NIRA i3+NIRA i3+ HandbookHandbook_handbook.pdf · © 2005-2007 Nira Control AB 5 1111...

NIRA i3+NIRA i3+NIRA i3+NIRA i3+

HandbookHandbookHandbookHandbook

© 2005-2007 Nira Control AB 2

© Copyright 2005© Copyright 2005© Copyright 2005© Copyright 2005----2007200720072007

This handbook is protected by copyright laws. It may not be redistributed in any form without written consent of Nira Control AB.

RelRelRelRelease 200ease 200ease 200ease 2007777----00007777----31313131

The purpose of this manual is to serve as a guide during installation and mapping of NIRA i3+. Descriptions, content and specifications in this manual may be changed at any time. This manual could contain errors – therefore it should not be regarded as a definitive installation guide. Nira Control AB is not responsible for any personal or property damages due to errors in this manual.

Misuse of NIRA i3+ and/or NIRA rk can cause severe personal injury and engine damage. Nira Control AB is not responsible for any injuries, accidents or damages due to misuse or ignorance.

Repairs of NIRA i3+, e.g. replacement of parts, will affect the safety of the product and are not allowed under any circumstances. Nira Control AB is not responsible for any problems, accidents etc, caused by non-approved parts or repairs not carried out by Nira Control AB.

NIRA i3+ must be installed by professional automotive technicians in accordance with the instructions in this manual.

NIRA i3+ is only intended for racing use and not for use on public roads. It is not certified for use on vehicles subject to emission standards unless the appropriate waivers have been issued. Please check with the relevant authorities for more information.

NIRA rk is protected by applicable software copyright laws. You may not distribute this software without the written consent of Nira Control AB. You may not copy this software. Your purchase of NIRA i3+ includes a single license to use NIRA rk together with NIRA i3+.


1111 OverviewOverviewOverviewOverview ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 5555

1.1 Content of your NIRA i3+ Package ................................................... 5

1.2 Glossary ............................................................................................. 7

1.3 NIRA i3+ Functionality ..................................................................... 10

2 Combustion, Lambda and Measurement Principles2 Combustion, Lambda and Measurement Principles2 Combustion, Lambda and Measurement Principles2 Combustion, Lambda and Measurement Principles ........................................................................................................................................ 13131313

2.1 Relationship Between A/F and Lambda .......................................... 13

2.2 The Effect of Different Lambda Values ............................................ 14

2.3 Measurement Principles .................................................................. 15

3 Installing NIRA i3+3 Installing NIRA i3+3 Installing NIRA i3+3 Installing NIRA i3+ ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 16161616

3.1 Crank Position Sensor (CKP) with “60-2 lost” Trigger Wheel ........ 17

3.2 Cam Position Sensor (CMP) ............................................................. 20

3.3 Throttle Position Sensor (TPS) ......................................................... 21

3.4 Manifold Absolute Pressure (MAP) and Intake Air Temp (IAT) ........ 21

3.5 Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor (ECT) ..................................... 23

3.6 Intake Air Temperature Sensor (IAT) ................................................ 23

3.7 Lambda Sensor ................................................................................ 24

3.8 Exhaust Gas Temperature Sensor, NIRA EGTC ............................... 25

3.9 Anti Lag System (ALS) Switch .......................................................... 26

3.10 Launch Control Button .................................................................... 26

3.11 Flat Shift Switch ............................................................................... 26

3.12 Aux Inputs ....................................................................................... 26

3.13 Ignition ............................................................................................ 27

3.14 Fuel Pressure Regulator (FPR) .......................................................... 28

3.15 Fuel Injectors .................................................................................. 28

3.16 Boost Pressure Control Valve .......................................................... 32

3.17 IAC (Idle Air Control) ....................................................................... 35

3.18 Fuel Pump Relay .............................................................................. 36

3.19 Tachometer ..................................................................................... 37

3.20 ALS Solenoid ................................................................................... 37

3.21 Aux Outputs .................................................................................... 37

3.22 Mounting NIRA i3+ in the Car ......................................................... 38

4 NIRA rk Software4 NIRA rk Software4 NIRA rk Software4 NIRA rk Software........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 40404040

4.1 Installation of NIRA rk ...................................................................... 40

4.2 Getting Started ................................................................................ 41


4.3 Using NIRA rk .................................................................................. 44

4.4 Parameters ....................................................................................... 46

4.5 Gauges ............................................................................................ 59

4.6 Logging ........................................................................................... 61

4.7 Other Functions ............................................................................... 65

5 Starting the Engine5 Starting the Engine5 Starting the Engine5 Starting the Engine ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 66666666

5.1 Setting Up Parameters Offline ......................................................... 66

5.2 Going Online ................................................................................... 75

5.3 Quick Troubleshooting Guide ......................................................... 78

5.4 Other Adjustments .......................................................................... 79

6 Mapping your Engine Using NIRA rk6 Mapping your Engine Using NIRA rk6 Mapping your Engine Using NIRA rk6 Mapping your Engine Using NIRA rk ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 79797979

6.1 Tables .............................................................................................. 79

6.2 Mapping Ignition ............................................................................. 80

6.3 Mapping Fuel .................................................................................. 80

6.4 The Engine Runs Unevenly or Stalls ................................................ 89

6.5 Adjusting the Boost Pressure Control.............................................. 89

6.6 RPM Limit ........................................................................................ 96

6.7 IAC – Idle Speed Control................................................................. 97

6.8 ALS – response system .................................................................... 99

6.9 Launch Control .............................................................................. 101

6.10 Flat Shift ........................................................................................ 102

6.11 Aux inputs/outputs ........................................................................ 104

6.12 FlexiPorts™ ................................................................................... 106

7 Electrical Specifications7 Electrical Specifications7 Electrical Specifications7 Electrical Specifications ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 113113113113

7.1 Electro Magnetic Compatibility, EMC ........................................... 113

7.2 Power supply ................................................................................. 113

7.3 Inputs ............................................................................................. 113

7.4 Outputs ......................................................................................... 114


1111 OverviewOverviewOverviewOverview

NIRA i3+ is a sophisticated electronic engine management system developed specifically for racing. NIRA i3+ controls ignition, fuel injection, idle speed, boost pressure and several other engine functions. It can be used with many different types of engines.

1.11.11.11.1 Content of your Content of your Content of your Content of your NIRA i3+NIRA i3+NIRA i3+NIRA i3+ PackagePackagePackagePackage

When you purchased NIRA i3+, you should have received the following:

• NIRA i3+ • Wiring harness • CD with NIRA rk mapping software • Serial cable

1.1.11.1.11.1.11.1.1 NIRA i3+NIRA i3+NIRA i3+NIRA i3+

NIRA i3+ is a highly sophisticated, dual microprocessor based engine management system designed for motorsport applications. It controls ignition, fuel injection, boost pressure, idle speed and several other engine functions. NIRA i3+ offers an unusual level of flexibility in how input signals are interpreted and processed. It also gives you significant control over the mapping of the output signals. This allows NIRA i3+ to work with many different sensors, actuators and engine types. Setup, configuration and programming of NIRA i3+ is done via the NIRA rk software.

1.1.21.1.21.1.21.1.2 Wiring HarnessWiring HarnessWiring HarnessWiring Harness

One end of the wiring harness connects to NIRA i3+ via two pre-installed connectors. One connector has 30 pins, the other has 22 pins.


The other end of the harness is a set of pigtails used for connecting power, ground, sensors and actuators.

To simplify the work of installing the harness, each wire in the harness is marked every 70 mm (~3”) with its function in clear text. This makes it possible to cut the wire to desired length and still read its function.

1.1.31.1.31.1.31.1.3 NIRA rkNIRA rkNIRA rkNIRA rk

NIRA rk is the mapping software that allows you to setup and configure a large number of parameters in NIRA i3+. It is designed to run on a PC using the Windows operating system and communicates with NIRA i3+ via a serial connection.

The many functions of NIRA rk are described in detail starting in chapter 4.

NIRA rk is protected by applicable software copyright laws in your country. You may not distribute this software without the express written consent of NIRA Control AB. You may not copy this software other than for personal use. Your purchase of NIRA i3+ includes a single license to use NIRA rk together with NIRA i3+.

1.1.41.1.41.1.41.1.4 Serial CableSerial CableSerial CableSerial Cable

The serial cable connects NIRA i3+ to the PC running the NIRA rk software. If your PC only has USB ports, you will need to purchase a USB-to-COM port adapter. These are widely available.


1.21.21.21.2 GlossaryGlossaryGlossaryGlossary

Absolute pressureAbsolute pressureAbsolute pressureAbsolute pressure Absolute pressure is measured starting at 0kPa. This is the pressure in vacuum. At sea-level the absolute pressure is approximately 100kPa, +/- 10kPa depending on the weather (high or low pressure.)

AlfaAlfaAlfaAlfa----NNNN Methodology to compute the amount of fuel to inject based only on rpm and throttle angle. Sometimes referred to as “throttle mapped.”

This mapping approach can be difficult to use and requires a high resolution throttle position sensor potentiometer.

On engines with aggressive camshaft profiles, the pressure in the intake manifold fluctuates significantly. In such cases it’s not possible to get a stable MAP reading and throttle mapping is the only workable approach.

ALSALSALSALS Anti Lag System. Sometimes called “response system.” Often used in racing and rallye cars with turbo engines. ALS maintains the boost pressure even though the throttle is closed. With ALS engaged, explosions in the exhaust system are common.

Ambient pressureAmbient pressureAmbient pressureAmbient pressure The pressure around us; approx 90 – 110 kPa absolute pressure depending on the weather (low or high pressure.) The pressure decreases with altitude.

Banked injectionBanked injectionBanked injectionBanked injection

((((Dual injectorsDual injectorsDual injectorsDual injectors))))

Two rows of injectors, two fuel-rails. The first row uses low-capacity injectors, allowing for high-precision control of the amount of fuel injected. The second row, which is mounted further out from the intake ports, uses high capacity injectors. These are used during high load situations and, because of their placement further away from the intake valves, they provide additional intake air cooling --leading to higher output.

ccccsdsdsdsd Crankshaft degrees. A four-stroke engine turns 720720720720 crankshaft degrees during one complete combustion cycle. (The camshaft turns half as fast as the crankshaft and thus completes 360 degrees during the four strokes.)


Default valuesDefault valuesDefault valuesDefault values These are base values or recommended values.

EGTCEGTCEGTCEGTC Exhaust Gas Temperature Control. NIRA-developed exhaust gas temp measurement unit. Can be connected to NIRA i3+.

GNDGNDGNDGND

GroundGroundGroundGround

Grounding can be done to the body, engine block or directly to the battery. Ground is sometimes referred to as minus or 0 Volt. Poor ground connections can cause hard to find problems. Make sure the ground connections are solid.

MAPMAPMAPMAP Manifold Absolute Pressure. Pressure in the intake manifold after the throttle plate. On a normally aspirated engine this varies between 25kPa and 100kPa.

IAT or MATIAT or MATIAT or MATIAT or MAT Intake Air Temperature or Manifold Air Temperature. Refers to the temperature of the air in the intake manifold. The temperature can be as much as 150 degrees hotter than the ambient air temperature on a turbo charged engine.

The density of the air decreases with increasing temperature. Therefore it’s important to be able to measure the temperature accurately in order to calculate the correct amount of fuel to inject.

Premature detonation Premature detonation Premature detonation Premature detonation (knock)(knock)(knock)(knock)

The flame front in the combustion chamber advances at around 1000m/s instead of the normal 100m/s due to detonation instead of controlled combustion.

Knocking results in very high local combustion temperatures and damaging local detonations.

PullPullPullPull----up resistorup resistorup resistorup resistor A pull-up resistor connects an input or an output to +12V (or +5V). It pulls up the voltage on the input or output to +12V (or +5V.).

SemiSemiSemiSemi----sequential sequential sequential sequential injectioninjectioninjectioninjection

The injectors are turned on/off in pairs.

With NIRA i3+, each pair of injectors can still be timed individually during the 720 crank degrees (four strokes.)

With increasing cylinder count, the difference between semi-sequential and fully sequential injection lessens.

Sequential injectionSequential injectionSequential injectionSequential injection Each injector on/off is timed independently of all other injectors.

By taking camshaft timing into account, the engine


can be made to run more smoothly and efficiently and to provide more low-end torque.

SpeedSpeedSpeedSpeed----densitydensitydensitydensity A simple and straightforward method for calculating the correct amount of fuel to inject based on the MAP, IAT and the engine rpm. Because MAP is used, any changes in ambient pressure are accounted for.

Terminal 15Terminal 15Terminal 15Terminal 15 Terminal 15 is a term used to describe battery voltage (+12V) after the ignition switch. Most sensors and actuators used with NIRA i3+ that require battery voltage should be connected to terminal 15.

ThrottleThrottleThrottleThrottle The throttle is controlled by the gas pedal and determines the amount of air entering the intake manifold.

VEVEVEVE

(Volumetric Efficiency)(Volumetric Efficiency)(Volumetric Efficiency)(Volumetric Efficiency)

A V.E. value of 1.0 means that 100% of the cylinder volume gets filled during the intake stroke. For example, if the cylinder volume is 500cc, the engine breathes in exactly 500cc of air.

Do not confuse V.E. with engine efficiency. A V.E. value above 1.0 means there’s some amount of supercharging due to resonance, which is unusual. If, during mapping, the V.E. table has values above 1.1, or the lambda mapping table is not in line with actual (measured) lambda, you may have made a mistake.

Many standard engines have an average V.E. of 0.85.

Waste fireWaste fireWaste fireWaste fire The spark plug is fired one extra time per four strokes, i.e. it fires every crank revolution. The waste fire has no effect but it lets you use half as many ignition coils.

Some ignition energy is lost and the spark plugs wear faster with waste fire systems.

60606060----2 lost2 lost2 lost2 lost This defines the trigger wheel on the crankshaft. The trigger wheel has 58 tooth-window pairs, spaced 6 degrees apart. Two tooth-window pairs are missing (“2-lost”) and the resulting wider window serves as the reference point.


1.31.31.31.3 NIRA i3+NIRA i3+NIRA i3+NIRA i3+ FunctionalityFunctionalityFunctionalityFunctionality

NIRA i3+ reads sensor values, processes the data and sends output signals to various actuators.

By using the NIRA rk software, you have the ability to modify many of the parameters that control the data processing and the output signals in NIRA i3+.

Picture Picture Picture Picture 1111----1111: Overview of : Overview of : Overview of : Overview of NIRA i3+NIRA i3+NIRA i3+NIRA i3+ inputs and outputs.inputs and outputs.inputs and outputs.inputs and outputs.

Picture 1-1 above shows the input signals and the output controls of NIRA i3+. Section 1.3.1 below lists all sensors used by NIRA i3+. Section 1.3.2 lists additional input controls used by NIRA i3+ and section 1.3.3 lists output functions.

1.3.11.3.11.3.11.3.1 SensorsSensorsSensorsSensors

• MAP sensorMAP sensorMAP sensorMAP sensor (Manifold Absolute Pressure)

• IAT sensorIAT sensorIAT sensorIAT sensor (Intake Air Temperature)

• CKP sensorCKP sensorCKP sensorCKP sensor (Crankshaft Position)

• TPS TPS TPS TPS (Throttle Position Sensor, measures the throttle butterfly angle)

• CMP sensorCMP sensorCMP sensorCMP sensor (Cam Position. The crankshaft rotates two revolutions per four strokes in a four-stroke engine. The camshaft rotates half as fast as the crankshaft so it completes one revolution per four strokes. The CMP sensor is used to determine in which of the two crank revolutions the engine is. This is used during cranking.)

• ECT ECT ECT ECT (Engine Coolant Temp)


• Lambda sensorLambda sensorLambda sensorLambda sensor (Sometimes referred to as Oxygen Sensor, O2S or Heated Oxygen Sensor, HO2S. Measures the oxygen content in the exhaust relative to ambient air.)

• EGTCEGTCEGTCEGTC (Exhaust Gas Temperature. Measures the exhaust gas temperature in the exhaust manifold where the headers collect)

• Flat Shift SwitchFlat Shift SwitchFlat Shift SwitchFlat Shift Switch

• 4444 Aux inputsAux inputsAux inputsAux inputs (Can be used for any number of other input signals, such as extra temp sensors or a pressure sensor before the throttle plate, which simplifies mapping of boost pressure parameters.)

1.3.21.3.21.3.21.3.2 Input Controls (driver controlled)Input Controls (driver controlled)Input Controls (driver controlled)Input Controls (driver controlled)

• Switch for Anti Lag SystemAnti Lag SystemAnti Lag SystemAnti Lag System (ALS, response system)

• Button for Launch ControlLaunch ControlLaunch ControlLaunch Control

1.3.31.3.31.3.31.3.3 Output FunctionsOutput FunctionsOutput FunctionsOutput Functions

NIRA i3+ processes the input signals and controls the output signals in order to manage the following engine functions.

• Fuel injectionFuel injectionFuel injectionFuel injection (amount and sequence)

• IgnitionIgnitionIgnitionIgnition (timing and dwell time)

• Boost pressure control valveBoost pressure control valveBoost pressure control valveBoost pressure control valve (controls boost pressure)

• IACIACIACIAC (Idle Air Control; controls engine idle speed via an IAC valve or motor)

• Fuel pump Fuel pump Fuel pump Fuel pump

• Tachometer outputTachometer outputTachometer outputTachometer output (engine speed)

• ALS solenoid ALS solenoid ALS solenoid ALS solenoid (for additional bypass air)

• 2 Aux outputs2 Aux outputs2 Aux outputs2 Aux outputs (These outputs are programmable and can be mapped as analog or digital outputs vs. most other parameters in NIRA i3+, such as rpm, boost pressure, torque, etc. Very useful to control Nitrous Oxide, water injection, cooling fan, shift light, multiple injector banks, variable valve timing or simulating a MAF sensor signal.)

In addition to standard engine management, NIRA i3+ includes a set of additional engine control strategies and functions. These are listed in section 1.3.4 and are described in detail later in this manual.


1.3.41.3.41.3.41.3.4 Additional Control Strategies/FunctionsAdditional Control Strategies/FunctionsAdditional Control Strategies/FunctionsAdditional Control Strategies/Functions

• Launch ControlLaunch ControlLaunch ControlLaunch Control –––– enables fast take-offs with stable, pre-programmed torque values.

• AAAAnti Lag System (ALS) nti Lag System (ALS) nti Lag System (ALS) nti Lag System (ALS) –––– maintains boost pressure during shifts and when letting off on the gas.

• Flat Shift Flat Shift Flat Shift Flat Shift – reduces engine torque to enable quick gear shifts

• FlexiPorts™ FlexiPorts™ FlexiPorts™ FlexiPorts™ - a very advanced function that controls fuel injection, ignition, boost pressure and Launch Control.

• Acceleration Fuel Enrichment Acceleration Fuel Enrichment Acceleration Fuel Enrichment Acceleration Fuel Enrichment –––– very fast and advanced fuel enrichment during acceleration.

• Cranking Fuel Enrichment Cranking Fuel Enrichment Cranking Fuel Enrichment Cranking Fuel Enrichment –––– allows precision control of fuel injection during cranking based on parameters such as ambient temp, time since last cranking attempt etc.

• Alarm Alarm Alarm Alarm –––– adjustable alarm thresholds reduce the risk of engine damage.

• Limp homeLimp homeLimp homeLimp home –––– any input sensor value out of range is replaced with a reasonable value to keep the engine running, albeit at reduced power. Sets error code.

• Diagnostics Diagnostics Diagnostics Diagnostics –––– read stored error codes.

• Logging Logging Logging Logging –––– advanced data logging and graphical analysis tools in NIRA rk software.


2222 Combustion, Lambda and Combustion, Lambda and Combustion, Lambda and Combustion, Lambda and

Measurement PrinciplesMeasurement PrinciplesMeasurement PrinciplesMeasurement Principles

For combustion to take place, oxygen needs to be available.

The oxygen content of the air changes with air temperature and pressure. In an engine there are different ways of measuring the amount of air entering the engine, but regardless of the technique used, some way of converting the measurements into an absolute air mass is needed.

Once the air mass has been calculated, it’s possible to meter the amount of fuel needed. The optimal air to fuel ratio, as measured in weight, depends on the type of fuel.

For instance, 1 gram of standard gasoline should be mixed with 14.6 grams of air to achieve complete combustion. This air/fuel ratio is known as the stoichiometric ratio and is also referred to as lambda 1.0. A richer mixture (more fuel) results in lambda < 1.0. A leaner mixture results in lambda > 1.0.

Lambda is central to the mapping of NIRA i3+ and it’s important to understand what it represents and how it’s used.

2.12.12.12.1 RelationshRelationshRelationshRelationship Between A/F and Lambda ip Between A/F and Lambda ip Between A/F and Lambda ip Between A/F and Lambda

A/F means Air-Fuel ratio. It’s always given as a ratio of masses. The stoichiometric A/F is different for different types of fuel.

Example of sExample of sExample of sExample of stoichiometric A/F ratiostoichiometric A/F ratiostoichiometric A/F ratiostoichiometric A/F ratios::::

Air/98 Octane Gasoline = 14,6

Air/Methanol = 6,8

Air/Ethanol = 9,0

Air/E85 = 11


Lambda is defined as:

λ = (actual air fuel ratio)/(stoichiometeric ratio)= (actual air fuel ratio)/(stoichiometeric ratio)= (actual air fuel ratio)/(stoichiometeric ratio)= (actual air fuel ratio)/(stoichiometeric ratio)

The definition of lambda is the same regardless of fuel type, which simplifies things.

Example of lambda calculation (using gasolExample of lambda calculation (using gasolExample of lambda calculation (using gasolExample of lambda calculation (using gasoline):ine):ine):ine):

If an engine is running lean, the actual A/F may be 15.4:1.

λ = 15.4/14.6 = 1.05

If an engine is running rich, the actual A/F may be 14.0:1.

λ = 14.0/14.6 = 0.96

Some wide-band lambda sensors use A/F in their specs, so it is important to understand the relationship between A/F and Lambda.

2.22.22.22.2 The Effect of Different Lambda ValuesThe Effect of Different Lambda ValuesThe Effect of Different Lambda ValuesThe Effect of Different Lambda Values

If lambda is far from 1.0, the air-fuel mixture can’t be ignited. This causes engine misfires. The point at which these occur depends on several different parameters, such as the temperature in the combustion chamber, the efficiency of the ignition system and how well mixed the air and fuel are. Typically, lambda has to stay within the 0.7 – 1.2 range.

If the air and fuel haven’t mixed fully before they’re ignited some amount of fuel will be wasted. This is common, especially during transients and at low rpm’s. Consequently, most engines run better when the mixture is a bit richer than lambda 1.0. A good rule of thumb is 5-7% richer, or lambda 0.95-0.93.

Adding even more fuel usually lowers engine efficiency at a given intake air pressure but it also cools the combustion chamber. This is exploited in turbo charged engines where the boost pressure can be increased somewhat while avoiding premature detonation, or engine knock.

The end result is that by running a turbo engine extra rich, you can gain more power. On a normally tuned turbo engine, it’s common to map lambda down toward 0.84. On an aggressively tuned engine, lambda may have to go even lower if there are problems with the exhaust gas temperature being too high.


2.32.32.32.3 Measurement Measurement Measurement Measurement PrinciplesPrinciplesPrinciplesPrinciples

All engine management systems have to calculate the correct mass of fuel to inject for a given mass of air. The masses of the fuel and air vary with temperature and pressure.

2.3.12.3.12.3.12.3.1 Mass Airflow Sensors (MAF) Mass Airflow Sensors (MAF) Mass Airflow Sensors (MAF) Mass Airflow Sensors (MAF)

Most modern engines have MAF sensors. These essentially weigh the incoming air before it enters the engine. The engine control system receives information about how many grams of air/millisecond have passed through the MAF sensor.

Using a MAF has a major advantage in that it reports only the amount of air that actually enters the engine. Engine wear during a long life is factored in automatically using this approach. Additionally, MAF sensors simplify the fuel mapping significantly. This was especially important many years ago when the computational power of the microprocessor in the engine management system was limited.

Today, MAF is the standard because of strict emission standards that apply during the entire life of the engine.

There are, however, several disadvantages:

• MAF sensors are slow to react, expensive and sensitive to damage. There are often problems using MAF sensors on aggressively chip tuned engines because the sensor can break due to high airflow.

• The sensor itself is mounted in a housing, which represents a restriction to the intake air.

• There are also problems with oil entering the intake tract from the turbo due to the restriction.

2.3.22.3.22.3.22.3.2 AlfaAlfaAlfaAlfa----NNNN and Speedand Speedand Speedand Speed----DensityDensityDensityDensity

During the mid-1990’s many cars used speed-density systems.

