Auto Tuning Software for Holley Commander Pro 950

tzalenski · Joined: 14 Jul 2008 Posts: 59

Hello,

Over the summer I completed the installation of a Holley Commander Pro 950 TBI kit to replace the worn out 4 bbl carburetor on my 1967 Cougar. Then I started the time consuming process of tuning it. The instructions describe a manual procedure where one person drives the car, while another person adjusts the table using the supplied software. The driver is supposed to vary the engine speed and load to cover as much as the table as possible. The passenger is supposed to modify each cell in the map so the air/fuel ratio is optimized and the whole map is "smooth".

To me, this procedure seemed primitive. I wanted/envisioned software that would tune the map by itself as I drove. Just me and a notebook PC in the front passenger seat. I had a feeling it was possible, because another EFI/TBI vendor (RetroTek) offers it, albeit for $500 more.

Taking my car to a tuning shop and paying even more money wasn't an option. To finish tuning my car, I either had to find someone to drive my car all weekend while I tuned the system, or create the auto-tuning software myself. Being a professional computer engineer, I like challenges. I also had a good idea how to solve the problem. All I had to do was collect real time engine parameters (e.g. rpm, oxygen sensor voltage, etc.) and send back the correct injector pulse width settings. Since Holley wouldn't send me any technical information (no surprise), I spent a month reverse engineering the data stream between the car and the PC software. Then I spent another 3 weeks developing the optimization algorithm. When I thought it was working well, I started driving around town and it worked just as I had imagined!

I now have a program that can tune the look-up table as I drive. Send me an email if you're interested in obtaining a copy.

Regards,

Tom

cutlassefi · Joined: 21 Apr 2008 Posts: 176 Location: Central florida

I'd be interested in viewing that. On an Accel system, you can get the extremes done first, (low speed, wide open) then use the interpelate function to smooth the rest of the table. Works pretty well as long as the application isn't something goofy.
Also Accel has an overlay fueling table function as well. You can datalog for up to 45 minutes then overlay each cell. It tells you how much they're off. You then multiply it by that number and it corrects it.

I'm still interested though.

Email me at fastone01@hotmail.com

Thanks
Mark
_________________
72 Cutlass Supreme Convertible with an Accel Gen 7 Multiport Sequential EFI system. Accel & AEM Dealer. Host of Accel "How-to" DVD.

Vic43 · Joined: 13 Oct 2008 Posts: 3

That sounds like a great program will it work on the MPFI system also I have been trying to program one handed and drive it is very hard to do.
I would be interested in your program.

Thanks Vic

Matt Cramer · Joined: 25 Sep 2007 Posts: 398

Sounds like a useful project. One concern I have with automatic tuning software is that if you get a misfire, it can create a false lean reading which needs to be filtered out. I've heard of a couple cases where somebody let it keep enrichening the map at a point where it was already getting rich misfires.
_________________
Matt at DIY Autotune

tzalenski · Joined: 14 Jul 2008 Posts: 59

Hello,

Thanks for showing an interest in my program to auto tune Holley's Commander 950 Pro EFI system.
Here are the links for the instructions and demo program.

Instructions = http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/view.php?id=851998&da=y

Demo Program = http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/view.php?id=842059&da=y

Notes:
1. This version only works for speed density, not alpha-N.
2. The engine must be warmed up and running in closed loop before running auto tune software.
3. This version is setup for 1 bar MAP sensors (normally aspirated engines).
4. This version doesn't monitor/update the spark map.
5. The demo version monitors but will not update the fuel map settings in the ECPU. The non-demo version will update the fuel map. If you like the demo version, I can send you the fully functional version for a $15 registration fee. This is a one time charge and will entitle you to free upgrades.

Please email me if:
1. You're unable to download the files.
2. The files aren't functional.
3. You have questions.
4. You have suggestions for future versions.

Regards,

Tom

tzalenski · Joined: 14 Jul 2008 Posts: 59

Hello,

I've updated my program to work with 1, 2, and 3 bar MAP sensors, along with narrow and wide band oxygen sensors. The new demo program can be downloaded from:

V1.2 Demo program: http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/view.php?id=942720&da=y

Regards,

Tom

tzalenski · Joined: 14 Jul 2008 Posts: 59

Hello,

I've found and fixed the bugs in my V1.2 demo program. Here's the link to V1.3:

http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/view.php?id=950409&da=y

Please try it and tell me how it works. Thanks.

Regards,

Tom

tzalenski · Joined: 14 Jul 2008 Posts: 59

Hello,

I want to thank all the people that have emailed me and offered positive feedback along with suggested improvements. Here's the latest demo version:

http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/view.php?id=996745&da=y

After downloading, just rename the extension from "rename2exe" to "exe".

