Put just about 100 miles on my setup, and I am in love!

[5mall5nail5]

Hey guys before I write these words I want to knock on wood!

Yesterday my friend and I drove ~60 miles to my house (I am at school) to pick up my E34 525i Turbo. I was a little hesitant about trying to bring it out because although I drove it ~20 miles the weekend before, I stayed off good boost, I had a WAY rich tune, etc. So I said F- it, if I never try to just DRIVE the thing I will never get the tune down and I will never have the car out here. So that's what we did - I swapped in some new stock temp plugs (my old ones looked like they lived in a fireplace).

I started the car up but had a real low idle - 450 - 500 rpm or so. I knew what it was immediately - popped the hood, found that the throttle body set screw backed out, turned it back in, recalibrated TPS sensor in software, and cranked once more. Vroom vroom. All is well. I am not running idle control and I love it! No more weird idle hunting, no more strange noises of IAC valve moving around - it's around 650 - 750 rpm cold, and comes up to about 850 - 900 when warm. I am running this all on the MegaSquirt standalone ECU on 42# injectors, Autolite Resistor 3923 (it think) plugs gapped to like .027", and GM coil packs in wasted spark.

I drove the entire duration of my trip on the PA Turnpike so I can get some good highway logging. My buddy, who knew nothing about tuning or this MegaSquirt software, sat in the passenger seat and in about 45 seconds understood the software and leaned me out while cruising and threw some fuel in up high. I had built my spark map (safe map) myself before hand, so that was not altered. Before we knew it im cruising 14.5 - 15.0:1 just chilling enjoying good fuel economy, and then when I sink the throttle she goes down to 13.5....13.0.... boost...12.5....boost 11.5 etc. However, it was going way too rich, causing misfires, like 9.0 AFR at like 5 psi or so, but I didn't want to muck with it so I just datalogged about 20 minutes and drove, hitting boost every now and then and enjoying the Tial shudder.

I got home, opened up a new application called MegaLogViewer and opened the datalog - looked it over by hand some and noted max boost of 162KPa or so which is about my 8.7 psi wastegate spring The coolest part of this software, however, is you have the option of loading a target AFR map, opening your settings file, and having the software do an "analysis" of the VE map. It made changes to my fuel map that looked right to me - I needed a little less fuel off boost, a little more just on boost, and a lot off at top boost - and it did just that. This morning I woke up, had to cash my paycheck and the ride is a 10 - 15 min cruise down Rt 309 in PA here, so I loaded the new fuel table and went - this freaking car is so much fun! My stock clutch is obviously slipping but man, I don't even care right now haha. The boost builds very nice from about 3500rpm - I was worried that this turbo would be much a little on the large size for the car, but people with M20s are running them over on E30tech.com, while my M50 24v is JUST RIGHT with this turbo! It's laggy enough to be nice and calm off boost, then you give it some throttle and the bitch spools like you wouldn't believe - it slams you in the seat by 4500 rpm.

All I need to do is work on my accel enrichments (i am running purely off the VE table), maybe add some afr target matching to let it get better economy (though ~90 miles and my quirky fuel gauge is at just over 3/4 tank).

All in all, I am very happy with the car so far. It needs a muffler bad, but I don't even care right now. I can't wait to bring it out to the local meets this wednesday and thursday

W00T

[325icintn]

Congratulations! The megasuirt software maybe open source, but it has great features and development. You really have been a pioneer, and I hope serveral more will follow.

[5mall5nail5]

More importantly, we now have a "base setup" to work with in MegaSquirt so people don't have to start from scratch.

[jfdmas]

More importantly, we now have a "base setup" to work with in MegaSquirt so people don't have to start from scratch.

hmmm, how much of the information gathered can be used for VANOS applications?? or do you not really know.

oh, almost forgot........ congrats

you have come along way. im going on my honeymoon tonight and when i get back i will start peicing together something. Im really glad you like that turbo because i think i just might pick the same one up. You cant beat the price.

[5mall5nail5]

hmmm, how much of the information gathered can be used for VANOS applications?? or do you not really know.

oh, almost forgot........ congrats

you have come along way. im going on my honeymoon tonight and when i get back i will start peicing together something. Im really glad you like that turbo because i think i just might pick the same one up. You cant beat the price.

Just make sure it fits down there on an E36 - it was way close on my E34.

VANOS should be fine, with the exception of triggering the vanos, I am not sure how to do that yet. I know HOW but I haven't DONE it, you know?

[325icintn]

Just make sure it fits down there on an E36 - it was way close on my E34.

VANOS should be fine, with the exception of triggering the vanos, I am not sure how to do that yet. I know HOW but I haven't DONE it, you know?

I think we disussed elsewhere that the MS only allows for 3 maps. The stock ECU uses 6 maps (PT, WOT, Idle x Vanos Adv, Ret).

You can probably run 1 WOT map and 2 PT maps based on whether Vanos is advanced or retarded.

[jfdmas]

Just make sure it fits down there on an E36 - it was way close on my E34.

VANOS should be fine, with the exception of triggering the vanos, I am not sure how to do that yet. I know HOW but I haven't DONE it, you know?

honestly, i like the top mount thing you got going on. I have waaaaay to many friends with drain back issues with other cars that i just wouldnt wanna risk it. Also i like the accessability with the turbo on top.

[5mall5nail5]

I think we disussed elsewhere that the MS only allows for 3 maps. The stock ECU uses 6 maps (PT, WOT, Idle x Vanos Adv, Ret).

You can probably run 1 WOT map and 2 PT maps based on whether Vanos is advanced or retarded.

That's because the stock ecu uses a MAF for the most part. Because MS is map based, theres no need for so many maps. WOT = 100 kpa so you just tune that portion of your map for your timing/fuel. So you have a default map, and then a VANOS on map using table switching, but yeah I am not certain about the function of VANOS because I am not plagu... i mean blessed, with that issue

[jfdmas]

How bad is the clutch slipping???? When will the vid be hosted.

[wushucivic]

congrats