I've been playing with mine for over ten years and one of the reasons it's taking so long is I refuse to throw money at it. The engine itself is not that far from stock. I had the piston tops and exhaust valve faces thermal barrier coated, and skirts and valve stem seals dry film lube coated on mine because I figured the engine would need all the help it could to survive my "learning curve". I think it's the only reason I haven't fried it completely. My first FI computer didn't have an O2 sensor and I'm not good at guesing! The temp sensor in the exhaust has seen over 2000 degrees! The engine has also seen over 20 lbs of boost but it was a very lean, non power producing situation. The only damage so far is blown head gaskets (once) and collasped piston skirts, and I've "fixed" the skirts. :eek2: ou: If you need new pistons you may want to look into having them coated.
I agree with Alan, I've been using coatings on my motors for about 10 years now and I am sure they are the only reason I've gotten as much life and power out of the set ups I've put together. Techline has the "Do it yourself" stuff and thats what I have used with great success. Makes many parts 'more forgiving'. http://www.cermakrome.com/Engine.htm Take a look, personally I'm a hard sell but the heat reduction alone is worth it. Kelly E.
I have yet had to through any real serious money at mine.... Over the corse of the last year and 1/2 I've probably spent about 1500 on engine mods (after the blower purchase) and over 1000 of that was the Steff's pan, halo girdle, new cam, rings, and bearings...... the rest of the money is gaskets, and odds and ends........ I really don't consider that all that bad for more or less starting blind on something. Something to keep in mind is I've done EVERTHING myself, with the help of Chad when I have questions... Lots of reading and trial and error. Most importatly, lots of TIME. If I had it to do over, I would. I've learned so much over the last 1 1/2 years it's crazy So far everthing seems REALLY HAPPY.... It's 96 degrees here today, With my fat tune (10.5 to 1 WOT), the big pulley, and 28 degrees of timing I'm seeing about 6 to 6.5psi on top, and about 4 instant. It feels really STRONG with the converter in low stall runing through the gears. I retorqued the heads this morning, and will probably do it again before Vegas comes around. I plan in hitting the dyno for an hour or two of tuning using their Wideband along with mine to make sure they are on the same page...... This will allow me to play with the tune while seeing what the motor actually likes power wise as well...... I'll keep you all posted.
As of right now, I'm sitting like this.... Front Main bleeds are 34's Jets are 74's Power valve is 5.5 (could use a 3.5 but don't have one PVCR's are drill out to .078 Rear main bleeds are 32's Jets are 88's (could use 87's) The bleeds probably need to be 33's possibly 34's, as of now when I first mash WOT at around 3000 my AFR is about 11.7 or so.... it gradually declines as airflow and RPM's increase and ends up being about 10.6 or so around 5900rmp..... I acutally kind of like it progressivly getting richer on the top end for insurance purposes..... It's still pulling hard dispite the rich top end mixture. The AFR are without any Alky being injected....
If you want to flatten out the mixture you should go to .030" air bleeds to get the fuel in sooner. You may have to drop the jetting a couple sizes if it starts to get too rich across the board. I'm sure you got to be a little "gun" shy after messing with those head gaskets. Its good to hear your getting closer to getting it dialed in. I would say it would be better to get the air/fuel mixture closer to 12.0 to 1 and go with less timing. All that extra fuel isn't good for the rings. As a back thought it would have been good to have a timing computer, programmable MSD 7, or a multifunction MSD box that takes out timing for every pound of boost while you were sorting things out. That would have kept the timing out while you were sorting out pulleys and dealing with the boost being a little high at times. I know with fresh motors the boost will get higher as the rings seat and as you get it in tune. Its hard to keep tabs on the timing when you have to do it manually.
It's good to hear from you Rick..... I'm actually pretty content for now with it being rich on the top end...... I also like the little bit of a fuel curve it has (getting a tad richer with RPMs..... As it richins up on top, it keeps quite as much boost from building, but also feels very strong on the mid...... I played with the bleeds a bit, and like, feel safe the way it currently is timing and all. So confident with it that I took my O2 sensor out, and put some leaded 105 octane in the car (it's only 30 cent's more a gallon here than premium right now so why the heck not!! (2.49 a gallon). I'm fully aware that I'm leaving a TON of HP on the table right now, but frankly, I'm so sick of using all my spare time on it, I just want to enjoy the car for a bit. It still feels like it's got a high 11 in it, even though it has 3 degrees less timing, larger pulley, and rich up top..... Time will tell, I'll hit the track with it in street trim (tires and all) on the 30th if all goes well. Car passed the sniffer test yesterday, so all is well.......
