First Test Drive with FTI Combo and some questions...

[5spd GT]

Well as I suspected I got to test drive the car today...currently the timing is set at 16* if I remember correctly...and FP is at 39psi...and the car has about 30 minutes of idle time on it...we changed the oil after letting it idle a bit more...and I went for a test drive...before the H/C/I swap the tires would grab anywhere in first if you floored it...well now they are breaking loose ...but I feel the power is not there that it should be...I think the timing needs to be bumped up even more and the computer needs to relearn the combo...Technically I've only driven about a mile and a half so I bet it will get quicker as I drive it...

Now to the questions and "wonders"?

Alright...the car is obviously running rich at idle...enough to make my eyes want to water...what can I do about that and still keep the car running good...is a tune the only option...don't have any tuning places within a reasonable area...

Also...might the 16* timing (I know some cars are different) not be enough for my car...I guess I can try higher and see...

Now what does the setting the FP do for the driveablility to the car...what would be the difference if I dropped it to 35 psi for example...less throttle response or what?

I'm going to make seperate threads about the right header gasket for the ports on my AFR's and to match with the Mac 1 5/8in equal lengths...but suggestions are welcome in here...I would use what Ed suggested (high temp rtv silicone) but I'm afraid I'd be to messy with it

Oh about me wondering whether p-v clearance would be an issue...well during my test drive after seeing there was no obvious pinging...I went through 1st gear (spinning ) and "tried" to hit 2nd I missed ...the car revved up there in the (valve-float) zone or so and nothing happened...Ed does good stuff with his upgraded springs and he told me I would be fine with the p-v clearance and he was exactly right and did my cam just how I wanted it ...oh and the cam sounds mean

But again many thanks to Ed and also the people that have helped me out with my little problems along the "install way"...

David

 

[TT91]

what size injectors?

 

[5spd GT]

what size injectors?

30lb...I guess I need to work on a new signature...

 

[runningmole]

I'm sure that off road h-pipe doesn't help. We had my car running w/ some extra fuel pressure when we 1st started it (did that to be safe because we didn't have a fuel pressure gauge) and it wasn't that bad of a smell, or on our eyes (I have cats on my car) Then the fuel pressure was set to 39 I think (I dunno, I didn't do it) But it starts much easier now, and settles in to a nice idle right away.

 

[5spd GT]

I don't think it is the offroad h pipe...never had the problem before with it...just after the H/C/I swap...and we smell it with the hood popped...not behind the car by the exhaust...thanks...

David

 

[sn9550]

Try adjusting your TPS to .098v. That usually helps.

 

[Michael Yount]

5spd - glad to hear you got 'er goin'. Good for you - keep working the bugs, but most of all, keep driving it -- that'll help things settle down.

As for p to v clearance you said "I went through 1st gear (spinning ) and "tried" to hit 2nd I missed ...the car revved up there in the (valve-float) zone or so and nothing happened" -- just a reminder to everyone reading, this approach to checking p to v clearance can result in VERY expensive findings; despite the fact that it worked out here, it's never the recommended approach. Measure.

 

[5spd GT]

5spd - glad to hear you got 'er goin'. Good for you - keep working the bugs, but most of all, keep driving it -- that'll help things settle down.

As for p to v clearance you said "I went through 1st gear (spinning ) and "tried" to hit 2nd I missed ...the car revved up there in the (valve-float) zone or so and nothing happened" -- just a reminder to everyone reading, this approach to checking p to v clearance can result in VERY expensive findings; despite the fact that it worked out here, it's never the recommended approach. Measure.

Thanks...I want to thank you for being patient with me and helping me out...the tips were great...after finding that coolant leak at the lower intake we used some studs to drop it down (like you suggested) and it went on perfect...even though the gasket was ripped (90% sure that was the reason for the leak)...the studs made it easy...

Yes right now I'm going to try to drive it a couple more times and then I'm going to take off the upper and valve covers and retorque the lower intake bolts, head bolts, and readjust the valves again and torque the header bolts again...eventually I'll get around to fixing the header gasket (need the right one)...plus I have a small leak...

Also...yes DON'T anybody do the accidental method on checking P-V clearance like I did...it would be very costly and frustrating to say the least...measure for sure...but I will admit Ed was right when he said I'll be fine...but I hope know one takes the chance like I did

Will the computer help me with power as I drive it?

How do I go about setting the TPS...I don't have any kind of meters or anything?

David

 

[Michael Yount]

You'll need a digital volt meter to check tps voltage and function. You can pick them up cheap most anywhere - check Radio Shack or WalMart. With the engine warm, key on, engine off measure between the black and green wires on the tps wiring harness. You should see something between .80V and 1.2V. When you open the throttle, the voltage should climb smoothly in proportion to the throttle opening - up to around 5.0V. If it doesn't climb smoothly, something's likely wrong with the tps sensor. If it's out of the range above at idle - set it around .95V. If it works as described above, leave it alone and don't mess with it.

