Thanks and noted.
I understand that Load is a 'signal' read out from a look-up table (map) of air mass flow vs rpm? So we enter the table with air mass flow and rpm, then read out 'load'? Load will be higher if for a given rpm, air mass flow is higher. If rpm were then to increase, eg because the autobox shifts to a lower gear, load will reduce.
Thus load is a rough analogue of engine output torque at the flywheel (ie before the gears)?
As you can tell, I'm not an auto engineer, but am keen to learn!
(It might be good to copy your explanations to the main body of this FAQ.)
Thanks,
Ben
To put it simple: The load signal to the EZK is an analogue signal with a digital pulse-train. Simply a signal telling the EZK how much load the car is under.
The load signal is made up of many many components. Mass air flow from the AMM, rpm, how much fuel the ECU is injecting, if in gear or not, if on throttle or not etc. etc. and it kinda' uses a lookup table for it as well just like you guessed.
To cancel out all of the other factors here, the simple equation will be similar to mass air flow x rpm. So if the boost (throttle) goes up, the load signal increases. If the rpm goes up, the load signal also increases. It doesn't decrease like you guessed.
And as an extra piece of information for those of you who have thought about this before:
Why do I then need the EZK chip if the ignition can virtually be set by altering the load map in the ECU?
Because load is just one of the factors the EZK is basing its calculations on.
The EZK also needs:
* A different base map to start from and a static timing setting for different conditions when nothing else can be applied.
* Real time temperature.
* Knock info.
* Rate of spark advance/retard when the load signal increases/decreases (how quick it adds in and subtracts timing vs. how much and in how many steps, and the settle points/leveling points).
* The rate and amount of spark retard in the event of knock and the rate and amount of spark advance to add in after the knock event.
The ECU chip will alter the output to the EZK so that even with the stock EZK you will get a performance boost because the ECU is telling the EZK a different story. It does not go all the way though, and that is why you need the EZK chip.
The load signal is the main component for the EZK, just like the AMM is the main component for the ECU. But all the other settings is what makes for a strong and smooth running car. With just the load signal altered the EZK will skew the ignition map, but not change it or any other setting.