Good to hear your taking time to enjoying it. I 've pulled all nighters' taking out transmissions I broke street racing Friday night, fixing them and putting them back together and back in the car so I could be at the track for a race on Saturday. Oh yeh, and working two jobs trying to pay for it all. When I got more serious with this new setup, I went from just having to build transmissions to going through the motor between weekends. Not to mention all the time I spent pulling the transmission, Fed-Ex'ing converter'S across the country only to figure out that it was my cam that wasn't going to cooperate. Sometimes I wonder at which point I'm actually enjoying it. Especially when you wonder if you got any sleep all week just to go to the track and not be able to get off one good pass. :af: So I understand the whole deal on playing it safe. YOu've probably got a high 10 sec ride when its all tuned. I wouldn't have it in me to leave "more on the table". I'd get pist and just take the belt off the supercharger, otherwise I'd just keep blowing head gaskets until I got it to run like its suppose to. My hat's off to ya. I know what it like trying to get a combination straight. It always seems to take a little more money and time than we plan.
Well..... I've been laying low for a while guys. It's been pretty hot here and the car isn't very happy in the heat...... Once the sun goes down and there is a 25 degree drop in Temp, there is a NIGHT and DAY differance in the way the car feels..... This has prompted me to hummmm intercool on a budget. After looking at things for a while I "think" I can take a Ferd PS intercooler and modify the tanks a bit and have it work on the car Without cutting up the core support ot make it happen....... I'm hopping to have this done before the Vegas meet... if not the car will be there W/O the cooler. I'll keep you posted as to how things go and what I find.
Well I went to hook up my trans to my motor to put back in the car today and found a long crack going down the side of my trans bell housing.....:af: so now I have to find some one to tig weld the crack before I can finish the re-install of my CASH HOG into the car........ It's always some thing, never a dull moment.......:blast: Rick
Intercooler pics Well...... I wasn't as sucessful as I had hoped on not cutting the coresupport up..... However, I have an extra one that's really nice so I figured what the hay.......... :beer Here Are the Pic's after a 12 hour thrash with Chad yesterday (THANKS CHAD). Chad is responsible for all the tig welding on the Cooler as well as the pipes......
The intercooler was given to me by a freind that works at a Ford dealer. It was being thrown out do to a turbo that was leaking. It started out as one of the coolers with black plastic tanks on it. I removed the tanks.... cut 3 sections of cooler out (it was too tall) then bent up the side tanks.... As for the pipes. coming out of the tanks, I made lots of cuts out of 3 inch alum pipe that was 1/8 of an inch think..... Chad then welded it all together :TU: . He also had to work more magic on the radator..... Making a very sharp 90 out of pipe so it would clear. I'll take some pics of the finall install tomorrow, then pull the pipes back of to have the coated. Hopefully I can post some results of what it for power, as well as choking down boost. I think I'll beable to put one of my smaller pulleys to work witht he cooler :Brow: More to come! PS.... Can't thank Chad enough!!!!
Hey I just joined the buick forum even though I have GTO I love the Buicks too! I wanted to thank you for posting your diary :bglasses: here, because I have learnt alot from you! I too have a D1SC on a 462 Pontiac now and going thru the same thing, learning from your misfortunes and mine now. Just blew a head gasket too, and getting some Cometics... Well, it is all on the PY Pontiac forumhttp://forums.performanceyears.com/eve/ubb.x?a=tpc&s=7286011111&f=6406082911&m=142104577 Thanks for all and will continue to follow you! :beer Mark in Amsterdam, Holland.
Watching Rich and Chad. Taking more notes. Learning from his success and failures. Saving a buttload of $$$$$. Gee, thanks guys!!! On a more serious note: I think the intercooler is going to be the ticket. You're probably going to have to redo the carb setup again though. Good Luck!!! :3gears:
Thanks Mark.... That's exactly why I've tried to post most of the project and misfortunes...... Hope your project takes a turn for the better... you will find the cometics to be very nice pieces.
That's what it's about Bill!! I figure I'll have to redo the carb some. At this point I know the thing like the back of my hand, and the Wide band make's it a cake walk to get a nice tune within 3 or 4 trys. I should have to car setup pretty nice for Vegas this year... looking for the best times out of the car yet. :Brow:
Woohaaa Man.... I figured there would be some jetting changes but nothing this big!!! First off, my large pulles are only good for about 3 and 4 PSI now. I drove the car to work today with the 413 pulley on and the WOT AFR set at 12.2 ish... Even with the smaller pulley I'm only seeing about 5PSI now. When I get home, I'll be sticking the 400 pulley on hopeing to get 6 or 7 PSI out if. Now for the charb changes..... The primary jets were fine 75's however with the power valve open, I was lean. I drilled the prvc holes out to .086 (.008 larger than they were). Now the secondaries...... I was running 84's... I'm now running 99's and I'm still almost a full point higher AFR wise than I was before the intercooler :eek2: :eek2: The car doesn't feel quite as strong, but I'm not running quite the boost I was yet either. I'll keep you all posted once I find some time to do some more tuning.....
Sounds to me like the intercoller is restricted.I know your going to see some pressure drop across the cooler it just seems like you got a big drop.How much boost were you running before.
