Altitude and tune??

Blown4v

Just Another Sell Out
Established Member
Joined
Jul 11, 2005
Messages
1,144
Location
TN
Guys, I just bought a cobra and it is coming from Albuquerque, NM altitude 5000ft+ and it is coming to Memphis TN altitude <300ft. The car already has an SCT tune and handheld xcalibrator by shop in NM with a nice A/F layout across the board and ~450 to the wheels.

What shoud I expect to see in the tune after that altitude difference? Will the car run rich or lean? Will numbers go up or down(less of a concern than A/F)?

My thinking, however wrong it may be, is that up there the car sees less oxygen so it needs less fuel and is programmed as such. Down here car will see much more oxygen and may run very lean since fuel maps will be loaded for the high altitude.

Anyone have any input on what I should expect? Thanks
 
Last edited:

cobracide

Well-Known Member
Established Member
Joined
Aug 23, 2002
Messages
9,247
Location
Somewhere in 1945
Disconnect the battery for 20 mins. Let the computer re-learn the tune and it will compensate for the difference. Going closer to sea level, the air is more dense and the numbers will go up ever so slightly. The ecu smarter than you think. High is leaner and lower altitude is richer (more oxygen).
 

Blown4v

Just Another Sell Out
Established Member
Joined
Jul 11, 2005
Messages
1,144
Location
TN
you dont think I need to put it on the dyno here and may need to make some fuel trim adjustments? Just disconnect the battery for a while? This would make sense if the logic of the tune measures and maps by the volume of metered air, which should be much thicker here...
 

cobracide

Well-Known Member
Established Member
Joined
Aug 23, 2002
Messages
9,247
Location
Somewhere in 1945
you dont think I need to put it on the dyno here and may need to make some fuel trim adjustments? Just disconnect the battery for a while? This would make sense if the logic of the tune measures and maps by the volume of metered air, which should be much thicker here...

If you absolutely need every last hp, go for it. I'm saying it's a waste of money. The computer will adjust accordingly. Check up on short term and long term fuel trims, ecu, tuning.. ect. The air density is just not THAT different.
 

Blown4v

Just Another Sell Out
Established Member
Joined
Jul 11, 2005
Messages
1,144
Location
TN
I'm not wanting to do it to squeeze every last hp out of it, I just want to know if its safe to drive it "spiritedly" on existing tune....

I have a great local shop, dynospeed racing, that I can get a few runs on the dyno to check a/f, but if the tune logic is that intelligent/adaptable I may not need to'

thanks for the input
 

Users who are viewing this thread



Top