Yeah, the heads are a little ways off, the cam may never happen. I really need to think about that one. That's going to require a few dyno runs for hemifever to dial in. Honestly, I just like modding it for the experience. I never had the money to tinker with a car in high school or college. This is my first vehicle I ever bought free and clear. I love her to death and I'll drive her til the wheels fall off, the engine blows, or the damn thing rusts apart. No point in buying a new one so long as you can keep the one you've got going.

I'd like to take her to the track sometime just for the fun of it, but I think I really need to beef up the tranny a bit with some cooling and a shift kit. I did a WOT run the other day and the TC couldn't stay locked up, so perhaps this spring break I'll see if I can't decipher those darn Trans-Go instructions.

 

well, it returned with a vengeance.

This weekend the truck sputtered at highway speeds. It almost felt like the fuel pump was going out. I let off the gas and it picked right back up and I went on my merry way. Two days ago, it started sputtering again and was reproducible. It has been progressively getting worse and moving it's way down in the RPM's. Today, it pinged horrifically just off throttle as I was trying to get home. I thought maybe, just maybe I somehow got 87 octane gas instead of 93 that the tune needed. Changed the tune to the 87 tune, still pings right off throttle. Changed to STOCK tune, Still pings right off throttle.

I took it straight to the shop as I was scared I wasn't going to make it home. Took the tech for a test drive and it pinged like all get out; I could barely give it any gas at all. Then as we rounded the corner to head back to the shop, I stepped on the pedal to give it a little gas certain it would ping, and it didn't. I stepped into it some more and it was fine. This was all on the stock tune.

The tech pulled it into the bay and stood on the brake and cycled through 1st and 2nd gear and got it to ping. Here's what he pulled off the scanner that looked odd to him, mind you this is the stock tune:

fuel sync was at 8
spark advance on the stock tune was 26 at 1200rpms.

He checked the Distributor and it was tight, and I have never moved it. What has gone bad? He wanted to test the engine cold as well to see if anything had changed, so it is currently sitting. Anybody have any ideas?

 

Return the motor to stock. No mods.

 

and give them all to you, right?

 

Yes!!! Oh YES!!!! WOOOO WHOOOOO!!!!?

To see if it still pings.

 

aim , did you ask what the fuel sync should be , and the timing ?? i know at idle the timing would read high and should retard it self as more throttle is put into it..Hope the tune didnt mess up the PCM...

 

Fuel sync should be 0. Some guys run like +4. I don't know anybody that runs +8

The spark advance was low at idle and spiked up real high on the scanner he had IIRC.

 

maybe your pcm is going nutz...

 

have a look at this...

http://www.bionicdodge.com/Download/Camshaft%20Timing%20and%20Setting%20Fuel%20Sync.pd f

It mentions that with perf. cams they set the sync at 6-8*, if your at 8 that may be part of your problem. the sudden pinging you describe however would not be related to the sync, you may have developed a vacuum leak somewhere.

I tried to find what the prefered sync setting was but only found info pointing to 0-4 for stock motors. with yours being modded slightly maybe you should be in the 4-6 range? (guessing here) with your original performance file.

 

Interesting, it's possible that my disty's shot. I think the gear in there is made out of brass. if I'm not mistaken. I'll have to forward that to the tech.