Thank you NOLA Motorsports Park for hosting us for the First Moates 4/20-4/21 Ford EFI training!

The quality of the facility, students, participants, and support staff all worked together to yield a ‘class act’ of a weekend!

We all had a great time, and everyone learned something. Group discussions, generous facilities, and a rich diversity of participants all contributed to the weekend’s success.

We will update this page with additional presentation material, video content, feedback, and review as it is prepared, but for now, here are some photos of the group going through the paces of teaching and learning.

Dave getting ready to do some ‘airport departure’ tuning.

Group trying to decide who messed with the lap timer and who ‘actually’ won.

Mark & Michael in the back row.

Steve using the coffee makers as props while explaining LWFM methods.

Dave bending the J3 port to his will.

We decided to try to make a lot of the material that was covered at the tuning class 4/20/13 + 4/21/13 available for all of our users. The material here is designed to be comprehensive. It is designed to be followed in a specific order. There will be links to more information on selected topics throughout. If you’re looking for a snippet about a particular thing, you may want to look at the “How Tuning Works” section instead, as it is more of a collection of small articles than a comprehensive course.  The idea with this course isn’t to tell you which value to change to make your car run right.  The idea is to teach you how engine management works so that you can look at something you’ve never seen before and (hopefully) have some clue as to how to approach getting it to do what you want.  This course is heavy on theory.  It’s also hopefully going to have lots of practical sections that connect with things you may be more familiar with from working with particular EFI systems.

The material in this course represents *hours* (think: whole day+) worth of classroom lecture and discussion. Be prepared to spend an extended period of time reading through it and processing it. When you’re done, you’ll arguably be better prepared to tackle tuning than half the shops that practice on your car.

Enjoy!

(More will be coming soon as time permits.)

Tuning: Why bother?

The rise of electronic engine management allows for the running conditions of an engine to be rapidly and precisely adjusted.  Before we talk about anything super technical, it’s worth examining some really basic stuff like, “why should we bother tuning a car in the first place?”  ”What can we reasonably hope to accomplish?”

Sometimes we start with an engine that’s running acceptably but we want to slightly change how it operates to achieve our goals.  Sometimes we start with an engine that doesn’t run at all because it is so different from the original system that was running that we have to tune it for it to run acceptably.  Regardless of whether adjustments are made out of necessity or desire, the answer to this “why bother” question is simple: in a word, it is OPTIMIZATION.  Tuning allows us to make the most out of the engine that we have.

What Tuning ISN’T

Tuning cars is often very misunderstood, especially by people who do not do it.  There is no magic involved.  You cannot wave a magic wand and violate the laws of physics in the name of making horsepower.  You are dealing with a computer system that responds to sensors in a predictable way.

There is one golden rule (which I think has its origins in a completely different realm) which applies here:

Garbage In, Garbage Out.

As a tuner, you can only work with what you are given.   This may seem so obvious that it is a waste of time to even say it.  Trust me.  It isn’t.  It’s critical.  And at some point if you mess around with tuning vehicles long enough, you will get so focused on the knobs and buttons available to turn on your computer that you will forget about the mechanical system you are controlling.

• Changing a computer program can’t fix mechanical issues.
• Changing a computer program can’t fix electrical issues.
• Changing a computer program can’t make more air enter an engine than it can mechanically pump
• Changing a computer program can’t make more fuel flow through pumps/injectors than they can mechanically pump
• Bottom line: You can’t make pigs fly by pushing buttons.  The physical motor you are working with will define what you do on the computer.

Tuning Possibilities

So if we are inherently limited by the physical engine that we are dealing with, what CAN we typically accomplish with tuning?

Typically, we can:

• Increase power / torque output of the engine
• Increase efficiency / decrease fuel consumption
• Decrease noxious emissions (Carbon Dioxide/CO2, hydrocarbons/HC, Carbon Monoxide/CO, Nitrous oxide/N2O, Nitrogen Oxides/NOx)
• Control NVH (Noise – Vibration – Harshness)
• Decrease stress on mechanical components / prevent damage to mechanical components
• Many of these goals require different operating conditions making it impossible to do all of them at once! 

Conclusion

Tuning isn’t magic.  Modifying electronic engine control systems lets you get the most out of the physical system that you’re working with.  Through tuning, you can choose how to operate an engine in order to achieve the goals that are most important to you, making the compromises you want to make.

The ALDU1 is a simple logging cable.  It attaches to the USB port of your PC and to the ALDL logging port on your vehicle.  It allows your PC to communicate with your ECM.

Basic Connectivity

The ALDU1 uses a USB connection to talk to your PC.  It uses the same FTDI drivers that all of our other products use.  The first step in getting the AutoPROM working is to get your PC to recognize it.

1. Turn on the computer you want to use with the APU1 and plug the APU1 in to a free USB port.
2. Follow the instructions in the USB troubleshooting guide to ensure the device is recognized by Windows.
3. Although it is mentioned in the guide above, make sure the ALDU1 is using a COM port between 1 and 8!  This is CRITICAL for some older software.
4. The rest of the troubleshooting guides in this guide will assume that you have basic USB connectivity.

Using the ALDU for Logging with TunerPro

Before you will be able to log any data, you need to have the correct ADX definition file downloaded for your vehicle.  The best place to find these is the Definitions section of TunerPro’s website.

