Jump to content
Please check your junk folder for registration emails ×
  • Current Donation Goals

    • Raised $0.00

Tuning with tactrix and romraider in Welly?


goose

Recommended Posts

Does anyone have a tactrix cable in Welly and is tuning with romraider? Im interested in doing a couple of logs and have a play with my BP5 before committing to a purchase, keen to see what other people are doing with them first though.

cheers

Gareth

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...
 goose said:

Does anyone have a tactrix cable in Welly and is tuning with romraider? Im interested in doing a couple of logs and have a play with my BP5 before committing to a purchase, keen to see what other people are doing with them first though.

cheers

Gareth

Gidday Gareth,

If you\'re keen on logging, you can get an Audi/VW VAG-COM cable online that plugs into your laptop which will work with romraider and Subaru FreeSSM software to log. Was mucking around with my B4 last week, doing a few log runs (CHC) to check out the state of tune of my car. Works well - cable stopped working cos I stepped on it while moving laptop - ordered 2 more online ( one spare). If you\'re interested, can pm you details and some screen shots.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I\'ve also wanted to get into this...

My research has shown that these VAG-COM cables allow you to read but not write and i correct B4_685?

Ive also found that if you want to save some money head on over to http://www.evoscan.com/ as they have the same cables for a lot less, i believe you want a 1.3U cable which should cover all subys from 99-07.

Then all you need is romraider and ECUFlash Plus a jumper cable (can be made for very cheap) and your away laughing.

Only reason I haven\'t gone for it is I run Mac which limits what i can do as far as logging is concerned.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

vag com, correct, is a log only option.

getting the right cable to flash is very hit and miss.

evoscan, yes they do have their own cables, but it\'s honestly not that much cheaper, and you need to hunt around for the right archived version of ecuflash to get it all to work.

i had the tactrix cable landed and at my doorstep in 3 days from the states, costed like, $240 or something like that, with all the reflash blocks, and it works no hassles with windows 7, but it has to be used with a usb2 port, as the usb3 port doesn\'t like it.

also reads v5/6 (revision c) legacies, foresters and imprezas...

on android there is also a app that will allow datalogging etc to portable device, it\'s awesome

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 tebbyj said:

I\'ve also wanted to get into this...

My research has shown that these VAG-COM cables allow you to read but not write and i correct B4_685?

Ive also found that if you want to save some money head on over to http://www.evoscan.com/ as they have the same cables for a lot less, i believe you want a 1.3U cable which should cover all subys from 99-07.

Then all you need is romraider and ECUFlash Plus a jumper cable (can be made for very cheap) and your away laughing.

Only reason I haven\'t gone for it is I run Mac which limits what i can do as far as logging is concerned.

Hi Guys,

Yes. My experimenting thus far has been limited to read-only. Tried ECUflash (latest version) and my cable was unable to read my ECU map. I didn\'t \'jumper\' the flash block at the time, however I have read online that an older ECUflash version has, in the past, worked with the Vag-com cable. I\'m a little hopeful that I will be able to read/write to the ECU with the right tinkering because the FreeSSM software is able to tweak timing and idle settings with the Vag-Com. When I get new cable and try again, will let you know if it works

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 B4_685 said:

Hi Guys,

Yes. My experimenting thus far has been limited to read-only. Tried ECUflash (latest version) and my cable was unable to read my ECU map. I didn\'t \'jumper\' the flash block at the time, however I have read online that an older ECUflash version has, in the past, worked with the Vag-com cable. I\'m a little hopeful that I will be able to read/write to the ECU with the right tinkering because the FreeSSM software is able to tweak timing and idle settings with the Vag-Com. When I get new cable and try again, will let you know if it works

Yea i think you will need a jumper cable between two terminals (cant remember which ones) just a peace of wire with spade terminals at either end is all you need. This just allows the ECU to be written too.

Where do you get the cable from?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cable I got from ebay - $8.50 USD for shipping and $0.99 US for the cable itself.

