Tuning Help

[TurboBuRick]

Thank you very much Rick!

The knock sensor is torqued to 14 ft-lbs.

It does not have teflon tape or any other sealer on it.

The alky pump is about 4-5 years old. I have it set on "6" on the dial. While idling, I can press the "Test" button for 1-2 seconds and the AFR (on the wideband) goes from about 13.5 down to 10.5 pretty quick and the engine almost dies. So I assume it is spraying well.

Is there a certain way to test the alky pump other than the method above?

Sometime this week, I will record a pull from 50 mph - 80 mph with the pedal all the way to the floor and post the log.

Thanks again!

No problem, glad to help.

Julio sells a alky tester that is a must. Generally the pumps are only good for 2 years. They start to leak and loose pressure. They also get very lazy and don't like to wake up after sitting for long periods of time.

After looking at the log file again I see AFR correction hit the ceiling. I think you may need a new fuel pump bro.

Turn the boost down to 17-18* for now and log a short 3rd gear pull.

 

[gn87man]

No problem, glad to help.

Julio sells a alky tester that is a must. Generally the pumps are only good for 2 years. They start to leak and loose pressure. They also get very lazy and don't like to wake up after sitting for long periods of time.

After looking at the log file again I see AFR correction hit the ceiling. I think you may need a new fuel pump bro.

Turn the boost down to 17-18* for now and log a short 3rd gear pull.

Oh, ok. I will purchase the alky tester from Julio.

I saw that big AFR correction too. So my Walbro 255 lph is not supplying enough fuel? The injector duty cycle is 75%.

I have a stock turbo actuator and the rod is extended as far as it will go and still keep tension on the puck. So I cannot reduce boost below 23 psi right now. I guess I could relocate the actuator on the turbo shroud so the actuator rod could extend further which would reduce my boost?

Thoughts?

Thank you!

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

 

[TurboBuRick]

Oh, ok. I will purchase the alky tester from Julio.

I saw that big AFR correction too. So my Walbro 255 lph is not supplying enough fuel? The injector duty cycle is 75%.

I have a stock turbo actuator and the rod is extended as far as it will go and still keep tension on the puck. So I cannot reduce boost below 23 psi right now. I guess I could relocate the actuator on the turbo shroud so the actuator rod could extend further which would reduce my boost?

Thoughts?

Thank you!

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

Yes it looks like the fuel pump is not keeping up. Could also be fuel filter restriction too.

How much do you have to pull the actuator rod to get it on the arm?
If you only have to slightly pull it to get it on, moving the actuator will not help. Something else is wrong.
Do you have the boost hose direct to the actuator?
Have you done any porting to the wastegate hole?

 

[gn87man]

Yes it looks like the fuel pump is not keeping up. Could also be fuel filter restriction too.

How much do you have to pull the actuator rod to get it on the arm?
If you only have to slightly pull it to get it on, moving the actuator will not help. Something else is wrong.
Do you have the boost hose direct to the actuator?
Have you done any porting to the wastegate hole?

Oh, ok. Hopefully it is the fuel filter restriction and not the fuel pump. I just put a new fuel filter in the car about 6 months ago.

I have to use vice grips to grab the actuator rod to place it on the puck. I have the actuator rod at a length so that vice grips are needed to barely move the actuator rod to place it on the puck. However, the actuator rod is screwed into the threads quite a bit. I have a lot more room left in the actuator threads to lengthen the rod, but if I do that, the rod would be way too long to place it on the puck.

I will double check the boost hose connection, but I believe the boost hose is connected directly to the actuator. I will take some pictures soon and post them, so you can confirm.

No, I have not done any porting to the wastegate hole. It is a stock elbow and stock puck. Aftermarket 3" downpipe.

It is a 6466 Precision turbo.

Thank you for your feedback bud.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

 

[gn87man]

Yes it looks like the fuel pump is not keeping up. Could also be fuel filter restriction too.

How much do you have to pull the actuator rod to get it on the arm?
If you only have to slightly pull it to get it on, moving the actuator will not help. Something else is wrong.
Do you have the boost hose direct to the actuator?
Have you done any porting to the wastegate hole?

I have the boost solenoid hooked up to the Y-connector.

One of the hoses on the outlet port of the Y-connector goes to the fitting on the side of the turbo (towards the bottom) and the other hose on the outlet port of the Y-connector goes to the actuator. I have attached pictures of my setup.

Should I connect the hose "tuner style" as in this video ==>

Basically connecting one hose directly from the actuator to the fitting on the side of the turbo (towards the bottom of the turbo). This bypasses the solenoid and eliminates the Y-connector. Does bypassing the boost solenoid have any benefits/drawbacks?

