ST185 with Wolf 3Dv4 ECU tuning advice - please help!

[the1stDDD]

G'day all, first time posting here so hopefully I'm not breaking any rules etc...

Recently bought an ST185 GT4 celica as a project car. It has been heavily modified and although the engine starts...it runs really rough and lots of smoke out the tailpipe (I was told it is running rich).

Car came with a Wolf 3dv4 ECU (running piggyback with the stock ECU) with a hand controller.

I have the fuel map values for a stock GT4 (the wolf values) and have been putting them in using the hand controller...but its really slow...and I have no idea if its still too rich etc.

I have tried linking up my laptop to the wolf (bought an FTDI chipset USB to serial adapter, and made a cable going from the wolf 15pin plug to a 9 pin serial plug)...but still not able to link the ECU to the laptop...very frustrating!

Also, pondering whether to spend $200 on getting a wideband oxygen sensor and air/fuel ratio gauge to help with determining what values I should put into the fuel map.

If you are still reading this: thankyou for not seeing the length of it and just passing on it! I could really use some help with this problem.

How easy (and is it safe) to remove the Wolf and run the car just from the stock ECU?

Can you suggest how I could get the wolf ecu linked to my laptop?

Would it be a good idea to buy a wideband oxygen sensor kit?

How much (estimate) would it cost to just tow it to a tuning shop and get it all sorted there?
Any tuning shops experienced with ST185's or Wolf ECU's near Cherrybrook/Pennant Hills, NSW?

Thankyou so much for your help!

DDD

[ajansen]

Your gunna want an AFR gauge to accurately tune your car. No idea on wolf stuff sorry as i use a PowerFc. But tuning without AFR values is like driving blind.

[the1stDDD]

Mmm okay...might look into those $200 wideband sensor + gauge kits...even then...I'd be editing all the values in the fuel map via the hand controller...very slow process!

Is the fuel value for a certain RPM and Load % value constant regardless of how much pressure the turbo has built up?

Thanks,

DDD

[ajansen]

I use the innovate mtxl. great and can be had for 200.

with powerfc load is represented by many factors including boost. no idea on wolf

[dumbass]

U sound like u r an inexperienced tuner and u r going to try play with a wolf 3dv4
That's like jumping into a pit full or crocodiles
Seriously throw the wolf out and run std ecu or upgrade to the new wolf v550
U will find u will spend a fortune at a tuners shop and it still might not be right
The old wolfs where a prick to tune. U would tune it right then next minute they would be out
Seen it many times
Run std ecu or something newer
Otherwise it will be a big money pit
Ring about 5 or 8 different tuners and find which is best and worst ecu
U will find most think the same about most poor ecus I won't name afew since ill get my
Ass reamed on here as some guys talk bout them but if u do speak to some good tuners they will tell u which ones to stay away from

[the1stDDD]

Ok thanks for the advice!

If i got a new wolf...would the harness connector from the V4 plug right into the new ECU? (so no rewiring needs to be done?)

ajansen: What are Power FC's like to tune?

And would you guys suggest keeping a new ECU in piggyback with factory ECU? Or making the new one a stand alone?

Thanks!

DDD

[OnAll-FOUR]

Hello,

I have the wolf v500 running on my ST185 so it is not impossible.

But your comments have me a little worried.
- Running a piggy back system seems a little weird, the ecu is more than capable or running the whole car. What have they implemented in the ecu?
- Find a workshop near you that understands wolf ecus and get them to do a base tune for you.
- You will only destroy your engine changing fuel values without an wideband A/F meter . This is the only real way to tune a car, how were your planning to do it otherwise?
- You will need to get something that can log RPM, engine load and A/F together. The wolf V500 can you will have to check the v4 can.

Finally do lots of reading about engines, how they work and how to tune them. Google is your friend

[the1stDDD]

Thanks for your feedback!

The piggy back system: I have no idea why the original owner did this. I completely agree that its stupid. But because it has been spliced into the wiring loom and I have no idea what other changes they have made to the loom...I don't really want to try and separate them incase something goes wrong. Normally the stock ECU should be totally fine until you get to a certain level of modification, and then its probably normal to spend big and get a really good aftermarket ECU doing everything.

Currently looking around for a good workshop. I have contacted GAS motorsports and MRC in Castlehill, but would still value suggestions for other places who have experience with 185's and wolf ECU's.

All I was doing with the hand controller was leaning out the fuel a little bit as to minimise black stuff coming out the exhaust and so it would start and idle a bit better. Plus I have all the wolf fuel map values for a stock 185, so i was moving the values in the fuel map closer to the stock ones (not going under them).

What I was planning to do with a wideband sensor:
get low RPM zero load values from having the car in neutral and adjusting the accel cable nut to idle it at certain RPM's and adjusting the fuel value until the O2 sensor showed a good mix.

For light loads, the car can be secured on stands with all 4 wheels free spinning. Various gears would give different load amounts.
For heavier loads, car can be driven on various inclination angles while the O2 sensor, RPM and Load values are video recorded. Can then go through and adjust the settings.

Does the wolf v500 have a stupid 15 pin port to connect to a pc? I have searched online and found its a port used for VGA (D sub 15) cables. Even found a guide on how to wire up a 15 pin to 9 pin serial adapter cable...but it doesn't seem to be connecting to laptop.

I even opened up the wolf and found that most of the pins in the 15 pin socket were in fact connected to something (the above mentioned tutorial only used 3 of the 15 pins...a ground...a serial data transmit and a serial data receive).

I have even contacted wolf asking about this cable...haven't heard back from them.

Thanks,

DDD

[OnAll-FOUR]

Wolf Motorsport 2013