Comes with its own CD but mine was blank - not to worry - windows vista found the cable when I plugged it in. I did a google search online and got updated drivers for it. Only thing you have to do is once it\'s installed, go to the "System" menu and under \'device manager\', look under \'serial device\' (from memory) to locate the cable driver, then change the COM PORT to something that the software you are using can recognize (I used COM 1). Also, when using a USB port, make sure you plug it in to the same one each time once you\'ve configured it or windows does some wierd stuff and you have to go in each time and change the port again.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/320657268202?ssPageName=STRK:MESINDXX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1436.l2649

Once she\'s all set up, FreeSSM and ROMRAIDER will work for logging. "Learning View" is very good as well, for logging ECU adjustments in response to knock and to track it\'s progress when ECU has been reset (IAM).

- little side note - bought an ELM327 OBD2 wifi interface which plugs into the OBDII connector allowing you to use your iphone or ipad - it\'s only good for reading stored CEL codes, but doesnt like the Subaru SSM protocol so can\'t view other paramaters (i.e. AFR/RPM etc). Read up a bit online and apparently its something to do with the chip in the dongle... Wire works fine with the PC tho.

**EDIT**

Some pics of my logs:

ROMRAIDER Dashboard with VAG-COM and Windows Vista

398222_10151684510457174_1262374256_n.jp

Run 2:

960113_10151684510662174_1750506069_n.jp

Learning view:

935487_10151684510812174_2081546641_n.jp

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 B4_685 said:

Cable I got from ebay - $8.50 USD for shipping and $0.99 US for the cable itself.

Well thats considerably cheaper than the $130USD cables that I was looking at haha

Seems to log okay, just want to know what its like with writing and MAP editing as i understand it thats the difficult part lol

Did you have much knock on the standard tune?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 tebbyj']

[quote name='B4_685 said:

Cable I got from ebay - $8.50 USD for shipping and $0.99 US for the cable itself.

/quote]

Well thats considerably cheaper than the $130USD cables that I was looking at haha

Seems to log okay, just want to know what its like with writing and MAP editing as i understand it thats the difficult part lol

Did you have much knock on the standard tune?

Standard tune on mine is not too bad. Run it on 98 RON all the time and only get pinging when engine is heat soaked (in traffic). Car has after-market fujitsubo turbo-back exhaust with equal-length headers which I would imagine would free up a few ponies and help her breathe - so yeah, tune is not too bad. I took 1 degree of timing out of it and it seemed to pull a lot better once the ECU had a chance to sort out the timing as per attachment. Spoke to Stu at Stubaru here in CHC who recommends taking up to 3 degrees of timing out on a standard tune to offset the 100 octane requirement - at least give the ECU some breathing space with regards to the B4 ignition Map and tendancy to ping.

Cable is read-only at this stage, but working on a mod to allow it to flash the ECU as per tactrix cable.

Here\'s a detailed mod thread from our yankee buddies:

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showpost.php?p=35844629&postcount=149

Gonna try older ECUFlash version first before trying to modify the VAG-COM unit like this guy has. I tried soldering it with my dud-cable without much luck (solder goes everywhere but the pin I\'m after!) so if you\'re wanting to do the mod - I\'d recommend using glue (epoxy) like this aussie bloke has...

http://www.rexnet.com.au/forum/index.php?/topic/148631-vag-com-flashing/

Good luck :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 B4_685 said:

Standard tune on mine is not too bad. Run it on 98 RON all the time and only get pinging when engine is heat soaked (in traffic). Car has after-market fujitsubo turbo-back exhaust with equal-length headers which I would imagine would free up a few ponies and help her breathe - so yeah, tune is not too bad. I took 1 degree of timing out of it and it seemed to pull a lot better once the ECU had a chance to sort out the timing as per attachment. Spoke to Stu at Stubaru here in CHC who recommends taking up to 3 degrees of timing out on a standard tune to offset the 100 octane requirement - at least give the ECU some breathing space with regards to the B4 ignition Map and tendancy to ping.

So in your case taking some timing out gave better power? or was that just to allow for the 98RON fuel?

Ive herd the the V7s are known for the same things and pull alot of timing for our fuel and det is a lot more prevalent in the Rev D legacy\'s that came if from japan apposed to earlier models.

