VersaTune - knowledge base

[kmh001]

This thread is for discussing and sharing our growing knowledge and experience with VersaTune. The aim is to help VersaTune users and assist potential users make an informed decision.

To begin with, here are some installation tips:

1. Purchase a Tactrix Openport 2.0 from Tactrix in San Francisco. While you're on their website, download and install the J2534 driver on a laptop PC in preparation.

2. Purchase a copy of VersaTune from VersaTuner - An Innovative Tuning Solution and when the licence arrives, download and install it on the same laptop.

3. Read the literature that comes with VersaTune, it's only about 15 pages. Don't go near your car until completing this vital step.

4. Hook up the Tactrix Openport between a USB port on your laptop and the OBD port on your car. Make sure the laptop is running on mains power - a flat computer battery could permanently disable your car.

5. Install VersaTune on your car, but first make sure the car battery is in good condition, it will stand with the ignition in the ON position for around 25 minutes while VersaTune reads and saves a copy of the factory tune. It will then install the base tune. You can then chose to follow up with installation of one of the other tunes in the VersaTune database.

6. The literature explains the process you now need to follow, which involves doing some miles and logging fuel trims, followed by some fine tuning of the MAF settings, followed by more logging to validate the changes.

It's not rocket science, but it's probably not for a novice. It's important to be patient and methodical. You must make one change at a time, then test and validate before moving to the next change.

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Anyway, I'm off to do some miles and play with my STFT's.

[TD]

For additional background knowledge download the Cobb tuning guide, some of the map names are different but it's a very good document to read and follow.

http://accessecu.com/support/docs/tu...MAZDASPEED.pdf

The worksheet referenced in the Cobb guide is attached
AccessTUNER Calibration & Tuning Guide Worksheet for MAZDASPEEDs.zip

[TD]

The licence requires you to remove VersaTune from the car before selling it. I didn't find this out until after the purchase and it may have changed my mind if I had known about it in advance. This is a highly restrictive limitation if you intend to pursue an engine hardware setup that requires a custom tune because the car becomes virtually unsellable when the tune is removed and the engine no longer works. I think VersaTune should reconsider this and permit a transferable licence.

Hi Mal - Steve from VersaTune saw your post as quoted above and asked me to relay the following info:

It has always been our intent to allow owners to transfer the license with the sale of their vehicle. If the license agreement is unclear about that, we will correct that.

If anyone has any questions about the license terms, please have them contact us for clarification.

[kmh001]

Thanks TD and thanks Versatune, that's great news.

---------- Post added at 12:07 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:53 AM ----------

There is a statement on the Home tab of the Versatune software which says "You also need to return your car to stock before selling it". I guess it's a bit ambiguous. However I have updated and removed the comment from the first post.

[guitar69]

Thanks kmh001 for starting this thread.
There are some invaluable suggestions in your first post.
The combined experiences of people such as yourself, TD and the greater VT community will be a huge benefit to all of us considering the move to VT as a tuning solution.
My purchase of the VT has been put back a bit by the immediate need for new rubber, but I'm following this thread with great interest.

[TD]

A bit of a warning announcement...log everything! Log and review, log and review and keep reviewing! Tuning gives you the ability to make your car go very fast and work to its optimum capability, but can also highlight areas you need to fix before modding or tuning any further. I will now show you why...

I have been running the high load tune, and logging with the General Performance + Boost Air Temp + Fuel Pressure parameters. This is a snippet of a log from earlier tonight, the fuel pressure reached dangerously low levels, and is visible evidence that even in our mild temperatures if you are mildly modded the factory fuel pump can't keep up with the fuelling demands of our cars. The picture explains itself. I'll now be obtaining a fuel pump upgrade ASAP. Be careful people, I don't wanna see any zoom zoom boom from you all

[Caffeine Fiend]

Interesting. This concurs with what the guys in the US have been saying for some time


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[TD]

It sure does, and I have multiple logs all showing it. Our milder temperatures overall make us less susceptible to the problems they had with FP, but you can't argue with the raw data when it's right in front of you.

[Nirvandan]

Interesting. This concurs with what the guys in the US have been saying for some time


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...and dimissed by many in here for sometime, i think I rather be safe than sorry.

[Yeldarb]

There you go... Dan, your can represents what many a member here has as far as hardware, DP, an intake, race pipe, FMIC.

Could you return the car to stock tune and run that log again. I know these cars run rich, but these changes we've made where not factored into the ECU from factory. I might not like to see what your log produces...if you have time of course

[TD]

Yeah sure, I still think you'll see a dip in FP while the pump tries to play catch up, especially with the DP and race pipe fitted.

---------------
On second thoughts maybe I won't...660 psi at full throttle and at full boost is territory I don't want to be in again...Sorry

[Caffeine Fiend]

...and dimissed by many in here for sometime, i think I rather be safe than sorry.

One of the BIG reasons I haven't done any intake/exhaust etc mods. Always suspected that the US guys weren't playing Chicken Little here but too much conflicting information


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[Yeldarb]

Yeah sure, I still think you'll see a dip in FP while the pump tries to play catch up, especially with the DP and race pipe fitted.

---------------
On second thoughts maybe I won't...660 psi at full throttle and at full boost is territory I don't want to be in again...Sorry

Fair call mate. Pretty hairy stuff.

[kmh001]

I don't think a single result should be taken as a broad statement that the stock HPFP is deficient. It is known that there is significant variability in their performance, with some not performing so well. But i think those are in the minority. I've been logging fuel pressure for donkeys and have never come close to a low pressure event. That could change with tuning if fuel delivery volume increases beyond pump capacity.

A common sense approach would be to avoid wasting money on an expensive and unnecessary mod unless you have established that you actually have a demonstrated fuel pressure deficiency.

I certainly won't be changing my pump unless the data shows that I need to.

[TD]

I guess the point I was communicating is that when modifying your car, do logs and check them thoroughly to see all is working well, in my example things clearly aren't. It's also visible evidence that we can get the fuel pressure problem here in our climate and on the Australian cars, which is a heads up to those who have the capability to check for it to do so and at least provide yourself with peace of mind.

That log was done from 1800-6200rpm in 3rd gear with the foot flat to the floor. Every low fuel pressure event I have noted in my logs was below 4000rpm.