Newbie w. New GN

[bryes]

Thanks and take your time. I don't think i'm going to do anything with the converter until I'm back in Ohio anyway, so I really can't use it until maybe early November at the earliest.


This weekend the WB 340 is going in, hopefully that will fix my fuel pressure issues and will be the last piece of the puzzle before I consider driving it back.

[SuperSix]

OK. It's not going anywhere.. Let me know.

[bryes]

Thanks SS, I'll let you know.


Good news, the fuel pump is in now and it looks like my fuel pressure issues have been solved. The fuel pressure looks like it increases at least 1 / 1 with boost pressure, or maybe a little more.   It's kind of hard to look at both gauges simultaneously, I can see how a PL would be nice (I have one now, not installed yet).


Once I had proper fuel pressure, I re-installed the vacuum hose to the stock waste gate solenoid hoping for a bit more boost than the 10-11 I was getting by bypassing the solenoid. When I re-connected the solenoid and went WOT, my boost spiked up to about 14 psi and then settled down to 12 or so. I don't remember having that spike before switching back those vacuum tubes, does this sound like the solenoid is working properly?


Am I better off just getting rid of the stock waste gate solenoid altogether and trying to adjust boost levels with my adjustable waste gate rod? I might play with the car to try and raise the boost to 15 or 16 psi (I am running 93). Or does the stock solenoid do more than I think it does? Does the computer (I have a TT chip) reduce boost with it if it senses knock?


Thanks.

[Steve Wood]

I would guess the solenoid is not working...It serves as an electronic bleeder.  The more it is open (larger duty cycle), the higher the boost.  If it stays closed, then the boost will be basically controlled by the spring pressure in the actuator.  Sounds like the solenoid is not opening to me.

Be sure the plumbing is installed correctly.  the straight side of the "Y" goes to the compressor port.  the offset leg with the restrictor in it goes to the actuator.

using the wastegate rod to control the boost tends to slow down the boost ramp up so I would suggest using one of the manual controllers to set the boost with because they keep the boost off the actuator diaphragm until the desired level is reached.  this prevents the gate from creeping open and bypassing boost before the set level is reached.  Or you could stick an aquarium valve in the end of the hose that went to the solenoid if you like to live dangerously and hope it does not adjust itself from vibration

The factory chip apparently killed some of the boost when timing retard became very high.  I don't know if the TT does such, or not.  It was not as crucial when we were only running 12-14 psi of boost as it becomes when we are running 17 psi or above.

I built my own manual controllers ala  http://www.gusmahon.org/html/boostcontrol.htm  but I think the ones sold by RJC Racing, etc. have springs better suited for the purpose

[bryes]

Thanks Steve.


I checked and I did have the solenoid hooked up properly, so I guess the solenoid isn't working properly. Right now, I have more time than money on my hands, so I decided to take the homemade rout.


I ordered the parts you recommended at [size=0px]http://www.gusmahon.org/html/boostcontrol.htm [/size][/color][/size] from Grainger to make my own controller. I followed the instructions on assembling it, except for the part about beating the barb into the adjustable check valve with a hammer.[size=0px]
I wonder if the valve I received had a smaller hole than some others that would allow a "press" fit with the barb. The hole was around 3/16" I think, whereas the barb OD was more like 0.280", I know I would have destroyed that 90 deg barb trying to press fit it. Anyway, I was able to drill and tap the valve and 90* barbed fitting for 5/16" 18 threads, so mine now screws together instead of being a press fit. The barb was below the minimum OD, so the threads aren't exactly nominal, but it still tightened down fine. 

I played with the car today and was trying to work the boost up to the point that I saw some KR on the scanmaster.  With the tight converter, the car really doesn't pull until 15-20 mph, but as the boost builds to those higher pressures, the car comes to life. At 25-30  mph, I could hear the tires beginning to break loose.

I worked the car past 15 psi and finally wound up making 18-19 psi of boost according to my gauge. The scanmaster still said 0 KR, I hit the recall button several times to make sure after each run. I should be OK because I replaced the knock sensor when I did the motor and torqued it to spec... and it is plugged in. But I'd like to test it to make sure I don't have any surprises. I've read that you can bang on the block to test for knock, is this the best method?


Maybe I need to get an alchy kit to insure i have no knock? Plus it's a safety item for the engine so I should be able to get funding!

[Steve Wood]

Long ago, when I made a couple of them,  I sweated (soldered) copper tubing in instead of using the barb. Your way sounds better.

You should be able to run 17-18 psi. Might have to take a degree or two of timing of when you hit 18 psi.

Don't need alky unless you want more boost.  If 17 feels good, wait til you try 25. . I would go for a converter first

[bryes]

As much as I'd like to do the converter right now, that would be something I'd much rather do on a lift. Also, I should really focus on setting the car up for highway mpg, rather than on performance for now. It's just not very fun to think in those terms , especially since right now the 1 month before we have to get out of Savannah seems like an eternity. 


Today I might try to whack on my block and see if I can get the SM to retard the timing. I might also pull a plug or two to make sure that the motor is happy at those higher (for me) boost levels. Maybe if all is well I'll take it out and have a little more fun with it before changing my focus.

[Steve Wood]

I have had limited luck testing the knock sensor tapping the block.

[bryes]

I took out spark plugs #1, 4 and 5 today and they did not show any signs of "peppering". So it looks like I was able to get away with the 18-19 psi boost I ran yesterday. Also, I wasn't able to test it so my knock sensor still may or may not be functioning correctly, I'll try banging around some other time unless someone else knows a better way to check. Regardless, I chickened out and lowered the boost some, I'm kind of trying for maybe 15-16 for now.




Here are a couple of photos of the #4 spark plug which is  the cylinder that was blown and I "repaired". I did a WOT blast at the 18-19 psi then drove home about 1/8 mile and shut the car down. The spark plugs from the other 2 cylinders looked basically identical to the pictures below.

[Steve Wood]

Looks good to me.  I would set the boost to 17 psi and leave it there.  If required, set the fueling at the top of third gear using the chip programming so you are seeing about 790 mv on the O2s

[bryes]

The good news is I trailered the car back to Ohio without any incident.   The "good" news is that I took the car out for one last ride and I think I killed the transmission,

 Under acceleration the transmission shifted  from 1 to 2 and basically made some sort of noise and then nothing... the engine just reved  up and now I have no forward gears and no reverse.

[Steve Wood]

Damn,  at least not in the middle of nowhere

[TexasT]

Ah... The old park and 6 neutrals . Probably time for a billet shaft forward drum to prevent it from happening again.

[bryes]

Yes! Park and six neutrals!

Really,even though it still feels  like  I have something to complain about , that was about the most ideal time to break something:

 At the end of the season when the transmission was going to have to come out anyway, and after I got it home and unloaded from the trailer. I guess I got the better of Murphy and his stupid law on that deal!

[bryes]

Hey guys, sorry for not updating this post or really coming around for awhile. I've been huddled up in Ohio for the winter and haven't had the net the whole time. Since it's spring time I started working on the car again. Pulled the trans and it as it turns out my torque converter was stripped out at the input shaft. Very lucky!


I have the trans out now and halfway apart so I'm looking for advice on how to proceed now that I found the problem. I've started another thread entitled Repair or Rebuild Stock Transmission that's a lot more detailed, so if you don't mind I hope we can continue the discussion there. I'm looking forward to some more good advice.