The SnEEC

RACE Systems began in 1996 in San Jose, CA when Byron Reynolds, a Ford Enthusiast and Computer Engineer, saw fit to tune his car via electronic/computer means. This tuning took place at a "dyno day" at the late Charlie Bruno's shop, Charlies Mustangs, and immediately netted over 30rwhp while onlookers witnessed. The seed was planted, and interest grew quickly.

Fast-forward to 2002. RACE Systems is now teamed with AutoLogic, Apex Motorsports, Mustang Ranch, Griggs Racing, and other local Ford performance shops as an on-call AutoLogic custom chip dyno tuner / distributor and provides EFI troubleshooting and custom EFI conversion services. Since the beginning, RACE Systems has helped many hundreds of Ford Enthusiasts with innovative tuning and diagnostic services. In May 2002, RACE Systems released its first high-tech automotive product, SnEEC-IV, that was developed in-house as a much needed tool for optimizing and troubleshooting performance Fords.

What is SnEEC-IV?

SnEEC-IV is the first affordable instrumentation quality real-time plug-in passive DataLogging system for the EEC-IV. SnEEC consists of a data acquisition computer that plugs between the Ford EEC-IV ECU and the main engine harness and a software application that runs on any Windows compatible PC. The hardware processes the signals, and the software displays and logs the signals in a variety of user friendly ways.

This product was developed by Matt Smith, and Byron Reynolds, (two computer/electronic hardware/software design engineers) after years of tuning experiences, and exposure to many hundreds of performance Fords. SnEEC is a tool developed by automotive enthusiasts for automotive enthusiasts, and as such, is an extremely useful tool.

What is real-time DataLogging and why do I need it?

"Real-Time" refers to SnEEC's ability to acquire and display data as it is happening. "DataLogging" refers to SnEEC's ability to record a log of "Real-Time" data for future playback. The SnEEC software and hardware can both display data as it is happening, as well as record it for future playback and analysis. Hence, it is a "Real-Time DataLogger"

The ability to both see "Real-Time" sensor information, and analyze stored logs, has incredible value for performance analysis and diagnostic use. This device takes the guesswork out of "what is wrong with my car" and/or "why does my car do that" by allowing you to see the inner-workings responsible for the engine behavior you are trying to remedy or optimize.

Why shouldn't I buy a datalogging device that takes its data from the PCM?

If you rely on the PCM in any way for your datalogging and monitoring, you can not verify functionality of the PCM.

Think of it this way: SnEEC monitors not only the sensor data, but proper operation of the PCM as well. With SnEEC, you can plug in an aftermarket chip, EEC-Tuner, TwEECer, or any other J3 service port type device to your factory computer and verify function of not only the PCM, but the add-on device as well. These other "tuner products with memory monitoring" merely show you "commanded values stored in memory" for the EEC's outputs, they do not verify these outputs actually exist. What if the PCM is bad?

If the PCM is faulty, your "data logs" would show perfectly normal looking data (the commanded fuel pulsewidth, the commanded spark advance, and so forth...) even if every output driver on the EEC is fried. They are not data acquisition computers that are monitoring the actual sensor signals; that's what SnEEC is. Only a device like SnEEC that monitors actual harness signals can catch these kinds of faults.

Have you ever suspected that your PCM may not be functioning properly? SnEEC can tell you...the other devices can not. Datalogging and monitoring the function of the PCM is actually more important than verifying sensor functionality; especially when you start hanging devices off of the J3 service port. SnEEC does both. SnEEC relies on nothing. SnEEC assumes nothing.

Is my vehicle currently supported?

As of 5/4/02, SnEEC currently supports all TFI ignition, SEFI and Batch Fire, Speed Density and Mass Air, 4cyl, 6cyl, and 8cyl EEC-IV equipped vehicles.

However, SnEEC must be adapted for use for a specific ECU pinout on a case-by case basis. This is accomplished by specifying vehicle year, make, model, and specific powertrain information as part of the order process.

The "off the shelf" SnEEC units support all 86-93 5.0L SEFI Mustangs and '93-'95 Speed-Density Lightnings. Adaptation for use with all other vehicles is a simple process and accomplished on a per-order per-vehicle basis.

Will SnEEC work on more than one vehicle?

If the vehicles in question share the same ECU pinout, or are similar enough in ECU pinouts, yes. So, for example, if you have a fleet of '86-93 Mustangs, you can use one SnEEC on all of them. However, if you are a service facility and see vehicles of all kinds, the use of SnEEC on an unintended vehicle could result in improper data display. The vehicle will operate normally, but all SnEEC supported functions may not. It is recommended that you purchase a SnEEC for every major vehicle type you encounter, or encourage your customers to purchase a SnEEC and leave it on-board for faster diagnostics. It will pay for itself quickly in saved man-hours.

