| Something I recently wrote to someone else via email when asked about the rumors of my programs being dangerously lean. I felt confident in the information I provided to this individual and I feel confident that no one will take anythng said the wrong way. If any of it offends you, I apologize ahead of time and hope you understand that people say things to individuals that they may not say to the general public - no harm is intended here. Please note the beginning and ending of what was said as indicated by the " " As for the things you have heard about my programs; let me just say that the rivalry runs deep. The fact of the matter that these people overshadow with other mundane statements is the fact that these cars are old and none of them are in perfect shape. Many of them have far more problems than their respective owners are aware of, and many of those problems manifest themselves in the fuel system. The fuel system of these vehicles is quite complex – a dizzying array of both mechanical and electrical systems combining together to try and do one thing: deliver the proper amount of fuel. Dirty MAS sensors, weak fuel pumps, defective fuel pressure regulators and fuel dampers, defective or dirty injectors, boost leaks, clogged fuel filters, unbalanced turbocharger wastegate actuators, etc etc etc, I could go on and on with at least two dozen more potential candidates that would cause a problem with fuel delivery. The most interesting thing about it all is that the ECU is very rarely the actual cause of fuel delivery issues. The ECU either works or it doesn’t as it is a binary logic system. Failures within the ECU lead to things like one or more of the injectors not firing, one or more of the coil packs not firing, or other electrical subsystems that stop operating. These problems are quickly identifiable as they produce significant problems with the engine operation. A dead cylinder, extremely rough idle and heavy rich condition, or the engine not starting at all are usually the symptoms that there is a problem within the ECU. When you see these dynocharts that guys put up where their cars are running lean, what you are seeing is that there is a problem with some element of the fuel system. The ECU runs on a pre-determined set of parameters (parameters which tuners modify) that will produce the targeted A/F ratio and ignition timing on a vehicle that does not have problems. If the A/F is off, that tells me that there is an issue with the fuel system somewhere. I cannot count the number of times I have taken a car to the dyno and on the first pull I see that the A/F is 2 points leaner than it should be and at that moment I begin looking for the source of the problem in one of the mechanical components of the fuel system because I know the program will produce a specific A/F ratio if there are no other problems; I don’t go looking into the program or start trying to add huge amounts of fuel at the ECU. What I think really drives the comments you have heard is the ignorance of the people who make them; they simply have no idea how the system works so their ability to accurately construct a cause-effect relationship is based simply on their speculation rather than knowledge. I have learned that it is futile to try and defend myself with these kinds of accusations because as soon as I try to correct their speculations and explain why their logic is incorrect, I get pinned with being condescending towards them in my explanations. It quickly becomes a Jerry Springer show, if you catch my drift. One thing I pride myself in with my work is the fact that if someone does have a problem with their Z, I go to the length necessary to get things resolved. I have put together numerous posts on twinturbo.net’s tech section, of which have been voted by the members to the FAQ and have been read several thousands of times. These posts have been put together to help the people who have issues and many of the common sources of these problems are addressed in those posts; how to determine the problem as well as how to fix it. My 6 P’s post, from its original copy, has been hit some 7000 times by god-knows-who, but it has been a pretty popular post and many people have found and corrected their problems by using it. I strongly suggest to everyone to perform all of the tests outlined in that post. It only requires some simple hand tools and some inexpensive specialty tools that are available at any automotive parts store. Performing those tests is essential to getting the best performance and reliability out of the powerplant. Unfortunately, so many people think their cars don’t have any problems, some don’t figure it out until it is too late. I also put together another post called “The Dyno Dissertation”, of which I need to repost because the images are no longer located on the server they were on when I put that post together, but it is a more in-depth technical document that people should use if they are taking the car to the dyno – it has a ton of pointers and tips to ensure that your trip to the dyno is going to go the best it possibly can. It also helps you to identify problems and how to correct them, if they arise. " (My comments)
Here's a good case and point concerning this issue. Here is a JWT dyno table from a guy that I have been talking with recently - he has been having leanness issues and gone through a lot of tests, but still lean, and still a JWT program. 3400 14.2
3500 14.1
3600 14.3
3700 14.5
3800 14.8
3900 14.9
4000 15
4100 14.5
4200 14.7
4300 14.8
4400 14.5
4500 14.4
4600 14.3
4700 14
4800 13.7
4900 13.6
5000 13.6
5100 13.6
5200 13.5
5300 13.4
5400 13.3
5500 13.4
5600 13.3
5700 13.1
5800 13 This car is obviously running dangerously lean and it is on a JWT program. The thing about it is that its not running lean because of the program. We all know that there must be a problem with some component of the fuel system, not the program itself. The same logic applies to the AshSPEC ECU. A lot of people unfortunately suspect the wrong things, which ends up wasting a lot of time in trying to correct the problem. My little FAQ posts that I've put together on this forum are really miniscule to the information contained within the factory service manual. I know it is an intimidating book, but those who approach it with the same mentality they would with something they really want to learn; say a new musical instrument, a video game, or a college course - they will be the ones that enable themselves to detect and correct a lot of these little gremlins that could end up costing a lot of money. Get a FSM if you dont own one - the EF&EC section is where I started with my knowledge of how it all comes together and it does an excellent job at teaching the basics of troubleshooting and repair as well as offering an extensive amount of information on problem detecting and solving. Be safe and perform preventive maintenance - it is cheap insurance. Good luck to you all!
[ ashspecz.com ]
[ agpowers@bellsouth.net ] Enthusiasts soon understand each other. --W. Irving.
Are you an enthusiast? If you are out to describe the truth, leave elegance to the tailor.
Albert Einstein
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