With that said, follow these instructions to get everything set up:

1. Make sure the ALDU1 is connected to your PC and has a COM port between 1 and 8.  It will be necessary for you to know which COM port the ALDU1 is using to configure it properly.  Consult the instructions above for ‘Basic Connectivity’ for more detailed instructions.
2. We’re going to walk through the TunerPro RT configuration steps to use this mode.  Your ALDU1 will NOT be recognized by TunerPro RT software like an Ostrich or APU1.  If you’re not using TunerPro, skip to step 7.
3. Next, make double check TunerPro’s configuration for logging.  Start by going to Tools…Preferences
4. Next, Tab over to the Data Acq. /Emulation tab. (red arrow)  Make sure that “Use Plug-in” is selected for Interface Type.  Make sure “TunerPro Data Acquisition I/O Interface” is selected under the component drop down box.
5. Then click the “Configure Plug-in Component” box (green arrow).
6. Make sure that “Standard Serial” is selected (green arrow) and the COM port of your APU1 is selected (blue arrow)
7. IF THE ALDU1 IS UNPLUGGED FROM THE VEHICLE, you should be able to click the “Test For Valid Interface Using Settings” button and get a successful result.  You will NOT get a positive test if the cable is plugged in to the vehicle.
8. If you are NOT using TunerPro RT, you should be able to start your software of choice and configure it to use the COM port of your ALDU1 (COM2 in this example)
9. If you have trouble connecting, check the switch on the ALDU1.  Older applications that use 160baud require the ”10k across A-B” setting.  Later TPI, LTI and TBI applications use 8192 baud which requires the switch to be in the ”open between A-B” position.

We’re offering another class!

We are going to be offering a class on tuning Fords with QuarterHorse October 25th, 26th and 27th in Milford, Ohio (East side of Cincinnati).  There will be a mixture of classroom instruction, live in-car demonstration of logging techniques with street driving and dyno tuning and techniques.  Classroom instruction will take place in the conference room of the Homewood Suites by Hilton Hotel.  Street tuning and dyno instruction will take place on the Dynojet 224 dyno of Easy Street, which is literally across the street from the hotel.  Dave Blundell, Moates tech support and former tuner at Modular Depot and Easy Street will be the instructor.   Registration will be limited to 20 people in order to keep the class manageable.

Cost

Registration for the class will be $250.   You can pay with any of the methods that we accept on the website (Paypal, Credit Card) in advance or pay cash/money order at the door.  If you’re going to pay at the door, we ask that you purchase the class item from our website and select “Check or Money order” at checkout so we can keep an accurate headcount.  All of the products that are used for the class will be available for purchase at/after the event.

You can register for the event here.

Schedule of Events

Day 1 (Friday 10/25) will focus on general theory of how engines work, how electronic engine management works and general approaches to calibration of engine management systems.  Chances are, if you’ve been tuning cars for five years you probably already know a lot of this stuff but it probably wouldn’t hurt you to sit through it again.  If you’re new to engine management, expect your brain to hurt.  The goal of day one is to help you understand how the many pieces of engines, electronics and sensors that you will be dealing with fit together – the big picture.  Most of this day will NOT deal with Ford specific terms and methods.  At the end of the day, you should have a strong understanding of spark ignition internal combustion engines, how and why engines make power, be able to name and explain the function of sensors likely to be found on a fuel injected engine and understand the conditions needed for achieving specific goals such as fuel economy, power or keeping and engine in one piece.  If you’ve previously worked with other systems of engine management, you might look at what you already know in a new light.

Day 2 (Saturday 10/26) will focus on early Ford engine management.  The morning session will focus on Ford specific terms and procedures for running an engine.  The emphasis will be on the most common and important parameters necessary for adjustment.   Fuel, spark, idle and limits will be covered as well as some of the limitations and pitfalls of using factory computers.  Both forced induction and naturally aspirated setups will be discussed.  After lunch, we will demonstrate setting up Moates hardware and how TunerPro RT and Binary Editor 2012 software can be used to make adjustments necessary for tuning Ford vehicles.   At the end of day two, you will have an understanding of the terms used in Ford EFI, be able to pick out the most important items that you need to change in a calibration when tuning and see how software can be used with Moates tools to tune vehicles.  GUFB (aka 89-93 MAF Fox Body Mustangs) and CBAZA (aka 94-95 Mustangs) will be the focus of this day.

Day 3 (Sunday 10/27) will focus on hands-on usage of TPRT and BE, acquiring data from street and dyno use, analyzing it, diagnosing issues and making changes to tune your vehicle.  We will be acquiring data on the street and on the Dynojet 224 dyno at Easy Street and using it to make targeted changes.   This will be putting the theory from previous days together with real vehicles and seeing how to apply our understanding of Ford MAF systems to achieve results.  At the end of day three, you will be able to understand enough of Ford EFI systems and the software available to work with Moates tools to be able to acquire data and make precise changes based on measurements rather than simply “mashing buttons” to get results.

Plan on 8-10 hours of being focused per day.  We’ll typically run on a 9ish-6ish EST kind of day depending on how things go.

There will be snacks and drinks provided.  There are also numerous restaurants within walking/short drive distance of the facilities we will be at.  At the last class, we had optional group dinner afterwards that worked out well so we’ll probably try to do that again.

We’ll try to have a good chunk of the curriculum up on the support site prior to the class for you to review and prepare.

Travel Information

There will be ten rooms reserved and a group rate ($109/night for room with one queen + pull out couch + mini kitchen) at the hotel where the presentations will be held until 9/26 (one month prior).  Mention the Moates tuning class to get the special rate.  There are lots of other places to stay in the area – if you have any trouble contact us.

Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky (CVG) airport is about 30 minute drive.  Dayton International (DAY) is right around an hour drive.  Columbus International (CMH) is about an hour forty minute drive.  There is adequate parking at the hotel and the shop across the street where we will be using the dyno.

Other Class Opportunities

Check out the support site for other opportunities to take a class on using Moates products.  This class will also be offered in Louisiana in November/December.

 We’re offering another class!

As our location and date finalize, this page will be updated with a link to where you can reserve a place.  At this point, we know that we will be offering the Ford Tuning with QuarterHorse class in November or early December in either New Orleans or Baton Rouge Louisiana.  The tentative date is the weekend prior to Thanksgiving (Nov 22-23-24) or the first weekend in December (Dec 6-7-8).  There will be a mixture of classroom instruction, live in-car demonstration of logging techniques with street driving and dyno tuning and techniques.  Once we have a finalized location, we’ll update this page with more information.   Registration will be limited to 20 people in order to keep the class manageable.

Cost

Registration for the class will be $250.   You can pay with any of the methods that we accept on the website (Paypal, Credit Card) in advance or pay cash/money order at the door.  If you’re going to pay at the door, we ask that you purchase the class item from our website and select “Check or Money order” at checkout so we can keep an accurate headcount.  All of the products that are used for the class will be available for purchase at/after the event.  Note: There will NOT be an event you can purchase on our website until dates and facilities are finalized

Schedule of Events

Day 1 (TBA) will focus on general theory of how engines work, how electronic engine management works and general approaches to calibration of engine management systems.  Chances are, if you’ve been tuning cars for five years you probably already know a lot of this stuff but it probably wouldn’t hurt you to sit through it again.  If you’re new to engine management, expect your brain to hurt.  The goal of day one is to help you understand how the many pieces of engines, electronics and sensors that you will be dealing with fit together – the big picture.  Most of this day will NOT deal with Ford specific terms and methods.  At the end of the day, you should have a strong understanding of spark ignition internal combustion engines, how and why engines make power, be able to name and explain the function of sensors likely to be found on a fuel injected engine and understand the conditions needed for achieving specific goals such as fuel economy, power or keeping and engine in one piece.  If you’ve previously worked with other systems of engine management, you might look at what you already know in a new light.

Day 2 (TBA) will focus on early Ford engine management.  The morning session will focus on Ford specific terms and procedures for running an engine.  The emphasis will be on the most common and important parameters necessary for adjustment.   Fuel, spark, idle and limits will be covered as well as some of the limitations and pitfalls of using factory computers.  Both forced induction and naturally aspirated setups will be discussed.  After lunch, we will demonstrate setting up Moates hardware and how TunerPro RT and Binary Editor 2012 software can be used to make adjustments necessary for tuning Ford vehicles.   At the end of day two, you will have an understanding of the terms used in Ford EFI, be able to pick out the most important items that you need to change in a calibration when tuning and see how software can be used with Moates tools to tune vehicles.  GUFB (aka 89-93 MAF Fox Body Mustangs) and CBAZA (aka 94-95 Mustangs) will be the focus of this day.

Day 3 (TBA) will focus on hands-on usage of TPRT and BE, acquiring data from street and dyno use, analyzing it, diagnosing issues and making changes to tune your vehicle.  We will be acquiring data on the street and on the dyno and using it to make targeted changes.   This will be putting the theory from previous days together with real vehicles and seeing how to apply our understanding of Ford MAF systems to achieve results.  At the end of day three, you will be able to understand enough of Ford EFI systems and the software available to work with Moates tools to be able to acquire data and make precise changes based on measurements rather than simply “mashing buttons” to get results.

Plan on 8-10 hours of being focused per day.  We’ll typically run on a 9ish-6ish EST kind of day depending on how things go.

There will be snacks and drinks provided. Previously, we had optional group dinner afterwards that worked out well so we’ll probably try to do that again.

We’ll try to have a good chunk of the curriculum up on the support site prior to the class for you to review and prepare.

Travel Information

When we finalize a location, we’ll add more here.

Other Class Opportunities

Check out the support site for other opportunities to take a class on using Moates products.  This class will also be offered in October in Cincinnati, Ohio.

About

When Moates.net started, virtually all of our customers were people buying the tools we made for themselves and their own car.  All of our products were shipped blank and tunes were loaded on them by the purchaser.

Since then, things have changed.  There are a lot of shops and tuners out there that are using our products to tune their customers’ cars.  There are a lot of people that are looking for the results that our products can deliver without necessarily having any interest in learning to tune cars themselves.  On this page, you can find a list of shops, tuners and people that use our products for tuning cars where you should be able to get a tune together with Moates hardware.

When you purchase a Ford Dealer Package from our website, you will be added here automatically.  Existing customers that have purchased at least $1000 of Ford product in the past 12 months can obtain dealer status by simply emailing support@moates.net with a request.

Important Note

The individuals and shops on this page are not vetted or screened by Moates.net in any way.  The only qualification for being listed here is to have purchased the requisite materials and given us contact information.   Please do not interpret those listed here as being qualified or endorsed.  You should do your own homework before seeking the services of individuals on this page.  Think of this as craigslist not angieslist.

