first start up and drive after engine rebuild

StangerBanger · Feb 20, 2016

so i finally got the car back together after several long months... and after i took the car around the block for the first time i must say that i am left a little bit unimpressed with my own build.. here is what has been done to the engine:

bored .030 over
icon forged pistons
ARP hardware
gt40p heads with blended bowls
explorer lower ported
explorer upper
70mm throttle body
accel 19lb injectors
custom grind cam 496 lift, 280/285 duration
all new accessories

im sure i am forgetting something, anyway the big question i have here is, will a tune wake this car up and make it perform the way i think it should or are my expectations too high?
as of now it basically feels the way it did before i even pulled the engine out and that is disappointing....

StangerBanger · Feb 20, 2016

i will also add that this is going to be a turbo car.. it was built with boost in mind, the top ring gap was set at .024. and we used arp main studs, rod bolts, and head studs. it also has crane gold 1.6 rollers, and BBK shorty headers

PinkieT · Feb 20, 2016

What's the initial and full advance timing set at?

StangerBanger · Feb 21, 2016

after first fire up, i took out the spout connector and adjusted it to 10 maybe 11 degrees btc. didnt touch it again after that

evilcw311 · Feb 21, 2016

Tune will make a difference. But you may have had your expectations a bit high.

This setup alone isn't going to gain you 100hp and honestly anything less isn't gonna feel like a huge difference. Really what you've built will be a good solid motor for boost but as naturally aspirated you won't see that much different.

When is the turbo happening?!?

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StangerBanger · Feb 21, 2016

Yeah thats kind of what I figured. And hopefully I will have a turbo in a year or less. Transmission needs to happen first tho. Anybody have luck with tuning chips like sct or bama??

evilcw311 · Feb 21, 2016

Stay away from bama tunes. You need to find who the better tuners are around you and see what platform they work with. Some like act and some like moates.

If it's moates the chat with adder. He can sell you a chip that he can setup up pretty closely to what you need for now then you go get it tuned when you can.

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StangerBanger · Feb 24, 2016

the problem i am having is that nobody around me wants to tune an eec iv car.. there are only two god tuning shops here in Reno and they both use hp tuners and dont even care to attempt tuning a non obd2 car...

so now the only option i have for now is to buy a pre programmed chip.... and im honestly really wondering why Bama has such a bad rep? why does everybody say to stay away from them? is it really that bad?

ttocs · Feb 24, 2016

I got a bama tune. They had every single one of my mods in their drop down menu so there was no reason to think that it should not have worked but when I put it in it barely ran to get it to the dyno and get it fixed. The tuner there asked where I got the tune from as he said it was all f'd up. Yup bama..... I kind of have the same problem here. I have reputable tuners 2-3 hrs away but with my health issues even a day trip like that it is difficult.

StangerBanger · Feb 24, 2016

damn that is very discouraging!! so what are our options then? are there any other reputable tuners out there that do mail order tunes?

evilcw311 · Feb 25, 2016

Again, talk to adder. He can get you a tune pretty well setup for your mods.

Then you can talk to some tuners who can do it remotely and you'd only have to find a shop who will work with you to do that.

Otherwise make a trip. A few hour drive is better than screwing up your car.

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kb1982 · Feb 25, 2016

You mentioned that it was built for boost. What did the static compression ratio end up being? If its in the 8's, its going to feel like a lazy dog. If so, more timing will waken it up a little. When boost is added, as long as your IAT temps arent through the roof, you will be able to add more timing than a similar engine with higher static CR and make more power without hurting parts. The down side to this that it will be like a light switch. Kinda lazy, then all hell breaks loose when the boost comes in.

StangerBanger · Feb 25, 2016

CR is at 9.0. so hopefully it wont be too lazy while its n/a. its going to be a little bit before i can turbo it. im only going for 7-8 lbs of boost.

StangerBanger · Mar 9, 2016

im most likely going to purchase this:
http://dirtydirtyracing.com/zc/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=289

does anybody have this same set up?
i sort of feel as though i am getting in over my head with this. i have very little knowledge of tuning and i do not plan on doing any tuning of my own. im hoping that the QH with this guys base tune will be all i need to get back on the road safely and reliably.. another option is to get the QH device without the wideband o2 set up like this:
http://dirtydirtyracing.com/zc/inde...id=185&zenid=eecd8a324df0493abdf300d3caa8cded
do i need the wideband o2 sensor? or can i get away without one..... hoping somebody can help me out here. i am lost haha thanks

lwarrior1016 · Mar 10, 2016

Honestly with any modified vehicle that has an aftermarket program, its a good idea to have a wideband hooked up.

castine917 · Mar 10, 2016

StangerBanger said:
im most likely going to purchase this:
http://dirtydirtyracing.com/zc/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=289

does anybody have this same set up?
i sort of feel as though i am getting in over my head with this. i have very little knowledge of tuning and i do not plan on doing any tuning of my own. im hoping that the QH with this guys base tune will be all i need to get back on the road safely and reliably.. another option is to get the QH device without the wideband o2 set up like this:
http://dirtydirtyracing.com/zc/inde...id=185&zenid=eecd8a324df0493abdf300d3caa8cded
do i need the wideband o2 sensor? or can i get away without one..... hoping somebody can help me out here. i am lost haha thanks

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This page will show you those prices. http://www.coretuning.net/shop