Who want's to tune?

DeltaBravo

Retired U.S. Army/Navy
Joined
Jun 14, 2014
Hello South Western Area,

I've been an idiot while owner this car.:oops: I read things...interpreted...and came up with what I though worked and well...it didn't! I pushed to much boost.:(

After replacing some parts like the head gaskets and other gaskets and fluid, the car runs good. But I don't know if it really is good compared to other Buick's or if it is just good compare to what I am use too in this particular Buick. I have no other experience in a turbo Buick to compare too but mine. So...It really might be runny poorly and I wouldn't even know it.

I want to make sure I am tuning it correctly. And more importantly, I want to make sure the overall health of the car is good.

I've read many threads and articles to include this http://www.vortexbuicks-etc.com/TuningBasics.htm and it is a great read with a whelm of knowledge as well as the spring cleaning thread :bookworm:. I've done a lot of improvements and upgrades, however... I want to make sure I understand how to tune these cars before I am tearing down the motor again to replace head gaskets or more. It's one of those things that you really don't understand until you "lived and seen it".

so....I'm asking if anyone in my area can help me through this process please. Please PM me. I appreciate any advice, but i am looking for someone to physically sit in the car and help tune.

Thanks,
Damon:)
 
Long Beach, CA 90805.

Scan Master, adjustable fuel pressure regulator and adjustable boost control.
 
Hello South Western Area,

I've been an idiot while owner this car.:oops: I read things...interpreted...and came up with what I though worked and well...it didn't! I pushed to much boost.:(

After replacing some parts like the head gaskets and other gaskets and fluid, the car runs good. But I don't know if it really is good compared to other Buick's or if it is just good compare to what I am use too in this particular Buick. I have no other experience in a turbo Buick to compare too but mine. So...It really might be runny poorly and I wouldn't even know it.

I want to make sure I am tuning it correctly. And more importantly, I want to make sure the overall health of the car is good.

I've read many threads and articles to include this http://www.vortexbuicks-etc.com/TuningBasics.htm and it is a great read with a whelm of knowledge as well as the spring cleaning thread :bookworm:. I've done a lot of improvements and upgrades, however... I want to make sure I understand how to tune these cars before I am tearing down the motor again to replace head gaskets or more. It's one of those things that you really don't understand until you "lived and seen it".

so....I'm asking if anyone in my area can help me through this process please. Please PM me. I appreciate any advice, but i am looking for someone to physically sit in the car and help tune.

Thanks,
Damon:)
Problem is your guessing,you will need data.one good way to see how your car is performing is with a stopwatch.do some 30 to 80mph pulls/60 to 110mph with your base tune see where the car is.now onto the tune, having a wideband 02 sensor will allow you to see the Afr a lot faster and is very helpful,also seeing how your fuel pumps are doing with a fuel pressure gauge is inmo very important plus you can see the fuel curve.adjustments in the tt chip are easy and effective if your pumps are healthy.always tune with a cushion/rich start timing lower and make small boost adjustments upwards while looking at Afr and knock till you hit your comfort level.tuning strategy do vary generally speaking,lower timing higher boost say 18degrees and 30psi is one way,higher timing/lower boost 23degrees and 25 degrees is another.fuel used/ motor combo all effect that approach and the stopwatch or racetrack will show you.
 
Maybe see turbolou. He has a diagnostic machine to check things you just can't check without. Plus, he's pretty good at tuning (y)
 
Mr Spool. Thanks for the advise. My problem is exactly that...guessing. I don't have a successful process that I know works...that's why I am asking for assistance from someone that has that experience. Your advise sounds solid and that lines up with what I already know from reading. Two problems; first-the speeds are a little excessive for the everyday public street/highway. And second, as I mentioned earlier, I just don't have the experience and because of that, I broke it once before and don't want to repeat that. I also want to make sure I indeed have a healthy running car to begin with and again, I don't have any experience in knowing what is a good healthy base to start with.

Turboelky. I will call him today...hopefully he isn't too grouchy;).

thanks,
 
If you're going to be tuning the car yourself, I would suggest dialing out as much timing as you can with your chip/translator, and turning the alky injection up just to be safe.

Once you can establish exactly what boost you are at and have accurate AFR readings, then you can begin to adjust from there.

I would highly recommend picking up a wideband O2. Eric at TurboTweak has an AEM wideband for $180 : http://www.turbotweakstore.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=2001

That WB is going to let you accurately obtain an account of what is transpiring in the motor in regards to AFR. Once you can see this info, you can make adjustments accordingly to your boost and AFR/timing.

Without an accurate AFR reading, you are shooting in the dark, as they say.
 
Thank you Reggie. I called and talked with Lou. I will be driving out tomorrow morning.

Listen to Lou and you will learn a lot.

Keep talking at Lou to show him what you know and he will get grumpy and shut down. Most of the best guys on here like Lou, Nick and Reggie share very similar traits.

Ask me how I know this. ;)
 
Lou is the Godfather of Turbo Buicks in So Cal. Between him, Nick, Reggie, Mike B and others you can learn what you need to know to keep yourself safe and do your own tuning with confidence.

Best of luck!

Neal
 
Powerlogger and a wb with wb chip and we can all.help over the internet

Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

Except for Conrad. He is afraid of intercoolers and thus is inferior to us IC guys :p


On a serious note- I think there is a LC-1 wideband for sale for $100 right now in the Parts for Sale section by the user Richard Miller. Doesn't have the gauge, but still can auto-correct with a WB chip from Eric.
 
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