Knock Control Raising In Partial Throttle

[b6221]

Hi KTuner Team,

I recently noticed my K. Control increased up to .70 during partial throttle (under 2000 RPM) but the K. Control decrease and back to normal (.49) when I reached boost (higher than 2000 RPM).

No change in calibration (stable/non-beta codebase), always use the same 93 Octane fuel from the same gas station and same pump, no knocking sound, & the same elevation. KTuner V1.2, latest firmware.

Could you please advise if there is possibly risk of damage I need to be aware of?

Thank you.
PS: I'm not the OP from Civic X forum posting the same issue. I'd prefer to get guide from KTuner forum when I meet issue to avoid confusion.

[KTuner]

Knock control will vary based on fuel quality and environmental factors. Nothing to advise on here.

[b6221]

I change MAF Quick Calibration to "Factory MAF Calibration" & did 10 minutes normal driving, which mostly partial throttle & my knock control is stable at .49. It went up to .6 yesterday. Same route, same fuel, and the only difference in calibration is the MAF Scaling.

If Knock Control is mostly fuel related, how can changing MAF Quick Calibration from "Custom" to "Factory MAF Calibration" solve the knock control issue?

[KTuner]

If you never changed the MAF scale then changing from custom to factory would have no effect, since it'd be the same.

[b6221]

Hi KTuner team,

I finished my long term test. I spend 4 weeks on factory/stock tune, factory starting point calibration, & custom tune. I also compared Hondata Flashpro result. I'm using custom turbo, & custom high flow downpipe. Everything else is stock. Always use 93 Octane fuel.

No partial knock control raising on factory/stock tune despite of my custom parts. Knock control only occur during after 5000 RPM, which is common for factory/stock tune due to artificial knock control raise put in place by factory.

Factory starting point calibration. Knock control started to raise when I drive below 2250 RPM constantly and during stop and go traffic. Highest knock control was .53 on Non-Beta codebase. Beta codebase resulted in much higher knock control up to .71. Knock control started to reduce when driving higher than 2250 RPM.

Custom tune resulted in worst result than Factory starting point calibration as I tweak MAF calibration to improve STFT. Highest knock control was .67. I didn't bother to test custom tune with Beta codebase because of high partial throttle knock control raise with Non-Beta codebase.

I used custom tune using Flashpro. I copied everything from KTuner calibration to Flashpro for tables that share common parameters. Knock control steady at .54 (lowest knock control for Hondata). No partial knock control occur with Flashpro on my custom MAF calibration.

I hope you can take a look to firmware or calibration for ECU 37820-5AG-P83 & I'm willing to test to fix this issue. I'm sure there is nothing wrong with my car because I didn't experience partial throttle knock control raise situation with Factory/Stock tune and custom tune on Hondata Flashpro.

I know there are few members in Civic X with different ECU ID experience partial throttle knock control raise and the only solution for us is to revert back to stock MAF calibration for partial throttle parameters so I hope KTuner is willing to take a look at this issue.

I love KTuner V1.2 device for its size and simplicity other than its tuning capability but I would have to switch back to Flashpro if KTuner cannot find the issue, which I hope wouldn't be the case.

[KTuner]

We're not going to change anything related to the factory knock control system.

[b6221]

Hi KTuner Team,

I have replaced my turbocharger with stock turbo. The only parts modification I have now are intercooler, and hi-flow catted downpipe.

I have been comparing between Stage 2 KTuner OTS and Starter 21 PSI OTS this last 6 days to find if any of the OTS tunes can eliminate partial throttle knock control increase because I used to have issue with knock control increasing below 1500 RPM.

From the testing, I found Stage 2 KTuner OTS Knock Control behavior looks normal compare with Starter 21 PSI OTS. I flashed stock Starter 21 PSI OTS tunes with no quick adjustments and partial Knock Control increase still happened. Partial throttle knock control increase occur within 800-1400 RPM range. Highest knock control I got was 0.63 at the end of the trip.

With Stage 2 KTuner OTS, my highest knock control is 0.52. Driving style was combination of traffic and highway. Highest ROM was 4,000 to avoid artificial knock control raise.

Route is the same. Temperature, humidity, and elevation variables are also the same.

My question: Is Stage 2 KTuner OTS using different codebase from Starter 21 PSI OTS? Both are initial support version by the way not the beta ones.

It seems that Stage 2 KTuner OTS tune works better than Starter 21 PSI OTS.

[KTuner]

If the staged tune was the same as the starter tune there'd be no reason to have both. Starter tunes are starting points for you to make your own adjustments.

[b6221]

If the staged tune was the same as the starter tune there'd be no reason to have both. Starter tunes are starting points for you to make your own adjustments.

I know Staged calibrations are different with Starter calibrations. Staged calibrations should be more aggressive than stock Starter calibration. Stock Starter calibration means Starter calibration with no altercation to the tuning tables & quick adjustments.

Partial throttle knock control rise of Stage 2 calibrations should be worst or at least the same as Starter calibrations if there is problem with the car or ECU. However, Stage 2 calibrations works well compare with stock Starter 21 calibrations.

My questions/requests:

• Is Staged calibrations using different codebase with Starter calibrations? I know the calibrations are different and I am asking about the codebase.

• If the codebase is different, could KTuner provide unlocked Starter Factory equivalent calibration using the same codebase from Staged calibrations?

All of stock Starter calibrations, including the Factory equivalent one, has partial knock control raising below 1400 RPM problems. Only Stage 2 calibration has no issue with low rpm knock control rise. This is why I think Staged calibrations use different codebase.

My ECU software: 37805-5AG-P830. ECU: 378205AGP830M1.

Would you please help to check? Thank you.

[KTuner]

Whatever codebase you chose is the one it's using. They're tuned differently, as they're different tunes.