rookie in need of a little advice please

[just a nuder 6]

hey guys new buick owner hear so alot of the scanmaster a turbo stuff is foriegn to me im used to my mopars ......... now that every one is through laughing. if have a small problem when i floor the car and the alcohol kicks in i cant keep the knock sesor from reading red. the scan master reads anywhere between .790 and .850 and anywhere between 9 degrees and 11 degrees of retard. i realize that some of this could be caused by the wacky wheather down hear in southeast texas and some could juust be tire spin. i am afraid of the motor detonating on me i just didnt know if anyone else had a simular proplem and if there was somthing i could do or stop doing to fix this. the car is only on about 20 or 21 pounds of boost the pevious owner has had his up to 28 eight with no such problems thats what is worrying me the most.

 

[Ash]

what kind of gas are you running in it? if its 93 pump gas turn that boost down before you blow a head gasket. With pump gas you should run at least 15 to 17 pounds of boost. also when you spin the tires you can get a false knock. You also might want to turn up your fuel pressure a little. I think that your o2 volts are a little low if your at WOT. If you have a slightly blown head gasket it will only get worse as time goes on you will be able to see this by looking at your oil if its milkey or if you see oil in your coolent. just hope that you dont blow the head gasket between the cylnders. if that happens the heat transfure can cause the heads to warp and lock up your engine and break your crankshaft as well as the block. Hope this helps you out.

 

[microELVIS]

Good advice but I think he's scared now.

Take a deep breathe, relax, he didnt mean to scare you off.

 

[just a nuder 6]

LOL yeah it seems a little daunting! but ive been around motor most of my life just new to the turbo thing and knowing what to look for. the only thing that confuses me is that the previous owner ran 24 to 28 pounds with no hitch on 93 octane. i wonder if it could be tire spin and or the reacent shiistie wheather weve been haven. buy the way i bought eric fredricksons car his screen name is kidwithatoy yall now him?

 

[GN SBS]

Originally posted by just a nuder 6
LOL yeah it seems a little daunting! but ive been around motor most of my life just new to the turbo thing and knowing what to look for. the only thing that confuses me is that the previous owner ran 24 to 28 pounds with no hitch on 93 octane. i wonder if it could be tire spin and or the reacent shiistie wheather weve been haven. buy the way i bought eric fredricksons car his screen name is kidwithatoy yall now him?

28 psi on pump gas even with alchy sounds high unless it is a really low timing chip.

If you think it may be false knock, why not try to explore this option first. Turn down the boost and repeat the experiment-- if the knock disappears then it is not falsing. You could also leave the boost level as is and run it with race gas. Again if the knock disappears it is not false.

You can check for DP contact to the frame and loose torque converter bolts, they are some of the common false knock producers.

What chip are you running? At what MPH does the knock occur? Does it occur during the shift points, or consistently throughout the run.

I would not continue to drive through knock that high-- you're asking for it.

-S.

 

[just a nuder 6]

10-4 it coming down until i know what it is your right im not gunna risk blowing the thing up but to answer one of your questions i think he put some kind of 20 degree retard chip in thier.

 

[Turbo Brian]

You also need to make sure that your alcohal pump is really pumping. These require some lubrication in the reservoir on refill (WD40) and over the winter pumps have been known to seize from lack of use. If the alchy is not working, or possibly if it is not properly tuned, that could explain the knock.

 

[just a nuder 6]

im gunna pump the fuel pressure a little and up the pump speed a hair. it doesnt read red at 15 pounds. but i also have hoosier dot drag radial not the quick time pros though. these tires spin and you cant tell they are spining no chirpin or nothin. but my question is at 20 lbs. i pick up a vibration in the tires that doesnt happen at 15lbs. alomost like they are trying to wrinkle as they would on a launch. would a rapid tire vibration set the knock sensor off/

 

[zam70]

If it's violent - yes. Same thing with a bad motor/trans mount and misc other loose stuff.

Best thing to do is go back to the start.
Get the car tuned in at 15 - 16 lbs on 93.
Make sure you are at zero knock in all conditions (especially WOT)
bring in the alcohol, bring in the boost...raise the boost a little until you get a hair of knock...then add more alcohol...then more boost again.
keep doing that until you're happy.
Once you get the boost where you think you're happy (I'm at 26 on 93 and alcohol)...dial back the alcohol a little at a time (lean out) BE CAREFUL...knock at high boost levels will pop head gaskets very quick.

take your time and don't rush it...you'll know when things get a little on the edge. Take notes on changes and the results. Pay attention to your scan master readings and note them.

Do not be in a hurry....do the tuning at a track. You'll get the most consistant readings/results this way.

 

[just a nuder 6]

hey zam 70

if you dont mind me asking what kind of fuel pressure levels are you running and what is your pump speed set to @ 26pounds. need help i think the person who sold me the car detuned it on purpose without telling me he is relucktant to help me with dialing in more boost so i think that is what it is but i want the cars full potential that what we paid for so any advice would be greatly appreciated thanks agian

 

[zam70]

Wow - um, I really couldn't tell ya...

I run a MaxEffort system and straight methanol so it's a little different ball game then most

I think it turns on around 10lbs
pump speed is around 7

I just kind of tweaked it as I went. I never paid attention to what it ended up at just my egt and a little reference to O2 - more EGT though