HOWTO: Launch Control / Rolling Antilag via Cruise Control Paddle - Ford Falcon

[Roland@pcmtec]

First see this thread to setup your Multi Flash Tune (MFT) Custom Operating System.

This launch control system is activated whilst he cruise control paddle is held in. As you can see it goes from 2psi without launch control to 9psi. This is on a large frame GTX42 style turbo.

The launch control maps are activated by holding down the cruise control paddle. The goal here is to build as much boost as possible and reduce torque to stop the vehicle braking through the torque converter or revving too hard.

WARNING This system can destroy turbines, valves and anything not heat shielded that is near the turbo if you do this for an extended period of time. It is recommended to be used for a few seconds at a time at the drag strip. If you have a cracked exhaust manifold, housing or snapped exhaust studs this will amplify the problem in a very short period of time. If you have weak valve springs this may also cause the lifters to pump up and cause a lumpy idle immediately after using the launch mode. If you use this system then immediately turn the vehicle off you may cause the turbo bearing shaft to droop (due to it being so hot it bends) this will then destroy the turbo next startup. Ensure you cool the turbo and engine down for at least 5 minutes after use. This can also melt catalytic converters possibly blocking your muffler, ensure it is only used with an aftermarket exhaust.

This system should only be set up for customers vehicles who have been explained the risks and know when to use it, similar to using a 2-step or transbrake.

First ensure your TPS threshold is setup such that the vehicle will go into open loop when in launch control

Next we can start modifying the launch control spark maps. For an aggressive spark map that causes the maximum boost to be generated you could use the following. Note you would need to change the minimum spark clip to -20 to actually see these spark values.

auF16593_LaunchTune_Fuel1

Now if you want to ensure the vehicle cannot stay in this region for an extended period of time you could just add a spark hole instead. In this example once a certain amount of boost has been made it will either break through the converter, or if in a manual vehicle it will just rev to redline.

auF16593_LaunchTune_Fuel1

For an automatic it is recommended to set the -20 column just before the converter slip limit is reached, this way the car will reach the converter slip limit at 2500 (for example) rpm, hit -20 degrees, lose torque and drop rpm, when the rpm drops the timing will increase bringing it back up. This will cause the car to bounce between say 2400 and 2500 rpm like a limiter. If you set the timing negative too early, the car will not get high enough on the converter and will not build boost.

For the launch fuel map you can go fairly rich, I found the engine will misfire much below 0.74 lambda, when cold even 0.78 will cause a misfire at times.

For late model FGs you will also likely need to set up the following to remove the factory torque limits when launching the car. Beware doing so may result in broken driveshafts and axles if they have not been upgraded.

auF0172_LaunchTune_Fuel1

Regarding cam timing we can use a fairly aggressive overlap of 30-35 degrees. Ensure you set both Max Overlap tables

auF16492_LaunchTune_Fuel1

auF16503_LaunchTune_Fuel1

For the wastegate duty cycle we recommend zeroing the duty cycle at high revs to ensure you do not overboost. Note on a stock gt3582 even with 0 duty cycle you can still overboost. This must be checked on the dyno to ensure it is safe. We highly recommend you DO NOT disable the factory overboost protection (eg boost sensor and tmap max volts). If you disable these settings and overboost pegging the map sensor you will lean the engine out and eventually melt a piston.

auF0307_LaunchTune_Fuel1

[finnigan001]

Just a question about activating the launch tune.  When the car is driving, and you hold in the cruise does it just switch to the 'launch tune' tables or do you have to be at a complete stop.

If it can be used anytime, it be used as a scramble button. Yes/no?  i.e. keep all the tables in the launch tune the same as a the tune you are running except for the boost table.  Then you could theoretically hold in the cruise when you 'need' slightly more boost?  Just thinking out loud.

Could be useful for those bracket racing etc.  Or even just for being on a low boost tune but being able to induce high boost tables when wanted without restarting car?

 

[Roland@pcmtec]

It works under all scenarios so you can use it for rolling anti lag or an overboost/scramble button.

Maxx put a video up showing how it works as rolling anti lag. I use it in my car as well and it is amazingly good fun. You can load up the car at 2000rpm in 4th and get full boost. Let the button go and it is like a sling shot. Great fun!

Live high low boost switching we will have soon via some combination of holding the cruise buttons down all at once without requiring the car to be off.

You can also wire in a rotary dial into the rear o2 sensor and couple this with the multi tune for variable boost on the run. This would then interpolate between the 98 and e85 maps which you could set up to only have boost tables in giving you variable boost.

edit: Live tune changing with the engine running is now possible. This means boost/ghost cam etc can be toggled at any time.

