Pro tuner using ECU boost control?
Evolving Member
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 413
Likes: 3
From: Alexandria VA
DCsleeper, I'm in the DC "area" (read: Stafford) and there are a few shops around us but I can't say for sure that they are ECUFlash tuners. Promotion Tuning is literally down the road from me and my wife's work. I walked in there once to get a feel for the place. I'm not sure what that feel was but I wasn't overwhelmed. But I'm not sure what I should have expected anyway. I was some random guy coming in with no specific questions 
My only comparison is is RRE (I actually slept in RRE's attic one night at the old shop... semi-long story) and they let me use the shop to change my a clutch on my own and install a custom FMIC (you can actually see pics on their web page). I had never been there before and had just drivin in literally that day, on a lark on my way from Ohio to Las Vegas (yes I know LA isn't exactly "on the way") So my expectations might have been unrealistic :O hehe
anyway the point is, Promotion Tuning at least sounded like they might know something about ECUFlash tuning but I can't vouch for their actual experience. They have a few evos and DSMs parked there all the time so they certainly have that experience. I think Extreme Motorsports (the other shop in the "DC area" I know of) is unlikely to be interested but I could be completely off-base so it is worth doing some research and contacting them.
For what it is worth, when I get back from Qatar I plan on installing my 3bar map and converting to boost control myself. Right now I'm using load control via my 3-port GM. I'm still duffing around but I've got some experience as a hobbiest.
http://www.promotiontuning.com/ - Stafford, VA
http://www.extrememotorsports.com/ - Odenton, MD
My only comparison is is RRE (I actually slept in RRE's attic one night at the old shop... semi-long story) and they let me use the shop to change my a clutch on my own and install a custom FMIC (you can actually see pics on their web page). I had never been there before and had just drivin in literally that day, on a lark on my way from Ohio to Las Vegas (yes I know LA isn't exactly "on the way") So my expectations might have been unrealistic :O heheanyway the point is, Promotion Tuning at least sounded like they might know something about ECUFlash tuning but I can't vouch for their actual experience. They have a few evos and DSMs parked there all the time so they certainly have that experience. I think Extreme Motorsports (the other shop in the "DC area" I know of) is unlikely to be interested but I could be completely off-base so it is worth doing some research and contacting them.
For what it is worth, when I get back from Qatar I plan on installing my 3bar map and converting to boost control myself. Right now I'm using load control via my 3-port GM. I'm still duffing around but I've got some experience as a hobbiest.
http://www.promotiontuning.com/ - Stafford, VA
http://www.extrememotorsports.com/ - Odenton, MD
Evolving Member
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 413
Likes: 3
From: Alexandria VA
Yeah on Promotion's Dyno web page they claim:
Specializing In:
S-AFC Tuning
ECM Tuning (Evo Flash & ECU Flash)
HP Tuners
E-Prom Tuning (Hondata)
Plug & Play Tuning (AEM - UTec)
so there you have it. When I get back I plan on getting a baseline tune before I do anything else (probably put the stock fuel and timing back but leave a decent load based tune on there). but it won't be a until late Feb before I get home so why don't you go there first and let me know what you think of them >;-)
Specializing In:
S-AFC Tuning
ECM Tuning (Evo Flash & ECU Flash)
HP Tuners
E-Prom Tuning (Hondata)
Plug & Play Tuning (AEM - UTec)
so there you have it. When I get back I plan on getting a baseline tune before I do anything else (probably put the stock fuel and timing back but leave a decent load based tune on there). but it won't be a until late Feb before I get home so why don't you go there first and let me know what you think of them >;-)
IMO you can do it yrself very easily, u don't even need the GM bcs.
I know you might not have the time / place, but i feel like sharing this info anyway...
To be able to do it yrself you should replace the pill in the vacum line (just follow the hose going from the solenoid to the turbo, before reaching the turbo the hose devides into 2 hoses through a "Y" connection. The left hose is the one you need). Replace the pill by a 1mm or 0.9mm pill...
Whenever yr done, you then have to start using wgdc, desired engine load, load offset & error correction tables.
u start by setting error correction table to zero. Then put initial values for your wgdc table, and log the boost to see what boost you are running. Keep adjusting wgdc until you reach you desired boost @ each rpm...
Then you log for loads, to see what loads are being generated with your boost.
Based on these loads, you fill the desired load tables. These only go up to 159.4 (say 160), the difference is adjusted by the load offset value. Let's say you put it to 100. If you need 250 load @ 6500, you then go to the desired load table and put 150 @ 6500. 150 + 100 = 250, that's your load.
After being done with the desired load tables, you just fill the error correction table with its initial values (this is the table you zeroed out at the beggining of the process).
you can still fine tune the error correction table if you find some variations with your boost on certain rpms, but this should be ok.
Going a bit deaper, you can change the ecu algorithm making it check and correct wgdc each 0.08 secs, instead of 0.8 secs (which in some cases can be a bit annoying). I haven't done it yet (because im having nice boost curve without it), but im planning to do it soon. There's a thread on evolutionm that shows you how to do it, i'll post it shortly.
Rgds
I know you might not have the time / place, but i feel like sharing this info anyway...
To be able to do it yrself you should replace the pill in the vacum line (just follow the hose going from the solenoid to the turbo, before reaching the turbo the hose devides into 2 hoses through a "Y" connection. The left hose is the one you need). Replace the pill by a 1mm or 0.9mm pill...
Whenever yr done, you then have to start using wgdc, desired engine load, load offset & error correction tables.
u start by setting error correction table to zero. Then put initial values for your wgdc table, and log the boost to see what boost you are running. Keep adjusting wgdc until you reach you desired boost @ each rpm...
Then you log for loads, to see what loads are being generated with your boost.
Based on these loads, you fill the desired load tables. These only go up to 159.4 (say 160), the difference is adjusted by the load offset value. Let's say you put it to 100. If you need 250 load @ 6500, you then go to the desired load table and put 150 @ 6500. 150 + 100 = 250, that's your load.
After being done with the desired load tables, you just fill the error correction table with its initial values (this is the table you zeroed out at the beggining of the process).
you can still fine tune the error correction table if you find some variations with your boost on certain rpms, but this should be ok.
Going a bit deaper, you can change the ecu algorithm making it check and correct wgdc each 0.08 secs, instead of 0.8 secs (which in some cases can be a bit annoying). I haven't done it yet (because im having nice boost curve without it), but im planning to do it soon. There's a thread on evolutionm that shows you how to do it, i'll post it shortly.
Rgds
Just get a GM BCS and do it yourself. If you have any experience with ECUFlash at all, you're set, it is NOT hard. Just spend a little time reading in this forum and order the parts, you'll be holding more boost in no time!