So here's an update on how my car runs at the track

[Razor]

If your chip is setup for using alcohol injection its counting that portion of fuel being present. Do not shut the alky kit off and run 20 PSI boost.. you'll burn a hole into it. The timing in the alcohol chip is too high to afford higher boost numbers than 12-14. To run higher boost on bad gas requires low timing, a clean motor(carbon buildup), that breathes well.. and be spot on your tuning.

Your wanting too much too soon. Some cars give it to you, others dont. When they dont.. you have to work at the details. Even doing stuff like leakdown, compression tests, checking for backpressure(exhuast) etc.. The last thing you need is a set on kill tuneup when its not making the power.

Race fuel requires a totally different chip, octane, and a start from ground zero on what your doing. Not because I do the kits, but when you have limited time... you need to delete variables.

Cant get to a track, rent some time on a dyno.

 

["Turbo-T"]

I made some adjustments....

View attachment Yhwytest2.zip

View attachment Yhwytest1.zip

First off than you all for your input.

I went ahead and reset the chip as you advised. So as of now all the parameters in the chip are at 128.

I then backed off my RJC manual boost controller 2 full turns.

I took the car out on a country road and opened her up. I found I'm now sitting at 22 psi per the Autometer.

Looking at the powerlogger files, they don't seem to have changed much. Some of my AFR's are still in the 10.1 to 10.4 range. Again the chip is now back to default settings.

Also there's still a little bit of KR in 3rd gear when the AFR's are like in the 10's.

Also my boost still fluctuates. In the first recording, it showed I hit 28 psi briefly.

FWIW my alky is set at the 6 on the remote control and I've never opened the pac box.

If I were to uncap my dump pipe, do you think it would help rid the pig richness? My exhaust is a 3 inch straight shot, no cat converter and an Ultraflow muffler. I've never tried uncapping the exhaust.

Maybe I should try removing the air filter...???

I figure if I'm noty mistaken, figure why she's running rich and go from there.

 

[SCOOBY DOO]

In regards to your boost fluctuation...if you're using a internally gated DP...have you ported the wastegate hole?

 

[Attype]

How old are the valve springs? If not known replace them then try to tune. Every run it lost mph, classic sign of weak valve springs.

 

[Razor]

10.1-10.4 is not that overly rich for you too fret about considering your running on pump gas and methanol. You wont hurt the engine at that air fuel number.

Typically if you open the dump, the boost will go up. So bring the boost down before opening the dump.

As to Boost control.. try porting the housing. Understand this is why they sell 1,000 dollar boost controllers. Your on the bottom end of that totem pole with a ball and spring controller.

Unless you have a GPS or Gtech type device, its hard to figure out if the performance has increased.

Lastly if the chip was burned to support 24-25 PSI and your at 22 PSI, that would explain why the AFR is lower. Again, a non-issue.

 

["Turbo-T"]

In regards to your boost fluctuation...if you're using a internally gated DP...have you ported the wastegate hole?

No I haven't. I suppose I should do this?

How old are the valve springs? If not known replace them then try to tune. Every run it lost mph, classic sign of weak valve springs.

I'm not real sure....when I purchased the car, I was "told" (yeah I know, take it with a grain of salt) that it had a fresh engine....the guy I bought it from knows nothing about TR's.

So I contacted the owner before him (Richie Kibler) who claimed he bought the car and engine out of the car, already built, just not in the car....from another guy who I am guessing is the one who pulled the engine and never put ti back in...so it's anyone guess. But I know I have put roughly 10k on the engine since I took ownership over 4 years ago.

If I were to pull the springs, how or who would I send them to, to have them checked? Also the cam I'm running (so I understand anyways) is a Postons cam, which we all know went belly up....so if they were the wrong springs, wouldn't that mean possibly not being able to obtain the info required to get the correct valve spring?

10.1-10.4 is not that overly rich for you too fret about considering your running on pump gas and methanol. You wont hurt the engine at that air fuel number.

Typically if you open the dump, the boost will go up. So bring the boost down before opening the dump.

As to Boost control.. try porting the housing. Understand this is why they sell 1,000 dollar boost controllers. Your on the bottom end of that totem pole with a ball and spring controller.

Unless you have a GPS or Gtech type device, its hard to figure out if the performance has increased.

Lastly if the chip was burned to support 24-25 PSI and your at 22 PSI, that would explain why the AFR is lower. Again, a non-issue.

I understand about not hurting the engine running rich, but does running rich cause poor acceleration?

The chip was actually burned for 23-25 psi.

How much would you say the boost would go up if I uncap the dump? I'm still running no stock headers and a stock cross over pipe, but a 3 inch THDP thru a 3 inch straight shot, no cat and an Ultraflow muffler.

I've wondered if i should look into a Gtech or not.

 

[jdpolzin]

What are you using for a MAF sensor? I have a feeling yours is bad or not calibrated correctly. ----Jeremy

 

["Turbo-T"]

It has the stocker right now. Did you see something in the powerlogger file that would indicate a malfunctioning maf? What's the tip off?

 

[Attype]

I'd replace the valve springs if you dont know what you have. Everthing else is a waste of time with weak springs. While your in there you can measure with a dial indicator to check the cam lobes. Must confirm the valve train is not the problem.....

