nope...stock

 

Well Joe,

Looks like you've got your work cut out for you.

I just got done calculating my avg city mpg...16mpg in the city...yuk, that's bad. Maybe I've got a small leak in my fuel rail where my nitrous connection hooks up. I'll have to check it.

Tom

 

Joseph,

Jolene just told me you called. I'm doing a more agressive tune for you but if its maxed out for your octane there then it'll ping. I don't understand why the performance issues, I've sent the exact same VLW code to half a dozen people since summer with great results and they've been happy with them.

Quite honestly, since you're using a manual transmission how/when you shift and the condition of your clutch is going to make a difference --- there's not a good way to accurately test except on a dyno using one gear.

 

Joe,

You don't have 93 Octane out there in " Oil Country " ?

Tom

 

Yes, I do use 93 octane Tom.

Ken:

I'm not sure what ping means.

I gotta admit I agree with you there. I wish I had a nearby dyno where I am. I swear to you if I had a track I would have went the very day I installed it!



For fear of me making myself look extremely dumb, I'm afraid to ask what ping is...but here goes -




what's ping?

 

Joe,

Ping = detonation. Detonation is that knocking sound you hear from your motor when you run improper fuel. There are many other things that can contribute to detonation, such as an extremely lean fuel to air mixture, which is what Ken is refering to.

Detonation, although I am not an expert, occurs when the fuel and air mixture in your cylinder combust prior to your piston reaching in upper most point, before it begins moving downward. As the force of the engine is pushing the piston upward, the internal combustion occurs too early and slams the piston back down before it can reach it's normal cycle. This happens alot when a metal part inside your combustion chamber, such as your spark plug itself, becomes so hot that it " Detonates " the fuel/air mixture before the spark plug sparks. This is extremely bad for your motor and can cause you to throw a rod, burn a valve, crack a head and many other very bad things.

Detonation can be prevented by either richening up the mixture, or by runing colder plugs. Plugs that give off less heat and therefore are less prone to causing detonation.

Detonation is the number one enemy of Nitrous applications as well as superchargers, which is why they require you to run 1 to 2 steps colder plugs with at different gap. This is why I use Autolite 764's gapped at .035.

Tom

 

Damn... you guys are quick! Beat me to answering.

 

For the most part Tom is correct. But remember, engine timing does ignite the fuel-air mixture BEFORE TDC. This is because it does take time for the flame front to travel across the mixture creating the expanding gases that drive the piston back down. Regardless of pinging/detonation/preignition/ or normal combustion, the piston WILL move through TDC before going back down. If not, you'd break a rod, bend a crank, etc. Think about it...the piston CAN'T stop short of TDC and start back on the downstroke unless SOMETHING breaks somewhere.
There are various causes for preignition/detonation/etc.
One, as Tom stated for preignition, is a hot spot. This hot spot can/will ignite the fuel air mixture before the plug fires. Hence "preignition". Preignition becomes more common on older engines because carbon can build up and create the hot spots. Also, as mentioned, plugs retaining too much heat can cause preignition. So, some folks run a step colder plug. Plugs heat ranges are determined by the amount/length of the ceramic insulator around the electrode. The specific configuration of this ceramic is one of the factors that determine how much heat gets carried away (thru the ceramic) and transfered to the head, and subsequently to the coolant going thru the water jackets.
In addition, detonation can occur. This is akin to dieseling. This occurs when the increased pressure (as the piston rises towards TDC) coupled with lower octane fuels, and residual heat from previous combustion cycle, all come together to spontaneously ignite the fuel air mixture. Remember, compressing a gas adds heat, so the temp of the fuel-air mixture will rise just because it is getting compressed. When all things add enough heat, the mixture reaches the point where it will ignite with no external source of ignition. Hence 'detonation".
Pinging is the general description applied and comes from the sound heard.
Gotta run now!

 

Wow, he's smart.

 

As mentioned with the flame front speed, higher octane has a slower flame front, hence you can fire the spark plug sooner (ie, advance timing). You can get pretty advanced, but chip programmer's have to give a little "wiggle room" because flame front can vary by air density and temperature. Premium burns slightly cooler too and that allows the a/f ratio to be leaned just a tad without overheating the catalytic. Also, on a properly tuned vehicle will gain nothing from premium unless its tuned for it.

 

Joe...about the dyno, I have a reccomended tuner who does dyno tuning. The shops he utilizes are:

Dyno tuning is conducted at Speedworks in Lewisville. Contact them for all your performance needs.

To schedule an appointment, please contact Speedworks (972-395-9844).

South Texas Tuning

By appointment only, RFF Performance holds dyno days approximately once per month at Triangle Speed Shop, located in Orange, TX.

Triangle Speed Shop also uses RFF Performance chips. Contact them for any of your performance needs.

For an appointment and/or more details, please email Triangle Speed Shop, or call them at (409) 883-2150.


Hope this helps you get on a dyno, but I have no idea where they are located in relation to you.

Garrett

 

Well, actually I just found out that there is a dyno in my town in a shop called Dynamic Customs, but they they charge friggin' $75 a pop! Screw that crap.

 

Ken, a vehicle running premium and not tuned for it, can actually lose performance, the best determination for what octane to run is to find that highest octane lvl wehre your motor pings, and go 3 steps higher, i.e. if your motor pings with 86 octane, and not with 87, then run an 89 octane fuel....

BTW Ken, go eat some soap!! And watch your tongue form now on. I am SHOCKED!

True, you can always spend a few bucks on one of those hand held dynos..not AS accurate, but close.

 

75 a pop? I dont know what exactly you expected to pay for one. Thats a standard. I hope you arent in for a surprise when it comes to upgrading the rest of your truck. You might get a harsh reality check.

Garrett

 

Alfred,

Never bite the hand that feeds you.