Basics for a Noob

Fantastic forum -- I have learned a TON on this forum. You guys essentially talked me into a 2016 Civic EXL. But - like my daughter says about me in Fortnite - I'm a "noob".

So here's what I've done already. Honda Hack to root, tunerview lite (is there an advantage to full tunerview? HAPPY to pay $5 but getting it downloaded and moved over ... uhhh ... i am pure IOS so lots of learning). AND a KTuner 1.2

What did I do with the KTuner? I loaded the Stage 2 tune. Then I loaded the one on the bottom (dual target, factory eco). I been messing around. I barely know what i'm doing but I can follow instructions. I'm now a believer. Turned my commute from a real grind into something a lot more fun.

Ok - you knew there was a question. Here it is. Some tunes (maps?) seem to allow varieties and variations. For example, transmission in "D" it does x, transmission in "S" it does y, transmission in "D + Eco" it does z. Then there is yet ANOTHER way to change things up where you hold down the "cancel" button and use the RPM gauge as a way to tell what ... "level" (?) the tune is on? I been looking in the tuner software in my new windoze laptop trying to figure out how to set up exactly what _I_ want (or even understand the full range of possibilities) and I'm not figuring it out. I have read the KTuner help docs and ... I dunno, I'm a knuckle dragging cavemen and not sure I have the full background to "get" it. The guys post about misunderstanding "maps" versus "tunes"? read that like 12 times.

So. Here's what I'd LIKE to do. In "D" I'd like it to be a bit better than stock. In "D + Eco" i'd like it to be a true eco mode (whether that is stock or something stretched - i'm from a world of diesel tuning, KTuner may have a better ECO mode than Honda, dunno). Then when I put it on "S" I'd like it to be "edge of my equipment, no warranty here, you may be buying parts" (screw it, I paid 10k, i'll buy some darn parts). IF, inside that set of D, D+Eco, S options I can also select the 1000, 2000, 3000 "Level" -- yep, I'm all in on that as well.

So. uhhhhhhh, right now. In "D" it's pretty awesome. In "S" it's very awesome. I haven't tested "D+Eco" (but in theory I should have this). I am having great success flashing. I am having great success w/ TunerLite. I have messed in the software and I dont' see the spot where it says "Turn this quick adjust on when in D" or "I'm trying to save gas here, so make the eco button a super eco button" or "for level 1 (1000 rpm) make it this set of settings". Perhaps my ecu does not support and KTuner software already knows this?

Long ramble. Sorry.

TLDR: how do i set up customizations (end user customizations?) ?

Thanks!

Yeah whoah...long post. My head hurts.

Ktuner has a great help section that will help. But here's what I recommend ...

First of all, remember D (drive) and S(sport) on the transmission have nothing to do with an ECU tune. They are different transmission setups that change simulated shift points.

Concentrate on loading the dual tune. The Stage tunes aren't adjustable. With the dual tune, you have different boost targets. One psi for normal mode (non eco) and one for use with the econ button. So, set the normal for a higher psi and econ button one for low boost. In addition, you have throttle and turbo response settings that can be tweaked. Those settings are up to you and a bit of trial and error.

Start with that. Later you can play around with the additional on the fly cruise control tunes. All setups have been tested safe and you can't really mess anything up.

Yeah - it kinda was a lot of words - sorry.

Ok -- so the difference between D and S isn't something that KTuner adjusts? Huh. That is a huge point for me to understand. The ECO button however has the ability to influence both the ECU and the trans? Or the ECO button is just an ECU adjustment and uses whatever shift points you have selected w/ D vs S?

ok -- will make sure that i have the dual tune on. seems like i should be able to take one of the starter tunes and "make" it a dual tune? or am i not really understanding that?

Only the dual tune gives you the ability to use the Econ button for a different amount of boost. On the other starter tunes, boost is the same with or without the Econ button pressed.

another click in my brain -- got it.

so yeah -- the dual tune is definitely what i want right now --- operationally you'd either be "D" w/ eco pressed (to be in traffic or save fuel money) --- OR you'd be in "S" w/ eco not-pressed (so you'd get the more aggressive shifting w/ the more aggro ecu tune). Do i have that correct?

for those finding this later -- this IS addressed by KTuner help here (the fancy words for this is dual boost targets): http://www.ktuner.com/KTunerHelp/dual_boost_targets.htm?ms=AksLMFgDAQIECBA=&st=MA==&sct=OTky&mw=MjQw

next question - w/ full version of tunerview and my ktuner 1.2 bluetooth there is some implication that you can load from tunerview -- does that work for us? the little microsoft laptop i got isn't awesome --- the idea of storing 5 tunes on the Ktuner and being able to just use the head unit to load different ones is cool. anyone already been down this road?

so what is the thing w/ the cruise control off --- hold cancel -- use RPM to turn stuff up and down? is that a thing too or am i getting overly complex?

flipfloplife said:

So here's what I've done already. Honda Hack to root, tunerview lite (is there an advantage to full tunerview? HAPPY to pay $5 but getting it downloaded and moved over ... uhhh ... i am pure IOS so lots of learning). AND a KTuner 1.2

Click to expand...