 

[Razor]

I understand about not hurting the engine running rich, but does running rich cause poor acceleration?

The chip was actually burned for 23-25 psi.

How much would you say the boost would go up if I uncap the dump? I'm still running no stock headers and a stock cross over pipe, but a 3 inch THDP thru a 3 inch straight shot, no cat and an Ultraflow muffler.

I've wondered if i should look into a Gtech or not.

A point you wont hardly notice driving around. You take two cars one at 10.1 and one at 10.8 you wont feel a difference. The time slip may show a little more power, but your car is way off. It should be at 112-114 at that boost level. Thats like 10 MPH off. In cooler weather like the coutry is seeing now.. even better like 114-116. 90 MPH in the 1/8 at 20 PSI sounds correct for a stocker running correctly= 110 in the 1/4 picking up 20 or 112 picking up 22. At 24 PSI.. should be way higher. So back it down until you figure out whats robbing the power. Keeping it at higher boost is not good.

MAF pegs at 14 PSI. That wont affect performance at 20 PSI. Unless you have two screens on and its plugged.

 

["Turbo-T"]

At your power level I'd make sure I locked the converter at around 85 mph in 3rd to pick up some mph and ET.

I PMed Dusty on this (as this is a PTC), and per his words:

It can't be locked. I wouldn't lock any single disc converter unless it's a 12"

 

[salvageV6]

Okay.

I'd lock my 10.5" protorque single and 9.5" single disk Vigilante if I wanted 2-4 more mph in 3rd around 85mph.

I'd also check the cam. as many have mentioned and get rid of that ridiculous 10.1 WOT AFR too.

It sounds like that converter is no better than most any other single disk lockup unlocked too.

I get 10% on my protorque and vigilante unlocked.

Your boost shouldn't go up at all through that exhaust system you have but obviously to be safe, lower it a couple psi. and then try it.

If there is no cam. issue(s) I would say the things listed in this thread if addressed individually and methodically should get you back to a respectable MPH and timeslip over some tuning time.

You never mentioned if you heard any knock in the motor?, when real it it's usually loud and clear.

Good luck.

 

[hiboom]

track

are you going to the test & tune at kcir saturday?

 

["Turbo-T"]

are you going to the test & tune at kcir saturday?

I am considering coming out again one more time tomorrow.

 

["Turbo-T"]

Well I will look into the valvetrain. I don't know off hand though what springs are supposed to be used with this cam ( the cam is aPoston's grind, I posted a thread in engine forum). One thing, I don't know if anyone saw this, but on my cam card it shows someone installed the cam 4 degrees advanced....I know that usually is done to better the bottom end at the expense of costing the top end....so that has me wondering maybe I'm just out of cam on the top end due to the advancement...? Maybe I should look into changing the cam to straight up and then running again?

 

[we4Mateo]

Well I will look into the valvetrain. I don't know off hand though what springs are supposed to be used with this cam ( the cam is aPoston's grind, I posted a thread in engine forum). One thing, I don't know if anyone saw this, but on my cam card it shows someone installed the cam 4 degrees advanced....I know that usually is done to better the bottom end at the expense of costing the top end....so that has me wondering maybe I'm just out of cam on the top end due to the advancement...? Maybe I should look into changing the cam to straight up and then running again?

Wouldn't hurt. I've always read to install cams in these cars straight up with stockish builds. My Erson card suggested 4deg advance, but we did it straight up and it pulls hard to my 5k rpm shiftpoint.

 

["Turbo-T"]

Thanks. Did it say specifically for turbo Buicks to advance it?

One thing I did want to point out, is when racing it, it does seem as some of you have said, the car noses over at the top of the gear. In fact (and I know this is a bad thing) but I think (before I knew better) when I ran my best pass, I actually had it in OD so it hit 4th before the traps.

In fact, this thing does pull like a mule well into the 4k rpm range. Reviewing my powerlogger files I've gotten into the 5k rpm range.

Another thing I have considered trying...and I don't know if this would help...I have read most of you run a 28 inch tall tire at the strip...my rear tires are 26's. I've wondered if I threw a 28" tall tire on if it would perhaps keep the engine in it's power band a little longer and maybe would result in a better time? Anyone going to KCIR tomorrow want to bring some 275/60's?

I'll definitely check out the cam and valve train as suggested, but I really am starting to wonder if since the cam was advanced 4 degrees, if it's just running out of steam earlier than it would if it were installed straight up.

Razor I'm going to look into the air filter as you suggested.

 

[kidglok]

how do you figure your powerband stops at 5k?

 

[turb0buick57]

how do you figure your powerband stops at 5k?

ide guess the cam helps but if he has stock untouched heads they fall off in hp pretty hard higher up in rpm.

 

["Turbo-T"]

are you going to the test & tune at kcir saturday?

Actually I think I am going to try to go to the one next Sat, the 26th.

how do you figure your powerband stops at 5k?

I don't know, I am going off of speculation based off of the butt dyno.

ide guess the cam helps but if he has stock untouched heads they fall off in hp pretty hard higher up in rpm.

They're stock casting heads, but I don't know if they've been ported or anything like that.