Mac Solenoid wont hold boost

AllMotorMatt · Post by **AllMotorMatt** » Sun Mar 20, 2011 2:17 pm

I've looked through the other threads of similar issues to no help. Car was tuned on a manual controller and the fixed duty cycle has been at 63%
I installed my mac solenoid this weekend and have been trying to tune it to no luck.
No matter what duty cycle I enter it won't hold boost and I keep hitting boost cut which is set at 22 psi. It's tough to get good logs due to how quickly it spools and hits boost cut.

Attached are a log and my cal.

AREA876 · Post by **AREA876** » Sun Mar 20, 2011 5:03 pm

Try starting from 1% fix duty cycle, you should be on wastegate pressure, then you can increase from there.

If that doesn't work check your hose connections

There is to be a T between the turbo, bottom of the wastegate and the solenoid.

AllMotorMatt · Post by **AllMotorMatt** » Sun Mar 20, 2011 6:06 pm

AREA876 wrote:Try starting from 1% fix duty cycle, you should be on wastegate pressure, then you can increase from there.

If that doesn't work check your hose connections

There is to be a T between the turbo, bottom of the wastegate and the solenoid.

The vacuum lines are correct. Didn't start from 1% and go up so I will try it. Plugged in tons of values to no luck though.
Also the more I read the more I think I should be using the gear based duty cycle as it seems to determine duty cycle based off the boost by gear table.

AREA876 · Post by **AREA876** » Mon Mar 21, 2011 5:43 am

You need to know the fix duty cycle before you can fill out the other tables.

AllMotorMatt · Post by **AllMotorMatt** » Mon Mar 21, 2011 8:58 am

AREA876 wrote:You need to know the fix duty cycle before you can fill out the other tables.

Yes however the Hondata info states:

This setting will output a duty cycle based on the boost by rpm & gear table. The pressure vs duty cycle table is not used with this setting.

which makes things confusing, so I guess that's my hang up.

When that option is selected is disabled the Fixed duty cycle and pressure vs duty cycle table.

Post by **Spunkster** » Mon Mar 21, 2011 5:01 pm

http://www.hondata.com/help/smanager/bo ... st+control

AllMotorMatt · Post by **AllMotorMatt** » Sun Mar 27, 2011 5:54 pm

Spunkster wrote:http://www.hondata.com/help/smanager/bo ... st+control

I read that, see post above. It's very cryptic.

Post by **Spunkster** » Mon Mar 28, 2011 11:24 am

Pressure vs Duty Cycle

The Pressure vs Duty Cycle table contains a lookup of pressure valves which correspond to a solenoid duty cycle. The values for this table must be set by using a fixed duty cycle (see Control Method) and noting the resulting manifold pressure. Note that different ambient conditions will result in slightly different boost pressures for the same duty cycle.

Johnny_9 · Post by **Johnny_9** » Tue Mar 29, 2011 6:37 am

AllMotorMatt wrote:
Spunkster wrote:http://www.hondata.com/help/smanager/bo ... st+control
I read that, see post above. It's very cryptic.

x2

CarlosSpiceyWiener · Post by **CarlosSpiceyWiener** » Thu Mar 31, 2011 8:40 pm

Spunkster wrote:Pressure vs Duty Cycle

The Pressure vs Duty Cycle table contains a lookup of pressure valves which correspond to a solenoid duty cycle. The values for this table must be set by using a fixed duty cycle (see Control Method) and noting the resulting manifold pressure. Note that different ambient conditions will result in slightly different boost pressures for the same duty cycle.

We can't get mine to work either, so I'm in the same boat as the OP.

Right now I'm trying to edit my tables to match yours to at least have a base. They were all negative values from -11 to -13 default, normal?

When I try and change the values they WILL NOT change, they just go back the second I click, enter, tab. How did you get the values to change and keep?

AREA876 · Post by **AREA876** » Fri Apr 01, 2011 6:48 am

Start editing from the right, but first you need to use fix duty cycle to know what duty cycle gives you what boost.

CarlosSpiceyWiener · Post by **CarlosSpiceyWiener** » Fri Apr 01, 2011 6:53 pm

AREA876 wrote:Start editing from the right, but first you need to use fix duty cycle to know what duty cycle gives you what boost.

Ok, but here is the issue. No matter what I put in for fixed duty cycle, 1-100 NOTHING changes, 7psi, on the gate, always.

12+ is good, we even bypassed it and ran it to the battery one pull, and I can get the ground from the ECU to trip a test light as mentioned.

CarlosSpiceyWiener · Post by **CarlosSpiceyWiener** » Sat Apr 02, 2011 8:59 am

I'm officially hijacking this thread, sorry Matt.

I really want the S300 boost control to work and so far it does nothing and I'm stumped. I'm hoping that it's just a setting in the software and not an actual mechanical problem with my WG or the MAC.

Any ideas? Anyone?

I have an SCCA race tomorrow and I'd love to prove that a boosted FWD car can go fast if tuned properly 8)

AREA876 · Post by **AREA876** » Sun Apr 03, 2011 6:01 am

CarlosSpiceyWiener wrote:I'm officially hijacking this thread, sorry Matt.

I really want the S300 boost control to work and so far it does nothing and I'm stumped. I'm hoping that it's just a setting in the software and not an actual mechanical problem with my WG or the MAC.

Any ideas? Anyone?

I have an SCCA race tomorrow and I'd love to prove that a boosted FWD car can go fast if tuned properly 8)

Post calibration and a datalog

locash · Post by **locash** » Sun Apr 03, 2011 10:13 pm

Ok guys, lets simplify things a bit to help you figure this out.

This is for the Mac style valve as seen here: http://www.hondata.com/images/hondata_s ... _small.jpg

First, test to make sure that the solenoid is working.

1. Set the boost control solenoid type to "Maximum boost at 100% duty/normally closed"

2. Set the boost control parameters. Do this by first enabling the boost control, and then putting it in fixed duty cycle mode, set the fixed duty to say, 40%.

3. Set the activation pressure to 0 Kpa. (this is off the top of my head)

4. Turn on the ignition (do not start the car) and upload the program.

At this point, the solenoid should be buzzing. If it is not making noise, verify that the PWM components were properly installed, have the solenoid tested, or re-check electrical connections. Do not continue until the solenoid is working.

If the solenoid works, verify the vacuum line connections:

(Once again, this is for the Mac style valve as seen here: http://www.hondata.com/images/hondata_s ... _small.jpg )

Port 1 to Bottom port of wastegate and Tee'd to boost reference (preferrably on the compressor housing, but intake manifold will work as well).

Port 2 to Top port of wastegate.

Port 3 is vent through muffler.

Make sure the boost cut is set to a safe point.

At this point, make a datalogged test run with the boost control parameters disabled (preferrably on the dyno) and it should run off the wastegate spring. If boost is uncontrollable right now, and it wasnt when originally running off the wastegate, perhaps there is a solenoid problem.

Assuming all went well on the first test, set the fixed duty cycle to 30% and make another datalogged run. If the engine overboosted, try a lower duty cycle, say 20%, if the boost did not go up, try 40%. Once you have a higher boost level than running off of the wastegate, start making notes of what duty cycle equals what psi, ie:

30% duty = 9 psi
35% duty = 11 psi
40% duty = 14 psi
45% duty = 18 psi
etc.

Once you achieve the maximum desired boost level, you can then build your boost vs duty cycle table (if using gear based target boost), or you can just use your notes to make a duty cycle table.

Hopefully I didnt forget anything, and this makes more sense. If you still have problems, re-read the above, or find someone capable of diagnosing the problem.