As for altering the cable, I had seen these posts before about it, but always thought it would be better (for peace of mind sake) to get one that was built for the job. After all it is like playing with the cars brain and one wrong move can make a very big bang haha

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 tebbyj said:

As for altering the cable, I had seen these posts before about it, but always thought it would be better (for peace of mind sake) to get one that was built for the job. After all it is like playing with the cars brain and one wrong move can make a very big bang haha

smart one, this guy :)

problem with the rev d legacies, particularly the "etune" ones, is they run sooooo close to det on 100ron for the jap market. so they come over here, and people run them on 91, they blow themselves apart then people say "subies are shyte"

the way to get the most, is to pull out a couple of degrees of timing. this pulls it back to the edge of det on 98, instead of the "knock detected preset timing retard" or basically, factory settings detects knock on 98, pulls 4 degrees, more knock, pulls another 4, until it\'s not getting any knock.

after you retune it, you can get it to pull less timing per knock event, you can also set how fast it\'ll do it, you can start with less timing in there, so it\'s less likely to knock etc etc

easier to show yah than try to type it lol, brain to keyboard not the easiest, i can see all the maping and the way it relates in my head, but yeah, putting 3d images into text... lol

my v7 had a whole lot of knock i\'d assume (it ran like a bag of shyte tbh) when i started, got a tune from sp00n, and i have tinkered with it quite a bit, and now i\'m running some massive timing advance at 22 psi boost, with no knock detected

Link to comment
Share on other sites

that is a good tune i gave u bro..took a while to get it to where i wanted with 98oct..

anyway on the screen shots with the IAM and the speed and rpm (im assuming a 3rd gear pull) u have a very lean AFR - maybe afr sensor issues

hmm on the learning view it does show issue on afr sensor...fix it before u nuke the engine bro

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 SP00N said:

that is a good tune i gave u bro..took a while to get it to where i wanted with 98oct..

anyway on the screen shots with the IAM and the speed and rpm (im assuming a 3rd gear pull) u have a very lean AFR - maybe afr sensor issues

hmm on the learning view it does show issue on afr sensor...fix it before u nuke the engine bro

Have replaced sensor but cable died before I had chance to log some more. Sensor was a dud as you mentioned - CEL now off and engine much happier :) will log some more and put it up FYI when new cable arrives

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 kwi_fozze']

smart one, this guy :)

Why thank you ;D

my v7 had a whole lot of knock i\'d assume (it ran like a bag of shyte tbh) when i started, got a tune from sp00n, and i have tinkered with it quite a bit, and now i\'m running some massive timing advance at 22 psi boost, with no knock detected

Are you saying car ran like shyte on standard tune? so just buy adjusting AFRs and timing etc. you can ward off knock up to that level. Still trying to get my head around the process i guess. I understand the basics of timing and fueling at least, obviously thats just the start haha

[quote name='SP00N said:

that is a good tune i gave u bro..took a while to get it to where i wanted with 98oct..

So SP00N, once i get all up and running with my cable and ECUFlash (not on the top of the to do list at the moment but making its way up) would you be willing to set up a base tune for me? With payment of course.... ( to be discussed at later date)

Once i can send you some log files and stuff. Will just be with basic mods.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

yes, ran like crap on standard tune. also had 3" cat back, only mods.

my timing, open and closed loop fuelling, boost, wastegate, AVCS advance, ignition timing, advance, knock correction, and a few of my threasholds have been played with, amongst other things.

i can see how it all works, but no idea how to explain it via keyboard lol. but everything is related, change in one requires changes in a few other tables

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 kwi_fozze said:

yes, ran like crap on standard tune. also had 3" cat back, only mods.

my timing, open and closed loop fuelling, boost, wastegate, AVCS advance, ignition timing, advance, knock correction, and a few of my threasholds have been played with, amongst other things.

i can see how it all works, but no idea how to explain it via keyboard lol. but everything is related, change in one requires changes in a few other tables

Everything is linked in one way or another haha seems odd that a relatively stock car would run like crap on a stock tune, considering that Subaru know what their doing. Suppose it comes down to our shit fuel.

Ive been reading this guide http://www.scribd.com/doc/66346237/A-Subie-Newbie-Tuning-Guide-1-0

As well as watching youtube videos and the such just to get a basic idea.

