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AEM FIC Guide.

44K views 22 replies 9 participants last post by  advo 
#1 · (Edited)
So a few people have been asking about the AEM FIC so i decided that i would make a how to guide.
Feel free to use the guide but please dont copy and paste it else where. If you do give me the credit thats due.

Part 1 Install\\\\

Here is the wiring diagram for an OBD2a Honda Civic. This diagram can be adapted to work on obd1 or obd2b civic. That would be 92-00.
If you don’t think you can cut and solder all the wires then get a boomslang plug and play hardness for your car. They est around $160 to $250

Diagram


Start with just the tapping wires. Then move on to the Injectors wires, then cam,crank.
Work with 1 wire at a time and be sure to look at the IN/OUT of the wires on the FIC.
Remember the injectors wires are IN from ECU and OUT to INJ.
While the Cam and Crank wires are IN from SENSOR and OUT to ECU.

Once all that is done. Put in the bypass harness and start your car. Your car should start like normal without problems.
If it doesn’t then check your wiring you messed up somewhere.

Part 2 Setup\\\\


This is for setting up the basic setting for the AEM FIC. This is for getting your car to run OEM (NO turbo, supercharger or bigger injectors).

Open up the AEM software. I use version 3.05.
Once open you will need to see what the Firmware on the FIC is.

Go to File > Get slave version. Then follow the on screen steps.

I find that the obd2 civics like to run the fuel firmware “z104.hex”
Each firmware is different but the basic is z104 for normal injectors, z107 was an improvement on that. Then z110 was for scion and batch fire injection.

Not we will move on to the settings.
Click the File > Open
Then browser to where your base_cal.fi6 (should be in your aem fic program folder)

Then click settings (the hammer and wrench icon)
These are the default settings.


Basically your setting should match mines. For a 92 – 00 d15/d16 civic. If your using a different type of civic of car all together then read the notes on the settings.


First note that you can load the cal file to the AEM FIC even if its not on or plug into the car. Simple plug the usb cable to the port and install the drivers. Then your be able to update the file anytime your connected.

Settings break down\\\\\\\

Left to bottom to right to bottom.
Switch input function > You can pick if you want to use this wire to do on board logging
or use dual maps. With dual maps your be able to have 2 tunes and
flip between them by grounding out this wire.

Fuel Injector response time > This is the injector dead on time. I will get into this more
but for stock injectors left this at 486.

Ignition > Simply this just sets up what sensor you want to use to make your table.
The load input should be MAP and Slew rate 0.125

MAF > Load input should be switch to MAP, This will use the build in map sensor of
the FIC.
Mode - should be in Percent.
Max voltage clamp – This is the maximum voltage that the build in map sensor
should ever see NA. The easiest way to find this is to install t
the FIC hook it up to the laptop and turn the key on the car.
Don’t start it just turn it to get readings.
Click the gauge Icon (- + looking thing). It will bring up the
gauges and your get some data.
Look for MAF voltage.
Hondas should be 2.8 volts for map sensor and 3.8 for MAF.

There is guides online for setting up the MAF clamping map. I didn’t have to deal with that so I don’t good first hand on that. But basically you need to do a 3rd or 4th gear pull while NA stock, From 2k to Redline. You will want to datalog the highest MAF voltage you get. Then your input that number into the MAF clamp.

Analog A/B > This is use if you have other sensors that need to be fooled. I know if your car has a MAF and MAP sensor. Then your MAF sensor will be wires to the MAF wires of the FIC and your MAP sensor wires will go to Analog A.

You would then need to set up a clamp for that.
Put Analog A to Load MAP and Voltage, Then make a map like this.
Basically where there is boost it will output 2.8 volts


Load display Units = PSIA. REMEMBER!!!! 14.7psia is = 0inhg. So 15psia is really 0.3psi.
24psia = 9.3psi (this is what your see on your boost gauge.)
Then 5.3psia = 20in hg.
Hopefully you get an understanding of how psia is gauged.

O2
Load should be MAP (again will use the build in FIC map sensor for its table)

Mode – This should be in offset. I’ll get into this in a minute.
Period- 100ms. Ill get into to later
Start Delay – The amount of time to wait before it starts to adjust the o2 readings.
Banks 1 / 2 hi and low – This is For your front o2 sensors left and right if you’re a V motor (not VTEC but V6 or V8, or even inline 6.)
High level drive Check.

FIC logger > These are the settings for the internal logger. It will only log data when the switch is flip and the settings are met. The sample rate is how fast it can record. There is a chart somewhere on how long it can record but the basic of it is it will record for about 10 sec.

Switched 12v DC. > This is a programmable 12 volt output. Depending on who you wire it up you can set it up for vtec control or anything else your can thing of. Mines is setup for over boost warning. It is hook up to a 12volt led and when I go over my program boost the light comes on.

The output on is when you want it to turn on
Output off is when it should turn back off once its been turn on.
i.e. over boost for 10psi.
On 24.7psia, 1 TPS, 1rpm…
Off 24psia, 0 TPS, 0 rpm………This will turn the light on when the boost is at 10psi (your boost gauge reading) and turns it off when it drops to around 9.3psi
 
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#2 · (Edited)
Tuning Part 1\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Ok So now were going to make the basic map that will run the car stock. And ill explain how everything works.

Start by making the ignition map.
Click the “I icon”
The map will load and look as followed.


Next you want to right click > Create base ignition map


This screen will pop up. The settings are pretty easy.

Max rpm – the max rpm that you will rev to.
Max boost (in psia) – the max boost you will hit. i.e. if you want to run 10psi you input
24.7psia
Timing retard pre PSIA of boost - this is how much you want to retard pre lb of boost.
Default of -1 is good for a start.

So your map should look like this now. Max rpm of 6000, max boos of 24.7psia and -1deg pre lb.


As you can see the timing is being pulled right at 16.5psia and its pulling 1.5 degs.
That is where boost starts. Pretty much you can use the ignition map as a psi to psia convertion. (it will be off b .3 tho, since 15 is really 0.3psi same as the last column on crome or other Honda ecu programs).

Now move on to the Fuel map.
Click the “F icon”

This is the default fuel map.


This will work just fine for NA.

Next is the “M Icon”
I wont touch much on this since I didn’t use it. But this is the Map used to setup a MAF emulator. Some cars need the MAF sensor to go up and down as you drive vs other where you can just clamp the maximum voltage.

“O Icon” For O2 Map. This should be in offset voltage.
This map is used to trick the factory ecu into thinking the air fuel ratio you have is what it wants. I will get into this more in the next part.

Then you have your A / B Maps.
These let you setup those wires. You can do offset, fix voltage, or precent. Basically it takes the input and then uses your setting in the map and then outputs base on that.

So far with all the setting and setup from above you should be able to run your car without any problems.

Before you can start the car you will need to calibrate the fic.
Just follow the steps.


Then move onto AUX gauge and setup your wideband offsets.

The sometimes the FIC has a problem with inputting peroids. So just highlight what you wanna change and hit CTRL D for Down or CTRL U for Up.
 
#3 · (Edited)
Tuning Part 2\\\\\\\\\

This is where we get into making changes.

Since we will be turboing you will want to put in those bigger injectors.
It is best to get all the information you can on your injectors.
Dead times for different voltages, Flow in CC at your stock fuel pressure. (most Honda 43.3psi) etc…

Go to the Fuel Map
Right Click on the map > Create base Fuel Map


Setting up the base map.
NEW = new fuel injector size
Stock = The stock fuel injector size
Max rpm = Max rpm that you will run. (you should use the same as your ignition map)
Max boost = Max boost in psia that you will run. (^ same as ign map)
Then click OK

You will have a map that looks like this.

AS you can see everything under the blue line 16.5psia has the same value -56.3
This is the default fuel value of no change with bigger injectors and no fuel added.
Once you get to 16.5psia you can see the number goes from -56.3 to -50.8
So that means that you are adding about 5% more fuel.

Now for small turbos this might be ok but I have found out that it is better to be rich then lean when getting into boost.
So highlight the rows and press “Ctrl U” to up the fuel or “Ctrl D” to down the fuel value.

Do this about 10times.

Now it looks a lot better. As you can see the higher boost is getting into positive numbers. The way it works is the higher the number the more fuel you have.
-100 = no fuel. 100 = max amount of fuel.

Now this is good for a base map. We cant stop there tho we have to get up the injector response time.
 
#4 · (Edited)
Injector Response Time\\\\\\\

This is what needs to be fine tune. This will affect the whole fuel map and drive ability.
The best thing to do is unhook your factory o2 sensor.
Input the 13v or 14v Dead time from your injector chart.
Mines was around 1.2ms. So to convert MS to Us you move the point over 2 times. (im not a math teacher so do your homework lol).

But start with your 13volt or 14 volt Dead time. i.e 1200us
You will find out that the fic will auto round the numbers.
It auto mines to 1215.

What you do is let the car idle and read your Wideband o2 reading. You will want it to be in the 13s : 1
If its not then change the injector time. Higher time means more fuel, Lower time means less fuel.

Once you get it into the 13s stop there and more on. We have a lot more work to be done.
Mines turn out to be better ar 1174.

I did do some testing with everything off and then with everything on. AC headlights, radio etc.. I compared until i got a good middle of AFR.

Put back the factory o2 sensor.
Start it up and watch the wideband. The car should auto adjust to 14.7-15.2

Now check the obd2 scanner and look at the short trim fuel trims.
They should be around between -5 and +3.
If its higher Negative numbers i.e. -10 -20. Then highlight the whole NA part of the map and adjust the fuel. Try Ctrl D or Ctrl U. Do this one step at a time and wait 1min for it to stable. you should not have to go more then 2-3% more or less fuel. If you do then adjust the IRT injector response time.