Speed-density systems have no restrictions in the intake tract (as compared to MAF sensor systems) and the precision was good enough over the lifetime of the engine to meet the emission rules of the time.

Very inexpensive vehicles used Alfa-N systems (e.g. Fiat Uno). Alfa-N systems are very inexpensive to manufacture because they only require a high-precision TPS. Unfortunately, as the engine wears, the TPS value no longer is a correct measure of how much air the engine takes in and this leads to emissions related problems.


NIRA i3+ has the capability to map fuel based on speed-density, Alfa-N -- or a combination of the two.

3333 Installing Installing Installing Installing NIRA i3+NIRA i3+NIRA i3+NIRA i3+

When installing NIRA i3+ it is recommended that you follow the directions below.

Begin by determining if additional sensors are needed and where to install them. Make sure any existing sensors you expect to use with NIRA i3+ are in good working order. The NIRA i3+ wiring harness has markings in clear text on each wire to simplify the work of connecting all the sensors.

Each sensor and actuator will need an appropriate connector attached to the harness. The connector terminals should be crimped for best performance and rubber seals should be used where the wires enter the connector housing. (Your NIRA i3+ dealer sells seals for all sensors.) If proper crimp tools are not available, soldering may be used. Poorly crimped terminals are a common source of intermittent problems. Always cover any soldered splices with heat shrinkable tubing.

Do not skimp on the sensors. Use new sensors if you are unsure of the condition of the existing ones. Old throttle position sensors often have hard-to-find drop out points which can not be detected with standard multimeters. Your NIRA i3+ dealer stocks many of the sensors needed or can recommend sensors.

Note that the MAP, IAT and ECT sensors sold by your NIRA i3+ dealer have been pre-calibrated in NIRA rk. These are recommended. Other sensors will need to be calibrated separately. Calibration is done using one of the Wizards in NIRA rk.


3.13.13.13.1 Crank Position Sensor (CKP) with “60Crank Position Sensor (CKP) with “60Crank Position Sensor (CKP) with “60Crank Position Sensor (CKP) with “60----2 2 2 2 lost” Trigger Wheellost” Trigger Wheellost” Trigger Wheellost” Trigger Wheel

To control ignition timing, injection timing and several other important outputs, NIRA i3+ needs a signal that is telling the position of the crankshaft. This signal is provided by a crank position sensor that creates the signal by reading the pattern of a pulse wheel that is fitted to the crankshaft.

An accurate signal from the crank position sensor is crucial. Therefore, it is very important to install the CKP sensor with diligence. A faulty installation or a bad combination of CKP sensor and pulse wheel causes an unreliable signal. In turn, an unreliable signal will make the engine run poorly. The alarm in NIRA rk called DGE Crank Sensor Teeth indicates CKP sensor signal failure.

Example ofExample ofExample ofExample of CKP sensor signal when a ”2 lost” is detected from a pulse wheel with a ”60 CKP sensor signal when a ”2 lost” is detected from a pulse wheel with a ”60 CKP sensor signal when a ”2 lost” is detected from a pulse wheel with a ”60 CKP sensor signal when a ”2 lost” is detected from a pulse wheel with a ”60 –––– 2 2 2 2

lost” pattern.lost” pattern.lost” pattern.lost” pattern.

The signal from the CKP sensor should resemble the pattern in the image above. It is recommended to use an oscilloscope to study the signal.

Definition of a TDefinition of a TDefinition of a TDefinition of a Trig and Maximum Voltagerig and Maximum Voltagerig and Maximum Voltagerig and Maximum Voltage

Trig Occurs when a falling pulse flank passes zero

Min voltage 0,4 V between peak and ground at 100 rpm. 2,5 V at 6 000 rpm

Max voltage 300 V peak to peak


3.1.13.1.13.1.13.1.1 The Pulse WheelThe Pulse WheelThe Pulse WheelThe Pulse Wheel

NIRA i3+ works with the majority of standard pulse wheels that has one or two pulses “removed” as a reference point. On engines where such a pulse wheel is factory fitted it is recommended to keep the factory installation. The picture above and right is showing a pulse wheel of the type “60 – 2 lost” that is the Bosch standard pulse pattern. This pulse wheel has 58 teeth and a gap that is created by the removal of 2 teeth in the otherwise symmetrical pattern. Hence the name “60 – 2 lost”. NIRA i3+ is designed to handle pulse wheels of the types “60 – 2 lost”, “60 – 1 lost” and symmetrical pulse wheels down to “16 – 2 lost” and “16 – 1 lost”. Symmetrical pulse wheels have teeth that are equally distributed around the pulse wheel with the exception of a reference point where one or two teeth are missing. The table below describes the pulse wheels that are compatible with NIRA i3+.

Pulse Wheels Compatible with NIRA i3+Pulse Wheels Compatible with NIRA i3+Pulse Wheels Compatible with NIRA i3+Pulse Wheels Compatible with NIRA i3+

No of teeth, including ”missing teeth”

Pattern no 1 (1 tooth removed)

Pattern no 2 (2 teeth removed)

60 (each tooth + gap is 6°) 60 – 1 lost 60 – 2 lost

59 59 – 1 lost 59 – 2 lost

… … …

17 17 – 1 lost 17 – 2 lost

16 16 – 1 lost 16 – 2 lost

NIRA i3+ reads symmetrical pulse wheels that are split into NIRA i3+ reads symmetrical pulse wheels that are split into NIRA i3+ reads symmetrical pulse wheels that are split into NIRA i3+ reads symmetrical pulse wheels that are split into a maximum of a maximum of a maximum of a maximum of 60 sections (60 60 sections (60 60 sections (60 60 sections (60 –––– 1 1 1 1 lost, 60 lost, 60 lost, 60 lost, 60 –––– 2 lost) and 2 lost) and 2 lost) and 2 lost) and a minimum of 16 sections (16 a minimum of 16 sections (16 a minimum of 16 sections (16 a minimum of 16 sections (16 –––– 1 lost, 16 1 lost, 16 1 lost, 16 1 lost, 16 –––– 2 lost). All symmetrical 2 lost). All symmetrical 2 lost). All symmetrical 2 lost). All symmetrical

patterns in between are compatible with NIRA i3+.patterns in between are compatible with NIRA i3+.patterns in between are compatible with NIRA i3+.patterns in between are compatible with NIRA i3+.

As shown in the table above, NIRA i3+ handles the most common types of factory fitted pulse wheels, such as “60 – 2 lost” found on European cars (Volvo, Saab, Audi, BMW, Mercedes, etc), Ford’s “36 – 1 lost” and “24 – 1 lost” found on many motorcycle engines. There must not be any doubts regarding what type of pulse wheel that is fitted on the engine. The pattern must be entered into NIRA rk and it is absolutely necessary to enter the correct values to be able to start the engine.

Some types of pulse wheels are made holes drilled in a solid material. These pulse wheels often have a reference point in the shape of a peak instead of a valley – see the image below for sketch of a “60 – 1 lost” hole with a peak as a reference point.


Pulse wheel with a ”60 Pulse wheel with a ”60 Pulse wheel with a ”60 Pulse wheel with a ”60 –––– 1 lost” pattern and a peak instead of a valley as reference point. 1 lost” pattern and a peak instead of a valley as reference point. 1 lost” pattern and a peak instead of a valley as reference point. 1 lost” pattern and a peak instead of a valley as reference point.

Pulse wheels having a peak instead of a valley or a hole as a reference point are more error prone since vibrations can cause false trigs when the reference point passes the sensor. If you are fitting a new pulse wheel when installing NIRA i3+, always choose a pulse wheel with a valley as reference point.

The trigger wheel mounts on the face of the crank pulley. If the crank pulley is also a harmonic balancer, verify that it is in good condition and isn’t slipping. Make sure the trigger wheel is centered on the pulley. If it is not centered properly, the signal strength from the CKP sensor will vary and ignition timing will drift back and forth.

The example below is given for fitting a “60 – 2 lost” pulse wheel: When figuring out the angular placement of the trigger wheel, first turn the engine to TDC for cylinder 1. Then place the trigger wheel such that the angle between the “2-lost” window and the place where you plan on mounting the CKP sensor is around 90-120 degrees. See picture 3-1 below. You will later need to measure the exact angle, see section 3.1.2.

Once the trigger wheel has been fitted, mount the CKP sensor. The gap between the CKP sensor and the trigger wheel should be 0.5-1.0mm. If the gap is greater than 1.0 mm, the signal strength from the CKP sensor will vary too much and timing will drift back and forth. Mount the sensor in a bracket that allows for slight adjustments. Secure the CKP sensor wires with cable ties to make sure they don’t interfere with any engine drive belts.

3.1.23.1.23.1.23.1.2 Measuring the ”2Measuring the ”2Measuring the ”2Measuring the ”2----lost” Angle lost” Angle lost” Angle lost” Angle

Turn the engine so that cylinder 1 is at TDC. Measure the angle between the center of the CKP and the trailing edge of the 2-lost window. See picture 3-1. Each tooth on the trigger wheel is 3 degrees and each window is 3 degrees. Make a note of the angle, as you will need to enter it into NIRA rk later.


Picture 3Picture 3Picture 3Picture 3----1. Measuring the TDC to ”21. Measuring the TDC to ”21. Measuring the TDC to ”21. Measuring the TDC to ”2----loslosloslost” angle.t” angle.t” angle.t” angle.

3.23.23.23.2 CamCamCamCam Position Position Position Position Sensor (CMP)Sensor (CMP)Sensor (CMP)Sensor (CMP)

Since the fuel injection and ignition is controlled sequentially with NIRA i3+, a signal that tells NIRA i3+ the position in the combustion cycle is necessary. NIRA i3+ thus requires that the engine has a Cam Position Sensor, which sends a single pulse once per camshaft revolution. This signal is used to synchronize the fuel injection and ignition with opening and closing of the intake valves during start. (SAAB engines that use an ignition cartridge, see section 3.13.1, do NOT require a separate CMP sensor.) Your NIRA i3+ dealer will advise you on an appropriate CMP sensor.

In the wiring harness there’s a wire marked “Cam Sensor Supply”. This supplies 5V, which can be used to power the CMP sensor. Certain sensors require 12V supply voltage. If the one you choose to use needs 12V, the easiest thing is to power it directly from terminal 15.

In order to create a well-defined trig point for the CMP sensor, drill and tap a hole in the cam gear. Insert a screw into the hole such that the screw head faces the sensor. The sensor works best if the screw material is magnetic, such as galvanized steel. The distance between the screw and the sensor may need to be adjusted in order for the sensor output voltage to be high enough. The output voltage from the CMP sensor needs to be at least 3V. Do not place the trig point in a place that gives a CMP signal at the same time that the reference point of the crankshaft pulse wheel passes the CKP sensor.

Sometimes it’s possible to use one of the camshaft lobes as a trigger.

Definition of a Trig and Maximum VoltageDefinition of a Trig and Maximum VoltageDefinition of a Trig and Maximum VoltageDefinition of a Trig and Maximum Voltage

Trig A change in voltage from 3.2 V or more to 1.0 V or less

Max voltage 120 V peak to peak


3.33.33.33.3 Throttle Position Sensor (TPS)Throttle Position Sensor (TPS)Throttle Position Sensor (TPS)Throttle Position Sensor (TPS)

The TPS needs to be of a linear potentiometer type. A worn TPS can cause problems which are very difficult to diagnose. Typically, as the TPS ages, the signal drops out intermittently. Either verify that your existing TPS is in excellent working order or simply replace it with a new one. Your NIRA i3+ dealer stocks a suitable TPS.

If your car doesn’t have a TPS currently, you will need to add one. Some older cars only came with TP switches for idle and WOT. These can not be used with NIRA i3+.

If you are planning to use Alfa-N mapping at low loads and expect to be able to map with good precision, you will need a TPS with excellent temperature stability and very high angular resolution.

When mounting the TPS make sure that it doesn’t bottom out before the WOT or idle stops. Verify this by observing the TPS while a helper depresses the accelerator fully and then lets go of the pedal completely. At both end points there needs to be additional travel available for the TPS. If not, adjust the position of the TPS relative to the throttle shaft.

The TPS mounts on different sides of the throttle housing on different cars. This will cause the TPS to turn in different directions on different cars as the throttle opening increases. If the TPS signal on your car is reversed, simply swap the Throttle Sensor Ground and Throttle Sensor Supply wires.

3.43.43.43.4 Manifold Absolute Pressure (MAP) andManifold Absolute Pressure (MAP) andManifold Absolute Pressure (MAP) andManifold Absolute Pressure (MAP) and Intake Air Temp (IAT)Intake Air Temp (IAT)Intake Air Temp (IAT)Intake Air Temp (IAT)

When NIRA i3+ is set up as a speed density system, precise knowledge of both the absolute pressure and the air temperature in the intake manifold are required in order to calculate the correct amount of fuel to inject.

If your vehicle already has MAP and IAT sensors you may be able to use those. The IAT sensor needs to react very quickly to sudden changes in temperature. This is especially important on a turbo charged engine where the intake air temp can increase 100 degrees Celsius within a few seconds.

Your NIRA i3+ dealer sells an appropriate combined MAP-IAT sensor. This sensor is pre-calibrated in the NIRA rk software.


If NIRA i3+ is used as an Alfa-N system a MAP/IAT sensor is not necessary. The alarms “DGE MAP Sensor Lo” and “DGE MAP Sensor Hi” in NIRA rk are deactivated by using the “Set Alarms” option on each alarm. In “Monitor Output”, right-click on the text of the alarm and assign values such as 1 000 as maximum and – 1 000 as minimum.

3.4.13.4.13.4.13.4.1 Mounting the MAP/IAT SensorMounting the MAP/IAT SensorMounting the MAP/IAT SensorMounting the MAP/IAT Sensor

The NIRA i3+ MAP/IAT sensor mounts on a horizontal surface on top of the intake manifold after the throttle butterfly. (For manifolds with multiple butterflies, see 3.4.2 below.) Drill a 12 mm hole and mount the sensor with the sensing element pointing down in order to

avoid accumulation of droplets on the sensing element. When you drill the hole, make sure to vacuum up all shavings. Any shavings left inside the manifold can cause significant damage to the engine.

3.4.23.4.23.4.23.4.2 Multiple Throttle ButterfliesMultiple Throttle ButterfliesMultiple Throttle ButterfliesMultiple Throttle Butterflies

If each intake runner has an individual throttle butterfly you can still use a single MAP/IAT sensor provided you build a small, external plenum and attach the MAP/IAT sensor to it. The plenum volume should be around 200 ml. Connect the plenum to each individual intake runner, after the throttle butterfly, using hoses with restrictions. Make sure the restrictions are all the same size.

With this setup you can still use speed-density mapping, which offers greater accuracy and stability than using only the throttle angle (Alfa-N mapping), despite MAP fluctuating at low rpm’s. Calibration is done by changing the inner diameter of the restrictions. Measure the MAP signal at NIRA i3+ with

Picture Picture Picture Picture 3333----4: MAP/IAT sensor 4: MAP/IAT sensor 4: MAP/IAT sensor 4: MAP/IAT sensor may be secured using a may be secured using a may be secured using a may be secured using a cable tie if the wall thickness cable tie if the wall thickness cable tie if the wall thickness cable tie if the wall thickness is too thin. is too thin. is too thin. is too thin.


an oscilloscope. The MAP signal is between pins 28 and 29 of the 30-pin connector at NIRA i3+. When the engine is idling, the voltage is allowed to vary as much as +/- 15%.

If the voltage swings are greater you will need to decrease the restrictions. The decrease should result in lesser swings. Avoid using too small restrictions as this slows down the response time.

There’s a configurable filter on the MAP input of NIRA i3+. The filter can be configured using the Advanced setting in NIRA rk.

If the pressure variations are still too large because of significant cam intake and exhaust overlap (using very aggressive camshafts) NIRA i3+ can be set up to throttlemap up to a certain MAP (e.g. 70 kPa) and then switch over to speed density mapping. This is described in detail in a section 5.1.1 below. Being able to switch between mapping modes like this makes NIRA i3+ ideal for use with highly tuned engines.

3.53.53.53.5 Engine Coolant Temperature Engine Coolant Temperature Engine Coolant Temperature Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor (ECT)Sensor (ECT)Sensor (ECT)Sensor (ECT)

The ECT sensor is used by NIRA i3+ to monitor overall engine temperature and for cold start enrichment. If you plan on using the ECT sensor that came with your engine you will need to know or establish its resistance as a function of temperature. This information is often available in the service manual for your car.

Your NIRA i3+ dealer sells an ECT sensor which has been pre-calibrated in the rk software.

3.63.63.63.6 Intake Air Temperature Sensor (IAT)Intake Air Temperature Sensor (IAT)Intake Air Temperature Sensor (IAT)Intake Air Temperature Sensor (IAT)

The IAT sensor is used for air density compensation at different intake air temperatures. Its function is very important on a turbo charged engine where the intake air temp can rise 100 degrees Celsius in mere seconds.

The IAT sensor needs to be fast and properly calibrated. Your NIRA i3+ dealer can recommend several combined MAP/IAT sensors that meet these requirements and have been pre-calibrated in the NIRA rk software.

If you prefer to use the original IAT sensor on your engine you need to know or establish its transfer function. (The transfer function describes the resistance of the sensor as a function of the temperature.)


Sometimes the existing IAT sensor is mounted before the throttle butterfly. In such situations it is recommended to move it after the butterfly, or better yet, use a combined MAP/IAT sensor mounted after the throttle plate, see section 3.4

3.73.73.73.7 Lambda SensorLambda SensorLambda SensorLambda Sensor

There is no requirement to have a lambda sensor connected to NIRA i3+, although it is recommended.

Traditionally, when precision mapping lambda, a wide-band sensor is used, see 3.7.2. However, NIRA i3+ runs very well using a narrow-band lambda sensor when mapping fuel around lambda 1.0 (0.89 – 1.1.) Later you can easily change the lambda mapping table for maximum power, extra cooling or maximum fuel efficiency and NIRA i3+ will automatically calculate the difference compared to lambda 1.0.

3.7.13.7.13.7.13.7.1 Lambda Sensor Electrical ConnectionsLambda Sensor Electrical ConnectionsLambda Sensor Electrical ConnectionsLambda Sensor Electrical Connections

Lambda sensors exist in 1-, 3- and 4-wire versions. A 3-wire sensor may have the following pigtail:

White wire – sensor preheater

White wire – sensor preheater

Black wire – signal

The NIRA i3+ harness has an unmarked, thick, gray, shielded cable used to connect the lambda sensor. As there are other gray, shielded cables in the harness, make sure you use the correct one. In the gray cable used for the lambda sensor, there’s a brown wire connected to pin 7 of the 30-pin NIRA i3+ connector and a white wire connected to pin 21 of the 30-pin NIRA i3+ connector.

Using the example lambda sensor above, connect it to the harness:

Lambda sensor Lambda sensor Lambda sensor Lambda sensor wirewirewirewire

NIRA i3+NIRA i3+NIRA i3+NIRA i3+ harness wireharness wireharness wireharness wire

White wireWhite wireWhite wireWhite wire Connect to external, switched +12V, e.g. the fuel pump relay

White wire White wire White wire White wire Connect to external ground, far from the sensor itself.


Black wireBlack wireBlack wireBlack wire Brown harness wire in gray shielded cable (pin 7 of 30-pin ECU connector)

Use a hose clamp Use a hose clamp Use a hose clamp Use a hose clamp around the body around the body around the body around the body of the sensor to of the sensor to of the sensor to of the sensor to create acreate acreate acreate a ground ground ground ground pointpointpointpoint

White harness wire in gray shielded cable (pin 21 of 30-pin ECU connector)

Note: 4-wire lambda sensors have a separate signal ground wire (the 4:th wire). Use that instead of the hose clamp in the 3-wire case above.

Note: NIRA i3+ has a balanced lambda sensor input for improved measurement accuracy and therefore requires a lambda signal ground connection to function.

3.7.23.7.23.7.23.7.2 WideWideWideWide----band lambda sensorsband lambda sensorsband lambda sensorsband lambda sensors

The signal from a wide-band lambda sensor gives information about the air/fuel-ratio in a wider interval.

In order to connect a wide-band lambda sensor (e.g. NTK, LSU-4.2), external electronics are required to modify the sensor output. The electronics are often part of the wide-band sensor kit you can buy. Talk to your NIRA i3+ dealer for detailed information about how to hook up the lambda sensor if you plan on using a kit.

Generally speaking, in order to use a wide-band sensor together with Autofuel calibration in NIRA rk and in order not to exceed the maximum input voltage on the Lambda Sensor Signal input of NIRA i3+, the max voltage must be less than 1.20 Volt. The shape of the lambda curve can be adjusted in the Lambda Sensor Table in NIRA rk.

The NIRA i3+ AUX inputs can handle input voltages up to 5V, but can only be used for monitoring and logging of the wide-band sensor output.

If the wide-band lambda is to be used together with FlexiPorts™ or for logging, the Aux In-inputs are appropriate. These input channels are designed for input between 0 and 5 V.

3.83.83.83.8 Exhaust Gas Temperature Sensor, NIRA Exhaust Gas Temperature Sensor, NIRA Exhaust Gas Temperature Sensor, NIRA Exhaust Gas Temperature Sensor, NIRA EGTC EGTC EGTC EGTC

Being able to monitor the exhaust gas temperature is very important, especially on a turbo charged engine, in order to avoid engine damage and also to avoid over cooling the


combustion with too much injected fuel as this lowers engine power. The ALS feature of NIRA i3+ also requires precise monitoring of the exhaust gas temperature.

Picture Picture Picture Picture 3333----5555: The NIRA EGTC sensor probe mounts where the headers collect, before the : The NIRA EGTC sensor probe mounts where the headers collect, before the : The NIRA EGTC sensor probe mounts where the headers collect, before the : The NIRA EGTC sensor probe mounts where the headers collect, before the

turbo.turbo.turbo.turbo.

3.93.93.93.9 Anti Lag System (ALS) SwitchAnti Lag System (ALS) SwitchAnti Lag System (ALS) SwitchAnti Lag System (ALS) Switch

An external switch is needed to turn on/off the Anti Lag System. Mount the switch so it’s easily accessible for the driver. Connect two wires to the switch. Ground one of the wires, e.g. to the body. The other wire connects to the wire marked “ALS Switch in, on=gnd” in the NIRA i3+ harness.

3.103.103.103.10 Launch Control ButtonLaunch Control ButtonLaunch Control ButtonLaunch Control Button

A button is needed to activate Launch Control. Mount it so it’s easily accessible for the driver. Connect two wires to the button. Ground one of the wires, e.g. to the body. The other wire connects to the wire marked “Launch Button in, on=gnd” in the NIRA i3+ harness.

3.113.113.113.11 Flat Shift SwitchFlat Shift SwitchFlat Shift SwitchFlat Shift Switch

The Flat Shift function is activated by a signal that is similar to the signal from the ALS Switch and the Launch Control Button. There is usually such a sensor fitted on sequential gear boxes.

3.123.123.123.12 Aux InputsAux InputsAux InputsAux Inputs

NIRA i3+ has four auxiliary inputs. Aux 1 In and Aux 2 In can be connected to any linear sensor. Aux 3 In and Aux 4 In can be connected to any linear or non-linear sensor.


E.g. Aux 1 In and Aux 2 In can be used to measure boost pressure. These inputs would then serve as reference when mapping turbo boost pressure in NIRA rk.

E.g. Aux 3 In and Aux 4 In can be used for oil pressure, oil temperature or temperature before and after the intercooler.

The mapping and interpretation of the Aux inputs is managed via NIRA rk. Limp Home mode can be set up to apply to Aux inputs as well.

3.12.13.12.13.12.13.12.1 Input FiltersInput FiltersInput FiltersInput Filters

All inputs to NIRA i3+, including the Aux inputs, can be filtered using the “Advanced” setting in NIRA rk.

Sometimes this is useful when dealing with noisy input signals in order to improve readability during data logging.

Before applying filtering to MAP, IAT and TPS inputs, make sure you understand what you’re doing. These input signals should normally never need to be filtered.

3.133.133.133.13 IgnitionIgnitionIgnitionIgnition

NIRA i3+ is designed to drive multiple ignition coils, either with built-in or external drive electronics.

The ignition output signal from NIRA i3+ is a signal between 0 and 5 Volts and triggers on a negative flank, i.e. when the signal goes from 5 Volts to ground. Each NIRA i3+ ignition output can source up to 150 mA current.

NIRA i3+ can control the ignition of up to six cylinders without waste fire. For eight or more cylinders, an arrangement using waste fire is used. See section 5.1.5 for an example of the configuration used on a V8 engine.

