Just What Is The "mapping" Process?

[Dream Weaver 2]

I should be at Cadwell this coming Monday, so in preperation I decided last week I should get the mapping session sorted - car is running fine, done over 500 miles now but just wanted it setup properly.

 

I was under the impression I could drive to the mappers in the morning, spend the afternoon mapping, pay my £200-300 then drive off happy.

 

So I phoned Mikeanics last week as they are nearby, and good VFM - I explained the spec etc and he then told me the following:

 

1. The car would need a lambda boss welding into the manifold, either by them, or by myself beforehand.

2. They would need the car for 2 days

 

Although its close by, its still a 150 mile round trip, so leaving the car there isn't an option, plus 2 days at £40/hour adds up.

 

Now I know a lambda sensor is the best way to map, but I also thought you could do it without as well, or am I wrong?

 

To conclude, its wont be mapped anytime soon as I dont have the time to sort a Lambda, or to travel anywhere too far for the mapping - may have to try SBC.

 

As to my final dilemna - do I risk taking it to Cadwell on Monday unmapped?

 

I took it out for a 70 mile hammering yesterday and it was faultless, apart from the popping/backfiring exhaust - I removed the system and replaced it but it had no effect

[Craigb 2]

Mike can do the mapping without a lambda sensor in the exhaust , he just wires his probe in the rear pipe.

 

He did mine like this , tho' it is not his preferred way , he mapped mine in three hours because i was on a deadline like you . I think he likes the couple of days to set up the cold starting etc .

 

I would suggest talking to him again , and asking him to consider thsi , knowing that you would not end up with a perfect map, but a usable safe one .

[smckeown 1]

I have talked to mikeanics in detail, as they were in my top 2 mappers.

 

Firstly their preference is to keep the car at least 1 sometimes 2 mornings afterwards to get the cold map perfect and tested. This is an unusual practice, but i suppose these people need competative quirks. His comment was "if anyone doesn't do it this way, they are not doing it properly". Well as my car was a track car I want too bothered about cold mapping etc

 

If they do have the car over an extended period they still only charge the fixed rate cost, not much more than a 3/4 hours mapping session i believe.

 

As to your dilema - I wouldn't thrash it without a full mapping session. Cancel the track day and get a credit note, i've done this before on track days

Edited July 24, 2006 by smckeown

[jonD6B 0]

I personally wouldn't risk doing a track day on a car that I was unsure about TBH. It's not worth the risk.

[petert 586]

It can take a week to get the cold start maps 100%. Once it's fires, you've had your chance!

[Dream Weaver 2]

Hmm, this is a tricky decision.

 

I've hammered it for 500 miles now without any issues, albeit limited to 6,400rpm (i'm using the "hard break in method", hence the hard driving everywhere once warmed up).

 

I would be taking it easy at Cadwell as not been there, but chances are it would still be running harder than it has been.

 

Problem is I was looking forward to it, and at the moment it may well have been my first and last trackday in the 205 as I may have to sell it before next summer so it was a do or die test/shakedown.

 

Having said that, i'm away this weekend so dont really have any time to get the car fully ready for Monday.

 

Oh, how I wish i'd stuck with std induction/ECU

[smckeown 1]

plenty of other track days this year, it's only July

[Dream Weaver 2]

True, though I dont have many free weekends between now and Xmas

 

Gonna give Minisport a ring, forgot about them and they're only 5 miles away - they may do me a quick map check for fuelling etc to make me safe for Monday.

[TT205 42]

Come on, this is dragging on forever

 

You live so close, just turn up at Wayne Schofields place, have a chat, tell him it's almost on song, tell him you are a student and offer to pay cash!

 

Get it mapped mate!

 

Dave

pm me if you need directions

[pug_ham 244 3 Cars]

Simon, If Minisport can't do it (not that I'd trust them to be right) like Dave says, give Wayne a ring & he'll try to fit you in.

 

Even if its just for a check over before next Monday & not a full map.

 

I can see Mikeanics point but he could've explained this to you before now. I think Wayne also prefers a lambda sensor but does map without. Mine hasn't got one.

 

Graham.

[Dream Weaver 2]

Doesn't Wayne charge about £1000 just to make an appointment though

 

I'll see what I can do, my biggest problem is i'm off to London Thursday night til Sunday, so dont have much time left before Monday to do much.

[Phil 0]

Mike at Mikeanics knows his stuff, I would give him a call to confirm the final price, I think (as said above) the 2 days is for the cold start mapping and so it will be less than you think.

 

Doing a trackday without mapping is not a good idea in my opinion.

[Dream Weaver 2]

Its the 2 days that kills it though, i'd have to drive the 70/80 miles there, get the train back home, then get a train back 2 days later to pick the car up - my workload just won't allow me to take off that amount of time.

 

Think I will have to cancel Cadwell, and look to something later on when it's mapped up or sell it

[S33GAV 0]

Think I will have to cancel Cadwell, and look to something later on when it's mapped up or sell it

I'll give you 1500

[Dream Weaver 2]

That'll get you the engine and bodies

[d-9 0]

Call mike and tell him you cant do 2 days, you know that the cold start map wont be perfect without but your willing to accept that.

Edited July 24, 2006 by d-9

[Dream Weaver 2]

I'll have to visit Mike later on, he needs 1-2 weeks notice from last week.

 

My cold start is actually fine, so not too worried about that - it fires up from the off and idles at 900rpm after about 1-2 seconds of holding it at 1.2k rpm.

 

It drives OK as well right up to the limit i've set, but I just worry about running it lean whilst flat out and getting pre-ignition

 

Think i'll just have to sell my Cadwell place for now, and get it mapped next month, picking our other new car up tonight so its all a bit hectic today

[d-9 0]

It drives OK as well right up to the limit i've set, but I just worry about running it lean whilst flat out and getting pre-ignition

 

Or running rich all the time, washing the bores and killing the rings. Sniff your dipstick.

[Dream Weaver 2]

Yep, and that.

[boombang 2]

Sniff your dipstick.

[Dream Weaver 2]

I just did as well

 

Can't smell any fuel, though not really sure what fuel and oil would smell like

 

Sod it, my Cadwell place is up for grabs if anyone wants it, £99. May as well get it mapped up properly in the newt few weeks rather than risk blowing it all on one trackday.

 

I'll book it in at Mikeanics, and get the Lambda boss thing welded in place, then get it mapped properly. At least I can drive it then without the constant worry.

[pug_ham 244 3 Cars]

Noo!!!

 

Numbers are dwindling fast, not going to be as busy with 205's as first thougth now.

 

Wayne charges about the same as Mikeanics sounds to be quoting now & it''ll be done in a day. If you explain the urgency he'll find a space & fit you in I'm sure. Considering how long the car actually spends on the cold map it sounds like an absolute pain the way Mike does it unless he has a courtesey car for you to borrow whilst your car is wirth him.

 

Graham.

[Dream Weaver 2]

I'm gutted to be missing Cadwell, but as Sean says there's plenty more trackdays to come this year.

 

As well as the mapping I also need to fit a new coolant dist block at the rear, and sort a few other bits which I just wont have time to do before Monday.

 

Shame, but no point blowing another engine with the amount of time/money spent on it the last few years.