My Dyno Run - Cheap suggestions wanted..lol

[guitaraholic]

Ok, Finally got my car dynoed after driving it for almost two years with an Sr in it. Got the standard upgrades to turn up the boost (chipped ECU, Z32 MAF, 540 cc injectors, FMIC, 3" exhaustd)

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa306/guitaraholic2007/240sxDynoRun5Jun09RPMs.jpg


The first run was at 8-9psi the second was at ~15 or so. Should I have gotten more of an increase in power by increasing the boost that much. The third run was cut short because for some reason the car just died like it hit a boost cut/limiter, which I have never heard of before, it acted almost like it did when it had the speed limiter before it was chipped. I know its not speed limited anymore because I've had it just shy of 160mph before. After it came down from the cut it ran fine (hell drove it from OKC back to good ole FLORIDA after that.

Also, how are my AFR's. The daughtercard eproms are slightly mismatched to the turbo. its programed for a TD06, though I am running a T28. Also have a few things on it that "may" be hindering performance a little (like a 2' long louvered resonator which I will be replacing with a perferated on when the time comes)

I wouldn't mind getting another 30-40 or so H.P. out of the thing before doing any big upgrades, could I get that with a good tune and say 256 cams? I also have a spare head that I am going to P&P and get swain coated.

[jamg]

looks like the basic things i will do when i get mine too.

[reelyfast]

i think you could probably get that out of the p&p'd head, cams, and retune.
you would want to do all of those at once though, because you would need to retune after both of those mods. so do the head, get the cams, install, and tune.

in my novice eye your afr's look pretty good, they don't stray too much between runs.

also, who does your tunes?

[slider2828]

Get grounding kit or make your own.

AFR is bad... At 5500 and on, you are reaching close to 13 at redline.... It should start leaning at ALL.... Did you hear any audible knock? Your engine might have limped and shut down cause you were knocking a lot.

Cheap is get CAMS and maybe lightened flywheel and driveshaft... Those are all about 200 - 300 dollar range...

[steve shadows]

any knock is bad knock and probably engine failing or blowing up knck

we recentlyl had this problem on a couple cars, both tuned by a very REPUTABLE (har har) "G" shop...

If you can hear it with your ear you are in close to FAIL zone

in fact one did blow eventually the damage was already done and it was too late (to the piston)

PS. This is another reason why custom and specifc tuning is so important - I even had audible knock on a customers car who was using a JWT ecu...we switched to Power FC made a little bit more HP at same boost and now the car is safe and sound for ever.

[guitaraholic]

Get grounding kit or make your own.

AFR is bad... At 5500 and on, you are reaching close to 13 at redline.... It should start leaning at ALL.... Did you hear any audible knock? Your engine might have limped and shut down cause you were knocking a lot.

Cheap is get CAMS and maybe lightened flywheel and driveshaft... Those are all about 200 - 300 dollar range...


I lined up the AFR on the graph with a straight edge and yes, I does look like it is leaning out a bit at the end, but it didn't look like it went much above 12:1.

The engine didn't shut down, it just stopped pulling, almost like the gas peddle stopped working, after it went back down to idle the car acted just fine. I'm not sure if that would be limp mode or not (Not argueing the point, just giving you more info on how the engine acted the problem).

I did not hear any knock, infact I put a little 101 octane on it to be safe (about a 1/3 ratio 101 to 91 octane), so maybe 94 octane total.

[slider2828]

But you should be closer to 11 than 12..... Also it might not be audible since there is just plainly so much noise..... When you get above 6500 you should start towards 11 not the other way around...

[guitaraholic]

Slider,

You mentioned something about a grounding kit, would poor grounding effect output a lot, I think my grounding needs improvement? My lights dim/flicker a lot, which may be attributed to a bad ground, and I sometimes get a little bit of mild studdering at low power output (say 45mph in 5th)

[slider2828]

HELLS YEAH!!!... Ground increases spark energy..... sparky energy = more fuel being combusted...

7 grounds.... head, block, tranny, alt, chassis, intake manifold, and coil packs..... 2 gauge for everything except the coil packs.... I would ground the ignitor by itself too!

[guitaraholic]

Well, I know it's an old post, but I think I found out my problem(s)..lol. Finally got around to pressurizing the system to look for leaks. I had a couple of small holes in my intercooler.

If that wasn't enough, the gasket on my #1 spark plug wasn't sealing, so it was getting blowby (found that out after fixing the boost leaks, and started hearing air come out the top). Easy Fix

Also the #1 coil wasn't bolted down and came loose (my bad, I broke the bolt on it while changing spark plugs, and forgot all about it). (bolt extracters help out on that one)

My turbo starting making some crazy "tinging" noises a little while back, so I took it off/apart and put it back together and seems to be running fine. I'm only have it set to 2-3lbs of boost for now, but seems to be running pretty damn good, with just that. I'll have to hit the dyno again once I feel comfortable the turbo is in good enough shape for a 14psi run.

I was thinking of getting some cams off a 98 Sentra SE-R, I've heard those cams provide a little more lift/duration than mine.

[S14Serge]

Good to hear that some of those gremlins that you were having with your engine have been taken cared of..

But why are you running 2-3lbs of boost and not the stock 7-8lbs? Are you worried your turbo has bit the dust? I know you might not be comfortable pushing it but 7-8lbs shouldn't hurt the turbo if it's in good condition....:2c:

[slider2828]

Yeah I agree....

I really suggest people getting quality intercooler kits, cause its a headache to find leaks in the tanks which is really a quality control thing. Tinging means the blades were contacting the house, did you notice any chips or movement on the shaft? It could also be ball bearing noises, which I get after I turn off the car and the turbo is still spining, but with the car on, I hear 0 noises.....

[S14_Kouki]

I'm only have it set to 2-3lbs of boost for now, .


How you cant do that. The stock wastegate has a 7 pound spring you cant go lower then the stock spring.

[guitaraholic]

----S14Serge---

I was just babying the turbo, I've turned it up to 5 psi, and plan on turning it up a few lbs every tank

----Slider2828---

Actually it is a very good quality Intercooler. It was from a few rock chips or something that definatly hit and put a few small dents in the front. Some JB Weld fixed that.... You are correct on the "tinging" noises. For some crazy reason the blades were hitting the housing. When I took it apart, it was barely scrapping against the exhaust shield, almost like the CHRA came went out of place. After taking the whole turbo apart, and putting it back together it spins very free and only a very slight amount of shaft play, infact you can't see it, only bearly feel it

-----14Kouki----

I've got and HKS adjustable WGA, I extended the rod all the way open. Infact, until today, the wastegate is open part way w/o boost. It basically doesn't build boost till 5k, and it was only 2-3 lbs. Today I just shortened it 1/4" and am getting 5lbs now creeping up to 7 at redline

[slider2828]

Wow damn you took it apart and put it back together again in a couple of days, I mean it takes an entire day to do that. I guess you are pretty quick, but for me taking apart the turbo off the car, is a headache.... Not hard, but just time consuming to get everything right if stuff don't break lol.....

but you know if you can feel it, I mean its just only going to get worse.... So are you still have problems right now?