FCD makes a crackling sound?
- Thread starter Spooled
- Start date
kwiktsi said:This is part of the reason I have said all along that only "experienced" tuners should be going into this territory- if you are describing detonation as "a sound like pebbles hitting the car" and don't know what it is, you can do severe damage messing with your car..
Wow Joe, that's rough. I thought part of becoming "experienced" was experiencing. I had never heard detonation in a car, and that's why I asked the question. That's also why I dropped back to stock boost and took the FCD off immediately before I learned more about what was going on. No else seems to know what's going on with it, either; "experienced" or not. Even though I have not been tuning 1G Talons since the early 90's, I still understand the fundamental physics behind what's going on in my engine, which is, in my opinion, is the most important part of tuning.
I didn't mean to make this post sound like a discredit to you or what you make. I bought your trilogy after doing a lot of research. Unfortunately, I had to be the first to discover the down-side of the FCD. Some of it may have to do with the fact that I live in Michigan, and I was testing it on a cool night. The denser air probably made the air-fuel content a little more volitle than it would be other places. Also, I'm sure my advanced timing didn't help the situation.
For an update, my car is stock except the MBC pushing 8.5, spiking at 9. I have the ECU flash, and I am running smooth and strong. My next upgrade will be an EMS along with a stonger fuel pump and bigger injectors / rail. I am starting to realize that messing with the stock control system is like putting duct tape on a Cesna; eventually something is going to fall off.
(Disclaimer / Flame retardant statement)=> I had a bad day at work...
Spooled said:
No, no, no
.. It wasn't meant to be harsh .. It is just an expensive lesson to learn the hard way what "this" sound is or what "that" noise was.. I am all for learning from your mistakes- I have the empty wallet to prove it . I just don't like the web message board method of "tuning" where one guy does something, so the whole board does the exact same thing.. That is not tuning . I think from a budget/safety point of view, you are better off keeping the car a few steps back from the next guy. If you want to tune into "uncharted territory" (uncharted to you at least), you'd better be prepared for ANYTHING that may happen- that is why the initial FCD posts I put up said "for experienced tuners only" and the instructions are kind of vague and say they are written that way so that only "experienced tuners will understand them"- I was trying to protect you guys ..Again, I was not trying to be harsh, but I don't you guys blowing their motors either due to lack of experience. That should be saved for the tuners/shops with the deeper pockets
.Joe
No, I haven't changed my plugs. I am going to pick up a set soon, but I was holding off for a while because I have heard that running too cold of a plug, especially when you are running rich, will cause a carbon build-up on the tips. I am definitely getting them now, though.
Joe, sorry if I came off a little pissy. I don't have deep pockets, but I also didn't get the FCD so that I could boost the hell out of my engine. I got it becuase I have hit the cut as low as 9 psi and the jarring that it causes can't be good for the car. It was more of a precautionary device than a performance mod. I am way more than a step back from what other people are doing here, and I plan on waiting until I have the cash to back up my modding. In fact, I have been researching EMS's, so if anyone is interested, I started another thread a while ago on them. Here's the link so I don't hijack my own thread (can I do that?):
http://www.msprotege.com/vbb230/showthread.php?s=&threadid=34242
Joe, sorry if I came off a little pissy. I don't have deep pockets, but I also didn't get the FCD so that I could boost the hell out of my engine. I got it becuase I have hit the cut as low as 9 psi and the jarring that it causes can't be good for the car. It was more of a precautionary device than a performance mod. I am way more than a step back from what other people are doing here, and I plan on waiting until I have the cash to back up my modding. In fact, I have been researching EMS's, so if anyone is interested, I started another thread a while ago on them. Here's the link so I don't hijack my own thread (can I do that?):
http://www.msprotege.com/vbb230/showthread.php?s=&threadid=34242
Spooled said:
A colder plug *can* buildup carbon if it is *too* cold and doesn't burn clean.. Ideally, you want a plug that is as cold as you can get yet still hot enough to "self clean" the electrode..
Don't worry about your post, mine was easily mis-understood
.Joe
kwiktsi said:Dunno
Another thought is fuel- what do you guys use for octane? I always used Ultra 94 and never had an issue with my FCD and detonation. Also- do you guys have stock exhaust systems or free flowing?
Joe
My car was completely stock. I run 93 octane gas.
Spooled said:
Well- running stock exhaust and cat with high(er) boost is not going to give the best performance- and is another thing that can contribute to detonation. You have more air getting in via more boost, but the same amount getting out
.Just a thought....
Joe
kwiktsi said:Well- running stock exhaust and cat with high(er) boost is not going to give the best performance- and is another thing that can contribute to detonation. You have more air getting in via more boost, but the same amount getting out
Just a thought....
Joe
Makes sense! I have so many things that I want to do to my car eventually, but the cash flow is pointing towards a house right now (preferably one with a heated garage
). Lower compression pistons, forged rods, FMIC, exhaust, CAI, EMS, injectors, fuel rail, fuel pump. Damn, if I didn't like the way this car looked/handled so much, I would have gotten something else...