New to the game

I am new to the top alcohol game, I have a few questions, I built a 540 bbc, 12:1 comp. alum rod, Profiler 24 degree heads solid, 14-71 Littlefield standard helix 44% overdriven, made 32 psi boost, tune up is now real close after two days of dynoing, My question is, this engine seems to like 33* of timing and it seems like a little much compared to all other combinations, is this Ok ?

 

Timing

I'm a little new to the game myself to make any timing remarks, but I am curious what HP it made as you said it was on a dyno. I have virtually the same engine, would love to know if you don't mind.

Corey

 

I have 540 bbc bb2x heads 12.1 with 15 lbs boost we run 29 deg tried 34 car slowed down hope that helps

 

Read the plugs, that will tell you. With an almost identical combination we ran 35 degrees and it was best for that. Had a little less compression (11.32) and std type BBC heads. Ran from 33% over to 53% over on a std helix blower and worked very well. Read Mike Canters post about reading plugs and you will see how to read timing by the ground strap. The plug reading and the performance will tell you.

 

BB Chev timing

we run a 509 with a 50% over 10-71, Dart 360 heads, fairly mild at 11:1 , we have gone from 28 to 31 and it loves it. Unfortunately we busted the belt on our last run so dont know how it would have gone but it felt real strong with no issues other than the belt. Based on this I would suggest that you are in the right ballpark, our plugs were just starting to colour the top thread. Cheers Graham

 

According to the plug the tuneup looks fair, may still be a little rich,not getting the color on the base of the threads like it should, the motor made 1680hp at 7600rpm 28% over 22 psi boost and made 1810 before blowing through the brake at 48% over and 32 psi boost. thanks for the responses. I will keep trying.

 

That sounds a little high. I would creep up on that kind of timing. Like blownalky said the way to do it is read the ground strap. The article he is talking about is very informative.

 

Sounds a little high ? I just got it to blue at the bent of the strap.

 

If the engine still makes HP while having more timing then it is the right way to go. If power starts to fall then you have too much. You had it on the perfect tuning tool & it told you what the engine wanted. If there was any issues, power will drop off, However, I personally would knock off 1-2 degrees when It goes on the track as load, temps, etc will be different in real life testing as compared to the dyno. Safer is always a better option IMO.

 

Thanks for the input Guys, I'm headin to the track friday, wish Me luck.

 

conditions on the dyno and at the track two totaly different deals look at the plugs that will tell you what you need it timing can very depending on what kind of mag you have 30* is a good place to start remember most local tracks wont hold a lot of horse power and you may need to go lower to get down the track on a good track it can use a little more MAIN THING look at the plugs

 

Thank You Jim, I will try that and start out easy.

 

Well we started out easy, took off carried the front wheels about 60 feet, shifted and tire shake like crazy. then thought well I guess we will hit it harder like some of the tire shake threads on here say to do then it spun at the hit, I'm not a chassis man but was told I have no movement in the front end so I guess its not transfering good, it is a strut car and I dont have any adjustment on my front struts, so now what do I do ? it was squatting hard in the rear so I played with the compression and tighten it up a couple clicks and that is when it blew the hides off. any help whatsoever is definately welcome.

 

combo

tell more about the car...are you testing at Noble? Thats why it spun...lol
Shake at the shift is pretty common with a glide if the car is upset from the start. We had good luck revving really high (8800) and blipping the timing is even better.

Compression valving doesn't mean a whole lot on the hit. When you get more aggressive with the tuneup it will probably quit squatting so much. Rebound valving is what controls the amount of hit on the tire.

The struts help control pitch rotation. Hopefully they have stiff valving. If not, the car will have too much bite. Most people run them near full tight.

 

the car is a 99 mustang 6.0 cert full chassis car, qa1 double adjustable on the rear and strange struts on the front, car weighs 2880 lbs. race weight, 4.30 rear gear, mikes monster glide with 1.80 first gear, 33x17 tires, has a 540" big block, 14-71 Littlefield, enderle injection with port nozzles and a high speed, I checked my instant center last night and found it was low as in somewhere under the rocker panel, I moved it up to about 2" above the panels, put the car on scales and got it reset to ride height then started to scale using the springs and could not get the weight to transfer correctly to the RR wheel, I then pulled the front struts to check the valving and they are pretty stiff rebound and compression and this is where I threw my wrenches down and went to bed, and Yes Noble is where I tried it, Lol

 

Chassis Settings

With a car with that much power you may want to invest in a good 4-link software, it sounds like you have everything needed to give the software the info it needs. Scales are the big one and you have them, the software will let you see all your IC's and get you real close if not dead on. You hear on this forum about all the people using fuel injection tuning software, I'm a firm believer in the 4-link tuning software also. The only labour intensive job is inputing all the hole locations on your chassis, and finding your center of gravity, but once that is done you are set.

I use the 4-link pro from Performance Trends,it lets you make a virtual launch to see what the car will do,(very helpful) There are a lot of good software packages out there.

Plus those QA 1 shocks may be a bit of an issue, the valving may not be correct as the speed of your suspension may be to fast for them, I had to pitch my Koni's because at the hit they basically went completly solid because the valveing was totally wrong. Went to a properly valved Afco shock and wow what a difference, I had suspension again.

My 2 cents
Corey

 

noble

I've heard the track is really bad...we run on a lot of bad tracks but the start is ok so at least you can get the chassis in the ballpark.
I've run a chevy with that tire and more weight and it will probably need a timing control. It should hit pretty hard so it will need good back shocks. We ran gorrilla valved koni's full tight on the rebound.

We run a chevy promod in KS and Tulsa and i've paid my dues with your combination. Give me a call if you can't get a handle on it.

Mike Bruns
316-259-3883

 

I have been looking at that software and considering it, I spoke with Dick Anderson at Magne Shock and he gave Me a few pointers and let Me know what I was definately doing wrong, He was not a big fan of the qa1's either but did walk Me through a bunch of crap I really didnt need to be doing in the first place. thanks for the help guys and if you have any other suggestions definately let Me hear them, I am an engine Builder Here in Yukon Ok, not a chassis guy but trying to learn. www.hensonracingengines.com is where I am.

 

I would be curious to know what he told you, you were definately doing wrong, I'm always looking for info on this stuff.

Corey

 

I was trying to scale the car after setting ride height by using the springs, found out that my chassis is too stiff for this way of scaling, my car was only about 40 lbs.heavy on the left rear after setting my ride height and he said to just put a little preload in the upper right bar to get the right rear about 15-20 lbs. heavier than the left andit only took about 1/4 turn of that bar and did not change the ride height at all. and I had the shocks set too light, he told me to set the rebound about as tight as it would go, and the compression about halfway.