Custom tunes safe for track usage?

[DarkSunrise]

Originally Posted by brn12345

To OP. I run my car on track days and usually the sessions are 30 minutes each. I have headers and no cats on my car. I run OFT Stage 2 EL tune on my car. When at the track I run VP MS103 and usually fill up a day before and drive around for the ecu to compensate. I have logged many track days and I can tell you that with pump gas running stock tune or tuned the car will knock. So to reemphasize, run a high enough octane fuel at track.

Another thing I noticed is that my oil temps were at around 290F during the 30 min run. This is way to high. I have ordered an oil cooler and will log temps and impact during coming track days.

I would also recommend getting your tuner to add safety measures related to temperature rises as added insurance.

To sum up, I have run the car at the track at full throttle for at least ten 30min sessions with oil temps at 290F using VP MS103 fuel and have not had knock or injector seal issues.

I agree with the above. I've done around 10 track days with this car running 100 octane gas each time and haven't had any issues with DI seals or coilpacks (yet).

I won't switch to 93 octane until I've put in the following parts:
- catless header (thermal coated)
- OP/FP/CBE
- OFT stage 2 (91 octane tune for track use)
- oil cooler

Some might think this is overkill, but I'd rather be safe than have to replace DI seals or worse.

[solidONE]

Originally Posted by coyote

I run egt sensors on the dyno and capture knock by individual cylinders. That, in conjunction with data collection at the track, is the only way to build a rock solid tune. Pulling timing to address heat is like adding more lock to tame understeer. There are unused tables in these ROMs that can be used to cater for the needs of just about any track car but most of the tunes I've seen are very basic and not even safe for the street.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

If you don't pull timing to maximize the amount advance youre running for different temp ranges, then how would you make sure you are getting the most power down (in the absence of knock) for a range of temperatures? There is no other way to do it that I'm aware of.

Or, do you just tune with the highest temperature you expect to hit on track in mind and apply it across the board? Assuming the adjustments the ECU can be programmed to make to account for temperatures is not sufficient, a separate tune for track duty would be the best solution. That's only assuming you can't make it work for a broad range of temperatures and conditions.

[Sleepless]

Only one out of four tracks in the NW have race gas so 92 is all we have. I'm guessing there are many tracks where race gas is unavailable. So, here is a request for the tuners out there: make a "track power pack" that has been tested and tuned for 91 octane.

I'd be curious if there are meaningful power increases on the track tune. My guess is that there is little, if any, power gains over stock.

[strat61caster]

BUMMMP ^^^^^ What he said.

I've got an early build car and finally getting off my ass to update the ECU to avoid melting injector seals before the season starts. Dealerships are currently uncooperative to update without hassle (one told me it's a 2-3 hour appointment!) and I'm impatient.

OFT is tempting as it should incorporate the fix for the transient tip-in knock but it appears to advertise +10hp! over track safeness.

I'll gladly take a hit to peak performance if it means I can flog this FA20 all day long and not have any issues stemming from the tune (accounting of course for temperatures), although it's starting to look like I should just dump a gallon or three of 100 octane in there...

[steve99]

Originally Posted by strat61caster

BUMMMP ^^^^^ What he said.

I've got an early build car and finally getting off my ass to update the ECU to avoid melting injector seals before the season starts. Dealerships are currently uncooperative to update without hassle (one told me it's a 2-3 hour appointment!) and I'm impatient.

OFT is tempting as it should incorporate the fix for the transient tip-in knock but it appears to advertise +10hp! over track safeness.

I'll gladly take a hit to peak performance if it means I can flog this FA20 all day long and not have any issues stemming from the tune (accounting of course for temperatures), although it's starting to look like I should just dump a gallon or three of 100 octane in there...

The stock tune is not to good either knock wise (even with the transient retard fix's)

Guy came over the last week stock A01G rom stock car running 98 RON fuel and his IAM was 0.5 indicating significant knock. (road driving) our 98 is about the same as your 91 usa fuel.

ie you still need good fuel even on a stock car.

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by steve99

ie you still need good fuel even on a stock car.

Hence, the last sentence in my post.

[steve99]

Originally Posted by strat61caster

Hence, the last sentence in my post.

+1 best cheapest insurance for track day is tank of good fuel.

Most custom tunes should be better than stock tunes especially if you dont have access to high quality fuel like us in Oz, our fuel is expensive and not much good.

E85 gives us good gains (appropriate tune of course) here due our petrol being rubbish.

[Xero-Limit]

You'll always do better with a custom tune over something off the shelf or even stock. We've had plenty of folks around the world who have junk fuel, and due to how the knock sensor pulls timing we actually make more power by dropping the timing down a tad. Not to mention you keep the IAM from plummeting by reducing tip in knock.