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Old 03-22-2014, 02:20 PM   #1
david gettle
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Doing my own custom N/A Tune for MPG and HP

I have a Naturally Aspirated automatic transmission 2002 Ford ZX2 "Premium edition". (I have been to a few TST events with it) and normally have it at Huntvalley Cars & Coffee in maryland.

I have the SCT pro racer package, and am currently working on modifying my tuning for improved fuel economy.

Here's a list of what I've done with the tune so far....

I started by adapting the ZX2 S/R NGP0 factory performance tune to include control of the electronically operated automatic transmission in my car.

Then adjusted the AFR to (1.2 lambda) 17.1 air fuel ratio for less than 3k RPM and 30% load value, except idle.

Adjusted warm up settings for economy by lowering the coolant temperature the system switches to closed loop operation.

Changed all Knock sensor settings set to 0

Turned off adaptive learning by setting all learning codes to 0

Since my car is permanently emissions exempt because of the way it is registered, the Rear o2 sensor is turned off, and OBDII codes p0420, p0460,p1000 are turned off to prevent the ECU from displaying error codes that no longer apply.

Adjusted the Variable Cam by changing all non-zero VCT values by a value reduction of 2.

Copied maximum allowed spark table into borderline knock table to set for maximum spark for HP as recommended by SCT.

Subtracted a value of 10 (1 degree of temp = .5 change in spark retard) from the spark retard for act table based on better fuel economy/performance when the MAF reads 20 degrees colder than actual air temperature. (discovered by a member of TeamZX2 who was experimenting with the MAF wiring)

Added 20 to Variable Cam Angle For Air Temp temperature settings to adjust VCT for improved HP of the car. (also discovered by the same member of TeamZX2)

I am currently working on adjusting the Cam Angle for Air Temp and Spark Retard For ACT to fine tune the car's MPG performance.

When last dyno'd the car had an improvement of 19 WHP from factory, and is averaging 20% better fuel economy than new.

The Variable Cam angle For Air Temp and Spark Retard For ACT changes are not included in these numbers. On the current tank of fuel the car has gone 270 miles on less than 1/2 tank of fuel, which is about 70 more miles than before the Cam angle for Temp and Spark Retard for ACT tables were changed. Factory the car was getting about 240 miles on 3/4 tank of fuel.

If I posted this in the wrong spot, would an admin please re-locate it.
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Last edited by david gettle; 03-22-2014 at 03:22 PM. Reason: added information
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Old 03-24-2014, 05:28 PM   #2
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What WBO2 are you using?
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Old 03-25-2014, 02:33 PM   #3
david gettle
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I'm not using a wide band O2, I'm using stock O2, and data logging with SCT Livelink. I'm using actual mileage calculation using gallons to fill tank and miles traveled to calculate MPG improvement.

Improvement from previous fill-up to most recent +4MPG driving was mixed highway and stop & go (60/40) for both tanks.

Current notes for changes made today:

Spark retard for ACT – notes:

ACT ranges from -20 to 180 degrees
ACT incriments in he chart are:
180, 165, 150, 140, 130, 100, -20

Based on Mechtech's (of TeamZX2) MAF resistor mod I have changed the following temperature ranges from stock as follows: -20 degrees now has a value of 50 – stock was 60 100 degrees now has a value of -20 was 0 130 degrees and above were left at factory – 130 degrees was set for -40.
so the chart now looks like:

SPARK RETARD FOR ACT

ACT 960 1958.4 2956.8 3955.2 4953.6 5952 - RPM
180 -80 -60 -60 -70 -80 -80
165 -64 -50 -50 -54 -54 -54
150 -50 -50 -50 -50 -50 -50
140 -44 -44 -44 -44 -44 -44
130 -40 -40 -40 -40 -40 -40
100 -20 -20 -20 -20 -20 -20
-20 50 50 50 50 50 50

ACT = Air Temperature

Available range is from -250 to 250

For changing the lock up rate on torque converters for ZX2's there are two parameters for increasing Ramp up of clamping force – both need to match or a code P1744 will occur.

TORQUE CONVERTER LOCKUP RATE AFTER TIP IN
TORQUE CONVERTER LOCKUP RATE W/HIGH TP

I have a Level10 performance ATX installed in the car, Pat Barrett of Level10 test drove the car yesterday, (with me in the car with him) he asked if he could keep the car. He was impressed that I could get as much power out of the 2.0 Zetech N/A engine as I am by using trial and error tuning without the aid of a dyno or Wide-band O2 sensor.
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Last edited by david gettle; 03-25-2014 at 03:19 PM. Reason: did not want login timeout while formatting chart
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Old 03-26-2014, 05:29 PM   #4
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Stop tuning if you don't have a WB!
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Old 03-26-2014, 07:10 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jpalamar View Post
Stop tuning if you don't have a WB!
Why? Can get one of those engines for $100-$300 all day long.
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Old 03-27-2014, 10:56 AM   #6
david gettle
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Quote:
Originally Posted by yellow2000S/R View Post
Why? Can get one of those engines for $100-$300 all day long.
Exactly...

