Post-Validation Summary

Key Technical Findings & Next Steps

Comprehensive audit of hardware breakthroughs, ECU calibration discoveries, and outstanding physical action items.

01Major Calibration & Technical Breakthroughs

Critical issues identified and resolved through raw data log analysis.

Domain Initial Symptom Root Cause Final Fix
Idle Control Runaway 1600+ RPM idle speed idle_solenoidPinMode set to inverted output Changed pin mode to non-inverted; PID caught target 900 RPM.
Ignition Sync Backfiring, non-start episodes Global trigger angle offset misconfigured at 80.0° BTDC Adjusted trigger offset to 268.0° BTDC for OEM Honda distributor sync.
Vacuum Stability 900–1400 RPM rhythmic surge Unmetered air entering via open PCV port Plumbed inline PCV check valve & sealed intake ports. MAP stabilized.
Thermal Control Coolant temp climbing past 212°F Sticking mechanical thermostat preventing radiator flow Replaced thermostat & bled system. Temps hold solid at 188–196°F.

02Tune Review — Mark_LSVTEC_base_map_2.msq

Tuner-submitted revision, now road-tested for one full cold-start cycle (Day 8). Cross-checked the actual table data in the .msq against the tuner's session notes; two items are worth discussing before the next round of changes.

Tuner's Note Verified Against Tune File Status
Idle-area ignition cells set to a solid 16° Confirmed: rows 1–2 (idle load range), cols 1–3 (650–1100 RPM) read a flat 16.0°. MATCHES
Low-RPM/high-load area revised to a conservative temporary value Confirmed: rows 12–16 (highest load), cols 1–4 (650–1700 RPM) are flat at 10.0°, replacing the earlier negative/erratic cells. MATCHES
WOT timing dialed down from 32–34° peak to 30° max Only partially true. The top four load rows (14.4–17.4 psi) do cap at 30° from 4,100–7,000 RPM, but a 32° pocket remains at 2,900–3,800 RPM in those same WOT-load rows. PARTIAL
Duplicate MAP-labeled rows (e.g. two "10 psi" rows) all carry matching IGN values, so it's cosmetic only Not fully true. Display rounding (0 decimal places) actually produces three duplicate-looking label pairs, not one: ~10 psi (rows 8/9), ~13 psi (rows 11/12), and ~17 psi (rows 15/16). Only the 17 psi pair has identical ignition values; the 10 psi and 13 psi pairs have genuinely different timing values sitting behind the same displayed label. NEEDS REVIEW
Left VTEC off / 7k redline for now Confirmed: gppwm1_pin = "NONE", rpmHardLimit = 7000. Note: the GPPWM1 duty table underneath is still not gated by RPM (uniform across all RPM columns) — same defect flagged previously; harmless while disarmed, but needs fixing before arming VTEC. AS EXPECTED
AFR target table revised / VE table left alone Both confirmed clean: AFR target decreases smoothly 14.7→10.7 with load, no anomalies. VE table is smooth and monotonic across the board. MATCHES
Why the duplicate-label finding matters In TunerStudio's table view, rows 8/9 and 11/12 will both display as "10 psi" and "13 psi" respectively even though their real ignitionLoadBins values differ (9.57 vs 10.44 psi, 12.62 vs 13.49 psi) and their timing values are not the same. Editing "the 10 psi row" during the live session could silently touch only one of the two underlying bins, leaving the other with stale timing that never gets adjusted. Worth a quick sanity pass with the tuner before this file goes on the car.

On-Car Validation Results (Day 8)

First real cold-start run on this tune confirms the review findings above and surfaces two new items.

Idle & AFR revisions: working as designed

Idle RPM decays smoothly from ~1,265 RPM in the first 2 minutes to within 15–60 RPM of the ~905 RPM target by the end of the 22.7-minute log, tracking the CLT-based open-loop duty taper. No knock detected anywhere in the log. A clean off-load rev to 5,848 RPM at 28% TPS showed no stumble.

New: idle closed-loop never engages

Idle: Closed loop active reads 0 for all 20,409 records in the log, even though actual RPM is below the closed-loop entry threshold (~1,207 RPM) for 99.7% of idling samples. Not currently blocking anything since open loop is converging fine, but worth having the tuner check the other entry preconditions before VTEC/A​C load is added to the mix. Full detail on the Day 8 page.

Cranking voltage sag confirmed present on the updated tune too Independent of any tune change: 3 crank attempts and ~21.5 seconds from key-on to a stable start, with VBatt sagging to 5.15–7.6 V on each failed attempt before catching cleanly on the third. This is the same hardware/wiring issue flagged in earlier sessions — it persists across tune revisions, which rules out the tune as the cause. See the Day 8 cranking-detail chart for the full trace.

03Actionable Hardware & Calibration Checklist

Items requiring physical attention prior to high-load dyno tuning or aggressive street mapping.

Priority Item Category Technical Detail & Action Required
HIGH Cranking Voltage Collapse Electrical VBatt drops to 5.58V during starter cranking. Perform battery load test, clean chassis/engine grounds, and upgrade starter power feed cable.
HIGH Wideband O2 Sensor Integration Sensors / Tuning Gates all fuel VE table auto-tuning and AFR feedback. Route wideband 0–5V analog signal pin to input D14 on the uaEFI board.
DONE Valve Lash Adjustment Mechanical Set cold to 0.007" intake / 0.008" exhaust. Re-check clearance after 3–5 thermal cycles as new valves seat.
MED Piston Ring Seating Engine Mechanical Underway and improving MAP vacuum. Execute varied-load engine braking driving procedures on street.
LOW Vehicle Speed Sensor (VSS) Telemetry Currently reads 0.00 kph. Wire VSS pulse line to ECU to enable gear-dependent boost/idle tables and virtual dyno.
LOW Knock Sensor Calibration Engine Protection Currently set to flat -20dB placeholder. Perform noise floor profiling before advancing ignition timing.
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