USA

Florida/Ocala – Steve Hulett – Drag Radial Performance pontisteve@earthlink.net

Missouri/Florence – Kyle Rigdon – Speed Productions LLC www.speedproductions.net

New York/Rochester – Adam Marrer adam@popsracing.com www.popsracing.com

Ohio/Cincinnati – Dave Blundell accelbydave@gmail.com

Australia

Victoria/Waurn Ponds – Matthew Branch / Bullet Performance Racing www.bpracing.com.au

Canada

South America

Europe

Africa

This note applies to some Quarterhorse hardware version 1.3 (fw ver 1.6) units.

The battery and circuit on the QH v1.3 is designed to last 5+ years before needing replacement. However, a number of QH units were shipped with the incorrect resistor in location R4. This can lead to premature battery drain (less than a year). These units were primarily shipped out during 4Q2012 as a result of undetected assembly error (our bad, sorry!).

If the BR2330A battery on the QH has become low (<2.0v) and/or the QH is losing its memory when the USB is disconnected, it might have been affected by this incorrect resistor placement. A voltage of 2.5v or better should be OK.

To check your QH, measure the resistance (ohms) across R3 (reference) and R4 (placement in question). The correct resistors will give readings of  R3=1.0k and R4=10k (within 5% or so). If R4 instead measures 1.0k, then the unit is affected and R4 needs to be changed to the correct value of 10k. R3 should be fine at 1k on all units.

The solution to this issue is to perform the following:

1) Measure the voltage of the battery (leads are accessible at the bottom of the QH). Record value (good = 2.5v or better, bad = 2.0v or less typically <1v by the time there is a problem).

2) Measure the resistances across R3 and R4. The ohm readings should be R3=1k, R4=10k.

3) If the battery voltage is low from step (1) and/or the R4 reading is 1k instead of the correct 10k, then send the unit to us via the RMA option and we will update it for you with a fresh battery and the correct R4 resistor of 10k.

Once the correct resistor is in place, a fresh BR2330A battery should last 5+ years.

If you have any questions or believe your QH is affected, please go forward with the RMA process and we will take care of your unit. If you really want to go ahead and perform the update yourself (0402 SMD resistor and TH battery solder work), we can also send you the parts at no charge, just indicate that you want them shipped ahead in the comments section of your RMA submission.

The corrective service is free, and turnaround time is typically only 3-4 days. If you are indeed affected, we will happily work to get you up and running as quickly as possible.

We apologize for any inconvenience.

Hope this helps,

Craig Moates

The following may seem more complex than necessary, but that comes along with flexibility and compatibility.

Please take a moment to check that you have this arrangement correct for your combination. We’re talking about four pins and colors, you can do this!

For TTL-level communications, we use 4-pin latching interconnect cables.  Because of the variety of devices which can be connected, and because we don’t control all of the different as well as legacy production lines and designs, the pinouts vary from one arrangement to another.

This page details most conceivable arrangements and specifies the correct pinouts for each. In many cases, one end is different from another, so it is important to determine what is being connected to which end of the connection.

The cables come in 3 different lengths: 6″, 12″, and 48″. The 48″ units are shielded with the black-colored lead, the other two are not (they are short). Thus, it is IMPORTANT to be sure that the black wire is connected to the ground line at both ends when using the 48″ cable. If you instead connect a RX or TX line to the shield (black) line of the 48″ cable, you can have trouble. The other lengths can be more forgiving.

Six different pinouts exist, we designate them as A-F. The cable for a given combination.can have two ends different or the same depending on the combination, but luckily, there are only so many combos which are realistic.

We get asked, “How long will the battery on the QuarterHorse last?”

Unfortunately, we can’t give you a straight answer to this.  It’s not because we’re trying to be difficult – it’s because there are a LOT of variables.

Some things that impact battery life:

• How much the QH sits vs. the car runs.  The battery on the QH is only used when the key is turned off.  If you drive the car more, the battery will last longer.
• The temperature that the unit is stored at has a huge impact on battery chemistry.  Self-discharge increases dramatically with storage temperature.
• The temperature that the battery operates at has a huge effect on its performance.  Lower temperatures decrease the useful life of the battery.
• Extremely high temperatures (>60C) contribute to extremely rapid death.
• Batteries discharge while being stored.  We try to buy the freshest stock possible.  We do production runs annually to minimize the time that batteries sit on a shelf prior to being deployed in the field.
• The conductivity of anti-static bags (like what we use to ship the units) is such that sitting on a shelf prior to sale can adversely affect the battery life.  A technote from Panasonic recently highlighted this. (we’ve altered our storage methods to combat this)
• There is a decent amount of variation among individual batteries.

The “show car” in a cold climate (i.e. comes out a few times a year) that stays in an unheated garage is pretty much the worse case imaginable.

For a healthy QuarterHorse, we’ve come up with a worst case figure of about 2.5 years and a best case figure of about ten years for battery life.

The chips (F3, F8) that we sell use non-volatile Flash chips that (at least on paper) have guaranteed memory retention of at least 20 years.

While many people think of the QH as a chip and leave it in their vehicle full time, the QH was never intended to be a permanently-installed piece of gear.  It was intended as an emulator, a tuning tool, something to be tethered to a laptop for use.  In cases where the vehicle will no longer run on a factory computer, a dead battery on an emulator will strand you unless you have a laptop handy to re-load the tune.  Like all of our other emulator products, we recommend that a chip be used for long-term operation.

Another Fall Class!

