Where can i learn how to map my own car.

[Silent1]

I'm hoping some of the knowledgeable guys on here like Max_Torque and pumaracing can help.

I used to get my mini R53 mapped by a guy i trusted, he was trained to map cars by cosworth ( or ricardo, i can't remember) and then worked at both cosworth and ricardo, he was a brilliant mapper and produced a beautiful driveable map for my car, unfortunately he's had some health issues so now isn't in a position to easily map cars for the foreseeable future.

So i have a dilemma, the garage i use to work on my car when i can't are well regarded in the mini community for mapping but i'm not a fan of his work he is a competent mechanic but he has a leaning towards chasing peak HP over driveability, this is at odds with my opinion on maps, i'd rather lose 10 peak hp and have a larger area under the curve.

So i'm thinking i want to learn how to map, not all cars just my supercharged mini. What would be the best way to do this, as in the near future i want to change the cam, head and possibly pistons and rods so there's going to be a requirement to map it a few times, ideally i'd like to use the standard mini ecu, but if it's easier/better to use a aftermarket ecu i will do providing all the features carry over like cruise control, traction control, etc.

I will have reasonably unlimited access to a dyno throughout the process if that's of use.

So in short, i want to map my supercharged mini as the only mapper available to me doesn't produce maps i like, i'm happy to change the ECU providing it keeps all the original features. Money isn't a limit within reason, i'm not going to spend £10k to do this unless it's required and you can convince me


ETA.

I'm comfortable with engines and used to rebuilt my motocross bikes engines on an almost weekly basis, albeit they were 2-stroke competition engines, but i've also worked on 4-strokes and am comfortable with the working principle, i do know that my knowledge is greater than most peoples but equally isn't very in depth when it comes to modifying timing/fuelling etc in combination to get a result, right now if i was to do it i would change one value following basic principles and then look for the result.

Also i meant to say i work in IT as a network specialist/admin so i'm comfortable with tables of numbers and esoteric programming and their complexities so i don't feel like i would need a hand holding GUI (graphs, dials, etc) style program but if that was an option i wouldn't turn it down as i can see the benefit in it.

Edited by Silent1 on Tuesday 20th October 21:11

[Silent1]

The Spruce goose said:

join ecuedit for a start. then get reading buy some equipment and ecus and get working.

What benefit will buying an ecu do? Surely i'll need the car to see the results?
I'm not interested in being able to map any car, just my mini, so whilst i can see that learning how to do it will translate to other cars (i presume) i'm primarily interested in the best way i can learn to map a 1.6l eaton supercharged 4 cylinder.

I hope this doesn't come across as anything but genuinely interested

[Silent1]

Dave. said:

Have you looked on minitorque lately?

There have been a few similar conversations on there the past few weeks...

No i rarely go on minitorque, I'm sure you've realised who i'm talking about.
I have a great personal relationship with all 3 of them and trust them implicitly with my car, they've worked on it for the last 13 years.
When i worked in australia for a year they went above and beyond the call of duty to help my OH out when she had problems with it, once even meeting her there at 11pm at night to fix the car, as mechanics they are easily some of the best guys i've ever worked with or had work done by.

One of them even saved my life once when i was there late at night with him and i ended up requiring an ambulance, had i been alone i would have died.

They understand my problem with the mapping and so it's quite difficult as i don't want to hurt his feelings but equally i cureently have no way to map my car so it's a difficult situation, i consider them friends, i've been there since the day they started but we disagree on a fundamental way to map, i'm not saying i'm right and they're wrong but they're more drag racing focused, i'm daily driver with driveability focused and a potential loss in peak HP focused.

[Silent1]

andygtt said:

lanan said:

Long time speaky

Try giving Sam Borgman at http://www.tdi-plc.com/about-academy-of-motorsport... a call.
A top chap

Sam maps my car... its the curve and way power is delivered when using the throttle that has the most impact on acceleration. Sam's excellent on doing this and I have had a lot of people map the same car over the years.

Thanks chaps, that sounds like a good starting point, I think an aftermarket ecu might be a good idea as then as I move into other cars (of my own) I can take some knowledge with me.

[Silent1]

AW111 said:

Silent1 said:

Thanks chaps, that sounds like a good starting point, I think an aftermarket ecu might be a good idea as then as I move into other cars (of my own) I can take some knowledge with me.

One advantage of reprogramming a factory ECU is you get to keep all the corner mapping : below zero ambient, hot start, etc. and only change what you want to. A new ECU needs a base map from somewhere.

The main thing I see is time : if you only have a budget for an hour of dyno time, you will probably ask the tuner for max power. If you want all the transients and part-throttle mapping optimised as well, you will be paying for a lot more time.

That sounds mighty tempting, does anyone know of mapping software available for the first generation BMW mini (r53) it's a chrysler tritec engine (IIRC)
I still intend on hopefully paying someone to walk me through it to begin with, i don't intend on just diving in and fking it up