⚡ EFI TriageStop guessing. Triage the system. Then tune.

Living EFI field guide prototype

Forum advice is not enough. Beginners need the lingo, the UI location, and the correct order.

EFI Triage turns confusing tuning language into plain-English cards, diagnostic branches, ECU-specific UI maps, and safe next steps.

Open a Triage Tree Browse Cards Join Founding Access

Start here

The screen is not the engine.

The ECU only knows what the sensors, wiring, calibration, firmware, and software project tell it. A number on the laptop can be an engine problem, a wiring problem, a calibration problem, a dashboard-channel problem, or a process-order problem.

First principle: Verify reality before changing the tune.

Order of operations

  1. Back up the tune/project.
  2. Confirm ECU power during key-on and crank.
  3. Verify TPS, MAP, CLT, MAT, wideband.
  4. Enter injector data and fuel pressure assumptions.
  5. Verify base timing with a timing light.
  6. First start, warm idle, first drive, then boost.

Choose your pace

Idle, Cruise, Throttle Stab, or WOT.

Idle Mode — explain it all

For brand-new users. Shows plain-language definitions, warnings, diagrams, prerequisite cards, and full procedures.

Cruise Mode — guided checklist

For users who know some basics but still want structure, UI paths, log channels, and reminders.

Throttle Stab Mode — fast triage

For experienced users. Shows the short checklist, pass/fail checks, software location, and danger points.

WOT Mode — pro reference

Minimal hand-holding. Dependency checklist, raw channels, advanced notes, and references. Safety gates still stay visible.

Cards

Short lessons that branch into procedures.

E-01 / Electrical

Pull to Ground

The ECU turns a device on by completing the ground side of the circuit. Also called low-side output or ground trigger.

Trap: The wire may show 12V when off and near 0V when on.

Glossary →
E-02 / Electrical

5V Reference

A clean ECU-supplied 5V feed for sensors like TPS, MAP, fuel pressure, and oil pressure.

Trap: One shorted sensor can drag down the whole 5V network.

Test procedure →
E-03 / Electrical

Sensor Ground

The ECU’s clean reference ground for sensor signals. Do not casually treat it like dirty chassis ground.

Trap: Fan or alternator load can make bad grounds look like sensor drift.

Ground branch →
S-01 / Sensor

TPS

Throttle position sensor. Used for idle state, accel enrichment, flood clear, and driver intent.

Trap: Do not tune accel enrichment before TPS and TPSdot are verified.

Calibrate TPS →
S-02 / Sensor

MAP

Manifold absolute pressure. The main load signal for speed-density tuning.

Trap: Key-on engine-off MAP should match local barometric pressure, not necessarily sea-level 101 kPa.

Verify MAP →
F-03 / Fuel

Injector Dead Time

The delay between commanding an injector open and actual fuel flow. Critical at idle and low pulse width.

Trap: Do not hide wrong dead time by mangling the VE table.

Glossary →
I-01 / Ignition

Base Timing

Commanded timing must match crank timing. Use fixed timing mode and a timing light.

Rule: If the light disagrees with the laptop, believe the light.

Verify timing →
ST-01 / Shop Talk

Throttle Stab

A quick snap of the throttle pedal. Useful for observing transient response, not steady-state VE.

Trap: A lean spike during a stab does not automatically mean “change the VE table.”

Lean on stab branch →
ST-02 / Shop Talk

Pull Fuel

Reduce commanded fuel in the active control area. First determine what is actually active.

Question: VE, target lambda, trim, warmup, AE, or fuel pressure?

Decoder →

Triage trees

Start from the symptom. Follow the dependency chain.

Lean on throttle stab

  • TPS calibrated?
  • TPSdot clean?
  • MAP response believable?
  • Wideband scaling verified?
  • Warm steady-state VE close?
  • Then tune accel enrichment.

Starts then dies

  • ECU stays powered?
  • RPM/sync stable?
  • Fuel pressure correct?
  • MAP believable?
  • After-start enrichment active?
  • Idle air configured?

DDefi disagrees with TunerStudio

  • Is TunerStudio value correct?
  • Is DDefi reading the correct channel?
  • Is scaling identical?
  • Is CAN/serial data live?
  • Compare dash, laptop, and log together.

Procedures

Garage-ready steps.

Calibrate TPS — TunerStudio / ECUGN

Fast Triage: Key on, engine off → Tools → Calibrate TPS → capture closed → capture WOT → sweep slowly → verify TPS and TPSdot in log.

Do first: Back up tune, verify throttle linkage, verify 5V reference and sensor ground if readings drift.

Pass: stable closed value, smooth sweep, no dropouts, returns to closed, WOT reaches expected full range.

