TBucket Engine Project (Dart SHP)

Yes you are right, i think the combustion temperature is a little on the hot side me too(lack of coloration is probably due to the low"200 miles" on the plugs, so i assume a/f and plug temp are just fine for now). maby richening the a/f mixture a little could help it run colder(rich plenum charge give good throttle response especially with big plenum/blower ;))?
 
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The new module did NOT come with the Weatherpack terminals installed. So I decided to
cut the wires and solder/shrink wrap the connection. So I was also able to lengthen the
wires to the Weatherpack connector. I don' have any of the Weatherpack parts, all the
connector components I have are the Deutsch DT and DTM connectors.

FP03_MSD_ASY14548_00013.jpg

While I had the MSD distributor apart, I tightened up the end play by .003 inches. It's
now set at .007 inches.

To get the old module free of the housing I had to cut the wires. See the below photo
and arrow.

FP03_OldElectronicModule_00015.jpg

I seem to have this affliction where by I ALWAYS FORGET SOMETHING that has to go on before
the step I'm on. So this time I soldered and shrink wrapped all my connections and realize that I
needed to install the strain relief before that. So what can I do now.... forget about it or redo all the
connections, but wait there is another solution. Remove the terminals from the Weatherpack
connector, they will go thru the strain relief one at a time. So it looks like I need another tool. Could
not find it locally so I ordered it from Amazon. I will have to cut the gray wire, put it thru the strain
relief and then redo the that one connection.

Delphi Packard Weatherpack Terminal Release Tool
WeatherpackTerminalReleaseTool.jpg
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000IIY56E/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Used some paste type flux and rosin core solder to make the connection below. Let me point
out that it's VERY IMPORTANT to use rosin core solder for electronics. Acid core is used for
plumbing.

I think the solder joint looks pretty good, alittle too much solder, but otherwise its good
functionally. Now I'm ready because I'm sure Mathd (Mathieu) will have to slap me around
some and point out where I went wrong. hehehe !!! :p Go ahead, I can take it!

FP03_SolderJoint_00016.jpg
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use of and taking the time and effort, when building or repairing the wiring on any custom car, to install a $5 -$7, UNIQUE for each electrical component , quick connect indexed water resistant screw-up proof, male/female connector combo, that allow's you too quickly connector remove a distributor or other component from the cars wire harness and re-install it with little chance of screwing up the electrical connections is almost always a good idea

4pinwe.jpg

4pinwe1.jpg

http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...-auto-elecrtrical-connectors.3105/#post-68805

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/heat-shrink-tubing.1443/#post-28050

http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...urrent-flow-grounds-and-more.3504/#post-33365
 
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I just bought one of these Rick.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lisle-Tools...952153&hash=item4d31766452:g:tqkAAOSweW5Vek27

Lisle wire terminal tools are designed to remove wires from terminals without damage to either.
The prongs depress the barbs on conventional terminal.
Tool can also retrieve trouble codes from engine computer on late model GM vehicles.
It comes with brand new in factory packaging. Made in U.S.A.
s-l1600.jpg
 
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Looking good, I usually dont use flux paste unless the part am soldering to is badly corroded, usually i will replace the part...
Instead I use a solder with a strong flux core instead.(AIM 63/37 with RA flux... RMA work too but is a bit milder)
I use liquid flux for SMD soldering of very small package with iron and/or a hot air station.
It look like they put a resin over the new pcb(some kind of protection?) or they forgot to clean the flux?(that can be done with a tooth brush and acetone or alcohol etc).
 
It look like they put a resin over the new pcb(some kind of protection?) or they forgot to clean the flux?(that can be done with a tooth brush and acetone or alcohol etc).
The pic of the pcb is exactly as it came from MSD. Is there a down side to not cleaning the pcb.
 
The MSD circuit board was cleaned and sealed after testing. Leave it alone.

That terminal tool can jump pins A & B on OBD1 to retrieve the trouble codes.
 
First I needed to install the new circuit board into the distributor. I used the tool above to
remove the terminals from the plastic component of the connector. Then I slipped them
thru the strain relief one at time. Not easy when you get to the last Weatherpack terminal,
but doable.

FP04_WiresThruStrainRelief_00025.jpg

Here is a tip I learned from my RC Car racing days. Always assemble the snap ring with the
sharp edge facing out. Because they are made using a stamping process, it leaves a round
edge on one side (Leading Edge) and a sharp edge (Trailing Edge) on the other side. Use
that to your advantage.

FP04_SnapRingSides_00019_00020.jpg

Stamping Video on YouTube .... no need to watch the whole video, but it was the best I
could find.


FP04_SnapSharpEdgeOut_00021.jpg


Before snapping the Weatherpack terminals into the plastic part, I had to carefully bend the
tangs out. This way they would not come right back out, that would lock them in like they should be.

FP04_WeatherpackTerminalCloseup_00027.jpg
FP04_WeatherpackTerminalCloseup_00029.jpg


I noted which way the rotor was pointed before I removed the test distributor. Inserted
the MSD distributor duplicating the rotor direction. Brought the balancer to 10° BTDC on
cylinder #1/compression stroke, then went back to the distributor for setup.

FP04_10°BTDC_00032.jpg

Made sure the distributor housing was pointing to my reference mark designating #1 on
the cap. Rotated the housing/vacuum diaphragm to my other reference mark on the intake
manifold. Next two images.......
Connect the timing light, ready to start!

