markchap

I have a 2000 Camaro, Z28 with a stock auto tranny. The car is also stock. I wanted to start playing around with tuning, and while I have no plans to race the car. Aside from what I say I have changed, the tune there is still stock. The PCM's OS # is: 09381344.
I am using EFILive V1. Note: Words in quotes are my guidelines so far, as taken from various links...

2 parts - Engine and Tranny tuning:
Part 1: Engine

"Lean out the PE mode AFR {B3618} a bit to start."
My stock was 11.7 and I changed it to 12.2
Question 1 - Far enough to be safe?

"You will also gain some power by adjusting the spark advance. Fuel Mixture Spark correction table {B5908} (for heavy throttle)"
Stock B5980 table is flat - all Zeroes.
Question 2 - All Zeroes already, Is this correct?

"Under Fuel_Control->Open_&_Closed_Loop there's a little section called LTFT Boundries. The RPM button has 3 settings, which cut up the RPM/MAP histogram used for VE tuning into logical clusters called the Fuel Trim Cells. On some cars, the GM settings are so asinine that they put the second and third value completely beyond the rev limit, making them useless. I like to use them to put the FTC's into logical pieces/clusters: idle, light cruise, passing, WOT. So if your idle is let's say 900rpm, you tool around town under 2500rpm , then i set them to 1200/2500/4000. This way the computer is using a very logically laid out FTC, facilitating quicker and more precise learning. This will make the car behave better in general."
First this is wrong, it's B3809, Engine Calibration/Fuel/Trim/RPM Boundaries for LTFT Cells. And yes my were as assinine as you could get:
Was 2500.6502.6503, and I changed them to 1500,3000.4500.
Question 3 - Does this sound OK?

"Timing tables. They run about 19 degrees of timing at WOT, while 98-00 cars do 29. If you have no problems (read: knock) with the tables from the earlier cars, please flash your tables with them. If you do have problems with knock, or your car just doesn't benefit from the increased timing, go with a stock Z06 timing table. It should gain some power, but at the same time its not wild enough to induce knock."
Question 4a - Is this the B5913 and B5914 High and Low Spark Octane Tables?

Question 4b - Just shifting the table up 2 or 3 degrees? If it goes too high, the Knock Sensors will correct it, right?

Question 4c - In the old days one "tuned for knock" fom max power - it's still correct today, right?

Question 4d - Why would a Z06 table work - it's a different manifold, heads, etc, or is there this much tolerance in these motors?

"Turn the fans on earlier"
{G0901} Fan #1 Turn-on Temp, changed from "226" to "215".
{G0902} Fan #1 Turn-off Temp, changed from "219" to "200".

"First start with reading your stock 02 sensors, and doing some baseline 1/4mi passes or dyno pulls. Aim at .87-.91 all the way through the 1/4."
I didn't do 1/4 miles but at WOT I get averages of .870 and .866.

FYI my LTFT average is from -3.5 to -5.5, my KR never gets above 3.5 (rarely) and I always use 91-93 Octane Sunoco.

"Zero out your IAT RETARD table. This will make a big difference."
My table goes as far as -3.0 at the lower right end. That's not much of a change.

Question 5 - Isn't this to prevent hot engine detonation - or (again) will the KS take care of that?

"Move your rev limiter up. Tagging the limiter will ruin your pass. I set LS1's at 6600."
Question 6 - Why, you are past the HP /Q peak? I'll leave it at stock for durability.

Part 2: OK now for transmission tuning...

Question 7a - Can I create and use a "NORMAL"/" PERFORMANCE" switch by adding a momentary SPST from J1 pin 71 to ground on this car, and changing D0409 to ONE SWITCH???
Question 7b - Would I have to import tables from a car that had this feature, and if so which ones?

"Shift pressures: increase tables D0701, D0702, D0703 by no more than 10%-25% above stock"
Question 8a - If I wanted to, at 10%, then 7.6 would become 8.3 and 86.3 would be 94.5, and 90.0 would be 99.0 - But,
Question 8b - Can you go above 90?

"Change desired shift times: reduce tables D1108, D1109, D1110 to around 0.2s-0.3s.";
Question 9 - Stock is from .45 to .60 - This makes the bands and clutches apply faster only, by raising pressures, correct?

FINALLY:

I want to move the 4-2 downshift point up (based on MAP or Throttle position) but I don't see a table for that.
Question 10 - Do I have to do 4-3 and then 3-2 individually?
Question 11 - I don't see a MAP or TP table, only VSS and RPM. Is that the only variables on this tranny?
Question 12 - I see D0906, D0907 and D0908 - are they the ony tables to affect when the tranny "kicks down" based on TPS?
Question 13 - What about D0960, D0961 and D0962, will I have to 'futz' with them too (they use MPH)?
Question 14 - Is this a one-or-the other set or are they intertwined - they seemingly must be, but I am confused as to the relationship?