[BeerTurbo]

On 8/7/2019 at 2:53 PM, Roland@pcmtec said:

Live high low boost switching we will have soon via some combination of holding the cruise buttons down all at once without requiring the car to be off.

 

I know ive asked before and you have said no one else has really requested it, but its been some time so i was wondering if anyone else has request boost maps based on transmission modes? L/h boost for D/P modes?

 

+ is activation of the launch control mode possible when your on the brake and touching accelerator > instead of holding cruse control?

Edited December 20, 2019 by BeerTurbo

[Roland@pcmtec]

1 hour ago, BeerTurbo said:

I know ive asked before and you have said no one else has really requested it, but its been some time so i was wondering if anyone else has request boost maps based on transmission modes? L/h boost for D/P modes?

+ is activation of the launch control mode possible when your on the brake and touching accelerator > instead of holding cruse control?

The multi tune basically covers all scenarios for boost control now so it's unlikely we will change it. You can change the boost map (or anything really) with the car running now.

We could change the launch control setup, but it takes us weeks to test new changes especially to ensure backwards compatibility so it is unlikely we will change it in the future now. The testing required means it would be close to 10k in R&D to make a change like that.

Basically we have to design something that caters to the masses, if we made every combination possible you'd end up with an aftermarket ECU and then we would have to charge the same to make it profitable.

[bos330]

Hi can launch control function/tune be used for boss 5.4 and miami v8s?

[Roland@pcmtec]

17 hours ago, bos330 said:

Hi can launch control function/tune be used for boss 5.4 and miami v8s?

Yes it can. You can still use a spark hole or a rev limiter (for a manual).

Obviously there is no turbo to spool so the system will be a lot simpler. In the case of the 5.0 supercharged you probably actually want it to reduce power so that you don't turn the tyres. All comes down to the use case and the goal as to what the tuner will do.

[bos330]

On 4/9/2020 at 10:35 AM, Roland@pcmtec said:

Yes it can. You can still use a spark hole or a rev limiter (for a manual).

Obviously there is no turbo to spool so the system will be a lot simpler. In the case of the 5.0 supercharged you probably actually want it to reduce power so that you don't turn the tyres. All comes down to the use case and the goal as to what the tuner will do.

beauty thanks Roland yeah i was basically asking for drag strip situations. Should help heaps having finer control.

[Superb]

@Roland@pcmtec Is it possible to map the cruise button toggle for separate tunes only. Maybe in a future release ? 😘

[Roland@pcmtec]

What do you mean? We already use the cruise control to change tunes

[Superb]

What I mean is having the cruise toggle do different things within the tunes.

So Tune 1 anti-lag when cruise is pressed, Tune 2 disable etc.

Edited October 12, 2020 by Superb

[Roland@pcmtec]

I dont really follow the reason/use case. 

Its momentary, if you don't want to use it, simply don't use it? 

[Superb]

That is true, was on the wavelength of having a normal daily tune with say over boost scramble, roll race tune with anti lag etc. 

[JMSMotorsport]

Is it possible to have a quick limiter. So pull the cruise get it into boosts and it just bounces off a limiter at say 4000rpm. I’ve got it to do it but it’s very slow to rev back up. 

[Roland@pcmtec]

5 hours ago, JMSMotorsport said:

Is it possible to have a quick limiter. So pull the cruise get it into boosts and it just bounces off a limiter at say 4000rpm. I’ve got it to do it but it’s very slow to rev back up. 

What is the goal? Almost all the time a soft limiter with spark retard is better. You don't need a full cyl cutout when in gear otherwise you loose too much torque and it makes for inconsistent launches.

You can of course put a simple rev limiter in the launch tune though, you will need to adjust the deadband/hysterisis though as otherwise it will drop 2-300 rpm per bounce.

[JMSMotorsport]

1 hour ago, Roland@pcmtec said:

What is the goal? Almost all the time a soft limiter with spark retard is better. You don't need a full cyl cutout when in gear otherwise you loose too much torque and it makes for inconsistent launches.

You can of course put a simple rev limiter in the launch tune though, you will need to adjust the deadband/hysterisis though as otherwise it will drop 2-300 rpm per bounce.

Customer was after the ability to be rolling next to someone on the streets of Mexico pull the cruise back stomp the pedal to build boost and let it go. 
 

I do have a limiter setup and I think you may have given me what to do with the dead band. Do I increase or decrease? Or just simply play around with it. 
 