Sometimes it will be backwards. You will find yourself adding fuel to make the trim go down, and remove fuel.
The reason for this, is the ecu is over shooting the fuel. It might try to run leaner but over shot and goes rich then trys to adjust that and over shot. So this is way we are adjusting the fuel trims.
The close to 0 fuel trims you have the better it will work and not over shot. Mines is right around -5 for short term fuel and long term end up around -4 ac off and +3 with ac on. This is all normal when i had just header and intake my short term was -7 and ac on was +1

O2 Maping\\\\\\\\


What we are doing here is setting up a map to fix the fuel trims so the ecu doesn’t try to adjust your fuel while in boost.

The base of it is this.
The factory ecu is looking for the o2 volt reading to be one thing, if its not it will adjust the fuel until it becomes what it wants.

To find these number you need to do some work and make some notes.

Start the car up and hold the rpms around 3000 rpm.
Go to the 02 map (which is in offset).

Highlight the whole map and Ctrl D.

Your see negative numbers.
What you do is watch the wideband and keep pressing ctrl D until the AFR starts to move.
You will then start to make a chart of the voltage offset to AFR.
Should look something like this
Offset voltage Widebnd reading.
-0.169 15.6
-0.175 15.2
-0.179 14.6
-0.184 13.3
-0.189 12.4
-0.194 12.0
-0.198 11.0
-0.203 10.0

So now you will be able that you have this table your be able to input those numbers into the the o2 map and the car will now target those AFR.
Now if you did this chart and didn’t get the AFR you want. i.e. you want 11.5 but only ended up with 11 or 10. Then you can go into settings and change the 02 peroid.

I ended up with a period of 100 and o2 offset voltage of -.203 for an AFR of 11.5

So now you zero out the NA part of the map.
I made the 15psia so that it would run 12:1.


So now you can go out and start doing pulls.
Start in 3rd gear cruising around 2000 rpm. Then press the gas and let the turbo spool up and get into boost.
Watch your wideband and make sure its between 11.5 and 10. If its not then let off the gas and adjust the fuel up or down. Normally if I am lean I will up the fuel twice.
If im rich I will down the fuel once.
You will want to adjust it by psia. Start with 1-3psi

Once you gotten that. You can move on to date logging and really getting into fine tuning.

Hit the Green Lighting bot. It will turn RED that means its recording.
Then just do a pull as normal once you back out of boost click the lightning bolt and save the file.
 
#5 · (Edited)
Reading the Log File\\\\\\\\\

You will need to open the log files in MS office. Mainly excel.
They will look like this.


As you can see it has what each column is labeled at the top.
The main ones that your looking for are.
B Engine Speed
C Throttle
K Engine Load
S UGEO ( this might be lable test if you didn’t change the name of the aux)

The easiest way to read this is to put it into a table.

Click on Insert > table.
Just click ok after that.

Now it will look like this.

Now go to Throttle and Click on the Arrow. It will look like this

You want to go to greater then. And enter a throttle number 0 to 100 I normally do 90 for a WOT pull.
Click ok and your datalog will adjust and only display data for above 90% throttle.

It will be much easier to go thought since most 1min logs are about 8000 lines.

Then next go to K Engine load and go greater then 16.
So now we are just looking at a WOT pull of Boost.

The best thing to do is to go to S and keep scrolling down until you get to an Air fuel Ratio that needs adjusting.


As you can see I am rich right here. 10.6
IF you follow that over you will see that its at
4394 rpm 90% throttle 23.1psia (about 8psi)
So what you would do is find that range on the FIC Fuel map and adjust.

This is about where its at. You can adjust the fuel down with CTRL D.
Do this once and then do another pull and compare the wideband reading.
You keep doing this until your air fuel ratio is within the range you want.
 
#6 · (Edited)
At one point and time i used a Screen Recorder to record logs. This is a pull i did a while back.

www.youtu.be/nObopB-6DS0

^ for some reason i cant embed.

This is also a excel program i made that scans the logs and plots them to a table for easy viewing of AFR.


So thats pretty much how everything works.
A few notes i have.
IF you want to lean out or richen up the NA part you will have to adjust the o2 map to match.
If you want to add fuel you will need to make the o2 map negative.
If you want to remove fuel you will need to make the o2 map positive.

ALWAYS REMEMBER TO BACK UP YOUR CAL FILES!!! Anything can happen and you can make an adjustment that throws everything off so its always good to have a backup.

With in the first few days i would keep an eye on the Fuel trims and make adjustment if needed. But if you did everything right in the bringing you shouldnt have to.

IF there is any question pm me post them here and ill do my best.
 
#15 ·
I dont know what all they do at the track but you could run turbo edit.
Even tho its a piggyback i dont know how well you might be able to hide it.
As said idk what all checks they do but there would be wires coming from the ecu.

The FIC will work with any ecu. Its mainly meant for boost tho, but if can add or remove fuel and pull timing so it can work for some NA setups.
It does LACK the ability to add timing so it doesnt work so much for NA.
I have heard of a few people advancing the dizzy 2 degs then pulling 2 degs over the whole map.
Therefor adding timing just by making the -2 to -1 or 0.
But i havent tested this out.
 
#22 ·
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