When SP00N did your map did you flash that to car then just start running logs and switching things up from there?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 tebbyj']

[quote name='kwi_fozze said:

yes, ran like crap on standard tune. also had 3" cat back, only mods.

my timing, open and closed loop fuelling, boost, wastegate, AVCS advance, ignition timing, advance, knock correction, and a few of my threasholds have been played with, amongst other things.

i can see how it all works, but no idea how to explain it via keyboard lol. but everything is related, change in one requires changes in a few other tables

/quote]

Everything is linked in one way or another haha seems odd that a relatively stock car would run like crap on a stock tune, considering that Subaru know what their doing. Suppose it comes down to our s*** fuel.

Ive been reading this guide http://www.scribd.com/doc/66346237/A-Subie-Newbie-Tuning-Guide-1-0

As well as watching youtube videos and the such just to get a basic idea.

When SP00N did your map did you flash that to car then just start running logs and switching things up from there?

i swapped out my ecu plus some folding stuff for a new ecu as i couldn\'t access my ecu. quite possibly ecutec\'d, unsure. saved the tune that was on the ecu, flashed to stock, drove it for a bit, reflashed sp00ns image back on and damn.

log, tinker, log, tinker, log, tinker, also helps that i have a reasonably extensive supply of stock and tuned ecu images from all over the world to play with, some around the 230kw mark with the correct mods, from several model years :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 kwi_fozze']

[quote name='kwi_fozze said:

yes, ran like crap on standard tune. also had 3" cat back, only mods.

my timing, open and closed loop fuelling, boost, wastegate, AVCS advance, ignition timing, advance, knock correction, and a few of my threasholds have been played with, amongst other things.

i can see how it all works, but no idea how to explain it via keyboard lol. but everything is related, change in one requires changes in a few other tables

/quote]

Everything is linked in one way or another haha seems odd that a relatively stock car would run like crap on a stock tune, considering that Subaru know what their doing. Suppose it comes down to our s*** fuel.

Ive been reading this guide http://www.scribd.com/doc/66346237/A-Subie-Newbie-Tuning-Guide-1-0

As well as watching youtube videos and the such just to get a basic idea.

When SP00N did your map did you flash that to car then just start running logs and switching things up from there?

i swapped out my ecu plus some folding stuff for a new ecu as i couldn\'t access my ecu. quite possibly ecutec\'d, unsure. saved the tune that was on the ecu, flashed to stock, drove it for a bit, reflashed sp00ns image back on and damn.

log, tinker, log, tinker, log, tinker, also helps that i have a reasonably extensive supply of stock and tuned ecu images from all over the world to play with, some around the 230kw mark with the correct mods, from several model years :)

Sweet - what were you driving?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recent Status Updates

    • MrSg9Sti04

      Afternoon team,
      im new to the group first time posting. Im hoping some body can help me get my launch control all dialled in on my link g4x. Ive had the computer and car all tuned from chris at prestige awesome knowlegable guy super happy with the results but now im wanting to get my launch/anti lag all dialled in. Ive been reading multiple different forums etc all with different conflicking information which has made me nervious with what do i listen to this or that if you get what i mean. Now ive started to make myself familiar with my PClink software etc the past few weeks and im eager to learn how to do minor setups or tweaks etc so im not relieing on my tuner so much and obviously saving myself abit hurt in the back pocket. 
      Now back to the question at hand.... Im wondering if theres and one who could please share there knowledge and wisdom with setting all my values, timing, fuel etc when i have launch control armed and engaged, or even a launch tune file they can possibly send me to load onto my tune. Ive figured out the setup of my digital inputs turning launch control on etc and its obvisously on its pre set factory settings. It engages but doesnt sound the greatest or as angry as it should i feel. Hence reaching out to you good buggers. 
       
      Cheers in advance for any info and help yous maybe able to give me.
       
      Cheers Shaun
      · 0 replies
    • Joker  »  gotasuby

      updated your DP's too : hope that's ok!
      · 0 replies
    • Joker  »  SAS

      Updated your DP's to reflect your business page  
      · 0 replies
    • Joker  »  Nachoooo

      Updated your Avatar : couldnt help myself  cheers!
      · 0 replies
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Forum Statistics

    40.9k
    Total Topics
    573.5k
    Total Posts


×
×
  • Create New...