We are going to be offering a three-day class on tuning Fords with QuarterHorse in Fall 2014, date TBA.  This is the same format class previously offered.  Classroom instruction will take place at the  Classroom instruction will take place in the Moates Event Center around the corner from Moates HQ.  Street tuning and dyno instruction will take place on a rented dyno in the area.

Cost

Registration for the class will be $450.   You can pay with any of the methods that we accept on the website (Paypal, Credit Card) in advance or pay cash/money order at the door.  If you’re going to pay at the door, we ask that you purchase the class item from our website and select “Check or Money order” at checkout so we can keep an accurate headcount and reserve your spot.  All of the products that are used for the class will be available for purchase at/after the event at a discount for attendees. You can register for the event here.

Class Overview

Dave Blundell, Moates tech support and former tuner at Modular Depot will be the instructor.   Craig Moates, founder and engineer of Moates products will give an in depth overview of hardware.

Registration will be limited to 12 people in order to keep the class manageable and give everyone a chance to get involved and ask questions.  There will be a mixture of classroom instruction, live in-car demonstration of logging techniques with street driving and dyno tuning and techniques.  Forced induction and naturally aspirated modifications and tuning will be covered.  We expect lots of discussion and have built time for this into the class schedule.

Primary focus will be on 89-95 (i.e. Fox-body Mustang, 94-95 Mustang) EEC-IV MAF Fords but much of the material will carry to later models also supported by the same hardware and software. This class is aimed at beginner-intermediate users, but those with literally no experience at all may want to look at some of the material in advance in order to be better prepared.  Likewise, if you have years of experience with Ford EFI tuning and you’re simply looking to get familiar with using our products for the EEC-IV platform, you should already be familiar with some of the material presented.  We cover everything from physical engine operation to air metering methods to Ford implementations with a goal of helping you make targeted tuning changes and not just “button mashing.”

Schedule of Events

Day 1 (TBA) will focus on general theory of how engines work, how electronic engine management works and general approaches to calibration of engine management systems.  Chances are, if you’ve been tuning cars for five years you probably already know a lot of this stuff but it probably wouldn’t hurt you to sit through it again.  If you’re new to engine management, expect your brain to hurt.  The goal of day one is to help you understand how the many pieces of engines, electronics and sensors that you will be dealing with fit together – the big picture.  Most of this day will NOT deal with Ford specific terms and methods.  At the end of the day, you should have a strong understanding of spark ignition internal combustion engines, how and why engines make power, be able to name and explain the function of sensors likely to be found on a fuel injected engine and understand the conditions needed for achieving specific goals such as fuel economy, power or keeping and engine in one piece.  If you’ve previously worked with other systems of engine management, you might look at what you already know in a new light.

Day 2 (TBA) will focus on early Ford engine management.  If you need to get any software set up and configured, we’ll take care of it on this day.  The morning session will focus on Ford specific terms and procedures for running an engine.  The emphasis will be on the most common and important parameters necessary for adjustment.   Fuel, spark, idle and limits will be covered as well as some of the limitations and pitfalls of using factory computers.  Both forced induction and naturally aspirated setups will be discussed.  After lunch, we will demonstrate setting up Moates hardware and how TunerPro RT and Binary Editor 2012 software can be used to make adjustments necessary for tuning Ford vehicles.   At the end of day two, you will have an understanding of the terms used in Ford EFI, be able to pick out the most important items that you need to change in a calibration when tuning and see how software can be used with Moates tools to tune vehicles.  GUFB (aka 89-93 MAF Fox Body Mustangs) and CBAZA (aka 94-95 Mustangs) will be the focus of this day.

Day 3 (TBA) will focus on hands-on usage of TPRT and BE, acquiring data from street and dyno use, analyzing it, diagnosing issues and making changes to tune your vehicle.  We will be acquiring data on the street and on the dyno and using it to make targeted changes.   This will be putting the theory from previous days together with real vehicles and seeing how to apply our understanding of Ford MAF systems to achieve results.  At the end of day three, you will be able to understand enough of Ford EFI systems and the software available to work with Moates tools to be able to acquire data and make precise changes based on measurements rather than simply “mashing buttons” to get results.

Plan on 8-10 hours of being focused per day.  We’ll typically run on a 9ish-6ish kind of day depending on how things go.  (Local time is Central Standard Time – CST)

There will be lunch, snacks and drinks provided.  At previous classes, we had an optional group dinner afterwards that worked out well.  Some of the best discussion ended up coming up over dinner, so we’ll probably try to do that again.

We’ll try to have a good chunk of the curriculum up here on the support site prior to the class for you to review and prepare.

Travel Information

There will be a limited number of spots available at the Moates event center where we are having the class.  Information on regional hotels is available on request.

Other Class Opportunities

Check out the support site for other opportunities to take a class on using Moates products.

We Do Classes!

We’re starting to offer classes on a more regular basis.  We’ll do our best to keep this page updated with all planned classes.

Future Events

Learn Nismotronic for Nissan – Carlisle, PA – May/June 2014 TBA

Learn EEC-IV Ford Tuning – Cincinnati, OH – September/October 2014 TBA

Learn EEC-IV Ford Tuning – Baton Rouge, LA – Fall 2014 TBA

Past Events

Learn EEC-IV Ford Tuning – Baton Rouge, LA – November 2013

Learn EEC-IV Ford Tuning - Cincinnnati, OH – October 2013

Learn EEC-IV Ford Tuning - New Orleans, LA – April 2013

Intro

All electronics will fail with age.  A significant chunk of the failures are due to electrolytic capacitor failure.  These components are virtually guaranteed to fail eventually, even under normal use circumstances.  There are even calculators that can help you estimate how long a given capacitor will last!

