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--- ecmlink101 [2009/02/26 11:38]
twdorris
+++ ecmlink101 [2024/03/15 11:16] (current)
@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 ====== ECMLink 101 ======
-This page is intended to orient the new user to the ECMLink system and, to some extent, ECU tuning concepts in general.  If you just received your package and really have no idea where to even start, this is probably the page for you.  If you already know how to tune an ECU and already understand basic engine operation, then this page is probably not for you.
+This page is intended to orient the new user to the ECMLink system and, to some extent, ECU tuning concepts in general.  If you just received your package and really have no idea where to even start, this is probably the page for you.  If you already know how to tune an ECU and already understand basic engine operation and how to use the ECMLink application, then this page may still have some useful tips and links to other pages that you may find of interest.  So still give it a good reading just to make sure.
+**V1/V2 NOTE:**  We __strongly__ recommend that everyone upgrade to the V3 application on their laptop.  This is a free upgrade that you can just download off [[https://www.ecmtuning.com/downloads.php|our website]].  When you first run the application, pull up the "Configure Connection" dialog box, set your device type and you should be able to connect just as you were before.
-===== Engine operation and ECU tuning concepts =====
-It's simply impossible to give a full account of engine operation and ECU tuning concepts in a couple paragraphs.  So please don't take the following as a complete summary of everything involved.  It's not.  This section is simply intended to orient the reader's mindset in the right direction with some high level concepts.
-The engine works by igniting a mixture of air and fuel.  The ratio of air to fuel is a key ingredient in producing power.  Too much air or too much fuel (or too little of either) causes poor running conditions, misfires, etc.  The mechanism used to ignite the mixture is a spark from the spark plug.  The exact timing of this ignition process relative to piston position is another critical item in producing power.  This is call "timing" or "ignition advance".
+===== ECMLink startup =====
-The whole process of injecting fuel in the right amount related to the amount of air going into the engine and firing the spark at the exact right moment is all coordinated by the ECU.  The ECU needs to know how much air is entering the engine to know how much fuel to inject.  It also needs to have some idea of how much cylinder pressure is involved to schedule ignition advance appropriately.
+  * [[ecmlink101install|Install/powerup/connect]] - Installing the application and device drivers and powering up for the first time and connecting.
+  * [[ecmlink101initialchecks|Initial sanity checks]] - Some basic things to check before firing up the engine
+  * [[ecmlink101datalogging|Datalogging basics]] - Information about datalogs; what they contain, how to add items to them, how to view settings from them, etc.
+  * [[ecmlink101dataloggingtips|Datalogging tips]] - How to work efficiently with datalogs
+  * [[https://www.ecmtuning.com/demos.php|Demo videos]] - We have a number of demo videos up on our main website that you should watch if you're unfamiliar with the ECMLink application.  We demonstrate basic concepts like datalogging as well as injector compensation, basic airflow setup and throttle position calibration to get you started.
-==== Air flow ====
-The amount of air going into an engine is a critical piece of information the ECU needs to know **very** accurately so that it can accurately calculate how much fuel to inject.  If the real airflow going into the engine is different from the amount the ECU thinks is going into the engine, the ECU will schedule an inappropriate amount of fuel and the engine's operation will suffer as a result.  So accurate airflow metering is really important.
-Things that can contribute to inaccurate airflow metering include intake air leaks (blown couplers, leaky seals, etc.) or just simply an airflow sensor that's reporting inaccurate values.  Stock Mitsubishi airflow sensors generally need little adjustment, assuming they are installed properly and have a nice long, straight path for air in front of the sensor.  Installations with 90 degree bends right at the MAF inlet or mushroom style air filters can cause inaccuracies even with otherwise stock Mitsubishi MAF sensors because both change *how* the airflow passes through the metering section of the MAF.
-<need pictures of good installs and bad installs for illustration>
-Installing a non-stock MAF like a GM MAF is a whole 'nother can of worms.  Suffice to say it can be done, but can require even more attention to detail to keep the airflow reported to the ECU as accurate as possible.
+===== General Concepts =====
-The bottom line is that you need accurate airflow readings to the ECU if you want the ECU to inject accurate fuel.
+  * [[engineandecu101|Engine and ECU 101]] - You need to have a reasonable understanding of engine operation and ECU tuning concepts.  If you already have an idea of how airflow and fuel flow and timing work together in an engine, then you can skip this page.
+  * [[sd101|Speed Density 101]] - Everything you need to know to get a jump start on speed density operation with ECMLink.
+  * [[fueltrimupdatepoints|Fuel trims]] - Really understanding fuel trims and how they are used by the ECU can help immensely in fine tuning your setup.
-==== Fuel flow ====
-From the amount of air the ECU is told is going into the engine, the ECU calculates an amount of fuel required to maintain a 14.7:1 A/F ratio using stock injectors at stock fuel pressure.  This is where things can get a little tricky to keep straight in your head.  The ECU is coded from the factory to account for the configuration the engine came with from the factory.  That is, stock injectors and stock fuel pressure.  On a stock 2G DSM, that's 450 cc/min injectors at 43.5psi base fuel pressure.  On a stock 1G manual DSM, that's 450 cc/min injectors at 37psi.  Stock 1G automatics came with 390s at 43.5psi.  This determines the flow rate of fuel into the engine.  From that flow rate assumption, the ECU can calculate how long to hold the injectors open to get a specific flow rate required for the air it believes is coming into the engine.
-So, you have two things now that the ECU needs to have accurate information on.  First, it needs accurate airflow to calculate fuel flow requirements and second, it needs to know if you've changed anything that affects fuel flow into the engine.  If you change base fuel pressure or you swap in different injectors, you have to adjust the ECU's fuel flow calculations to take this into account.
-==== Timing (ignition advance) ====
+===== Adjustment Functions and Dial-in Tips =====
+  * [[v3tpsadj|TPS Adjust]] - One of the first thing we like to suggest is that you get your throttle position sensor adjusted so that the ECU is happy with what it sees.  You can use this helper function to do that.
+  * [[v3mafadjcombft|MAFComp Adjust (CombinedFT)]] - If you're pretty sure the fuel setup is correct and you're able to run the engine in closed loop mode, then you can try letting the laptop application make a set of suggestions to the airflow curve for you based on fuel trim data.  Try to use some common sense on this one, though.  If the suggested values are all over the place or just don't make much sense to you, don't use them.
+  * [[quickieafsetup|Quickie A/F setup]] - If you'd like to adjust airflow a bit yourself, you can use this page for a few more tips on using fuel trims to fine tune your setup.

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