rkostolni

Well I just had my car dyno tuned today. Not exactly happy with the results for a couple of reasons. The result was a disappointing 230hp. Although, I am apparently only running 4.6psi which then falls to 3.5psi. Can't figure out why though, I've searched all over for a boost leak and tightened down on my wastegate rod. The other issue, is he put 4 gallons of 103 octane race gas in my car (combined with about 4 gallons of 93 octane) and then tuned to an AFR in the 12's, when I clearly told him this was my daily driver. They claim it just adds a margin of safety while tuning and it should be fine on 93, but I don't understand how. I'll post the dyno chart later on when I get to a scanner.

PUR NRG

Do you have a BOV that might be set too loose? The other alternative I can think of is a melted cat that's impeding air flow.

Even with my BOV set to almost full soft and no boost controller, I can hit 7.1psi max boost.

BigOLundh

iTrader: (1)

who installed your kit? if u did it urself, make sure to tighten down each bolt.
PUR NRG has a good point... clearly something is not allowing enough air to flow to the car to get its full boost.

Good luck, and let us know what happens.

Forcefed8

I'm sorry you didn't make the power numbers you were looking for. The reason your power numbers are lower then you expected are due to a number of things that we discussed (stock exhaust, small cat, LOW boost levels, etc.)
Fixing your boost levels will increase your power numbers.

As for the tuning on your car, 11.8-12.0 at 4.5psi or less with conservative timing on 93 octane is more then safe. BTW, your car had well over a half of tank pump fuel in it when you dropped it off, we added 3 gallons of VP103 unleaded fuel to it. This is a precautionary measure that I feel is sometime necessary when tuning a car we didn't build. The tuning for the boost level your car is running is on the safe side. If you want to throw more fuel into it you can, but your power numbers are only going to be even lower.

How much power do would you expect to make at 3.5psi through a stock exhaust and a questionable small used cat?

Fix the boost issue and free up your exhaust and you won't be disappointed.


-Ray

rkostolni

Ray,

I didn't mean to sound like I was blaming you for the low power, I understand that is due to my low boost, still disappointing none-the-less. My only concern is what is going to happen when I fill up my tank with regular 93 octance. My car doesn't have detonation on 103 octance, but that doesn't mean it won't with 93. I have never heard of a shop putting in race fuel to tune with. I've always been told you tune with the octane you plan to regularly run.

rkostolni

I would just love to know why I'm making such low boost. It was hard to tell exacty how much I was making because my boost gauge has so much flutter, I thought it was between 5 and 6 under full throttle, but it looks like its more between 4 and 5.

I just replace my cat with a high flow SR motorsports cat last week. I have inspected each hose coupling already. I actually have taken most of them off and put them back on just to be sure. I tightened down my BOV right before the dyno tune to the point where it actually didn't blow off at all just becaue I was getting some leakage and I didn't have time to set it properly. My wastegate arm is tight enough that I had to put it onto the flap with pliers. I'm thinking my wastegate spring might be calibrated wrong or else Ray suggested it could be my stock catback.

Forcefed8

You are correct about tuning to the fuel you will be running, different fuels can have different burn rates and specific gravity. The fuel (VP MS103) we added to your car has a very similar burn rate compared to pump fuel. Meaning you run the same ignition advance and AFR's as you would with pump fuel (93 octane). With this being first Micro-Tech that we've tuned and not knowing how far off your base maps was, I felt it was necessary to add an error margin of safety. I do understand your concern about the race gas mix, but your car will be fine on just 93 octane fuel.


-Ray

drifter_d

Hey Ray,

just wanted to stop by the forum while on vacation here in sunny Arizona and see how things are going. from reading this thread, there appear to be a few issues. are you finding the same things with my car? alot of people are reporting degraded cat-converters, among other probs. feel free to post your findings "in the clear" here for other turbo/interceptor owners or PM me, if you prefer. also, was Dave able to get the gauge pod to fix the cracking?

drifter d sends...

rkostolni

Well, bad day. This afternoon I drove my car to the gas station, filled up, came home turned it off. When I went to start it again it wouldn't start. I took the interceptor out and reconnected the factory computer and tried to start it. It started but ran extremely bad sounded really bad and the CEL was blinking. When I tried to give it a little gas it almost died. I am worried I might have a blown apex seal. Can someone describe the symptoms for that. Either that or a blown coil.

