Just download the file attached above, and replace the current data.xml file (located in C:\Program Files\EvoScan\EvoScan v0.8\DataSettings if you installed in the default location) with the downloaded version, and you will have a checkbox for "Octane Number".

 

Honestly, I'm not sure if other channels have been verified. I've only added Octane Number so far. Also, I know I've seen some threads on here about the wideband AFR feature working or not working properly, but haven't looked into it at all yet since my car is still without an installed motor thus I have more pending issues at the moment

 

I agree with whoever said: "Why remove a safety net?"

Realize that Al is the only Evo ECU flasher by trade that makes these values the same. Do any of you honestly think that he's right and everyone else is wrong?

I'll take the extra safety for my car!

 

It seems like Al's argument is that if the high octane maps are not "extreme", and tuned to run a decent AFR and decent timing, it would cancel out the performance loss from when the ECU decides your octane number is not sufficient to run in the high octane/timing maps and decides to run in the low maps. It may automatically seem that if the ECU decides you shouldn't be in the high maps, you shouldn't be in the high maps. However, I can see his point that the ECU is smart enough to pull timing and give fuel instantly to any situation that may be dangerous. If the ECU has to pull timing and fuel for enough time (I have no idea how much) to lower the octane count enough for the low maps, but then after those situations hvae ended all is fine again (good values so targets can be hit) you still won't be able to get back up into the high octane/timing maps for an undetermined amount of time (could be a while) until your octane number has been raised back up. In that scenerio, you could have an awesome running car (after the events that pull timing/fuel even by a little) but your performance has been compromised for a while because the ECU is still sitting in the low maps, even though throughout the events that pull timing/fuel your car was running safe due to the ECU's own safety algorithm.

Basically, say all is good and you are running safely in the high octane maps. A few events occur and the ECU's safety algorithms kick in and keep the car running safe, while lowering the octane number. All is cleared there, and the events have passed, while you were still running safe. You would now be running in the low octane maps, safe enough again for high octane maps, but the Octane number still has to slowly raise itself back up before the ECU decides all is clear.

Wasn't it posted that it could take days until the octane number reaches the value of 255 again, unless the battery is unplugged??

 

Very cool. Just added the octane line to my data.xml

 

Yeah, by doing so you may maintain timing and fuel performance durring nuicance faults, however, your removing a margin of safety in case of fuel pump/supply fail, bad gas, or boost malfunction.

But how much can a lo oct map help in some cases as these - the difference between a half damaged engine or totally gone engine

 

It seems like any of those scenerios will be handled outside of the low/high maps anyway, which means it would not make a difference if both maps are the same or different.

 

Fuel ratios are always a balance.. Too rich can cause "Knock events" that arent detonation but sudden abrupt quenching of the combustion.. I found that 10.5-11.5 are ranges where you won't get that quench.. anything leaner you risk detonation under some circumstances, anything much richer than 10.2 and you may get some quench (your ignition system quality and the size of your gap have a direct impact on this)

However.. here's my data, this is from several weeks of logging and comparison..

3 or more counts of knock will trigger the timing to pull, it will quickly return if the knock subsides in the decay time (2-3 samples ) This correlates to approximately 1.65-1.8v of noise on the knock sensor.. Bigger spikes pull more timing.. If the knock value does not decline in the decay period, it will begin to affect the octane number.. It will continue to do that until the knock count drops to 1-2 with sporatic anomalous spikes in some areas.. If it shifts the octane number, it will return over time to 255 after no notable event occurs.

Al is correct about how the knock protection works.. Sustained knock is typically due to bad gas, or other conditions, and that what the low octane maps are for.. Do I recommend flattening them, well no.. but they are used for providing safety should the car overboost, or get bad gas, and have bouts of sustained knock over a duration longer than what the knock protection algorithms do.

If you notice the stock maps on the 03 (And I think other years) have -10 (Generally the negative timing) in some of the high load cells at lower RPM.. That is basically cutting the power to the car and releasing excess combustion should you overboost at low RPM. This guarantees you won't build up enough cylinder pressure to blow a headgasket or get a very lean condition due to overrunning your maps. This is used as a momentary safety before fuel/boost cut kicks in. (on the stock ECU)

The reason some of us are seeing these negative timing numbers is we're modifying the car, removing boost cut, removing fuel cut, putting on an MBC that increases boost and spooling faster, etc.... so on the stock turbo it places you squarely in the safety portions of the map.

 

The AFRMAP value in the logs seems to work on all models. It is however, just the calculated AFR value that the ECU is applying based on the airflow reading and fuel map - the units are the same as the raw units of the fuel map (AFR=128*14.7/x). It is not in any way a measurement from a lambda sensor of any sort.

 

I added the data.xml that has the octane number and did a log and got a 255 reading. what does 255 mean?

 

Octane Number of 255 = all good

l8r)

 

Aren't you assuming that you are running 20-22 psi of boost along with the AFR range that you mentioned? I would think that lowering the boost would allow you to run a leaner AFR provided there is no sustained instances of knock. What is the timing assumption for the AFR range that you quoted?
I have a knock buffer on my Xede and I use it to log knock voltage with my LM-1. I have seen the same things that you have. The voltage spike from the knock buffer overlapps with an increase in the knock sum. The larger the knock sum the higher the voltage of the knock buffer spike. I will post some charts when I get the chance.

 

You can run a bit leaner if you run lower boost.. but generally you aren't gaining much by running any leaner than around 11.5, at least you are trading off safety for the diminishing reward..