3 S.M.A.R.T. ways to make more power with more safely
Jun 27, 2005, 11:33 PM
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3 S.M.A.R.T. ways to make more power with more safety
As many may new, we've been working on SMART technology for several months now. For those who aren't aware of this, SMART stands for:
Self
Monitored
Active
Realtime
Tuning
A bunch of background info can be read at: https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/sh...d.php?t=142221
Without getting into too many technical details about the algorithms involved in the adaptive system, I figured many of you would like to see some quantifiable results of each individual SMART featute (SMART Fuel, SMART Timing and SMART Boost).
SMART Fuel is the coolest of them all in how well it works under any condition you can throw at it. I'm going to withhold dyno graphs right for the next few days though since there I need to provide a lot more info in order to do it justice. And time being what it is (11PM on Monday night) and me being sick with the flu, I'll hold off for a few more days.
First, let's start of with SMART Timing. This feature is always running at full speed ahead. Sampling upwards of 3-4 times for EACH engine event. It constantly monitors a very special and clean knock signal and actively makes ignition advance/retard adjustments of small to moderate size in order to keep stay clear of knock. If knock were to occur, the over-reactive and performance-killing knock control system of the factory ECU will eventually jump in and try to sort things out (usually not too well as far as performance goes, of course). Furthermore, most of the quantifiable results of SMART timing occurs on the road in dynamic changes but we've managed to isolate its behavior during some typical single gear, full throttle dyno results.
SMART TIMING
Below is a dyno graph of one of our Stg 1+ equipped shop cars running an off-the-self Stg 1+ map on our miserable 91oct gas. We even choose Shell gas to make things more interesting. Here are the results:
As expected, the basline map (Purple run) acquitted itself quite well despite the lack of cool-down between runs and hot shop temps. There were two RPM points where the baseline timing map was too agressive (at 5000 and 6700rpm). As a result we saw the factory computer react a little to late and had to pull out gobs of advance to keep things safe and quiet. Then we activated the SMART timing feature for the next run (Red run). With no cool-down, the active timing control dynamically and actively "skated" around the knock threshold, keeping the engine knock free and allowing it to make as much safe power as it could possibly make. All this without even remapping the regaluar timing table. Up to 6-10whp gains in the upper midrange and up to 30whp gains way up top. The gains are even more remarkable at partial throttle and "normal driving" when dynamic load,temp,etc,. swings move the knock threshold around all over the place and lower or raise the knock threshold depending on what combination of conditions. Of course, we couldn't get the dyno to conduct this kind of testing (yet!) so you guys will have to wait for that info or feel it for youself
Next up, we adding in 2 gallons of race gas, bring effective octane to around 97oct. Then we did a run with the SMART timing ON and OFF. Results below:
On the race gas map, the non Smart map picked up power through complete supression of knock. Nice smooth gains with a good power increase. Great results but with the non-active feedback nature of the factory ECU and nonSmart XEDE, the car could only run the amount of timing allowable in the nonSMART ignition tables. Next up, we active the SMART timing feature and picked up to 15whp without doing anything else. Again, the run was a warm run with virtually no cooldown time between the runs. After all, do you always get sufficent cool-down time on the street when you drive?
SMART BOOST
As with Timing and Fuel, boost pressure is just another variable that can and should be monitored and adjusted depending on conditions. Holding 1 of 3 variables fixed (with an MBC or EBC) and solving for the other 2 variables in a constantly changing environment never yields the same consistently good results as allowing all three variables to "float" actively within an pre-determined authority range-- letting the computer determine which mixture of all the ingredients is the best for power and safety. With that in mind, we wanted to test the engine-saving boost cut feature of the SMART XEDE. Unlike an MBC or EBC, the SMART Boost system is regulated by actual airflow, not just an arbitrary boost/MAP value that will never be approriate for all conditions at all times. What makes it cool is that it constantly keeps boost in check by constantly monitoring knock activity and reacts almost instantly the moment something is out of spec. To test its reaction time and effectiveness, we yanked a bunch of fuel out of the standard Fuel table, inducing a dangerous lean-run condition under full boost. We also raised the boost a bit.
