Trilogy S/C Tuning Assistance

[WhatsUpDOHC]

Hi -

I took the Trilogy to a tuner (Radical Racing, Atco, NJ) yesterday as it's failing inspection.

The tuner (Craig Radovich) couldn't get the "transition" right so he put the original tune back in.

I was watching him build the tune with Diablo softare. He was starting with the Marauder S/C base, then adding the injectors and MAF.

Is this the correct sequence for building a tune?

I think that he's experienced in tuning modular Fords and S/C'd cars (he used to race mustangs) but I want to ensure that there is nothing special that he has to do or that he's missing for the Marauder/Trilogy package.

Any help you can provide will be appreciated. Obviously, I don't want to mess with this.

Thanks,

Mark

P.S. He may have been having computer problems as well as it didn't seem that the tune was being transferred properly to the chip.

[Blown3.8]

Failing what kind of inspection(emissions?) and for what?

[WhatsUpDOHC]

Thanks Chris!

NJDMV shows "UNSUPPORTED" for:

Engine Misfire
Catalytic Converters (has front cats with O2 sensors)
Heated Catalytic Converters
Evap System
Secondary Air Injection
A/C Refrig
O2 sensors
O2 sensors - Heaters
EGR Systems

I thought that, like my Lidio tune, the above were just turned off. It appears that they are and he was able to turn them on but just not able to get the tune stable.

Mark

[Blown3.8]

I don't see why all that stuff would be turned off, especially if all the equipment is on the car still.

[STEPS]

I would recommend getting a SCT tuner

[WhatsUpDOHC]

Thanks for the responses.

He was trying both SCT and Diablo.

[Vortech347]

The majority uses SCT.

Look who your local mustang forum uses.

[STEPS]

give Triolgy a call and have the SCT Flashed for the SC

[WhatsUpDOHC]

Yes. This is what I'm thinkin'.

Thanks again all. You've got (our) my back.

Mark

[Baaad GN]

If you have a Lidio tune already why didn't you contact him first? Just wondering!

[PonyUP]

I recommend contacting Mo's speed shop I know Marty and his team are familiar with this.
Also, if you are just hooking up the state computer to see if it will read these before the test, it will always come up unsupported in my experience. Have them hook up there handheld to see if it reads it.
In my experience I was sure the car would pass, so I had them test it anyways and it went through just fine.
Put the SC tune right back in before even rolling off the testing platform at the request of the testers, they wanted to see done smoke on the way out, had to oblige


The Ice Bucket Approves of this message

[jflave]

Mark give me a call if you think i can help you with anything. :)

[ctrlraven]

Could try having Evolution Performance tune the car, they have tuned several Trilogy cars. I talked to their tuner a few years ago about tuning mine and he said there wouldn't be any issue since mine was NA and they had several Trilogy cars come through the shop with great results. http://www.evoperform.com/shop/

[Blown3.8]

The weird thing is the computer is showing unsupported. Which means it shouldn't be on the car. If you unhooked the battery or cleared the codes just before you went in it would read "not ready" which would mean you would have to do some drive cycles so the computer can check the sensors.

[jflave]

Does Jon Lund still do the tuning for thier high performance cars ? IF yes hes very good. :)

[jflave]

Chris when my car came back from Fl. along with other problems it had 6 or 7 things turned off it took some doing just to get them to read not ready. Wish i could understand what they had to do & it took some time.:)

[justbob]

From my experience most trilogy cars show up unsupported.


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[Marauderjack]

Do you have a tuner or does it have a "Chip" installed???:confused:

I think some of the early Trilogy kits came with the tune on a chip......I might be wrong though......happens a lot lately!!! :eek: :rolleyes:

[WhatsUpDOHC]

Do you have a tuner or does it have a "Chip" installed???:confused:

I think some of the early Trilogy kits came with the tune on a chip......I might be wrong though......happens a lot lately!!! :eek: :rolleyes:
It has an SCT chip. Sorry, I should have been more clear with my first post.
How can I tell if it's the original that came with the Trilogy?

[RF Overlord]

From my experience most trilogy cars show up unsupported.I just had mine inspected last month and all the I/M monitors were active. The tune has not been touched since Lidio dyno'd it back in '06.


I think some of the early Trilogy kits came with the tune on a chip...Mine has a chip.

[justbob]

It has an SCT chip. Sorry, I should have been more clear with my first post.
How can I tell if it's the original that came with the Trilogy?

So they are actually able to communicate with the chip installed? Somebody must have either already removed PIN 13 IIRC from the OBD2 port or bought the jumper cable to allow communication.


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[WhatsUpDOHC]

The weird thing is the computer is showing unsupported. Which means it shouldn't be on the car. If you unhooked the battery or cleared the codes just before you went in it would read "not ready" which would mean you would have to do some drive cycles so the computer can check the sensors.

This may be happening. The car sat for 4 years and was off/on a charger. It hasn't been driven that much.

I'll put it throught the "cycle" and retry the inspection.

Thanks, again, everyone! I'll post up the results.

[STEPS]

give Marty or Jeff a call at MO's they are always helping me out

[DOOM]

My car doesn't have a EGR tube and I still passed emissions! :lol:

[WhatsUpDOHC]

give Marty or Jeff a call at MO's they are always helping me out
I will do this too!

Thanks.