In regards to the actuator rod....if the rod is screwed into the threads quite a bit and I use vice grips to grab the actuator rod and pull it onto the puck (travel distance to get the rod end onto the puck is about 1/4 inch), this will create the same boost as if I were able to move the actuator into a position so the rod is almost totally unscrewed from the threads (rod is at its longest length) and place it on the puck?

Thank you for your help.

 

[dank GN]

Thank you very much Rick!

The knock sensor is torqued to 14 ft-lbs.

It does not have teflon tape or any other sealer on it.

The alky pump is about 4-5 years old. I have it set on "6" on the dial. While idling, I can press the "Test" button for 1-2 seconds and the AFR (on the wideband) goes from about 13.5 down to 10.5 pretty quick and the engine almost dies. So I assume it is spraying well.

Is there a certain way to test the alky pump other than the method above?

Sometime this week, I will record a pull from 50 mph - 80 mph with the pedal all the way to the floor and post the log.

Thanks again!

Truthfully I would just go tuner style seeing you have a adjustable wastegate rod . Take about 2 turns out of the rod meaning make it longer. Then run the hose from the turbo strait to the wastegate. Then go for a ride while watching your boost gauge that I’m hoping you have go wot and see where you end up . If it’s to much boost be ready to lift then turn the rod acouple more times ether way . Extend to lower boost . Shorten to raise boost . And fuel pumps aren’t to expensive so if yours isn’t keeping up definitely replace it or you’ll be replacing your head gaskets if your FP craps out on you . Keep us posted bud and I know it sucks going through all this but eventually u will get it all ironed out and she will be hauling ass just keep with it .

 

[dank GN]

Also a lot of great information is available to you here
http://www.vortexbuicks-etc.com/

 

[gn87man]

Truthfully I would just go tuner style seeing you have a adjustable wastegate rod . Take about 2 turns out of the rod meaning make it longer. Then run the hose from the turbo strait to the wastegate. Then go for a ride while watching your boost gauge that I’m hoping you have go wot and see where you end up . If it’s to much boost be ready to lift then turn the rod acouple more times ether way . Extend to lower boost . Shorten to raise boost . And fuel pumps aren’t to expensive so if yours isn’t keeping up definitely replace it or you’ll be replacing your head gaskets if your FP craps out on you . Keep us posted bud and I know it sucks going through all this but eventually u will get it all ironed out and she will be hauling ass just keep with it .

Thank you Dank GN. However, I am unable to extend the rod any more because of the placement of the actuator on the turbo housing. I still have quite a few threads left to extend the rod, but if I do extend the rod, then it will run past the puck and will hold no tension on the puck.

Actually it would be too long to even connect to the puck. :-(

Not sure that I can even position the actuator on the turbo housing in a way that will allow the actuator rod to be fully extended when attaching to the puck.

 

[earlbrown]

A good starting point is 1/8'' of stretch hooked up 'tuner style' then go from there. (leave the electrical plug hooked up to the solenoid).


Since you don't know the car, you don't know for sure if you have a normal wastegate or a higher boost unit.

And with an aftermarket DP, there might be something off with the mounting, or the puck.



The only way to know for sure, is to do my first paragraph, get control of the boost, THEN creep up to the desired level. If you can't get control with that setup, then it's time to figure it out.


If you do have control, then you can start to consider solenoids, and MBCs and stuff.

 

[gn87man]

A good starting point is 1/8'' of stretch hooked up 'tuner style' then go from there. (leave the electrical plug hooked up to the solenoid).


Since you don't know the car, you don't know for sure if you have a normal wastegate or a higher boost unit.

And with an aftermarket DP, there might be something off with the mounting, or the puck.



The only way to know for sure, is to do my first paragraph, get control of the boost, THEN creep up to the desired level. If you can't get control with that setup, then it's time to figure it out.


If you do have control, then you can start to consider solenoids, and MBCs and stuff.

Thanks so much Earl for the helpful information. I will give that starting point a try. I appreciate it.

 

[dank GN]

Thank you Dank GN. However, I am unable to extend the rod any more because of the placement of the actuator on the turbo housing. I still have quite a few threads left to extend the rod, but if I do extend the rod, then it will run past the puck and will hold no tension on the puck.

Actually it would be too long to even connect to the puck. :-(

Not sure that I can even position the actuator on the turbo housing in a way that will allow the actuator rod to be fully extended when attaching to the puck.

With those wastegate you would ether pull on it to make the connection to the flap or have it so the flap is open when connected. I would set up a manual controller and have it so you have to pull the wastegate rod alil to Conect it to the flap . Then test drive and see where your boost is at .

