So I've had some time to play with it a bit now. Still not drivable as a lot of things still loose or off car but it starts, idles, timing is pretty close, low and high speed fans kick on and off like they are supposed too and all gauges seem to work properly. I am amazed at how easily it started the very first time and continues to start at the first hit of the key.
I need to get my laptop configured to hook to ECU to change some things to really dial the timing in but I figure it would be better to just spend the day buttoning up the rest of the car. Nothing new, unknown or untested left, just putting old parts back on the car.
Pretty happy to be at this stage now, there were times last week I wondered if it really was going to work.
__________________
Lance
1985 Monte Carlo SS Street Car
So our friend and fellow board member Andrew spent about 2 hours today dialed into my laptop hooked to the car from his house and really got the idle tune dialed in perfect. It was fun to watch and learn...and see the results from the changes in real time. I'm not sure if it's the cam, the worked over Fastburn heads, or just the whole complete package...but this combo really seems like a great match for the ECU and throttle body. It seemed pretty simple for Andrew to dial it in initially.
We did kind of struggle to get the idle down (which I always fought with the Q-jet as well). Even with throttle blades completely closed and IAC at 0, it still idled around 800 rpm. We even capped off the 3 vacuum lines I had hooked to TBI to see if there was a leak on one of them with little effect. I finally put a wrench on the 4 bolts holding it to manifold and tightened them 1/8-1/4 turn each and that bumped the IAC up to about 4. Backing the idle timing down to 12 degrees and a few other small changes got it to idle about 760 or so with IAC around 4 and we left it there. I need to get the air cleaner back on to see how that affects it if any. The heater hose valve was in the way of it and it was too freaking hot to mess with today.
Speaking of heat, it idled in a 100 degree garage for over an hour and never got over 190 degrees. The low and high speed fans work perfectly exactly how they are programmed in the ECU. No leaks, runs, drips or errors that I can see either.
Time to get the wheels back on, gas tank bolted in, fenders back on and tidy up the loose ends so I can test drive it on the street. I think Andrew was disappointed when we were done with idle tune and he asked me if it was ready to drive on the street.
__________________
Lance
1985 Monte Carlo SS Street Car
So our friend and fellow board member Andrew spent about 2 hours today dialed into my laptop hooked to the car from his house and really got the idle tune dialed in perfect. It was fun to watch and learn...and see the results from the changes in real time. I'm not sure if it's the cam, the worked over Fastburn heads, or just the whole complete package...but this combo really seems like a great match for the ECU and throttle body. It seemed pretty simple for Andrew to dial it in initially.
We did kind of struggle to get the idle down (which I always fought with the Q-jet as well). Even with throttle blades completely closed and IAC at 0, it still idled around 800 rpm. We even capped off the 3 vacuum lines I had hooked to TBI to see if there was a leak on one of them with little effect. I finally put a wrench on the 4 bolts holding it to manifold and tightened them 1/8-1/4 turn each and that bumped the IAC up to about 4. Backing the idle timing down to 12 degrees and a few other small changes got it to idle about 760 or so with IAC around 4 and we left it there. I need to get the air cleaner back on to see how that affects it if any. The heater hose valve was in the way of it and it was too freaking hot to mess with today.
Speaking of heat, it idled in a 100 degree garage for over an hour and never got over 190 degrees. The low and high speed fans work perfectly exactly how they are programmed in the ECU. No leaks, runs, drips or errors that I can see either.
Time to get the wheels back on, gas tank bolted in, fenders back on and tidy up the loose ends so I can test drive it on the street. I think Andrew was disappointed when we were done with idle tune and he asked me if it was ready to drive on the street.
So I'm explaining to the wife what was going on in the garage yesterday.
"Yes honey, a guy I've never met in person before is linked into my laptop over the internet and is making tuning adjustments on the computer in my car while talking to me over the phone..."
Her: "Why is he doing that?" "And why are you letting him do that?"
"It's just a guy thing honey..."
Much like a couple weekends ago when 25 some guys that have BS'd together on the internet for years finally meet face to face...it's like we've all known each other for years and it doesn't seem at all like we've just met for the first time.
Let's hope in a couple hours this thing rolls out of the shop under it's own power for the first time in almost 2 months. It's 7 am here and I've already had my morning walk, breakfast, am dressed and in the shop ready to turn wrenches...
__________________
Lance
1985 Monte Carlo SS Street Car
Lance,
Great to hear you are getting things dial in
It was also good to finally meet you and talk
You crack me up with getting the idle down to 760
My buddy's Pantera and mine have the idle set at 1300 rpm
and we spin them to 7500 rpm and still bounce the limiter sometimes
Love those 830 Nascar Holleys
Holey Cow! So by noon or so I had the car all back in one piece, that pretty much went as planned. I then drove it up and put some fuel in it and made about a 2 mile circle around on city streets to get back home again. Right away driveability was good. Ever now and then it would stumble a bit but never really misfire or anything like that and I could tell it was getting better all the time. Once back I sent the Global Configuration file with the learn tables in it to Andrew and about 10 minutes later he sent me an adjusted file back. I uploaded...then went for a drive again. This time he wanted me to make a couple WOT blasts from 2000 - 6000 RPM which I did.
