Tuning the Monster!

Thad · 02-04-2001, 09:02 AM

Hey there everyone. thanks for the insight on my whistle sound problem.
Now that i've taken care of that part there are some other tuning factors that i'm not to sure on.
Let me start with what i have engine wise. It's a stock 302 bored .030 over. Running with a F303 cam, 24lb injectors (light blue ones)which i just changed all the seals on.
An Edelbrock performer intake with a 70mm TB
and fender well cold air induction(BBK)which i just changed all the gaskets on too. I've eliminated the whistle niose that i had and have come into some other questions.
I checked my timing,vacuum, and fuel pressure. The timing came in at 20 deg adv. and backed it up to 10. the fuel was at 30lbs and backed it up to 23 lbs. and the vacuum is running extremely low at 7 or 8 when i think it should be at least 15.
what should the settings be at for optimum
performance? Do i just need to mess with until i hit a good combo.
It seems to be running good but it has a little backfire when it comes back to idle after reving.
Sorry so long! Any advbice would be great.
Thanks, Thad
I almost forgot . I also have an MSD ignition 6AL.

------------------
90 LX 5.0 Not timed in 1/4 mile yet. 135mph max speed, so far.

MDM · 02-04-2001, 10:46 AM

I am not sure I completely understand your post. As I read it, you found your ign adv to be 20 deg and you backed it down to 10. If you are running super, you might be able to get away with a few more degrees adv. Try a degree or two at a time but listen carefully for detonation while you test drive it is that setting. YOu can probably get around 14 deg in a NA motor with SPOUT connector disconnected. The F cam will cost you some vacuum at idle in comparison to the stock or less aggressive cam, like the E. Start simple: I would check for vacuum leaks in all your soft lines and around all mating surfaces, the latter of which it sounds like you already did. As for the fuel, it sounds like your feul press was @ 30 and you changed it to 23. At idle, with the vacuum advance line removed and the port plugged on the resulator, you should be in the neighborhood of 38 psi. Let us know how it works out.

joe4speed · 02-04-2001, 02:14 PM

Thad, I run my car at 13 degrees, and it tends to run better that way... 10 degrees is where it comes from the factory. Did you get a fuel pressure gauge? Ahh I'll call ya!! lol

By the way... what was the cause of the whistling problem!!??

------------------
Joe!
1988 GT, 167,000 miles!!! 13.71@105mph Check out my listing! Click here! Or my website:
www.joe4speed.com
1999 Ninja ZX-6R 10.32@135mph!

[This message has been edited by JL1314 (edited 02-04-2001).]

Thad · 02-06-2001, 10:27 PM

Welp! I'm back to the drawing board with everything. The noise i though i took care of is back and louder than before.
it's running horribly right now. when i first start it takes at least two tries to keep in runningand even then it barely holds on sitting at around 600 RPMs then racing up to 1500rpms then going back down to almost stalling over and over until it warms up.
the fuel response is terrible, hesitation galore. I've tried everything dealing with tunning. From adjusting the timing to the fuel pressure.It's got new plugs,fuel filter,oil. I'm almost at a point of taking it in to a mechanic unless anyone has any suggestions of what i could do about these problems with the tunning.
Thanks
Thad

------------------
90 LX 5.0 Not timed in 1/4 mile yet. 135mph max speed, so far.

joe4speed · 02-06-2001, 11:35 PM

what happened?? it was running fine the other day, besides the whistling noise

------------------
Joe!
1988 GT, 167,000 miles!!! 13.71@105mph Check out my listing! Click here! Or my website:
www.joe4speed.com
1999 Ninja ZX-6R 10.32@135mph!

Thad · 02-07-2001, 05:59 PM

Well ijust finished looking over the whole intake area and found the worse case scenario. the Upper part of the intake is cracked.A nice big crack too. I must of just made it worse when i redid the gaskets. On the furthest back hole where the bolt goes in it starts from the flange the bolt head sits on to about 3/4 away from the hole itself. What a pisser huh. Thats why it's running so rich it's trying to compinsate for the extra air going in. that thing had to have been cracked this whole time. I know i didn't put to much torque on those bolts.
Thanks Pete!!!!

