ECU - control modules

[Hardway]

G'day all, Iam new to the Turbo diesel modifying game, but when it comes to working on Turbo EFI engines no worries (I have owned and built some fast cars). Now looking at the market at what's available to help in my modification quest ie.changing engines ecu parameters, the options aren't great. Sure you have your plug in modules might seem fine, but when compared to some of the offerings in the petrol driven market you fined the diesel modules are very ordinary.
I find reading this forum that people buy the modules not knowing really whats getting altared in their diesel engine. This is not their fault but the manufactures that make the modules and charge an arm and a leg for there units.
MY question:
Is there anything out there that can modify the parameters in the ECU to where you can see what your changing (laptop connected).ie boost setting, fuel loads, fuel timing, etc....
If anything this post is some food for thought, because these modules are getting put on engines and damage can occur whos left paying that bill.
At least know what your modifying!!

[subi_man]

Similar to me hardway, I've been waiting for the DTronic unit to become available, because that's made by Dastek/Unichip and should offer programmability - assuming Safari [i]ever[/i] get around to releasing it :roll:

The Steinbauer unit alters paramemters other than just fuel pressure, but I believe you can't get the software to perform your own tuning for it

[Hardway]

I ve have been use to playing with programmable ECU like Motec for the petrol side of things. These offer real time tuning through a lap top sitting on the passenger seat. Not to mention the data logging of the systems. Diesel systems with the right upgrades should be able to offer real performance upgrades. e.g exhaust, intercooler, water injection, fuel timing etc..
When will the diesel industry catch on to this market.

[Hardway]

AND if like the words Diesel and performance in the same sentence. Then check out MOTOR magazines page79. For those who can't be bothered it's a AUDI Diesel R8 V12 373Kw and 1000Nm of torque or 500hp and 738lbf. Now that in a triton would be good

[subi_man]

1000nM, now you're torquing

[Stu]

where would you fit the other 8 cylinders?

hardway how can you increase boost? I thought it was controlled by the exhaust

[Hardway]

Boost can be increase by bleeding off the pressure seen by the waste gate actuator.
It works like this:
As the exhaust gas exits the motor via the manifold it hits the turbos exhaust housing hence spinning the turbo. Now when the boost pressure is reached which I think is roughly 24psi for a 4M41 engine, the waste gate opens which bypass the exhaust gas so the turbine housing doesn't spin any faster so in turn the compressor housing will not make any more boost pressure. By bleeding the signal pressure to the wastegate actuator will mean the wastegate will stay closed longer and the turbine spinning higher heace making more boost.
Caution should be always use when increasing the pressure. ie. enough fuel to match the increase air flow, Turbo efficiency(don't want to get the air to HOT) etc.
But manufacture always (most of the time) over engineer their product so more power can be made without harming the engine.

[sam]

My scangauge tells me a max boost to be approx 29.5 psi so when you take atmospheric pressure of 14.6 off that you have approx 15 psi boost pressure.

There has been some confusion re boost pressures it seems as the workshop manuals tend to give overall psi
eg: including atmospheric

[Hardway]

So what your saying, when the gauge is turned on and engine off or idling its reading 14.6psi not Zero.
Thats a bit Odd. Every boost gauge I have ever seen reads zero when no boost pressure is seen.
If the gauge reads 29.5psi when the engine is in full song then the engine is getting 29.5psi plus atmospheric pressure 44psi

[sam]

Yes, gauge reads 14.6 at idle or with ignition on so the engine is at 15psi.

30 odd psi for every day running would make for a very
unreliable motor imho

Scangauge is NOT a boost gauge in the normal manner
it gets it's info direct from the ecu.

You can see where the confusion happens :o

[Stu]

thanks for the explanation hardway

sam, surely 20 psi couldn't be too bad

[Hardway]

Hey Sam,
What feed back does the Scangauge give you. How useful have you found it.
Is it worth it??$$

[Hardway]

Sam forget that last post I found the thread already started.:oops:

[Jitsukablue]

FYI absolute pressure includes atmospheric pressure.
Guage pressure does not.
IE 29.5 PSIA = 15 PSIG