Ask your NIRA i3+ dealer about high performance ignition coils.

3.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.1 SAAB Ignition CartridgeSAAB Ignition CartridgeSAAB Ignition CartridgeSAAB Ignition Cartridge

NIRA i3+ works with the SAAB ignition cartridge. The black cartridge (TK 3.6) is the recommended unit for use with NIRA i3+. When a SAAB ignition cartridge is connected to NIRA i3+, it’s able to measure ionic current and therefore a CMP sensor is not needed. Talk to your NIRA i3+ dealer about this option.


3.143.143.143.14 Fuel Pressure Regulator (FPR)Fuel Pressure Regulator (FPR)Fuel Pressure Regulator (FPR)Fuel Pressure Regulator (FPR)

For NIRA i3+ to correctly calculate fuel injector on- times, a linear fuel pressure regulator needs to be installed in the fuel system. In a linear FPR, the fuel pressure rises linearly as a function of the intake pressure.

When so called progressive or rising-rate regulators are used, FlexiPorts™ should be adjusted in a way that compensates the fuel injection according to the difference between a linear fuel pressure regulator and a progressive fuel pressure regulator.

3.153.153.153.15 Fuel InjectorsFuel InjectorsFuel InjectorsFuel Injectors

The fuel injectors are extremely important when tuning a high performance engine. Thus, choosing injectors with diligence is necessary. Below are instructions that aim to facilitate the process of choosing the right injectors for your engine.

3.15.13.15.13.15.13.15.1 Choosing the Injector CapacityChoosing the Injector CapacityChoosing the Injector CapacityChoosing the Injector Capacity

Do not choose injectors with overly large capacity if you need to precision map lambda at low-load conditions, e.g. for emissions tests.

No injectors are manufactured with high enough precision to avoid fluctuations in the injected amount of fuel due to temperature and other running conditions, especially when the fuel injector on-time is less than 1.5ms. (The on-time is visible in NIRA rk in the varaible named ”Inj time SD” which can be viewed under Mappings->Monitor output.)

A good rule of thumb when sizing injectors is 500cc/100hp. I.e. 400-cc injectors on a 5-cylinder engine is enough for approximately 400hp unless lots of additional fuel is needed to cool the combustion.

NIRA rk will automatically alert you if the injector ”bottoms out” and can’t supply enough fuel. The alarm is called ”DG Max Total Fuel Time”.

3.15.23.15.23.15.23.15.2 TypTypTypType of Injectorse of Injectorse of Injectorse of Injectors

NIRA i3+ is designed to drive up to five fuel injectors sequentially and up to 10 injectors semi-sequentially. Even in semi-sequential mode, the injector on-time will be fully synchronized with the opening of the intake valve.

If you are going to use semi-sequential injection, see section 5.1.6, Injector Setup, for a description.


All injectors, regardless of configuration, are ground controlled. Connect one of the injector terminals to +12V (terminal 15) and the other to one of the wires marked “-Fuel Injector 1-5” in the NIRA i3+ harness. In sequential mode, on engines up to five cylinders, keep it simple by using the wire marked “-Fuel Injector 1” for cylinder 1, the wire marked “-Fuel Injector 2” for cylinder 2 and so on.

If the injector coil resistance is 15 Ohm, NIRA i3+ is capable of driving three injectors per output, for a total of 15 injectors.

If the injector coil resistance is 5 Ohm or less, an additional, external resistor needs to be added to each injector. This is necessary in order to avoid overheating the injector.

Your NIRA i3+ dealer sells a resistor pack which can be used if you plan on using low-resistance injectors. The resistor pack connects to the blue ECU connector of the NIRA i3+ harness.

Injectors with coil resistance in the range of 2-5 Ohm work well with a 3.3 Ohm, 15W resistor in series.

On engines with more than 6 cylinders, low impedance injectors can be connected in series, pair by pair.

If the series resistance is too high, the injector on-time precision decreases at low-load conditions and it may be difficult to get the injectors to turn on if the battery voltage is low.

If you would like to calculate the series resistance yourself, use Ohm’s Law and size the resistance such that the power across the injector is in the range of 10-25 Watt, assuming normal battery voltage with the engine running (approx 14 Volt.) Do not go outside this range.

P = Power [Watt], V = voltage [Volt], I = current (Ampere)P = Power [Watt], V = voltage [Volt], I = current (Ampere)P = Power [Watt], V = voltage [Volt], I = current (Ampere)P = Power [Watt], V = voltage [Volt], I = current (Ampere)

(V/sqrt(P/R_injector)) (V/sqrt(P/R_injector)) (V/sqrt(P/R_injector)) (V/sqrt(P/R_injector)) –––– R_injector = R_seriesR_injector = R_seriesR_injector = R_seriesR_injector = R_series

E.g. R_injector = 3E.g. R_injector = 3E.g. R_injector = 3E.g. R_injector = 3====, P = 15 Watt, V = 14 Volt, P = 15 Watt, V = 14 Volt, P = 15 Watt, V = 14 Volt, P = 15 Watt, V = 14 Volt

----> (14/sqrt(15/3))> (14/sqrt(15/3))> (14/sqrt(15/3))> (14/sqrt(15/3))----3 = 3.33 = 3.33 = 3.33 = 3.3====....

If you would have chosen 6.8=, the injector would only see 6 Watt. At low battery voltages, such as during cranking, this would result in long, imprecise injector on times. NIRA i3+ has negligible internal resistance on the injector output lines.

3.15.33.15.33.15.33.15.3 InjectInjectInjectInjector Offsetor Offsetor Offsetor Offset

In NIRA rk there’s a mapping table called Injector offset. This table is important to map correctly down to 0.1 milliseconds. The table gives NIRA


i3+ information about where the injector curve crosses the x-axis as well as the slope of the curve during low-load conditions

Injector offset is not the same thing as injector on-time because of the non-linearity of the injector right after it has opened. The non-linearity is significant for the first 2ms, which is one of the reasons mass produced vehicles never have higher capacity injectors than absolutely necessary. (With a higher capacity injector, the total on-time would decrease, and more of the on-time would be spent in the non-linear territory, resulting in unpredictable emissions etc.)

Since NIRA i3+ is a fully sequential system, the on-time per injector is double that of a system that’s not fully sequential. The result is that you can use larger injectors and the injectors will still spend most of their time in the non-linear territory.

If you are guessing as to what the injector offset values should be and you’re off, you may notice problems with lambda drifting with the intake temperature during low-load conditions. If the offset is far off you will have problems starting the engine. Two tenths (0.2) of a millisecond is considered a large error.

When using the Wizard in NIRA rk, look at the graph (F5) for “typical injector” and you will notice how the offset changes significantly based on the injector supply voltage (battery voltage). It’s easy to understand that 0.2 milliseconds will result in a lambda change of several percent at idle since the total injector on-time may only be around 2ms at idle.

As stated above, the problem is more pronounced if you are using a semi-sequential setup. If you don’t have access to the offset values or can’t measure them yourself, it’s recommended that you use a type of injector for which NIRA has already determined the offset. The Wizard lists the pre-measured injector types. Otherwise, choose ”typical injector” in the Wizard. This gets you a base mapping you can use as a starting point for many high-resistance injectors and many low-resistance injectors (using the NIRA resistor pack mentioned above.)

3.15.43.15.43.15.43.15.4 Multiple Injectors per Multiple Injectors per Multiple Injectors per Multiple Injectors per NIRA i3+NIRA i3+NIRA i3+NIRA i3+ Injector OutputInjector OutputInjector OutputInjector Output

If you overload the injector outputs on NIRA i3+, the output will be shut down and the unit will alert you via one of the alarms in NIRA rk. The threshold is set at max. 3.5A per output. This is equivalent to min. 4 Ohm total coil resistance per output.

The 4-Ohm threshold means you can hook up three high-resistance injectors in parallel to each output. You could also hook up e.g. two 4-Ohm injectors in series and achieve a very distinct injector opening point and avoid the series resistor. Don’t forget that the injectors can only handle max 25 Watt peak and max 20 Watt continuous power in order to avoid overheating the injector windings.


Overheating the injector windings will eventually melt them and cause hard-to-find intermittent problems. The injectors won’t necessarily fail outright but the on-time will change in an unpredictable fashion.

Banked Injectors (2 banks)Banked Injectors (2 banks)Banked Injectors (2 banks)Banked Injectors (2 banks)

Because high-capacity injectors cause unpredictability during low-load conditions, per the discussion above, it’s preferable to use low-capacity injectors during such conditions.

In order to combine small injectors during low-load conditions with high engine output, it’s advantageous to add a second bank of injectors with larger capacity. The second bank is only activated once a certain desired engine power threshold is passed and it then works in parallel with the first bank. Furthermore, by placing the second bank farther away from the intake valves, additional cooling effects will be netted, which in turn increases engine power even more.

To add a second bank of injectors to NIRA i3+, connect things as follows:

1) Hook up the first bank per the instructions above; cylinder 1 injector to “-Fuel injector 1”, cylinder 2 injector to “-Fuel injector 2” and so on. The supply side of the injectors goes to +12V (terminal 15), as described above.

2) Hook up the larger capacity injectors of the second bank in parallel with the first bank, but hook the supply side of the injectors to a fast relay or a CMOS high-side driver and connect the control side of the driver/relay to Aux 6 output. Now you have full software control over when to activate the second bank.

3) In NIRA rk, set “Injector Gain” to the value appropriate for the first bank, the smaller injectors.

4) In NIRA rk, set up Aux 6. The Aux 6 x-axis is set up to be RPM. The y-axis is set up to be massflow (~torque), which is mg/stroke. This setup gives you maximum control of the second bank.

5) In order to smooth the transition between bank1 only and bank1 + bank2, set Aux6 to 1 from 3000rpm and higher. Also set Aux6 to 1 from e.g. 1000mg/stroke, depending on the capacity of the injectors. (1000mg/stroke is approximately what 4 x 230cc injectors are capable of.)

6) Then you need to change the Lambda table. Make sure there’s a column for 3000 rpm (in this example) and from this rpm and higher you increase lambda equivalent to the delta between bank2 and bank1 above 1000mg/stroke


Example.Example.Example.Example.

Injector capacity:

bank1: 300 cc/injector

bank2: 650 cc/injector

Desired lambda above 1000mg/stroke and above 3000 rpm: 0.85

(650+300) / 300=3.17

0.85 x 3.17=2.69

Thus, you enter 2.69 in the table from 3000 rpm and up and 1000mg/stroke and up. This gives lambda 0.85 when bank1 and bank2 are both activated.

In this case bank2 is activated via Aux 6 above 3000 rpm and above 1000mg/stroke.In this case bank2 is activated via Aux 6 above 3000 rpm and above 1000mg/stroke.In this case bank2 is activated via Aux 6 above 3000 rpm and above 1000mg/stroke.In this case bank2 is activated via Aux 6 above 3000 rpm and above 1000mg/stroke.

If the relay connected to Aux 6 is slow, you will feel this as a jerk just as bank2 is activated.

3.163.163.163.16 Boost Pressure Control ValveBoost Pressure Control ValveBoost Pressure Control ValveBoost Pressure Control Valve

NIRA i3+ is connected to a boost pressure control valve that controls the air-flow from the inlet to the turbo’s waste gate. By controlling the air-flow, electronically, NIRA i3+ can control the boost pressure in a very accurate manner.


Overview of a boost control systemOverview of a boost control systemOverview of a boost control systemOverview of a boost control system

Boost control valves have three ports that are connected to

• atmospheric pressure, R (Return). This port is closed whenever the valve is inactive. When the valve is activated, this port is opened

• pressure after the compressor, C (Compressor). The C-port is

always connected to port W. Generally, the C-port has a visible restriction.

• the turbo’s wastegate actuator, W (Wastegate Clock). This port is

always connected to port C

Boost control valves have three port and two or three connection pinsBoost control valves have three port and two or three connection pinsBoost control valves have three port and two or three connection pinsBoost control valves have three port and two or three connection pins

NIRA i3+ controls the boost control valve by giving the valve a PWM-signal. A pressure drop that depends on the PWM-signal is created over the R-port and thus the pressure that reaches the waste gate actuator is controlled. The frequency of the PWM-signal is programmed later on, using the parameter Boost Period Nom in NIRA rk.

Boost control valves either have two or three connection pins. The type of waste gate used and the type of boost control valve determines how the valve should be connected.


3.16.13.16.13.16.13.16.1 Boost Control Valve with Two Connection PinsBoost Control Valve with Two Connection PinsBoost Control Valve with Two Connection PinsBoost Control Valve with Two Connection Pins

Connection of the sourcing and ground cables is arbitrary on two pin valves. If the waste gate clock gives a higher boost pressure when the W-port has a lower pressure, the cables can be connected according to the table below. Note that the parameter IAC/WG Output Pins in the Advanced mode of NIRA rk should be set according to the table below. The table below assumes that the boost control valve is made for 12 V sourcing.

ReReReRegular Waste Gate Clockgular Waste Gate Clockgular Waste Gate Clockgular Waste Gate Clock

Pin 1 + Boost control valve (+12 V)

Pin 2 Boost control valve, on=gnd

IAC/WG Output Pins WG 2 pin/IAC 3 pin

If the waste gate clock is of a type where a lower pressure over the W-port gives a lover boost pressure, the cables can be connected according to the following table.

Special Waste Gate ClockSpecial Waste Gate ClockSpecial Waste Gate ClockSpecial Waste Gate Clock

Pin 1 + IAC (+12V)

Pin 2 - IAC Winding 2


When the IAC cables are used for boost pressure control, the boost control cables are used for IAC control.

3.16.23.16.23.16.23.16.2 Boost Control Valve with Three Connection PinsBoost Control Valve with Three Connection PinsBoost Control Valve with Three Connection PinsBoost Control Valve with Three Connection Pins

Boost control valves that are designed without a spring generally have three connection pins. It is important that these pins are connected correctly.

Three Pin ValveThree Pin ValveThree Pin ValveThree Pin Valve

+-pin (source) +IAC

Signal 1 -IAC Winding 2

Signal 2 -IAC Winding 1



If the boost pressure is reduced when NIRA i3+ should increase the boost pressure, you should switch places on IAC Winding 1 and –IAC Winding 2.

When a boost control valve with three connection pins is used, the IAC should have a maximum of two connection pins.

The maximum current on the boost control and IAC ports of NIRA i3+ is 3.5 A. Measure the resistance over the boost control valve using a multi meter. To avoid heating of the valve, the resistance should be 6 Ohm or higher. If the resistance is lower than 6 Ohm a resistance should be connected in series with the valve. For instance, a 4.7 Ohm resistance, 10 W, is appropriate if the resistance over the valve is 2.5 Ohm. Such a resistance should be mounted on a cooling plate.

3.173.173.173.17 IAC (Idle Air Control)IAC (Idle Air Control)IAC (Idle Air Control)IAC (Idle Air Control)

At idle, the throttle butterfly is closed. In order to keep the engine from stalling, a small amount of intake air must be allowed to bypass the throttle butterfly. Stable idle speed is achieved by tightly controlling the amount of bypass air.

There are several different configurations for controlling the bypass air. Typically some sort of IAC valve or IAC motor is used. NIRA i3+ can control the IAC valve/motor using one or two PWM outputs.

Some possible IAC valve/motor configurations are:

• 2-terminal IAC valve

• 3-terminal IAC reversible motor with 1 coil and 2 windings

• 3-terminal IAC reversible motor

3.17.13.17.13.17.13.17.1 IAC Electrical ConnectionsIAC Electrical ConnectionsIAC Electrical ConnectionsIAC Electrical Connections

Connect a 2-terminal IAC valve to the harness:

IAC valve pinIAC valve pinIAC valve pinIAC valve pin NIRA i3+NIRA i3+NIRA i3+NIRA i3+ harness wireharness wireharness wireharness wire

1:1:1:1: Harness wire marked “IAC winding 1”

2:2:2:2: Harness wire marked ”+IAC”

For the 3-terminal cases, often the middle pin connects to +12V (terminal 15) and the harness wires marked “IAC winding 1” and “IAC winding 2” connect to the other two terminals. The order of these depends on what type of IAC


motor you are using. If “IAC winding 1” and “IAC winding 2” are reversed, this will lead to idle problems later on.

The picture below describes the function of an IAC valve.

Note that at 0% duty cycle, the engine speed is Note that at 0% duty cycle, the engine speed is Note that at 0% duty cycle, the engine speed is Note that at 0% duty cycle, the engine speed is high.high.high.high. The valve closes completely at around 30% duty cycle and then begins to open again, increasing engine speed.

Picture Picture Picture Picture 3333----6666: IAC valve function: IAC valve function: IAC valve function: IAC valve function

The varying duty cycle PWM signal from NIRA i3+ is used to modulate the relationship between the opened and closed states of the valve, thus controlling the amount of bypass air that reaches the engine.

If a boost control valve with three pins is used, a diode should be connected between the pins of the idle air motor. The diode shall withstand at least 5 A and the cathode (the white mark) is connected to +12 V. The anode, that is the other side of the diode, is connected to Boost control valve, on=gnd.

3.183.183.183.18 Fuel Pump RelayFuel Pump RelayFuel Pump RelayFuel Pump Relay

Warning! Make sure that the fuel pump relay is installed correctly. An incorrectly installed relay may cause severe personal and property damage. Do NOT connect the relay directly to the battery. It must be connected to terminal 15.

Connect one side of the relay coil to terminal 15. Connect the other to the wire marked “Fuel Relay, on=gnd” in the NIRA i3+ harness.


3.193.193.193.19 TachometerTachometerTachometerTachometer

A tachometer can be connected to the harness wire marked “Tachometer Out”. NIRA i3+ outputs a tach signal similar to a normal distributor-based system. The pulses are 12 V and can be used to control most tachometers on the market.

3.203.203.203.20 ALS Solenoid ALS Solenoid ALS Solenoid ALS Solenoid

For the Anti Lag System to work, some sort of mechanism that can increase airflow to the engine is needed.

One method is to attach a solenoid to the throttle shaft and have the solenoid open the throttle somewhat. Another method is to add some sort of valve, which allows air to enter the intake manifold after the throttle plate. This is analogous to the function of an IAC valve.

It’s also possible to piggy back on the function of the IAC valve. This approach adds some amount of air.

If a separate mechanism is used, connect the positive terminal of the mechanism to terminal 15 and connect the negative terminal to the wire marked “ALS Solenoid, on=gnd” in the NIRA i3+ harness. NIRA i3+ can sink up to 3.5A on this pin.

If you’re using the IAC valve, connect “ALS Solenoid, on=gnd” in the NIRA i3+ harness to the valve terminal to which “IAC winding 2” in the NIRA i3+ harness is connected (see section 3.17.1.)

3.213.213.213.21 Aux OutputsAux OutputsAux OutputsAux Outputs

NIRA i3+ has two extra outputs, marked ”Aux5 Out” and ”Aux6 Out” in the NIRA i3+ harness.

The aux outputs can be used to control a nitrous oxide injection system, water injection, a fan or a shift light. Each aux output can sink max 600mA current. They can not source any current, so if a sourcing output is required, a pull-up to +5V or +12V is necessary.

Aux5 is an “analog” PWM output with a 19.5 kHz frequency.

NIRA i3+ has been used successfully in piggy-back applications, in parallel with the original engine management system. In one such application the original system required a MAF signal and the Aux5 output was used to supply a fake MAF signal by using a 2kU pull-up resistor to +5V or +12V.


3.223.223.223.22 Mounting Mounting Mounting Mounting NIRA i3+NIRA i3+NIRA i3+NIRA i3+ in the Carin the Carin the Carin the Car

Mount NIRA i3+ securely in a protected place in the passenger compartment. Avoid overly hot areas.

If you’ve gone through the installation instructions above, the sensor/actuator side of the harness is all hooked up. Now connect the wire marked “ECU Supply 12V KL15” to the ignition switch via a 15A fuse. Try to find an ignition switch terminal that’s powered even during cranking. If you can’t find such a terminal, the advantage of the NIRA rk mapping table called “Start Enrichment Fac. Table” (found under “Engine Start”) goes away. However, this is often not a major problem.

Both NIRA i3+ harness wires marked “Engine GND” must be connected to engine ground, either to the block or to the intake manifold. Do NOT connect the “Engine GND” wires to the body of the vehicle.

The two red wires in the NIRA i3+ harness marked ”FI Supply 12V” connect to the injectors just like the original injector supply wires on your car. The “FI Supply 12V” wires are then effectively connected to the ignition switch (terminal 15).

At this point, the harness connections should look like the picture below.


At this point all sensors needed to run the engine should be installed. Additionally, the fuel injectors, ignition coils and other parts of the engine should be installed.

In order to be able to start the engine you need to map NIRA i3+ using NIRA rk. To ensure a successful mapping effort, it’s recommended that you study the NIRA rk sections in the manual in order to understand how to map an engine before you try to start the engine the first time.


4444 NIRA rk SoftwareNIRA rk SoftwareNIRA rk SoftwareNIRA rk Software

NIRA rk is used to map NIRA i3+. NIRA rk is also used to log data while the engine is running for later analysis. By using NIRA rk and applying your knowledge of engine tuning you can prepare for the mapping effort by entering certain parameters for your specific engine. This gives you a base mapping which will save you time later when you connect NIRA rk to NIRA i3+.

NIRA rk installs on a PC and connects to NIRA i3+ via the COM port, or via a USB port with a USB-COM adapter.

4.14.14.14.1 Installation of NIRA rkInstallation of NIRA rkInstallation of NIRA rkInstallation of NIRA rk

Minimum System Requirements:

• Pentium or Pentium compatible 450 MHz processor • Windows 98/2000/XP • 64 MB of RAM • 20 MB disk space (100MB recommended) • 800 x 600, SVGA color monitor (minimum 256 colors) • 2X CD-ROM (4X recommended) • Mouse • One available COM port (or USB port if a USB-COM port adapter is

available)

To install NIRA rk on your PC, execute the NIRA-rk.exe file on the CD. This will launch the NIRA rk Setup Wizard, which will guide you through the installation process. Follow the directions in the dialog boxes.


Picture Picture Picture Picture 4444----1111: Setup Wizard used to install NIRA rk.: Setup Wizard used to install NIRA rk.: Setup Wizard used to install NIRA rk.: Setup Wizard used to install NIRA rk.

Once the installation is finished, you should have two new icons on your desktop. The NIRA rk icon launches NIRA rk and the Engine Simulator icon launches an engine simulator program which can be used together with NIRA rk for development purposes. Operation of the Engine Simulator is covered in a separate manual.

4.24.24.24.2 Getting StartedGetting StartedGetting StartedGetting Started

This chapter will give you an overview of NIRA rk and its functions. Do not connect NIRA i3+ to NIRA rk until you’ve read this chapter and understand fully how NIRA rk operates.

4.2.14.2.14.2.14.2.1 Launching NIRA rkLaunching NIRA rkLaunching NIRA rkLaunching NIRA rk

Click on the NIRA rk icon on your desktop, or choose Start � Programs � NIRA rk.

4.2.24.2.24.2.24.2.2 Welcome ScrWelcome ScrWelcome ScrWelcome Screen een een een

Once you have launched NIRA rk, you will see the Welcome Screen.


Picture 4Picture 4Picture 4Picture 4----2. Welcome Screen2. Welcome Screen2. Welcome Screen2. Welcome Screen

In this screen you can choose among several options. Open File...Open File...Open File...Open File... lets you open an existing i3d file (a file with mapping data.) Read from Read from Read from Read from NIRA i3+NIRA i3+NIRA i3+NIRA i3+ loads mapping data from NIRA i3+ into NIRA rk. Start from DefaultStart from DefaultStart from DefaultStart from Default starts NIRA rk with default settings.

If you are using an i3d-file supplied by your NIRA dealer, it’s recommended that you first make a copy of the file before making any changes. This way you can always return to the original file. Select one of the supplied i3d-files that fits your engine type the first time you launch NIRA rk.

If you select ”Start from Default”, NIRA rk will start in a default mode and all adjustments have to be done by you.

Picture Picture Picture Picture 4444----3: Opening an 3: Opening an 3: Opening an 3: Opening an appropriate i3dappropriate i3dappropriate i3dappropriate i3d....


4.2.34.2.34.2.34.2.3 WizardsWizardsWizardsWizards

If you opted to start NIRA rk in default mode (see previous section), you must go through all Wizards before you can upload any mapping data to NIRA i3+. This is necessary in order to ensure that you’ve entered appropriate values for all Engine Setup-parameters before you start mapping. Otherwise, the mapping effort may be for nothing if it turns out that you’ve been mapping with inaccurate engine setup parameters.

You can re-run any of the Wizards later, e.g. in order to read the extensive on-line help available in the Wizards or if you’ve changed one of the sensors. All Wizards are available under “Wizards” in the main menu.

