ALFAGTV6.COM

[Jim K]

I thought I'd post a few lines re. recalibration of the stock 164 Quadrifoglio AFM (0280203035 used with ECU 0261200130). I'm getting ready for the dyno/map session so I wanted to start off with the best idle adjustment I could have, aiming for proper low speed operation and legal emissions (no cat). In std factory calibration form, exhaust readings with my engine were disappointing; very high CO and HC. I first unwound the clockspring 6 clicks(!!) and readins were good (1.7%, 280ppm) but driveability was not, as the flap was very-very loose. Today I returned to the original spring position and fiddled for a while with the wiper position by losening the wiper philips-head setscrew. Lo and behold, I finally settled for 1.8% and 240ppm. Driveability/overall response is very good, the Halmeter bobs happily up and down during idle or low power driving and the setup is ready for the dyno. I suppose mapping will address fuel/ignition maps past the point of full AFM swing. Idle speed will also be set to ~900rpm -I think 750 is too low. The resulting upgraded chip (stage 1) will be available after the book is published to interested parties (not from me though) and will be for use with std Motronic cams and injectors. There will also be another chip (stage 2) catering for max street/track performance cams and special Greg Gordon injectors. More on this later though. Will update as things develop.
Jim K.

[Barry]

Hey Greaseball...Dont you know better than to fiddle with the afm??

Ever heard of a MAP ECU??

Btw,thanks for the caps and rotors..got them today..Mille gracie..

[Jim K]

All in good time sir, all in good time! First I test mods for modest people who don't have special ECU's growing on trees like you guys do in S.Nigeria! Then I test the same remapped with hairy cams and bigger GG injectors. Stage 3 goes to the minority with no afm MAP ECU's, stage 4 I torch everything and buy an (yeah, you guessed right!!).........M3 THEN we all go to the dyno and see some real numbers! Sorry, O'Great Spirit, got carried away there...???
Jim K.

[Maurizio]

Jim, move you're wife over to the computer.

How many times a week do you wake up screeming M3eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Go wash your mouth with soap and fiddle some more on the Alfa engine, everthing is going te fine, the M3's will leave you alone


hmmmm, stage 2 and 3 ....we TS guys also like a 0.5% CO @ iddle is all we need.

[MD]

Maurizio,

A mouth wash wont do. He needs a full colonic irrigation and a pull through with a pineapple on a string..

[Zamani]

Dear Jim Kartalamakis,

I am Pumba Okasa, son of the President of Vice. We are interested in creating a joint venture with your project in eliminating AFMs through out our country. Please send me your account number so we can deposit some money in there. Make sure this is your life savings account so we can make you richer and you can own a car with the propeller symbol.

Thank you.

Kind Regards,

Pumba Okasa

[Maurizio]

Back on topic

Jim, thinking of what you did with the afm, I can't get it.
My explaniation: if you loosen the spring. The ecu will think that there is more air coming into the engine so you get more fuel. How can can you get less CO by adding fuel?

[Jim K]

If you read carefully, I left the stock spring at factory tension and moved the wiper to where I got the readings I posted. This last step was a multiple trial+error combined with the AFM air bypass screw looking at both the gas analyzer and Halmeter. What I wanted was to retain correct lamda function during low power cruising (=economy+clean plugs)and the best response upon sudden throttle opening. Needless to say, many road tests were done during this process...it may sound simple but it took about an hour and a half to get it right. I'm not saying its perfect (how could I quantify?) but it performs well without snags or jerks, except the odd light flywheel weirdness sometimes in 1st gear, which I must say could be annoying to someone looking for perfection.
A word for everyone about the AFM air bypass screw: do not twirl it indiscriminately, it has a great say on exhaust gas even if sometimes it seems that nothing happens when you turn it! A guy with a 75TS (non-cat) came to the garage last week with an...exploded muffler! I had heard of things like that but had never seen one. Turned out he had turned the AFM multi-turn pot to where he ran 8.5% CO and some ungoddly number of HC. Before the big bang he was complaining of severe backfiring when shifting...until it got to this! ONLY by turning the pot I got the car down to 1.1% CO and ~400HC (probably worn rings) and no more backfiring; playing mechanic by ear cost him a new muffler! As for myself, I was only able to find and correct the problem with the analyzer, no way anyone can set these things right any other way.
Jim K.

[Maurizio]

8.5% CO

My ring ts runs about 2% last time I checked and it fauls its plugs when waiting long for a stoplight etc.

One thing I always wanted to know about the 4.1 motronic......
Is it so that the CO screw regulates only @idle and it is not an offset value for the fuel curve over the whole rpm/load range.
And what happens if you loose your lambda signal, it will probally run in a rich, safe mode, but how rich is that safe mode.