[Vortech347]

If your car has aggressive cams you will want someone to tune it on a dyno. A mail order tune may not get you what you need.

[Mr. Man]

Had trouble with the Zack tune on Paula's car last year. There is a tailpiope test available for the MM. Bet it comes back clean.

[RF Overlord]

So they are actually able to communicate with the chip installed? Somebody must have either already removed PIN 13 IIRC from the OBD2 port or bought the jumper cable to allow communication.Yeah, I have to use the jumper I bought from Lidio...but all the monitors come up ready except one...I don't remember which...I think it was EGR. In MA you can have one monitor not ready as long as it isn't the catalyst.

[WhatsUpDOHC]

So they are actually able to communicate with the chip installed? Somebody must have either already removed PIN 13 IIRC from the OBD2 port or bought the jumper cable to allow communication.


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The presence of the chip interferes with the OBD connection?

Would I be able to pull the chip while in line for inspection or will I have to run the stock/factory programming through a cycle? Won't want to run for long without the tune.

[justbob]

The presence of the chip interferes with the OBD connection?

Would I be able to pull the chip while in line for inspection or will I have to run the stock/factory programming through a cycle? Won't want to run for long without the tune.

Yes it interferes, but IIRC it just gives a general message saying no communication. It's been a few years, but if I recall it was pinout 13 brown??? Google it, Simply de pin it from the port or buy the interference cable.

I would not yank the chip without pulling the belt, swapping the injectors, air box, BAP, ETC.. Been there, did that, and passed. Talk about slower than stock. It took four days of driving to go thru its steps, but that is with a handheld. I don't "think" a chip removal or install requires a drive cycle.


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[RacerX]

My car doesn't have a EGR tube and I still passed emissions! :lol:
Not that they could see the damn thing was missing with all the light reflection going on under that hood!!! :P

[WhatsUpDOHC]

Hi -

I took the Trilogy to a tuner (Radical Racing, Atco, NJ) yesterday as it's failing inspection.

The tuner (Craig Durovich) couldn't get the "transition" right so he put the original tune back in.

I was watching him build the tune with Diablo softare. He was starting with the Marauder S/C base, then adding the injectors and MAF.

Is this the correct sequence for building a tune?

I think that he's experienced in tuning modular Fords and S/C'd cars (he used to race mustangs) but I want to ensure that there is nothing special that he has to do or that he's missing for the Marauder/Trilogy package.

Any help you can provide will be appreciated. Obviously, I don't want to mess with this.

Thanks,

Mark

P.S. He may have been having computer problems as well as it didn't seem that the tune was being transferred properly to the chip.

Thanks to everyone who have replied (and multiple times - With great information).

I'm going to get this car through inspection and to get the correct tune.

You are ALL the best!

I'll post up the results.

Mark

[Vortech347]

The chip over-rides what is on the EEC itself. It basically takes the PIDS and says "this is what you're going to do" with hardware.

VS

Flashing the EEC hardware itself.

Chips are old technology and in the newer stuff you are better off flashing it. Makes future changes 10 times easier as well.

[WhatsUpDOHC]

Yeah, I have to use the jumper I bought from Lidio...but all the monitors come up ready except one...I don't remember which...I think it was EGR. In MA you can have one monitor not ready as long as it isn't the catalyst.

Hi -

An update.

I called Lidio and he left me a VM message.

Basically, he told me that he's been getting calls about this from the East Coast. While he doesn't know for certain what's happening, he thinks that the DMVs have installed much more sophisticated scanning software - That can detect if performance modifications have been done.

In my VM message to Lidio, I asked about the cable but he didn't reference it in his response.

RF Overlord - Can I rent your cable to see if it helps? :bows:

I called Marty but their tuner was busy and I was never able to call back.

I'm also driving it around (2nd day in a row that I've taken it to work). :burnout:

Mark

[martyo]

I called Marty but their tuner was busy and I was never able to call back.


Mark it has been a busy week.

PM me your cell and we will try to call you either tomorrow or Saturday.

[WhatsUpDOHC]

Mark it has been a busy week.

PM me your cell and we will try to call you either tomorrow or Saturday.
Thanks Marty! Will do.

I can barely find time to breath at work - I'm glad that your shop is busy.

Mark

[WhatsUpDOHC]

Old thread alert!!

But good news......

I passed NJ Inspection today!!

Craig from the OP hooked me up!!

I'm beyond psyched. :beer:

[Mr. Man]

Hi -

An update.

I called Lidio and he left me a VM message.

Basically, he told me that he's been getting calls about this from the East Coast. While he doesn't know for certain what's happening, he thinks that the DMVs have installed much more sophisticated scanning software - That can detect if performance modifications have been done.

In my VM message to Lidio, I asked about the cable but he didn't reference it in his response.

RF Overlord - Can I rent your cable to see if it helps? :bows:

I called Marty but their tuner was busy and I was never able to call back.

I'm also driving it around (2nd day in a row that I've taken it to work). :burnout:

Mark
I was told the States newish software detects things that are turned off in the tune. They show up as unsupported. So their computer knows that the car is supposed to have XYZ and if it only finds Z it knows there has been some hanky-panky. I heard they allow one unsupported flag.

I ended up doing a smoke test and leaving the Zack tune in P's car and it passed with flying colors, otherwise I would have had to find an OEM tune and install that. PITA NJ :shake: