My New V-Tune

[GTSPECB STI]

I think the subaru factory tune with its inherent stutter issues which are well documented by owners world wide is not what I would call a safe tune. Rather detuned and extremely rich if the truth be known.

And to pass emmissions in the critical 2-3000rpm zones

correct

[04GTLIB]

Guys.

Not sure if anyone's interested but I found out there is a definite difference in the make up/blending of fuels for summer and winter.

Winter fuels (unleaded, 91,95,98 octane) are blended lighter so to speak as they don't have to contend with the heat and vaporization issues commonly found during the warmer months.

Diesel on the other hand is made heavier, as during the winter months it has a tendency to go waxy or get thicker with the cold.

So there you go, I knew diesel was definitely different summer to winter but never thought there was a difference in unleaded fuels.

Cheers,
Rusty.

[wixy]

On the subject of fuels, I was using Shell V-Power in my 3.0r-b, and at a constant 110kph on the Hume Freeway, I returned fuel consumption of 8.6l/100km. I then switched to BP Ultimate and returned 7.8l/100km at a constant 110kph. I can’t be sure though if there are any differences with city driving as there are too many variables.

[Hotwire]

Andrew,

do you have access to a copy of the tuned ROM image by chance? Do you have an OBDII cable that you could pull the ROM for me?

Thanks!
Lee

[adhar]

Andrew,

do you have access to a copy of the tuned ROM image by chance? Do you have an OBDII cable that you could pull the ROM for me?

Thanks!
Lee

Hi Lee,

I don't have the cable and i have no idea what a ROM image is, sorry!

Vinny is a friend of my Dad's so i just let him do his thing with my car! I have no idea about the tuning side of things, i'm more mechanically minded.

I'll be getting another tune soon from Vin (in the next couple of months) so if you want i can ask for printout of anything in particular, i wouldn't know what to ask for.

I would recommend getting a custom tune for your car rather than dupilcate someone elses, as every car is different. Engines have slight differences depending on age, wear and tear, mods, build date, temperature, engine oil viscosity, fuel, the postion of venus compared to jupiter (joking) so unless its a very conservative tune (which i know mine is) you are duplicating i would get a custom tune to your exact car IMO.

Cheers

Andrew

[smythie]

and also how you want your car to drive

[Hotwire]

Andrew,

do you have access to a copy of the tuned ROM image by chance? Do you have an OBDII cable that you could pull the ROM for me?

Thanks!
Lee

Hi Lee,

I don't have the cable and i have no idea what a ROM image is, sorry!

Vinny is a friend of my Dad's so i just let him do his thing with my car! I have no idea about the tuning side of things, i'm more mechanically minded.

I'll be getting another tune soon from Vin (in the next couple of months) so if you want i can ask for printout of anything in particular, i wouldn't know what to ask for.

I would recommend getting a custom tune for your car rather than dupilcate someone elses, as every car is different. Engines have slight differences depending on age, wear and tear, mods, build date, temperature, engine oil viscosity, fuel, the postion of venus compared to jupiter (joking) so unless its a very conservative tune (which i know mine is) you are duplicating i would get a custom tune to your exact car IMO.

Cheers

Andrew

Andrew,
Don't get me wrong I was never going to load your tune to my car, that is just silly! What I would like to see is whether Vinny adjusts the CAM angle timing at all (the AVCS) as I have seen between AUDM, JDM and another members tune the cam timing is all the same. Yet when reading MRT's writeup on tuning the Liberty GT, they indicate there may be some gains made there.

Perhaps if you can't get a copy, would you mind asking Vinny if he adjust the cam timing at all? I have a tuner here in SA who is renowned australia wide for tuning EVO's (often gets flown interstate) who is willing to have a go at tuning subaru for the first time and I just want to give him as much info as I can.

Cheers
Lee

[adhar]

Ok no worries Lee.

Sorry i wasn't too sure what you were after there! Yeah i can ask him. When i was watching him tune it he spent almost all of the time playing the the manifold pressure? On the stock tune the manifold pressure didn't spike until over 5000 rpm, and each dyno run the place it spiked happened earlier in the rev range. It ended up happening at about 1500 rpm, thus providing much earlier spool and less lag.