Do not touch yet: Accel enrichment.

Verify Wideband Scaling

Fast Triage: Confirm controller model → match 0–5V curve in ECU → compare gauge vs TunerStudio/log → verify lambda/AFR display convention.

Trap: The wideband gauge can be right while the ECU is wrong.

Watch: AFR/lambda, target, EGO correction, battery voltage, fuel type/stoich assumptions.

Verify Base Timing

Fast Triage: Lock/fix timing → command known value → use timing light → adjust trigger offset if needed → recheck → return to normal timing mode.

Hard stop: Do not tune ignition or boost if commanded timing does not match crank timing.

ECU and support electronics

Choose your ECM. Choose your support electronics.

This prototype starts with ECUGN/TunerStudio and DDefi because that stack has real beginner friction: software project layers, channel mapping, dash interpretation, and TunerStudio UI navigation.

Recommended path: ECUGN/TunerStudio + DDefi Dash → verify TunerStudio value first, then map dash channel/scaling.

Glossary + Shop Talk Decoder

Plain meanings with related branches.

Pull to Ground

ECU output that turns something on by completing ground. Related: relay, fan control, boost solenoid, low-side output.

Pull Fuel

Reduce commanded fuel in the active area. Before changing VE, identify whether fuel error is from target lambda, trims, warmup, AE, dead time, pressure, or scaling.

Throttle Stab

A quick snap of the throttle pedal. Used to observe transient response. Related: TPSdot, MAPdot, accel enrichment, wall wetting, wideband delay.

Base Timing

The relationship between ECU-commanded timing and actual crank timing. Must be verified with a timing light.

Lambda

Fuel mixture reference where 1.00 means stoichiometric for the fuel being used. Cleaner than AFR when fuel changes.

Dead Time

Injector opening delay. Wrong data creates rich/lean weirdness especially at idle and low pulse width.

Founding Access

Help build the field guide before it becomes polished.

EFI Triage is in early development. Founding Access is for people who want early access to the guide, support the project while it is being built, and help shape the first real diagnostic paths.

This is not a finished tuning course, and it is not a replacement for knowing the engine. It is a structured field guide that helps beginners slow down, verify reality, and follow the correct order instead of chasing random forum advice.

Join Founding Access

What you get

  • Early access to EFI Triage as the guide develops.
  • Plain-English diagnostic cards and procedure branches.
  • First access to ECUGN and TunerStudio-focused startup material.
  • A way to support the project before it becomes a larger product.

Questions or access issues? Email support@efitriage.com.

Who this is for

Built for the person staring at the laptop, not the person pretending the laptop is the engine.

Good fit

Beginners and intermediate users working through EFI setup, first start, sensor verification, base timing, fuel pressure, idle, cruise, throttle stab, and WOT readiness.

Not a good fit

Anyone looking for magic tune numbers, blind VE table changes, or permission to skip mechanical, wiring, sensor, fuel, and timing verification.

Current focus

The first practical content path is ECUGN and TunerStudio: backup the project, verify sensors, confirm timing, enter injector data, and prove the system before tuning.

ROADMAP

Build path

EFI Triage will grow in stages. Founding members help shape which confusing areas get mapped first.

Now building

  • Beginner glossary
  • EFI triage cards
  • Order of operations
  • ECUGN / TunerStudio starter path
  • No-start and sensor verification trees

Next

  • DDefi dash support map
  • AEM wideband setup notes
  • Printable worksheets
  • First-start checklist
  • First-log review guide

Later

  • Holley EFI
  • HP Tuners
  • Haltech
  • FuelTech
  • AI Triage Assistant
  • Printable field guides

CONTACT

Support and feedback

EFI Triage is being built around real confusion points: lingo, UI location, wiring basics, process order, and diagnostic branches.

Need help or found a confusing area?

For now, send feedback, questions, and founding-member support requests to:

support@efitriage.com

This email will be activated shortly. Until then, founding-member communication may be handled manually.

Refund / early-access note

Founding Access supports an early-stage build. If you joined by mistake or expected a finished product, contact support and the issue will be reviewed fairly.

Full terms, refund policy, and member access details will be expanded as the platform develops.

Paid rollout

Cheap enough to help, paid enough to build infrastructure.

Start with a free sample library and a low-cost paid ECUGN/TunerStudio beta. Add AI triage only after the content system is solid.

Free

Sample glossary, intro cards, mission, sample triage.

$0

Founding Beta

Full starter guide, ECUGN/TunerStudio cards, checklists, feedback access.

$49/yearJoin Founding Access

ECU Guide

Product-specific UI maps, PDFs, support-electronics add-ons.

$89/year