Need help with detecting knock / Tuning help

[Jwellens]

Ok, so I was looking into getting my car tuned because I have an Invidia catless uppipe, invidia Q300 CBE, and cobb SF intake and I'm running the Cobb Stage 1 +SF OTS map. I started getting pretty bad fine knock learn (-11.75) and feedback knock (-12.00). I've noticed that when my car starts to get really bad fine knock and feedback knock my DAM sensor goes from 1.000 to 0.750. The car has no audible knock or pinging that I can hear and while I drive it (with 0.750 DAM) the car handles exactly like 1.000 DAM without any fine knock or feedback knock. Then once I get the car into a little bit of boost (after a couple minutes of driving with 0.750 DAM) the DAM will go back up to 1.000 with not fine knock or feedback knock.

 

When I talked to cobb the first time they said that the uppipe was ok with the stage 1 tune and I shouldn't have any problems. Now when I called them they said it's because I have a tune not specific for the uppipe (well no S*** that's why I called in the first place...) They recommended that I get the car professionally tuned. I've been looking at some shops around Milwaukee, Wisconsin and I've picked Endless Autosports in West Allis, Wisconsin.

 

When I called them they asked what mods I had and what I wanted. I told them I wanted to fix the knock and go for reliability, maybe with a little HP and TQ gain. They asked if I had a downpipe since I had an UP and CBE. They then said that I should get a downpipe to see a bigger increase in performance. If I get a downpipe will I be sacrificing performance over reliability? And will the downpipe help any with the feedback knock and fine knock learn?

 

P.S. If someone could tell me which downpipe is the quietest (I want a catted DP) I will love you forever. Right now I'm looking at an Invidia catted DP, or a Cobb catted DP, and would like to know which one is quieter. Thanks guys!

[gtonstilts]

Cobb ots maps have way way to much timing even if you run a 91 map with 93 in the tank your current situation is pretty common, most people just dont keep an eye on timing being pulled or iam/dam to realize it...

 

If you are going to get a protune i would deff suggest doing the down pipe first tunes are expensive and you dont want to have to do it twice.

 

As far as invidia vs cobb there isnt much difference, if the cobb has an extra "bung" hole for wideband o2 sensor i would opt for that one. Most of the invidia do not have this.

 

In addition to having way to much timing cobb maps also tend to be very rich running afr's that are in the mid 9's which is very bad for power. Id suggest using either a wide band and doing an etune or skip the wide band and get a dyno tune somewhere that uses an external wideband hooked up to the dyno software. I would advise against getting an e tune without a wide band becuase the stock sensor is only acurate down to 11.5 and your cobb map is prolly at 9.5, ideal afr is 10.8-11.1 depending on how safe you want it. And with a fmic you can get away with 11.5

 

Any time the iam/dam is below 1.0 the tune is no good!

Also any timing being pulled is not good, a lot of tuners will tell you you cant make good power without some timing being pulled. And thats bs. If you take your time and get it perfect you can get it to make max power with no timing pulled on cruise or accel. 1 deg or so as it shifts or on sudden decel is ok but anything that registers in the LV (learned values) should be fixed. A good rule of thumb is to remove half as much as the ecu pulled in a given spot so if yours is pulling 11deg id remove 5-6 deg from the base map at that spot and recheck. Generally you want about 38-40 deg total timing just off boost/cruising and more like 15-20 deg at full boost depending on your set up and fuel quality. Also make sure the avcs maps get altered at the very least you want to fix the big whole in the map that occupies most of the cruise area. This will make it much more responsibe on accelerating and can make a big difference in what ignition timing you can get away with.... Good luck !