Detonation with K&N and XCal 2...

[skidad62]

I recently installed an XCal 2 91 Octane tune & reset my speedo with my 373 addition... only to find that I immediately started having detonation!!!

Mainly it was was down low, near 1,000 rpms when reving the engine with no load... but it would also happen when shifting from 3rd to 4th and 4th to 5th at WOT. Ran a couple of tanks of 91 Oct thru... still no change.

Contacted Steeda where I got the XCal 2 and the first question they asked was whether I was running a K&N FIPK. When I told them I was... they suggested I remove the K&N system & go back to stock - that they've heard of this problem before!

So....

(1) I put the factory tune back on with the K&N... detonation GONE.

(2) XCal 2 - 91 oct program back on (K&N FIPK still in place)... detonation BACK.

(3) Xcal 2 - 91 oct program on with stock intake (snorkle removed)... all CLEAR!!! Detonation is GONE.

I hated to remove the K&N system - I really liked the throttle response - but the XCal 2 91 OCt tune is too strong to pass up.

Anyone else experience this problem!? Any other ideas?

 

[helty]

sorry to hear about your problem. how do you like the XCal-2 besides the k&n problem? i have mine coming this week and im anxious to see what it can do. sorry i couldnt actually help.

 

[skidad62]

The XCal2 is GREAT! It only takes 2 minutes to pull the fuses & load up the programs The 91 Octane program pulls fantastic all the way to 6,200 a very noticable increase in power throughout the full band! (I'd love to run the 93 octane program but they don't sell any here in Atlantic Canada) The reset to 373 gears was a snap too. You'll love it (as long as you don't add a K&N FIPK)!

 

[Nick03gt]

i bought the predator and i really like it, notice the car revs much smoother now and seems to pull harder, and you don't have to pull any fuses!!

 

[helty]

can you adjust the timing with the Xcal-2, or is that something that comes with the custom tunes?

 

[jasonh_86]

i need one of these

 

[Orions98GT]

+1 for how awesome the X-cal2 is

 

[helty]

+1 for how awesome the X-cal2 is

can you elaborate on how awesome it is? what exactly can you do besides clear codes and correct speedos. can you adjust the timing with it, or is that with the custom tunes you get from the dealer?

 

[sgarlic]

If it makes you feel any better, you aren't the first person I've read about having detonation after installing the FIPK. Did you try richening up the a/f at all on your x-cal?

 

[thomas91169]

sounds like you need to pull timing a bit. you could try to add fuel, but the ecu is just going to see that and cancel it out.

also on another board, a buddy just had this problem. he found that the 91 octane he was getting was really watered down, he used up that tank of 91 and filled up with 91 at a different gas station, and after a few minutes all his det/knock was gone.

 

[sgarlic]

Clean the MAF, and then richen it up and try it. If it doesn't work, you could back off timing, but I've seen several posts like this, and they all end up coming back later on asking if its the FIPK causing them to be lean.

 

[Mustanggt108]

Although the gas here in the Gulf area , where i'm located is 97 Octane.I think it measures same as 87 octane back in the good old US.Because i got pinging with 97 tune and also 93 tune.So i'm using the 87 tune now with no problems.But i think i will ask my dealer to send me the 90 and 91 tune that you guys are talking about, and see how that works out for me.I dont have a K&N , i have a Mac CAI, that wouls cause the same though wont it?

 

[Give Me TP]

can you elaborate on how awesome it is? what exactly can you do besides clear codes and correct speedos. can you adjust the timing with it, or is that with the custom tunes you get from the dealer?

You're not getting custom tunes with an XCal 2. Most people fall for this XCal 2 sales pitch not realizing a custom tune is one that requires actual dyno time and datalogging from your specific vehicle. The tunes on an out-of-the box XCal 2 are canned tunes set up for a generic car supposedly with mods similar or the same as yours. Not being able to correct for a K&N FIPK is BS, a SCT tuner who knows what they are doing and are willing to do so can develop a tune for the XCal 2 that will allow you to utilize the performance gain from the K&N syatem without predetonation.

 

[DocG]

I would think that if you told them you had the KN intake when you ordered it, they should have supposedly set it up to work with the intake. What's the point of listing your mods for them if they can't tune it for the mods.

 

[Give Me TP]

I would think that if you told them you had the KN intake when you ordered it, they should have supposedly set it up to work with the intake. What's the point of listing your mods for them if they can't tune it for the mods.

They will have a tune for a given ECU code and a list of mods. For instance, they might have a tune developed for the XCal 2 intended for a 2004 GT with ECU code WXYZ and modded with a CAI, catback, and midpipe; another with ECU code WXYZ and modded with a CAI and catback only; and another with ECU code WXYZ and modded with a CAI only. These tunes will not be specifically for a K&N FIPK CAI, a Prochamber midpipe, and a SLP catback for example. These tunes are a step above a one tune fits all approach, but they are short of a true custom tune which can address how the specific mods you have are affecting the performance of your specific vehicle.

 

[helty]

^^^thanks, thats some good info. i dont have enough mods and im nowhere near a dyno to even consider a true dyno tune, so a handheld tuner will do just fine for me until i get some more serious mods and make it to dynospeed racing in memphis. i still want to know if you can adjust timing with the Xcal-2. yes or no? if so how much? i know i probably should have done a little more prroduct research before buying it, but i needed something to clear my codes for O/R pipes and correct my speedo. i figured an extra $150 for a tuner would be more useful than a speedcal and MIL elims's. thanks again, good info.

 

[Give Me TP]

Ask the dealer who you bought it from. If timing isn't already user-adjustable with the XCal 2, I am sure it will be following updates in the near future to the SCT software you use to interface the tuner with your home computer.

 

[Fast02]

I have det too and run a K&N. You can take out some timing and richen up the mixture. I backed out 1degree but havent flashed the car yet. I'll let you know if this took care of the issue. I kind of think its my fault because I told the tuner I had a K&N CAI when I should have said K&N drop in filter. Anyway the SCT2 allows you to adjust these settings yourself so just take out some timing or richen up the mix like others are saying. I found the pinging got really bad after the south got hit with the storms. You could try dry gas and an octane booster...

 

[Don 95Vert]

You CAN adjust timing with an XCal 2 using Xtreme Tune IF the dealer gives you the tune via email or on disk (we do). If the dealer uses SCT's latest dealer software (we do) than the dealer can allow on device ajustments without a computer or laptop. You can't add much timing, but you can pull a lot of timing.

The XCal 2 will allow the afrementioned user adjustability, as well as datalogging with a laptop (soon to be on-device), the ability to read and clear DTC's.

Some dealers can further customize the tunes on your XCal 2 via email - it goes like this - you datalog what the dealer tells you to log, then you email the dealer the log, then the dealer makes changes and emails you an updated file. I do this all the time for my customers - it's not required for dealers to do this, but I do it. You can get really close to dyno results for idle and part throttle with this method. If you have a wide band (we require one for a mail order with a blower/turbo) than you can even get WOT pretty darn close. It takes patience and the desire to take the time to do the datalogging.

From what we have seen, the CAIs usually lean things out quite a bit, my guess is that's what the culprit is. The other thing, I doubt it's detonation free revving it it under 1000 - there just isn't enough load to do that - the detonation on shifting IS a problem though and that's easy enough for your dealer to fix even without any datalogs.

Hope this helps,

Don

 

[ForPointSex]

Post your tune on the SCT forums. The guys at SCT will help you out.

http://www.sctflash.com/forum/