My current setup is TurboXS catless TBE and UTEC Stg 2, older software, no uppipe.

I've been reading and tuning for around 2 months, and still have a LOT that has yet to sink in. Since I don't have an EGT gauge yet (just ordered today!!), I haven't come CLOSE to messing with the AFR on the base map. However, I HAVE gotten the boost dialed well from what I can see, and I started to add 1 number at a time in the timing map to different RPM ranges. Doing this dropped me from 14.2 to 13.9 with nearly exact same 60' times.

My question is.... Am I going on the right track? I'm not receiving any knock when I run my 95 octane gas, and the car seems to run great.

Also, does anyone have any insight on what timing values I should see in the map? Should I only add numbers to the 60% range and above? I did see an increase even when I upped the timing numbers before spool-up occurs.

TIA for the help!

Hey Jason.

Were you able to get the WB kit to work?

I can still refund you the money.

Pat!!!
I haven't installed it yet, honestly. Once I hit 13.9 right after you left, I stopped going to the track. I'm going back tonight with Mario, & I'm just trying to figure out if I'm going in the right direction or not. Do you have any insight?

p.s.. I WILL be using the WB02 as soon as my EGT comes in!

I don't have access to my map, but there's two things to consider. It's said that a degree of timing correlates to 10hp. I can't vouch for truth in that, although I can say that when Richard and I finally made it into the 12's, it was the first time that we had tampered with the timing (having spent the majority of time on the mixture.)

Second thing is that there are, after a point, diminishing returns on bumping timing. This is most certainly an area that I'm unable to comment intelligently about. Higher timing (greater value above TDC) seems to also correlate to more power, lower EGTs*, more prone to knock (taken from MicktheGinge's tuning guide (http://www.wrxhackers.com/modules.php?name=Downloads&d_op=getit&lid=60), which I use a lot).

The asterisk next to lower EGTs is just a note. Remember that you are more prone to knock, therefore, the temp that you see on your EGT gauge WON'T be a very good indicator to a novice (like you or me) that your engine is safe.

You are going along the right track, but remember that timing and fuel management go hand in hand. Personally, I never was able to get to the point of being able to use my EGT gauge as an assist when I was tuning. When I started off, I primarily tuned boost. It was the only thing I had any confidence that I understood (although I realize now that I didn't even really understand it, as well, because in actuality, boost tuning goes hand in hand with timing and fuel...they're all coefficients.)

Get the WB up and running. Read Mick's guide...again (because I know you have already.) Keep asking questions.

I'm runnin' 95 octane, and just recently I've started adjusting timing, up to 29 degrees, in some of the low torque, high hp rpm zones. I can definitely feel the difference in power, and haven't seen any knock yet.

Thanks a lot Pat. I used Mick's guide again last night, & noticed that some of my timing was a little high in the areas that it didn't need to be. Taking it away, and adding more where it was more useful (a little in lower RPM's, a little in the higher RPMs), got me down to 13.8 @96. I still get 1-3 knock counts at 5K RPM, and can't iron it out. I think Mick's guide says something about adjusting the 0% column to fix that....maybe next time.

I'm glad to see that I'm on SOME sort of a good track. I can definitely vouch for the fact that the value of adjusting timing does diminsh. I noticed a HUGE jump (14.2-13.9) at first, now, it feels very minimal, if I really feel it at all.

One last question on this: When you tune the timing map, do you only change the 60% TPS and above range, or do you change the values in the entire range? Possibly just the 100% column? This is what seems to get me the most. I'm assuming for drag, that 100% is sufficient, as that's where the throttle is all the time. Is that correct?

Thanks again for all the insight! Once I get the EGT & WB02 hooked up, I'm sure I'll be asking a LOT more questions.

On the older firmware, above 60% is correct, but since you're dragging, I usually only focused on the 80-100%.

Originally posted by gpatmac
On the older firmware......

I have a feeling I'm going to open a whole new can of worms here....

What about on 4.2?? I'm going to upgrade to that as soon as I get my uppipe installed.

Thanks for the info again. Some of this stuff is really starting to make sense!