BlackZenkiS14

S14 Kouki SR20DET rebuilt 8 months ago with: CP Pistons, Bored .20 over, Apexi headgasket, ARP headstuds and main studs, new main/thust/rod bearings, polished crank, decked block, balanced drivetrain. Head was cleaned, but untouched otherwise. Mods are: OEM T28, Nismo 740cc injectors(flowtested/approved), Walbro 255, SAFC2, Greddy RSPL FMIC+other boltons etc...

Its been smoking a little bit lately, which I have kinda written off as being a rebuilt motor and possible smoke from turbo. However, this morning when I got home, it was smoking under light throttle and idling like a subaru, exact same symptoms as last summer.

Motor was installed rebuilt Last September, broke it in completely properly as instructed by the shop that built the motor. Everyone can attest for that. I have less than 5,000 miles on it probably, and only in the car for 9 months or so.

Rebuilt by a local shop. I've only driven it between August and Now, and of that whole time, only a few months I could actually drive the car (didnt drive it Dec/Jan/Feb AT ALL). Didnt do anything crazy, just drove home from the GF...'s house this morning, did about 90 all the way home, but didnt do anything weird.

Only been on 1.3BAR 18psi (tuned to 11.7-12.1 AFR) for about 1.5 months. Which is higher boost than stock, but I've kept a very close eye on the motor temp and AFR the whole time. All were completely within the range of safety specs. I've changed the oil 4 or 5 times since it's been back on the road last August. Motor has NEVER gotten hot, or anywhere close.

My injectors are Nismo 740cc injectors, that have been cleaned and flowtested within the past 300 miles. they all flow within 3cc of eachother.

well, Did a compression test tonight on a cold motor. compression numbers are as follows: (closed throttle/WOT)

#1) 120/123
#2) 135/135
#3) 128/130
#4) 130/130

Which doesnt tell me much, those are all bad compression numbers. Not terrible, but not good at all either. Something never seated right I would assume, but this also leads me to believe that the pistons are all probably in decent shape, going to do a leak down test tomorrow night after work to see whats going on further... :/ I am a bit surprised though, cause I was pretty confident I was going to find one of them was way low like last time...not sure what to think now.

Plugs show signs of detonation on #2 and #4, bad. I thought that as long as I had a safe AFR, I really couldnt do much damage on a stock turbo.

Here are my plugs in order 1,2,3,4:









Someone help me out here. Apparently the SAFC2 doesnt work for this setup, besides a PFC, and a standalone, what can I do that will be more reliable and safer for tuning? Enthalpy/JWT+SAFC2? No one locally knows how to use the PFC, and I dont know how to use it, so I cant really go that route. I'll get more pics and info as I go.

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-Kyle

jr_ss

They are low but not bad... They all seem pretty consistent and I'd rather have them all along the same numbers the. Way out on one.

Spend the money and get a real tune like you were told months ago in your SAFC thread and be done with it. I have a feeling you may have hurt the motor by running the shit SAFC. Atkeast this is something you can fix on your own. If you need too hone the cylinders and rering it yourself.

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My SR20VET

BlackZenkiS14

I hate to say it, but your exactly right

Im trying to figure out what to do now. I cant really go with a PFC, because no one locall knows how to tune with them, and I dont trust myself learning it.

What about a pretuned ecu (JWT/Enthalpy) along with my SAFC? Would that be safe?

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-Kyle

jr_ss

I think the JWT/Enthalpy tunes would be your best options. If you have to, data log it and send it back for fine tuning but get rid of the damn SAFC completely.

I wasn't trying to be a dick, but you were warned about it then. Hopefully it's nothing "major" in your motor and catch a break.

Just because you have "safe" AFR's doesn't mean you can't run lean in parts of your tune, especially with a piggy back. Tuning isn't about just getting good AFR's, you have to take into account timing as well. There are other aspects than just a good fuel mixture that contribute to a healthy running and performaning engine. Hopefully you didn't learn it the "hard" way so to speak. Good luck man

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My SR20VET

BlackZenkiS14

Yea, I am learning it now. When I was doing tuning, all I was taking into consideration was the AFR

I dont think Im gonna try to even make this motor work again soon, I'm just gonna buy a full new motor swap, and get it back on the road, and take my time rebuilding my current motor, and make sure its done right, and save for real tuning options in the meantime.

