Functions and Tuning
Base Map Basics
Today’s subject is Base Maps: what to expect and when to use one. Default Map When you go online with your Haltech ECU for the first time it will already have a preloaded Default Map. A Default Map has all the tuning maps, settings and functions ...
How to switch between tunes with a dash switch
Want one map for the track and one for the street? Want to change the characteristics of your rev limiter as you are driving? How about being able to choose from as many as 12 different target boost levels? All this and more is possible with the ...
Wheelie Control with a Laser Ride Height Sensor
Who doesn’t like watching cars doing big wheelies down the track? In most cases, it’d be the driver and his crew. Why? Well, as spectacular as they may be, uncontrolled wheelies can cost you valuable fractions of a second and potentially cause damage ...
Ignition Timing VS Air to Fuel Ratio
In this article, we are going to shed some light on the hotly discussed topic of how and why the air-fuel ratio and ignition timing affect horsepower. And this is how we’re going to do it… First, we are going to need some hard data. Using our test ...
Tuning with VE (Volumetric Efficiency)
What is VE Volumetric Efficiency or VE is a measure of the actual amount of air that is moved through an engine vs the engine’s cubic capacity. You may have heard the saying that “an engine is just an air pump”, what that means is if we just forget ...
Short and Long Term Fuel Trim
One of the great things about tuning in volumetric efficiency mode is that once the fuel system is set up correctly the engine almost tunes itself – and that’s exactly what we are going to look at in this article. If you’re not familiar with the ...
Transient Throttle (Throttle Pump) Explained
In this article we are unravelling one of the mysteries of tuning; the often talked about but rarely understood dark art of tuning the Throttle Pump, or as we call it here at Haltech the Transient Throttle Enrichment function. Transient Throttle If ...
Electric Wastegate
Electric Wastegate Introduction The Electric Wastegate function within NSP has been created to allow end users the most simple method to implement full functionality with any of the Turbosmart e-WG products. Using our simple drop down menu, any one ...
Engine Limiting Channel States
Engine Limiting Method: 0 None 1 Fuel 2 Ignition Engine Limiting Function: 0 None 1 Immobiliser 2 Map version error 3 Electronic throttle error 4 Electronic throttle redundancy error 5 Decel cut 6 Over boost cut 7 Ignition switch 8 ...
Tuning with VE (Volumetric Efficiency)
What is VE Volumetric Efficiency or VE is a measure of the actual amount of air that is moved through an engine vs the engine’s cubic capacity. You may have heard the saying that “an engine is just an air pump” , what that means is if we just forget ...
PID control mapping
A general guide on how to use the PID (Proportional Integral and Derivative) tables when mapping a closed loop control system on Haltech ECUs. What is the Difference Between Open Loop and Closed Loop Control Open Loop An Open Loop system refers to a ...
How Launch Control Works
Today we’re delving into the subject of Launch Control. What it is, how it works and how it can help you win races! But before we get into the specifics of things, we need to understand the problem that we’re trying to solve. The Basics In order for ...
They see me cruisin’ – How to set up Cruise Control on your Elite ECU
Events like Drag Week in the USA and Drag Challenge here in Australia are becoming increasingly popular. Because these epic challenges involve taking street registered vehicles and driving them over vast distances for multiple days hopping from one ...
Flick of the switch: ECU control at your fingertips
Can I control my Haltech ECU from the driver’s seat? Yes you can! You can now control your Elite functions in real time from inside the cabin using the Haltech Trim Module. Torque management, boost levels, nitrous control, ignition correction and ...
How Flex Fuel Control Works
In this article, we are taking a closer look at Flex Fuel Sensors. Topics covered are: what flex fuel sensors are, how they work, when you might need one and how to install and set one up on a Haltech ECU. It’s no secret ethanol based fuels are ...
How Turbo Boost Control Works
Turbos, boost and horsepower go hand in hand – but only if you’re in control of the turbocharger. A short introduction to how boost control works How a turbocharger works In order to understand how boost control works we first need to understand how ...