IMPULSERACING · 02-08-2001, 09:08 AM

Your fuel pressure should be between 38-42 psi. MDN is right, Your timing should probably be around 14 degrees on a N/A car. Your vacuum is going to be low with an F-cam. I have a E-cam with 1.7 rockers and my vacuum is around 10-11 compared to 15-16 stock. Get your intake fixed, bump your fuel pressure up, and your timing up a little and you should be doing a lot better. Hope this helps.

------------------
92' LX Hatch 5 spd Edelbrock Performer Intake, pro-m 75mm MAF, 70mm T.B., 24lb injectors, 190lph, Mac fenderwall cold air induction, mallary ignition and coil, Cobra 1.7 rockers, 373:1 gear, upper and lower control arms, supersubs, 50/50's, front drag springs, no sway bar, battery in hatch, compucar N20 kit
13.42 @ 100.50 N/A on radials
No time on Juice yet

Thad · 02-08-2001, 06:13 PM

Thanks impulsracing. i'm in the proccess of taking the upper plenum off now to see how bad the crack really is and if it's worth fixing. It looked pretty severe from what i saw.i'll also try doing the tunning ideas too. thanks again for the input. I'll post the outcome of the whole fiasco.

------------------
90 LX 5.0 Not timed in 1/4 mile yet. 135mph max speed, so far.

joe4speed · 02-08-2001, 11:42 PM

JB Weld!!

02-04-2001, 09:02 AM	#1
Thad Registered Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Stuart, FL US Posts: 192	Tuning the Monster! Hey there everyone. thanks for the insight on my whistle sound problem. Now that i've taken care of that part there are some other tuning factors that i'm not to sure on. Let me start with what i have engine wise. It's a stock 302 bored .030 over. Running with a F303 cam, 24lb injectors (light blue ones)which i just changed all the seals on. An Edelbrock performer intake with a 70mm TB and fender well cold air induction(BBK)which i just changed all the gaskets on too. I've eliminated the whistle niose that i had and have come into some other questions. I checked my timing,vacuum, and fuel pressure. The timing came in at 20 deg adv. and backed it up to 10. the fuel was at 30lbs and backed it up to 23 lbs. and the vacuum is running extremely low at 7 or 8 when i think it should be at least 15. what should the settings be at for optimum performance? Do i just need to mess with until i hit a good combo. It seems to be running good but it has a little backfire when it comes back to idle after reving. Sorry so long! Any advbice would be great. Thanks, Thad I almost forgot . I also have an MSD ignition 6AL. ------------------ 90 LX 5.0 Not timed in 1/4 mile yet. 135mph max speed, so far.

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02-04-2001, 10:46 AM	#2
MDM Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: Flemington, NJ USA Posts: 166	I am not sure I completely understand your post. As I read it, you found your ign adv to be 20 deg and you backed it down to 10. If you are running super, you might be able to get away with a few more degrees adv. Try a degree or two at a time but listen carefully for detonation while you test drive it is that setting. YOu can probably get around 14 deg in a NA motor with SPOUT connector disconnected. The F cam will cost you some vacuum at idle in comparison to the stock or less aggressive cam, like the E. Start simple: I would check for vacuum leaks in all your soft lines and around all mating surfaces, the latter of which it sounds like you already did. As for the fuel, it sounds like your feul press was @ 30 and you changed it to 23. At idle, with the vacuum advance line removed and the port plugged on the resulator, you should be in the neighborhood of 38 psi. Let us know how it works out.

