Basic Tuning With Alcohol

[Mike SY]

Hi Buick Brothers,
I have a Syclone with a TE44, upgraded IC, and run the Ford 36# injectors. I just installed the SMC alky kit and filled the canister with denatured alcohol. I went to the track last night and my times were a little off but not by much. With only 3 runs it is hard to get in some serious tuning. I brought the alky in at 12#'s and had the pump speed at 7. It seemed to lay down in 3rd gear, as evidenced by my mph (12.53 @ 107) I cooled the truck down, then lowered the fuel presure 2#s and also the pump speed to 5. The truck picked up 2 tenths (12.33 @ 108.59) but I had to let up some, as the EGT's rose suddenly about 100 feet from the lights. On the 3rd run I brought the FP back up 2#'s and again slowed down correspondingly, but the EGT's stayed down. I was running 20#'s of boost on all runs. What kind of advice would you guys reccomend for some basic tuning of alcohol, in other words, what works for you? When I increase pump speed should I decrease FP or turn up the boost? 20#'s is the most I normally run. I did a search and but did not find much info that helped. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
Mike

 

[YGETV8]

What kinds of EGTs do you run with race gas? Are the alky EGTs comparable? Do Sy/Tys have scan tools available to use with them? 20 psi is low for that turbo on a TR, but don't know for a Sy... you could try to lower your fuel pressure and raise your alky? Maybe raise the on point a little to about 14-15 psi?

I guess I have become too accustomed to tuning for low knock retard! If you CAN hook up a scan tool, that's another way to do it! Just some thoughts...

 

[Mike SY]

Hi Jay,
Thanks for the reply. I do have a scanner and on the previous day I did a few runs. I only saw KR of 3-4 degrees on the shift.

On Xylene my EGT's are 1550 through the lights, which seems to be optimal for my truck. On the alky I saw 1400, and that is why I dropped the FP 2#'s. The EGT's shot up to 1600+ about 100' before the traps on that run, and that is why I backed off the pedal some. I will try
upping the alky delivery and dropping the FP like you mentioned. Or maybe leaving it as is, and increasing the boost 2#'s. Anyone elses input would be welcome.

Thanks again,
Mike

 

[Red Canyonero]

alky tuning

Were you datalogging when you got the high EGT?

I'd say running 20psi, on my T2 chips would be the best for a Syty, and would be easier with a decent turbo, like the 44, than the stocker.

I'm curious about the high EGT at the top end though. All the datalogging I've seen shows that the Syty's are very lean at the beginning of the run, and very rich at the end...

A high knock retard value would raise EGT, also.

From what I've seen, the trick to running fast with alky is to run a bit leaner than you would normally do, and then spraying alky in to inhibit detonation. EGT's would give the best indication of safety however...

With the SMC kit, I'd try to use as high a pump speed as you can. I really believe that atomization is crucial in an alky/water injection system, for many reasons.

Brian G
89 TTA - soon to be alky injected
no more Ty

 

[Mike SY]

Re: alky tuning

Originally posted by Red Canyonero
Were you datalogging when you got the high EGT?

I'd say running 20psi, on my T2 chips would be the best for a Syty, and would be easier with a decent turbo, like the 44, than the stocker.

I'm curious about the high EGT at the top end though. All the datalogging I've seen shows that the Syty's are very lean at the beginning of the run, and very rich at the end...

A high knock retard value would raise EGT, also.

From what I've seen, the trick to running fast with alky is to run a bit leaner than you would normally do, and then spraying alky in to inhibit detonation. EGT's would give the best indication of safety however...

With the SMC kit, I'd try to use as high a pump speed as you can. I really believe that atomization is crucial in an alky/water injection system, for many reasons.

Brian G
89 TTA - soon to be alky injected
no more Ty

Hey Brian,
No I wasn't Datalogging, just monitering my EGT gauge, and saw it starting to move fast toward 1600. I was running the T22 program, but at 20#s of boost. I've been doing some testing on the street and have backed off the FP and brought the alky in a little later (17#s) and the truck feels good. I will find out this Wednesday at test and tune night. Any other advice would be appreciated. Thanks for the reply.

Hey what's this, no more TY, since when?!?! Did you swap the TY for the TTA?

Thanks,
Mike (from Jersey)