Thats about all i could pick up, like i said, i'm hopeless with electronic stuff, but if i had to rebuilt a gearbox, easy as!! hehe

Cheers

Andrew

[Hotwire]

Ok no worries Lee.

Sorry i wasn't too sure what you were after there! Yeah i can ask him. When i was watching him tune it he spent almost all of the time playing the the manifold pressure? On the stock tune the manifold pressure didn't spike until over 5000 rpm, and each dyno run the place it spiked happened earlier in the rev range. It ended up happening at about 1500 rpm, thus providing much earlier spool and less lag.

Thats about all i could pick up, like i said, i'm hopeless with electronic stuff, but if i had to rebuilt a gearbox, easy as!! hehe

Cheers

Andrew

Andrew,

is Vin Macaro the man's full name? I see there is a contact email on the Melbourne Subaru Website (vin.macaro @ melbourne.subaru.com.au) and wondering if that's the man? I tried sending him an email with questions but have no response as yet.

Cheers
Lee

[Kevlar GT]

I was just looking at this post and was wondering why the tune tapers off at the top end to be only a few kw's above stock?

This is a genuine question and not intended to start a shit fight over tunes/max power etc. please don't start a flaming war over it.

[adhar]

I was just looking at this post and was wondering why the tune tapers off at the top end to be only a few kw's above stock?

This is a genuine question and not intended to start a shit fight over tunes/max power etc. please don't start a flaming war over it.

Hey mate,

Don't worry, valid question, i'm not about to argue anything here as i'm far from an expert in this field, but i hope i can answer your query.

BTW this graph is actually cut off by 500 revs in the first post, when i get home i'll try and post a better pic so you can see the whole lot.

On the standard tune, it actually 'spiked higher' than it normally does in most GT's at the end of the rev range. Vin said technically my car was making 5-10 more kw's max than it should. He couldn't explain this sudden small spike in power at max revs. So where it 'tapers off' as you said to the max is where the tune should be and is what i wanted to see, but the standard tune should mirror it, but about 12-15 kw's lower, its just that my car didn't! Because of this i only ended up with about 8kw more max, but much bigger increased through the rest of the rev range.

Hope that makes sense.

Andrew

EDIT: Found file of dyno graph, hopefully you can see it all now

[adhar]

Andrew,

is Vin Macaro the man's full name? I see there is a contact email on the Melbourne Subaru Website (vin.macaro @ melbourne.subaru.com.au) and wondering if that's the man? I tried sending him an email with questions but have no response as yet.

Cheers
Lee

Yes it is Vin Macaro

I just PM'ed you his number.

Andrew

[Sentinel]

Andrew,

Al and I are booked in with Vin in August. We both have the 2.5T, one man, one auto, and I was wondering if there is anything that you could recommend that we discuss with Vin now that you've been through the process. i.e. boost, AFR's, fuels, manifold pressures, lag etc??

Cheers

[Kevlar GT]

Thanks Andrew, my question was answered perfectly. Now i want to get my car tuned and you are all bastards ! LOL !

[Hotwire]

Andrew,

Al and I are booked in with Vin in August. We both have the 2.5T, one man, one auto, and I was wondering if there is anything that you could recommend that we discuss with Vin now that you've been through the process. i.e. boost, AFR's, fuels, manifold pressures, lag etc??

Cheers

I haven't had a tune done by anyone but the questions I would be asking myself are:

What do you want from the car? better low end response (driveability), OR better top end (Dyno Queen)? I would expect the answer to be: Low down response can be gained by adjust AVCS (cam timing), DBW (drive by wire) settings for requested torque, and boost target. Top end can be gained by aggressive ignition and leaning AFR's in the top of the rev range when coupled with boost increase (although this may not be effecient for turbo or IC)

How "safe" do I want my car to be? I.e. do I know only 98ron will ever go in the tank OR is there a possibility of running hte car on 95? Will I be boosting on Hot days, or only want bragging rights for cold nights etc.
Basically, the AFR you aim for under WOT will be dependant on how "safe" you want your tune to be. 11.5/12 is pretty safe, 12.5 is getting on the edge and 13+ is asking for troubles under WOT. He will manage this "mainly" with fueling and ignition timing.

So if you are interested in the tuning side of things, ask about DBW, AVCS, Boost & Timing settings, otherwise I would just tell him what you are looking for in drivability and let him tune away