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-Kyle

boost addict

sorry to hear that man. you should look into nistune, im sure youve heard of it. thats what im getting mine tuned with and for the price you cant beat it

BlackZenkiS14

I just started to look into that, but dont know much about it yet. Does the chip come with the software and everything needed to make adjustments with it on a laptop? or what?

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-Kyle

boost addict

yea you send your ecu to the dealer and they install the chip, you get the software, license, cable. everything you need then go get it tuned

mct3351

Are you running a stock maf? With 740cc injectors and a stock maf I imagine the corrections the safc is making may be putting you in much more advanced portions of the stock ignition map than ideal.

edit: At 18psi I'd hope not. The safc will still put you in more advanced regions of the stock ign map with 740's and z32 maf. Is base timing set properly?

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BlackZenkiS14

Base is set, but yea I was Z32+740cc

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-Kyle

BlackZenkiS14

Wonder if I had detonation problems at all....FML

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-Kyle

fliprayzin240sx

How'd you managed to run a SAFC with 740cc injectors to begin with? Looking at that engine, detonation issues for sure. Hot enough to melt aftermarket forged pistons and block. I'm surprised you didnt get rod knocks first before anything else.

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See, SAFC's kill motors. Bad...

BlackZenkiS14

surprisingly the bearings and everything look immaculate lol

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-Kyle

BiG MiKE86

Wow that sucks... Goodluck on your next build... stay the eff away from SAFC's!

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BlackZenkiS14

Yea, S13 Blacktop in the works now. Gonna go with a JWT ECU, and just be done with it. I dont care about peak power at all, I just want reliability.

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-Kyle

jr_ss

My question is, how did you not hear that motor pinging away? I bet that thing sounded like a sparkler crackling inside your motor.

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My SR20VET

BlackZenkiS14

Well, the rest of the car is pretty loud, lack of sound deadening, no mufflers, etc...and it wasnt a sound I was familiar with. Looking back now, I can remember hearing it, but didnt know what it was, or even that I should be concerned with it. Im learning.

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-Kyle

jr_ss

Sometimes it doesn't sound like a knock. It sounds like a sizzling or crackling so to speak. I heard it a few times on my last motor, before I knew exactly what it was... Now I know exactly what detonation sounds like. Just hope I never hear it again

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My SR20VET

BlackZenkiS14

Yep. thats the sound I remember too

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-Kyle

s14unimog

wow man that sucks... You and I have very similar builds but I'm running a Nistune system. I hate that you lost those pistons but hey, look at it this way, you've got nifty looking ash trays now (I know that's not funny). I gave away my last pistons as presents; lol.

GL on your next build. Something was up for sure. Did you just try and compensate for the injectors and MAFS with the SAFC? Has it not been on the dyno? Its one of those things you HAVE to do when building up an SR. Otherwise you risk throwing parts away...

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Chrischeezer

Do another compression check with a cap full of oil in each cylinder.

this is fill in any missing "ring" and the compression will jump up.. if it stays the same.. your rings are good..

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bookoo

How about the 4months you didn't drive it...sounds like the rings did not get seated very well.

bb4_96

Unless the safc was free a tuned ecu would probably been cheaper.

bookoo

And I agree do another comp test...but if your trying to see if you can get good numbers...use just some generic automatic transmission fluid...best way to do a comp wet test

BlackZenkiS14

LOL you guys didnt see the updated pictures I posted apparently..Its detonated to fuck.

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-Kyle

Chrischeezer

Omg.. didn't realize you were talking about the SAME engine ...

oh shit.. sorry

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Datspar

IMO 11.7-12 is not a 'safe' A/F ratio... more like 11.5 and lower...

BlackZenkiS14

Yea. Im still learning I guess.

I'm throwing in the towel on this S14 motor though, and Parting it out

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-Kyle

mct3351

Dont lose hope. I've killed 2 motors (looked exactly like yours) from detonation before i figured out what i was doing with timing tuning... Learning experiences.

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