[Terry335]

Hi gang, thought I'd give the 2-3 people that care an update on how my DIY tuner project is coming along.

I spent a few hours last night fiddling with the IAT sensor, and found adding ~50 degrees of temperature results in ~2 degrees less timing, all else being equal. This is a good thing, but not good enough to run the 12/13psi I'd like to run. I've come to the conclusion that we need to richen up the target AF ratios (big surprise!)

So, this morning I did a little web research and headed off to radio shack to make something more sophisticated. It's been a lot of fun learning exactly how all these little components work, and today I got a lesson in transistors. These are of the NPN variety.

The basic concept is the circuit turns on @ ~5psi and richens the AF ratios up ~1-1.5pt (adjustable) across the board. Later I'll throw the IAT attenuator back to pull out ~2-3 degrees of timing over 5psi, and if all goes well I think I'll be able to run ~12.5psi on 91 octane.

The breadboard I have is pretty big for testing (around 3"x7"), but I think the entire circuit could easily fit in a small key-fob size box. I've also ordered some BMW ECU connectors to make the entire thing plug and play. Once those and my portable wideband setup get in, I'll throw it on the car and do a little more track testing. I might even pony up $65 for a dyno one of these days.

Everything you see on the board plus the ECU connectors comes to a grand total of about $10.

[musc]

I feel bad for the people that actually blocked you. This is some pretty interesting stuff. Keep up the good work

[wj4]

While some may dislike Terry...you can not deny that he is knowledgeable about the subject..as if he was an ex Evo or Wrx owner, hehe.

[SGP335i]

Save face, just have someone order a Procede for you...

[serge]

You got some balls doing all this R&D on your own 335.

[DrDomer]

It's interesting that Shiv doesn't come in here and pollute your thread the way you pollute his, isn't it? Good luck on blowing up your BMW. Seems almost silly to put together $10 worth of parts, and some basic tuning knowledge for increased HP in a $45K car. But I guess it's your car...

[mullrat]

[bnj]

Originally Posted by DrDomer

It's interesting that Shiv doesn't come in here and pollute your thread the way you pollute his, isn't it? Good luck on blowing up your BMW. Seems almost silly to put together $10 worth of parts, and some basic tuning knowledge for increased HP in a $45K car. But I guess it's your car...

What do you mean "silly"? Would it make more sense to find a shop where you can buy the parts at $100 or $1000? That would be silly in my books.

Can you elaborate which is the theory behind your hypothesis that the described method would "blow up his BMW"?

[Red Star Rising]

Originally Posted by DrDomer

It's interesting that Shiv doesn't come in here and pollute your thread the way you pollute his, isn't it? Good luck on blowing up your BMW. Seems almost silly to put together $10 worth of parts, and some basic tuning knowledge for increased HP in a $45K car. But I guess it's your car...

At least he's got some balls and the brains to try something that you couldn't ever do. He's actually learning how the ECU works. You probably couldent even point out the ECU in the engine bay.

[iatacs19]

Terry335,

Keep up the good work! It's people like you that can challenge these $1300 piggyback ECUs.

[Pele96]

Here we go again

[335hopefull]

hope you have some smart balls. I would not do this on my car, but good luck really intrested in the outcome.

[therealm3]

Originally Posted by Red Star Rising

At least he's got some balls and the brains to try something that you couldn't ever do. He's actually learning how the ECU works. You probably couldent even point out the ECU in the engine bay.

^^ Hahahah! +1

Terry deserves major props for actually learning something and trying things on his own. What do people care if he blows his own car up? It's his car let him do what he wants, and honestly he is providing much more benefit to the community than those who come in here and slam him with nothing else useful or productive to add or say. Do you tell every person you see smoking to stop or tell everyone at the beach to put sunscreen on? No, so why be that person here? Let Terry experiment and provide information to the community. Who knows he may actually come up with a safe, 50-60hp mod that costs $25. Then who looks stupid. Not him, but people paying $600 for other methods that do essentially the same thing. (Yes I know Pro-cede is not the same, I am thinking more of another product.)

