NISTUNE or Power FC?

[tokes]

can this datalog, and do you need to flash an eprom or something to make the ECU changes perminant? Or is it like PFC where you make a change and it automatically becomes perminant.

With nistune you can adjust the maps realtime and see how they're changing. You open nistune and click the consult button to connect to the ECU, then click the sync button to load the map from the ECU into the nistune program. Now you are "real time" tuning. Any changes you make in the program are shown instantly on the cars ECU. For example, open the fuel map and use map trace to see which cells your car is running on, select them, then hit the + key a bunch of times and watch your AFR drop on your wideband. You can get the car running right to remove any stutter, and then when you're done you hit the burn button (burns changes to ECU, so that the map you have modified will stay in the ECU when you unplug your laptop), and then your map is saved.

It's handy, because you can be messing around trying to fix a problem and if you've just made things worse you can resync with the ECU and get the map you had on the board back again without any of the recent changes you just made.

[Skym]

Just curious, any major tuning software problems during this process or have they ironed them out???

[falcon]

With nistune you can adjust the maps realtime and see how they're changing. You open nistune and click the consult button to connect to the ECU, then click the sync button to load the map from the ECU into the nistune program. Now you are "real time" tuning. Any changes you make in the program are shown instantly on the cars ECU. For example, open the fuel map and use map trace to see which cells your car is running on, select them, then hit the + key a bunch of times and watch your AFR drop on your wideband. You can get the car running right to remove any stutter, and then when you're done you hit the burn button (burns changes to ECU, so that the map you have modified will stay in the ECU when you unplug your laptop), and then your map is saved.

It's handy, because you can be messing around trying to fix a problem and if you've just made things worse you can resync with the ECU and get the map you had on the board back again without any of the recent changes you just made.

ahh OK. This sounds really cool. I was just hoping it wouldn't be like every time you made a change you would have to burn it to see if it made a difference. The real-time really makes it I think. Definatley going to look into this in the near future.

[judasentinel]

I am running Nistune now, and its very very handy and user friendly. I have removed most of the hesitating stutter at idle and I make changes on the fly, just like PFC or AEM standalone.

Now my next target is to change my afr and timing maps throughout the rpm and load range. Hopefully, I will have a strong base map for my RB25DET. I think running Stinky's chip (go to www.stay-tuned.ca for more info) was the best decision I made, as not only did it open my eyes to tuning, but it also gave me valuable insight into how to do it and take the next logical step of doing the tuning in real time all by myself.

[Skym]

Did the information I sent you help with A/F ratio's, etc???

[APL]

Sounds like a really good diy tuning option. How long has this been out for?

[judasentinel]

Nistune has been out for at least 2+ years. The main brain behind this is Matt, from Australia. It is not only cost-effective, but is also a real IN YOUR FACE standalone EMS that can perhaps give at least the one finger salute to AEM EMS and PFC and a definite F&%K YOU!! to piggy-backs.

I have already started talking to a very well-respected tuner to get into Nistune. If this thing flies, I am telling you all who aspire to have a real-time EMS but cannot afford an AEM or PFC (financially or availability-wise), THIS THING IS THE SH%T!!

The big advantage in my opinion that Nistune has over PFC and AEM EMS is that it allows you to maintain the safety maps (AFR and KNOCK) while you tune you car for whatever purpose you want. Our stock ECUs have two maps for AFR and two for knock. One map for each is the safety map, which is a toned down version of the main map. If and when the ECU detects any knock in the engine due to ANY reason (temperature, timing, leaning out, etc..), the ECU automatically falls back to the knock map, and when the knock is gone, it goes back to the main map.

Generally speaking, it is a good idea to leave the stock knock and afr maps alone as they come from Nissan. And you can still tune the main maps to your liking. You can change anything ranging from the K (lambda) constant to injector latency to pulse width, and also control the ignition timing.

I happen to have the MINE's maps for RB25DET and trust me, THEY SUCK!! They have reduced the ignition timing so much that the car is totally undrivable, UNLESS you change some of the hardware and have the NVCS enabled. Since I dont, my car didnt run with MINE's map. Then I went to tryu out the J-Tune version and it was a bit better, but not too much. I also tried a few other RB25DET maps from various tuners from the JDM world, and none of them seem to work properly. In the end, I just took the base RB25DET map, tweaked it a bit and the car has responded well to it. For now, I have just resolved the idle roughness.

One thing you will notice in the maps and I need to tell this to anyone who is using any kind of an EMS where you can see your maps - the afr and timing figures you see in the maps and usually not the same that the engine is running. There is always a difference of a few points or degrees. For example, in my timing map, I am supposed to be running 16-23 degrees BTDC advance at idle, but in reality, I stay smack at 15 degrees BTDC, the stock value for RB25DET. Similarly, when the afr maps shows me I should be at around 11:1 for fuel, my wideband shows that I am actually at around 13-13.5. This means that there will always be discrepancy between ECU maps and the actual event in the engine.