FP04_RotorToHousingReferenceMark_00023.jpg
FP04_VacuumDiaphragmToManifoldReference_00024.jpg

Bottom line, it has fixed my problem!!!

Still beat a stock VW bug shifting at 2000 RPM. :eek:
 
btw THANK YOU FOR POSTING GREAT QUALITY PHOTOS (AGAIN)

and I,m glad to hear your making headway on getting the engine in tha t-bucket, running closer to its intended potential.
 
Good job Rick.
Here is a tip I learned from my RC Car racing days. Always assemble the snap ring with the
sharp edge facing out. Because they are made using a stamping process, it leaves a round
edge on one side (Leading Edge) and a sharp edge (Trailing Edge) on the other side. Use
that to your advantage.

This also applies to floating piston wrist pins where snap rings are used.

Since you have such a good picture there (last pic showing the vacuum advance canister up against the intake manifold), I will mention that if you had this situation where you were trying to set the timing and needed a couple of more degrees, but something was preventing the distributor from rotating further, and you already tried moving it 1 tooth back but still have the same problem of interference, just on the other side, then I learned that there is a way to get "half of a tooth". Remove the roll pin holding the distributor gear and rotate the gear 180 degrees in relation to the rotor. There are 9 teeth on that gear, so by rotating it halfway around, you are actually moving it 1/2 tooth.
 
I got a chance to drive it Saturday afternoon, but only got it 75 mph once for a about 30
seconds. Did not hear any detonation, which is a positive sign. The real test will come on
Sept 6th when I have a 6 hour drive to the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri.
 
Maybe the "detonation" you were hearing was from the defective rev limiter in the MSD distributor.
 
Rick, your locating and testing the ignition resulting in you finding an issue and then solving that problem,
by replacing the defective component is a good example of the skills and learning process that keeps this hobby rather interesting.
it should be rather informative & interesting too see the results,of on-going testing.
that you or anyone else would see, under similar conditions,
I would certainly not be shocked to find the older previous ignition,
was holding your engines power curve back a good deal more than you might have imagined,
this of course is a very hard to diagnose issue unless you have lots of previous experience,
and are actually on-site to hear and feel the engine run,

I would suspect you, should reasonably expect too see,an improvement.
especially in the upper rpm ranges,
now that the ignition systems operating correctly.

if you re-tune the car now that the ignition is working correctly,
I'd strongly suspect you should easily see, a noticeable power increase in the 5000 rpm,
and up range.

most people don,t fully realize that just having the ignition advance curve,
a couple degrees off of the ideal, from the ideal, ignition advance curve,
the engine would best operate with,
could easily reduce the peak power you see by 40-70 hp or more.

(keep in mind theres several interdependent sub systems, and if any one of them is not optimum it effects all the sub systems potential, theres the fuel/air ratio,
the ignition advance curve,
( not just when the spark in relation too the crank and piston rotation,
but also the ignition voltage and amps, plug gaps and ignition wire resistance,)
the engine is going too be effected by, the cam timing, the valve train stability, the exhaust tune
(headers and low restriction exhaust behind the collectors)


GENERALLY your fuel/air ratio should be in these ranges
Idle- up too about
2500 rpm try for 14.7:1-15:1 f/a ratio,
too get max mileage and prevent spark plug fouling

from about
2500 rpm- too about 4500 rpm,
try to smoothly and predictably transition the fuel/air ratio mix richer to about 13.5:1
for good power and less chance of detonation

from about
4500 rpm- too about 6500 rpm and higher
,try to smoothly and predictably transition the fuel/air ratio mix richer to about
12.5:1,
for good peak power and less chance of detonation.

this is only a well proven starting point on the tune,
but it generally gets you in the ball park ,

and tends to reduce the chances of the engine reaching detonation conditions.
the ignition advance curve needs to be checked, the chart below is a very good starting point to work from, and USE OF A RICHER FUEL/AIR MIX, WILL AT TIMES BE REQUIRED IN THE OFF IDLE TO 3500 rpm range, but the idea here is to keep the lower rpm and lower stress operations running at efficient fuel/air ratios to reduce plug fouling and improve mileage as youll generally spend 90% of the cars operational life on the street at under 4500 rpm.

chart3e.jpg

set the plug gaps at about .045, make sure the valves are adjusted correctly, I,ve seen guys gain or loose a 10th of a second and 3 mph from simply changing the ignition advance curve and spark plug gap.

post your results and more questions
having the correct tools at hand and the experience to use them correctly always helps, and even with 50 plus years Of experience , you can,t accurately guess, you need too test and accurately record the results of each change you make and you can,t do that {BY EAR} you need to use precision tools
Stoich.gif

EXFLOWZ4.jpg

volumetric.gif


without testing you simply guessing
GET A FUEL PRESSURE GAUGE AND MEASURE DON,T GUESS
how can you possibly set up your fuel system unless you know the pressure and flow rates required and what currently exist's
vgauge.gif


image_6238.jpg

this is the most consistently accurate I.R temp gun I've used for testing[/img]
42545.jpg

http://www.testequipmentdepot.com/e...1100200223789&utm_content=All Extech Products
INFRARED TEMP GUN


having accurately dialed in the cam (degreed) and having marked TDC on the tab and damper is mandatory.
DSCF1026.jpg

timinglite4.jpg


http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...ying-your-real-advance-curve.4683/#post-12672

 
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