So why do manufacturers use these components if they know they will eventually fail?  There really aren’t a lot of good alternatives that have the necessary specifications AND are inexpensive.

Bottom line: all electronic devices that have power supplies generally have electrolytic capacitors that fail.  Ford ECMs are no exception.

A9L Capacitor Replacement

Note: all of these pictures are fairly high res.  If you click them to view the original, you will be able to zoom in for much more detail.

There are three capacitors that typically need replaced in an A9L / Fox Body MAF ECM.

1. First step: Take off all the A9L’s clothes.  Both upper and lower case will need to come off.  These are TORX screws!
   
   
   
2. Next, locate the capacitors that need to be replaced.
3. Here is one of the cans, close up:
   

   Even in this extreme close up shot of the base, it is hard to see anything OBVIOUSLY wrong.
   
   

4. Next step: de-solder the old capacitors.  Like always, we recommend that you use a high-quality de-soldering tool such as the Hakko 808 or a Xytronic 988.  You’ll have a hard time if you try to use a de-soldering braid.  I had to apply a lot of heat and go really slowly in order to achieve solid results.
   Bottom:
   
   Top:
   
5. Next, it’s time to solder in a replacement.
   Bottom:
   
   Top:
   
6. And sometimes when you look a little closer you will see that those caps that looked OK from a distance really had more serious issues…
   
   
7. After you get it out of there, you can see the true mess:
   
   The capacitor really isn’t much better.  It pretty much fell apart being removed.  You can see that it was leaking pretty severely:
   
8. When you have goop on the circuit board, you should clean it up nicely before replacing the cap.  A Q-tip and rubbing alcohol was used here:
   
9. Once everything is cleaned up, solder away with the replacements.  This ECU pictured took about 30-40 minutes to split, de-solder caps, re-solder caps, clean J3 port and re-assemble.

Introduction

The check sum routine is a piece of the ECU code that checks to make sure the program is valid.  When you use the “Save” or “Save As…” commands in TunerPro, TunerPro updates the checksum automatically.  This is why this is not a concern when burning chips – the checksum is updated when you save the bin.   When you are doing real time tuning with the Ostrich or APU1 Autoprom, it is possible to put the ECM in a “fault mode” by making changes with the vehicle running because the checksum routine interprets the changes you have made as a corrupt chip.  In order to avoid this, you have two choices:

1. Use “Save” or “Save As…” in TunerPro before pressing the “Upload” button so that the checksum gets updated along with any changes
2. Disable the checksum routine prior to uploading.  Doing so will allow you to use realtime chip emulation and make changes incrementally.

Checksum Disable Procedure, In General

The general procedure for disabling the checksum is the same for all OBD1 GM computers:

1. Locate the chip code mask byte. (This byte will be the same as the mask definition you are using in hexadecimal, i.e. $42 for a 1227747, $8D for a 1227730, $0D or $0E for a 16197427, etc.)  This can be called “Code mask” or “Chip code mask” or any number of things in the XDF – there is no standard.  Some XDFs do not even define this byte at all.  It is generally the 9th byte of the ROM for most 28 pin chip ROMs ( address 0x0008h, 04008h ) or the 5th for most 24 pin applications ( 0x0004h )
2. Change the code mask from its default value to $AA in hex ( 170 in decimal)

Specific Example: TunerPro and $0D

1. Locate the chip code mask byte, verify that it is $0D in stock form:
   
2. Change the value from “$0D” (hex) to “$AA” (hex) :
   
   

Introduction

The 90-92 Firebird and Camaro were the first of the P4 generation computers which featured a MAP sensor and speed-density for airflow metering.  These fundamental airflow models were used largely unaltered in later designs.  P4 generation ECM, 8192 baud ALDL communication, “memcal” with 27C256 EPROM.

Hardware Required for Tuning

• G1 Chip adapter and C2 27SF512 chip required to reprogram ECM
• BURN2 Chip Programmer programs 27SF512 chips
• ALDU1 with CABL1 required for datalogging
• Ostrich2 required for real time tuning
• APU1 AutoPROM All-in-one device works great, taking the place of BURN2, ALDU1+CABL1 and Ostrich2

Software Required for Tuning

These computers use the $8D mask from the factory.  There is a “Super $8D” mod that adds extra features beyond the stock $8D code.  It is also possible (and recommended) to run Code59 on the 1227730 for forced-induction applications.

TunerPro RT + the $8D, Super$8D or Code59 definitions works for editing and datalogging.  (this is the recommended software.  It is included with the AutoProm)

TunerCat OBD1 tuner with the $8D definition works for editing.

TTS Datamaster with the $8D definition works for datalogging.

Introduction

The 86-89 F and Y bodies were among the first EFI computers used by GM that featured a Mass Air Flow sensor (MAF) for air metering.  P4 generation ECM, 160 or 8192 baud ALDL communication (depends on code mask), “memcal” with 27C128 EPROM.  Many of these ECMs feature a cold-start injector.  They can drive up to 8 injectors and a single coil with distributor.  There is no transmission shift control on these ECMs.