Any changes you make inside a Wizard only become permanent after you’ve selected ”Finish” on the last page of the Wizard. You can cancel out of the Wizard at any time by closing the window (clicking on the “X” in the top right hand corner of the window.)

It’s very important that you go through all pagesIt’s very important that you go through all pagesIt’s very important that you go through all pagesIt’s very important that you go through all pages of all Wizards and of all Wizards and of all Wizards and of all Wizards and enter correct values.enter correct values.enter correct values.enter correct values.

Picture 4Picture 4Picture 4Picture 4----4: 4: 4: 4: NIRA i3+NIRA i3+NIRA i3+NIRA i3+ Wizard: Engine Specifications is one of the Wizards you must go Wizard: Engine Specifications is one of the Wizards you must go Wizard: Engine Specifications is one of the Wizards you must go Wizard: Engine Specifications is one of the Wizards you must go through before you’re allowed to upload data to through before you’re allowed to upload data to through before you’re allowed to upload data to through before you’re allowed to upload data to NIRA i3+NIRA i3+NIRA i3+NIRA i3+. . . .

Once you’ve gone through all Wizards and entered correct values, it’s recommended that you save all current settings as an i3d-file. Use “Save


As...” under ”File” in the main menu, or hit F4. Try to give the i3d-file a descriptive name, perhaps including the date, since this will make it easier to find the file later.

4.34.34.34.3 Using NIRA rkUsing NIRA rkUsing NIRA rkUsing NIRA rk

Once you have selected and loaded an i3d-file, NIRA rk takes you to the Preferences window (Picture 4-5.) This screen tells you when the i3d-file was last updated and you can add comments. You can also choose if you want NIRA rk to connect to NIRA i3+ or Engine Simulator. Engine Simulator lets you simulate engine running parameters in software and doesn’t require a physical connection to NIRA i3+

At the top of the main program window, below the main menu, is a red bar with the word Offline in it. This status bar shows the state of the connection to NIRA i3+. In order to go online and be able to upload mapping data to NIRA i3+, you first have to go through all steps of all NIRA i3+ Engine Setup Wizards.

It’s also possible to read any mappings already in NIRA i3+. (“Read from NIRA i3+” under “File” in the main menu.) Only use this option if you’ve previously gone online with NIRA i3+.

Picture Picture Picture Picture 4444----5: The “Preferences” 5: The “Preferences” 5: The “Preferences” 5: The “Preferences” tabtabtabtab lets you add comments and choose whether you want to lets you add comments and choose whether you want to lets you add comments and choose whether you want to lets you add comments and choose whether you want to simulate engine running values (Engine Simulator) or connect to simulate engine running values (Engine Simulator) or connect to simulate engine running values (Engine Simulator) or connect to simulate engine running values (Engine Simulator) or connect to NIRA i3+NIRA i3+NIRA i3+NIRA i3+....


If you can’t connect to NIRA i3+, check the connection settings by clicking on ”Settings…”. This lets you choose the port to which NIRA i3+ is connected. You can also launch ”Auto Find NIRA i3+”, which searches all ports and selects the one to which NIRA i3+ is connected.

4.3.14.3.14.3.14.3.1 Keyboard HelpKeyboard HelpKeyboard HelpKeyboard Help

A useful shortcut key to remember is F2. Holding down F2 brings up the Keyboard Help dialog box. The dialog box shows what can be done in the current view (and thus, it changes depending on the view.)

PictPictPictPicture ure ure ure 4444----6: Holding down the F2 key brings up a window showing all available commands in 6: Holding down the F2 key brings up a window showing all available commands in 6: Holding down the F2 key brings up a window showing all available commands in 6: Holding down the F2 key brings up a window showing all available commands in

the current view.the current view.the current view.the current view.

4.3.24.3.24.3.24.3.2 TabsTabsTabsTabs

NIRA rk uses tabs to organize different views of parameters, graphs, tables etc. When a new window is opened a new tab is added. This allows for quick switching among views. Each new tab gets a number in addition to a name.

You can switch tabs by clicking on the tab with the mouse or by hitting the G key on the keyboard, which brings up the Change Page dialog box (see below) and then selecting the desired tab using the up and down arrows on the keyboard. Shift-G takes you directly to the next tab in order.


Picture Picture Picture Picture 4444----7: 'G' (or '5' on the numeric keypad with NumLock off) brings up the7: 'G' (or '5' on the numeric keypad with NumLock off) brings up the7: 'G' (or '5' on the numeric keypad with NumLock off) brings up the7: 'G' (or '5' on the numeric keypad with NumLock off) brings up the "Change "Change "Change "Change

Page" dialog box.Page" dialog box.Page" dialog box.Page" dialog box.

You can close a tab by hitting Esc or right-clicking on the tab and selecting "Close". The first five tabs can never be closed.

While in the Change Page dialog box, you can also close a page by selecting it and hitting the DelDelDelDel key on the keyboard.

4.44.44.44.4 ParametersParametersParametersParameters

Mapping of NIRA i3+ is done by assigning values to parameters in NIRA rk.

There are three main types of parameters:

• A monitorA monitorA monitorA monitor: Monitors typically represent physical values, such as RPM, engine temp etc. These values come from inputs signals to NIRA i3+. Monitor values are written in black and are preceded by a blue arrow

. These parameter values cannot be changed. All monitors are available under the category called “Monitor Output”.

• A value:A value:A value:A value: Certain parameters are output signals from NIRA i3+, e.g. to the fuel injectors or the boost pressure control valve. Other parameters are constants used by NIRA i3+ to calculate output signals. Both types of parameters are written in green and can be changed by the user.

• A A A A table:table:table:table: Tables are the most powerful parameter type. They are used for output signals from NIRA i3+ and allow for fine-tuning of the output signal value based on other parameters. A good example is the Lambda Table, where lambda values are entered based on RPM

and fuel mass. Tables are marked by a -icon in front of the name.


NIRA i3+ has a number of tables dedicated to setting up the Aux outputs, including which input signals are used to control the outputs.

Parameter values written in green can be changed. Those written in black cannot.

At the left edge of the main window is a folder view of all possible parameters. The parameters are grouped into logical sets, such as Fuel, Ignition, Engine Start, , , , etc. Subfolders further separate mapping parameters to make it easier to keep track of things.

NIRA rk starts in Standard mode. If you feel that variables are missing you can select Advanced mode from the drop down list at the top of the main window. This setting exposes more mapping variables. It’s recommended that you leave the mode setting as Standard.

4.4.14.4.14.4.14.4.1 Sorting and Parameter DescriptionsSorting and Parameter DescriptionsSorting and Parameter DescriptionsSorting and Parameter Descriptions

Parameters can be sorted alphabetically, numerically or according to unit by selecting Item Name, Value or Unit respectively at the top of the parameter list. When you move the mouse cursor over a parameter a small help bubble will appear with information about the parameter. You can also press F1 to get the same information for any highlighted parameter.

Picture 4Picture 4Picture 4Picture 4----8: 8: 8: 8: A small help bubble appears when the mouse A small help bubble appears when the mouse A small help bubble appears when the mouse A small help bubble appears when the mouse cursor is placed over a cursor is placed over a cursor is placed over a cursor is placed over a

parameter name.parameter name.parameter name.parameter name.

4.4.24.4.24.4.24.4.2 SearchingSearchingSearchingSearching

You can search for a parameter by clicking on the magnifying glass icon ( ) or by hitting F on the keyboard. To go to the next parameter matching your search criterion, hit R.


PicturePicturePicturePicture 4444----9: Searchin9: Searchin9: Searchin9: Searching for a parameter. g for a parameter. g for a parameter. g for a parameter.

You can search for multiple parts of a parameter name by separating the search criteria with spaces. E.g. ”th po” gives you a match for ”Throttle Position” and "sens la" would give you a match for “Lambda Sensor”. As you type in the letters, the search result is updated continuously.

4.4.34.4.34.4.34.4.3 AlarmsAlarmsAlarmsAlarms

In addition to the built-in diagnostic alarms in NIRA i3+, which, among other things, check input signal levels, it’s possible to set user alarms using NIRA rk. Hit F5F5F5F5 or right-click on a parameter and choose “Set Alarm…”

It’s only possible to set alarms on monitors (see section 4.4.) Monitors are identified by a blue arrow ( ) in front of the parameter name. Once a monitor has an alarm associated with it, the arrow changes colors to red ( .)

4.4.44.4.44.4.44.4.4 FlagsFlagsFlagsFlags

As a tool to mark parameters, e.g. which parameters still need mapping, there’s a flag feature available. Flag a parameter either by clicking in the flag


column of the parameter or by clicking on the “Toggle Flag” button. Monitor parameters (see section 4.4) cannot be flagged.

All parameters that have been flagged can be viewed in the “Flagged Items” folder in the tree view to the left. Unflagged parameters can be viewed in the “Unflagged Items” folder.

4.4.54.4.54.4.54.4.5 FavoritesFavoritesFavoritesFavorites

You can add parameters to a special folder called “Favorites.” This lets you collect parameters of particular interest for quick access later.

4.4.64.4.64.4.64.4.6 Changing Parameter ValuesChanging Parameter ValuesChanging Parameter ValuesChanging Parameter Values

In order to change a parameter value, highlight it and then hit Enter on the keyboard. Alternatively, double-click on the parameter name. If you’re online with NIRA i3+ at the time, any changes in the parameter value will be uploaded to NIRA i3+ immediately. Otherwise, the changes will be uploaded next time you connect to NIRA i3+.

Picture 4Picture 4Picture 4Picture 4----10: Double10: Double10: Double10: Double----clickclickclickclickinginginging or hitting Enter lets you change a parameter value.or hitting Enter lets you change a parameter value.or hitting Enter lets you change a parameter value.or hitting Enter lets you change a parameter value.

You can also change the value with the plus and minus keys. Enter the parameter addition/subtraction in the “+/-“ box above the list.

The delta is unique for each parameter, so if you want the same delta to apply to a number of parameters, you need to enter this value for each parameter.

4.4.74.4.74.4.74.4.7 TablesTablesTablesTables

Some parameter names are preceded by a grid icon ( ). This icon indicates that the parameter is a table. Tables can be two- or three-dimensional.


Tables control output values from NIRA i3+ based on other parameter values. Typically these parameter values are sensor values, such as rpm or MAP.

Depending on the number of parameter values, the table is one-, two- or three-dimensional. NIRA rk has only a few three-dimensional tables.

A typical one-dimensional table is the engine temperature sensor. The output is a function of a single parameter. When you map the temperature sensor you enter the temperature for different sensor signal voltages.

Picture 4Picture 4Picture 4Picture 4----11: A two11: A two11: A two11: A two----dimensional table; it uses rpm and MAP as input variables.dimensional table; it uses rpm and MAP as input variables.dimensional table; it uses rpm and MAP as input variables.dimensional table; it uses rpm and MAP as input variables.

A two-dimensional table uses two input signals; one on the x-axis and one on the y-axis. The output signal is a function of both input signals, e.g. rpm and MAP.

Finally, a three dimensional table uses three input signals. An example of a three-dimensional table in NIRA rk is the Boost Before Throttle table. (This table is used as part of the boost pressure control if there’s no pressure sensor before the throttle. See section 6.5.2.)

The Boost Before Throttle table is populated with the values that a real pressure sensor would have been outputting had it been present. The pressure is entered as a function of rpm, boost pressure and throttle position. Entering of values is done in multiple two-dimensional tables where each table represents a particular rpm value. NIRA i3+ later interpolates between each rpm-specific table to create smooth transitions.


4.4.84.4.84.4.84.4.8 Editing TablesEditing TablesEditing TablesEditing Tables

To edit tables, double-click on the parameter name or highlight the name and hit Enter. A new tab will open up displaying the table contents.

As always, F2 opens a window that lists all possible functions in this view.

There are multiple ways of changing table values. One way is to edit the content of each individual cell. Right-clicking on a table cell opens up a menu listing different options for editing the value.

Changing Multiple Cells Changing Multiple Cells Changing Multiple Cells Changing Multiple Cells

To edit multiple cells simultaneously, or have a formula affect multiple cells, the cells first have to be highlighted. See picture 4-13 below. Highlighting is done by holding down the left mouse button while moving the mouse, or by holding down the Shift-key while using the arrow keys to select the cells.

Increasing/Decreasing Cell Values Increasing/Decreasing Cell Values Increasing/Decreasing Cell Values Increasing/Decreasing Cell Values

A simple, straightforward way of working with cell values is to use the ++++, ––––, * , * , * , * and //// keys.

Picture 4Picture 4Picture 4Picture 4----12: Enter the delta/ratio increase/decrease 12: Enter the delta/ratio increase/decrease 12: Enter the delta/ratio increase/decrease 12: Enter the delta/ratio increase/decrease for for for for the +, the +, the +, the +, ----, * and / keys. , * and / keys. , * and / keys. , * and / keys.

The boxes above the table show the absolute increase/decrease of the cell values (for the + or – keys) or the %-age increase/decrease of the cell values (for the * or / keys.) In the case above, the value would increase with 0.1 if you hit the + key and increase 10% if you hit * key. If multiple cells are highlighted, they will all be affected.


Picture 4Picture 4Picture 4Picture 4----13: Highlighting multiple cells in a table. 13: Highlighting multiple cells in a table. 13: Highlighting multiple cells in a table. 13: Highlighting multiple cells in a table.

Filling CellsFilling CellsFilling CellsFilling Cells

If multiple cells are highlighted, they can be filled with the same value using a few different techniques.

• Hit M to set all cells to the same value as the cell in focus. This cell is blue in the picture above. The color may be different depending on the color scheme chosen for Windows.

• Fill cells in one direction. It’s possible to fill cells to the right, to the left, upward or downward. Choose direction by right-clicking and selecting “Fill >” from the menu that opens up, or hit Ctrl-R, Ctrl-L, Ctrl-

U or Ctrl-D respectively.

• More advanced fill patterns can be set up if you right-click and select “Fill Series...” from the menu that opens up, or hit I on the keyboard. A dialog box appears in which you can choose to interpolate horizontally or vertically, to fill all cells with the same value or to fill the cells with stepwise increasing values in different directions.


Picture 4Picture 4Picture 4Picture 4----14: The Fill 14: The Fill 14: The Fill 14: The Fill MatrixMatrixMatrixMatrix dialog box offers more advanced cell manipulation options. dialog box offers more advanced cell manipulation options. dialog box offers more advanced cell manipulation options. dialog box offers more advanced cell manipulation options.

Modifying the Axis ValuesModifying the Axis ValuesModifying the Axis ValuesModifying the Axis Values

The axis values can be edited directly. Note that the values have to increase monotonously. This means that each value on the x-axis has to be greater than or equal to the previous value as you move to the right. The same rule applies to the y-axis as you move downward.

For safety reasons, a table which doesn’t follow these rules can not be uploaded to NIRA i3+ and any online connection to NIRA i3+ will be disconnected.

If an axis value is changed, all values in the corresponding column (x-axis) or row (y-axis) move to this new value. In other words, the mapping values move to a new axis value.

You can switch quickly between the x-axis cells and the table cells by hitting X or between the y-axis cells and the table cells by hitting Y. The arrow keys can also be used; if you hit the up key when you’re in the top row of table cells, you’ll enter the x-axis. The same is true for the y-axis by hitting the left key when you’re in the leftmost column of table cells.

AddingAddingAddingAdding Axis Values Axis Values Axis Values Axis Values

Modifying the axes often involves adding more points for greater resolution, rather than moving points around.


Picture 4Picture 4Picture 4Picture 4----15: Inserting an x15: Inserting an x15: Inserting an x15: Inserting an x----axis column in order to add rpm values. axis column in order to add rpm values. axis column in order to add rpm values. axis column in order to add rpm values.

To add more points, right-click on an axis value, use ”Insert Column...” or “Insert Row…” respectively. You can also hit the Insert key on the keyboard. Both methods bring up a dialog box in which the new axis value can be entered. Note that the new value must be between the values to the immediate left and right or up and down.

The new column/row will automatically get interpolated table values, based on the new axis value. This way, the overall mapping doesn’t actually change until you change the table values explicitly.

Note: When a new column or row is added, the rightmost column or the bottom row will fall off the edge.

Drag Fill; Filling Axis and Table Cells Drag Fill; Filling Axis and Table Cells Drag Fill; Filling Axis and Table Cells Drag Fill; Filling Axis and Table Cells

There’s also a function to fill entire columns or rows, including the axes. This can be done by dragging and dropping a single axis cell value onto a different axis cell value. You can also hold down the Ctrl key while using the arrow keys to perform the same function.

The entire column or row will be marked green. Once you let go of the mouse button or the Ctrl key, a dialog box will appear in which you can choose among different fill methods.

Picture 4Picture 4Picture 4Picture 4----16: Drag Fill: Filling axis and table cells. 16: Drag Fill: Filling axis and table cells. 16: Drag Fill: Filling axis and table cells. 16: Drag Fill: Filling axis and table cells.


When choosing ”Copy”, make sure the result of the copy doesn’t create an axis with axis values that aren’t all equal or increasing looking rightward (x-axis) or downward (y-axis.) Should this happen anyway, NIRA i3+ will go offline and you need to fix the axis values before you can go online again.

Undo/Redo Undo/Redo Undo/Redo Undo/Redo

It’s always possible to undo any changes you’ve made to a table. As long as the table is open in a tab, NIRA rk remembers all changes and highlights any changed cells with an orange frame.

You can also undo undo, as long as you haven’t made any new changes. This is called redo and is only available if you’ve undone something at least once.

The standard Windows Ctrl-Z och Ctrl-Shift-Z shortcuts also work, as well as U for undo och J for redo.

Copy/Paste Copy/Paste Copy/Paste Copy/Paste

It’s possible to copy and paste cells within a table or between tables. You can also copy and paste from other programs, such as Microsoft Excel.

When pasting cells, you have to mark the cells into which you want to paste data. This is different from software such as Excel and offers a level of protection against accidental changes.

Axis cells can also be copied and pasted. Mark the cells with Shift-Left arrow

or Shift-Right arrow or Shift-click with the mouse. Unfortunately, it’s not possible to drag and drop with the mouse due to the Drag Fill function described above.

Graphical View Graphical View Graphical View Graphical View

By hitting the F5 key (NumPad: Ins) you can switch to a graphical view of a table.

The graphical presentation is different for one-dimensional tables and multi-dimensional tables. Picture 4-17 below shows an example of the graphical view of a multi-dimensional table where the two axes create a 3-D surface.


Picture 4Picture 4Picture 4Picture 4----17: F5 or the "Toggle Graphics"17: F5 or the "Toggle Graphics"17: F5 or the "Toggle Graphics"17: F5 or the "Toggle Graphics"----button switches to a graphical view of the tabutton switches to a graphical view of the tabutton switches to a graphical view of the tabutton switches to a graphical view of the table. ble. ble. ble.

This is a multiThis is a multiThis is a multiThis is a multi----dimensional table.dimensional table.dimensional table.dimensional table.

One-dimensional tables are shown as graphs. In the graph, the x-axis represents the axis cells and the y-axis represents the table cells.

Picture 4Picture 4Picture 4Picture 4----18: F5 or the "Toggle Graphics"18: F5 or the "Toggle Graphics"18: F5 or the "Toggle Graphics"18: F5 or the "Toggle Graphics"----button switches to a graphical view of the table. button switches to a graphical view of the table. button switches to a graphical view of the table. button switches to a graphical view of the table. This is a oneThis is a oneThis is a oneThis is a one----dimensional table. dimensional table. dimensional table. dimensional table.

While in the graphical view, it’s possible to move among the cells and change their value with the + and – keys, just like in the table view.


Operating Point Operating Point Operating Point Operating Point

When NIRA i3+ is online, NIRA rk can show where in a table NIRA i3+ is currently operating, the so-called operating point. This is very helpful during the mapping effort.

By checking the ”Follow” checkbox or turning this feature on/off with O, NIRA rk can move the currently highlighted cell to the operating point.

By hitting Space on the keyboard, you can manually move to the operating point. This affects all open tables such that the focus of each table moves to the operating point. If you want to modify multiple tables around the operating point, this can be very useful.

Picture 4Picture 4Picture 4Picture 4----19: Jumping to the operating point using the Space key. 19: Jumping to the operating point using the Space key. 19: Jumping to the operating point using the Space key. 19: Jumping to the operating point using the Space key.

If ”Follow” is enabled (see above), or if you use Space to jump to the operating point, four cells around the operating point will be highlighted. The operating point is marked as a red bullet. If you use the +, –, / or * keys to modify the cell values, they will be modified in a weighted fashion, with greater weight given to cells closer to the operating point.

Example: In picture 4In picture 4In picture 4In picture 4----19 above, the operating point is 19 above, the operating point is 19 above, the operating point is 19 above, the operating point is farther farther farther farther to the to the to the to the right than right than right than right than the the the the left and thus, when using the +, left and thus, when using the +, left and thus, when using the +, left and thus, when using the +, ----, / or * keys to modify , / or * keys to modify , / or * keys to modify , / or * keys to modify the values, the cells to the right will be adjusted more than those to the values, the cells to the right will be adjusted more than those to the values, the cells to the right will be adjusted more than those to the values, the cells to the right will be adjusted more than those to the the the the left.left.left.left.

The operating point is visible in the graphical view as well and the same type of adjustments described above can be made in the graphical view.

Saving/Opening Tables Saving/Opening Tables Saving/Opening Tables Saving/Opening Tables

It’s possible to save an individual table in a file, an mtx-file. This file can be opened independently of the global i3d-file.

It’s also possible to associate a particular mtx-file with a quick-access button. There are four round, green quick-access buttons to the left above the cells in any open table. They are numbered 1-4. You make the association by clicking on the small down-arrow to the right of the corresponding quick-access button. The file can be loaded later by clicking on the quick-access button, or by hitting Ctrl-1 through Ctrl-4 on the keyboard.


4.4.94.4.94.4.94.4.9 Protect Tables Using PasswordsProtect Tables Using PasswordsProtect Tables Using PasswordsProtect Tables Using Passwords

NIRA rk has a very powerful feature that enables the user to lock tables using passwords. The password protects the table to avoid editing, copying and viewing by non authorized persons. The tables that can be locked using a

password has the symbol ( ) in the table view. Follow these steps to protect a table:

Click ( ) and write a password that you are confident that you will remember. Then confirm the password.

After you have left the table view, you will have to write your password to access that table again.

Should you forget your password, you can always replace the locked table with an “unlocked” table. This is done by right-clicking the table in the Mappings-view and choosing “Replace with Default”. When the locked table is replaced, the information in the locked table is lost and default values are written into the table.

A useful tip is to save a copy of the table as a .mtx-file before the table is password protected. Should you forget the password and need to adjust the table, you can always use the “unlocked” copy of the locked table.

Note: .mtx-files are saved unencrypted on the hard disc drive of the PC that is used. Therefore, tables have to be unlocked before they are saved.

Locking tables will affect some functions in NIRA rk. Auto Fuel Calibration, Ignition vs Fuel (F12) and Sensor Bar is affected if the tables that these functions use are locked.

Auto Fuel Calibration shows the Volumetric Efficiency Table and the Lambda Table. If any of these tables is locked, you will need the password for the table in question to use the function. If the password is missing you can use “Replace with Default” in the Mappings view to access Auto Fuel Calibration.

Ignition vs Fuel shows the Ignition Table and the Volumetric Efficiency Table. If any of these is locked you will need the password(s) to use the function. The alternative is to use “Replace with Default”.

The Sensor Bar shows information from several tables. If a table is locked, Sensor Bar will show a *-sign instead of the value.

Locked tables are marked with the symbol ( ) in the Mappings view.


4.54.54.54.5 Gauges Gauges Gauges Gauges

NIRA rk offers a number of different ways to view input signals, e.g. from sensors.

4.5.14.5.14.5.14.5.1 Sensor Bar Sensor Bar Sensor Bar Sensor Bar

Sensor Bar is the name of the panel at the bottom of the screen. The selection of parameters in the bar is fixed. However, there are a number of different Sensor Bars available, each with a different selection of parameters. Switch among the different types by hitting T on the keyboard until you find the appropriate one for your current mapping situation. You can also hide the sensor bar, e.g. if you want the extra space on the screen or if you feel that other parameters on the screen are updated too slowly.

Picture 4Picture 4Picture 4Picture 4----20: Sensor Bar "20: Sensor Bar "20: Sensor Bar "20: Sensor Bar "GENERALGENERALGENERALGENERAL"""" ccccontains a set of general parameters. ontains a set of general parameters. ontains a set of general parameters. ontains a set of general parameters.