 

[hensleyt]

Well you have looked at the engine mounts and are stock how is the rear mount? Good I bet ,tire spin at 55 is quit possible.
I’m with Earl get boost under control,you can’t because of the controller ,just unhook it and let it flap in the wind ,it will build boost nice and slow .
If you do a pull every time we make some suggestions and it’s real KR you’ll eventually hurt it.
STOP 100 octane is good fuel to 20 psi I would think with chip set to default .
Step back and Screw a new set of plugs in it ,this will take a hour if you move nice and slow LOOKING at every little thing around the engine compartment loose or missing bolts small rub marks. These things can make you pull your hair out but remember,Dwain Johnson our wive think he’s HOT.

 

[gn87man]

With those wastegate you would ether pull on it to make the connection to the flap or have it so the flap is open when connected. I would set up a manual controller and have it so you have to pull the wastegate rod alil to Conect it to the flap . Then test drive and see where your boost is at .

Thanks Dang GN. I set the turbo to "tuner style". I made sure the rod was about 1/16" away from the flap before connecting it. So I just barely had to pull the rod to connect it to the flap. I did a test drive and logged the results. I am about to post the log below.

 

[gn87man]

Well you have looked at the engine mounts and are stock how is the rear mount? Good I bet ,tire spin at 55 is quit possible.
I’m with Earl get boost under control,you can’t because of the controller ,just unhook it and let it flap in the wind ,it will build boost nice and slow .
If you do a pull every time we make some suggestions and it’s real KR you’ll eventually hurt it.
STOP 100 octane is good fuel to 20 psi I would think with chip set to default .
Step back and Screw a new set of plugs in it ,this will take a hour if you move nice and slow LOOKING at every little thing around the engine compartment loose or missing bolts small rub marks. These things can make you pull your hair out but remember,Dwain Johnson our wive think he’s HOT.

Thanks hensleyt. The motor mounts are stock. They look good and all bolts are tight. Torque converter bolts are tight and the downpipe has plenty of clearance. I am 99.9% sure I am getting false know. Take a look at the log that I am about to post. It shows knock at 2 psi. I hooked up the turbo "tuner style" and logged the PL file below.

Please excuse my ignorance, but what is the "rear mount" to which you are referring?

I have 100 octane in it now and I turned off alky for the PL log below.

The plugs are 3 months old. I have looked over pretty much everything in the engine compartment and everything looks good.

However, I am going to need to replace some of the rubber vacuum hoses soon. They are about 5 years old and when I rub my finger on some of them, I have black residue on my fingers. Time to replace them.

Thanks again for your help.

LOL about your Dwain Johnson comment.

 

[gn87man]

Ok guys, I hooked up the turbo "tuner style" today and logged a cruise. The PL file is attached. Any feedback is appreciated.

I made sure the wastegate rod was about 1/16" away from the flap before connecting it. So I just barely had to pull the rod to connect it to the flap.

I turned the timing way down.

Looks like I am only getting about 13 psi of boost with the current wastegate rod length setup.

I did notice that when I got into the pedal fully, the car would nose over. I think I am pig rich. AFR is going down to 10.2 under WOT, according to the Wideband. However, the ECM wideband is showing an AFR of about 9.0! Yikes! Super rich! I have the chip set to AFR = 10.7
The BLM is going down to 115 at WOT, so I know it is super rich.

All the knock retard is definitely false, in my opinion.

Should I increase the timing and increase the boost? What levels of timing and boost do you suggest?

Current settings: Boost = 13 psi ; 1/2 timing = 13 degrees ; 3/4 timing = 15 degrees

I am using 100 octane fuel with alky turned off in the attached log.

Thanks so much in advance for your help.

 

[hensleyt]

Rear mount or transmission mount. If false KR you have to find it .this is why I say step back and take a deep breath . Some things is there and you have to find it. You have tried most every thing twice I see ,time to try Something different. Einstein said doing the same thing over and over expecting different results is madness.6.1 will maintain AF at light tps just cruising it’s the WOT it will start chasing the BLM.You have had the engine out added suspension parts new muffler,did you adjust pinion angle ,a little off can make the driveshaft bind and hop around rear cross member got the rubber mounts in the right spot.

 

[gn87man]

Rear mount or transmission mount. If false KR you have to find it .this is why I say step back and take a deep breath . Some things is there and you have to find it. You have tried most every thing twice I see ,time to try Something different. Einstein said doing the same thing over and over expecting different results is madness.6.1 will maintain AF at light tps just cruising it’s the WOT it will start chasing the BLM.You have had the engine out added suspension parts new muffler,did you adjust pinion angle ,a little off can make the driveshaft bind and hop around rear cross member got the rubber mounts in the right spot.

oh, ok. I understand about the rear mount now. I will check the transmission mount soon and let you know if it looks good. Yes, good point about doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. When I bought the car back in 2016, it already had the suspension and exhaust system upgrades on it. I have never messed with the suspension or exhaust since I bought the car in May, 2016.

Thank you for the suggestions.