Author Topic: spark 4 degrees less than table  (Read 19525 times)

Offline multiplex

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spark 4 degrees less than table
« on: October 11, 2009, 04:51:19 am »
running 1.1.57

I've noticed that my spark angle is running 4 degrees lower than the table values. I've gone through and found some small issues with the config that were causing other spark related issues but havne't tracked this one down yet.  Any ideas on what it could be?

I'm wondering how long its been this way - 4 degrees could possibly be a huge jump in power if it actually starts working properly. I need to boot up my old laptop and check out my logs from a year ago on 1.1.27 firmware

here are my current logs, and configs in various formats

voytilla.com/vems/101009.csv   -  CSV file for megalogviewer
voytilla/com/vems/101009.msq  -  MSQ for megalogviewer
voytilla/com/vems/101009.vemscfg  -  vemscfg for vemstune
voytilla/com/vems/101009.vemslog  -  vemslog for vemstune

Offline MWfire

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Re: spark 4 degrees less than table
« Reply #1 on: October 11, 2009, 05:46:54 am »
iat retard, cold enginde ignitio retard?

Offline gunni

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Re: spark 4 degrees less than table
« Reply #2 on: October 11, 2009, 05:47:42 am »
Your knock control is active.

That´s about all I can see.

And from the log there doesn´t really seem to be any advance change do to do knock registering
And I didn´t put up all the available spark advance correction gauges to have a proper look at them.
But one of them must have the info. You can add a ton of gauges through

tools - add new gauge symbol/descriptor .
You´ll have to restart the program when you have added them.

More editing.

What is the deal with your duty cycle? It goes to 125%? How big are your injectors and what is the fuel pressure
« Last Edit: October 11, 2009, 07:59:17 am by gunni »

Offline multiplex

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Re: spark 4 degrees less than table
« Reply #3 on: October 11, 2009, 08:47:04 am »
thanks for the reply

yes initially, i was having spark retard due to misconfiguration of knock. I got that cleared up.

i'll try to add more gauges - wow there are alot of them!

not sure about the duty cycle. What should this be?  my injectors are 60lbs and fuel pressure is around 43psi.


Offline multiplex

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Re: spark 4 degrees less than table
« Reply #4 on: October 11, 2009, 08:53:29 am »
follow up question. once i add the gauges, will i need to log again?  I'm assuming the data doesn't already exist in the current logs?


Offline multiplex

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Re: spark 4 degrees less than table
« Reply #5 on: October 11, 2009, 09:07:37 am »
one more follow up.  i checked old logs from 1.1.27 and my duty cycle was maxing around 70%.  I'm thinking there is a calculation error occuring with vems. its almost reporting double

i'm going to upgrade to 1.1.62 tomorrow and see what happens

this is why i love vems!  ::)

Offline gunni

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Re: spark 4 degrees less than table
« Reply #6 on: October 11, 2009, 03:27:02 pm »
You shouldn´t need to log again.

Lack of documentation is why we all "love" it.  :'(

Offline multiplex

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Re: spark 4 degrees less than table
« Reply #7 on: October 11, 2009, 11:00:01 pm »
all of the correction gauges show zero change, or they show what the correct timing should be.

The only gauge that shows anything is the spark_corr_diff  (i believe thats the name), which is showing the difference between the spark map and the actual tuning.

i did confirm that the actual timing on the car is matching the spark_angle gauge

any thoughts?

this is driving me nuts!

Offline multiplex

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Re: spark 4 degrees less than table
« Reply #8 on: October 11, 2009, 11:24:07 pm »
one thing i forgot to add - the car isn't coming out of warmup. could this be effecting things?


Offline gunni

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Re: spark 4 degrees less than table
« Reply #9 on: October 11, 2009, 11:46:25 pm »
From what I could see then the non warmup is not having any effect. As I looked at all the gauges and can´t see anything really.

I can see that your accelaration enrichment is pulling timing, try and take that away to test.
but it´s a long shot, as I couldn´t find any gauge that represents that function.

Offline multiplex

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Re: spark 4 degrees less than table
« Reply #10 on: October 12, 2009, 02:35:02 am »
Ok thanks for checking it out.  I'm going to try and turn off the accel retard later today and see if that helps

I'm wondering if the duty cycle could just be calculated wrong?  Possibly 2x?  since i'm running sequential.

worst case - i'm going to go back to older firmware :(

any ideas why warm up isn't turning off?

Offline gunni

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Re: spark 4 degrees less than table
« Reply #11 on: October 12, 2009, 05:04:37 am »
Warmup is just badly programmed as your temp scale goes to 89C ,
and the ecu assumes that everything below that is warmup.

Can you get another log? Cause I noticed that all the 1bar runs where 70% duty cycle.
But somehow it shot alot higher and over 100% when the map went somewhat higher then that at just one point.

your req fuel also seems to say that you have no problem running out the injectors.
And shouldn´t your M50/M52/S52 have a 3.5bar fuel pressure ?

Offline multiplex

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Re: spark 4 degrees less than table
« Reply #12 on: October 13, 2009, 09:23:29 am »
feel like i made a little more progress today. I went line by line and compared the default 1.1.61 config to mine.  FF'd out alot of variables that my not have been needed.

motor is by far running the best it has been in a while. It is still pulling timing though. I've set up to log spark_curve_diff so i can see if the changes correlate to anything

one strange thing - if i open up the spark table and change the first RPM bin from 900 to 1200 or higher the spark difference drops. If i move it all the way up to 7500 its pretty much zero. If i go the other direciton, it gets worse.  Explain that!

i'll be back tomorrow with more logs

Offline z0tya

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Re: spark 4 degrees less than table
« Reply #13 on: October 13, 2009, 02:32:30 pm »
ign retard at acceleration = 14 deg

Offline multiplex

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Re: spark 4 degrees less than table
« Reply #14 on: October 13, 2009, 07:56:43 pm »
found that - its set to zero now, but still no change.

It seems to pull more timing during warmup, when the motor is cold. Like 16 degrees, then tapers off. But i can't find any coolant temp related ign settings?

ign retard at acceleration = 14 deg