Easy Ecu Resetting
OK, the printout the tech gave me shows that the initial Active test monitored the car with these paramaters:
ENG SPEED: 663rpm
CLSD THL POS: ON
IGN TIMING: 15BTDC
then the next section shows the "TARGET IGN TIM ADJ":
CORRECTED IGN TIM: 2 deg
ENG SPEED: 650rpm
CLSD THL POS: ON
IGN TIMING: 17BTDC
At the end of the printout it shows the Active Test after the adjustments:
ENG SPEED: 650rpm
CLSD THL POS: ON
IGN TIMING: 18BTDC
Other parameters there show:
BATTERY VOLT: 14.0v
ACCEL SEN1: .75v
ACCEL SEN2: .78v
THRTL SEN1: .59v
THRTL SEN2: .52v
FUEL T/TMP SE: 77 deg Farenheit
IN T/A TEMP SE: 87 deg Farenheit
EVAP SYS PRES: 4.12v
FUEL LEVEL SE: .52v
------------------------------------
So theoretically he adjusted the ignition timing by +2 deg (that's an advance) but in reality it translated to a total of +3 deg at the end (whether by rounding up or non-linear behaviour). It was 15BTDC in the beginning, then 18BTDC at the end. It is also interesting to see that the tech was able to key in an exact idle RPM and the engine miraculously stuck there - the joys of modern electronics
Don't think of "degrees" as temperature here. It's only meaning that the sparks are happening at a different point in time... it's really a degrees shift in the pistons. The theory is that there's different compression potentials at many positions, given that there are different mixtures of fuel/air. Maybe a higher degree shift allows the spark to happen when there's more room in the chamber, resulting in a larger combustion? I'm simply noticing faster acceleration than when I took the car off the lot. If I disclose the dealership that I got this done is someone going to get in trouble?
ENG SPEED: 663rpm
CLSD THL POS: ON
IGN TIMING: 15BTDC
then the next section shows the "TARGET IGN TIM ADJ":
CORRECTED IGN TIM: 2 deg
ENG SPEED: 650rpm
CLSD THL POS: ON
IGN TIMING: 17BTDC
At the end of the printout it shows the Active Test after the adjustments:
ENG SPEED: 650rpm
CLSD THL POS: ON
IGN TIMING: 18BTDC
Other parameters there show:
BATTERY VOLT: 14.0v
ACCEL SEN1: .75v
ACCEL SEN2: .78v
THRTL SEN1: .59v
THRTL SEN2: .52v
FUEL T/TMP SE: 77 deg Farenheit
IN T/A TEMP SE: 87 deg Farenheit
EVAP SYS PRES: 4.12v
FUEL LEVEL SE: .52v
------------------------------------
So theoretically he adjusted the ignition timing by +2 deg (that's an advance) but in reality it translated to a total of +3 deg at the end (whether by rounding up or non-linear behaviour). It was 15BTDC in the beginning, then 18BTDC at the end. It is also interesting to see that the tech was able to key in an exact idle RPM and the engine miraculously stuck there - the joys of modern electronics
Don't think of "degrees" as temperature here. It's only meaning that the sparks are happening at a different point in time... it's really a degrees shift in the pistons. The theory is that there's different compression potentials at many positions, given that there are different mixtures of fuel/air. Maybe a higher degree shift allows the spark to happen when there's more room in the chamber, resulting in a larger combustion? I'm simply noticing faster acceleration than when I took the car off the lot. If I disclose the dealership that I got this done is someone going to get in trouble?
Oh yeah.. I have read that adjusting the ignition timing too much can destroy an engine so be careful!
Anyway, seeing these specs for the G35:
Ignition timing A/T: 15 Degrees BTDC, + or – 5 Degrees BTDC (in P or N position)
Ignition timing M/T: 15 Degrees BTDC, + or – 5 Degrees BTDC (in N position)
.. I can assume you can go up to 20BTDC and as low as 10BTDC without killing the engine. The tech has said that he's only allowed to adjust +2 deg by Infiniti so that's as much as he could do it. He did say that it would give a performance boost, but the adjustments he made would be counteracted if I didn't run the car with premium octane gas .. no biggie to me since that's all I do run. Maybe going higher in the ignition timing means higher octane is needed. Could mean that the car is more of a gas hog too but it's "fun juice"
I usually got about 26 mpg after I put on the K&N air filter (which I recommend to anyone since it definitely gives a noticeable perfomance boost). Before the filter upgrade I only got about 20 mpg. Right now I'm back down at 22 mpg so something has changed, however, I did try to drive the car like a madman since I got the ECU flashed with this adjustment. Either way, I feel the ignition timing increase has resulted in more swiftness with the acceleration.
