[mindchatter]

Hey. I'm taking delivery of my Sti next week sometime....all these threads about det. are making me nervous all of a sudden. I've read that Vishnu may be working on a remap, and I'm sure (errr...hoping) that SOA is looking into it as well. Here's my question. Pending a permanent fix to the det. issues can I avoid any potential engine damage from det. by running 96? I'm in CT and have access to 94, was wondering if getting a 55gall. barrell of 100 octane delivered would make sense to avoid damage to the engine itself. Just made some calls, 100 oct. is available from a gas station for $6/gallon! Yikes! But I can get a 55gall. barrell of the stuff for $280 delivered....not a huge difference but if I will be using it consistently to avoid damage it seems to make sense. Anyone else doing this or contemplating? Can someone tell me if my logic makes sense? As always I appreciate any insight. FWIW I've read every post I can find about ping/det/octane/altitude and everything else.

 

[eatV8]

since your car is still new just cruise nicely in it, the pinging is only happening between 4000-4500 (upto 5000 i heard a couple of times) u shouldnt be in that zone just yet under hard acceleration. also it has been said in threads that it isnt totally a octane problem, and alot of people have put it down to timing. just take it easy, it shouldnt be too long till it is resolved (if your lucky, your car might be one that doesnt even ping?)

 

[mindchatter]

God I'm hoping mine is one that doesn't ping! I fully plan on keeping it under the 4k mark during break-in, but was wondering if once that point passes a 96 blend would minimize the possibility of damage occuring. I know that a little det. here and there isn't catastrophic, but hearing anything that was detrimental to the overall well-being of my brand new 32k dream car would really bum me out. I just want to "do the right thing" for my STi. Thx very much for the feedback eatV8 - anyone else care to comment??

 

[BHODGES3]

And as far as I have read, it seems to only be pinging at those RPMs while applying WOT.

 

[Gansan]

Dude if its pinging it is very minimal......you will barely even notice it. It seems that the ECU is retarding timing but just can retard it fast enough or the ecu is just not able to retard timing enough. When the pinging occurs it is very breif and goes away quickly. This will be a some what of an easy fix, I barely notice it on mine and it usually only happens when it is extremely hot outside. Spray the intercooleer and keep 93 octane and you'll be good.

 

[mindchatter]

Thanks everyone - still appreciate any add'l insight as there's no such thing as too much information (well, normally anyway). And can I add......Gizmo rocks and has some mean rhythm going on! Diggin' that avatar.

 

[azninside]

Mastercard

I wouldn't worry bout it til you experience it ::shrug::

 

[CloNeGTS]

Dude if its pinging it is very minimal......you will barely even notice it. It seems that the ECU is retarding timing but just can retard it fast enough or the ecu is just not able to retard timing enough.

Well.....that's not quite the way the ECU is supposed to work. "Einstein" is supposed to ramp up the timing until it senses knock and then pull the timing back. Over the first XX thousand miles, the ECU gets an idea of your driving habits, fuel type.....and it has a normal range for timing. But the kicker this time around is that it appears that the ECU is not remembering or not noticing the pinging at all. Some are speculating that the engine has been drawn way out and that the ECU just has to do more work to pull back the mapping and that after a few thousand miles, the ECU is getting the idea.

But....from what the tuners were reporting from initial dyno tuning, the ECU would ramp up timing, up, up....hear det and pull back. 4-5 runs later, it will have ramped up right to the same point that it det'd last time...as if it doesn't remember!

Someone pointed out this sounds like the definition of insanity - doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results each time. Sounds like Einstein might be crazy!

 

[azninside]

^^ it shouldn't take thousands of miles for the ECU to modify and adjust the timing and fuel mapping :roll: most OBD2 vehicles and newer will adjust after a few hundred miles or constant hard driving.

in my prelude for instance, after basic boltons etc (I/H/E/P) and w/o doing an ECU workaround or adjusting it w/ a VAFC, the ECU will adjust itself according to your driving habits. this means that it "detunes" your mods....trying to back to stock settings (which is bad since you're no longer stock).

the result is that you can either reset your ECU when it's getting noticeable (depending on driving habits, that could be once or twice a week, once a month, or whatever....I usually just reset it when I get gas ::shrug:: ) once you reset your ECU, all your mods pull harder etc. like they sposed to. it's just the way OBD2 ECU's work cuz they're trying to adjust itself for best gas mileage/performance etc.

the ECU shouldn't take thousands of miles tho to adjust itself...that'd mean that if you had a problem, it'd take a long time for it to fix itself

 

[CloNeGTS]

Oh....I didn't say it was the right way to build the ECU if that is in fact the case....just pointing out that that is a possibility.....cuz no one knows for sure!

And honestly, unless you are a severe pinging STi, your best defense against the problem is not to push it to that point...just take it easy.

 

[mindchatter]

I understand your point Rob....but aren't al of us interested in this car so we CAN push it??? I woul hate to not be able to because I was afraid of fudging something up....which brings us back to exactly why I started this post I guess.

 

[azninside]

^^
^^^ I'd tend to agree....that if you're havin problems, take it easy....but you know that it's goin to be F'in hard to do that in an STI

has anyone come out yet w/ a standalone system for fuel management or anything similar yet? I know that the USDM STI hasn't been out long....but I'm sure that someone could find a better standalone or similar system for relatively cheap that can provide better support, specially after boosting more than stock...