maf translator & MAFT-PRO questions

[grimreaper]

what you can do with the maftpro doesnt even compare to the safc... you can pull timing out, add timing, aux inputs, use an actual ve table, boost control, afr tracking, the list goes on... Your always going to be limited by the stock ecu with a piggy back. But the maft is a close as your going to get to a standalone. with out forking over $XXXX for hardware, wiring, and tune.

Dr.j has posted all of trhe tidbits on the maft system on here and on mkiiitech... Id suggest a bit of digging.

 

[CajunKenny]

Hey grim, How is Meth Injection controlled by the Mpro?

 

[TurboStreetCar]

what you can do with the maftpro doesnt even compare to the safc... you can pull timing out, add timing, aux inputs, use an actual ve table, boost control, afr tracking, the list goes on... Your always going to be limited by the stock ecu with a piggy back. But the maft is a close as your going to get to a standalone. with out forking over $XXXX for hardware, wiring, and tune.

Dr.j has posted all of trhe tidbits on the maft system on here and on mkiiitech... Id suggest a bit of digging.

True but it still functions in the same manner as the safc, by scaling the AFM signal.

Its a great setup that i would use instead of a SAFC because it has more parameters to tweak, but to upgrade from an SAFC its not that much different. It really only adds ignition control/monitoring. Fuel cut will still be the same and part throttle air fuels is still an issue.

I was just pointing out that at the level the OP is at, its getting to be about the time where a standalone is the way to go. Even with the cost of install and tuning it cost less then a new motor, unless you go MoTeC......

Hey grim, How is Meth Injection controlled by the Mpro?

Using a switched aux output. Set it to switch on at a boost level of your choosing and wire in a relay to a pump. Or if it has PWM outputs have it PWM a solid state relay and scale the duty cycle to boost or RPM.

 

[CajunKenny]

I wouldn't want it to be an on/off situation. It will have to be linear and I don't think any of the Maft's outputs are. I may be wrong on that.

I have the AEM Meth kit and it is supposed to do a pretty nice job as a stand alone unit. For simplicity sake, I think I'll just run it as such...

 

[IndyMK3]

Im not looking to make insane power

hahaha... right nate...

but im glad to see that you are looking at upgrading your tuning devices... have you been able to get your car on a dyno and got numbers with that new turbo set up?

 

[suprafanatic]

not in a hurry to do anything really, just starting to think about what i should do as far as upgrading Fuel/tuning capabilities. The afm is limiting to me, i have a decent tune with the safc right now, but the afm is holding me back. I'd like to get bigger injectors, meth, and somthing like maft pro. The car is making decent power as it stands, i just raced a supercharged cobra that had drag wheels and skinnies on the front, unsure on its mods, and a fast camero that had big cams, head work, exhaust and other bolt ons. I pulled both cars. I was at like 17-18psi. I hit fuel cut in 3rd gear and up if its anything over 19ish PSI. Id like to be able to run around 25psi tuned and be happy

 

[TurboStreetCar]

Well, again the AFM isnt whats holding you back, its the TCCS and fuel system. if you want more boost run 50psi base fuel pressure and pull out alot more fuel on the safc, that will get the results you want.

 

[suprafanatic]

That will allow me to run more boost?? i think my base fuel pressure right now is at like 35-40psi, and under boost the safc is like -10% through alot of the rpm range

 

[grimreaper]

since when is timing control a small feature or how else can you do this with out a standalone?! that was the hole point of stepping up to the maftpro and running 20+psi of boost with the correct octane. If you have to pull to much fuel out causing an increase in timing.... you can pull the timing back out at the same time!
Now toss in the fact that with the safc its tps/rpm based. No way to acuratly tune vf's and have the car run like stock. With the pro you can tune EVERY load point and then you can re write the ve table to use your own map/kpa and rpm values as needed. I dont run over 18psi so my map was reworked to stop at 250kpa.

Think of it like a map ecu + safc + timing control + BC + user define aux inputs + user defined aux outputs +more. If you havent used this system, how do you have any input? (for anybody thats felt the need to explain its shortcomings...)

Im all for a standalone but for the cost your NOT going to beat the flexibility and tunabilty of the pro.. HP is not the limiting factor, your ability to tune and use common sense with the hardware you have is...

 

[suprafanatic]

im confused now.. lol

 

[CBatstone]

I'm with supra fanatic as in I have a solid running car that drives well and gets respectable gas mileage in its stock electronics. I'm ready for the next step and MAFTPRO seems to be the way to go. I'm still very worried that I'm going to be spending many more hours frustrated trying to get the thing running OK and not driving the car this summer.

Can anyone alleviate my concerns about what it takes to get a MAFTPRO up and running so that its a solid performer on the street in daily driving situations? I'm not sure if my worry is warranted, because I feel as if I could tune a SAFC pretty simply as I have a Wideband and I understand the concepts of finding the correct base fuel pressure to keep the fuel tuning trickery within +/- 20%. Can anyone who has setup a MAFTPRO on their car speak to how easy/hard it was to get their 7M driving respectively, and if it is really necessary to get into the VE tables right away?

I'm ready to buy and take the leap but when all you read about on the forums is problems (which is why people come here in the first place) you rarely hear about the average success story.