How hard is SnEEC to install?

Installation of SnEEC is quite simple. It requires the use of simple hand tools such as a screwdriver, and a socket set. To install SnEEC in a Mustang, for example, you simply pop off the passenger's kick panel, remove three 7mm fasteners, and unbolt the 10mm bolt that holds the ECU to the vehicle harness. Then, SnEEC bolts between the vehicle ECU and the harness. Optionally, you can relocate the factory computer to a more convenient location such as under the passenger's seat, or on the transmission tunnel, to make Chip-Tuning and/or maintenance more convenient. SnEEC provides the needed extension. A similar process is involved with other vehicles. Once SnEEC is installed, it can remain installed as a permanent on-board interface.

What do I need to know to operate SnEEC?

Once the SnEEC hardware is installed, you must have access to a computer with Windows 95 or a more recent version of Windows. You must be computer savvy enough to know how to turn the computer on, install the SnEEC software application, and connect a serial cable between the serial port on the computer and SnEEC's DATA port. If you can do this, you can operate SnEEC.

If you are unfamiliar with the Ford EEC-IV, it would be valuable to purchase books written by Charles O Probst on the Ford EEC-IV. These reference materials, with the ability to see the ECU in action with a SnEEC DataLogger, and you will be an EEC-IV pro in no time. In addition, RACE Systems provides a support forum where questions can be asked and answered.

Which factory sensors can SnEEC monitor?

SnEEC currently supports:
ECT (engine coolant temp), displays in Degrees F.
ACT (air charge temp), displays in Degrees F.
TPS (throttle position sensor), displays in Volts.
VSS (vehicle speed sensor),displays in MPH.
MAF (mass-air meter), displays in Kg/Hr.
HEGO (oxygen sensors, 2 channels), displays in Volts.
TFI (thick film ignition module), displays in RPM and timing advance in Deg. BTDC.
MAP/BAP (Barometric / Manifold pressure), displays in inches of mercury.
Injector (Fuel injector) pulsewidth in mS, and duty cycle in %.

Can SnEEC monitor additional sensors?

The SnEEC feature connector supports:
Wideband: Wideband AFR meter
EGTs: Two channels for EGT sensor (exhaust gas temp.)
Knock: A knock sensor input.
MAP: A map sensor input (for monitoring vacuum and supercharger boost)
Trigger: A trigger input for flagging events or starting/stopping DataLogging via a switch.

What is the sample rate for SnEEC's data acquisition features?

The SnEEC hardware is capable of supporting frame rates of over 300 samples per second. On extremely fast computers, it is possible to achieve sample rates at over 100 frames/second while displaying data and rates over 200 frames/second while logging data without display. A "frame" is not a "sample". A frame is a group of samples. The sample rate of SnEEC is approximately 10x the frame rate, or approximately 1000-2000 samples per second on fast computers. On extremely slow computers, the frame rate can drop to 10 frames/second (100 samples/second) while displaying and 30-40 frames/second if logging without display.

Can I write my own software to communicate with the SnEEC hardware?

Yes. RACE Systems will soon release a windows .OCX that will allow developers to write custom software that utilizes SnEEC for data input.

Can SnEEC operate as a scan tool too?

The SnEEC hardware and software also support scan-tool functionality. There is a scan-tool feature in the SnEEC view window to begin Self-Test on the vehicle ECU. The SnEEC will read ECU trouble codes, interpret them, present a report in plain English, and clear ECU trouble codes.

Currently, KOEO and KOER tests are supported.

Can I tune my car with a SnEEC?

SnEEC absolutely will help you optimize the operation of your EEC-IV controlled engine by allowing you to monitor and diagnose trouble behavior, but it alone can not manipulate your engine.

SnEEC does not modify your vehicle ECU, or the signals entering and leaving your vehicle ECU in any way. It is a completely passive DataLogging solution.

The first level of tuning to your car will result from the resolution of problems, out-of-range sensors, intermittent sensors, faulty vehicle ECUs, bad connections, etc. SnEEC will help you achieve that goal.

The next level of tuning to your car will result in the comparison of what kind of improvements occur when various modifications are made to your engine. SnEEC will help you achieve that as well, by allowing to to record behavior of your engine both before and after modifications are made.