Hardware for Tuning

• G1 Chip adapter and C2 27SF512 chip required to reprogram ECM
• BURN2 Chip Programmer programs 27SF512 chips
• ALDU1 with CABL1 required for datalogging
• Ostrich2 required for real time tuning
• APU1 AutoPROM All-in-one device works in most cases but there can be some complications with datalogging.  The APU1 is NOT recommended for the 1227165 ECM!!!  The combination of Ostrich, ALDU1+CABL1 and BURN2 is recommended.

Software for Tuning

These computers use different masks depending on the application.  $32, $32B and $6E are the most common masks.

TunerPro RT + the $32, $32B and $6E definitions works for editing and datalogging.

TunerCat OBD1 tuner with the $32, $32B and $6E definitions works for editing.

TTS Datamaster with the $32, $32B and $6E  definitions works for datalogging.

Introduction

The 91-93 Syclone trucks and Typhoon SUVs were a unique low-production vehicle that featured a powerful turbocharged 4.3L V6 engine.  They use the 1227749 ECM, which is most similar to the 1227730 used in the 90-92 TPI V8s.  These vehicles were equipped with a 2 bar MAP sensor from the factory along with hardware for controlling an intercooler pump and boost control solenoid.  There is no transmission shift control on these ECMs.  8192 baud datalogging, P4 generation ECM with memcal.

Hardware for Tuning

• G1 Chip adapter and C2 27SF512 chip required to reprogram ECM
• BURN2 Chip Programmer programs 27SF512 chips
• ALDU1 with CABL1 required for datalogging
• Ostrich2 required for real time tuning
• APU1 AutoPROM All-in-one device has complications with datalogging.  The APU1 is NOT recommended for the 1227749 ECM!!!  The combination of Ostrich, ALDU1+CABL1 and BURN2 is recommended.

Software for Tuning

These computers use the $58 mask supporting 2 Bar MAP sensors from the factory.  Numerous modifications were available to enable the use of a 3 bar MAP sensor including the “Ultimate Chip” and Code59.

TunerPro RT + the $58 or Code59 definitions works for editing and datalogging.  (this is the recommended software.)

TunerCat OBD1 tuner with the $58 definition works for editing.

TTS Datamaster with the $58 definition works for datalogging.

Custom ROMs may package their own definitions and require specific software support.

Introduction

The 86 throttle body injection (TBI) system was the beginning of GM’s transition from carburetors to fuel injection.  This is the first of the “classic” speed-density computers which featured a MAP sensor for airflow metering.  This fundamental airflow model was used largely unaltered in later designs.  P3 generation ECM, 160 baud ALDL communication, 24 pin chip module with 27C32 UV-Erase EPROM.

This ECM was used into the mid-90s in manual transmission equipped vehicles.  It was replaced with newer hardware when the 4l60e and 4L80e electronically-controlled transmissions were introduced.

Hardware Required for Tuning

• G2 Chip adapter and C2 27SF512 chip required to reprogram ECM.
• WARNING: This is NOT plug and play!  Desoldering factory chip is required and soldering install for G2 adapter.  (view install)  Order the “Install Service” and send us your ECM if you’re not comfortable with soldering work.
• BURN2 Chip Programmer programs 27SF512 chips
• ALDU1 with CABL1 required for datalogging
• Ostrich2 and SocketBooster 1.0 required for real time tuning
• APU1 AutoPROM All-in-one device works great, taking the place of BURN2, ALDU1+CABL1 and Ostrich2
• APU1 works great for the application and is the recommended hardware in addition to the G2.

Software Required for Tuning

These computers use the $42 mask from the factory.

TunerPro RT + the $42 definitions works for editing and datalogging.  (this is the recommended software.  It is included with the AutoProm)

TunerCat OBD1 tuner with the $42 definition works for editing.

WinALDL works for datalogging.

Introduction

The Fox Body Mustang switched to using a Mass Air Flow meter to measure airflow in 1989.  Uses TFI distributor, sequential injection for up to 8 injectors, MAF air metering.  This EEC-IV system became the blueprint for future Ford systems (EECV and beyond) for years to come.  Initially hindered by a lack of datalogging capabilities, this platform has been able to truly shine with the help of Moates tuning tools.

Hardware for Tuning

• QuarterHorse – integrated device brings unique functionality to the table.  It is a “chip on steroids” that allows you to make changes while the vehicle is running and (with supporting software) log live data from the vehicle.
• F3 – simple chip module that can store one or two tunes and switch between them while vehicle is running.  Requires Jaybird programmer or BURN2+FA.
• F8 – fancy chip module that can store eight tunes and switch between them while vehicle is running.   Can also be programmed while installed – no need to remove chip to reprogram it.  Requires Destiny programmer
• BURN2 + FA + FE – generic chip programmer with Ford adapter (FA) and ECM interface (FE) that can be used to read the current program from EECIV and EECV ECMs on the bench.

Software for Tuning

Although several different strategies (or “operating systems”) were used on this generation of computer, all of them are capable of using the GUFB (i.e. A9L) code.  This can be downloaded with tuning software so it is not critical to read your own ECM.  This is a very common, well supported application.  Any of the three tuning softwares that we sell will work for this application.  Any tunes developed using a QuarterHorse can be programmed to F3/F8 chips for long term use

• Binary Editor 2012 is a Ford-specific graphically oriented tuning software that supports many EEC-IV and EEC-V processors.  The GUFB strategy has full editing and logging support using the QuarterHorse
• TunerPro RT is a universal tuning software that supports the GUFB strategy with full QuarterHorse editing and logging using the definitions on this site
• EEC Editor is a Ford-specific tuning software that supports the GUFB strategy with full QuarterHorse editing and logging.