Anyway, seeing these specs for the G35:
Ignition timing A/T: 15 Degrees BTDC, + or – 5 Degrees BTDC (in P or N position)
Ignition timing M/T: 15 Degrees BTDC, + or – 5 Degrees BTDC (in N position)
.. I can assume you can go up to 20BTDC and as low as 10BTDC without killing the engine. The tech has said that he's only allowed to adjust +2 deg by Infiniti so that's as much as he could do it. He did say that it would give a performance boost, but the adjustments he made would be counteracted if I didn't run the car with premium octane gas .. no biggie to me since that's all I do run. Maybe going higher in the ignition timing means higher octane is needed. Could mean that the car is more of a gas hog too but it's "fun juice"
I usually got about 26 mpg after I put on the K&N air filter (which I recommend to anyone since it definitely gives a noticeable perfomance boost). Before the filter upgrade I only got about 20 mpg. Right now I'm back down at 22 mpg so something has changed, however, I did try to drive the car like a madman since I got the ECU flashed with this adjustment. Either way, I feel the ignition timing increase has resulted in more swiftness with the acceleration.
Last edited by SQconstable; Apr 20, 2005 at 12:18 PM.
All I can say is WOW. In over 2 years I don't think anyone has ever seen this adjustment. Can you confirm that this is not just an idle timing adjustment? This is great if it's as real as you've made it sound. I don't think even TechnoSquare adjusts timing do they? They fiddle with AF only I believe but have heard contrtadictory info.
It would also be important that this was a permanent ECU adjustment so as to not be ereased when you swap for a new battery. No need to disconect for ECU reset if you use the pedal method.
Great info, please stick around and let us know some more on this. I'd love to talk to my dealer about this before race day in June at Englishtown so I can whoop up on the coupes...
It would also be important that this was a permanent ECU adjustment so as to not be ereased when you swap for a new battery. No need to disconect for ECU reset if you use the pedal method.
Great info, please stick around and let us know some more on this. I'd love to talk to my dealer about this before race day in June at Englishtown so I can whoop up on the coupes...
I'm sure this is ignition timing which is there all the time, not just idle. I even asked this and the tech clarified/confirmed. At first I was thinking it was just something that happened when you turned the ignition but after reading, ignition timing has to do with the timing of sparks relative to the positioning of the pistons.
Well what I was worried about is that the pedal reset method will clear everything, however, I'm pretty sure the battery disconnect (or shorting) method wont. If you think about it, it'd be weird for the designers to make the ECU forget important settings/prgrams that would go away when the battery died or was removed. The ECU definitely has some sort of firmware retains factory settings, so I'm thinking that SOME of them are remembered unless you force them to clear which would probably be the pedal method (this could be something like idle position). On PC motherboards you actually have to short two pins to clear the CMOS settings because of the watch battery retaining those settings.
The tech told me that you can only really clear out the values in the learning tables within the ECU when you flash it and this is only about 15-20% of the settings that are in firmware, which wouldn't ever be cleared unless you rewrote the chip with a new program. I'm positive now that ignition timing is most likely a programmed parameter, not a learned one that goes into flash memory.
I highly doubt that disconnecting a battery or discharging all the stored power with the short would actually clear any values that were programmed into the chip, like ignition timing. The values that are recorded while learning "driving habits" are most likely stored in flash memory which are kept with a constant 12v source. Once the 12v is removed, those current tables are cleared but the ignition timing setting has got to stay.
Well what I was worried about is that the pedal reset method will clear everything, however, I'm pretty sure the battery disconnect (or shorting) method wont. If you think about it, it'd be weird for the designers to make the ECU forget important settings/prgrams that would go away when the battery died or was removed. The ECU definitely has some sort of firmware retains factory settings, so I'm thinking that SOME of them are remembered unless you force them to clear which would probably be the pedal method (this could be something like idle position). On PC motherboards you actually have to short two pins to clear the CMOS settings because of the watch battery retaining those settings.
