88_N/A_GXL

iTrader: (3)

So, I know that it's blended down to E70 as it gets colder, but even still I'm having issues starting even at around 50* or so. When I go to start her, it jumps up to about 2k, holds for a second or two and then dies. Sometimes it takes 4-5 attempts to get it to where it would actually stay running.

I know it's because the alcohol doesn't vaporize as easily when it gets colder, and I was wondering if bumping up the fuel pressure would help? What is the max pressure that stock denso's are rated for? If I remember right, I set base pressure to about 43ish when I got my aeromotive, but I'm thinking of running it up to about 60-65.

Rob XX 7

iTrader: (8)

Sounds like mine until we tuned it when it was cold out, you need to have your tuner check it when its cold and it should be fine

If you dont want to bother or in the meantime blend more regular fuel in just dont drive it hard

88_N/A_GXL

iTrader: (3)

My tuner = me. I mean, I've slowly worked it down. It doesn't take the 4-5 attempts very often, it's more about the 2nd attempt right now, but it does have it's days when it gets colder and wants to take it's time.

I'm just thinking higher pressure would help atomize a little better, especially at idle when coming to a stop, after WUE and before it's really heatsoaked, she likes to die or struggle down around 300 rpm.

Zenki FC3S

Cold start in AZ is like mid 60's right now. My fc won't idle for **** until it warms up. Idk what our winter blend is but is prolly not less than 80%

Zenki FC3S

What about your coolant map? Maybe mess with some cold values and get a good start up

88_N/A_GXL

iTrader: (3)

My WUE map? I'm on MS3 so I don't know what others call it. I don't have my laptop right now, it's in the car, but if I remember right it's a linear taper down 10% every 20 or so degrees till about 160* which is 100%.

I did bump up my base pressure from ~43psi to about 60psi and she seems a bit snappier/smoother, haven't had a chance to test the cold start though.

My idle map is pissing me off though, I'll get it set to idle at about 12.5-13, but I'll go in somewhere for a couple minutes and when I come back she'll either be at like low 15s or low 11s. I'm thinking this s5 auto tb is causing some issues, but I don't want to give up the tps to go back to my s4 manual tb. My guess, about the idle issue, is probably either the thermowax or the vacuum secondaries, which are *** backwards from my old tb.

RXTASY57

iTrader: (2)

I have the same problem here in Idaho. Colder it gets, the harder it is to start.
Guess it's time for plain ol' 93 octane.

88_N/A_GXL

iTrader: (3)

Yea, I'm starting to think that my <2k/50kpa area is really whacky. Though, during WUE it does stay pretty consistently around 12.5, when it finally stays running, it's just those first few seconds after start up from a completely cold start.

I'm thinking I may need to turn off my idle ve table and run VEAL to clean it up and just transfer those areas of the map. Though, upping the CLT threshold on the idle activation did help this morning on the way to my ASE testing. I wish it could help tune WUE/start up as well.

Zenki FC3S

how is your startup? still a bit choppy at first? Im sure its the properties of ethanol at those temps is why we have hard starts until warm.

also i have to blip the throttle when i cranki it. ive gotten used to it but maybe next time we tune we could try the 500 rpm area at 10mmHg or whatever cranking vacuum is...

anyone else have to press the throttle quickly on startup?

88_N/A_GXL

iTrader: (3)

Still choppy, though unless it gets extremely cold, it'll hold usually on the 2nd attempt. I've also noticed that when it's those really cold days if I hold the throttle a little it helps, but I usually let go and it dies so I don't know if actually holding for longer than 2-3 seconds would help. I'll find out here in a few as I've got to run a few errands and she's been sitting for almost 24 hours.

Edit: I forgot, I did notice that when I updated TunerStudio a few days ago they finally added WUE auto tune. I knew it was in the beta releases but I'm not going to attempt a beta on my dd. Glad it finally made it to a stable release.

Zenki FC3S

yea my car doesnt hold a steady idle either and in AZ its pretty warm. sometimes the ecu will hold a 1500 idle to warm up, sometimes i need to hold the throttle or keep reving for minutes

Zenki FC3S

i have read somewhere that the ethanol percentage is still high here during the winter because the lows are usually in the 50's

bumpstart

well.. blend some petrol into it ...

