Tuning the Ford Ranger 2.3 Ecoboost

[Psykostevo]

Tune is feeling pretty solid so far. Holds boost really nicely, and turbo is making good Airflow numbers. I have the transmission scheduled to shift at about 5,950 RPM currently, which feels a little early, but it seems to ride the powerband nicely. Did a pull to test out it's wheel output, but I think I started at too high of an RPM to capture the peak torque. It didn't have enough time to hit full boost before 3,000 rpm on this pull to give me a higher torque number. I hit target PSI closer to 3,600 on this pull.

Wheel output for this run is 305hp/364tq. I’d be able to hit a higher peak torque output if I had started my run about 500rpm sooner. I’ll be making some revisions over the next couple days anyhow and then jump back on for some more pulls. I should have started around 2,500rpm instead of 3,000rpm.

Interesting to see how the wheel numbers correlate to the ECU's calculated Brake Torque. The ECU calculates 415 torque @ 3,424rpm on this pull, and 331 horsepower at 5,384 rpm.

I am targeting a PSI of around 23 (it's not exact since you command psi by demanding a torque output, but I have massaged my Demand tables to float around the 23psi range. I have it set to partially close the throttle if I go over 24psi as a safety measure. As you can see, the turbo holds airflow nicely in the RPM range that I am using. I should extend the RPM range back out to the ~6750 range I previously had it set at and see how power holds at the higher range.

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[Doc]

Tune is feeling pretty solid so far. Holds boost really nicely, and turbo is making good Airflow numbers. I have the transmission scheduled to shift at about 5,950 RPM currently, which feels a little early, but it seems to ride the powerband nicely. Did a pull to test out it's wheel output, but I think I started at too high of an RPM to capture the peak torque. It didn't have enough time to hit full boost before 3,000 rpm on this pull to give me a higher torque number. I hit target PSI closer to 3,600 on this pull.

Interesting to see how the wheel numbers correlate to the ECU's calculated Brake Torque. The ECU calculates 415 torque @ 3,424rpm on this pull, and 331 horsepower at 5,384 rpm.

I am targeting a PSI of around 23 (it's not exact since you command psi by demanding a torque output, but I have massaged my Demand tables to float around the 23psi range. I have it set to partially close the throttle if I go over 24psi as a safety measure. As you can see, the turbo holds airflow nicely in the RPM range that I am using. I should extend the RPM range back out to the ~6750 range I previously had it set at and see how power holds at the higher range.

 

[Doc]

Ecu ? Thats not what the Dyno says...looks like about 364 torque..and the a/f is not linear...
Regards

 

[Psykostevo]

Ecu ? Thats not what the Dyno says...looks like about 364 torque..and the a/f is not linear...
Regards

I was providing some data from the ECU so you guys could see what the ECU is calculating relative to the wheel output. Yes it was 364 at the wheels, ECU calculates 415.

The AFR is pretty linear. The scale of the graph is 10-13, on your graph yours is scaled 10-18 so yours looks flatter, but it’s not as flat as it looks at first.

I have my fuel targets set to richen up at the higher rpm, and am hitting my targets. I don’t have my targets set to a flat/constant value.

 

[Doc]

I was providing some data from the ECU so you guys could see what the ECU is calculating relative to the wheel output. Yes it was 364 at the wheels, ECU calculates 415.

The AFR is pretty linear. The scale of the graph is 10-13, on your graph yours is scaled 10-18 so yours looks flatter, but it’s not as flat as it looks at first.

I have my fuel targets set to richen up at the higher rpm, and am hitting my targets. I don’t have my targets set to a flat/constant value.

Okey dokey!
Regards

 

[Indy650]

you think you could lean it out a bit more in the higher rpm range or is that a safety measure?

 

[Psykostevo]

Here is the current WOT Lambda table, showing the target enrichment:

I will probably lean it out up top, and at least pull it back to 0.78 from 5,000+ if not go for 0.800 all together. The Wheel HP drops down a little bit when the enrichment fattens up, which could either just be coincidental, or indicative of the AFR. We will see.

 

[Psykostevo]

you think you could lean it out a bit more in the higher rpm range or is that a safety measure?

Totally can lean it out up top. I was just being cautious with the higher boost level and purposefully keeping a fat AFR up top. Since there is no knock, and there is a sign of a little power loss, I plan to lean it out a little. Right now the 0.76 up top equates to 11.17:1 AFR, and if I target 0.80 instead that would be 11.76 which is still plenty safe in most regards for a DI fuel system under boost. Either way, I am nowhere close to "done" with messing around with the Ranger. I have mainly just been tinkering with the tune and logging it while out running errands and doing Christmas shopping so far.

I also plan to raise the shift point to give a better picture of the 6,000+ RPM power band, and I also want to start my next pulls at around 2,250 RPM so that I can do a better job of capturing the peak Wheel Torque that should be around 3,000 RPM. So I have to start WOT earlier in order to develop full boost before 3,000 to show that peak torque.

The thing about peak torque being at 3,000 RPM means that it becomes irrelevant after you pass it the first time when Drag racing. It's still great for daily driving since that tends to be 1,500-3,500 RPM. But when you go WOT this motor pretty much only operates in a narrow ~1,500 RPM window from your top shift point. Thanks in part to the 10-Speed being so closely geared. So highway acceleration and 1/4 mile times are going to see the most benefit from top end power gains.

 

[Doubleu]

Psykostevo You seam pretty knowledgeable on this stuff.

