Being caught with Idle speed control
 

Ok this is how sometimes lateral thinking get you in trouble. :wallbash:

Ok I had a few issues with idle speed control it would idle great most of the time but sometimes it wasn't too flash. So I tried a few things with some very surprising results.
(1)
Catch one setting your idle setting your initial centre engine temp setting higher will make sure my will idle well after all it winds it down to the target rpm.. Sounds OK

Well heres the catch some times if you start your car and rev it, it will idle very quickly and not slow down ie 2500 rpm even when warm.

Why becasue with this setting set too high the idle speed is outside the idle control range Say 600- 1500 rpm Now once above 1500 rpm the wolf resets the initial centre according to temperature Now mine was 130 which equals 2300 rpm so the first surprise is when you go to slow down it doesn't!!!

Solution you need to make sure your initial centre opening does not cause your engine to exceed your maximum rpm set in your Activation folder "Higher Active Below" setting. If you reset you initial centre make sure you take your engine past the highest idle speed BEFORE you road test as the car could take off. The Wolf will adjust above the initial centre value to meet the Target RPM anyway so there is no need to set this too high any value from 80- 115 should be ok

I have mine set to 99 across the board .

Catch 2
If I set my idle speed "Lower inactive point" really low my car will not stall.

Well it actually makes it stall easier and usually in heavy traffic.

Why well the Wolf has one inbuilt feature that is never mentioned that is OUTSIDE the idle speed control range it uses ONLY the Initial Center Engine Temp setting Not RPM control. The Wolf constantly tracks the idle speed and tries to adjust it to your target even when driving. So if your target was 900 rpm and you are on light throttle doing 1400 rpm which is still within idle speed control it winds back the initial centre value too 1 thats ok, Now you lift off the throttle and because you had your idle speed control Lower inactive point set at 100 rpm it stalls because the tracking control isn't quick enough so you think so you wind up tracking speed and then your idle hunts... grrr it looks like you are stuck.

Solution set your "Lower inactive point(RPM)" higher say 600 rpm. How does this help? Well once you are outside the idle speed control range it doesn't track anymore!! It goes to the Initial Centre value instantly just like dabbing the throttle. The tracking may have only got back to 30 by this time your engine has hit 600rpm and then when it goes outside the "Lower Inactive RPM"( 599rpm) range mine goes to 99 . This stops you engine stalling.

Anyone want to add more please feel free.

This is for a 13BT series 4/5

Cheers
Michael Smith
Ready for Flaming
https://img409.imageshack.us/img409/5475/tank6rd.gif

i've just setup an idle control valve i pulled off a Ford XF Falcon! Anyway i've set the frequency to 125hz. When the engine is hot the initial valve setting (as read on the handcontroller not the PC software %) is 150. It idles great there. The setting on the PC software is 60%. The problem i find is its way too sensitive. If i increase this to 64% the revs go up to 3000rpm!! but then 63% they are only around 1500rpm.

So when watching the valve setting on the handcontroller. 150 idles around 1100 (where i want it) but 160 will be revving right up to 3000rpm.

Why is the range so short?? is that how it should be?
With the % table in the PC software i've got it set to 60% above 72 degrees and 62% below that. It would be nice to utilise the whole range.

I"m thinking maybe a restrictor in the piping will help but maybe this valve just has poor control.

oh one more thing the manual shows a diode to be installed. I haven't done this. I didn't put one on the boost control valve and it seems to work. What is this diode for? Prevent current reversing?

To make it not blow up the Wolf is what the diode is for. The coil in the idle control releases a spike that can blow up the transistor in the Wolf. You will find lowering the frequency will make it less sensitive.

Cheers
Michael Smith

ok cheers. i'll try lower it.

I've got it working pretty good now. It just hunts a bit when the engine's a bit colder however one thing thats annoying and i'm not sure why its doing it, is when i let off the throttle with the clutch in (changing gears) the revs stay there for a bit then drops to idle. Is this just air rushing through the idle valve because its open?

I'm thinking if i open the throttle stop up a bit so it doesn't need the idle valve to be open when hot whilst idling then that should fix it?

Lower the upper idle speed. Once you go above this it sets the idle control to the setpoint. In my case 99. If you don't the idle centre winds down to zero so when lift the gas it drops below your set idle (because the valve is closed )and then it winds/ramps up causing hunting. Also when it is colder you most likely have your temp centre(in your map) open so it rises above the maximum "idle speed upper"
I set mine across the board 99 and change my target rpm to reflect my desired rpm.
Cheers
Michael Smith

No i don't have this problem because i have the idle control to turn off with more than 2% throttle position.

What's happening is when i change gears the rev's aren't dropping in between so it sounds like i'm not taking my foot off the throttle.

So if i cruise along at 3000rpm and put my clutch in and close the throttle the revs are sitting at 3000 for about 1-2 secs then they drop to idle.

Ok when you close your throttle below 2% the Idle control circuit starts at your setpoint in my case 99 it takes a few seconds to wind down to 0. This is the delay you are seeing I bet. I will have to have a look at my notes, I think there is a fast reset option or something in the idle settings. I will have to think about this.

Cheers
Michael Smith

just a heads up..

i confirmed this with wolf and sent my unit in to be reflashed because of it.

The wolf would ignore the TPS readings for the idle control adjustments.

very very annoying when driving in traffic at low rpms.