Here are my stock numbers for D0907:
12-0% TPS
18
18
19
21
24
27
29
33-50% TPS
36
40
43
46
52
58
66
86-100% TPS

D0908:
25-0% TPS
25
27
29
33
37
43
49
55-50% TPS
64
76
95
108
116
123
132
148-100% TPS

D0960, 61, and 62 are all at (stock) 100%
FYI WOT stock shift speeds (D0925-D0937) are 40, 84, and 148 MPH

Question 15 - Does ANYTHING need to be done to the UPSHIFT tables if the DOWNSHIFT tables are adjusted as desired above - and if so which ones?

Main reason for posting, with original questions from notes (Hopefully I got them all above) I want to make the downshifting less aggressive, so it downshifts only with additional TPS input, at all speeds, what would I adjust here? Surely there's something to "sense" a dangerous "lugging" condition (If i go too far) is there? If not what would be a pretty drastic change (can I have some table names and numbers please) that I could work back to stock from? Additionally it would be nice to have the "normal" (part throttle) upshifting be made so it shifts to OD quicker - for better economy, while leaving the near WOT upshifts alone - Which tables would affect this?

I know this is a lot, but this may also be useful to other newbies who may be just getting into this. Hopefully any EFILive folks can assist - especially with specifics - I am not sure exactly which tables (and which direction) to use to tweak those downshift points!

Thank you!!

MC

brad8266

iTrader: (23)

That is way to much handle at once. Here my little bit of advice, taking into consideration you are in stock form.

Start out by changing the rev limiter, shift points, firmness, and that kind of little stuff. Start out with a stock timing table. Since you are stock set PE table to 12.8-13.0, which is a good AFR sor a stock car, although it really depends on the car.

Then unplug MAF and go do some scanning while driving around. You want to hit all of the RPM vs MAP cells, do a lot of blipping the throttle at the different RPM's. Then afterward read the logs and scale the VE table as needed to get LTFT's at around -2. The plug MAF back in and do more scanning, then read logs and scale MAF table to get LTFT's to around -2. Then you can go do some WOT runs with and without the MAf plugged in while scanning to fine tune the MAF and VE tables so that your actual AFR equals the desired AFR.

Then you can try advancing the timing. Advance till you get knock, then back off a degree or 2.

And yes the knock sensors will prevent most knock that can occur.

joecar

Lol, too many questions:

Some Answers:

1. Safe only if you dialed in you VE table using a wideband O2 sensor.

3. LTFT boundaries, yes, that's good.

4. You want no knock; you don't want your knock sensors continually reducing timing (they will cause it to be reduced more than the amount required); also consider what will happen if your knock sensors fail; you want no knock (eliminate knock by manipulating timing and AFR); yes, B3913 and B3914.

5. Fan temps could be lower, depending on thermostat.

6. The 4L60E gear ratios are spread wide, so to avoid dropping RPM too much at the start of the next gear, you want to shift at the highest RPM your engine can handle (read: valvetrain).

8. I think 96 psi is the max, if you try to go higher the value gets truncated to 96, IIRC.

9. Not quite; the PCM applies the band/clutches quicker by ramping up the pressure quicker; there are separate shift pressure tables for increasing the pressure.

10. Yep, 4-3 and 3-2 individually.

12. Those are the Part Throttle downshift tables; see next answer.

13. Those are the kickdown tables; leave these at 100%, and control downshifting from the PT tables.

14. If you make the kickdown tables conflict with the PT tables, then you'll get strange shifting patterns.

Hmmm... just how aggressive are your downshifts (which ones)...?

Cheers
Joe

markchap

Well it's a balmy afternoon and were crusing at about 50 or so and I want to go around some car (probablly a minivan...) , with miles of straitaway in the passing lane. I am not going to blame my famiarity with mechanical detents on Powerglide, or the mush of at Turbohydramatic until you firewall it, but a leisurely (OK well maybe 50% throttle) this stock tranny goes from 4 to 2. I immediately realize this and back off a bit and it upshifts into 3, therefore I get this "Rmmmmmmm, WAAAAAAAAAA, Hmmmmmmmmmm, Rummmmmmm" as it settles into back into 4th.

There's gobs of torque in these motors, ask anyone with a manual tranny. I'd rather see a 4-2 at 75% or more - like when I REALLY mean it!

How be that for a multimedia explanatinon?

joecar

it'll do either 4-3 (upto around 125 MPH) or 4-2 (upto around 75MPH) depending on throttle position (the speeds vary with axle ratio);

doing 4-2 is OK as long as RPM does not hit the rev limiter;
RPM should just jump up (but be below redline) and MPH should then start climbing;

how much throttle did you use when it went 4-2...?

did it just downshift or did it buck/jump/clunk/bog/overrev/freewheel or was it hard/harsh/wild...?