Any experience with EGT tuning or Knock detection?

[B C]

I'm looking at some EGT and knock detection equipment to run this year. Does anyone have experience with these items. Mostly looking for someone live and local that I can go kick down their door if they give bad info vs reading some rando article off the internet. 

 

 

[patsbimmer1]

Why would you use EGT to do any tuning as opposed to basing it off of your AFR?  There are so many factors that can change your EGT without changing your performance it just doesn't seem reliable.  

[B C]

The thought is to use the EGT to aid with tuning cruising/part throttle ignition timing, Use the knock detection to aid with WOT ignition timing, and the EGT to aid/verify that the WOT timing and AFR match well.  Using that for road mapping should get me close enough to get on a dyno to tune for peak power.  

[patsbimmer1]

All I know about EGT's are that you really just want to find a median and aim for that.  There's no spec like with AFR's where you have stoch to aim for.  I believe diesel guys use EGT a lot more for tuning.

[B C]

Yes, landing the EGT in a desirable range between too retarded and too advanced (which are both both causes of EGT spikes). 

Since it isn't feasible to dyno tune for all load points,just full throttle, it is popular practice to base your part throttle timing on your dyno optimized WOT timing by blending it down through the part throttle range with a couple other rules of thumb involving when to pull/add timing relative to peak torque etc. It isn't incorrect to tune this way but there have been times where I have added considerable timing advance to part throttle, seen a significant increase in response, and questioned whether that was actually what the engine wanted or whether the EGTs were sky high and not advisable to run like that. 

 

 

[Earl]

Asks question about EGT and Knock Sensors, knows more logic about them than any other forum member....=P

[B C]

Oh you,   most definitely not. 

I was hoping that someone from a former Nissan/DSM/Honda life had some exposure and experience tuning with them.

At the moment I know just enough to make me feel it would be fun to play with or beneficial for street tuning. 

[REKIII]

2 hours ago, Snap said:

 too retarded

 

 

[B C]

[emoji24]

[patsbimmer1]

In my Nissan days it was all AFR on my A'pexi S-AFC.

[REKIII]

My Tuner friend in GB uses EGT as a big indicator to the effects of AFR.  Some builds he goes so far as to have EGT's on each runner right out of the head.  What he actually does with them, I don't know, that's why he's a nationally recognized tuner and I'm not.

So, I have no valuable input, but they can be important and useful. 

[HipMF]

7 hours ago, Snap said:

Since it isn't feasible to dyno tune for all load points,just full throttle...

Um... I thought was the whole point of tuning on a dyno... or when you say "not feasible" do you just mean "not affordable"?

The dyno can put any load on the motor that you want, so you can set your throttle position wherever you want, adjust the load to put the engine at the desired RPM, then adjust timing and fuel to produce the most power. Adjust the load to put the engine at a different RPM, and repeat...

[B C]

Yes, what I meant was more along the lines of "not affordable". Dropping $600 for dyno tuning this year or even next may be a bit premature as I anticipate toying with the setup and adding some more/different parts before I feel like I am ready.

Until then, the challenge of street tuning is like an addictive strategy game and i enjoy it.

[andyhundley]

18 hours ago, Snap said:

Oh you,   most definitely not. 

I was hoping that someone from a former Nissan/DSM/Honda life had some exposure and experience tuning with them.

At the moment I know just enough to make me feel it would be fun to play with or beneficial for street tuning. 

 

Those guys dont tune cars.

[HipMF]

Yeah, just download a tune from someone on the internet who has similar parts on their car.