Tuning capabilities

What really blows my mind is the fact that NO ONE has made an ECU that interfaces with the dyno and works in conjunction with it.

Its very simple. Just input knock and ignition timing to the dyno and let it auto-tune. Can i put a patent on this?? :o

Good point... I think the problem would be keeping the engine at exactly the same load point. If your relying on the operator to hold the accelerator pedal still as the program adjust the timing and it makes more power you will move into another load cell and the operator would need to remove some pedal percentage to get back to the original cell but then the power drops again and would confuse the program.

If you had DBW then I think you could get a Algorithm to work...

I disagree. It doesn't have to be that complicated. You simply select a starting RPM and let the process work its way up from there. Just input a TP% lockout/threshold value... outside of which the closed loop auto-tune function will deactivate. For example, if you want to tune all the WOT cells... just enter in a starting RPM... the dyno will adjust its resistive load so as to hold the revs constant... and the ECU adjust timing until you get best torque at minimum timing. Then the dyno will let the engine move up into the next rev cell... and do it all over again. Im guessing it would take literally 2 seconds to tune each cell. This would dramatically decrease tuning time... which would save a lot of money... provided that saving is not negatively offset by the added cost of the function/feature itself.

Im not sure how much extra complexity, and therefore cost, such a feature/function would add to an ECU though.

I belive Land&Sea or Mainline dynos can talk to certain ECU`s as we speak. Not sure if they do closed loop timing as of yet, but its in the barrel i think.

The Mainline dyno has a two way CAN bus communications that will take input such as ignition timing, cam angle etc from the ECU and also display torque and power directly on the laptop tuning software. So far Mainline have taken this as far as using the ignition timing for their 'Torque Optimisation' function which is one reason we went with the Mainline product. This is a short step away from what you are talking about Marek.

In theory there is no reason it couldn't be done. Probably the dyno would also need control over the throttle position using ethrottle to accurately map anything that isn't full throttle.

I disagree, Andre. Say you're in load-cell "D7"... and then it moves to "D8"... or "E7". Computer will know that it has jumped out of the target cell (and hasn't registered a "Tune: Complete" status for that cell).... so it will stop making adjustments to timing until the dyno brings it back to target RPM. It will work exactly the same as existent fuel-auto-tuning.

You can't patent an idea. Only a method of manufacturing.

Isn't that hypothetically already possible with something like the new Haltech Elite series ECU (with the auto tune capabilities) and say the AEM Dyno shaft ?

(Ok, it's not dyno per say, but it have CAN bus so it's should allow the two to communicate)

Of course it would depend of how the auto tune work on the ECU and what the software let you add as an input in the settings.

So at the end of the day the biggest part of the implementation would be on the ECU software side.

(and we all know that most ECU manufacturer make you pay a premium price when it come to add functions to their products....)

Haltechs and Links "auto-tune" function is only in relation to AFR... not ignition timing.

I'm just quoting their website here:

"Auto Tune Capabilities – Short and Long term fuel, ignition & boost learning"

http://www.haltech.com/new-haltech-elite-series-ecus/

Haltech's Elite does have ignition learning, however this is based off knock feedback, not torque input. This is also 'learning', not auto tune. This means that as you drive, the ECU will remove timing from any parts of the ignition map that it deems to be over advanced and causing knock. It won't actually 'auto-tune' the ignition map the same way the fuel tuning is done.

Ok, now that make more sense !

Their closed loop ignition control is only for detonation protection... not torque optimization.