4.5.24.5.24.5.24.5.2 Dashboard Dashboard Dashboard Dashboard

There’s a predefined dashboard in NIRA rk. It contains a few standard gauges. The selection of gauges offer an easy general system check, and they’re also very useful to display on your notebook computer when you’re road testing NIRA i3+.

Picture 4Picture 4Picture 4Picture 4----21: NIRA rk Dashboard. 21: NIRA rk Dashboard. 21: NIRA rk Dashboard. 21: NIRA rk Dashboard.

The Dashboard is brought up by hitting F7 on the keyboard. The Dashboard is available in two versions. The difference is the rpm range. One version goes up to 7000 rpm, the other to 11000. Choose the most appropriate one for your engine.


4.5.34.5.34.5.34.5.3 Panels Panels Panels Panels

Unlike the Dashboard, the Panel tab is completely flexible. You can add any parameter of interest in the form of a gauge. The selection of gauges can be saved as presets so you can quickly switch among different panel setups.

Picture 4Picture 4Picture 4Picture 4----22: The Panel tab allows you to add any parameter of interest. 22: The Panel tab allows you to add any parameter of interest. 22: The Panel tab allows you to add any parameter of interest. 22: The Panel tab allows you to add any parameter of interest.

To add a gauge to the panel, hit Ins on the keyboard or click on in the top left corner.

By moving the mouse pointer over a gauge, alternative display options will be shown as buttons that can be clicked. You can move a gauge by dragging and dropping the gauge. The panel has an invisible grid to which a gauge will snap when moved. This makes it easy to create panels with a clean, organized look.

Picture 4Picture 4Picture 4Picture 4----23: By moving the mouse pointer over a gauge, display options are shown as 23: By moving the mouse pointer over a gauge, display options are shown as 23: By moving the mouse pointer over a gauge, display options are shown as 23: By moving the mouse pointer over a gauge, display options are shown as

buttons that can be clicked. buttons that can be clicked. buttons that can be clicked. buttons that can be clicked.

Referring to picture 4-23 above:


Clicking on the X in the top right corner of the gauge removes the gauge from the panel.

The buttons at the bottom of the gauge change the look of the gauge:

• VALVALVALVAL means Value. Selecting this option turns the gauge into a simple value display. The Battery Voltage gauge in picture 4-22 is an example of the Value look.

• m/Mm/Mm/Mm/M means min/Max. Selecting this option turns the gauge into a Value display (see above) with additional min/Max displays. A Reset button lets you set the min/Max values to the current value.

• GAUGAUGAUGAU means Gauge. Selecting this option turns the gauge into a traditional analog gauge. The RPM gauge in picture 4-22 is an example of the Gauge look.

• PlotPlotPlotPlot turns the gauge into a histogram, moving from right to left. The width of the histogram is relatively short, which means it’s mostly useful for looking at short-duration events. If you want to capture longer durations and graph them, use the logging feature in NIRA rk. See section 4.6.

• BARBARBARBAR turns the gauge into a bar graph. The Engine Temp gauge in picture 4-22 is an example of a bar graph.

In the Gauge, Plot and Bar modes, there’s a ”Set” button. Double-click on it or hit Enter to modify the range of the gauge or to revert to the default range.

As always, F2 opens a dialog box listing all possible short cut keys.

4.64.64.64.6 Logging Logging Logging Logging

NIRA rk includes a powerful logging feature. Any parameter can be logged and there’s no limit to the number of parameters that can be logged. However, as the number of parameters increases, the sampling rate decreases.

The log can be saved to a file and shown graphically after the fact.

4.6.14.6.14.6.14.6.1 Inspect Inspect Inspect Inspect


At the heart of the logging function is a function called Inspect. Inspect allows you to select a set of parameters at which you want to take a closer look, e.g. by logging them.

Parameters being inspected are shown with min and Max values, even when actual logging isn’t active. This can be useful when you map your engine.

Inspect resides in a separate window at the bottom of the screen. The window has three display modes; full view, partial view and minimized view. You can cycle through the modes with F6, or by clicking on the Zoom button at the far right of the Inspect window. You can also resize it by clicking and dragging the top of the window up and down.

Picture 4Picture 4Picture 4Picture 4----24: Inspect. Cycle through the different display modes us24: Inspect. Cycle through the different display modes us24: Inspect. Cycle through the different display modes us24: Inspect. Cycle through the different display modes using F6 or the Zoom ing F6 or the Zoom ing F6 or the Zoom ing F6 or the Zoom

button. button. button. button.

Selecting ParametersSelecting ParametersSelecting ParametersSelecting Parameters

To add a parameter to the Inspect window, highlight it in the Mappings tab and click on the ”Add to Inspect” button at the top of the window, alternatively hit I on the keyboard.

If you would like to add more parameters from within the Inspect window,

you can use the -button. To remove a parameter, use the Del key on the keyboard or use the -button.

Saving/Opening Presets Saving/Opening Presets Saving/Opening Presets Saving/Opening Presets

It’s possible to save parameter selections and assign them to the four round, green buttons at the top of the Inspect window. By clicking on the arrow to the immediate right of a button, a menu will open up giving you the option of assigning the parameter selection to the button.

NIRA rk comes with four different parameter selections already assigned to the four buttons.

4.6.24.6.24.6.24.6.2 BasicBasicBasicBasic Logging Logging Logging Logging


To start logging of the parameters in Inspect, hit F8 on the keyboard. This can be done from anywhere in NIRA rk, whether you’re mapping a table, showing gauges or reading help screens.

Note: When logging is active, no parameters are updated in NIRA rk. The reason is that NIRA rk instead tries to sample the logging parameters as fast as possible. The operating point is updated, though, and all alarms are still active.

Parameter values that aren’t being updated while logging is active change to dashes, "--", so you can always trust any number that’s shown.

Picture 4Picture 4Picture 4Picture 4----25: The top of the Inspect window turns red when logging is active. 25: The top of the Inspect window turns red when logging is active. 25: The top of the Inspect window turns red when logging is active. 25: The top of the Inspect window turns red when logging is active.

To stop logging, hit F8 on the keyboard. This will also open up a dialog box, which gives you the option of saving the log as a file for later analysis.

4.6.34.6.34.6.34.6.3 Advanced LoggingAdvanced LoggingAdvanced LoggingAdvanced Logging

Sometimes it is useful to be able to start logging whenever a parameter goes above or below a certain value. Likewise, it may be useful to stop logging whenever a certain event happens. For such situations, there’s a trig function in NIRA rk.

Clicking on the -button or hitting F5 on the keyboard opens up a dialog box in which you can set conditions for starting/stopping the logging and how many seconds before/after the trig point you want to be part of the log.

4.6.44.6.44.6.44.6.4 Opening an Existing Log File Opening an Existing Log File Opening an Existing Log File Opening an Existing Log File

You can open an existing log file by selecting ”Load log file…” under File in the main menu or by hitting Ctrl-F8 on the keyboard.

Note: You can also load NIRA rk log files in MATLAB.


4.6.54.6.54.6.54.6.5 Graphical Presentation Graphical Presentation Graphical Presentation Graphical Presentation

Select the ”Plot” tab to view the logging graphically.

Picture 4Picture 4Picture 4Picture 4----26: Graphical view of logged parameters. 26: Graphical view of logged parameters. 26: Graphical view of logged parameters. 26: Graphical view of logged parameters.

Data from multiple parameters can share the same plot window. Each parameter has its own, adjustable y-axis at the left edge of the window.

Adjusting the View Adjusting the View Adjusting the View Adjusting the View

There are multiple tools available to zoom and pan. Click and drag on an axis to pan. Zoom by moving the mouse perpendicularly against an axis.

It’s also possible to adjust the range of an axis by double clicking on the axis or by clicking on the Set-button at the bottom of each axis.

Removing an Axis Removing an Axis Removing an Axis Removing an Axis

Removing an axis can be done by clicking on the X at the top right corner of the axis in question. You can deactivate an axis by un-checking the checkbox to the immediate left of the Set-button at the bottom of the axis.

Adding an Axis Adding an Axis Adding an Axis Adding an Axis

To add an axis, click on .


4.74.74.74.7 Other Functions Other Functions Other Functions Other Functions

NIRA rk offers a number of other functions that are useful during the mapping effort.

4.7.14.7.14.7.14.7.1 Auto Fuel Calibration Auto Fuel Calibration Auto Fuel Calibration Auto Fuel Calibration

Auto Fuel Calibration is a very useful tool when setting up the Volumetric Efficiency Table. See section 6.3.4 for more information about this table.

To activate Auto Fuel Calibration, hit F11 on the keyboard.

For a complete description of Auto Fuel Calibration, see section 6.3.6.

4.7.24.7.24.7.24.7.2 Ignition/Fuel Mapping Ignition/Fuel Mapping Ignition/Fuel Mapping Ignition/Fuel Mapping

There’s a special split-view window for the VE and Ignition tables. Hit F12 on the keyboard to bring up this view. Hit F12 repeatedly to cycle through the individual tables and back to split view. Hit N to jump between tables in the split view.

As always, F2 gives you a list of all possible keyboard shortcuts.


5555 Starting the EngineStarting the EngineStarting the EngineStarting the Engine

If you’ve read the previous chapters and followed the installation instructions, NIRA i3+ should be installed in your vehicle and you should have got an overview of NIRA rk. This chapter describes how to start the engine in a safe manner.

Warning! IWarning! IWarning! IWarning! It is absolutely essential that you set up all t is absolutely essential that you set up all t is absolutely essential that you set up all t is absolutely essential that you set up all parameters correctly parameters correctly parameters correctly parameters correctly under the Engine Setup tab. There are no shortcuts.under the Engine Setup tab. There are no shortcuts.under the Engine Setup tab. There are no shortcuts.under the Engine Setup tab. There are no shortcuts. Failure to do so can Failure to do so can Failure to do so can Failure to do so can easily cause permanent damage to your engine.easily cause permanent damage to your engine.easily cause permanent damage to your engine.easily cause permanent damage to your engine.

5.15.15.15.1 Setting Up Parameters OfflineSetting Up Parameters OfflineSetting Up Parameters OfflineSetting Up Parameters Offline

Before you turn on the ignition in the car you must set up all parameters under the Engine Setup tab using the NIRA i3+ Engine Setup Wizard. Once you’ve completed all steps in the wizard you can edit individual parameter values. Make sure you complete all steps in the Wizard before you upload the settings to NIRA i3+ by going online.

5.1.15.1.15.1.15.1.1 Selecting a Load SignalSelecting a Load SignalSelecting a Load SignalSelecting a Load Signal

Either the MAP input (speed density calculation) or the TPS input (Alfa-N calculation) or a combination of the two can be used as the load signal. On turbo engines and on many normally aspirated cars, though this depends on the intake and exhaust cam profiles, MAP is the appropriate load signal because it simplifies the mapping effort and gives the best precision.

The load signal that is used is determined by the parameter Fuel Mapping Mode. “MAP” means that NIRA i3+ uses the MAP-sensor. If Fuel Mapping Mode is set to “Throttle/MAP”, both TPS and MAP can be used as load signal. The table Load Select Factor determines how much the load signal is determined by the TPS and how much it is determined by the MAP. These settings are made in “Advanced” mode. The values entered into Throttle to MAP Table are used by the system as an approximation of the manifold air


pressure as a function of RPM and TPS. If the engine is run without a MAP sensor, the engine load is entirely determined by the Throttle to MAP Table. Assign 100 % to all values in the table Load Select Factor to make NIRA i3+ run as a pure Alpha-N system.

5.1.25.1.25.1.25.1.2 Ignition Timing Ignition Timing Ignition Timing Ignition Timing

Ignition timing is an area of great interest and where a proper mapping can yield significant power improvements.

It’s very, very important, however, to make sure the ignition timing is correct since too much advance can cause significant damage at high loads. The damage occurs when premature detonation (or knock) happens. Knock is when the combustion happens too fast and the air-fuel mixture explodes instead of burning in a controlled fashion.

Knocking results in very high temperatures in the combustion chamber and it can sometimes chip the surface of the piston. More commonly, though, it can melt the edges of the piston.

You have to learn how to listen to your engine and hear knocking before you start modifying the ignition timing.

Advancing the timing increases the efficiency of the engine and lowers the fuel consumption and yields more engine power. You have to understand how boost pressure, compression, IAT, the gasoline octane rating, rpm, air/fuel mixture, load conditions etc. all effect the max ignition advance before you start modifying the timing.

In NIRA rk you have the ability to set a fixed timing value for idle in order to achieve stable idle and use a different table which retards ignition as a function of IAT.

This allows you to set optimal ignition timing not just based on RPM and MAP but also based on IAT.

You can check things by entering the same value in the entire table. Choose a value around 20 degrees of advance. Then hook up a timing light to cylinder 1 to verify that you see the correct advance at the crank pulley. Naturally, this requires that the pulley has the appropriate markings. Most engines run well with 20-30 degrees advance in the entire table up to 100kPa MAP.

It’s beyond the scope of this manual to give any further advice on how to map ignition timing.

5.1.35.1.35.1.35.1.3 Cyl1 from Cyl1 from Cyl1 from Cyl1 from Missing TeethMissing TeethMissing TeethMissing Teeth

You need to know the angle between the reference point of the pulse wheel (“1 lost” or “2 lost”) and TDC for cylinder 1 on the trigger wheel used for the


CKP sensor. See section 3.1.2. This value needs to be entered in Engine Setup –> Engine Specifications –> Cyl 1 from Missing Teeth. Once you have done this, enter a rough, basic ignition map or use the map included with NIRA i3+.

The offset is just a constant and rarely has any significance beyond this. Use a timing light and check the angle at a specific RPM and then compare this value to Cyl 1 from 2 lost if you need to know what the offset is on your particular engine.

5.1.45.1.45.1.45.1.4 Cylinder Top Dead Center and Ign MapCylinder Top Dead Center and Ign MapCylinder Top Dead Center and Ign MapCylinder Top Dead Center and Ign Map

For engines with 2-6 cylinders, you should already have hooked up the “Ignition 1” output to the coil for cylinder 1, “Ignition 2” to the coil for cylinder 2 and so on. The firing order is entered in the “Cyl Top Dead Center Table” (see section 5.1.4.) Engines with 8 or more cylinders are run with waste fire, see section 5.1.5, which means that each coil is fired once every 360 crank degrees instead of every 720 crank degrees. On a V8 you only need to use 4 ignition outputs and each output connects to two coils. The TDC of the two cylinders in the coil pair must be exactly 360 crank degrees apart. Use the table “Ign Map Table” to associate cylinders (coils) with ignition outputs.

In the Cylinder Top Dead Center table you need to enter the TDC offset in crank degrees, relative to the TDC for cylinder 1. Be careful so the offset isn’t off by 360 degrees. This is an easy mistake.

NIRA i3+ uses the Cylinder Top Dead Center table to determine the firing order. The picture below shows the table for a typical 4-cylinder engine. Note that the value for cylinders that are not relevant is set to “-1”.

In both the Cylinder Top Dead Center and Ign Map Tables the numbers through 1 and 10 above the table columns indicate the cylinder numbers.

Picture 5Picture 5Picture 5Picture 5----1. Cylinder Top Dead Center for a typical 41. Cylinder Top Dead Center for a typical 41. Cylinder Top Dead Center for a typical 41. Cylinder Top Dead Center for a typical 4----cylinder enginecylinder enginecylinder enginecylinder engine with firing order 1with firing order 1with firing order 1with firing order 1----3333----4444----

2222....


Ign Map Table is used to associate a cylinder with an “Ignition 1-6” wire in the NIRA i3+ harness. For waste fire cases, see 5.1.5. For engines up to 6 cylinders using sequential ignition, the table should be populated as seen below. This assumes “Ignition 1” is connected to the coil for cylinder 1, “Ignition 2” is connection to the coil for cylinder 2 and so on.

Picture 5Picture 5Picture 5Picture 5----2222: Ign Map Table för engines up to 6 cylinders.: Ign Map Table för engines up to 6 cylinders.: Ign Map Table för engines up to 6 cylinders.: Ign Map Table för engines up to 6 cylinders.

If the engine doesn’t have separate coils for each cylinder but instead uses a distributor, the table should be populated like in picture 5-3, assuming that the “Ignition 1” wire is connected to the common coil. With this setup the distributor makes sure the correct cylinder gets the spark and NIRA i3+ makes sure the timing is correct.

Picture Picture Picture Picture 5555----3333: Ign Map Table if each cylinder doesn’t have a separate coil.: Ign Map Table if each cylinder doesn’t have a separate coil.: Ign Map Table if each cylinder doesn’t have a separate coil.: Ign Map Table if each cylinder doesn’t have a separate coil.

5.1.55.1.55.1.55.1.5 WastefireWastefireWastefireWastefire

NIRA i3+ can provide sequential ignition for engines up to 6 cylinders, but for any number of cylinders above 6, a waste fire setup is needed. The table values in “Cyl Top Dead Center” and “Ign Map Table” for a V8 could look like follows:


Picture Picture Picture Picture 5555----4444: Examples of Cylinder Top Dead Center table and Ign Map Table for a V8 : Examples of Cylinder Top Dead Center table and Ign Map Table for a V8 : Examples of Cylinder Top Dead Center table and Ign Map Table for a V8 : Examples of Cylinder Top Dead Center table and Ign Map Table for a V8

engine.engine.engine.engine.

The engine mapped above has the following firing order: 1, 2, 7, 8, 4, 5, 6, 3. Use the following methodology to fill in the tables correctly. See table 5-1 below:

1. Establish the firing order for the engine in crank degrees. Remember that TDC for cylinder 1 is at 0 crank degrees. For a V8 engine, the offset between each cylinder is 90 degrees (720/8.)

2. Fill in the Cylinder Top Dead Center table. Set cylinders outside the

range (9 and 10 in this case) to -1 a. Cylinder 1: 0 degrees b. Cylinder 2: 90 degrees c. Cylinder 7: 180 degrees d. Cylinder 8: 270 degrees etc.

3. Fill in the Ign Map Table. a. Cylinder 1 is connected to “Ignition 1” in the NIRA i3+ harness b. Cylinder 4 is also connected to “Ignition 1” since its offset

exactly 360 crank degrees from Cylinder 1. c. Cylinder 2 is connected to “Ignition 2”. d. Cylinder 5 is also connected to “Ignition 2” since its offset

exactly 360 crank degrees from Cylinder 2 etc.

Figuring the Ignition Map Table setting

Step 1: Firing order Cylinder number 1 2 7 8 4 5 6 3

Step 2: Cylinder Top Dead Center Table

Crank degrees offset

0 90 180 270 360 450 540 630

Step 3: Ign Map Table NIRA i3+ 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4


harness wire

Table Table Table Table 5555----1: Figuring the Ignition Map Table settings for an 81: Figuring the Ignition Map Table settings for an 81: Figuring the Ignition Map Table settings for an 81: Figuring the Ignition Map Table settings for an 8----cylinder engine.cylinder engine.cylinder engine.cylinder engine.

Reading Ign Map Table gives:

The coils for cylinders 1 and 4 need to be connected to “Ignition 1”




5.1.65.1.65.1.65.1.6 Injector SetupInjector SetupInjector SetupInjector Setup

NIRA i3+ has 5 separate outputs for controlling fuel injectors. Multiple injectors can be hooked up in series or parallel to each ECU output.

Engines up to 5 cylinders can use sequential injection. Engines with 6 or more cylinders will need to use semi-sequential injection. The type of injection mode used is set up in the “Injection Mode” parameter.

Regardless of the mode, the injection end point is entered in the “Injection Stop to TDC” variable.

Sequential InjectionSequential InjectionSequential InjectionSequential Injection

In order to use sequential injection, the ”Injection Mode” parameter must be set to ”Sequential” and

NIRA i3+ harness wire ”-Fuel Injector 1” must be connected to the cylinder 1 injector, NIRA i3+ harness wire ”-Fuel Injector 2” must be connected to the cylinder 2 injector, and so on.

The injection end point for each injector is given by the “Injection Stop to TDC” parameter and the value in “Cyl Top Dead Center Table” for each cylinder.

SemiSemiSemiSemi----sequential Injectionsequential Injectionsequential Injectionsequential Injection

In order to use semi-sequential injection, the ”Injection Mode” parameter must be set to ”Semi Sequential” and the injectors must be connected in pairs to each NIRA i3+ injector output.

Connecting injectorsConnecting injectorsConnecting injectorsConnecting injectors

Ignition firing order Cylinder 1 2 7 8 4 5 6 3


number

Injector number NIRA i3+ harness injector output

1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4

Table Table Table Table 5555----2: Connecting semi2: Connecting semi2: Connecting semi2: Connecting semi----sequentially controlled injectors on an 8sequentially controlled injectors on an 8sequentially controlled injectors on an 8sequentially controlled injectors on an 8----cylinder engine.cylinder engine.cylinder engine.cylinder engine.

The injection end point for each injector pair is given by the “Injection Stop to TDC” parameter and the firstfirstfirstfirst cylinder of each pair in the “Cyl Top Dead Center” table. See table 5-2 above.

• The injection events for cylinders 1 and 2 have their end point x degrees before TDC of cylinder 1.

• The injection events for cylinders 7 and 8 have their end point x degrees before TDC of cylinder 7 etc.

Where x is the value of the “Inj Stop to TDC” parameter.

Injector GainInjector GainInjector GainInjector Gain

NIRA i3+ controls the fuel injectors based on how many milliseconds it takes to inject exactly 1 gram of fuel with the given fuel injectors. This time is entered in the ”Injector Gain” parameter. NIRA rk has a wizard which helps with the calculation of injector gain.

To calculate the Injector Gain yourself, you need to know the following:

• The capacity of the injectors at a given fuel pressure and 100%100%100%100% duty cycle (i.e the injector is open all the time) and the density of the fuel.

• Some injector capacity ratings are given for 80% duty cycle and some for 100% duty cycle, often leading to confusion.

• The safest thing to do is to measure your particular injectors. Before doing that, check in the NIRA rk Wizard if your injector type is available as a “preset” type. If it is, you don’t need to measure things yourself.

In the example below the injector capacity is 400cc/minute at 3 bar pressure using gasoline.

The density of gasoline from a retail chain such as OKQ8 is 750 kg/m3 at 15°C. You need to convert these values in order to calculate Injector Gain because NIRA i3+ needs to know the weight of the fuel being injected, not the volume.

The weight in grams of the fuel depends on:


• Fuel density. The density is different for 98 octane gasoline, racing fuel, E85, ethanol and methanol. Even within a category the density can be different. As an example, the different racing fuels offered under the VP brand differ with up to 15%.

• The temperature of the fuel.

If you expect to use a different fuel pressure than the pressure at which the capacity was determined, the Injector Gain value changes with the square root of the pressure ratio.

Example:Example:Example:Example:

400400400400 cc at 100% duty cycle and 3333-bar pressure

At 4444-bar pressure: sqrt(4/3) = 1,155 X 400 400 400 400 = 462 cc

If you use regular retail gas and the temperature of the fuel is 15°C and the pressure is the same as when the capacity was determined and the duty cycle is 100%, the formula for Injector Gain is trivial:

Divide 80000 into the number of cc/min. This givDivide 80000 into the number of cc/min. This givDivide 80000 into the number of cc/min. This givDivide 80000 into the number of cc/min. This gives Injector Gain es Injector Gain es Injector Gain es Injector Gain

Example: 80000/400cc = 200 ms/gExample: 80000/400cc = 200 ms/gExample: 80000/400cc = 200 ms/gExample: 80000/400cc = 200 ms/g

The Wizard has additional information on this topic.

Enter the value in the Injector Gain parameter in Engine Setup in NIRA rk.

5.1.75.1.75.1.75.1.7 MAP SensorMAP SensorMAP SensorMAP Sensor

The MAP sensor must be calibrated in order for NIRA i3+ to inject the correct amount of fuel.

Certain MAP sensors, including the MAP/IAT sensor sold by your NIRA i3+ dealer, have been pre-calibrated in NIRA rk. You can choose one of these when the Wizard helps you set up the engine parameters in NIRA rk.

If your particular MAP sensor is not in the list of pre-calibrated units, you need to calculate and enter correct values for the Manifold Air Pressure Scale and Manifold Air Pressure Offset parameters in NIRA rk. See below. It’s imperative that the values you enter are absolutely correct.

Calculating the Scale and Offset for Linear MAP SensorsCalculating the Scale and Offset for Linear MAP SensorsCalculating the Scale and Offset for Linear MAP SensorsCalculating the Scale and Offset for Linear MAP Sensors


In order to calculate Scale and Offset you need to measure or find a spec sheet describing the output voltage as a function of the pressure at two different pressures. In the graph to the right the two pressure values are represented by P1 and P2.