88_N/A_GXL

iTrader: (3)

Screw the petrol, E85's already got 15% and that's 15% more than I want! Lol.

I think I may be a little too rich during start up, as I noticed this morning when I held the throttle on the second attempt at about 2.5k, couldn't really go lower or she would want to die, afr's went up to about 13-14ish and ran fine, when I let off it held at about 1.7k at high 11s low 12s, which she'll cruise in as I start driving, until she is fully warm and idles about 900 at 12.5ish. Though she "seems" fairly snappy in the mornings with those 11/12s. I never try to push it until I get to about 160*.

But, it's weird if I just let it start without any throttle input it'll go about 11s then really quick to 13-14s and then die. Which makes me wonder if it's too rich and just dying and that's why I'm seeing 13-14s as it chokes up a bit before it pegs the gauge at 22.4 as it clears the exhaust out.

Neutron

iTrader: (10)

So far so good for me in AZ. Idles just fine. It's cold but not nearly as cold as the rest of the country. My gas equivalent A/F at idle are in the 14 range when warmed up and high 12's during a cold start.

88_N/A_GXL

iTrader: (3)

Lucky for you guys. It's currently 29* with a real feel of 11* up here in Iowa. I think I've cleared up the hesitation when coming to a stop now though. All I did was crack open the idle screw on the top of my tb, apparently the donor s5 tb was cranked all the way shut as it was a bear to break free. And I've removed the vac to the first set of secondaries.

I'm seriously contemplating doing the whole tb mod, to get rid of all this cold start bullshit, and grabbing the RisingRPM IAC adapter and an IAC valve. I swear my BAC is **** right now as changing settings in TS doesn't effect my idle at all. I've currently got it set for closed loop idle, originally had it as PWM warmup per AaronCake's write-up when I first installed the MS3X.

drftinmx6

iTrader: (6)

when you bumped up your base pressure to 60 psi did it throw your whole map off?

88_N/A_GXL

iTrader: (3)

It did a little bit in a few spots, but overall I would say it didn't make it radically different.

RXTASY57

iTrader: (2)

Just put 5 gallons of 91 octane in....Boy, did my car like that!
Guess I forgot how easy it is to drive!
Starts right up and cruises real nice!

88_N/A_GXL

iTrader: (3)

I've been testing out the WUE auto tune and that has really helped a lot. I've still got the thermowax which will start me right around 2k most mornings and I've set it to try for about 12.5-13.5 and does really well. I've even turned off my idle ve map for now and I let VEAL tune down there, used to have it set for <1000rpm and <35kpa so the far left column and very bottom row were untouched.

On a side note, I've been doing tons of Virtual Dyno runs and have started to pick up a bit of power. Don't know the official weight of the car, will soon hopefully, but keeping a constant dummy number and everything I've picked up a few horses across the board, can't give actual reported numbers though. The way I see it, an increase is an increase, right?

Zenki FC3S

Rxtasy do you run flex fuel sensor?

RXTASY57

iTrader: (2)

I had one in there, but it was doing wonky things with my fuel pressure so I yanked it out.
I just tune it manually when I add gas to it. It's pretty easy to do for just cruising around, which is all I do when I drive it in the Winter.

88_N/A_GXL

iTrader: (3)

How was the FFS messing with your fuel pressure? Just curious.

This morning when I went out to start the car everything was reading 9*, coolant, iat, and the therm on the side of the house, so it gave a great chance to run the WUE auto tune, after about 6 attempts to start.

Neutron

iTrader: (10)

Switched to 11 heat range plugs and in the morning temps have been low 40s. It's definitely rough to start when cold now.

Zenki FC3S

cool. your post earlier mentioned it starts fine and were in the same state... glad im not the only one

we tuned it to the gasoline equivalent of 12.7:1 at idle ( even on cold start)...i guess that is really rich for etoh but im not gonna tell my dude what to do. we gotta adjust it though because just cruising it can drop down to 10:1 super rich