I made numerous changes the PROM article.

1) Changed formatting of some text, paragraphs, etc.
2) Added my pictures of modifying the MemCal and using an aftermarket PROM adapter (hypertech, jet, etc.)
3) Verified all the links
4) Clarrification on several subjects.
5) NEW topic added: Modifying the BIN
6) NEW topic added: Newbie Questions

Also Emphasized that you can burn a PROM in a couple of minutes but it may take you 10-200 to get the calibration for your car correct (patience, time, etc.) Emphasized research and provided direct links to GMECMs archives, etc.

Take a look.

If anyone has any suggestions let me know.

Tim

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• Program your own PROMs!. Read my article to get started!
• Research and Experiment before asking questions.
• This is not a chip store. Go to the classifieds if you want someone to sell you a chip or give you a BIN.

TRAXION's 1990 IROC-Z
Best Time = 12.244 @ 112.51mph (1.778 60' / 7.819@88.32mph in the 1/8)
All Natural. No Force. No Drugs. Stock Bottom End. Stock Body Panels.
Gunning for NA 11's with bigger cam, bigger stall, and bigger exhaust.
-=ICON Motorsports=-
Moderator: PROM board at thirdgen.org

 

Well Tim, you've accomplished the impossible...you've taken an excellent article and made it the best single article on the whole internet on programming eproms. Now we need a banner or link for it so all can see it.

Great job. Way to go!

 

Thanks Glenn!

My object when I first wrote this article was to put all the information concerning getting started on PROM burning in one single article. The MOST difficult thing when I was trying to learn how to do this was to figure out the process and the equipment/software that I needed. Nowhere on the internet could I find this information IN ONE PLACE. Thus, once I figured everything out I was determined to put it in one spot. Yea! I did!

It would be nice to have tuning techniques in one spot too. My goal was to write Part II of the series ... 'Tuning your Speed Density TPI Vehicle' ... then move on to Part III 'Tuning your MAF TPI Vehicle' ... etc. However, many of the techniques presented in part II would be duplicated in Part III. Furthermore, the BIGGEST challenge is that there are different lines of thought for tuning. Do you present the major lines of thought or all lines of thought? Furthermore - I have to keep in mind that WHATEVER gets posted will get LOTS of attention. That is tough because (as I have said so many times) ... I am NOT an expert. The more I learn the more I realize what I don't know. To be honest - what I REALLY would like to see is an advanced tuning article from Bruce concentrating on the TPI engine However, Bruce has 'other fish to fry' in his waters (just waiting on the little guys to bring them in).

Other things to consider:

• Tuning spark curves ... now there is a controversial subject if there ever was one.
• MAF cars. I don't own one. Writing how to tune car I don't have 'that' much experience bugs me.
• WOT tuning. IMHO if you want to do it correctly then you have to read the plugs or use a WB O2. You can NOT give experience on reading plugs in an article and WB O2 sensors are too much money. The DIY-EFI WB O2 sensor plans look like Japanese to me because I have zero experience reading such material.

In the end I think that the BEST way to get all the material in one place is to start a topic on GMECM (where almost all the experts are) entitled ... 'Tuning 201 the 730 ECM'. The problem is that you would need the 'experts' to participate AND you would need the 'newbies' joining in and delving further into the short answers that would appear. What would be REALLY cool is if the entire GMECM list could start a topic like the one mentioned above and then cover the important tables, constants, and flags in the HAC. There would need to be a moderator who would choose the topic of discussion for that day or week. Then, later on down the line, an individual compiles all of this info into an article and the article is signed 'by the GMECM mailing list'.

Again - Writing tuning techniques from one person's point of view (who hasn't been doing it for more than 5 years) would probably be unadvised. There are too many techniques, too many unanswered questions, too much that one inexperienced person can know, and too many variables (since one change usually affects 1000 other things).

Tim

------------------

• Program your own PROMs!. Read my article to get started!
• Research and Experiment before asking questions.
• This is not a chip store. Go to the classifieds if you want someone to sell you a chip or give you a BIN.

