Caspers Timing Commander

http://www.casperselectronics.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=CEI&Product_Code=103033&Category_Code=

Saw them at JEGS so I picked one up. 99 bucks, but hey I had a gift certificate, so Freebie.... Previously I had my PCM set up to force timing, and I just shoved a resister in the IAC socket. Cheap and easy, but this is way cooler cause you can control timing from inside the car, and you get a cool lil digital guage.

Basically, when stock your incomming temp sensor will bump or pull 1-2* of timing depending on the incomming air temp. You can reprogram that timing map to anything you want. For instance mine is +0-15 right now. I will probibly set it to -10,0-14 when I can finally tune my PCM. This way I can monitor kr and if it suits me I can pull or add timing as desired. Ultimately it makes the most sense to use this with atleast a KR guage and even better a wideband o2. But all that will come later.

I always thought that thing was sweet. My hope is to some day have this along with an aeroforce and wideband sitting where my current gauges are. I made sure to get the right size ones from work so the future ones will drop right in.

urbs, does it still work a little bit without switching the setting in the PCM? I always wondered if it capacitates the same timing changes as the IAT or nothing at all without switching the PCM..

I got sick of changing it constantly and went back to the IAT unless at the track on rocket fuel.

It's a sweet thing though..you'll have much enjoyment from driving the car like a dog w/o timing and then turning it up and surprising those Hondas.

In theory, can you use that thing to gain fuel economy on the expressway?

AA wrote:

In theory, can you use that thing to gain fuel economy on the expressway?

Yes and no, it depends where your timing is altered and how you have chosen to use the commander. Theoretically... you can gain mileage throughout the entire drive.

Turtle, you could plug a resistor into the socket and trick your PCM into adding a few degrees of timing. I am not sure what the stock table will add, depending on temp. I know on the SC'd cars it is less. I always heard it was around +/-2.5 degrees. I could be wrong I could tell you when I see the stock bin.

Honestly I dont think you would feel the difference.

QUICK INSTALL WRITE-UP / thread jack?





That is basically what it comes with - gauge, module, signal wire, power wire, belt for connecting the module to the gauge.




That's the hole its going into (for my install)



module mounted (3M double sided adhesive)

As packaged, the kit is pretty self explainitory. The signal wire already has the connector on it to plug right into where your IAT sensor does. The power, you just hook it up to an ignition-switched power source.

I went about connecting the signal wire a little differently because 1: I didn't want to run any wires through the firewall, 2: the supplied wire looked to be too short as is, and 3: I wanted to be able to quickly use my IAT sensor again in case I actually want to scan intake temps (ie for building a good intake, etc.)

I cut the female IAT connector off of the wire and used taps to make a parallel connection right at the PCM looms. A wiring diagram really isn't necessary for this. I have a few and I didn't use them. to find the 2 wires on the PCM looms, use a multimeter from connector to connector (set to check continuity) and try each pin until you get to the ones you need. The color of the wires narrows it down to just a few. Mine were black and tan for my 97. I don't believe it changes for different years.



That is one of the two taps I used. You don't have to cut or even strip any wires on the PCM or the gauge that way and it maintains your factory IAT wire going out to the engine compartment. Overall, I think this installation method is actually easier and cleaner than running their loom through the firewall to the connector. Obviously, don't have the actual IAT sensor plugged in at the same time as the gauge. The result will be a very low value of resistance that can do a few different goofy things you don't want. Just remember - ONE AT A TIME.

The rest is all the table accessable by your tuning software. You can essentially make it do what ever you want to do with timing according to airmass/cylinder level and preset 15 different selections

https://rivperformance.editboard.com/series-ii-scans-tuning-pcm-f5/interesting-comparison-of-iat-tables-t4375.htm

See above link for table editing for use with Caspers timing commander gauge

THat is SEX

very nice, thanks for the write up.

Almost looks like cheating because your pcm is inside the cabin.