Recommended Combos

Just want to know what to buy?  All of these will be valid combos that will allow you to tune a vehicle effectively.

(Ford Dealer Kit)

(QuarterHorse AND Jaybird AND F3 AND Binary Editor 2012 AND Innovate MTX wideband AND Keyspan USB->Serial)

(QuarterHorse AND Jaybird AND F3 AND TunerPro RT AND Innovate MTX wideband)

Another Fall Class!

We are going to be offering a three-day class on tuning Fords with QuarterHorse in Fall 2014 – September 26th.  This is the same format class previously offered.  Street tuning and dyno instruction will take place on a dyno in the Fairfield, OH (northwest suburb of Cincinnati).

Cost

Registration for the class will be $350.   You can pay with any of the methods that we accept on the website (Paypal, Credit Card) in advance or pay cash/money order at the door.  If you’re going to pay at the door, we ask that you purchase the class item from our website and select “Check or Money order” at checkout so we can keep an accurate headcount and reserve your spot.  All of the products that are used for the class will be available for purchase at/after the event at a discount for attendees. You can register for the event here.

Class Overview

Dave Blundell, Moates tech support and former tuner at Modular Depot will be the instructor.

Registration will be limited to 15 people in order to keep the class manageable and give everyone a chance to get involved and ask questions.  There will be a mixture of classroom instruction, live in-car demonstration of logging techniques with street driving and dyno tuning and techniques.  Forced induction and naturally aspirated modifications and tuning will be covered.  We expect lots of discussion and have built time for this into the class schedule.

Primary focus will be on 89-95 (i.e. Fox-body Mustang, 94-95 Mustang) EEC-IV MAF Fords but much of the material will carry to later models also supported by the same hardware and software. This class is aimed at beginner-intermediate users, but those with literally no experience at all may want to look at some of the material in advance in order to be better prepared.  Likewise, if you have years of experience with Ford EFI tuning and you’re simply looking to get familiar with using our products for the EEC-IV platform, you should already be familiar with some of the material presented.  We cover everything from physical engine operation to air metering methods to Ford implementations with a goal of helping you make targeted tuning changes and not just “button mashing.”

Schedule of Events

Day 1 (TBA) will focus on general theory of how engines work, how electronic engine management works and general approaches to calibration of engine management systems.  Chances are, if you’ve been tuning cars for five years you probably already know a lot of this stuff but it probably wouldn’t hurt you to sit through it again.  If you’re new to engine management, expect your brain to hurt.  The goal of day one is to help you understand how the many pieces of engines, electronics and sensors that you will be dealing with fit together – the big picture.  Most of this day will NOT deal with Ford specific terms and methods.  At the end of the day, you should have a strong understanding of spark ignition internal combustion engines, how and why engines make power, be able to name and explain the function of sensors likely to be found on a fuel injected engine and understand the conditions needed for achieving specific goals such as fuel economy, power or keeping and engine in one piece.  If you’ve previously worked with other systems of engine management, you might look at what you already know in a new light.

Day 2 (TBA) will focus on early Ford engine management.  If you need to get any software set up and configured, we’ll take care of it on this day.  The morning session will focus on Ford specific terms and procedures for running an engine.  The emphasis will be on the most common and important parameters necessary for adjustment.   Fuel, spark, idle and limits will be covered as well as some of the limitations and pitfalls of using factory computers.  Both forced induction and naturally aspirated setups will be discussed.  After lunch, we will demonstrate setting up Moates hardware and how TunerPro RT and Binary Editor 2012 software can be used to make adjustments necessary for tuning Ford vehicles.   At the end of day two, you will have an understanding of the terms used in Ford EFI, be able to pick out the most important items that you need to change in a calibration when tuning and see how software can be used with Moates tools to tune vehicles.  GUFB (aka 89-93 MAF Fox Body Mustangs) and CBAZA (aka 94-95 Mustangs) will be the focus of this day.

Day 3 (TBA) will focus on hands-on usage of TPRT and BE, acquiring data from street and dyno use, analyzing it, diagnosing issues and making changes to tune your vehicle.  We will be acquiring data on the street and on the dyno and using it to make targeted changes.   This will be putting the theory from previous days together with real vehicles and seeing how to apply our understanding of Ford MAF systems to achieve results.  At the end of day three, you will be able to understand enough of Ford EFI systems and the software available to work with Moates tools to be able to acquire data and make precise changes based on measurements rather than simply “mashing buttons” to get results.

Plan on 8-10 hours of being focused per day.  We’ll typically run on a 9ish-6ish kind of day depending on how things go.  (Local time is Eastern Standard Time – EST)

There will be lunch, snacks and drinks provided.  At previous classes, we had an optional group dinner afterwards that worked out well.  Some of the best discussion ended up coming up over dinner, so we’ll probably try to do that again.

We’ll try to have a good chunk of the curriculum up here on the support site prior to the class for you to review and prepare.

Travel Information

The dyno portion of the class will be held at Zerolift Autolab, 100 Security Dr, Fairfield, OH 45014

The classroom portion will be held TBA, either at Zerolift or a nearby hotel.

Suggested Hotel information will be updated at a later date.

The location is approximately 45 minutes drive from Cincinnati/NKY airport (CVG) and approximately an hour from Dayton International Airport.

Other Class Opportunities

Check out the support site for other opportunities to take a class on using Moates products.