Beyond that, if you are looking for some way by which you can modify the engine control system, there are many solutions available. These solutions range from "Custom Chips" that are designed by experienced companies (Such as RACE Systems) for your particular vehicle needs to "Tuning Products" that allow you to modify your factory computer, to "Compatible Replacement Processors" that plug in place of your factory processor and allow you control. SnEEC is not one of these products, it is an important compliment to these products.

It is difficult to tune a fuel injected engine without being able to monitor what the engine control is doing. It is difficult to ascertain where improvements can be made in the various engine control systems if you have no way of comparing the result of modification. And, when modification becomes extreme, it is extremely difficult to answer questions such as "Are my injectors large enough?", "Is my engine going lean at high RPM?", "Why does my car lose power between shifts?"...and so on. However, if you simply log your data to disk with a SnEEC, and analyze the engine operation...you can answer these questions by looking at injector duty cycle, the factory oxygen sensors (or a Wideband sensor), timing-advance logs, and so forth. SnEEC simply takes all the mystery and guesswork out of the tuning process...it puts the answers into your hands.

My car is highly modified. Will SnEEC still work?

Yes. If your car is EEC-IV powered, and modified, that is even more reason to get a SnEEC. The injection system was designed around a factory engine. The more modified the vehicle, the more issues it is likely to have, and the more reason there is to want to monitor vital engine control data.

How does the software install?

The SnEEC software installs just like any other Windows application. Simply run SetupSnEEC.EXE and an installer program will guide you through the simple installation process. Once installed, the SnEEC software will be in the RACE Systems group under Program Files in the windows START menu. Simply run SnEEC.EXE and the software will attempt to establish a connection to the SnEEC hardware.

What are the minimum system requirements?

The SnEEC software will run on any computer that runs Windows 95 or better as long as it has the following features:

-Windows '95 or better (98, 98se2, NT4, ME, XP, 2000)
-16MB RAM (it will run on 8, but it is not recommended)
-66MHz processor or better (the faster the better)
-At least 5Mb of available hard disk space
-An available 9 pin serial port

The connection between the computer and the SnEEC hardware is serial and the communication rate can be configured to any desired range. Therefore, as long as the computer has an available serial port and as long as you can connect a serial cable between the computer and the SnEEC, it will work. A laptop is preferred, but not required. SnEEC will function on any speed computer, however the data rate will be slower on slower machines. Even on the oldest/slowest machines, the data rate will exceed 10 frames/second. On modern equipment, the data rate can reach well over 100 frames/second.

In addition, SnEEC is compatible with serial devices such as radio modems. With additional hardware, it is possible to establish a radio link between a SnEEC box in a vehicle and a stationary computer elsewhere. This is similar to what the large race teams use to gather telemetry data in the pits while the car is on the track.

Can I try the SnEEC software before I purchase?

Yes. The software is available online for download. You can install the software, and play a demo log file to verify functionality before ordering.

My laptop does not have a serial port. What do I do?

Some new laptop computers are being designed without serial ports. If you own one of these laptops and wish to use it with SnEEC, it will be necessary to purchase a PCMCIA serial adapter card to provide a serial port.

I don't have a laptop computer, can I still use SnEEC?

Yes. SnEEC uses serial communications and allows for a variety of data rates, so cable runs up to 200ft are possible. You can purchase a longer 9 pin serial cable and run SnEEC with any computer, provided it is not further than 200ft from the vehicle.

A laptop is recommended for rolling-road analysis, and can be purchased for under $200 on E-Bay.

Will you help me get my laptop running so I can run SnEEC?

In most cases, laptop technical support falls outside of our ability to support you properly. It is recommended that problems with laptop computers (or desktop computers) be resolved before purchasing a SnEEC.

Will it work with my chip, chip tuning hardware/software, EPEC, Interceptor, EEC-Compatible aftermarket processor, etc?

Since SnEEC does not depend on anything other than "EEC-IV Compatible Harness Signals" it will work with all such devices and any future devices that are compatible with the factory EEC-IV harness signals, sensors, and actuators

Can RACE systems design a custom chip for my car based on my SnEEC log file?

Yes! We have acquired a wealth of information over the past 6 years while dyno tuning performance Fords. That experience, coupled with detailed run-time information from your SnEEC logs makes it possible to design a superior calibration tailored to your specific vehicle needs.

Can RACE Systems help me tune my car with a non-RACE product?

Yes! Our SnEEC support forums has a section designed to handle these needs.

My car doesn't even start, can SnEEC help me?

