First Time Using EFILive

[VetPet]

Okay, so I've read the scan and tune manuals and now my head really hurts. Here's what I'd like to do and how I've understood how to do it. I'm going to use my EFILive for the first time tomorrow so please correct me if I'm wrong.

#1. To Download current tune in PCM and save on disc.
- connect PCM, flashscan cable and PCM
- open EFILive Tune
- turn ignition key to on
- choose Flashscan>Read PCM Calibrations
- choose File>Save As>filename>location
I should now have a backup of my current tune in case something goes screwy later on when I try to tune my car.

#2. To Log Data from my PCM
- open EFI Scan
- click on the green button below File menu
- choose PID tab and pick PID's to log
- push start/stop logging on flashscan to start logging data
- drive around for about 20 minutes at different speeds and RPM's
- push start/stop logging on flashscan to stop logging data
- retrieve logged data
- analyze using MAPs tab

If there's anything I've missed please let me know.

Thanks Guys
:)

[nco663]

set your max # of frames to zero, otherwise it will stop scanning after the max frames is equaled. ENJOY!!
Noe :D

[VetPet]

Thanks Noe. :)

[VetPet]

I've successfully downloaded the current tune in my car and have also done some data logging and saved the a log file. I now need to understand what it is I should look at first and how to interpret it. What should be my next steps?

Thanks.

[Ira]

What you have is a log of what your car was doing while you were driving it. The question you should probably start with it what are you trying to improve? Many people here, myself included, would suggest that before going very far you acquire and install a wide band O2 sensor and connect it to your FlashScan so you know what the AFR actually is. A common problem is a richer than necessary top end and the only good way to cure that is with a WBO2. The Innovate LC-1 is the current favorite low cost solution.

Ira

[VetPet]

Thanks Ira. Unfortunately winter is just around the corner and I've put my car away. I was hoping that I could use the logged data to create some maps, specifically the LTFT. My understanding is that this affects the WOT fueling when the PE table gets used and that the LTFT's should be set to zero or slightly negative. Since I won't get a chance to do any more logging I'd like to learn which tables I should create in scan tool and how to interpret them. Also, how do you change the values of your tune when using the tune tool? I can't figure out how to bring up the same tables I can create in scan when using tune. The only tables I see are those for VE and several others but nothing for LTFT. Do I have to be connected to the PCM to see them? Winters here are long :( so I've got lots of time to learn the theory and experiment with the software. Sure hope they come out with the tutuorial they've been talking about soon.

[joecar]

Probably the easiest way is to read and become familiar with the following documents and the pids and tables they refer to:

http://www.efilive.com/doc/Tutorials/Scan%20Tool%20Tutorial.pdf
http://www.efilive.com/doc/Tutorials/AutoVE%20Tuning%20Tutorial.pdf

The EFILive forum contains various threads regarding the LC-1.
The LS1Tech forum conatins a wealth of tuning info.

Cheers
Joe 8)

[Ira]

You can only see the fuel trims when connected to the car. Same with a few other things like MILs.

It's overwhelming, but have you considered going through and looking at and reading the descriptions for every single page in the tuning tool. Some of them you'll just want to ignore, but having seen all of them will give you a better idea of what's available. Before you start doing that, make a list of all the PIDs in your logs and as you go through the pages see if a page contains the PIDs on your list, if so, go to the scan tool, make a map matching the page your looking at and see what happend during your logging. It won't necessarely answer the question what to do, but it will give you a lot better idea of how to use the tool and how your car works.

I think there are instructions on how to create a MAP from scratch in the scan tool tutorial.

Ira

[VetPet]

Thanks Ira, I've looked at the Scan Tutorial and the section on MAPs. I did creat a MAP for the LTFT values in both banks based on the information I logged. The values are in % format for this PID and all of mine are positive based on average values. If I understand this correctly, the table is telling me that fuel is being added and that because of this, these values impact the PE table when under WOT conditions which will cause the car to run rich. The values in the table need to be around zero or slightly negative to not affect the PE table according to what I've read. What changes would I be looking to make based on the information I now have and where? I now know that you need to be hooked up to your PCM in order to see the different tables. I've been going under the assumption that once you've downloaded your tune file and open it you would be able to access the tables. I'm certainly having some fun with this.

[Ira]

You don't have to be connected to use the tuning tool. You do have to be connected to see some information available in the scan tool.

Trying to figure out what to change without being able to drive the car and test it is going to be difficult. My recommendation would be to get comfortable with the tables in the tuning software and save for a wide band so you can set up your VE table using the auto tuning method described in the tutorials.

Ira

[VetPet]

You're right Ira. I won't be able to really do anything until I can drive the car again. My goal is to become familiar with the different tables and what the information in them is telling you and to then know which tables need to be adjusted. You said you don't have to be connected to the PCM to use the tune tool. When I open the tune tool and then open my saved tune and then go to the Engine>Fuel>Trim section all I see are the Parameters and the limits of the LTFT? Shouldn't I be able to see the LTFT table? If I were going to make changes isn't this where I would have to do it and then save my changes as a new .tun file? Sorry if maybe I haven't explained myself properly.

[Ira]

You can't change the trims. The PCM creates the trim table in real time in response to feedback from the O2 sensors. The table you need to worry about is B0101 and possibly B5001 if you think your MAF is off. If you get a wide band, the procedures in the AutoTuning tutorial will help you get B0101 fixed up.

Ira

[VetPet]

Since working with a WB02 won't be possible for me until springtime, can you give me some pointers as to what table I would want to change in the tune file based on my LTFT table in scan being all positive numbers? What change is necessary to what table in the tune file in order for the LTFT's to eventually get down to zero or slightly negative? There must be a logical approach to take as to what tables you should create in scan tool and how they relate to changes you need to make to the complimentary table in tune tool that will eventually get your scanned values where you want them to be. I've used the LTFT table as an example but there must be others you would want to create to use for tuning. Since I'd like to get my LTFT's down, which table in tune is the one I would want to make changes to? I'm assuming it would have something to do with adjusting the amount of fuel based on airflow and that since my fuel trims are positive my MAF values are probably off so I need to adjust fuel accordingly.