I pulled the plugs to check them. They looked okay, I cleaned them off and reinstalled, but didn't really help.

rkostolni

Well good news I think. I checked out my coil packs and it looks like the two front coil packs are melted. So I don't think its an apex seal. Man that was a scare though, it was right after I filled up with the 93 which i was concerned about anyway.

Now the question is why did they burn up. I'm thinking it might be from the Interceptor, since they were fine until I put it in. But, no one else has had that problem so maybe its just a coincidence.

Forcefed8

If you had broken an apex seal you would have known as soon as you tried to let the car idle, not when you went to restart it. You seem to be overly concerned and doubtful about the tuning on your car. If you would like you can bring your car back to the shop and I will dyno it on whatever fuel you have in it. I know the tuning is fine, but I don't think you are going to be happy until you see it for yourself. I'll call you tomorrow morning to see what your schedule is like.

-Ray

upgradesRX

you may want to check all of your ignition maps on the interceptor and make sure they are set ok, if they were modfied alot that might be the problem with your coil packs. and i would seriously suggest not trying to start the car on the stock ecu again.

rkostolni

Ray, I don't mean to sound like I'm giving you a bad rap, I think you guys did a good job. I am just a very cautious person when it comes to doing things to my car, I just have alot of friends who have blown their engines over the years and I don't want to be one of them. I just got nervous when you told me you tuned my car on race fuel, but if you say its okay, you've been doing this alot longer than I have.

Really I think Ray did a good job tuning my car. Today, before my coil packs blew, I got more of a chance to drive my car and it drives great. Even on my way back from the gas station with the 93 octane in there didn't seem to be any problems and I got on it pretty good. It drives really nice, exactly as I hoped, it never drove quite right with the emanage. It had hesitations, it was rough going through under full throttle, it stalled sometimes... The engine is as smooth as stock now, the transition to boost is very smooth, no stalling. The car pulls harder than with the emanage. I wish I would have dynod it with the emanage, but I never did. If I'm making 230hp now, I must have only been making like 200 before since it does feel considerably faster now. But Ray seemed to be a very nice guy, very willing to answer questions and I would bring my car back for work again.

rkostolni

Starting the car on the stock ecu is fine as long as you don't go into boost. The emanage didn't effect the ecu's output until boost was detected anyway.

upgradesRX

yes but the maf was alot closer to the intake manifold without the turbo

MazdaManiac

iTrader: (3)

Have you (or has anyone) scoped the outputs of the Interceptor to see that the dwell is compatible with the coils?
I'd bet not...

rkostolni

Not really. Its about the same distance away. But with the emanage, the stock ecu's true, unaltered signals were being seen by the car anyway. Once the emanage detected positive pressure it would only then add a percentage of fuel to the mix. So for just idling, there is no difference between the stock ecu and the stock ecu with emanage.

rkostolni

I do have a handheld scope, when I get some new coils I'll look into checking that out.

MazsportScott

Yes Jeff, of course I have. Scott

upgradesRX

how is the n/a maf placement about the same as with the turbo kit, stock the maf is maybe a foot away and on the turbo kit it runs through the turbo, then intercooler and about 10ft of piping. that much distance can have a very adverse affect. just changing the maf to blow through with the emanage on the car you get a very different reading.

ScudRunner

Booyah...or something like that.

rkostolni

Oh, never mind I misunderstood what you were saying. You are right about the maf being closer when NA, but it should still meter the air well enough during idle to not cause any problems. I wouldn't want to rely on it at 6k rpms though.

rkostolni

I think my coils going are probably a coincidence. I know alot of people have had issues with their coil packs frying when NA, and no one else with the Inteceptor is having problems. I'll throw in another set and if they fry then I'll know there's a problem.

PUR NRG

Stupid question time: how do you know when your coils are melted?

rkostolni

If you look right above the electrical connectors the plastic will look melted. I can post pics later if you want. Its pretty obvoius though if they are melted you should know.