Point 1:Point 1:Point 1:Point 1: V1 =0,5V, P1 =50kPa

Point 2:Point 2:Point 2:Point 2: V2 =4,5V, P2 =350kPa

ScaleScaleScaleScale = (P2-P1)/ (V2-V1) * (5/256)

Offset Offset Offset Offset = P1 – V1 * Scale * (256/5)

Inserting real values for V1, V2, P1 and P2 gives:

ScaleScaleScaleScale = 1.4648

OffsetOffsetOffsetOffset = 12.5

5.1.85.1.85.1.85.1.8 Temp SensorsTemp SensorsTemp SensorsTemp Sensors

There are two temp sensors connected to NIRA i3+, IAT and ECT. Both are resistive sensors where the resistance changes based on the temperature. Because such sensors are non-linear, each sensor is represented by a table in NIRA rk. The resistance at different temperatures is entered into the table.

The table for IAT is called Manifold Air Temperature and the ECT table is called Engine Temperature.

As with the MAP sensor, certain IAT and ECT sensors, including those sold by your NIRA i3+ dealer, have been pre-calibrated in NIRA rk. You can choose one of these when the Wizard helps you set up the engine parameters in NIRA rk.

If your particular sensors are not in NIRA rk already, you can often find this type of information in the service manual for your engine. Note that most sensors of this type have similar resistance at 25°C, so it’s recommended that you measure the resistance at a different temperature in order to verify the information in the service manual.

Picture 5Picture 5Picture 5Picture 5----4: Example of a typical graph in 4: Example of a typical graph in 4: Example of a typical graph in 4: Example of a typical graph in a MAP sensor spec sheet.a MAP sensor spec sheet.a MAP sensor spec sheet.a MAP sensor spec sheet.


5.25.25.25.2 Going OnlineGoing OnlineGoing OnlineGoing Online

When you have entered values for all parameters in Engine Setup you can connect your PC to NIRA i3+. Follow the steps below before you attempt to start the engine.

1.1.1.1. Turn on the ignition

2.2.2.2. At the top of the main window in NIRA rk is the online/offline status bar. In order to go online, click on the little green flash icon in the top left corner of the main window in NIRA rk. If the parameters in NIRA rk are different from the parameters previously uploaded to NIRA i3+, you will see the following dialogbox:

3.3.3.3. Select Update NIRA i3+ in order to upload all the data to NIRA i3+. This may take as long as two minutes. Later you can select Read NIRA i3+ if you want to download all the settings from NIRA i3+ into NIRA rk so you can save them as an i3d file. (This is very handy if, for some reason, your PC were to hang while you’re in the middle of mapping the engine since you can always go back and download the most recently uploaded mapping.)

4.4.4.4. Once you have uploaded the data to NIRA i3+, the system goes online, the status bar changes colors to green and the text changes to Online.

5.5.5.5. When the system is in the Online mode, it’s important to first go to the Mappings tab and select the Monitor Output folder in the tree to the left and then select Alarm. Doing this allows NIRA i3+ to detect different errors and set alarms. If it doesn’t say OK next to all parameters then the values in Engine Setup are wrong or the sensor/actuator installation is wrong. Any alarm that’s viewable via the Alarm folder is also displayed as large icons above the main tabs.


These icons will disappear once the cause of the alarms has been corrected.

6.6.6.6. Calibrate the Throttle Sensor such that the parameter reads 0% when you take your foot off the gas pedal and 100% when you depress the pedal fully. This can be done with the help of the “Throttle Calibration Wizard” in NIRA rk. If you want to calibrate the Throttle Sensor manually, follow the steps below.

Right click on the ”Throttle Position” parameter, which is in the “0. General” folder in the folder tree to the left under the ”Mappings” tab. Select Add to Inspect.

Enter the value 0 for the Throttle Sensor Offset parameter, which is in the Sensors folder in the tree to the left under the ”Engine Setup” tab. Also enter the value 1 for Throttle Sensor Scale.

Make a note of the parameter values for Throttle Position when the gas pedal is fully depressed and when you let go of the pedal completely.

= Throttle Sensor Scale

100 %

Throttle Flat Out – Throttle Closed


Example. Example. Example. Example. (Make sure Throttle Sens(Make sure Throttle Sens(Make sure Throttle Sens(Make sure Throttle Sensor Scale is set to 1.0 to begin or Scale is set to 1.0 to begin or Scale is set to 1.0 to begin or Scale is set to 1.0 to begin with.)with.)with.)with.)

When letting go of the pedal,

Throttle Position reading = ----5 %5 %5 %5 %.

With the gas pedal fully depressed,

Throttle Position reading = 80 %80 %80 %80 %.

Using the formula above gives:

100 / (80 - (-5)) = 1,176.

Enter this value as the read Throttle Sensor Scale value. Enter this value as the read Throttle Sensor Scale value. Enter this value as the read Throttle Sensor Scale value. Enter this value as the read Throttle Sensor Scale value.

Let go of the gas pedal again and read the Throttle Position value. Enter this as the Throttle Sensor Offset value, but change the sign. In the example above, you read -5%, so change signs, +5%, and enter this value for Throttle Sensor Offset.

Now the throttle sensor is calibrated.

7.7.7.7. Go back to the Mappings tab, select the Monitor Output folder and the ”General” subfolder. Make sure all sensors are calibrated correctly. If they are not, return to the Engine Setup tab, select the Sensors folder and correct the problem.

ECT and IAT sensor values should show ambient temp, or else they’re calibrated wrongly.

MAP should say approximately 100kPa, which is ambient pressure.

You can now start the engine. Select Toggle Dashboard under the Tools menu in the main menu, or hit the F7 key. Crank the engine. You should see the tach needle jump up to about 200 rpm or else the CKP sensor signal is missing and you won’t be able to start the engine.

Your engine should start fairly quickly and show reasonable values on the dash. If any instrument is showing an unreasonable value or if an Alarm icon appears, something is wrong in one of the parameters in Engine Setup, or the electrical installation is problematic.

Since the IAC hasn’t been mapped yet, you may have to give a bit of gas in order to keep the engine from stalling.


5.35.35.35.3 Quick Troubleshooting GuideQuick Troubleshooting GuideQuick Troubleshooting GuideQuick Troubleshooting Guide

5.3.15.3.15.3.15.3.1 The Engine Won’t StartThe Engine Won’t StartThe Engine Won’t StartThe Engine Won’t Start

Some of the more common causes are:

• Missing CKP sensor signal. Verify that the tachometer shows approximately 200rpm when you crank the engine. If not, then the CKP sensor installation is the cause.

• Lack of fuel. Verify that the fuel pump is running. The pump should run for about 2 seconds every time the ignition key is turned to the Key On Engine Off position (KOEO) position if the fuel pump and fuel pump relay are connected correctly. The pump also runs whenever the engine cranks and NIRA i3+ sees a correct signal from the CKP sensor.

• No current to the fuel injectors. Check in NIRA rk under Mappings -> Monitor Output -> 1.Fuel -> Fuel Valve 1-5 that the injectors are getting pulsed properly. If not, the electrical connections to the injectors are wrong or the injector setup in Engine Setup is wrong. Normal injector current is 0.8A for a 14-U injector.

• DGE Camshaft alarm. If this alarm is set the CMP sensor signal is wrong. Either the electrical connection is wrong or the setup in Engine Setup is wrong. (NIRA i3+ may still be able to sync things correctly and start the engine approximately half the time.)


• Wrong MAP. Verify that the MAP sensor reading is around 100kPa (ambient pressure) when the starter isn’t turning. The MAP parameter is under “Mappings”-> Monitor Output -> 0.General -> Manifold Air Pressure. If you see a different pressure reading, the calibration is wrong.

5.45.45.45.4 Other AdjustmentsOther AdjustmentsOther AdjustmentsOther Adjustments

Since you were able to start the engine you are now ready to begin adjusting parameter values in order to improve engine performance. The next chapter includes lots of advice on how to do this.

6666 Mapping your Engine Using Mapping your Engine Using Mapping your Engine Using Mapping your Engine Using

NIRA rkNIRA rkNIRA rkNIRA rk

NIRA rk has two different modes; Standard and Advanced. The Standard mode is sufficient to achieve excellent mapping results. The Advanced mode gives access to a set of additional mapping parameters, which normally never need to be adjusted. Often the adjustments are very involved but sometimes they may improve engine performance.

6.16.16.16.1 TablesTablesTablesTables

Don’t set up too many RPM columns on the x-axes in the beginning. Keeping the number low simplifies the mapping effort. It’s very easy to add columns later if you need greater granularity. The same is true for the y-axes.

You can eliminate the impact of any row or column by setting its value to an out-of-range value, e.g. 10,000 rpm or 0kPa.


The scale of the x and y axes is fully adjustable, which is a very powerful feature. This lets you increase resolution significantly in sensitive areas by adding more mapping points.

6.26.26.26.2 Mapping IgnitionMapping IgnitionMapping IgnitionMapping Ignition

This section describes how to map ignition.

6.2.16.2.16.2.16.2.1 Ignition at IdleIgnition at IdleIgnition at IdleIgnition at Idle

When the engine is idling, a more retarded ignition timing setting is often desirable in order to improve engine power just as the clutch starts to engage and the MAP starts to increase.

NIRA i3+ is designed such that when the TPS reading is less than Ignition TPS Idle MAX, the lowest load value in the Ignition Table is used. If you want to turn off this functionality, set Ignition TPS Idle MAX to a negative value, such as “-100”.

6.36.36.36.3 Mapping FuelMapping FuelMapping FuelMapping Fuel

NIRA i3+ controls the amount of injected fuel based on two tables; Volumetric Efficiency Table (VE) and Lambda Table. In NIRA rk, you find these tables in the Mappings tab under All Parameters -> 1.Fuel -> 1.Basic

Map these tables by following the steps below.

6.3.16.3.16.3.16.3.1 Engine Start FuelEngine Start FuelEngine Start FuelEngine Start Fuel

For the engine to start, the correct amount of fuel has to be injected. The settings for start fuel are programmed in the table called Start Sequence Enrichment Table. How much extra fuel that is needed depends on a number of parameters and varies from engine to engine. Start with the default values and iterate changes until you are happy with the result.

In the beginning of the start sequence, an additional fuel squirt is added. This additional fuel is injected from all cylinders at the same time, as soon as NIRA i3+ detects crankshaft rotation. The appropriate amount of fuel depends on the engine temperature and is programmed in Start Primer Table. The amount of fuel is given in mg per cylinder and the Start Primer Table is independent from Start Sequence Enrichment Table.


6.3.26.3.26.3.26.3.2 Fuel CutFuel CutFuel CutFuel Cut----off During Crankingoff During Crankingoff During Crankingoff During Cranking

If the throttle position is greater than 80% during cranking, no fuel will be injected. This is used to clear the spark plugs and cylinders.

6.3.36.3.36.3.36.3.3 Volumetric EfVolumetric EfVolumetric EfVolumetric Efficiency Comp Tableficiency Comp Tableficiency Comp Tableficiency Comp Table

This table sets up the compensation table for VE as a function of IAT.

When the IAT increases, the intake air volume expands, which in turn means the engine requires less fuel.

Using the ideal-gas equation, we get

k=273/(IAT+273)

where the IAT is given in degrees Kelvin (K). 273K = 0°C.

When the fuel is injected and vaporized in the intake manifold, it cools the intake air, which increases VE. In addition, the cooling effect increases with IAT.

Based on experiments, a good approximation, when using gasoline, is the square root of k, which gives the final formula for VE compensation as:

VE comp = √k – 1

This formula changes depending on the type of fuel. E.g. methanol cools more efficiently than gasoline so the VE comp value needs to be lower for higher IAT values. The formula also depends on the placement of the injectors; the further away from the intake valves, the higher the cooling effect of the intake air.

6.3.46.3.46.3.46.3.4 VolumetricVolumetricVolumetricVolumetric Efficiency (VE) TableEfficiency (VE) TableEfficiency (VE) TableEfficiency (VE) Table

The VE value describes what ratio of the cylinder volume gets filled during each intake stroke. The VE varies across changing RPM and MAP values. It can be thought of as a sign of how well the engine breathes under different conditions. A high VE value means it breathes well and produces high torque without boost pressure.

A V.E. value above 1.0 means there’s some amount of supercharging due to resonance, without a turbo or supercharger. I.e. the pressure in the cylinder is higher than the ambient pressure even before the piston starts compressing the air. Using the VE table you can tell in what region your engine breathes most efficiently. A higher VE value results in NIRA i3+ injecting more fuel.

If the real-world lambda sensor values are different from the lambda table values, then the VE table is off.


The idea behind fuel mapping in NIRA i3+ is that once VE has been established you never have to touch the fuel mapping again unless you change something on the engine that effects VE significantly, such as the intake, exhaust or the camshafts.

Setting Up Appropriate x and ySetting Up Appropriate x and ySetting Up Appropriate x and ySetting Up Appropriate x and y----axesaxesaxesaxes

Select a scale which corresponds to the appropriate range for the value in question.

If the MAP value is never expected to exceed 260kPa absolute (1.6 bar boost pressure), then pick 260kPa as the max value on the y-axis in the VE table.

If the engine has standard camshafts the MAP at idle will be at least 30kPa. Based on this, pick a value around 30kPa as the min value on the y-axis in the VE table. You may still find that a lower pressure value is useful in order to save gas during engine braking conditions, which result in very low MAP readings.

If MAP is lower than the lowest point on the y-axis, NIRA i3+ will use the values from the bottom row. If the MAP value is between two points on the y-axis, NIRA i3+ will interpolate.

The x-axis should be scaled to include all the rpm values the engine will see. The lowest value should be around 200 rpm, which is the approximate engine speed during cranking.

You can add more rpm columns at any time, even while the engine is running. It’s a good idea to start with maybe 10 columns and cover the entire rpm range with these columns. You can then add columns as needed.

Picture Picture Picture Picture 6666----1111: The engine speed range 60 : The engine speed range 60 : The engine speed range 60 : The engine speed range 60 ---- 7000 7000 7000 7000 rpm is covered using 10 different columns. rpm is covered using 10 different columns. rpm is covered using 10 different columns. rpm is covered using 10 different columns.

Note the additional columns. These are set to values the engine will never see.Note the additional columns. These are set to values the engine will never see.Note the additional columns. These are set to values the engine will never see.Note the additional columns. These are set to values the engine will never see.

The column values don’t have to be spaced evenly. This lets you increase the resolution around rpm and MAP values of particular interest. The only requirement is that the column values are in increasing order or else NIRA rk will warn you.

NIRA rk always rounds any entered value to the value that gets written to the microprocessor in NIRA i3+ during uploading of all parameters. You may therefore see an entered value of 1000 rpm rounded to 1001 rpm.


VE VE VE VE RangeRangeRangeRange

A standard four-stroke engine has a VE ranging from approximately 0.8 to 1.05 in the 1500-6000 rpm range. Standard means that it doesn’t have overly aggressive camshaft profiles causing rough idle and misfires at low rpm’s. Please note that even a very extreme engine, such as a Formula 1 racing engine, typically has a VE of 1.2 or less so if you’ve entered a VE greater than 1.2 you’ve probably made some mistake somewhere. Check the lambda table and check the Engine Setup parameters, such as Injector Gain.

A higher VE value in the table results in more fuel being injected by NIRA i3+.

IdleIdleIdleIdle

At idle the VE often drops significantly, down to around 0.6. Typically, the idle speed is most stable with a lambda of 0.85 – 0.9. Therefore, use the Lambda Table to add more fuel around the idle rpm and at idle MAP.

If the exhaust system includes a catalytic converter, you have to map around lambda 1.0 in order for the converter to work properly and efficiently.

Preparations Preparations Preparations Preparations beforebeforebeforebefore AdjustAdjustAdjustAdjustinginginging the VEthe VEthe VEthe VE

Try to remove the boost pressure completely in order to keep MAP to 100kPa or less. If you do this you can enter 1.0 in the Lambda Table without risking engine damage if you avoid full load conditions for extended periods.

You’ll also be able to check the base mapping against a narrow-band lambda sensor.

For the area of the Lambda Table where the MAP exceeds 140 kPa it’s advisable to use a lambda of 0.9 or less in order to cool the intake air with extra fuel and avoid engine damage.

Access to a VE tableAccess to a VE tableAccess to a VE tableAccess to a VE table

Sometimes it’s possible to get a VE table directly from the engine manufacturer. This makes fuel mapping a much simpler task since NIRA i3+ calculates the amount of fuel to inject based on the VE table. Note that if camshafts have been changed, the intake has been modified, the exhaust backpressure has changed or other changes have been made, then the VE has also changed. If you use one of the VE tables that come with NIRA rk, the engine will still run, even if the table needs to be adjusted.

VEVEVEVE----mapping in the Carmapping in the Carmapping in the Carmapping in the Car

Start the engine and check Total Enrichment Output. You can find this parameter under Monitor Output. Make sure the value looks reasonable. A value of 1.5 means 50% extra fuel, e.g. due to the Crank Enrichment Table


(under Engine Start.) If the engine temp is below 10°C, the Total Enrichment Output should be closer to 3.0 in order for the engine to start easily.

Once the engine has reached normal operating temp, adjust VE such that the idle is stable and as smooth as possible. Also adjust the lambda table such that the air fuel mixture is richer at idle.

Then, with the transmission in neutral, slowly rev the engine up to 5000-6000 rpm in order to find any points in the VE table which are off. Once you’re satisfied with this step, you can take the vehicle for a drive.

In order to find the correct fuel mapping for the engine, you will use both the VE table and Ignition Table. Hit the F12 key to show both tables simultaneously.

Picture Picture Picture Picture 6666----2222: F12 open: F12 open: F12 open: F12 openssss a a a a new new new new tabtabtabtab;;;; ”Ignition vs. Fuel””Ignition vs. Fuel””Ignition vs. Fuel””Ignition vs. Fuel”

If possible, add a lambda sensor and compare the lambda sensor reading with the value in the Lambda Table. The sensor does not have to be of the wide-band type. A narrow-band sensor works well as long as the values in the table are in the 0.9 – 1.1 range.

6.3.56.3.56.3.56.3.5 Lambda TableLambda TableLambda TableLambda Table

The values in the Lambda Table are the desired lambda values. The perfect air/fuel ratio for complete combustion, which gives lambda 1.0, is called stoichiometric.


A lambda value less than 1.0 means the mixture is richer (more fuel.) The Lambda Table should always match the actual lambda sensor value or else the VE table is off, which causes confusion.

You can change the values in the lambda table at any time, e.g to improve fuel efficiency or to maximize engine power.

For instance, you may have one mapping for highway and one for racing and using one or the other should not require changing the VE table or else you’ve made some mistake somewhere.

Setting Up Appropriate x and ySetting Up Appropriate x and ySetting Up Appropriate x and ySetting Up Appropriate x and y----axesaxesaxesaxes

The y-axis represents milligram of air per combustion cycle. The value depends on several different parameters. There’s a wizard in NIRA rk that helps with the calculation of the value. To calculate an approximate maximum value for the mg/stroke yourself, use the formula below:

Maximum, mg/stroke = VCyl * PAir * 12.73

VCyl is the cylinder volume in liters for a single cylinder.

PAir is the maximum boost pressure in kPa absolute.

Example: 1.6 bar of boost pressure is 2.6 bar absolute = 260 kPa Example: 1.6 bar of boost pressure is 2.6 bar absolute = 260 kPa Example: 1.6 bar of boost pressure is 2.6 bar absolute = 260 kPa Example: 1.6 bar of boost pressure is 2.6 bar absolute = 260 kPa absoluteabsoluteabsoluteabsolute

You can also watch the Intake Air Mass parameter under Monitor Output in order to figure mg/stroke or keep an eye on the Lambda Table.

The x-axis is set up the same way as for the VE table. See 6.3.4.

Adjusting LambdaAdjusting LambdaAdjusting LambdaAdjusting Lambda

Use the Lambda Table to enter lambda values. Compare with the signal from an actual lambda sensor if one is installed in the exhaust system. If the values don’t match, the VE table needs adjustments.

The lambda value when mapping for maximum engine power is around 0.93. During high load conditions it’s often necessary to add lots of fuel in order to cool the intake air. Even standard engines are mapped down to lambda 0.84 above 3000 rpm and full load in order to reduce the risk of knocking and to avoid engine damage (due to too hot exhaust gases.)


6.3.66.3.66.3.66.3.6 Auto Fuel CalibrationAuto Fuel CalibrationAuto Fuel CalibrationAuto Fuel Calibration

NIRA rk has an automatic fuel mapping function (Auto Fuel Calibration), which is connected to lambda and which can be of help when fine tuning the fuel mapping if you understand how it works.

Auto Fuel Calibration works with any type of lambda sensor and you may find that it’s a helpful tool before you’ve gained enough mapping experience to map manually.

If you’re using a narrow-band lambda sensor, any lambda values in the table outside the 0.9-1.1 range will not be as accurate as if you’re using a wide-band sensor. If lambda starts out far from 1.0 it will take repeated Auto Fuel Calibration runs before the value gets closer to 1.0 and accuracy improves.

Before you begin:Before you begin:Before you begin:Before you begin:

• The engine and lambda sensor must have reached normal operating temperature. Autofuel has an adjustable threshold for normal operating temp. ”Options” for your engine should be set to 70° C or else the choke function will engage and ruin the mapping.

• A lambda sensor is not very fast and therefore there’s an adjustable minimum time in ”Options”. The value is the minimum time the engine must have spent in one single cell before changing to the next. If it moves to the next cell faster than the minimum time, the value won’t be counted. It’s suggested that the minimum time be set to more than 300 ms. A higher value gives higher accuracy and automatically filters values when the gas pedal wasn’t held steady.

• Left brake when slowing down so that acceleration fuel enrichment doesn’t change the equation and only use values when the vehicle speed is steady.

• Eliminate any cells when conditions weren’t stable and the gas pedal was moving.

• If the engine misfires the lambda sensor reading will be off and Autofuel mismeasures. Map manually until you’ve corrected misfires due to the air/fuel mixture being off.

StepStepStepStep----bybybyby----step instructions:step instructions:step instructions:step instructions:

Look at the Lambda Table one more time and make sure you have entered lambda values for all points you want mapped.

Make sure the engine is at normal operating temperature and that the lambda sensor value is around 1.0 at idle. Hit F11 key to bring up Auto Fuel Calibration. The start button will be green. You’ll see “Options…” in the upper right hand area.

Find a straight road and drive the car at a steady speed. Try to avoid moving the gas pedal. Click on the Start button (or hit the Enter key) and drive the


car for a while until some of the cells start filling in with colors. Red color means that the engine is running leaner than the Lambda Table. Blue color means the engine is running richer. Green color means OK, within the percentages given in “Options…”. Click on the Stop button (or hit the Enter key again) and stop the car.

Now you can see where Autofuel has found stable points in the Lambda Table and where the errors are. Click on “Next>>” to see the VE table and how much and where Autofuel wants to change the values. Double click (red X) on those cells you don’t want to change, e.g. because you may have been accelerating at that time.

You also need to decide if you want the values to be spread out a bit to the surrounding cells by using the Extrapolate function. This is only recommended in the beginning. Then click on “Next>>”.

Move the slider to decide how much change you want. If the cell readings were acquired during very stable driving conditions you may want to use a value close to 100%. Otherwise a value closer to 60% may be more appropriate.

Click on Save to enter the corrections into the VE table (and upload it to NIRA i3+.) Make it a habit to save the VE table from time to time so that you can back out of any changes.

Run the car again to see if things have improved.

You can run Autofuel over and over until you’re completely satisfied with the results. When you’re driving, if you get to a particular load condition multiple times during a single Autofuel run, NIRA rk will average the readings.

6.3.76.3.76.3.76.3.7 Fuel Enrichment During Acceleration Fuel Enrichment During Acceleration Fuel Enrichment During Acceleration Fuel Enrichment During Acceleration

Fuel enrichment during acceleration is a very sophisticated topic which should be avoided during trouble shooting. It’s easy to misadjust the scaling of the y-axis such that fuel ”leaks” from one of the acceleration enrichment tables. To troubleshoot, see below:

Turn off all acceleration enrichment by setting the Mappings -> 1.Fuel ->2.Acceleration -> Acceleration Enrichment Switch to Acc En Off. Try this from time to time while you’re mapping the engine.

NIRA i3+ is fully sequential up to 5 cylinders. Because of this, only minimal additional fuel enrichment is necessary if the Mappings -> 1.Basic -> Injection Stop to Tdc-parameter is properly adjusted. The engine will still run very well and respond well even with the acceleration enrichment turned off.

Work with “Acceleration Slow Tank Max” and “Acceleration Fast Inj Max” first. These parameters are available in NIRA rk Standard mode. If that’s not enough, you have to adjust all the enrichment tables in the Advanced mode. Make sure you read all the descriptions and understand the function of the tables before you change anything.