TRAXION's 1990 IROC-Z
Best Time = 12.244 @ 112.51mph (1.778 60' / 7.819@88.32mph in the 1/8)
All Natural. No Force. No Drugs. Stock Bottom End. Stock Body Panels.
Gunning for NA 11's with bigger cam, bigger stall, and bigger exhaust.
-=ICON Motorsports=-
Moderator: PROM board at thirdgen.org

[This message has been edited by TRAXION (edited February 02, 2001).]

 

On the subject of the article, you have definitely accomplished your goals. I think back to when I first read your article, which was very good and I had only a few questions after I first read it; but the older posts of this board cleared up any questions I had. And when I read your revised article, I have no questions.

Granted, the difficulty with addressing as the most commonly asked questions is that it makes the article "overwhelming". You did a great job in avoiding that too.

I understand the difficulties you mention in trying to address the subject of "tuning". From the archives, I have already seen that some people get very "defensive" of their technique and has caused some heated debates.

Pity, because I personally want to know as many different techniques as possible. Some have their advantages over others, and from what I have gathered, there is no "single perfect technique". It appears that it is best to use a combination of techniques, especially for confiramtion purposes. And, hopefully, as more people get involved and try different methods, some techniques will show to have strong advantages and others will be found to be ineffective. Remember the old "monitor the O2 sensor with Diacom and adjust your fuel pressure accordingly"? Two years ago on this board, that was one of the most promoted method of tuning for WOT. Now it has gone the way of the hoola-hoop.

Maybe for the time being, it is best to not "formalize" such an article and continue to share our methods and discuss them openly, honestly, logically and without any emotion. Hopefully, overtime, a base of knowledge will be developed that will make such an article feasible.

AND YES, I really wish we could get more of Bruce's time and attention. I really enjoy reading all of Bruce's posts. I wish I could make the trip to Bruce's gathering. Booking a vacation in the next month (not sure of when Spring Break is in the US but I assume it is sometime in the next month), does not appear to be feasible. I'd drive 3,000 miles to talk with Bruce. Might even go see "Guido" and make him an offer he can't refuse too. If Bruce was willing, maybe we could present him with a "draft - for discussion" document and he could spare some time to give some input.

Lastly, I wish we had some enthusiatic MAF guys here too. I don't know if it because we SD guys know that the eprom is so critical to the operation of our engine, or we just seem more willing to do it, or that our editors are bettr defined, but we do need some more MAF people to participate. It seems that we get a lot of them enquiring, but few seem to actually "step up to the plate".

 

Tim
Hats off to YOU!! Great Job.
Great run down, How about the link at the top of the prom page
Dennis

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85 vette,383,miniram,ZF6,4.10's..best ET 11.66@1187.00 60' 1.62
w/100HP nirous 11.05@127
http://geocities.com/bowtie8
Some of my track videos
http://bowtye8.tzo.com

[This message has been edited by BOWTYE8 (edited February 02, 2001).]

 

A link at top of the page would be a great idea, although it's not easy to insert it into Ultimate Bulletin Board's cgi files. One way to do it is to insert the html code for a link in the "custom header" field for this forum. I'm sure Dirk would know what I'm talking about.

 

Good job on the article, Tim!

I can't wait until I have the EFI system going and I can put it to good use. I have the 730 ECM, the miniram, and a memcal (in the mail). I hope to have an operational system by next fall.Your article has proven to be an excellent source. I now know what tools to get for September.

One thing we could use is a tuning article: How to methodically gather engine information fom either a road test or stationary dyno for the purpose of dialing in a chip. what do we do first? Work in the ignition maps? off-idle response at operating temperature? wide-open throttle?

I'm planning on putting the 385 on a water brake dyno after it's assembled. How could I minimise the total run time? Bring along the chip burner and iterate eight chips through the eraser?


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Daniel Burk
http://www.isthq.com/~dan/fcar.html
'84 Trans Am WS6/L69
KB SFC, Moser axles, Torsen Diff. PST suspension, Braided stainless brake lines, Koni struts, 11-inch rear disks,Spohn Adj. torque arm,
Ported 305 heads w/1.94"intake valves, Comp Cams XE262H, Griffen alum. radiator,
Turbine Technologies 2500 stall converter, underdrive pulleys, Crane Hi-6 & more.
1.05g skidpad verified.
New best E/T! 14.039 at 100.82 MPH in 41 degree air at Stanton, Michigan.