Also grabbed a couple video clips with my phone during this run.
Keep in mind, ambient temp is about 105 and the Manifold air temp was close to 130... On way back I rolled the windows up and turned the air on. Car's behavior didn't change one bit, still rock solid. Fans kicked on when they were supposed to and coolant temp stayed right where it is supposed too, even idling at a stoplight at 750 RPM with AC on max. THIS is what I wanted and why I did this swap.
Once back I sent the file to Andrew again and told him a few things I noticed it doing. 10 minutes later, new tune uploaded and quick jaunt just around the house close by but did get a couple of spirited WOT blasts in and man...did he wake it up!! It's back to as good as it EVER was at WOT with the Q jet (possibly better) and with non-of the side effects. I ran short on time and had to quit but I sent the file to Andrew one more time, he made a few more slight tweaks and sent it back for my next go around.
I can't wait to see how it is now.
Parked it in the garage raised the hood, went out there after my shower and no fuel smell either...another reason why I did this swap!!
Here is how it looks now...not much different really. But trust me...it's WAY different now.
__________________
Lance
1985 Monte Carlo SS Street Car
The Following 4 Users Say Thank You to SSLance For This Useful Post:
So our friend and fellow board member Andrew spent about 2 hours today dialed into my laptop hooked to the car from his house and really got the idle tune dialed in perfect. It was fun to watch and learn...and see the results from the changes in real time. I'm not sure if it's the cam, the worked over Fastburn heads, or just the whole complete package...but this combo really seems like a great match for the ECU and throttle body. It seemed pretty simple for Andrew to dial it in initially.
We did kind of struggle to get the idle down (which I always fought with the Q-jet as well). Even with throttle blades completely closed and IAC at 0, it still idled around 800 rpm. We even capped off the 3 vacuum lines I had hooked to TBI to see if there was a leak on one of them with little effect. I finally put a wrench on the 4 bolts holding it to manifold and tightened them 1/8-1/4 turn each and that bumped the IAC up to about 4. Backing the idle timing down to 12 degrees and a few other small changes got it to idle about 760 or so with IAC around 4 and we left it there. I need to get the air cleaner back on to see how that affects it if any. The heater hose valve was in the way of it and it was too freaking hot to mess with today.
Speaking of heat, it idled in a 100 degree garage for over an hour and never got over 190 degrees. The low and high speed fans work perfectly exactly how they are programmed in the ECU. No leaks, runs, drips or errors that I can see either. Holey Cow! So by noon or so I had the car all back in one piece, that pretty much went as planned. I then drove it up and put some fuel in it and made about a 2 mile circle around on city streets to get back home again. Right away driveability was good. Ever now and then it would stumble a bit but never really misfire or anything like that and I could tell it was getting better all the time. Once back I sent the Global Configuration file with the learn tables in it to Andrew and about 10 minutes later he sent me an adjusted file back. I uploaded...then went for a drive again. This time he wanted me to make a couple WOT blasts from 2000 - 6000 RPM which I did.
Keep in mind, ambient temp is about 105 and the Manifold air temp was close to 130... On way back I rolled the windows up and turned the air on. Car's behavior didn't change one bit, still rock solid. Fans kicked on when they were supposed to and coolant temp stayed right where it is supposed too, even idling at a stoplight at 750 RPM with AC on max. THIS is what I wanted and why I did this swap.
Once back I sent the file to Andrew again and told him a few things I noticed it doing. 10 minutes later, new tune uploaded and quick jaunt just around the house close by but did get a couple of spirited WOT blasts in and man...did he wake it up!! It's back to as good as it EVER was at WOT with the Q jet (possibly better) and with non-of the side effects. I ran short on time and had to quit but I sent the file to Andrew one more time, he made a few more slight tweaks and sent it back for my next go around.
I can't wait to see how it is now.
Parked it in the garage raised the hood, went out there after my shower and no fuel smell either...another reason why I did this swap!!
Here is how it looks now...not much different really. But trust me...it's WAY different now.
I've been following this w/much interest & glad to review the latest successful results.
That being said, with Andrew assisting, is this only to speed up the learning curve? Or should this be a 'Must-Do' step w/the process? I know these systems are advertised as "Self Leaning" but we know that's a main/strong selling point to the DIY guy. While this type & similar set-ups can/do self learn, do they need a tuners ability to get things near/at optimum if you want it sooner rather than later?
And maybe Andrew (or someone else that has similar experience) can answer this....If you opt for no tuner & let the units ECU do it's thing, how long before it could/would reach the same tune?
Brian Hobaugh SCCA National Tour June 2014
First Hemi 'Cuda Convertible Ever Built
Short clips: Goodguys Pleasanton autocross and pit videos
Hybrid Mode