Full TunerView have:
- Video record option with overlay gauges
- Logging to CSV
- GPS logging
- LogViewer (Graph,Playback,Table)
- +1 Layout with Google Maps.
And it runs faster in a proper device (50USD Amazon Fire is the cheapest option). Head unit is quite low end device.

The cruise control buttons switch and set your on the fly tunes. You can have 3 tunes with different boost targets for normal and eco.

GT -- ok got it -- do you know the fancy words I look up in KTuner help to look that "on the fly tunes" portion? because eco/normal w/ 3 boost targets each (and different quick adjust /enable each?) --- that's a lot of pre-loaded options!

Linszter -- makes sense. am considering the Phoenix replacement head unit as a more capable android device. also in light of the RPM / cruise control and eco button live switching it seems no need to switch through TView (once i get my stuff straight...).

flipfloplife said:

Linszter -- makes sense. am considering the Phoenix replacement head unit as a more capable android device. also in light of the RPM / cruise control and eco button live switching it seems no need to switch through TView (once i get my stuff straight...).

Click to expand...

Well, the Phoenix head unit is worse than the stock one and you can't use TunerView on it.

Linszter -- ooooohhhhh - that sucks. ok -- so is there something that pops in there that provides the audio driving we'd like (whole add amp, might as well do speakers -- that's a whole nother THING, that i'd rather not crack yet). So what fits in that space? Honestly I was pretty happy with my Pioneer AVH-2300 in my truck. Do you have a recommend for the civic?

flipfloplife said:

Linszter -- ooooohhhhh - that sucks. ok -- so is there something that pops in there that provides the audio driving we'd like (whole add amp, might as well do speakers -- that's a whole nother THING, that i'd rather not crack yet). So what fits in that space? Honestly I was pretty happy with my Pioneer AVH-2300 in my truck. Do you have a recommend for the civic?

Click to expand...

I can't recommend anything because I don't have experience. I just now that TunerViewLite works fine on the stock head unit, but sometimes it has issue with android auto...etc. Phoenix audio will not work with TunerViewLite because it's crap on software and bluetooth side.

flipfloplife said:

GT -- ok got it -- do you know the fancy words I look up in KTuner help to look that "on the fly tunes" portion? because eco/normal w/ 3 boost targets each (and different quick adjust /enable each?) --- that's a lot of pre-loaded options!

Click to expand...

flipflop,

Based on your comments and your newness to tuning, don't try to do everything all at once. Just do a basic dual tune and pick your two boost targets. You can do some quick adjustments for throttle, ramp and spool or just leave them at factory. Then try that tune out and see if you like it. Mostly, read the Ktuner help pages to get more familiar with tuning. Read all you can in the forums here too. Later on you can always try out the on the fly settings.

Just my opinion though, ultimately do it however you like.

flipfloplife said:

Linszter -- makes sense. am considering the Phoenix replacement head unit as a more capable android device. also in light of the RPM / cruise control and eco button live switching it seems no need to switch through TView (once i get my stuff straight...).

Click to expand...

What capability are you looking for? Have you looked into Honda Hack? It basically roots your HU and effectively turns it into a tablet. Albeit one with not a lot of memory or storage and it's stuck on Android 4.2.2. But it does open up the possibility of using apps you can't otherwise have, as well as a host of other options. I personally love it, installing Spotify directly onto the HU and using a USB stick for downloaded storage allows us '16 ex-l folk to bypass the stock eq/dsp(which every other model can do by going deep into menus, but not us), the sound difference is pretty astonishing. I was looking into upgrading the stock amp and speakers, but now I don't need to(though tbh, I'm not really a big thump thump guy, I just need decent sound quality).

Yep -- did the Honda Hack thing -- I don't have it real loaded down so I dunno ... seems to run great for me? I'm a waze guy -- and got TunerLite working w/ BT to the KTuner 1.2. I'm pretty happy w/ my setup. Great tip on the Spotify -- I'm definitely going to work that. At first I was using Apple Play a lot -- but even w/ an iphone my workflow is actually just smoother and easier just BT phone to HU. It will do all the phone features just fine via BT ... you don't get to do texts (correction: i haven't figured out how to do texts) via the HU, but you can still just use Siri on the phone to do the exact. same. thing. hands-off. so i'm not sure what the big win is w/ apple play there. apple play is admittedly an IoS feeling experience -- but for me it seems to drop out a lot, and the wifi doesn't share well from the phone when i use apple play (and wifi makes the android waze thing work pretty well). anyway. I'm rambling, but for folks who are looking at different setups, that's what i'm doing.