[Terry335]

Originally Posted by wj4

While some may dislike Terry...you can not deny that he is knowledgeable about the subject..as if he was an ex Evo or Wrx owner, hehe.

lol, even worse, ex-SRT4 owner.

[Terry335]

Originally Posted by DrDomer

It's interesting that Shiv doesn't come in here and pollute your thread the way you pollute his, isn't it? Good luck on blowing up your BMW. Seems almost silly to put together $10 worth of parts, and some basic tuning knowledge for increased HP in a $45K car. But I guess it's your car...

I don't think there is a serious risk of hurting anything, aside from electronics, and I'm doing what I can to protect those. This stuff is all pretty much tuning/EE 101.

With the new circuit I'll make the exact same 10psi I'm making now, only with a richer AF ratio. Once that works, I'll raise the boost a little and watch for retard.

Sure I could just buy something, but this is a fun project to kick around on weekends, and I'm enjoying learning about circuit design. I really need to get in to microcontroller programming... but I guess I'll crawl before I walk!

[Vinobien]

Where does one get the time? or motivation?

[A. Hansen]

Come on. this is a very basic electronics
This is the same as putting a bleed valve on a old turbo setup.
Sorry but this is not the way.

In my opinion it's a bit cheap to twist a transistor between a wire.
Especially on a car like ours.
(i saw some pictures here in the forum)

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=65097

I'dd never cut a wire in my original wire loom like this...
If I had to i'dd solder it and put a nice shrinksock over it.

[Terry335]

Originally Posted by A. Hoogstraate

Come on. this is a very basic electronics
This is the same as putting a bleed valve on a old turbo setup.
Sorry but this is not the way.

In my opinion it's a bit cheap to twist a transistor between a wire.
Especially on a car like ours.
(i saw some pictures here in the forum)

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=65097

I'dd never cut a wire in my original wire loom like this...
If I had to i'dd solder it and put a nice shrinksock over it.

That was just for testing. I've since ordered OEM connectors so I won't need to cut any wires.

[A. Hansen]

OK succes, I understand you enjoy it to do this tweaking.

But please be carefull

I have seen several wire looms and ECU's damaged or totally burned away.
This was years ago on the maserati turbo'd cars, the only differnece is they cost $2500

[Maestro]

I have no idea if your on the right track but it take balls to cut into a cars wiring these days and then splice in the resistor and hopes it does not screw something up. This kind of reminds me of the days when people tried hacking Sat and Cable TV systems to get free HBO. You spend more time trying to avoid getting caught and weird after effects, than it was worth. ... Yeah I know there is the thrill of saying you did it.

Anyway, you do provide some interesting things to think about, but I afraid as Shiv pointed out the control systems in the this car required feedback and if it does not get the right feedback or response it might try and correct what you did or over compensate.

Then again I can be completely wrong but I think more of these systems are not open ended anymore.

All the more power to you, because the one flaming you only wish they could do what you do and they have more money than time and rather pay someone to make their car go faster.

[Terry335]

Originally Posted by Maestro

I have no idea if your on the right track but it take balls to cut into a cars wiring these days and then splice in the resistor and hopes it does not screw something up. This kinds of remind me of the days when people tried hacking Sat and Cable TV systems to get free HBO. You spend more time trying to avoid getting caught and weird after effects, than it was worth it. ... Yeah I know there is the thrill of saying you did it.

Anyway, you do provide some interesting things to think about, but I afraid as Shiv pointed out the control systems in the this car required feedback and if it does not get the right feedback or response it might try and correct what you did or over compensate.

Then again I can be completely wrong but I think more of these systems are not open ended anymore.

I'm manipulating the same sensors the procede, xede, tt, etc hit. I've never had a car so easy to tweak!

[Dr_Dirt]

Originally Posted by Terry335

I'm manipulating the same sensors the procede, xede, tt, etc hit. I've never had a car so easy to tweak!

+1
You can tweak it for sure, but don't you need software to monitor and make corrections?
I'm assuming the procede, xede use software in this way but I really have no idea.
Of course the procede V2 sounds like it will tap into the Double Vanos and alter that as well. I wonder how we can turn that knob???
good luck Terry!