TRUTH/MYTH OF LOTUS ECU

[robains]

That would not work for several reasons -- track conditions change thru-out the day. The higher your 1/4 mi times (as in 15.0 sec is pretty slow - no offense intended) the more likely they'll be consistant regardless. As 1/4 mi times get lower, launching the car gets more difficult and hence more variance in 1/4 mi times.

I'm not a great drag racer, and I've been all over the place in the Lotus (12.2 - 13.2) and the same with Cobra (13.2 - 14.2). I seriously doubt any CAI kit would actually show up in drag times. Considering Lotus Exige S bone stock is 12.8 (ish) and I've increased output by 30% over stock and only gained 0.6 sec. I don't see how even a 1% output gain from a CAI kit (being optimistic) would realize anything significant in 1/4 mi times.

[GTsRasta]

Well dyno tests aren't doing any good since stock A/F ratios richen back the leaned out tune CAI's make once learning is done .

But I agree with you though. Celica CAI's run lower to the ground, further away from the engine, and brings in colder and denser air than your shorter intakes placed a good foot above where my CAI filter is located. So that can account for our more significant gains with a CAI than you guys.

But as far as it making LESS power 100% across the board with a raise in VE...I have yet to see such a dyno to substantiate the claim that it makes less power everywhere than in just the low-midrange and show gains in the top end, just like the Fujita CAI dyno on Sector111.com that they use for their Fujita CAI sales.

[charliex]

yeah i'd have to agree with robains, it'd be hard to imagine any real gains, unless airflow was restricted, it'd have to be the bottle neck in the system to really help, i still think a lot of the perceived gains are related to the MAF manipulation.

If it picks up cooler air, or lets it breathe easier then yes a little, but what it'd turn into as usuable power increase is probably less than the error margin for the testing methodolgy.

I have some dyno sheets from the last trip that show the problems that an incorrectly placed MAF will cause, i'll post them up soon.

[Illumiloti]

I have a friend who is an engineer that specializes in making superchargers and charge coolers for BMW's and Mini Coopers. He is designinging a charge cooler for my '07 Exige S that replaces the stock intake manifold. He reasons that the long U tube that goes from our stock intercooler to the stock intake manifold loses a bit of the boost by making the charge travel that far. His system will send the cooled charge directly into the engine. I believe (Charlie, correct me if I'm wrong) that this is what Frank's custom Pro Alloy/ intake manifold accomplishes.
My questions are:
a) does this reasoning make sense (shorter run to the engine = less drop in boost)? and
b) will the ecu negate any gains, if any, realized by the altered intake manifold?

[robains]

It sounds reasonable, but not sure there is much to be gained from it. The Lotus tubes aren't exactly super long. No where near as long as some of the stuff I've seen on other cars (like EVO's and front mount STi).

But in theory shorter is better so long as nothing else is being compromised.

No idea if the stock ECU could or couldn't deal with the modification. I'm a strong believer of stand alone EFI units and dyno tuning for any power adder (one hopes) modifications.

[charliex]

Just echoing what robains said, but i'd imagine it'll be ok, as with most of the mods to get the most out of it would likely require time on the dyno, of course i dont need the stand alone efi since i can do anything it can with the stock ecu

[robains]

Hmmm...you sure you can do all of what my EFI can do?

EFI X3

[Scrumpot]

Originally Posted by charliex

Just echoing what robains said, but i'd imagine it'll be ok, as with most of the mods to get the most out of it would likely require time on the dyno, of course i dont need the stand alone efi since i can do anything it can with the stock ecu

Charlie - Have tried to contact you. Your PM Box seems to be full and not currently taking messages. e-mail bouced. Please let me know how we can get in touch.

Sorry for the thread hijack folks. Carry on.....

-Grant

[charliex]

hmm, yes, i can even do some stuff the EFI x3 doesn't do, for instance i don't need a $1,000 DBW add on box, i use 1 Mbps CAN bus instead of 115Kbaud RS232, i can't see anything on that list that'd be used on the lotus that the stock ecu can't do.

They're very similar units, I believe the X3 even uses the same processor as the 06 Efi.

At the end of the day its just a computer with various inputs and outputs, its the number of them and what they can do that makes the differences.


look familiar ?
http://www.obr.uk.com/ECUs/Euro4-prs3-log.pdf

[Illumiloti]

Originally Posted by robains

It sounds reasonable, but not sure there is much to be gained from it. The Lotus tubes aren't exactly super long. No where near as long as some of the stuff I've seen on other cars (like EVO's and front mount STi).

But in theory shorter is better so long as nothing else is being compromised.

No idea if the stock ECU could or couldn't deal with the modification. I'm a strong believer of stand alone EFI units and dyno tuning for any power adder (one hopes) modifications.

Well, my plan is to put on this charge cooler, the cup car airbox, PPE Header, Tubular exhaust, 3.0 pulley, and larger injectors...then bring the car up to Charlie and have him do a custom tune for all those mods. What does everybody think of that plan?

[charliex]

Originally Posted by Scrumpot

Charlie - Have tried to contact you. Your PM Box seems to be full and not currently taking messages. e-mail bouced. Please let me know how we can get in touch.

Sorry for the thread hijack folks. Carry on.....

-Grant

charlie AT finitemonkeys . com or 818 404 2395
cheers