NEWB NEEDS ECU HELP!

[m_melen]

hey guys, my knowledge of tuning/modifying/doing anything to stock ECUs is ZILCHO! help me!
i'll be buying Nistune along with a load of upgrades next winter but in the meantime, i'd like to make a couple basic modifications to my R32 GTST. Nismo thermostat, bigger turbo.
i've been told that at least the Nismo thermostat requires some modification to the ECU.
so how do you guys without Nistune make changes or let your computer know what mods you've made? i'd appreciate any basic lessons, or even a link to a helpful webpage. i've tried the forum search, but i've found it hard to find what i need due to the many many pages that involve "ECU tune"
thanks!

[mcfly]

don't get a nismo thermostat

[BlackAura]

reasoning behind that McFly? (I'm sure there is, I'm just wondering why)

I'm guessing something to do with it opens at lower temps so it takes longer for the car to heat up? i.e. not good on a daily driver.

[m_melen]

yeah, reasoning? and i still want help with my original question for any other changes i make. thanks guys!

[Skym]

Nismo low temp thermostat starts to open at around 62.5 degrees vs factory thermostat at 76.5 degrees.

From what I understand, engines like to keep hot, around 80-90 degrees. A low temp thermostat is not needed unless your racing, where coolant temps can spike to over 90 degrees during sudden hard acceleration with stock thermostat or engine is producing enough hp to make coolant temps spike to over 90 degrees during sudden hard acceleration with stock thermostat.

I think you need to adjust startup, warmup fuel, ignition tables to suit low temp thermostat opening at 62.5 degrees, instead of 76.5 degrees like factory thermostat. With Nismo low temp thermostat + stock tables, engine will run rich until coolant temps reach over roughly 80 degrees. When engine cools down when stationary, idling, ECU will make engine run rich.

The procedure :- You'll probably need to adjust settings on startup, warmup ignition, fuel tables to suit new thermostat. Wait till next day when engine is fully cold and datalog warmup A/F ratio via wideband, ignition timing, rpm. Then make changes to startup (make engine start properly when cold), warmup fuel, ignition tables if necessary. ECU tuning can't be done in one day, so it might take more than few days to get startup perfect.

[mcfly]

reasoning behind that McFly? (I'm sure there is, I'm just wondering why)

I'm guessing something to do with it opens at lower temps so it takes longer for the car to heat up? i.e. not good on a daily driver.

I'm using the reasoning that Formula 1 engines cant be driven until they are at 80 degrees

just knowing that would stop me

[klys]

technically the stock computer permits a bit of a boost increase, but not by much. bigger turbo with more air coming thru and you'll just be running at the last column in the fuel and timing map. not exactly the best thing for your engine...

get an ecu retune :P *wink* *wink*