Besides, I'm not changing the commanded Air Fuel Ratio, I'm only changing spark retard 1/2 degree at a time, until I get the best MPG I can by adjusting that. I have the safety limits on in the PRP package. I do plan on getting a wide band O2, Just haven't found any local, (I like to support local businesses if I can). I'm data logging the car after each change to make certain I'm not royally hosing things up.
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Old 03-27-2014, 07:18 PM   #7
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You're not going to be able to know your exact AFRs unless you're using a real WBo2, not reading off of the stock narrowband. You seem pretty smart though so I'm sure you already know that, it's just a lot safer and easier to know your air/fuel when you're tuning.

Realistically on an n/a car where most of your driving is at light throttle you can lean it out pretty far before you'll have any issues with detonation and as long as you're not running crazy ignition advance you'll be ok.
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Old 03-27-2014, 07:23 PM   #8
david gettle
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I know, just don't have one yet.
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Old 04-02-2014, 12:24 PM   #9
david gettle
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I'm actually backing factory ignition advance out of the car's tune, I don't understand why Ford did this to this car.... The factory tuning adds advance to the spark timing until the ambient air temp reaches 100 degrees, then begins to retard the spark timing as air temperature continues to climb as set from the factory, and it is set so the colder the air temp is the more advanced the spark is set. The closer to no advance the spark gets, the better the fuel economy becomes (at least that is what happens from observation)

Factory my car got between 25 and 26 MPG (highway and in-town driving were the same), last tank of fuel was 28.06MPG with about 2/3's of the driving being stop-and-go traffic, highest MPG ever was 50.1MPG all highway at 100 degrees and near 100% humidity.
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Old 04-03-2014, 02:24 PM   #10
david gettle
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Adjusted the temp the low speed cooling fan turns on to 175 degrees.
Adjusted Dashpot for quicker response to coasting fuel shut off.
Adjusted low RPM for MPG mode to 1,000 RPM

Discussed spark advance with a guy that used to race flat-track (carbed) 6 cyl, he described the process he used to tune spark advance/retard mechanically, I'm adapting what he said to my tuning file (slowly).....

Now for more testing...
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Old 04-09-2014, 04:06 PM   #11
david gettle
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Backed more advance out of 3k rpm and below range, adjusted PREINGITION SPARK ADDER FOR AFR table to reduce the amount of added spark - then drove 80 miles so far no ping...
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Old 04-11-2014, 06:53 PM   #12
david gettle
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So far, So good. 270 miles on this tank of fuel and the gauge is just south of the 1/2 mark.
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Old 04-11-2014, 07:10 PM   #13
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I don't think your car was ever right from the start. My sisters gets 28mpg in Cherry Hill area and getslow 30s with her 2001.

Going to/from Brads meet in 2011 or whatever in Columbus, I got 34-36 on highway.


Her car needs some work now and is down to 24-26mpg. Only has 78k now. Got it 6 years ago with 17k miles.
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Old 04-12-2014, 01:10 PM   #14
david gettle
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Highest MPG I've gotten with this car was 53.54 MPG all highway driving, with bad front wheel bearings (last July)
Current Chassis mileage =247,950, Current Engine Mileage=83,960, Current Transmission Mileage = 5,450
Looked back through my records for the car, looks like I need to review which tune I was using back in July of 2013...
Also, my car no longer has the factory fuel tank, the tank on my car holds 14 Gal. (14.5 if I fill the it to the top of the fill neck) instead of the factory 12.5 Gal.
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Old 04-12-2014, 02:26 PM   #15
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Went back and modified the tuning file I was using last July, with the new fuel table, spark settings, and recommended transmission settings from Level10. (Sometimes one must back-track to move forward)...
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Old 04-13-2014, 04:17 PM   #16
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After driving some distance (I was 60 miles from home) when the check engine light came on for code p1744 - Torque converter solenoid malfunction. So when I got home I found and corrected the error (I had missed a transmission setting that needed to be changed for the new Torque converter that is now in the car). Even with the ECU indicating a trouble code for 60+ miles of driving the car still went 170 miles in less than 1/4 tank of fuel.

Now that the error I made is corrected, it's time to refill the car and see how the tune does....
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Old 04-28-2014, 12:03 PM   #17
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The car is currently averaging about 30 MPG city. Went to R/T Tuning dyno day, he car is doing 117.68 WHP, and 117.01ft-lbs tourque, not bad for trial and error tuning with no A/f gauge.
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Old 04-28-2014, 07:49 PM   #18
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in to see what improvements you make
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Old 04-29-2014, 11:31 AM   #19
david gettle
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Still haven't filled the car after the 200 mile round trip to R/T Tuning (I had gone 100 miles on this tank of fuel before leaving for the dyno day). The fuel gauge is still north of the 3/4 mark.
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Old 06-05-2014, 11:44 AM   #20
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The car needed some maintenance, new struts, new strut mounts, brake pads, and rear wheel bearings, and wheel alignment. Since that was done. I've gone 250miles all city driving on just over 1/2 tank of fuel.

Going to All-Ford-Nationals this weekend. will post MPG from this tank on Monday...
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