I just purchased a Utec and need some help. I had to buy a USB adapter since my laptop doesn't have the right port. I have installed the drivers for the conversion and used the 9V adapter to power the Utec up inside my house. Everything seems to be working OK. Being new to this whole tuning thing, I dont want to do anything wrong. The next step is to install the Utec in the car. Part of me is saying wait for someone with experience before I put it in the car. Is this a natural fear for someone who has zero experience with tuning? My current mods include: Espelir downpipe and Cat back Exhaust (stock cat is still in). I also have an HKS intake, HKS blow off valve vented to atmosphere, and Perrin fuel rail (stock injectors are being used) and a Hallman manual Boost Controller set at 19 PSI on Autometer gauge. I also have an Autometer A/F gauge. I have resources to tune the car later. Am I good to go to install the Utec in the car?

 

Putting it in the car will be easy, and you shouldn't feel apprehensive about doing it. If your not comfortable tuning it, then leave it on MAP-0 until you can have someone tune the car, but use it for the time being to log data, and learn as much as you can about the information your collecting.

Don't try to tune your Air-Fuel mixture based on the Autometer A/F gauge, its hooked up to your stock O2 sensor, which isn't accurate or fast enough to be reliable to tune with. You should at least have it tuned professionally the first time, and/or get a wideband O2 kit so you can tune yourself in the future.

Like I said, as long as you have it, install it, don't fear the unit, just make sure your in passthrough (map-0) and log data, learn how it works, etc..

 

Thanx Malibu, I appreciate all your time and knowledge.Can I use the stage 2 map from turbo XS since I have a turbo back exhaust?

 

Yes you can but it is pretty conservative, i didnt notice any difference in performance. Also a lot of people experience knock around 4-5k, including myself.

 

OK, so I am better off using the 0 setting until I can get a tune?

 

Installing isnt hard, its the tuning that will get you. I am also in the Seattle area, north acutally. I dont mind lending a hand if need to be. I already have my Utec and Tuner installed. Have the map sensor on order. Have been playing around with fuel and timing curves. Its been a great experience and MalibuJack helps out alot on the knowledge side too. I have very similar mods to you, Agency power fuel rail, Buschur front mount and piping, o2, downpipe, test pipe, catback, intake and upgraded fuel pump.

Let me know if you need any help. Yes, stick with Map 0 at first. With map1 or 2, I found it to run very lean some settings. Unless you have a tuner, I wouldnt trust those maps just yet. BTW who is going to tune your car later?

Alfred

 

Yes you can, as long as you leave your current boost at 19psi it should not be harmful to run that map.

If you aren't comfortable with running an arbitrary map, then you can just run the passthrough (map-0) until you can get it tuned and know where your AFR's currently are. Thats the beauty of the UTEC, until you can get it tuned, you can log data to learn how the car runs in MAP-0 Its great for aquiring data from an ECU thats already been flashed (but thats another story in itself)

 

MY ECU has never been flashed, still running the stock ECU map. I will leave it in 0 until I can find a decent shop to do some tuning. Thanks for all the help.

 

Actually with Map 1, it was running around 14-15 a/f's for me, which is why I didnt suggest it. Maybe its the northwest gas? But since he lived close to me, I am just suggesting what I found. I am still thinking there is something wrong with my UTEC. Oh well.

Alfred

 

Thanks Alfred for your input. I will have to hook up with you before I deploy in Sept.

 

Thats defintely possible.. at 19psi I was ok until I played with the different intakes and found they all altered the AFR's differently. (I've posted on that topic umpteen times) but I do know the UTEC base fuel maps (stage 1 and 2) all assume you still have a stock airbox.

 

Put the Utec in today and everything is working fine except for one thing. My auto meter A/F gauge (standard not wide band) is stuck on the last green light in the rich zone. I believe when I hooked this gauge up I tapped into one of the factory harness wires. Any ideas on how I can get this gauge working again. Or should I disconnect it and install a wideband gauge in its place?

 

Does it stay there right when you start the car or when you give it gas? That just doesnt sound normal since you are only tapping out a signal off the stock harness, which is what I assumed you did. I need more details to figure out that it is. Try unhooking the meter wire you used to tap into the o2 sensor harness and connect it again, does the same thing happen?

Alfred

 

As soon as the ignition is on the light is on all the way to the rich side. I am thinking since the Utec is plugged into the factory harness first there is some sort of conflict? I really dont know.

 

Shouldnt be cause you tapped into the harness side that comes from the engine, correct?

Alfred