Remember that Acceleration Fast is very fast. It only comes into play within the first few tenths of a second after the gas pedal is depressed. After that the Acceleration Slow tables are used. Don’t play too much with Acceleration Fast. Spend your time on Acceleration Slow first instead.

6.3.86.3.86.3.86.3.8 SynchroSynchroSynchroSynchronizing Injection Timing with the Camshaft nizing Injection Timing with the Camshaft nizing Injection Timing with the Camshaft nizing Injection Timing with the Camshaft

Since NIRA i3+ is a fully sequential system it’s possible to time precisely when to inject the fuel during the camshaft revolution. There are several reasons for timing the injection with the intake stroke.

• The engine gets exactly the correct amount of fuel immediately when conditions change. As a result, engine response improves.

• The fuel atomizes more efficiently if it’s injected while air is entering the engine because it doesn’t have the opportunity to stick as much to the intake valve and cylinder wall.

• The engine can be mapped to use less fuel during low-load conditions, thus saving fuel.

• Requires less choke during warm-up.

• Requires less acceleration enrichment.

Injection Stop Table is used to control the endpoint of the fuel injection.

If the fuel is injected during the later phase of the intake stroke, the mixture in the upper portions of the combustion chamber around the spark plug will be richer and more easily ignited by the spark plug even though the overall mixture can still be very lean. This way the engine can be run leaner than lambda 1.0 during low-load conditions below 2500 rpm, such as during highway driving.

To make this work, the injection must have ended approximately 100 crank degrees before the intake valve closes since it takes time for the fuel to move from the injector into the cylinder. The 100-degree value can vary significantly among engine types and also depends on the injector placement. You will need to run several experiments to find the right angle, keeping in mind that the window is narrow and can be difficult to find. You need to set lambda very lean as well. All of this is mostly of interest when mapping for fuel efficiency during low-load conditions.

As an example, on the SAAB 2.3-liter engine the intake valve closes at 53 degrees after BDC. BDC in NIRA i3+ is 540 csd.

Inj. Stop to TDC is given relative to TDC for the cylinder, so subtract the value from a complete cycle, 720 degrees, and add 100 degrees per the discussion above. This gives:

720 - (540+53) + 100 = 227227227227.


If a certain portion of the fuel never has a chance to enter the cylinder, it’s essentially all lost and you will notice this as sudden jerks or unstable idle when mapping IAC. Increase Inj. Stop to TDC in order to eliminate the jerkiness. Work in 10-degree increments. The default value in NIRA rk is 350 degrees in order to safely avoid idle jerkiness.

6.46.46.46.4 The Engine Runs Unevenly or StallsThe Engine Runs Unevenly or StallsThe Engine Runs Unevenly or StallsThe Engine Runs Unevenly or Stalls

If the engine stalls inexplicably when you have been revving it a lot you may have a problem with the CKP sensor. Watch for the DGE Crank Val alarm. It may be caused by poor shielding of the CKP sensor wire or if NIRA i3+ isn’t grounded properly.

6.4.16.4.16.4.16.4.1 The Engine Runs UnevenlyThe Engine Runs UnevenlyThe Engine Runs UnevenlyThe Engine Runs Unevenly

A common error is that acceleration enrichment affects fuel injection even during steady state conditions such as idle. Try turning off the enrichment. See 6.3.7. If you notice a difference with the enrichment turned off, one of the enrichment tables is adding fuel unexpectedly. There are four enrichment tables, of which two affect IAC.

Look at the Acceleration Slow and Acceleration Fast parameters (under Monitor Output.) These values should be 0 as long as the gas pedal is left untouched. A common error is that the “zero area” isn’t large enough in the table so noise from the TPS results in unexpected enrichment. Always set an area of -1.5% to +1.5% as zero. Look at the default settings.

If the engine misfires during low-load conditions, such as idle and during low speed in a high gear despite lambda being correct, the cause could be ”Injection Stop to TDC” being set too late. The effect of this would be that the intake valve sometimes closes before all fuel has entered the cylinder and the air/fuel mixture in the cylinder ends up being too lean. Try increasing “Injection Stop to TDC” with at least 100 degrees, e.g. from 300 to 400 csd.

Another possible reason for the engine misfiring could be an erroneous ignition dwell table. The values must not be too high at high rpm’s. Reload a default dwell-table using the Wizard and try again.

6.56.56.56.5 Adjusting the Boost Pressure Control Adjusting the Boost Pressure Control Adjusting the Boost Pressure Control Adjusting the Boost Pressure Control

Map the engine without any boost pressure until it runs perfectly at MAP less than or equal to 100kPa. This MAP range is easily achieved by removing the electrical connection to the boost pressure control valve and setting a low base pressure for the wastegate or using some other method to keep the wastegate open all the time.


It’s also advisable to make sure the actual lambda sensor values match the Lambda Table values (under Mappings -> Fuel). When you have verified this you know that the VE Table (under Mappings -> Fuel) is sufficiently correct to let you add boost pressure without risking engine damage.

The boost pressure regulation can be run in three different modes. The modes are described below in sections 6.5.1, 6.5.2 and 6.5.3.

6.5.16.5.16.5.16.5.1 Manual Mode Manual Mode Manual Mode Manual Mode

Always start in ”Manual mode” first. This lets you verify that the boost pressure control valve is operating properly and within the expected range.

If the Boost Fixed Duty Mode parameter is set to ”Fixed”, the signal to the boost pressure control valve is determined only by the Boost Fixed Duty Cycle parameter value. E.g. if the parameter is set to 50%, the boost pressure control valve will see 50% duty cycle.

To figure out the wastegate base pressure setting, set Boost Fixed Duty Mode to “Fixed” and the Boost Fixed Duty Cycle parameter to 0%.

It’s also a good idea to check the max boost pressure, at around 90% duty cycle. Some boost pressure valves operate all the way up to 94% duty cycle.

6.5.26.5.26.5.26.5.2 Closed Loop Mode Closed Loop Mode Closed Loop Mode Closed Loop Mode

If the Boost Fixed Duty Mode parameter is set to “Normal” and Boost Regulator is set to “ClosedL”, NIRA i3+ calculates the appropriate boost pressure control valve duty cycle using a PID control algorithm.

The PID control algorithm includes pressure feedback and a feedforward loop and controls the pressure in the intake tract before the throttle plate.

The algorithm works to try to minimize the delta between a desired pressure value and the measured pressure value. Delta = desired-measured. A NEGATIVE delta means the measured pressure is HIGHER than the desired value.

In order for the algorithm to work properly and efficiently, several parameters and tables need to be set up. These are described in detail below.

If you’re having problems with pressure oscillations, set Boost D-term and Boost I-term to ”OFF”. Then adjust P-term Gain and fill in Boost Expected Duty Table correctly. You can then try to reactivate D-term and I-term again.

Boost Rpm MinBoost Rpm MinBoost Rpm MinBoost Rpm Min

This is the rpm at which the turbo starts charging.


Boost Setpoint Max Boost Setpoint Max Boost Setpoint Max Boost Setpoint Max

Max boost pressure the engine is expected to see, i.e. the largest value in Boost Setpoint Main Table. The value isn’t limiting since it’s only used to calculate certain inputs to the PID algorithm.

Boost Setpoint MinBoost Setpoint MinBoost Setpoint MinBoost Setpoint Min

This should be set to the lowest pressure that can be controlled, i.e. the base pressure setting for the wastegate actuator.

Boost Setpoint Main TableBoost Setpoint Main TableBoost Setpoint Main TableBoost Setpoint Main Table

This table needs to be populated with the desireddesireddesireddesired boost pressure before the throttle as a function of rpm and engine temperature. Make sure to use absolute pressure values.

The values in this table can be adjusted via the settings in Boost Throttle Fac. Table, see below.

Boost Throttle Fac. TableBoost Throttle Fac. TableBoost Throttle Fac. TableBoost Throttle Fac. Table

The values in this table limit the values in Boost Setpoint Main Table as a function of TPS and rpm. By making boost pressure depend on TPS, drivability increases because it’s easier to control boost pressure and thus, engine power.

The values vary between 0% and 100% as the TPS value goes from the value in the lower row to the value in the upper row. See the following example:

With engine speed at 1500 rpm and a reference pressure frWith engine speed at 1500 rpm and a reference pressure frWith engine speed at 1500 rpm and a reference pressure frWith engine speed at 1500 rpm and a reference pressure from Boost om Boost om Boost om Boost Setpoint Main Table of 240kPa. Using the table in Picture 6Setpoint Main Table of 240kPa. Using the table in Picture 6Setpoint Main Table of 240kPa. Using the table in Picture 6Setpoint Main Table of 240kPa. Using the table in Picture 6----3 gives:3 gives:3 gives:3 gives:

If TPS is 30% or more, the factor is 100%, for a reference pressure of

(240-100)*100%+100=240kPa

If TPS is 20% or less, the factor is 0%, for a reference pressure of

(240-100)*0%+100=100kPa

If TPS is 25% the factor is 50%, for a reference pressure of

(240-100)*50%+100=170kPa


Picture Picture Picture Picture 6666----3: Example of using throttle angle to affect boost pressure. The values in the cells 3: Example of using throttle angle to affect boost pressure. The values in the cells 3: Example of using throttle angle to affect boost pressure. The values in the cells 3: Example of using throttle angle to affect boost pressure. The values in the cells

are TPS.are TPS.are TPS.are TPS.

If the factor is 0 in the table, the resulting reference pressure is only 100kPa absolute. This effectively means base pressure for the wastegate.

If the factor is 1 in the table (100%), the resulting reference value is the value in Boost Setpoint Main Table.

Boost Before ThBoost Before ThBoost Before ThBoost Before Throttle Pressurerottle Pressurerottle Pressurerottle Pressure

NIRA i3+ controls the boost pressure before the throttle, i.e. the values in Boost Before Throttle Table are the estimated pressures before the throttle, depending on MAP, RPM and TPS calculated by the Boost Regulator Wizard.

The actual pressure before the throttle can be derived from two different sources:

1. A calculated value based on MAP.

2. An additional pressure sensor before the throttle, after the turbo.

Calculated Value Based on MAP Calculated Value Based on MAP Calculated Value Based on MAP Calculated Value Based on MAP

If the Boost Before Throttle Source parameter is set to ”Table”, values from the Boost Before Throttle Table are used.

The values in this table are a function of rpm, TPS and MAP. NIRA rk has a Boost Wizard, which can be used to set up this table.

Note that the calculated values may be different from the real pressure values due to the shape of the throttle housing, the shape of the intake tract etc. To compensate for these differences, there’s an additional table, Throttle Cd. This table lists how efficiently air passes through the throttle housing given different throttle plate angles. It’s recommended that you modify this table only if you have data available for your particular configuration. Otherwise, the Throttle Cd table that comes with NIRA rk is a good approximation, especially for TPS > 35%.

For TPS openings < 35%, sometimes the desired boost pressure isn’t being achieved, i.e. the pressure before the throttle isn’t the same as the value you


entered into Boost Setpoint Main Table. (Don’t forget that Boost Throttle Fac. Table affects the values in Boost Setpoint Main Table.)

If you experience this kind of error, the values in Boost Before Throttle Table must be changed in the problem area. Make sure that Boost P-term, Boost I-term and Boost D-term have been adjusted properly first or you may experience pressure oscillations.

At Wide Open Throttle the pressure before the throttle is very similar to the pressure after the throttle, i.e. MAP, since the pressure differential across the throttle housing is relatively small. The table in Picture 6-4 shows an example of this.

Picture 6Picture 6Picture 6Picture 6----4: An example of how to map Boost Before Throttle Table. The values in the table 4: An example of how to map Boost Before Throttle Table. The values in the table 4: An example of how to map Boost Before Throttle Table. The values in the table 4: An example of how to map Boost Before Throttle Table. The values in the table represent the pressure before the throttle. Note that at 100% TPS, the values are very close represent the pressure before the throttle. Note that at 100% TPS, the values are very close represent the pressure before the throttle. Note that at 100% TPS, the values are very close represent the pressure before the throttle. Note that at 100% TPS, the values are very close

to MAP.to MAP.to MAP.to MAP.

Boost Before Throttle Table can be mapped on the bench or in the car. In both cases you need to attach (temporarily) a pressure sensor before the throttle.

On the bench, work your way through all operating conditions in the table. For each point in the table, allow the engine to achieve a stable exhaust gas temperature before taking the reading.

If you’re mapping the table with the engine in the car, set up NIRA rk to log data while you work your way through the different operating conditions. In case you can’t create all necessary conditions you will have to estimate the table values later.

Additional Pressure Sensor Additional Pressure Sensor Additional Pressure Sensor Additional Pressure Sensor

If you choose to install an extra pressure sensor before the throttle, set Boost Before Throttle Source to ”Aux1 Sensor” and connect the sensor to the NIRA i3+ harness wire marked “Aux 1 In”.


With this setup, Boost Before Throttle will always be accurate and no extra adjustments are needed since NIRA i3+ will be using the input on Aux1 In directly.

Boost Expected Duty TableBoost Expected Duty TableBoost Expected Duty TableBoost Expected Duty Table

This table contains the expected duty cycle values (at the boost pressure control valve) needed to achieve different boost pressures. By including this table in the PID control algorithm, the boost pressure can be controlled more quickly.

To map this table, first set Boot P-term, Boost I-term and Boost D-term to ”OFF”. This assures that Boost Expected Duty Table is the only thing affecting the dutycycle at the boost pressure control valve.

Then, run the engine through the different load conditions in the table and adjust each cell such that the pressure reading before the throttle matches the value on the x-axis.

If you’re mapping this table with the engine in the car without an additional pre-throttle pressure sensor, you need to map at WOT since the MAP is almost the same as the pre-throttle pressure at that point.

Boost PBoost PBoost PBoost P----term term term term

P-term is the proportional term of the PID control algorithm. The delta (see beginning of section 6.5.2 above) is multiplied with P-term. The larger the P-term, the greater the influence on the control algorithm output and the faster the PID controller reacts to changes. However, too large of a P-term value can result in overshoots and oscillations.

The Boost P-term On parameter determines if the P-term is used in the PID control algorithm. By default it’s set to “ON”.

Boost P-term Gain Trim is used to adjust the size of the P-term.

Boost DBoost DBoost DBoost D----tttterm erm erm erm

D-term is the derivative term of the PID control algorithm. The derivative of the delta (see beginning of section 6.5.2 above) is multiplied with D-term so the larger the D-term, the greater the influence on the control algorithm output.

If the delta is large, the derivative is large. The PID controller uses this to slow down pressure increases as the delta approaches zero as well as increasing the rate of pressure increase if the delta is increasing.

The Boost D-term On parameter determines if the D-term is used in the control algorithm. By default it’s set to “ON”.

Boost D-term Gain Trim is used to adjust the size of the D-term.


Boost IBoost IBoost IBoost I----term term term term

I-term is the integrating constant of the PID control algorithm. The integral of the delta is multiplied with the I-term so the larger the I-term, the greater the influence on the control algorithm output.

As long as the delta is non zero, the integral of the delta will be non-zero. This is used to help the algorithm to achieve zero difference between desired and measured pressure.

If the I-term is large the system will try to achieve zero delta faster, but it also increases the risk of overshoots and may lead the system to self-oscillate.

The Boost I-term On parameter determines if the I-term is used in the control algorithm. By default it’s set to “ON”.

Boost I-term Gain Trim is used to adjust the size of the I-term.

Boost Period NominaBoost Period NominaBoost Period NominaBoost Period Nominallll

Boost Period Nominal is the nominal period, i.e. frequency, used for the boost pressure control valve. The actual period (Boost Period) can be different if the table called Boost Period Modulation is activated.

Boost Period ModulationBoost Period ModulationBoost Period ModulationBoost Period Modulation

Boost Period Modulation can be used to modify the period time, i.e. the frequency, used to control the boost pressure control value. One reason to change the frequency would be to avoid pressure oscillations, which can occur in a system where the engine load is the same (often high) over a long period of time. Normally the Boost Period Modulation does not need to be adjusted.

Boost Period Modulation determines if period-modulation is “ON” or “OFF”.

6.5.36.5.36.5.36.5.3 Open Loop ModeOpen Loop ModeOpen Loop ModeOpen Loop Mode

If the variable ”Boost Fixed Duty Mode” is set to ”Normal” and the “Boost Regulator Mode” variable is set to ”OpenL”, the duty cycle sent to the boost pressure control value is given by two tables; “Boost Open Loop Duty Table” and “Boost Throttle Fac. Table”.


Boost Open Loop Duty TableBoost Open Loop Duty TableBoost Open Loop Duty TableBoost Open Loop Duty Table

This table has values for setting the duty cycle as a function of engine speed and coolant temp. Using the “Boost Throttle Fac. Table”, the values can be adjusted. See below.

This table is also useful when determining the “Boost Expected Duty Table”, which is used during closed loop boost pressure regulation.

6.66.66.66.6 RPM LimitRPM LimitRPM LimitRPM Limit

RPM Limit limits max engine speed either by cutting ignition or by cutting fuel injection.

6.6.16.6.16.6.16.6.1 RPM Limit Cut ModeRPM Limit Cut ModeRPM Limit Cut ModeRPM Limit Cut Mode

RPM Limit Cut Mode determines if ignition or fuel injection will be cut.

6.6.26.6.26.6.26.6.2 RPM LimitRPM LimitRPM LimitRPM Limit Min CutMin CutMin CutMin Cut

RPM Limit Min Cut determines the smallest cut in percent to be applied whenever the engine speed exceeds the value in RPM Limit Cut In.

6.6.36.6.36.6.36.6.3 RPM Limit Cut In & RPM Limit RangeRPM Limit Cut In & RPM Limit RangeRPM Limit Cut In & RPM Limit RangeRPM Limit Cut In & RPM Limit Range

Limiting max engine speed is done in two steps in order to achieve a smooth transition.

RPM Limit Cut In determines the rpm value when ignition or fuel injection will start being cut. RPM Limit Range is an offset which gets added to RPM Limit Cut In and the total value is the rpm value at which ignition or fuel injection will be cut completely.

Example: Example: Example: Example:

RPM Limit Cut Mode = Injection

RPM Limit Min Cut = 60%

RPM Limit Cut In = 6000 RPM

RPM Limit Range = 300 RPM


Given these numbers, at 6000 rpm, 60% of all injection events will be cut. At 6300 rpm, all injection events will be cut. At 6150 rpm, 80% of all injection events will be cut.

6.76.76.76.7 IACIACIACIAC –––– Idle Speed CIdle Speed CIdle Speed CIdle Speed Controlontrolontrolontrol

IAC – idle speed regulation can be run in two different modes; open loop ”OpenL” or closed loop ”ClosedL”.

It’s recommended that you start with closed loop as this gives you a chance to learn how the IAC valve operates. The valve has a curious operating range. See the picture in section 3.17.1. The valve gives minimum airflow at around 20-30% and on either side of this range the airflow increases.

Note that boost pressure control can not be active at the same time as idle speed control. The IAC Factor Table lets you decide when IAC is active or not. This applies to both the “OpenL” case and the “ClosedL” case.

IAC Factor TableIAC Factor TableIAC Factor TableIAC Factor Table

This table determines when idle speed control is active or not. If the value in the table is 1, then idle speed control is active. If the value is 0, then it’s inactive.

This table is under the Advanced mode in NIRA rk and it shouldn’t need to be adjusted.

The IAC or Boost Reg Active under Monitor Output shows whether idle speed control or boost pressure control is active. They can not be active simultaneously.

6.7.16.7.16.7.16.7.1 Open loopOpen loopOpen loopOpen loop

If the IAC Regulator Mode parameter is set to “OpenL”, NIRA i3+ controls the idle speed using the parameters below:

IAC Duty Max IAC Duty Max IAC Duty Max IAC Duty Max

This is the duty cycle value at which the IAC valve gives the highest airflow (and consequently the highest engine idle speed.) Often this value is around 80%.


IAC Duty MinIAC Duty MinIAC Duty MinIAC Duty Min

This is the duty cycle value at which the IAC valve gives the lowest airflow (and consequently the lowest engine idle speed.) Often this value is around 30%.

Note that the airflow increases with either increasing or decreasing duty cycle from this point. In order to determine the IAC Duty Min value, you will likely need to experiment with your engine and IAC valve.

IAC Open Loop Duty TableIAC Open Loop Duty TableIAC Open Loop Duty TableIAC Open Loop Duty Table

This table contains the IAC valve duty cycle values required to achieve the desired idle speed.

Enter values (in %), which result in stable idle speed. To make it easy to map this table, keep the values “flat”, and increase the airflow if the engine is cold or during cranking.

You’ll need to enter appropriate RPM values for your engine.

6.7.26.7.26.7.26.7.2 Closed loopClosed loopClosed loopClosed loop

If the IAC Regulator Mode parameter is set to ”ClosedL”, then NIRA i3+ controls idle speed by calculating the optimal IAC valve duty cycle using a PID control algorithm.

The PID algorithm works to try to minimize the delta between a desired value and the measured value. Delta = desired-measured. A negative delta means the measured engine speed is higher than the desired value.

The following parameters are used by the PID controller:

IAC Setpoint TableIAC Setpoint TableIAC Setpoint TableIAC Setpoint Table

This table lists the desired idle speed settings. These values are referred to as the reference values in the PID control algorithm.

IAC Expected Duty TableIAC Expected Duty TableIAC Expected Duty TableIAC Expected Duty Table

This table contains the duty cycle values which will achieve the desired engine idle speed that’s listed in IAC Setpoint Table. This table is used to speed up overall idle speed control.

IAC PIAC PIAC PIAC P----term term term term

The P-term affects the duty cycle proportionally. As the delta increases, the effect of the P-term increases as well and the influence on the output is very


significant. This allows for fast regulation but can cause overshoots and oscillations if the control is too fast.

IAC DIAC DIAC DIAC D----term term term term

The D-term affects the duty cycle by using the derivative of the delta. The D-term is used to slow down any rpm increase/decrease as the rpm gets closer to the desired rpm value, the reference value, and the delta approaches zero.

IAC IIAC IIAC IIAC I----term term term term

The I-term adds a small control signal as long as the delta is non-zero. In other words, the I-term helps the system reach a zero delta. A large I-term means that the system is trying to reach zero delta faster, but it increases the risk of overshoots and may cause the system to self-oscillate.

IAC Period IAC Period IAC Period IAC Period

Nominal period time for the signal used to control the IAC valve. (Freq = 1/period)

6.86.86.86.8 ALSALSALSALS –––– response systemresponse systemresponse systemresponse system

ALS is used to maintain the boost pressure when the throttle angle is small. This is done by increasing the airflow into the manifold, retarding ignition and cutting ignition or fuel injection.

To increase the airflow, a separate solenoid is often used to increase the throttle angle approximately 15%. This is only done whenever ALS is active, which is when at least one of the values in ALS Ign Retard Table or ALS Cut Percent Table is greater than zero.

6.8.16.8.16.8.16.8.1 ALS Cut ModeALS Cut ModeALS Cut ModeALS Cut Mode

ALS Limit Cut Mode determines if ignition or fuel injection will be cut.

6.8.26.8.26.8.26.8.2 ALS Max Active TimeALS Max Active TimeALS Max Active TimeALS Max Active Time

ALS Max Active Time determines how long ALS can be activated. Note that ALS is active only if at least one of the values in the Cut or Retard tables is non-zero.


Once ALS has timed out, whenever the TPS exceeds the ALS Throttle Active value, ALS will be re-activated.

Setting ALS Max Active Time to zero turns off this function.

6.8.36.8.36.8.36.8.3 ALS Throttle ActiveALS Throttle ActiveALS Throttle ActiveALS Throttle Active

ALS Throttle Active determines the TPS value which must be exceeded in order to (re)activate ALS.

6.8.46.8.46.8.46.8.4 ALS Throttle Hyst ALS Throttle Hyst ALS Throttle Hyst ALS Throttle Hyst

ALS Throttle Hyst determines the increase, in %, of TPS, which causes ALS to be turned off regardless of the values in ALS Cut Percent Table and ALS Ing Retard Table.

Once the TPS exceeds ALS Throttle Active, ALS will be re-activated again.

Setting ALS Throttle Hyst to zero turns off this function.

6.8.56.8.56.8.56.8.5 ALS Maximum Exhaust Gas TemperatureALS Maximum Exhaust Gas TemperatureALS Maximum Exhaust Gas TemperatureALS Maximum Exhaust Gas Temperature

Max exhaust gas temp while ALS is active. For this function to work an EGTC unit must be connected to NIRA i3+. See section 3.8.

If the exhaust gas temp exceeds the value in ALS Maximum Exhaust Gas Temperature, ALS is turned off.