For the afr maps to be utilized properly, you have to tune the car with the O2 sensor disabled, otherwise, as soon as our car's engine reaches 30 degrees celsius, the ECU starts running the car at 14.7:1 afr, as per the O2 sensor readings and disregards the maps. Once you disable the O2 sensor feedback, the ECU is forced to run everything off the map, which is what you want. At this point, you will see your map values being different from that magic number. All you have to do then is play around till your wideband shows you 14.7:1 in all rev and load ranges. After this is done, even when you enable the O2 sensor, your maps will still be valid, as you will almost always run within a close proximity of 14.7:1. Watch out for high load/high boost areas, where you may want to run a bit richer. Lower your afr extra in those ranges and that would take care of extra air coming in.

And Skym, yes, thanks..........it did help. Much appreciated, mate.

I dont think that after having this option now, I would need to go for AEM EMS or PFC anymore. There's nothing that they can do that I want, that I cannot do with Nistune.

[Skym]

About the info, etc, you're welcome.

Also thanks for the info, explanation on the fuels, etc (another thread).

From what I remember with Nistune tuning software, you can compare wideband AFR result via displaying A/F ratio on a AFR map (AFR map displays 11.7:1 in a cell) to fuel map value.

Basically I think wideband AFR map only shows what cell is used via maptracing. Then you compare to same cell on fuel map. Maptracing allows you to see what cell the ECU is using on a map and with trailing turned on it allows you to see what cells the ECU has used before and after.

AEM ECU is better in terms of how fine you can tune the engine (more map points). This helps with drivability, etc. Also can fit outputs (digital dash, etc), inputs (more sensors, etc). Also can run MAP, IAT sensors (not limited to MAF).

For road use, track days, dragracing, drifting, stock ECU with Nistune board installed will be more than enough.

[klys]

looks like alot of fun!

Now I want one
hehe

[Skym]

Yeah, ECU tuning is fun until you blow an engine up when pushing the limits with fuel, igniton timing.

Venom Mortorsports, Ztune Motorsports in Canada sell the Nistune boards -

CANADA

Venom Motorsports
809 56th Street, Delta, British Columbia
Contact Rune on 604-375-2387
Venom_Motorsports(at)telus.net
Capable of reprograming NIStune boards and provide tuning for all supported platforms

Ztune Motorsports
#103 - 5180 Lougheed Hwy, Burnaby, BC
Contact Tim on (778) 737-7467
timg [at] ztune.ca

http://www.ztune.ca

[BrooklinsFinest]

I thought I'd bring this one back from the dead.... Is there any new advances with this program and hardware, if so what are they? Also, does it work with the R33 GTR's? How does one go about purchasing one of these boards?

[Skym]

They have launch control software for stock ECU. Only available for Silvia or 240sx?? that you call them in USA at this moment in time.

For R33GTR you'll need R32GTR ECU and R32GTR stock 02 sensors x2, as R33GTR stock o2 sensors are different to R32GTR.

Then purchase Nistune tuning software, PLMS consult cable and download maps from R33 GTR ECU and send to Matt in Australia via email (should be a 32kb or so .bin file, but I think R33 ECU uses odd, even .bin files, so confirm with Matt on how you download them), so can burn to Type 2 board for R32GTR ECU. If you wanted, can send R32GTR ECU to Matt and he will install Nistune board in ECU and test that it works, etc. After you get ECU back, swap o2 sensors, ECU and your done. You'll have a retuneable stock ECU via using consult port, consult cable, laptop with Nistune tuning software, wideband, etc.

Or Nistune dealer in USA if you want someone local (scroll to near the bottom in link below to see Nistune dealers in USA) -

http://www.nistune.com/workshops.htm

[sleeth21]

I'm seriously considering buying nisune. But being as newb as possible. Is this software totally diy? Can you safely tune you car buy just reading documents and what not? Also I noticed on the site there where workshops. Has anyone taking a workshop? Was it worth is?

[m3tal]

I think the workshops listed on the site are just vendors that sell Nistune, or are familiar with tuning using it.

[Skym]

They are workshops that sell, fit parts, tune ECU on dyno.

The documents are basics of how the tuning software works and what each feature does.

If you want to learn to tune a ECU, I would suggest doing a course or learn off another tuner who has experience tuning your engine.

Also you have to know the basics of how a internal combustion engine works, etc (what you learn in a course).

Most tuning shops can rent a dyno out, so it's matter of knowledge, practice.