the big things to look for are the AFR and timing at idle. if the AFR is swinging the idle will never get steady.

please post a datalog of the car starting and idling along with a copy of your current tune file.

for help beyond just advice check out my services page link in my signature.

 

[Nightstang00]

Ok thank you. I’ll try to get it for you tonight

 

[Nightstang00]

idle is the most difficult thing to get right for the beginner. the big things to look for are the AFR and timing at idle. if the AFR is swinging the idle will never get steady.

please post a datalog of the car starting and idling along with a copy of your current tune file.

for help beyond just advice check out my services page link in my signature.

start up was after the car was warmed. I am thinking i may have messed up timing

 

[a91what]

ok i setup a tune file that should work much better as a starting point. please tell me how you set the timing on the car, there are only a few correct ways to get it done. I noticed the WB showing some very lean spots during idle, you may want to pull a plug and see if they are fouled out.. a miss will show up as a lean spike.
datalog this tune file for me.

 

[Nightstang00]

ok i setup a tune file that should work much better as a starting point. please tell me how you set the timing on the car, there are only a few correct ways to get it done. I noticed the WB showing some very lean spots during idle, you may want to pull a plug and see if they are fouled out.. a miss will show up as a lean spike.
datalog this tune file for me.

Will do tonight after work. I appreciate your help here.
I used fixed timing and verified 14 at the crank and at the trigger wizard. Then I changed it back to use table. It just seems high to idle at 25-30 advanced isn’t it?

 

[a91what]

that is what your timing table was commanding so thats what it was idling at. ignition timing at idle is heavily dependent on the cam used and what condition you are tuning for.. as an example a stock or mild cam on a car using catalytic converters may want retarded timing while warming up to get the cats good and hot.
Some large cams like advanced timing [usually narrow LSA] and others with the same duration but a wider LSA may like lower idle timing.

my hard fast rule is this 'give the car what it wants'

the stock ecu will command around 20* at idle

 

[Nightstang00]

that is what your timing table was commanding so thats what it was idling at. ignition timing at idle is heavily dependent on the cam used and what condition you are tuning for.. as an example a stock or mild cam on a car using catalytic converters may want retarded timing while warming up to get the cats good and hot.
Some large cams like advanced timing [usually narrow LSA] and others with the same duration but a wider LSA may like lower idle timing.

my hard fast rule is this 'give the car what it wants'

the stock ecu will command around 20* at idle

Got ya. Ok. I have a trick flow stage 1. I’ll load the tune later tonight

 

[Nightstang00]

ok i setup a tune file that should work much better as a starting point. please tell me how you set the timing on the car, there are only a few correct ways to get it done. I noticed the WB showing some very lean spots during idle, you may want to pull a plug and see if they are fouled out.. a miss will show up as a lean spike.
datalog this tune file for me.

Idle still started high, i started playing around with the fuel table to lean it out in idle range and it started to lower. I then looked into afterstart/warmup enrichment adjusted that due to it being so rich . I had it idling at 11/12 and like 980-1000 rps but still dropping to 8 at times and then i hit the gas a few times and it went all over the place. then my laptop died so it stopped.

 

[a91what]

I take it you did not load the tune file and then cycle the power?

 

[a91what]

Also a datalog with changes made during the log do me no good.

 

[a91what]

You should not have touched the after start ase or wue, they get tuned last after the ve table is tuned. You cant tune the ve table until the car is up to full temp... everything has an order that must be followed or you will run in circles.

 

[Nightstang00]

I take it you did not load the tune file and then cycle the power?

You should not have touched the after start ase or wue, they get tuned last after the ve table is tuned. You cant tune the ve table until the car is up to full temp... everything has an order that must be followed or you will run in circles.

Ok I’m sorry , I didn’t know that.
I loaded the tune then turner studio asked me if I wanted the setting from tuner studio or the computer I guess. I clicked tuner studio since I loaded the tune in.

 

[a91what]

I changed the idle strategy so that requires a power cycle for the changes to fully take place.

 

[Nightstang00]

Ok i can reload it and power cycle it tomorrow morning. I’ll make sure I just log it and I’ll send it over.
Again , appreciate the help!

 

[Nightstang00]

I changed the idle strategy so that requires a power cycle for the changes to fully take place.

Here is the data log after the power cycle . I didn't touch anything just let it idle

 

[a91what]

Ok now lets see how this one does.

 

[Nightstang00]

Ok now lets see how this one does.

Should I wait till the engine cools down?

 

[a91what]

nope load it in and datalog for me please... if it idles steady with a reasonable AFR [13-14.8] then back the idle screw out 2 full turns. or until the car idles steady at 700-750 rpm.

 

[Nightstang00]

went very lean but idled very steady after initial start up