legacycentral bbs

I had bought this book on a recommendation over a year ago. I finally read it since I was getting into tuning my car. A lot of the modern day engine management stems from the original Bosch systems. This book goes over those systems.

While I wouldn't consider this book the best book out there, it does go over the basics of fuel injection and the different systems.

I did learn some things. For example, a 3-way catalyst works better with a slightly richer mixture or with a slight excess of air, which is why some cars have an air pump. That also may give insight as to why subaru's tend to run a little rich. It also may explain why the newer cars have an external air pump that pump air into the exhaust.

So there's some good fundamentals in the book. He speaks mostly of n/a engines.

There is a section on "high performance" tuning....however the jist of the section is that Bosch did a pretty good job at setting things up, and modifying it isn't too easy, blah, blah.

Overall....for the price it's worth a read. You'll probably pick up a few things you didn't know.

What newer cars have air pumps? I haven't seen one in years. We used to rip them out back in the day as a 'first thing' mod.

Steve

There was a new 05 or 06 forester XT at the dyno day the other weekend. It had one of these pumps.

The ones you're thinking of on the older cars may be different.....they may not be though.

All of the 06 Subaru's have air pumps.

Go pop the hood on an STi at your local dealer, and look behind the battery. Air pump yo.

Probably helps the cat be slightly more efficient.

That, and they can probably lean the mixture slightly which will increase mpg.

Is it electric?

Steve

yeah, pretty sure it's electric.

Ah, I remember seeing a few of these now, I think. Makes sense that's what they were. The old air pumps were ugly engine-driven accesories. Learn something new everyday.

Steve

Ooh, I wonder if those pumps could be used to pull a vacuum on the crankcase.

Yeah that'd be pretty cool if they could....then you could eliminate/reduce the current PCV plumbing, while still maintaining good crankcase vacuum.

Heres another way to look at it. If you can only have a certain % of emissions in your exhaust and you cant meet that % the easiest thing you can do is create more exhaust with out the emissions and the easiest way to do that is pump in plain old refreshing air!