I don't think you'll see a lot of change in power as the computer adapts - but you may see improvement in drivability. Did you degree your cam? If you didn't, that's one of the first things Ed's gonna want to know. Absent degreeing it on install, you don't really know what your cam timing is - it'll make it a lot harder to trouble shoot what's going on with power levels. Is your maf new? Did they configure it to your air inlet set up (CAI or stock box, etc.)? Many drivability and power problems can be traced to maf's that have a transfer function (volt output vs. meter flow) that doesn't match up well to what the ecu expects to see. If power/drivability doesn't improve with time, and you're sure you've got no vacuum leaks, and the timing/fuel pressure is correct - then you can swap back in a stock maf and 19# injectors and see what happens to drivability. If it's drastically improved, your the compatibility between your maf and your ecu may be the culprit.

But drive it some more and see what happens.

 

[Badlilstang]

I had my stock setup runnign 13.90s and I did a H/C/I swap... I was very very dissappointed in the power I felt when I first drove the car.. It took a few days and a little tuning and it was night and day difference. Give it time. 16 is a lot of timing.. try backing it down some as some motors dont like as much timing. Like I stated befor my car felt slow and I wasnt happy at all... 2 weeks and some playing around I cracked out a 12.32 at the track at 109.32 mph in 90 degree weather.. 7.82 1/8th mile.. cool weather came around and I ran consistant 7.70s in the 1/8th. Just give your combo time. I ended up dynoing 315/342 to the rear. This was back when the Edelbrock performer intake was the best intake out. Good luck with your combo!

 

[Klunky]

Have any of you guys used a custom chip to help your computer out? I had a custom JMS chip made for my car...I'm almost done with the FTI HCI install. I can't wait... Hope the chip helps out the tuning issues.

 

[Michael Yount]

I've got a chip in mine - I used a local burner who could help me out at dyno time, and who could adjust based on test drives. I don't think I'd do a mail order chip however. We altered idle speed, turned off the egr and thermactor functions, altered the w.o.t. timing curve and cold start parameters, and adjusted wide open throttle mixture to lean things out a bit. It's worked great - but I think it's important to be able to have the person burning the chip have physical access to the car/dyno.

 

[Badlilstang]

I was using a PMS on mine and loved it.. Cost a pretty penny but well worth it in the long run.

 

[Klunky]

I've got a chip in mine - I used a local burner who could help me out at dyno time, and who could adjust based on test drives. I don't think I'd do a mail order chip however. We altered idle speed, turned off the egr and thermactor functions, altered the w.o.t. timing curve and cold start parameters, and adjusted wide open throttle mixture to lean things out a bit. It's worked great - but I think it's important to be able to have the person burning the chip have physical access to the car/dyno.

Dude...I'm so freaking jealous. I'd pay top dollar to have that done, but there is NO body that does it here. It looks like I'd have to drive 6 hours or so to get to a place like that. That's why I did the mail order thing with JMS. Ed Curtis told me that a bunch of his customers had real good results with them, so I gave it a shot.

 

[5spd GT]

You'll need a digital volt meter to check tps voltage and function. You can pick them up cheap most anywhere - check Radio Shack or WalMart. With the engine warm, key on, engine off measure between the black and green wires on the tps wiring harness. You should see something between .80V and 1.2V. When you open the throttle, the voltage should climb smoothly in proportion to the throttle opening - up to around 5.0V. If it doesn't climb smoothly, something's likely wrong with the tps sensor. If it's out of the range above at idle - set it around .95V. If it works as described above, leave it alone and don't mess with it.

I don't think you'll see a lot of change in power as the computer adapts - but you may see improvement in drivability. Did you degree your cam? If you didn't, that's one of the first things Ed's gonna want to know. Absent degreeing it on install, you don't really know what your cam timing is - it'll make it a lot harder to trouble shoot what's going on with power levels. Is your maf new? Did they configure it to your air inlet set up (CAI or stock box, etc.)? Many drivability and power problems can be traced to maf's that have a transfer function (volt output vs. meter flow) that doesn't match up well to what the ecu expects to see. If power/drivability doesn't improve with time, and you're sure you've got no vacuum leaks, and the timing/fuel pressure is correct - then you can swap back in a stock maf and 19# injectors and see what happens to drivability. If it's drastically improved, your the compatibility between your maf and your ecu may be the culprit.

But drive it some more and see what happens.

I'll check on that TPS eventually...

Yeah I degreed the cam (it was 1* off so I left it) and the MAF is calibrated to the 30lb injectors...and I bought a chrome MAF so I would suspect that it is kind of automatically tuned for a CAI pipe... ...but I'm going to send jdperformance my serial number on the Pro-M and confirm...

It's seem to drive fine and I hear no pinging so I'm going to try more timing...

Is it just me or is the car louder...would the AFR's do that with the bigger exhaust port?...

David