Dyno Tuning Basics
Ever wondered what happens when your tuner puts your car on a dyno? In this article we lift the veil on the black magic of Dyno Tuning. Types of Dynos There are three main types of Dynamometers, an Engine Dyno, a Hub Dyno and a Chassis Dyno. Each ...
How to use a timing light
In this article we tackle one of the most requested topics – timing lights. It may be basic knowledge for many but it seems there’s still a lot of confusion surrounding the correct use of a timing light. What is it? A stroboscopic or timing light is ...
Don’t Blow Your Engine!
We have all heard the stories and many of us have experienced first hand an engine failure. Whether it be a catastrophic “con rods hanging out of the block, piston melting, bearing crushing, block splitting” belter or just a simple gasket failure, ...
Haltech’s Advanced Torque Management – More Grip, Less Slip!
Aimed at drag racing professionals, Advanced Torque Management is Haltech’s brand new engine management feature that promises to reduce the loss of traction and tyre shake, making aborted passes a thing of the past. Haltech’s Advanced Torque ...
What is knock and why you should control it
This article will provide you with a background knowledge of what ‘knock’ is, how it comes about and what the ECU does to detect and prevent/limit damage occurring if knock does occur. What is Knock? Knock, pinging, detonation, pre-detonation, ...
10 Things You Need To Know About Rotary Tuning
Are you a piston guy or a rotor guy? If the former applies to you then you might find this article irrelevant and rather boring. However, if you identify with the latter then this might well be the most important article you’ll ever read. Right from ...
Flex Fuel Tuning Guide
Although there are a number of ways to successfully tune an engine for flex fuel, this guide is intended to show a method that allows very accurate tuning over all ethanol blends together with Long Term Learning helping with the tuning process. The ...
Oil Pressure Sensor and Engine Protection
This guide is based on the TI 150 psi pressure sensor. Other sensors can be used however please check wiring and calibration data to suit the sensor. About Haltech Part HT-010904 An Oil Pressure Sensor is a sensor that can read up to around 150 to ...
Traction Control User's Guide
Introduction This is a guide on how to use the Traction Control Function for typical street or mild racing use. This guide will focus on the newer Percentage Cut system found on Nexus VCU and Elite ECU with firmware v2.34-onwards. The Percentage ...
Sequential Twin Turbo User's Guide
Sequential Twin Turbo Systems Explained This guide will be to explain how the FD RX7 and the JZA80 Supra sequential twin-turbo systems operate and how to tune them. Mazda RX7 FD3S 13B The RX7 system is supported by Haltech ECUs such as the Nexus R5, ...
Knock Control User's Guide
Introduction What is the Elite Knock Control function and how do you use it. Knock Detection and Knock Control are only available on the Nexus VCU and Elite 1000 and higher models. Hey, guess what? We've got a great article here to read and a video. ...
Boost Control User's Guide
A guide on how to use the Elite Boost Control Function for typical street or mild racing use. WHAT IS A WASTEGATE A wastegate, by its namesake, is a gate or valve, that lets waste gases of the engine bypass the turbocharger turbine. If no wastegate ...
Direct Injection
Unfortunately at this point in time we do not offer any products that can control Direct Injection (DI). It is something we want to offer in the future so I suggest signing up for our newsletter and keeping an eye out on our website for any future ...
Boost Control Explained
A guide on how to use the Elite Boost Control Function for typical street or mild racing use. What is a Wastegate? A wastegate, by it's namesake, is a gate that lets waste gases of the motor bypassing the turbine. If no wastegate is present, all of ...
Boost Control Manual
The Boost Control function is used to regulate boost pressure by controlling the duty of a boost control solenoid. This in turn regulates the air pressure supplied to the wastegate diaphragm. Note: Due to the large number of pressure units, all ...
Knock Control
Here is an overview on Knock Control using the Haltech ECU