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Cobb Accesstuner noob

Messages
22
Likes
9
Location
Altamonte Springs
#1
Hey guys, just got certified through EFI University for Cobb Accesstuner for Ford, now I'm looking for some start up tips. If anyone wants to share at least a smidge of knowledge I'd be happy to listen. I'm brand-spanking-new to tuning but it's something I want to pursue.
 


Messages
188
Likes
83
Location
Baton Rouge
#2
Hey guys, just got certified through EFI University for Cobb Accesstuner for Ford, now I'm looking for some start up tips. If anyone wants to share at least a smidge of knowledge I'd be happy to listen. I'm brand-spanking-new to tuning but it's something I want to pursue.
:::Typical stuff:::

Well, to start off...you are going to want to replace the spark plugs with fresh ones. If you are on the OEM Ford plugs, you should do this ASAP because the motor-craft plugs are too hot and gapped too wide for self-tuning. Get NGK LTR7IX-11, it is a step colder. Gap to 0.0245" to 0.0285" for best results...yes, that small. Gap to the smaller range for E85 blends, and go to the higher range for 93 octane. Trust me when I say it makes things way easier. If you are worried about damaging the iridium tip, order a lot of spares or buy pregapped plugs from someone like Whoosh or Tune+.

You need a decent intercooler and spark plugs. That is it. An intake does virtually nothing for the OEM turbo, and the exhaust does virtually nothing for the OEM turbo. Don't start tuning the car without an aftermarket intercooler...unless you are spraying water-meth to cool things down (and not tuning for WMI)...then you can get away with using the stock intercooler.

Watch cylinder #1 ign. corr. at all times. That tends to be the picky cylinder for most people's cars. For me at least, cylinder #4 tends to be the second pickiest. You should watch and log all cylinders in your data logs, but pay the most attention to #1 first and #4 second.

Doing a map for Water-Methanol Injection is probably one of the biggest gains you can pick up in the car. You can set like, slot #1 to low boost, slot #2 to 93 octane, and slot #3 for WMI. I would keep the "STFT" Accessport parameter on screen in view of the driving position when doing WMI. The short term fuel trim will quickly show you how you meth-injection is going. If the STFT goes negative, the car is pulling fuel. This is good, becasue it shows that the WMI is working. If the STFT is going positive, then we know either the WMI ran out, or something malfunctioned. A positive STFT shows that the car is adding extra fuel to compensate for the lost meth.

Be careful with how much boost you add down low. The turbo turns into a flamethrower past...maybe 23-24 psi. So, you are better served by finding ways to hold boost up high and play with other parameters...the turbo is just really tiny, which goes to my next point.

:::Crazy expert level knowledge:::

If you are really ballsy, you can spray WMI directly into the intake of the turbo. Doing wet compression dynamically changes the compression map of the turbo, making it exhibit characteristics of a larger turbo. There is a lot of power to be made here, but most people aren't comfortable doing it. To do this, you need a solenoid to keep it from dribbling under vacuum, and you need a small (2/3 GPH) nozzle as close to the compressor blade as possible. The OEM black plastic intake elbow is a good place to tap, since it is like 3" from the blades. Downsides to this are potential compressor blade wear. If you have poor atomization, this can wear the compressor of the turbo. If you set it up right, you can get maybe 100k-200k out of the OEM compressor when doing wet compression. People have been doing it for years on diesels, but it is less popular in gas engines. Don't do this, unless you think you know what you are doing...even then you should still think about it. Going rate for stock turbos is about $300 in the forums...so worst case you can browse the forums for a test mule or replacement if you screw up.
 


OP
K
Messages
22
Likes
9
Location
Altamonte Springs
Thread Starter #3
:::Typical stuff:::

Well, to start off...you are going to want to replace the spark plugs with fresh ones. If you are on the OEM Ford plugs, you should do this ASAP because the motor-craft plugs are too hot and gapped too wide for self-tuning. Get NGK LTR7IX-11, it is a step colder. Gap to 0.0245" to 0.0285" for best results...yes, that small. Gap to the smaller range for E85 blends, and go to the higher range for 93 octane. Trust me when I say it makes things way easier. If you are worried about damaging the iridium tip, order a lot of spares or buy pregapped plugs from someone like Whoosh or Tune+.

You need a decent intercooler and spark plugs. That is it. An intake does virtually nothing for the OEM turbo, and the exhaust does virtually nothing for the OEM turbo. Don't start tuning the car without an aftermarket intercooler...unless you are spraying water-meth to cool things down (and not tuning for WMI)...then you can get away with using the stock intercooler.

Watch cylinder #1 ign. corr. at all times. That tends to be the picky cylinder for most people's cars. For me at least, cylinder #4 tends to be the second pickiest. You should watch and log all cylinders in your data logs, but pay the most attention to #1 first and #4 second.

Doing a map for Water-Methanol Injection is probably one of the biggest gains you can pick up in the car. You can set like, slot #1 to low boost, slot #2 to 93 octane, and slot #3 for WMI. I would keep the "STFT" Accessport parameter on screen in view of the driving position when doing WMI. The short term fuel trim will quickly show you how you meth-injection is going. If the STFT goes negative, the car is pulling fuel. This is good, becasue it shows that the WMI is working. If the STFT is going positive, then we know either the WMI ran out, or something malfunctioned. A positive STFT shows that the car is adding extra fuel to compensate for the lost meth.

Be careful with how much boost you add down low. The turbo turns into a flamethrower past...maybe 23-24 psi. So, you are better served by finding ways to hold boost up high and play with other parameters...the turbo is just really tiny, which goes to my next point.

:::Crazy expert level knowledge:::

If you are really ballsy, you can spray WMI directly into the intake of the turbo. Doing wet compression dynamically changes the compression map of the turbo, making it exhibit characteristics of a larger turbo. There is a lot of power to be made here, but most people aren't comfortable doing it. To do this, you need a solenoid to keep it from dribbling under vacuum, and you need a small (2/3 GPH) nozzle as close to the compressor blade as possible. The OEM black plastic intake elbow is a good place to tap, since it is like 3" from the blades. Downsides to this are potential compressor blade wear. If you have poor atomization, this can wear the compressor of the turbo. If you set it up right, you can get maybe 100k-200k out of the OEM compressor when doing wet compression. People have been doing it for years on diesels, but it is less popular in gas engines. Don't do this, unless you think you know what you are doing...even then you should still think about it. Going rate for stock turbos is about $300 in the forums...so worst case you can browse the forums for a test mule or replacement if you screw up.
I appreciate the pointers. For reference I'm currently on Cobb OTS stg 1, 93 oct. No aftermarket goodies with the exception of a panel filter, and an unfortunate cat-back delete. Pipe was torn down the middle by debris on road, had to remove everything but the downpipe, just saving for an exhaust now. Recently been monitoring Ign. Corr. on all 4 cylinders, most I've seen is +6, it's rarely in the negative. This should mean that I have room to grow, and could take a little more aggresive tune, or is that wrong?
 


ROCKYFiestta

Active member
Messages
504
Likes
115
Location
Colorado Springs
#4
got the ngk pregapped so just drop em in? is it ok to use the step colder on a cobb stage 1 ots tune or should i wait on putting those plugs in. currently have the iridium denso not one step colder gapped at .030
 


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