I have it making around 14psi on the launch tune as is. But as it hits the limiter it drops then comes back up due to the big rpm drop. 

[Roland@pcmtec]

If that is the case what is wrong with the normal fuel dump and retarded timing which is described in this thread? This builds the maximum amount of boost unlike a limiter which will cut fuel and hence build less boost. This will also be smoother.

[JMSMotorsport]

Hmm I must have missed something when going that way. Won’t it just continue to rev? 

[Roland@pcmtec]

I tried 0.6 lambda and -25deg timing and it wouldn't rev past 4k in neutral. In gear you can get it to hold fairly still. Eventually it will break through but you could set a rev limiter at say 4k with a combination of fuel dump and spark retard before that and it should hover between the limiter and the retard fairly well. 

Experimentatiom here is key. Beware you will likely melt things. 

[JMSMotorsport]

Cheers Roland, will keep experimenting. 

[yoda598]

This is what I put together, works well. Mainly used in manual setups. Yet to test in an auto with a big stally.

[JMSMotorsport]

3 minutes ago, yoda598 said:

This is what I put together, works well. Mainly used in manual setups. Yet to test in an auto with a big stally.

This is what I’m chasing. Would you mind sharing the settings that achieved this? 

[Roland@pcmtec]

7 hours ago, JMSMotorsport said:

This is what I’m chasing. Would you mind sharing the settings that achieved this? 

That is a manual in neutral. It is not going to work the same in an auto or if you are in gear doing a rolling launch.

[Puffwagon]

I've got an auto and use rolling antilag all the time. I use it to launch the car too.

I don't use a rev limiter at all, I use -20 timing in the launch tune after the rpm I want it to activate ie; 2250rpm onwards, for launching on a stock converter, and set the entire fuel map in the launch tune to 0.75 lambda.

I've set my desired boost to 17psi and the wg table to whatever will be close to 17psi. It will cut the boost after 17psi according the the over/underboost settings so either import them to the launch tune or adjust your launch tune desired boost accordingly.

It can push through these setting at wot but not much and spools an aeroflow 76mm turbo very quickly when rolling. It can make a metric fucktonne of boost against the converter/footbrake/handbrake with a 66mm garrett so be aware that it can do this.

[yoda598]

18 hours ago, Roland@pcmtec said:

That is a manual in neutral. It is not going to work the same in an auto or if you are in gear doing a rolling launch.

actually an auto car (HAAMFA5) i was doing some testing with. it is in neutral though. we were just testing how aggressive i could make it as a rev limiter. works beautiful as a "launch control" function on the multi tune with a big stally. will have videos soon enough. just don't have too much spare time at the minute

[john.z]

Oops… 

If you’re testing this with no load on the engine (manual xr8), make sure you let your foot off the throttle before letting go of the button 😅

[Roland@pcmtec]

No rev limiter? Or the rev limiter was the issue? 

[jakka351]

as in let your foot of the throttle before letting the cruise control button out, did you release cruise control button with foot flat to floor and it switched to a different tune and pop? What RPM was launch control set at/the standard rpm limit. I've dropped my limiter down to 5900rpm on my 5.4 as it has done 200,000 kms with the limiter set at 6750rpm, limiting bashing these will spin the flywheel down the road. 

[john.z]

There was no over rev or weird loud sound, until it went back to idle and started ticking like a lash adjuster sounds. 
 

basically what happened is I was playing around with it, got to 4K with 9psi. Let go of the button just before the throttle. The tune would have changed back, saw 9psi at 4K and immediately changed from -20° to 15°. You can imagine with that amount of boost, compression and advance, a free revving engine would struggle to roll over top dead centre. Stock rod just couldn’t handle it 

[Roland@pcmtec]

That's why we recommend a smooth spark hole that it comes out of on its own. That way you don't get step changes in combustion pressure like that. Eg blending from -20 slowly back to where you want to be. Then when you let the paddle go it'll already be at the timing you want. 

Eg if you do this it has 500 rpm to blend back to normal timing. If it's on the edge of combustion limits you'd probably smooth it further and be less aggressive again. 

[westo]

So just a question about the launch control, when installed the custom OS does the cruise control still work, there is no hold time on cruise control paddle  for the anti lag so as soon as I press the paddle it goes straight into anti lag, also while driving I press the res button and I’m able to change tunes without having to hold in cruise control paddle to activate the tune selection, maybe I need to change something? 

[Roland@pcmtec]

They both activate simultaneously. The cruise part of the map should have stock timing to ensure turning cruise on and off doesn't make the car buck around. 

Check out the video again re the other question. It is normal.