Microtech LT8S: Load map but NO base map, WTF?
 

Hi,

I purchased a Microtech LT8S off a certified Microtech Vendor. After, I finally got everything taken care of with my single-turbo installation and wiring up the LT8S, I noticed it was very difficult to start the car up. It would turn over and start most of the time, but die out immediately afterwards. My mechanic and I looked over EVERYTHING very carefully to make sure there was no fault on our part. Turns out everything was connected fine so we moved on.

Well, we managed to keep the car running, but it wouldn't maintain a steady idle so we would constantly have to keep giving it throttle to keep it from stalling. The problem we noticed was that the exhaust manifold would get BRIGHT RED after a few minutes of idling. We immediately shut the car down at that point. I did a lot of research and came to the conclusion that the car is either running "pig rich" or "extremelly lean."

I was initially going to have my car dyno tuned by a local forum member here, but him and I both understood it would NOT be a good idea to drive the car with the issues it was having. We both decided that it would be better to have the car street tuned.

He came down to my shop yesterday (Friday 29th) and began to look over the car. We ran into a few problems, but following that he actually began looking over the default base map. Turns out there was NO base map installed on the Microtech. It ONLY came programmed with a load map and NOTHING else :wallbash: . There were no readings for idle, cruise, wot, and anything else. The fans were shut to off and the injectors were NOT even firing :mad: ! Luis, my tuner, said the car was running EXTREMELY lean, hence the bright red manifold.

My question to everyone is that has anyone ever heard of something like this happening before? Receiving a Microtech with a load map, but no base map whatsoever with ZERO readings across EVERYTHING? I plan on emailiing Microtech and discussing this situation with them as well to pinpoint exactly who's at fault. I can't believe this bullshit!

Any help is appreciated. I'm really upset about this retarded situation.

Rizwan

I'm not sure what you mean. The "base" map that comes with the Microtech is just a generic load, idle, crank, etc. map that is supposed to be good enough to start the car. From there, you will need to modify the map to make you car run properly. There is no BASE map in the unit in the same way you will find a LOAD, IDLE, CRANK, etc. map...

In a rotary, glowing red exhaust is never lean. It's always crazy rich. All the Microtech maps start out insanely rich...

Edit...More thoughts...

The other maps are all zeros? Strange, but should not be a big deal. Head up to the Map sticky and use the TII base map as it will be close enough to get the car drivable (after you lean it out a lot).

Base maps are alomost useless anyway. They are NEVER a good point to start tuning...

Let me further explain a few things:

The car would NOT hold an idle on its own and without giving it throttle would shut down on the default map. I was told by everyone I spoke to that either has a Microtech, tunes Microtechs, sells Microtechs, or all the above that the base map should be good enough to drive on w/out boost, simply for the purposes of moving the car or taking it to a tuner. Well my map SUCKED. I wasn't able to even keep the car running and when I artificially maintained an idle the manifold would turn BRIGHT RED.

As for the fact that that glowing manifold = insanely rich, that's exactly what I thought, but it turns out that it was the exact opposite. The car was running EXTREMELLY lean with my tuner saying that the injectors weren't even firing. He went through the system and himself told me the car was running DAMN LEAN. He knows what he's talking about so I think it's safe to take his word.

Well I think it is a big deal b/c the car had NO maps whatsoever. Nothing for idle, crank, cruise, or anything else. ONLY a generic load and that's it! Luis basically said if you tried driving the car it would have blown your engine. I think that = BIG DEAL!

Fortunately for me, Luis took care of the problem and created his own map so that I can now atleast drive the car. I can't boost yet, but if I do go into boost he made sure the car will run very rich to prevent any damage from occurring.

I really posted this thread to see if anyone ever has something like this occur? I want to get to the root of this problem and find out who's responsible. All help is appreciated. Thanks again in advance.

Rizwan

That's complete bunk. :) All the car needs to drive is the LOAD map.

I think you are making a mountain out of a molehill. It's strange that the ECU came "blank" as I've never seen that happen. But it's really not a big deal since it is the job of the tuner to make the map anyway. Almost every standalone out there comes with essentially no map, or a map so generic that it would be a miracle for it to work (ever seen a virgin Haltech?). Put your energy into tuning the car and then having some fun! :D

how do u get to different com port on laptop cuz port1 and port2 dont work everthing is connected mircotech logger comes up on screen but when i plug n usb computer says com port#7

the usb->serial adaptor software should have a config to change it to com1 or com2. and tell luis i say hi!. hes gonna tune mine after the bigger turbo goes in

If your ECU was truly blank. No tuner could have got it to work. No offense but your tuner is pulling your leg.

thanks bro

Str8ryd, may you should try loading the other maps on the ECU and see what they have. If you are using your laptop to tune it. post some screen shots of the black maps