Intentions Are:
MAFTPRO
680CC Injectors
GM MAF (Speed Density appears finicky requiring more complex tuning?)
One of the CXRacing Bolt on T61 Turbos
Walbro 255 w/AFPR

 

[CajunKenny]

Maft user here.

All I can do is echo grimreaper. It is the most bang for your buck. Period!

I will admit that it is a little bit intimidating because there's a lot to take in. But if you want the most out of your car and are willing to learn, it's the way to go. I ran it in both AFC mode and in Speed Density mode. In both cases, I had no complaints.

After proper hook up, update the firmware, set a handfull of parameters, and turn the key. My car started right up and idled normally.

Additionally, I just got back from a long trip and my car got 27 mpg.

I am going to the dyno tomorrow to confirm this; but, my car is somewhere around 380whp. Hopefully anyway...

My last dyno session, I did a back to back comparison between the dyno's data and my maft's data and they were near dead on! Where can you get that kind of accuracy and versatility in any other piggyback?

So, if you're looking for a success story.....there's mine.....

 

[89supra7mgte]

Cajun, what altitude are you at? Is your car an 89+? I was looking in to going maft pro on my car but was told i would have to do the HAC mod because of my altitude at 6600ft? Is that always necessary?

 

[CajunKenny]

I'm at ~1100 ft above sea level and my car is a 91. My travel ranges from 1100 ft to 5600 ft and I have no drive-ability issues.

The HAC mod is only necessary in hilly areas. Even then, it may not be necessary.

 

[CBatstone]

Thanks CK for your story, after running MAP and Speed/Density do you have any comments as to how similar or different they were to setup? Would you recommend one over the other for ease of configuration or is there not really a difference? did you get into the VE tables yet?

Also, what did you mean about the 'Dyno's Data vs. MAFT Data', Does the MAFT caluclate HP/TORQUE and log it? What were you finding here?

I have a standard 200$ AEM Wideband and I'm also trying to figure out if this can be directly connected to the MAFTPRO or if I need some sort of WideBand Controller.

Thanks for your info!
-Craig

 

[CajunKenny]

I'm a little confused by you 'MAF' term. Be careful using that term around here. You're sure to get flamed since our cars don't use MAF's.

If you mean what are the comparisons between the Maft Pro in 'AFC' vs 'Speed Density', then I'd have to say that they're similar....yet different.

In AFC mode, all you do is adjust AFR's. There's more than that; but, that's AFC mode's basic function. It is quite easy to use and works well. It really woke my car up! At the time I had tuned it to 10.8 which made a huge difference in the car's performance.

Hook up for AFC mode is pretty straight forward with the exception of the HAC mod. Which I mentioned a few posts up. When you're ready for SD, you just hook up the SD harness. So, if a person could only afford a WB and the Maft Translator and nothing else....he could run it in AFC mode and when funds permit, convert to SD by adding the harness later. It's pretty convenient that way...

When I was in AFC mode, I didn't use the VE Tables. I just used the 'User Tunes' in the Translator. I was just lazy at the time and didn't want to learn the VE Table then. But, when I converted to SD, I learned the VE Table and now that's all I use. It's not a steep learning curve and well worth the effort!

No, the Maft-Pro cannot calculate TQ. I REALLY wish it could!!! There'd be no need to dump money in to Dyno sessions!! What I was referring to was all of the other data. AFR's, Boost, RPM, etc...

It sounds like you and I have the same WB. AEM UEGO. Yes, it is directly compatible with the Maft-Pro.

 

[CBatstone]

What I had indented to question was the difference between going with a GM 2-Bar MAP Sensor and an GM 3-Bar SD setup. If going Speed Density it's own tuning path with the ability to control the VE tables.

Great info about the AEM WB. That is great news - thanks.

Feeling a lot better now about going MAFT PRO and not looking back. It certainly opens up a lot of options for upgrade paths and future planning. I imagine that it's been out long enough for it to be developed well. Searching the forums back to the 4.40 days and you'll find some struggles. It's been a few years now and if its still being supported as well as it was I can only imagine it still has a future for development.

 

[CajunKenny]

A 2-Bar Map Sensor isn't the norm in relation to the Maft-Pro. I'd run with the masses and stick with a 3-Bar.

Yeah, as with any product, there are bugs. 4.40 had it's fair share of them. The Maft-Pro has come a long way and it still has a lot of support. As a matter of fact, a new version is currently being worked on to take care of some timing calculations. I'm sure you've been to www.fullthrottletech.com.

There is support for this unit and it isn't a product that is stagnant and going away...it is getting better!

(...taking off my salesman hat now...)

 

[madsupra88]

Would you say that the pro is much better than map ecu (runing a 1jz here)

Ive heard map ecu is very easy to tune! but full throttle tech are about an hour away from me (based out of MI) so that might be easier for me if i ever need help!

Im sure pro has more features like everyone says, but only shootin for 500-550 here, made 354 whp on fully stock 1jz just a bigger turbo and a walbro.

 

[CajunKenny]

I apologize...I don't know much about the 1j ecu; but, I don't see why the Maft Pro wouldn't play nice with it.

Being that close to Fullthrottle is a nice perk!