Is there any way to get the truck to stop skipping 2nd gear. I'm sure it's doing it for Fuel economy however in the mountains its counter productive for Fuel and the truck is not geared right when driving slow.
To explain, I Hunt in the mountains at allot of Slow speeds Generally 8-15 MPH while hunting with dogs, This truck is constantly going from 1st to 3rd, and I have to manually work it to 2nd gear? Lately I've been just limiting the gears so the truck can't go higher than 2nd and the forces it to shift into second, but I forget to raise it. So I'm constantly Messing with the buttons.

I Would Be interested to engage the Torque converter sooner at these slow speeds for better Fuel Economy.

Not sure if this is something that I can have a Program set for slow Mountain driving.

I'm debating having the truck tuned, But more for shift points and fuel economy.

 

[Indy650]

Totally can lean it out up top. I was just being cautious with the higher boost level and purposefully keeping a fat AFR up top. Since there is no knock, and there is a sign of a little power loss, I plan to lean it out a little. Right now the 0.76 up top equates to 11.17:1 AFR, and if I target 0.80 instead that would be 11.76 which is still plenty safe in most regards for a DI fuel system under boost. Either way, I am nowhere close to "done" with messing around with the Ranger. I have mainly just been tinkering with the tune and logging it while out running errands and doing Christmas shopping so far.

I also plan to raise the shift point to give a better picture of the 6,000+ RPM power band, and I also want to start my next pulls at around 2,250 RPM so that I can do a better job of capturing the peak Wheel Torque that should be around 3,000 RPM. So I have to start WOT earlier in order to develop full boost before 3,000 to show that peak torque.

The thing about peak torque being at 3,000 RPM means that it becomes irrelevant after you pass it the first time when Drag racing. It's still great for daily driving since that tends to be 1,500-3,500 RPM. But when you go WOT this motor pretty much only operates in a narrow ~1,500 RPM window from your top shift point. Thanks in part to the 10-Speed being so closely geared. So highway acceleration and 1/4 mile times are going to see the most benefit from top end power gains.

Ahh I see. I do a lot opf turbo tuning on snowmobiles and I like to stick around 11.7:1 and 12:1 max. I could take it further but that way it's safe and really it's not a big difference in power running a few points leaner. If its my own sled that I'm racing short distances I lean it out further but for customers they might be doing miles wide open down lakes so I like to keep those a bit rich. Also the software I use if it goes leaner than i like or the engine gets too hot I can just pull timing.

You never know what customers are going to do I once had a guy drill out his nitrous nozzles because he felt a 70hp shot wasn't enough. obviously he didn't change fuel and it was a catastrophe. I have pics somewhere of the result I'll see if i can find them.

 

[Indy650]

mach z 1000

 

[Indy650]

Ready to go again

 

[rojizostang]

@Psykostevo what's your feeling about stock cat longevity with your tune? I've been debating an aftermarket tune, however I'm not sure the ranger has enough fuel system as is to protect from a cat over-temp situation. (perhaps you covered that. i didn't read every single post) I plan to keep the stock cat(s) on the truck, however again the longevity for me at this point is of some concern. It seems cat meltdown is a huge factor in wiping out a motor in many cases.

I have a roush supercharged f150 pushing about 12lbs of boost and I'm able to run 93 octane, however it's catless so it's not a concern on that vehicle.

 

[Psykostevo]

Ahh I see. I do a lot opf turbo tuning on snowmobiles and I like to stick around 11.7:1 and 12:1 max. I could take it further but that way it's safe and really it's not a big difference in power running a few points leaner. If its my own sled that I'm racing short distances I lean it out further but for customers they might be doing miles wide open down lakes so I like to keep those a bit rich. Also the software I use if it goes leaner than i like or the engine gets too hot I can just pull timing.

You never know what customers are going to do I once had a guy drill out his nitrous nozzles because he felt a 70hp shot wasn't enough. obviously he didn't change fuel and it was a catastrophe. I have pics somewhere of the result I'll see if i can find them.

Yeah, “customers” are a vehicle’s worst nightmare. You spend enough times in car groups and you’ll see people posting videos of their engine smoking and they’re just sitting there filming it and redlining it over and over as if one time they are going to floor it and all the problems are just going to go away.

I have even had old dudes with manual transmissions come back later and tell me how they loved the boost in their car and how they did some long road trip and never took it out of 6th gear......and you’re just wondering if these old dudes have ever heard of engine load before.

 

[Psykostevo]

Psykostevo You seam pretty knowledgeable on this stuff.

Is there any way to get the truck to stop skipping 2nd gear. I'm sure it's doing it for Fuel economy however in the mountains its counter productive for Fuel and the truck is not geared right when driving slow.
To explain, I Hunt in the mountains at allot of Slow speeds Generally 8-15 MPH while hunting with dogs, This truck is constantly going from 1st to 3rd, and I have to manually work it to 2nd gear? Lately I've been just limiting the gears so the truck can't go higher than 2nd and the forces it to shift into second, but I forget to raise it. So I'm constantly Messing with the buttons.

I Would Be interested to engage the Torque converter sooner at these slow speeds for better Fuel Economy.

Not sure if this is something that I can have a Program set for slow Mountain driving.

I'm debating having the truck tuned, But more for shift points and fuel economy.

Yes, you can custom tune your part throttle shift scheduling to have the 1-2, 2-3, and 1-3 shifts that you prefer and so on. But I tell you, it’s not some quick over the counter thing. That’s a pretty particular type of thing that you would be best off tuning to your own liking.

Something worth noting is that the shift scheduling for part throttle in the transmission tables is set in Output Shaft Speed and not RPM. So you will need to set up and a Excel sheet to help you easily translate your numbers into the rpm values you want.

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