Modern ECU are pretty remarkable compared to the very old ways when ignition timing was a lever on the dashboard, etc.joaquins said:That ECU sucks! (sorry, I had to...)
I had one hot rod back in the 60's that was hard to start cold due to too much ignition advance, so I connected the old choke cable I wasn't using to the distributor so I could retard it, just to start, then return the advance once it was running. That worked like a charm. ;D
Yup mass air flow sensors, etc... I could have used a knock detector for my '93 after I put the supercharger on it. If denser fuel mixes support faster flame fronts, with increasing RPM my increasing positive manifold pressure resulted in faster and faster burning, too much of a good thing. Ping (detonation) at 7500 RPM doesn't sound much like ping, it sounds like pistons melting. I added a special ignition that would sense the manifold pressure and retard the timing as appropriate.Now some use fuel sensors and knocking detectors to adjust the timing even with different fuel qualities to be right before knocking. I was surprised no one did electromechanical valves (solenoids) and take the timing belt out but that started last year.
JS
I think I have a bad temperature sensor feeding the ECU on my current ride. When cold it feels like the engine is running lean (lags or bogs from low RPM). After the engine is warmed up it runs strong. The trouble with modern ECUs is bad data causes bad results. The old mechanical controls were pretty robust.
JR