With a nice cold engine, the car pulled off a nice, strong and smooth run. Looks like and is much like what you see when people post up their dyno results on line Next up, we attempted another run without a cooldown. As expected, the fully heat-soaked engine ran into a serious knock event at 4800rpm (SMART timing was disabled for testing purproses, of course). Fortunately, SMART boost reacted without a few RPM and dropped boost by 4-5psi immediately and keep things from getting ugly really quickly.
SMART FUEL
As you can imagine SMART Fuel takes things a bit further by constantly reading both knock noise and WideBand 02 info (from an Innovative LC-1 wideband unit now integrated into the XEDE harness). Needless to say, it is designed to adapt to the ever-changing real-world environment you drive in every day. Not to mention adding in the necessary safety precautions for those running Methanol (which has been known to clog and run out when you don't expect it) and other forms of power adders.
That's it for now but I hope that gives you guys the info you wanted. A lot more to come in the next few days Wait till you see just how er... Smart? the SMART Xede is when all four ACTIVE features all on-line at the same time! It's more effective and superior to having 50 neurotic Tuners, in your car, at all times, all typing away on their laptops like little monkey chasing their tails 
j/k
Best to All,
Shiv
Self
Monitored
Active
Realtime
Tuning
A bunch of background info can be read at: https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/sh...d.php?t=142221
Without getting into too many technical details about the algorithms involved in the adaptive system, I figured many of you would like to see some quantifiable results of each individual SMART featute (SMART Fuel, SMART Timing and SMART Boost).
SMART Fuel is the coolest of them all in how well it works under any condition you can throw at it. I'm going to withhold dyno graphs right for the next few days though since there I need to provide a lot more info in order to do it justice. And time being what it is (11PM on Monday night) and me being sick with the flu, I'll hold off for a few more days.
First, let's start of with SMART Timing. This feature is always running at full speed ahead. Sampling upwards of 3-4 times for EACH engine event. It constantly monitors a very special and clean knock signal and actively makes ignition advance/retard adjustments of small to moderate size in order to keep stay clear of knock. If knock were to occur, the over-reactive and performance-killing knock control system of the factory ECU will eventually jump in and try to sort things out (usually not too well as far as performance goes, of course). Furthermore, most of the quantifiable results of SMART timing occurs on the road in dynamic changes but we've managed to isolate its behavior during some typical single gear, full throttle dyno results.
SMART TIMING
Below is a dyno graph of one of our Stg 1+ equipped shop cars running an off-the-self Stg 1+ map on our miserable 91oct gas. We even choose Shell gas to make things more interesting. Here are the results:
As expected, the basline map (Purple run) acquitted itself quite well despite the lack of cool-down between runs and hot shop temps. There were two RPM points where the baseline timing map was too agressive (at 5000 and 6700rpm). As a result we saw the factory computer react a little to late and had to pull out gobs of advance to keep things safe and quiet. Then we activated the SMART timing feature for the next run (Red run). With no cool-down, the active timing control dynamically and actively "skated" around the knock threshold, keeping the engine knock free and allowing it to make as much safe power as it could possibly make. All this without even remapping the regaluar timing table. Up to 6-10whp gains in the upper midrange and up to 30whp gains way up top. The gains are even more remarkable at partial throttle and "normal driving" when dynamic load,temp,etc,. swings move the knock threshold around all over the place and lower or raise the knock threshold depending on what combination of conditions. Of course, we couldn't get the dyno to conduct this kind of testing (yet!) so you guys will have to wait for that info or feel it for youself
Next up, we adding in 2 gallons of race gas, bring effective octane to around 97oct. Then we did a run with the SMART timing ON and OFF. Results below:
On the race gas map, the non Smart map picked up power through complete supression of knock. Nice smooth gains with a good power increase. Great results but with the non-active feedback nature of the factory ECU and nonSmart XEDE, the car could only run the amount of timing allowable in the nonSMART ignition tables. Next up, we active the SMART timing feature and picked up to 15whp without doing anything else. Again, the run was a warm run with virtually no cooldown time between the runs. After all, do you always get sufficent cool-down time on the street when you drive?
