Thanks Nigel_S, ever_green.
Unfortunately I don't have a lot of tuning options available to me - the ECUs supplied with Australian 6th gen Civics are either too primitive to update maps on, or just too small a market for tuning companies to make chips / add-on modules for. Whichever it is, as far as I can find out from internet forums and tuning kit manufacturer websites, the stock ECU is a black box as far as that's concerned. Now, one thing which I
do have planned is a head swap using a D15Z7 head and ECU - same applies, it's an OBD2a ECU with no flashable memory, and I want to keep the stock ECU to correctly handle the 3-stage VTEC.
What I was planning there, given an ECU from a 1.5L engine on a 1.6L, was to carefully compare injector flow specs, and use an aftermarket adjustable fuel pressure regulator to increase the pressure 5-10% to keep the ECU within its parameters (especially in open loop mode) and keep the engine happy. On a side note, I went and spent money on parts before checking that theory
- am I on the right track there?
Do you think the same would work (i.e. with no ECU tuning per se) in terms of tuning open-loop fuel flow for a non-stock header (assuming the ECU can handle closed-loop conditions correctly in my case)? I presume doing this properly would require use of a dyno and appropriate exhaust gas measurement? It works in my head, just not sure how it will go in practice
