cutlassefi

Not sure what box you're talking about but unless you have individual knock sensors there's no way it will know what cylinder to retard.
What it will do is do them randomly but I doubt it's not smart enough to know exactly which one unless it had the individual sensors.

Sounds like you've made some progress Scooter, good luck.

oldcutlass

The link shows the box/s we were talking about.

cutlassefi

Gotcha.
8 channels obviously means it will do COP for an 8 cylinder.
I know oem stuff has just 1 knock sensor, and it consequently retards the timing on all cylinders. But they also put that sensor near the cylinder most likely to detonate. So I'm having a hard time believing this system can correctly pick the right cylinder to change correctly everytime with only 1 sensor.

Sorry but I'd have to see it work for myself to believe it.

MDchanic

I don't have one of these, am not an engineer, and don't work for the company, but, according to the company's web site:


"The system makes a spark, then decides if there was knock. If knock is detected, software "knows" it had to come from the cylinder that just fired, and that cylinder won't fire again for two revolutons.

When that cylinder comes up to fire the next time, software dials in the calculated amount of knock retard. It does this as each cylinder goes by, building up a different timing curve for each cylinder if knock is detected.

The unit retards in steps, a total of ten steps are possible. Each step is one or two degrees, depending on a user mode switch. When knock is detected, software retards in proportion to knock intensity.

The unit responds to inaudible knock, and retards quickly enough to prevent knock from becoming audible. The re-advance rate is one step every twenty revolutions. Note that the unit will not advance beyond stock timing. Of course, you may choose to bump the timing a bit after installing the unit."


Like I said, fascinating, and if I had an extra $700, I'd try it.

- Eric

cutlassefi

Oh I know I read that. I just think its a bit far fetched. That's just my opinion.
I've never seen this box before this thread so I'm curious as to why I haven't.

It's kind of like the ICE ignitition systems. They made a big splash at first but it's all kind of died down now.It's good stuff but maybe not much better than people first thought.

Again just my opinion.

442scotty

Not trying to hijack scooters thread so just a last comment on the JS device. I am going to install it about 10 days from now and report on it then on a seperate thread. I tried to find any negative comments about it on the internet but could not. It has been around for a while and It appears to be used by racers and more common to rice wagons.

It would be nice if we could upgrade our motors to modern timing controls to prevent this detonation crap. Maybe this device will solve our issues.

I find all the suggestions on scooters engine quite helpful and we may have similar builds. For my engine I tried pluging the vacuum advance as previously suggested and it helped greatly. No more part throttle detonation that I can hear anyway.

MDchanic

I would be very interested to hear how this device works, also the details of the engine it is tested on (compression test, spark plug condition in each cylinder, etc.) - many of us who drive older V8s, and who are not interested in doing complete multi-thousand-dollar rebuilds for non-restored drivers with perfectly functional engines, have experienced the situation of having a good-running, non-smoking engine with miles on it that has a variety of compression pressures, and/or some cylinders dirtier than others, and/or one or two cylinders that are just a little bit oily.

With conventional ignition, we have to retard our timing to the "lowest common denominator" - the cylinder that pings first, even if all of the other cylinders could take several more degrees. Maximizing advance in each cylinder individually would definitely improve performance and fuel economy, and also increase longevity, by reducing that tendency to ignore that "occasional" stray ping (also, because these boxes claim to respond to ping before you can hear it).

I'm keeping my eye on this development to see whether the claims pan out.

- Eric

oldcutlass

I'll look for your thread. Sounds interesting enough.

scooter123

New hei is in ...car seems more responsive and runs great....but still no tire shredding from a dead stop.........rting to think the old cam that I removed might have been a little hotter than my new one......Not sure how to tell but with the old cam it sure did not sound as though it was camed!!

As of now im going to drive it the way it is...the car goes like heck and is fun to drive.....but if someone wants a little smoke show I will have to use the brake.....lol

happy driving

oldcutlass

Glad to hear it's running better, whats your timing set to now? Did you figure out where those wires go?

scooter123

[QUOTE=oldcutlass;555713]Glad to hear it's running better, whats your timing set to now? Did you figure out where those wires go?[/QUOTE

Im almost 100% the old wires....yellow go to the starter....its wraped in some kind of heat tape so kind of hard to follow!!

as for the timing I just timed it by ear...a little at a time till I had no ping at full throttle from a dead stop!!

cutlassefi

[QUOTE=scooter123;555723]Not a good way to do it. You need to check your total advance. You'll never hear high rpm detonation but it'll kill your motor just like anything else.

oldcutlass

[QUOTE=cutlassefi;555752]X2 - plus with an HEI if your running a stock vacuum advance canister, you run the risk of over advanced timing.

scooter123

[QUOTE=oldcutlass;555768]Took the car out for a nice run this morning..... Then checked the timing when I got back..... My initial at 750 rpm is about 16 deg......... And at 3000 rpm my total is at 36 deg ..... The car runs great ... No problems hot starting and no engine ping that I can hear!!!

Rocket Richard

I'd believe that a control system can adjust the advance for each cylinder. The description of how it works makes sense, and considering that microcontrolers work in the order of miliseconds it doesn't sound far fetched to me.

442rocketdave

Great news Scooter now you can enjoy your car and fine tune that carb to get those back tires smokin again!!

1968ragtop

Hey scooter, where did you buy the new HEI distributor? And was it expensive? Thanks

scooter123

bought it at napa.....just under $300 for cap/rotor/coil and distributor

oldcutlass

Once you connect the vacuum advance set it for 45 BTDC @ 3000. Engines can go as high as 52 with good fuel.

cutlassefi

I think maybe a better way to do would be to just see where it runs best. Don't assume anything.

1968ragtop

Scooter, what compression does that motor have? What fuel are you runing? premium? I'm lucky if I can run 32 degrees total timing! I'm thinking fuel quality has gone down in the last 20 years!
[QUOTE=scooter123;555894]

Johnnny45

The car bogs after I jump on it, and if I am in third and hit it it bucks, it also pings with 108 octane boost. I want to first set timing to correct spec for the factory setting and go from there.any idea what the initial timing should be?

oldcutlass

You really need to start your own thread on this.

scooter123

[QUOTE=1968ragtop;556898]Scooter, what compression does that motor have? What fuel are you runing? premium? I'm lucky if I can run 32 degrees total timing! I'm thinking fuel quality has gone down in the last 20 years!


Compression should be around 9.5......fuel is 91 oct with to little bottles of lucas octane boost....I did try the 110 oct but boy was it expensive....but it ran great on it!!