Yes! SnEEC works even if the engine is off. Simply turn the key to ON, connect to SnEEC, and monitor your vital signs. You can test many sensors and actuators without the engine running. And, SnEEC also doubles as a scan tool to allow you to troubleshoot your vehicle.

What does SnEEC look like?

Here are some recent product photographs for your perusal.

How can I use SnEEC to help tune my car?

The EEC-IV EFI system is complicated. The internal self test of the ECU can only identify a certain subset of likely sensor failures...and nothing more. It can not detect sensors that have "shifted" or have fallen out of calibration. It often will not detect intermittants. And, in many cases, it has no provision for data output except for a single check-engine light that tells you "something" has gone wrong.

When trying to diagnose problems that the EEC can't detect, the only practical solution until now was to blindly start changing things until the problem went away...and hope it doesn't come back. This is not only expensive, but frustrating.

Now, with SnEEC, you can plug in a laptop and verify proper functionality at a glance. And, if the problem is intermittent, you can log data to disk (hours if necessary) during road testing to find intermittent problems or verify operating parameters in real-world stress-test situations. It is truly a dream come true for the Ford EEC-IV; something that should have been there from the start.

Have you ever wanted a tool that could identify an intermittent problem that was hard to reproduce?
Have you ever wanted some verification that the sensors and actuators in your vehicle operate correctly under all operating conditions?
Have you ever wondered if your injectors were sufficient and not maxxing out at 100% duty cycle?
Have you ever wanted to know how hot your air-inlet temperature gets under boost?
Have you ever wanted a way to datalog boost to see how high it really gets?
Have you ever wondered how high your boost spikes when you slam the throttle plate closed?
Is your bypass valve working? How well?
Have you ever wondered if your mass-air meter was pegging and rendering your fuel injection system helpless?
Have you ever wondered how accurately you hit your shift points during a drag pass?
Have you ever suspected a faulty ECT or ACT sensor and had no good way to check?
Have you felt a glitch while driving your car or had a problem that only occurred on the road?
Have you ever wanted to know how accurate your stock tachometer was?
Have you ever wished for a device that would pull ECU trouble codes and give you a clear report...IN ENGLISH?
Have you ever wanted an easier way to set your TPS sensor?
Have you ever wanted a way to test if your oxygen sensors were faulty?
How do you know your thermostat is really working when you have nothing more than a stock temp gauge?

This is just a small subset of the answers SnEEC can provide

What does the SnEEC-IV cost?

The SnEEC-IV is offered at $479.00 + S&H and includes the system unit, software, and serial cable.

How do I order?

Simply visit our order page.

How long will it take to arrive?

Visit our shipping status page to determine real-time status of our current inventory, and orders in progress. When units are in stock, they will ship out the next business day. If the unit requires custom adaptation, it may take up to 5 business days. Add this lead time to your selected shipping option, and that is your delivery time.

What is the warranty?

The SnEEC hardware, like most automotive electronics, is warranted for 30 days against mechanical and electrical defects. However, we will evaluate each failure on a case-by-case basis and may extend warranty coverage if the failure is due to unreasonable circumstance.

If at any time within the first 30 days you are unsatisfied with your purchase, you may return SnEEC for a full refund.

The SnEEC software will undergo regular free updates and is downloadable from our website. As such, there is no warranty on the software; it is offered free of charge.

What if I can't get my SnEEC to work?

Visit our support forums; we will solve the problem.

How do I obtain support from RACE Systems?

The primary means of support is via our online support forums. The secondary means of support is via Email. RACE does not have the manpower to staff a technical support hotline at this time. We are utilizing Internet sales and Internet support as our communication medium.

Will there be any upgrades available in the future?

The SnEEC hardware is capable of being updated via flash updates through the serial cable. If we see reason to update the firmware, free updates will be available.

The SnEEC software will undergo improvements constantly and is available for free download.

RACE Systems will offer a variety of add-on devices for your SnEEC-IV in the near future; including a Wideband oxygen sensor subsystem, a dual-channel EGT subsystem, a boost sensor, and so on. These features will be supported by the feature connector that is present on every SnEEC-IV.

Now that I have access to all this sensor information, how can I learn more about the EEC-IV.

We recommend the purchase and study of Charles O. Probst's comprehensive EEC-IV book. You will find that this book, in the addition to real-time SnEEC data, will make you an EEC-IV pro in record time.

Is RACE Systems seeking distributors for its products?

Yes, we are always interested in speaking with new distributors. Please direct all inquiries to Byron Reynolds at Byron@RaceSystems.com