02-04-2001, 02:14 PM	#3
joe4speed He said Member...heh, heh Join Date: Sep 1999 Location: Jupiter, Florida U.S.A. Posts: 3,718	Thad, I run my car at 13 degrees, and it tends to run better that way... 10 degrees is where it comes from the factory. Did you get a fuel pressure gauge? Ahh I'll call ya!! lol By the way... what was the cause of the whistling problem!!?? ------------------ Joe! 1988 GT, 167,000 miles!!! 13.71@105mph Check out my listing! Click here! Or my website: www.joe4speed.com 1999 Ninja ZX-6R 10.32@135mph! [This message has been edited by JL1314 (edited 02-04-2001).]

02-06-2001, 10:27 PM	#4
Thad Registered Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Stuart, FL US Posts: 192	Welp! I'm back to the drawing board with everything. The noise i though i took care of is back and louder than before. it's running horribly right now. when i first start it takes at least two tries to keep in runningand even then it barely holds on sitting at around 600 RPMs then racing up to 1500rpms then going back down to almost stalling over and over until it warms up. the fuel response is terrible, hesitation galore. I've tried everything dealing with tunning. From adjusting the timing to the fuel pressure.It's got new plugs,fuel filter,oil. I'm almost at a point of taking it in to a mechanic unless anyone has any suggestions of what i could do about these problems with the tunning. Thanks Thad ------------------ 90 LX 5.0 Not timed in 1/4 mile yet. 135mph max speed, so far.

02-06-2001, 11:35 PM	#5
joe4speed He said Member...heh, heh Join Date: Sep 1999 Location: Jupiter, Florida U.S.A. Posts: 3,718	what happened?? it was running fine the other day, besides the whistling noise ------------------ Joe! 1988 GT, 167,000 miles!!! 13.71@105mph Check out my listing! Click here! Or my website: www.joe4speed.com 1999 Ninja ZX-6R 10.32@135mph!

02-07-2001, 05:59 PM	#6
Thad Registered Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Stuart, FL US Posts: 192	Well ijust finished looking over the whole intake area and found the worse case scenario. the Upper part of the intake is cracked.A nice big crack too. I must of just made it worse when i redid the gaskets. On the furthest back hole where the bolt goes in it starts from the flange the bolt head sits on to about 3/4 away from the hole itself. What a pisser huh. Thats why it's running so rich it's trying to compinsate for the extra air going in. that thing had to have been cracked this whole time. I know i didn't put to much torque on those bolts. Thanks Pete!!!!

02-08-2001, 09:08 AM	#7
IMPULSERACING Registered Member Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: chicago,IL,USA Posts: 158	Your fuel pressure should be between 38-42 psi. MDN is right, Your timing should probably be around 14 degrees on a N/A car. Your vacuum is going to be low with an F-cam. I have a E-cam with 1.7 rockers and my vacuum is around 10-11 compared to 15-16 stock. Get your intake fixed, bump your fuel pressure up, and your timing up a little and you should be doing a lot better. Hope this helps. ------------------ 92' LX Hatch 5 spd Edelbrock Performer Intake, pro-m 75mm MAF, 70mm T.B., 24lb injectors, 190lph, Mac fenderwall cold air induction, mallary ignition and coil, Cobra 1.7 rockers, 373:1 gear, upper and lower control arms, supersubs, 50/50's, front drag springs, no sway bar, battery in hatch, compucar N20 kit 13.42 @ 100.50 N/A on radials No time on Juice yet

02-08-2001, 06:13 PM	#8
Thad Registered Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Stuart, FL US Posts: 192	Thanks impulsracing. i'm in the proccess of taking the upper plenum off now to see how bad the crack really is and if it's worth fixing. It looked pretty severe from what i saw.i'll also try doing the tunning ideas too. thanks again for the input. I'll post the outcome of the whole fiasco. ------------------ 90 LX 5.0 Not timed in 1/4 mile yet. 135mph max speed, so far.

02-08-2001, 11:42 PM	#9
joe4speed He said Member...heh, heh Join Date: Sep 1999 Location: Jupiter, Florida U.S.A. Posts: 3,718	JB Weld!!