SMART BOOST
As with Timing and Fuel, boost pressure is just another variable that can and should be monitored and adjusted depending on conditions. Holding 1 of 3 variables fixed (with an MBC or EBC) and solving for the other 2 variables in a constantly changing environment never yields the same consistently good results as allowing all three variables to "float" actively within an pre-determined authority range-- letting the computer determine which mixture of all the ingredients is the best for power and safety. With that in mind, we wanted to test the engine-saving boost cut feature of the SMART XEDE. Unlike an MBC or EBC, the SMART Boost system is regulated by actual airflow, not just an arbitrary boost/MAP value that will never be approriate for all conditions at all times. What makes it cool is that it constantly keeps boost in check by constantly monitoring knock activity and reacts almost instantly the moment something is out of spec. To test its reaction time and effectiveness, we yanked a bunch of fuel out of the standard Fuel table, inducing a dangerous lean-run condition under full boost. We also raised the boost a bit.
With a nice cold engine, the car pulled off a nice, strong and smooth run. Looks like and is much like what you see when people post up their dyno results on line
Next up, we attempted another run without a cooldown. As expected, the fully heat-soaked engine ran into a serious knock event at 4800rpm (SMART timing was disabled for testing purproses, of course). Fortunately, SMART boost reacted without a few RPM and dropped boost by 4-5psi immediately and keep things from getting ugly really quickly. SMART FUEL
As you can imagine SMART Fuel takes things a bit further by constantly reading both knock noise and WideBand 02 info (from an Innovative LC-1 wideband unit now integrated into the XEDE harness). Needless to say, it is designed to adapt to the ever-changing real-world environment you drive in every day. Not to mention adding in the necessary safety precautions for those running Methanol (which has been known to clog and run out when you don't expect it) and other forms of power adders.
That's it for now but I hope that gives you guys the info you wanted. A lot more to come in the next few days
Wait till you see just how er... Smart? the SMART Xede is when all four ACTIVE features all on-line at the same time! It's more effective and superior to having 50 neurotic Tuners, in your car, at all times, all typing away on their laptops like little monkey chasing their tails j/kBest to All,
Shiv
Last edited by shiv@vishnu; Jun 27, 2005 at 11:52 PM.
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Jun 28, 2005, 05:44 AM
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Originally Posted by shiv@vishnu
To test its reaction time and effectiveness, we yanked a bunch of fuel out of the standard Fuel table, inducing a dangerous lean-run condition under full boost. We also raised the boost a bit.
With a nice cold engine, the car pulled off a nice, strong and smooth run. Looks like and is much like what you see when people post up their dyno results on line Next up, we attempted another run without a cooldown. As expected, the fully heat-soaked engine ran into a serious knock event at 4800rpm (SMART timing was disabled for testing purproses, of course). Fortunately, SMART boost reacted without a few RPM and dropped boost by 4-5psi immediately and keep things from getting ugly really quickly.
Shiv
With a nice cold engine, the car pulled off a nice, strong and smooth run. Looks like and is much like what you see when people post up their dyno results on line
Next up, we attempted another run without a cooldown. As expected, the fully heat-soaked engine ran into a serious knock event at 4800rpm (SMART timing was disabled for testing purproses, of course). Fortunately, SMART boost reacted without a few RPM and dropped boost by 4-5psi immediately and keep things from getting ugly really quickly. Shiv
Jun 28, 2005, 06:57 AM
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Originally Posted by dude
Maybe I'm missing something but why does the Smart Boost "Off" hp/psi graph show boost being pulled while with it "On" the taper looks normal, directly contradicting what was bolded above? The hp/afr graph looks correct as I would assume less boost would yield a slightly richer AFR...Shiv, did you confuse the boost colors on the graph or is the pollution over here getting to my brain?
Jun 28, 2005, 08:14 AM
#15
Originally Posted by dude
Maybe I'm missing something but why does the Smart Boost "Off" hp/psi graph show boost being pulled while with it "On" the taper looks normal, directly contradicting what was bolded above? The hp/afr graph looks correct as I would assume less boost would yield a slightly richer AFR...Shiv, did you confuse the boost colors on the graph or is the pollution over here getting to my brain?
EDIT: Vishnu, so can the features be released progressively? As in, can you release new firmware and maps that take advantage of everything not requiring the wideband?
d
Last edited by donour; Jun 28, 2005 at 08:52 AM.