The tech told me that you can only really clear out the values in the learning tables within the ECU when you flash it and this is only about 15-20% of the settings that are in firmware, which wouldn't ever be cleared unless you rewrote the chip with a new program. I'm positive now that ignition timing is most likely a programmed parameter, not a learned one that goes into flash memory.
I highly doubt that disconnecting a battery or discharging all the stored power with the short would actually clear any values that were programmed into the chip, like ignition timing. The values that are recorded while learning "driving habits" are most likely stored in flash memory which are kept with a constant 12v source. Once the 12v is removed, those current tables are cleared but the ignition timing setting has got to stay.
IF you had a Techtom OBD port plug in you could actually see your timing values. You could measure the highest value under WOT and probably compare to similar cars in the same weather area at the same time. I bet DaveO has tested using his Techtom reader to see what the ECU reset does and probaby all of the methods too. DaveO are you out there?
Hey what's up man? Yeah I'd be interested to know more details about what exactly is being reset by the two methods, er, 3 methods.. there's a third one obviously by programming that isn't covered here. I couldn't believe the amount of response on how to actually do the reset opposed to what it's really doing.
... man I need to clean my interior.. where's the vacuum?
... man I need to clean my interior.. where's the vacuum?
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 30,341
Likes: 9
From: Cambridge, Ont. Canada
Originally Posted by mistermojorizin
So if you had your ecu tuned, let's say by technosquare, would resetting it change any of that stuff?
C.
Registered User
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 136
Likes: 0
ECU reset is worthless. Modern cars have so many freakin sensors (OBD2b) that if you install an intake, new header, etc, the car immediately detects it and adjusts fuel/timing accordingly.
In terms of clearing codes, this is a good procedure to know. Anyone thinking they'll gain 5hp from doing this is just kidding themselves. Don't trust your butt dyno...trust common sense.
In terms of clearing codes, this is a good procedure to know. Anyone thinking they'll gain 5hp from doing this is just kidding themselves. Don't trust your butt dyno...trust common sense.
Fastest G35 In Rockwall
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 829
Likes: 0
From: Rockwall, Texas (Near Dallas)
I agree with the above statement. Cars (especially the G35) adjust automatically to almost anything you throw at them.
However, the ECU reset for the G35 is necessary for resetting the transmission back to it's factory settings.
I just did mine yesterday morning. HUGE difference.
Again,I only do it for the transmission settings.
It is NOT needed to do a reset everytime you add a mod.
However, the ECU reset for the G35 is necessary for resetting the transmission back to it's factory settings.
I just did mine yesterday morning. HUGE difference.
Again,I only do it for the transmission settings.
It is NOT needed to do a reset everytime you add a mod.
Guest
Posts: n/a
FYI, to those having problems trying to get the reset to work, here's what I noticed;
The steps are correct, you just have to be aware of what the "ON" position is. What I noticed, is that I had to have the key turned past the last AUX position, almost to the point where the engine fires. I noticed that when you turn the key to the ON position, you can hear the fuel pumps turn on. So while hearing the fuel pumps, go through the proceedure.
Also, FYI, I installed the z-tube and did the reset. I noticed a difference, but hard to tell what was ztube and what was ecu reset. I do think the gear changes are a bit snappier, and I can actually feel a secondary kick-in-the-pants as the timing or mixture adjusts with WOT. This was not as noticable as before.
Real happy with the way it's running, and looking forward to the Crawford Plenum, hyper ground kit, and Stillen CAI.
regards
andycon
G35 sedan
ztube
lead-foot
The steps are correct, you just have to be aware of what the "ON" position is. What I noticed, is that I had to have the key turned past the last AUX position, almost to the point where the engine fires. I noticed that when you turn the key to the ON position, you can hear the fuel pumps turn on. So while hearing the fuel pumps, go through the proceedure.
Also, FYI, I installed the z-tube and did the reset. I noticed a difference, but hard to tell what was ztube and what was ecu reset. I do think the gear changes are a bit snappier, and I can actually feel a secondary kick-in-the-pants as the timing or mixture adjusts with WOT. This was not as noticable as before.
Real happy with the way it's running, and looking forward to the Crawford Plenum, hyper ground kit, and Stillen CAI.
regards
andycon
G35 sedan
ztube
lead-foot
