Let me preface this with this caveat: I know nothing about tuning!

We (the wife and I) just had our A4 car SD tuned with a Cam (MTI X1) and a Torque Converter (3400/2.2).

The problem we are having is the car is stalling when the power steering pump is being used near the stop, while turning near idle, or going into reverse. Also some surging issues if you give it a little gas off of idle.

The tune was done by a reputable shop, that offers retunes, but I have started hearing bad things about the quality of their work... I am even considering paying another $400 to take it to another shop to get tuned because the wife has had a major turn of opinion regarding our original tuner.

I know I should just go back to the original tuner, and have them look into it, that is the cheapest most straightforward solution; and they already have an initial tune on the car and should know it (even if it is crappy)... The car put down decent numbers on the dyno so that is not an issue.

Anyway, the reason I am posting this is for ideas of what may be wrong with the tune to bring to the tuner.

EDIT: The car idles fine in gear at a stop light or sitting still, just when turning (parking spots, car port spot) does it stall. The car also runs like a raped ape with any throttle. I was just thinking maybe the idle needs to be a little higher. The car idles around ~850 rpm when warm.

 

How does it run at idel with the Air conditioning running? My guess is that the additional load on the motor when you are turning is making it stall. If that is the case maybe the additional load on the AC compressor will have the same effect. With that cam you might want to turn up the idle to a bit over 900. Good luck.

 

This is Azrael's wife.. he has not had it happen to him, but it will stall sitting at a stop light, has happened to me a few times... the surging issue is horrible, I have never heard a car that spits and sputters until it gets to running temp as bad as this car does now.. maybe it is the cam.. but I have never heard a car that does it this bad before.. my personal opinion is I would rather pick up soda cans on the side of the road to save the money to take it somewhere else.. than to take it back to the orginal tuner.. but it is an issue that we need to get taken care of..

 

Try more timing eg 28 - more running air flow in the temps that it is experiencing, try to richen up the VE table near the idle maps and stop it fluctuating toward lean.

This has helped my idle settle down. Mine used to be exactly the same as yours. It sounds tough but its annoying.

 

I have the same problem with mine. It's almost like sometimes the IAC motor can't keep up and it starts the RPM's will drop to like 500 and go up and down until it either stalls or finds my 1000 RPM idle point. It is usually when turning the wheel at idle like you said. I am also running SD but am doing my own tunning. I am trying to get it figured out. Just been short on time lately.

 

Not sure if you would like to share what shop it is (I'd like to know), but with that Cam, why did they tune it in SD mode? That cam is not that big. I tuned bigger cams in F-bodys with MAF and they don't have those issues.

Your idle should be around 825-875 rpms.

If I were you, I'd call them up or go there and explain everything, give them 1 more time to fix it since they are a "good" shop. It might be a simple fix that got past them.

Bill

 

Hey Bill remember when mine did this? Stupid 3500 stall

 

I got sent on a goose chase by people saying it was lots of things causing it - its simply idle air values, lean mixture and not enough timing. Just get someone to adjust those values.

 

In addition to the tuning, this may help... Your M1 needs more air than the stock cam - unplug the TPS sensor and crack the TB blade open 1/2 turn with the adjustment screw. Turn the key on, turn the key off, plug the TPS sensor back in. Drive it and see if it's any better, if not try another 1/2 turn. Small adjustments are key. You can always put it back, unlike drilling the TB hole bigger.

The running airflow and timing and raising the idle a touch are key for a cam, but giving the cam the air it needs will probably help a lot too even with the tune that's in there.

If you adjust it too far you will get a slow return to idle when you stop and a "cruise control" effect, just back the adustment screw off again if this happens.

Rob (Bad30th)

 

the most straight forward no BS way I can advise is to get your own tuning package and fix it yourself. Most shops don't have the resources to tune all the "streetability" issues.

sounds to me like you need to adjust the accessory airflow tables. FWIW, AC has its own set of tables.

As an idle test, while parked, turn on the head lights, turn the wheel, turn on the rear defroster, and turn the heater on full blast as close to the same time as possible. if the car stalls, you can bet it will on the street too.

 

I didn't want to shoot myself in the foot by possibly slandering a sponsor that a lot of people on here and our local car club go to; especially if we do go back to them to do our re-tune.

We requested to be tuned in SD mode because I had heard that it is actually easier to tune out the problems we are actually experiencing (surging, stalling) with out the MAF, and with the standard temperature hardly ever getting in the freezing, I figured replacing the MAF with a piece of Fernco would open up our intake a little. Everything I had read basically pointed us to SD tuning even with our mid-sized cam. Like I said under throttle the car runs like a raped ape, and made fairly decent numbers for a stalled auto.

Regardless, the wife loves our car (as it was actually bought as her car), and I daily drive it to work (because of my commute the car gets better gas mileage than our pick-up truck). Whenever we go anywhere the Camaro is our method of transport. So really it was my decision to ask for the SD tuning, so that these issues would not arise. I love the sound of the car at ~850-875, it lopes hard!

I seem to be figuring the car out a little easier than the wife, because I drive it more; but still it is frustrating to be in the middle of a U-Turn and have the car stall in the middle of the intersection, or even just pulling into a parking lot to park! I don't have a tuning package, and really can not afford one. I paid $450, and rental car fees to have it done right, and would just like to get what I paid for. The reason I posted on here is for the shear wealth of knowledge and experience to help me with suggestions on what I should expect our tuner to address or ask about.

We sincerely appreciate everyone's help!

 

You may also want to remove the IAC valve and check to see if it is clean or if it is carboned up or crusty; if carboned/crusty then it may not be able to respond quickly enough to PCM commands and will need replacing; they can be cleaned using electronic cleaner (watch out some cleaners like Brake Clean will destroy plastic parts and wire insulation...!).

I use CFC QD Electronic Cleaner for this, and I think CFC MAF Cleaner will also work.

 

I'll check that, thanks!

 

are both of you guys autos? my car has a similar occurance when making sharp full right turns. happened after i swapped o2's. i swapped those out for new ones and it still does it.

 

Our car is an auto, but it seems to be fine with the ac/heater on (which is funny) it just like to stall while turning (power steering).

Someone suggested trying it with the ac on, rear defroster on, lights all on, stereo on, and heck even the wipers were going, and the car still idled fine... It is only when turning that it has a problem.(!?!?)

 

It doesn't have to do with electrical load, it has to do with the crank getting rotation resistance from the power steering pump/serp belt.

If you feel froggy, take the belt off and go for a quick spin around the block. Careful not to overheat the car !

Rob (Bad30th)

 

thats what i was thinking too Rob. any ideas how to fix it?

 

Raise the desired idle RPM a little more (if that's reasonable) and make sure the airflow is happy would be my first suggestions. A tune that's already stumbling will be more prone to stall when the resistance occurs.

By the way, I'm no tuning expert but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

Rob (Bad30th)

 

my idles already at 1k. weird that it just started happening after i swapped back to my kinda old bosch o2's. then again, my tune does need some work i check to make sure the bolt didnt back out the crank and it was still in there nice and tight.

 

lots of variables to consider. need to make sure you have enough air at idle, with the correct spark advance, with the correct AFR. if any of this is off, you will be prone to stalling and or hunting.


Azrael - rather than spend another $450 with the same or different shop, why not just buy your own tuning software?