Keep your suggestions coming.

Regards,

Tom

HiPerformance289 · Joined: 02 Jan 2009 Posts: 1

I went ahead and popped the $15 for this auto tuning software and am really pleased with what I got. I especially like the display that they use, it's an analog bar graph which allows you at a glance to see what any of the sensors are reading. Much better then Holley's display.
I spent some time riding around and letting it make changes as it wanted. I then looked at each of the changed cells and compared them to a previous data log I had created, all the changes were spot on.
One thing I did note was that I was happy to see is that the changes made appear to be small and as long as you stay in the same cell it gets re-examined and updated if needed. Meaning that I didn't see any huge changes made at a time.
This would have saved me a bunch of time had I had it when I first started using the C950. I expect that it'll make my seasonal checks and adjustments much easier in the future.

Nota50 · Joined: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 4

I'm very interested in this but can't get the instructions to open. What program do I need?

tzalenski · Joined: 14 Jul 2008 Posts: 59

The instructions are in a Microsoft WORD document. If that's a problem, I will also post them as a PDF document.

Nota50 · Joined: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 4

I would like to download and purchase this. What, if any other program will I need on my laptop to do so other than the C950 software, and where do i paypal the money to?

Thanks Mike

tzalenski · Joined: 14 Jul 2008 Posts: 59

Hi Mike,

You will only need two programs
1. The original software offered by Holley for initializing your ECU.
2. The fully functional version of my auto-tuning program.

I recommend first using the Holley software to initialize all the setup parameters. Then shut down the Holley software. After the vehicle is warmed up, start up my auto-tuning software. If the "Automatic Fuel Map Updates" option is enabled, the program will adjust the fuel map as you drive.

I'm charging a one time registration fee of $15. This fee entitles you to free upgrades. Use tomzeect@netscape.net as the PayPal payment address.

Regards,

Tom

383z · Joined: 24 Feb 2009 Posts: 1

how well will your auto tune software work with more radical cams, i have a 383 sbc with .500 lift 236/242 duration, would this cause any problems?

tzalenski · Joined: 14 Jul 2008 Posts: 59

Hello,

I know some cams will create less vacuum, which might limit the range seen by the MAP sensor. For the Holley system, the map sensor readings are assigned to 16 different rows in the fuel map. With reduced vacuum, you would access fewer than 16 rows.

My program doesn't care how many rows (or columns) of the fuel map are accessed/updated. It will work with whatever data it gets.

Write again if I didn't fully answer your question.

Regards,

Tom

tzalenski · Joined: 14 Jul 2008 Posts: 59

Hello,

I want to again thank all the people that have emailed me their feedback, both positive and negative. I've tried to incorporate many of your suggestions into this latest version. Among the improvements are:

- Directly edit (same as the Holley software) any fuel cell value. (Press the right mouse button for that cell)
- The ability to lock a fuel cell value to prevent it from changing.
- 3D view of the fuel map (same as the Holley software, only prettier)
- An algorithm to smooth the entire map.
- The ability to "play back" previously logged data.

I've also updated the operations manual, which is now a PDF file.

The newest links are:

V1.9 demo: http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/view.php?id=1102685&da=y

Operations Manual: http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/view.php?id=1102684&da=y

Thanks for your patience, and keep emailing me your feedback.

Regards,

Tom (tomzeect@netscape.net)

tzalenski · Joined: 14 Jul 2008 Posts: 59

Hello,

I've found and fixed a bug with this program when attempting to communicate over COM2 serial port.

Here's the link to the updated demo version:

V1.9A demo: http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/view.php?id=1118900&da=y

Sorry for the inconvenience, and thanks to Jim H. who first emailed me on this.

Regards,

Tom

Artic-trans-am · Joined: 08 May 2009 Posts: 6

hi
after working with 950 some years I am happy to see that someone is doing this program.

But some questions.
do this tune timing map and fuel map?
do this software tune narrow and wide band O2 sensor, I see you have added this in V1.2?

hope to test this out soon!

Ok----- I did look in the manual and it is not adjusting spark, But handle narrow and wide O2 sensor.

I have to say thank you for creating this program. I have stil not run this, but this look helpfull, compared to tuning manualy. I know how terrible that is.

tzalenski · Joined: 14 Jul 2008 Posts: 59

Hi,

I appreciate your positive feedback. Please write again after you have used it on your vehicle.

Regards,

Tom

shughes · Joined: 01 Jun 2009 Posts: 1

New guy here...I can't get this to run. And the link to instructions no longer works...can I get some help?

thnx
scott