Once the TPS exceeds ALS Throttle Active, ALS will be re-activated again.

6.8.66.8.66.8.66.8.6 ALS ALS ALS ALS Idle RPM CuIdle RPM CuIdle RPM CuIdle RPM Cut Int Int Int In

This RPM limit comes into play if ALS gets deactivated due to throttle hysteresis or the exhaust gas temp was too high or if the ALS max active time has been exceeded.

This prevents excessively high engine rpm if the throttle is open, the ignition retarded and cut returns to zero.

Only the fuel cut is used since it results in lower exhaust temperature, which is one of the main reasons for deactivating ALS.

This function uses the rpm and cut mode, as well as the RPM Limit Range and RPM Limit Min Cut.

6.8.76.8.76.8.76.8.7 AAAALS LS LS LS Idle Throttle LoIdle Throttle LoIdle Throttle LoIdle Throttle Lo

If the throttle position is less than ALS Idle Throttle Lo, the max engine speed is the same as ALS Idle RPM Cut In.


6.8.86.8.86.8.86.8.8 ALS ALS ALS ALS Idle Throttle HiIdle Throttle HiIdle Throttle HiIdle Throttle Hi

If the throttle position is greater than ALS Idle Throttle Hi, the max engine speed is the same as RPM Limit Cut In.

If the throttle is between ALS Idle Throttle Lo and ALS Idle Throttle Hi, the max engine speed increases linearly from ALS Idle RPM Cut In to RPM Limit Cut In.

6.8.96.8.96.8.96.8.9 ALS Cut Percent TableALS Cut Percent TableALS Cut Percent TableALS Cut Percent Table

This table contains the percentage of ignition/fuel injection events which will be cut whenever ALS is active.

6.8.106.8.106.8.106.8.10 ALS Ign Retard TableALS Ign Retard TableALS Ign Retard TableALS Ign Retard Table

This table contains the ignition adjustment while ALS is active. Postive values in the table result in ignition retardataion.

6.96.96.96.9 Launch ControlLaunch ControlLaunch ControlLaunch Control

When Launch Control Button is active, NIRA i3+ uses a different max engine speed algorithm than the normal RPM Limit, see 6.6. This allow for optimization of the max engine speed during take-off situations. Launch Limit Cut In and Launch Limit Range are used to tune the algorithm. See below.

6.9.16.9.16.9.16.9.1 Launch Limit Cut ModeLaunch Limit Cut ModeLaunch Limit Cut ModeLaunch Limit Cut Mode

Launch Limit Cut Mode determines if fuel or ignition will be cut.

6.9.26.9.26.9.26.9.2 LaunchLaunchLaunchLaunch Limit Min CutLimit Min CutLimit Min CutLimit Min Cut

Launch Limit Min Cut determines the smallest cut in percent which will be applied whenever the engine speed exceeds the value in Launch Limit Cut In.

6.9.36.9.36.9.36.9.3 Launch Limit Cut In & Launch Limit RangeLaunch Limit Cut In & Launch Limit RangeLaunch Limit Cut In & Launch Limit RangeLaunch Limit Cut In & Launch Limit Range

Launch Limit works the same way as RPM Limit. See section 6.6. Launch Limit Cut In determines the engine speed at which ignition or fuel will start


being cut. Note that NIRA i3+ will never use a value higher than RPM Limit Cut In.

Launch Limit Range is an offset that gets added to Launch Limit Cut In. the total value is the rpm value at which ignition/fuel is cut completely.

Example: Example: Example: Example:

Launch Limit Cut Mode = Injection

Launch Limit Min Cut = 60%

Launch Limit Cut In = 6000 RPM

Launch Limit Range = 300 RPM

Given these numbers, at 6000 rpm, 60% of all injection events will be cut. At 6300 rpm, all injection events will be cut. At 6150 rpm, 80% of all injection events will be cut.

6.9.46.9.46.9.46.9.4 Launch Ign RetardLaunch Ign RetardLaunch Ign RetardLaunch Ign Retard

Launch Ign Retard determines how many degrees to retard the ignition as a function of RPM. A negative value means retardation. This function is used to achieve a desired boost pressure and smoother engine speed control.

6.106.106.106.10 Flat ShiftFlat ShiftFlat ShiftFlat Shift

The Flat Shift function makes it possible to shift gear while maintaining WOT, this is done by lowering the torque output when NIRA i3+ reads a signal indicating that the driver changes gear. This is a highly advanced function that can lead to transmission damages if the mapping and installation aren’t performed in a correct way.

The function is activated with a digital input connected to Flatshift Switch in, on=gnd. If an analog sensor is used the signal must be digitalized. The switch should be mounted in such a way that it changes state from “1” to “0” when activated. Most sequential gearboxes has a built in sensor. It’s also possible to mount a switch that is activated when the gearstick is moved or the clutch engaged.

When a gearchange is initiated the torque should be reduced quickly. The torque reduction is obtained in two ways.

• The ignition point is retarded x degrees • Ignitions or injections are blocked, this is named cut throughout this

document. The flag ALS/FlatShift Cut Mode sets which of them that will be blocked. Note that the ALS function uses the same mode.

A combination of the two is also possible and often used.


The torque reduction is maintained during x ms or as long as the switch is activated, this is described under Activation time 6.10.3. FlatShift Mode controls whether the torque reduction is maintained for a given time or as long as the switch is activated

To make the return to normal mode smoother the cut and ignition angle is gradually phased back to normal. This part is named ramp up. During the ramp up period the ignition is phased back to normal, i.e. Ignition Main Table sets the ignition angle, and the “cut” goes to zero which means that no ignitions/injections are blocked.

In order to make it possible to activate the function the rpm and throttle position must be above certain values. This is done to prevent the engine from stalling when changing gear at low rpm or give to much engine brake while downshifting. The parameters Min Active RPM and Min Active Throttle set the thresholds.

6.10.16.10.16.10.16.10.1 Flat Shift On/OffFlat Shift On/OffFlat Shift On/OffFlat Shift On/Off

States if the function can be activated or not.

6.10.26.10.26.10.26.10.2 Flat Shift modeFlat Shift modeFlat Shift modeFlat Shift mode

States how the function decides when the ramp up should begin. This is done in one of two ways:

• ”Time”, ramp up is commenced after FlatShift_Active_Time • ”Switch”, ramp up is commenced when the FlatShift switch goes

inactive, as longest FlatShift_Active_Time

FlatShift_active_time change meaning from time for torque reduction to maximum time for torque reduction.

6.10.36.10.36.10.36.10.3 Activation timeActivation timeActivation timeActivation time

Sets the time for torque reduction, i.e. the time until the ramp up begins. If FlatShift mode is “switch” this parameter set the maximum time that the torque reduction is allowed to be active.

6.10.46.10.46.10.46.10.4 Recovery timeRecovery timeRecovery timeRecovery time

Sets the time for the ramp up period, i.e. when the cut and ignition is phased back to their normal state (0%cut and the ignition angle calculated from in Ign Main Table).


6.10.56.10.56.10.56.10.5 Min Active RPMMin Active RPMMin Active RPMMin Active RPM

Sets the minimum rpm allowed for FlatShift activation

6.10.66.10.66.10.66.10.6 Min Active ThrottleMin Active ThrottleMin Active ThrottleMin Active Throttle

Sets the minimum throttle position allowed for FlatShift activation.

6.10.76.10.76.10.76.10.7 Reactivation timeReactivation timeReactivation timeReactivation time

Sets the time delay after the ramp up is completed until a new FlatShift cycle may commence.

6.10.86.10.86.10.86.10.8 Flat Shift CutFlat Shift CutFlat Shift CutFlat Shift Cut

Sets how many percent of ignitions/injections should be blocked upon FlatShift activation.

6.10.96.10.96.10.96.10.9 Flat Shift RetardationFlat Shift RetardationFlat Shift RetardationFlat Shift Retardation

Sets how many degrees the ignition is retarded upon FlatShift activation. NOTE! Negative values give retardation.

6.116.116.116.11 Aux inputs/outputsAux inputs/outputsAux inputs/outputsAux inputs/outputs

The sections below describe the Aux inputs and outputs and how they can be configured.

6.11.16.11.16.11.16.11.1 Aux1 In & Aux2 InAux1 In & Aux2 InAux1 In & Aux2 InAux1 In & Aux2 In

Aux1 In & Aux2 In are used with linear sensors. Aux1 In can be used as reference pressure with the boost pressure controller, see section 6.5.2.

Neither input has a pull-up resistor and both are low-impedance inputs.

Aux In FilterAux In FilterAux In FilterAux In Filter

This is a constant used with the low-pass filters on the Aux1 and Aux2 inputs. The value determines how fast the input signal value is transferred to the microprocessor in NIRA i3+. A value of 100% means there’s no wait. A lower value means the transfer is slower.


Aux In ScaleAux In ScaleAux In ScaleAux In Scale

This value is used to calibrate any linear sensors connected to Aux1 or Aux2. Aux In Scale tells how to interpret a change in the input value. See section 5.1.7 for an example of how to calculate this value.

Aux In OffsetAux In OffsetAux In OffsetAux In Offset

Thsi value is used any linear sensor connected to Aux 1 or Aux 2. Aux In Offset is the base sensor reading. See section 5.1.7 for an example of how to calculate this value.

6.11.26.11.26.11.26.11.2 Aux3 In & Aux4 InAux3 In & Aux4 InAux3 In & Aux4 InAux3 In & Aux4 In

Aux3 In & Aux4 In can be used to read both linear and non-linear sensors. The inputs have internal 2.7kU pull-ups up to +5V.

Aux In FilterAux In FilterAux In FilterAux In Filter

This parameter is a constant used in the low-pass filters on Aux3 and Aux4 In. The value determines how fast the input signal value is transferred to the microprocessor in NIRA i3+. A value of 100% means there’s no wait. A lower value means the transfer is slower.

Aux Sens Conv TableAux Sens Conv TableAux Sens Conv TableAux Sens Conv Table

Table used to calibrate the sensors connected to the Aux3 & Aux4 Inputs. The table contains the sensor reading as a function of the sensor resistance.

6.11.36.11.36.11.36.11.3 Aux5 OutAux5 OutAux5 OutAux5 Out

Advanced multi-functional output. Can be made to look analog by using a high frequency (19.5kHz) PWM signal. It can be used to control fans, nitrous oxide, shift light and to fool analog inputs to other control systems in the car.

Aux5 Out is mappable against most parameters, such as boost pressure, engine speed, throttle angle, air mass (~torque) (mg/stroke), engine temp etc.

It may require a 1kU pull-up resistor to 12V if you’re using this output to fool the original engine management MAF input signal, or the MAF input signal on a transmission control unit. With the pull-up, the output is a mappable voltage between 1.5V and 10V.


Aux5 Out Y inputAux5 Out Y inputAux5 Out Y inputAux5 Out Y input

This variable determines which parameter to use for the y-axis for Aux5 Out.

Aux5 Out PwmAux5 Out PwmAux5 Out PwmAux5 Out Pwm

Duty cycle controlled by NIRA i3+ as a function of RPM and the parameter chosen for the y-axis.

6.11.46.11.46.11.46.11.4 Aux6 OutAux6 OutAux6 OutAux6 Out

Aux6 is an advanced multi-functional output. It can be set up as a digital signal, on/off for fan control, nitrous oxide, shift light etc.

Aux6 is mappable against most variables, such as boost pressure, rpm, throttle angle, air mass (~ torque) (mg/stroke), engine temp etc.

Aux6 Out Y inputAux6 Out Y inputAux6 Out Y inputAux6 Out Y input

This variable determines which parameter to use for the y-axis for Aux6 Out.

Aux6 Out Aux6 Out Aux6 Out Aux6 Out

The table shows the output value as a function of RPM and the parameter chosen for the y-axis. The output is active when the value in the table is 1 and inactive when the value is 0.

Aux6 Invert LoadAux6 Invert LoadAux6 Invert LoadAux6 Invert Load

This variable determines if the signal is active high or active low. ”Not Inverted” means active high.

6.126.126.126.12 FlexiPorts™ FlexiPorts™ FlexiPorts™ FlexiPorts™

FlexiPorts™ is a very powerful concept that enables ignition, fuel injection, boost and launch control to be altered as a function of a parameter of your choice. FlexiPorts™ together with the 6 auxiliary in/outputs provides an endless variety of functions.

FlexiPorts™ is a couple of maps that affects the mapping for ignition, fuel injection, boost and launch control. With FlexiPorts™ these functions can be controlled with anyone of the parameters available in the system without affecting the basic mapping.


Examples of functions that can be utilized with FlexiPorts™:

Compensating the fuel mass as a function of

• Fuel pressure • Fuel temperature • Atmospheric pressure (altitude) • Pressure in the exhaust manifold

Ignition

• Switch to change ignition timing depending on fuel type • Different ignition advance depending on gear, e.g. earlier ignition on

the lower gears at a certain rpm

Turbo

• Boost compensation, controlled by a switch on the dashboard. Adjust boost pressure depending on driving conditions

• Compensate the boost pressure as a function of the pressure before the turbo, very useful on engines with restrictors.

• Compensate boost pressure as a function of the pressure in the exhaust manifold

• Different boost pressure on different gears

Launch Control

• Adjust Launch control rpm with a potentiometer on the dashboard. One setting for Launch control and one for pit lane speed.

On the two Aux inputs a variety of sensors and switches can be read, e.g. temperature sensors, pressure sensors. Only ones imagination sets the limits for which functions that FlexiPorts™ can be used for.

The maps for The maps for The maps for The maps for FlexiPorts™ are found under 2 Mappings 2 Mappings 2 Mappings 2 Mappings ----> 10.FlexiPorts> 10.FlexiPorts> 10.FlexiPorts> 10.FlexiPorts

The maps are:

• FlexiPorts Fuel Comp TableFlexiPorts Fuel Comp TableFlexiPorts Fuel Comp TableFlexiPorts Fuel Comp Table. States how many percent that should be added or subtracted from the calculated fuel amount. Positive numbers adds fuel negative subtracts, 6 x 6 cells.

• FlexiPorts Boost Comp TableFlexiPorts Boost Comp TableFlexiPorts Boost Comp TableFlexiPorts Boost Comp Table. States if the desired boost pressure should be increased or decreased. The numbers in the table are pressure, 6 x 6 cells.


• FlexiPorts Ignition Comp Table.FlexiPorts Ignition Comp Table.FlexiPorts Ignition Comp Table.FlexiPorts Ignition Comp Table. States the number of degrees that the ignition should be moved. Negative values gives retardation, 6 x 6 cells.

• FlexiPorts Launch Comp Table. FlexiPorts Launch Comp Table. FlexiPorts Launch Comp Table. FlexiPorts Launch Comp Table. States the correction off Launch RPM Limit Cut In, 1 x 6 cells.

FlexiPorts™ can be mapped as a function of any parameter in the system. The choice is made with the following parameters

• FlexiPorts Boost Comp X InputFlexiPorts Boost Comp X InputFlexiPorts Boost Comp X InputFlexiPorts Boost Comp X Input • FlexiPorts Boost Comp Y InputFlexiPorts Boost Comp Y InputFlexiPorts Boost Comp Y InputFlexiPorts Boost Comp Y Input • FlexiPorts Fuel Comp X InputFlexiPorts Fuel Comp X InputFlexiPorts Fuel Comp X InputFlexiPorts Fuel Comp X Input • FlexiPorts Fuel ComFlexiPorts Fuel ComFlexiPorts Fuel ComFlexiPorts Fuel Comp Y Inputp Y Inputp Y Inputp Y Input • FlexiPorts Ignition Comp X InputFlexiPorts Ignition Comp X InputFlexiPorts Ignition Comp X InputFlexiPorts Ignition Comp X Input • FlexiPorts Ignition Comp Y InputFlexiPorts Ignition Comp Y InputFlexiPorts Ignition Comp Y InputFlexiPorts Ignition Comp Y Input • FlexiPorts Launch FlexiPorts Launch FlexiPorts Launch FlexiPorts Launch CompCompCompComp InputInputInputInput

Each of these table axes’s can be set to one of 70 different parameters in the system, e.g. rpm, Manifold Air Pressure, Throttle Position, Aux1-4 In etc

Example 1:Example 1:Example 1:Example 1: Use a potentiometer on the dashboard that makes it possible to correct the boost pressure between 3000 and 7000 rpm in the same time as you have a swith that reduces the boost pressure over the whole rpm range.

The example below only yieldThe example below only yieldThe example below only yieldThe example below only yieldssss if you use Closed Loop boost regulator and the mapping corresponding to it is correct.

Do like this:Do like this:Do like this:Do like this:

Connect a potentiometer the goes between 0-5Komhin series with a 1kOhms resistor between Aux3 Gnd and Aux3 In. Connect a switch over the 1kOhm resistor and the potentiometer that short circuits it. Se figure below:


NIRA i3+ will get the following values from Aux3 In:

With the switch open the maximum value is 6kOhm (1+5kOhm) and the minimum value is 1kOhm (1+0kOhm)

With the switch closed will the value be 0 Ohm regardless of where the potentiometer stands

Make the following changes in Make the following changes in Make the following changes in Make the following changes in NIRA rk:NIRA rk:NIRA rk:NIRA rk:

1) Enter mappings->10.FlexiPorts10.FlexiPorts10.FlexiPorts10.FlexiPorts

2) Set FlexiPorts Boost Comp Table X Input to RPM

3) Set FlexiPorts Boost Comp Table Y Input to Aux3 In Sens Res

Enter the desired rpm points on the x-axis and resistances on the y-axis as shown below in FlexiPorts Boost Comp Table:

Aux3, GND

Aux3, in

Potentiometer, approx 5 kOhm.

On the dashboard

1 kOhm resistor

Switch on the dasboard


The y-axis in FlexiPorts Boost Comp Table is now set to Aux3 In Sens Res and the unit is Ohm. The pressure should be lowered with 30 kPa over the whole rpm range when the resistance on Aux3 gets 0 Ohm, i.e. when the switch is closed. Set the lowest point to 200 Ohm which gives a margin for disturbances.

When the resistance is changed from 1 to 6kOhm at 5000 rpm the boost compensation will change linear from 0 to 70kPa

Example 2:Example 2:Example 2:Example 2:

If a large turbo is mounted it might need some assistance from nitrous injection on low rpm’s to rev up

You want a fully automatic control of the nitrous and that NIRA i3+ adds the extra fuel as a function of the cylinder pressure (torque)

You want the nitrous to be activated when the throttle position goes over 90% and the rpm is between 1500 to 4000, i.e. no nitrous above 4000 rpm or below 1500 rpm.

You want to have the fuel increment linear between 0 and 350 Nm torque and a large increment between 300 and 900 Nm. From the dyno run you know that 1200 mg/stroke equals 350 Nm for this engine.

Step 1:

Connect the nitrousvalve to Aux6 Out on NIRA i3+.

Make the following setup in NIRA rk:Make the following setup in NIRA rk:Make the following setup in NIRA rk:Make the following setup in NIRA rk:

1) Enter mappings->10. 10. 10. 10. FlexiPortsFlexiPortsFlexiPortsFlexiPorts

2) Set Aux6 Out X Input to RPM


3) Set Aux6 Out Y Input to Throttle position

4) Setup the Aux6 Out table as shown below:

This will activate the nitrous between 1500 and 3999 RPM if the throttle position goes above 90%.

5) Set FlexiPorts Fuel Comp X Input to Intake Air Mass

6) Set FlexiPorts Fuel Comp Y Input to Aux6 Out

FlexiPorts Fuel Comp Table as shown below, the grey cells are unused:

Instead if you want a constant fuel increment when the nitrous is activated setup FlexiPorts Fuel Comp Table as below:


7777 Electrical SpecificationsElectrical SpecificationsElectrical SpecificationsElectrical Specifications

7.17.17.17.1 Electro Magnetic Electro Magnetic Electro Magnetic Electro Magnetic Compatibility, EMCCompatibility, EMCCompatibility, EMCCompatibility, EMC

NIRA i3+ is tested against EMC and meets VOLVO TRUCK specification TR 1579908,SI3.

7.27.27.27.2 Power supplyPower supplyPower supplyPower supply

The nominal supply voltage for NIRA i3+ is 12 V. Min voltage is 6 Volt. Max voltage is 24 Volt.

7.37.37.37.3 Inputs Inputs Inputs Inputs

GND means signal ground (0 Volt) in this table.

NameNameNameName Sensor typeSensor typeSensor typeSensor type ImpedanceImpedanceImpedanceImpedance Signal levelSignal levelSignal levelSignal level CommentCommentCommentComment

IAT (MAT) sensor

Resistor 1.1 kOhm to 5V Nominal resistance 1.1kOhm

1024 steps 0-5 Volt

Engine Temp

Sensor

Resistor 1.1 kOhm to 5 V

Nominal resistance 1.1kOhm

1024 steps 0-5 Volt

MAP sensor signal

Active; ratiometric

100 kOhm to GND

0-5 Volt 1024 steps 0-5 Volt

Throttle sensor signal

Potentiometer 100 kOhm to GND


Aux 1 Active; ratiometric

10 kOhm to GND


Aux 2 Active; 100 kOhm to 0-5 Volt 1024 steps 0-5


ratiometric GND Volt

Aux 3 Resistor 2.7 kOhm to 5 V


1024 steps 0-5 Volt

Aux 4 Resistor 2.7 kOhm to 5 V


1024 steps 0-5 Volt

Lambda sensor,in

Analog 0-1200mV(1.2V)

2.2 MOhm to +/-5 V

0-1.2 V 1024 steps 0-1.2 V

Crank sensor,in Inductive pickup 10 kOhm to GND

0.4-400 Volt peak-peak

60 teeth, two missing

Cam sensor input

Ground triggered (negative flank)

Ri=10 kOhm to 5 V

Vh > 3.5 V

Vl < 1.5 V

Digital

EGTC, in Digital with pull-up

3.3 kOhm to 12 V

Vh > 3.5 V

Vl < 1.5 V

Digital

ALS Switch, in Ground controlled (body ground)

1.7 kOhm to 3.3 V

Off > 1.0 V

On < 0.6 V

Active low; on/off

Launch Button, in

Ground controlled (body ground)

2.7 kOhm to 3.3 V

Off > 1.2 V

On < 0.8 V

Active low; on/off

Flatshift Switch, in

Ground controlled (body ground)

3 kOhm to 12 V

Off > 3.5 V

On < 1.0 V

Active low; on/off

7.47.47.47.4 OutputsOutputsOutputsOutputs

All outputs are short-circuit protected. NIRA i3+ has powerful transistors on the outputs for fuel injectors, fuel pump relay and the boost pressure control valve. The current through the transistors is monitored continually and the max output current is 4A. The monitoring is automatic and limits the risk of overloading the transistors.

NameNameNameName TypeTypeTypeType ImpedanceImpedanceImpedanceImpedance CommentCommentCommentComment

Fuel Injector 1 Low side max 4 A 0.085 Ohm Current monitor; readable and programmable overload setting.






Boost Control Valve

Low side max 4 A 0.085 Ohm PWM. Current monitor; readable and programmable overload setting.

IAC Winding 1 Low side max 4 A 0.085 Ohm PWM. Current monitor; readable and programmable overload setting.

IAC Winding 2

(normally used)

Low side max 4 A 0.085 Ohm PWM. Current monitor; readable and programmable overload setting.

Fuel relay Low side max 1 A 0.2 Ohm Can drive 1-3 relays. Low = active. (Ground controlled)

Aux 5 Analog low side max 1 A. 0-12V with pull-up

0.2 Ohm PWM output 19,5kHz. Mappable duty cycle= Volt against e.g. RPM, boost pressure, torque, throttle angle etc. Often requires a pull-up.

Aux 6 Low side max 1 A. 0-12V with pull-up

0.2 Ohm On/off, mappable against e.g. RPM, pressure, throttle angle etc.

Tachometer out Low side with 3.3kOhm pull-up to 12V

3.3kOhm pull-up, 0.2 Ohm series impedance

Max 1 A. Gives a short pulse for each spark. Corresponds to the signal from a regular, single coil.

Ignition 1 Programmable, high side 5 V or low side 12 V

Max 150 mA driving. Max 400 mA to GND.

Drives coil-on-plug coils with built-in drivers directly. Drives Saab DI directly. Connect amplifier to drive passive coils.















Drives coil-on-plug coils with built-in drivers. Drives Saab DI directly. Connect amplifier to drive passive coils.

NIRA i3+NIRA i3+ HandbookHandbook_handbook.pdf · © 2005-2007 Nira Control AB 5 1111...

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Transcript of NIRA i3+NIRA i3+ HandbookHandbook_handbook.pdf · © 2005-2007 Nira Control AB 5 1111...