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Need some opinions

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  #1  
Old 11-06-2010 | 01:12 PM
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Default Need some opinions

well my 99 2wd 5.2 is now just my summer toy so good mpg and emissions are not my worry.

I have the intake off doing the plenum and did the kegger mod. I plan on running longtubes, getting my harland sharp rockers and then a sct tune. Oh also putting electric fans on and a larger TB.

my questions are with what i already plan on running what do you guys think i should run for ignition?

Are the smaller pulleys worth it?

Since im going to get a sct tune should i upgrade my injectors? i have them all out right now anyways. what ones should i go with? also doing this is there a better set of fuel rails i should get as well?
 
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Old 11-06-2010 | 01:22 PM
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WHat is the kegger mod ??? PLease explain ..
 
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Old 11-06-2010 | 01:53 PM
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An MSD box will improve low-end a bit -- so will a DUI Screamin' Demon coil and all the bits that go with it to prevent the higher voltage from going where it doesn't belong, and plugs to match. (I'm running the Screamin' Demon and NGK IZFR6K13 Iridium plugs gapped to .058" but only have around 500-600 miles on the plugs so haven't yet decided if the plug and/or gap is optimal. But so far, so good.)

Underdrive pulleys will net you a handful more free horsepower -- free as in "no longer used to drive accessories", not free as in beer. Be sure you get the smaller alternator pulley, too, so you still get output at idle. Even with the alternator pulley you might not get enough alternator output at idle to turn the electric fans, so you might still see dim headlights when the fans are running.

Unless you're doing significant work to increase the engine's output (cam, heads, etc.), the stock injectors are just fine. If you decide to upgrade anyway, make darn sure you don't buy random crap (Five-O, for example).

The stock fuel rails are also just fine. They'll flow a lot more fuel than you can possibly stuff through the injectors.
 
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Old 11-06-2010 | 05:00 PM
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Do u have a link for that msd box?
Is there anything I can do to my stock heads? Don't have money to buy a new set. Should I cam it?
 
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Old 11-06-2010 | 05:02 PM
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Nope, don't cam it, that just leads to other problems.

Not much you can do with the stock heads. Save your pennies, and just get some good replacements when you can.
 
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Old 11-06-2010 | 06:13 PM
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Originally Posted by Yellow99
Do u have a link for that msd box?
http://www.jegs.com/i/MSD+Ignition/121/6200/10002/-1

Originally Posted by Yellow99
Should I cam it?
If you're not prepared to upgrade the heads, you'd be better off leaving the stock cam in place. Just get the engine breathing easy, firing reliably, and properly tuned, then decide if you even want/need more for what you're doing with it.
 
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Old 11-06-2010 | 06:55 PM
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Thank you for all the help.

im new to this ignition stuff so sorry if im making you hold my hand but when you say getting the msd or screaming demon and stuff to go with it how do i find out what stuff will work the best? and what does the larger gap in the plugs get me? Do you do anything with timing or just leave it stock?
 

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Old 11-06-2010 | 07:37 PM
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As for what will work the best: Avoid the bargain priced spark plug wires, always. Always get a distributor cap and rotor with brass contacts rather than aluminum. To the extent possible, select spark plugs that others with very similar setups are successfully running.

Never mind that I personally have ignored that last bit of advice. I failed to find anyone running the Screamin' Demon with other than the platinum version of the factory recommended plugs, way overgapped. I don't like overgapping more than .008" because it leads to electrode erosion I went off the reservation to spec a plug for myself. And might have got lucky. Anyway, you might read through the posts in the spark plug poll of the 2nd gen FAQ section.

Basically, when it comes to plug wires you always want to have at least 8mm wires on a small block Magnum, and some kind of construction that helps to prevent inductive cross-fire. These engines, despite having relatively tame coil secondary voltage, just love to cross-fire. Beyond the >=8mm rule, the higher the secondary voltages the fatter the wire you want. If you're going over 40kV on the secondary, you'll want 10mm wires. Also, pay attention to the temperature ratings of the wires; higher is better.

The MSD ignition gets you a multiple spark at lower RPM (below 3000) in the hope that it'll reliably get a strong flame front established. The Screamin' Demon doesn't do multiple spark, but relies upon the higher voltage/wider gap to expose more of the single arc channel to the fuel/air mixture, for the same reason. In either case, what's supposed to happen is more reliable ignition of the fuel/air mixture for an overall more efficient burn as compared to a stock ignition. If/when that happens, you get better bottom end power when the mixture is hard to light because of less than optimal fuel atomization in a relatively slow air current, and better top end power because there's a better chance that you'll get that fast moving mixture lit on time and with a nice broad flame front in the short time it's in the chamber. The net result is that you get crisper throttle response and a tad more power because you get more reliable ignition of the mixture.

Unless you're running high compression, the ignition performance improvement won't make you say wow. Where these systems really shine (and make people say wow) is in high compression, blown, and/or nitrous engines where spark blow-out is actually a concern. For the rest of us, it's just "well, that's nice". And it is nice, it's just not wow.

If you go with the Screamin' Demon, I recommend also going with the DUI Live Wires. They're the stoutest wires I've ever seen, and in the 600 miles or so I've run them I haven't seen any sign of inductive cross-fire despite the fact that they're just kinda lying there where they landed. Magnecore makes a darn fine spark plug wire, and MSD's Super Conductors are very good, also. I'm sure others have preferences that are every bit as valid as mine and will probably chime in.

The ignition timing will be handled by your tuner (SCT, Superchips, whatever) and isn't anything you need to think about unless you get pinging. If you do get ping, don't convince yourself to live with it; do something to make it stop. Detonation blows head gaskets, and more severe detonation will crack or even knock a hole in a piston. Sometimes a colder plug will eliminate it, sometimes it won't and you have to back off on the timing.

The ignition, though, should be left alone until you've got your other mods in place. Prior to that you'll just be disappointed and start thinking that you shouldn't have spent the money.
 
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Old 11-06-2010 | 09:08 PM
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Thanks a ton! Should I do anything with my stock heads while I'm here or not deal with it right now ex. valve springs?
 
  #10  
Old 11-06-2010 | 09:58 PM
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I wouldn't mess with the heads at all. Higher ratio (1.7:1) rockers are nice if you want to go that route, and in that case it might be good to test the existing valve springs to see if any are weak. The stockers are just fine for 1.7:1 rockers, as long as none of them are weak. Going much further than that gets spendy in a hurry.
 


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