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Re: Intro and Update: Slugmobile and Mean Mini! (long read, but worth it)
Wayne, did some more fiddling with the one in my konvertible. Tach boards are the same, dawned on me, tach signal originates in the engine controls (LM, SMEC or SBEC) so whether it is pulses or a voltage signal all that board does is convert it to a low voltage for the tachometer "motor", which should be basically a galvanometer.
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Re: Intro and Update: Slugmobile and Mean Mini! (long read, but worth it)
I have had no time to fiddle with Slug.
Been trying to prep the van for Drag Week.
I'm not even sure if I'll have the van ready. :(
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Re: Intro and Update: Slugmobile and Mean Mini! (long read, but worth it)
Messed around with my cluster today. Been having to drive Slugmobile ever since my PT GT had a run in with a 6pt buck. Totaled and waiting for insurance to settle.
But I noticed my speedo had stopped working, odometer was still turning, and the tach was still not working. Played around with it today and swapped parts from a working speedometer, reflowed some solder on the tach board, and then tried it.
Speedometer worked but tach still didn't work.
Decided after several swaps in and out and trying my spare cluster to just live with no tach.
But, my some light wasn't working and found the bulb good. Had a blown 10A fuse. Replaced it and the dome light worked, but also found out my tach now works!
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Re: Intro and Update: Slugmobile and Mean Mini! (long read, but worth it)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
wheming
Messed around with my cluster today. Been having to drive Slugmobile ever since my PT GT had a run in with a 6pt buck. Totaled and waiting for insurance to settle.
But I noticed my speedo had stopped working, odometer was still turning, and the tach was still not working. Played around with it today and swapped parts from a working speedometer, reflowed some solder on the tach board, and then tried it.
Speedometer worked but tach still didn't work.
Decided after several swaps in and out and trying my spare cluster to just live with no tach.
But, my some light wasn't working and found the bulb good. Had a blown 10A fuse. Replaced it and the dome light worked, but also found out my tach now works!
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WTH?!?!?!
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Re: Intro and Update: Slugmobile and Mean Mini! (long read, but worth it)
Damn, and I thought the 1992-96/7 Ford truck speedometers were strange. On them a bad courtesy lamp fuse will kill the speedometer (and the transmission acts weird if it's an E4OD).
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Re: Intro and Update: Slugmobile and Mean Mini! (long read, but worth it)
The ecu knew the speed and the rpm because I logged it with MPSciLink. But the tach did not work without the fuse.
The speedo worked after I rebuilt one with parts from another. It looked like one of the board components got hot.
I'm just glad I got it working, because even at low boost, she really scoots right along. Looking forward to when she has her turn at the full rebuild works and some upgrades including a Menegon G-head!
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Re: Intro and Update: Slugmobile and Mean Mini! (long read, but worth it)
Wow, I can't believe it has been this long since posting any updates here! It has been a while!
I had to look back and see, but looks like there was no real update for the Hot Rod Drag Week 2019 results, so I will try to summarize some stuff.
For 2019, (an I may need to verify some of this with work records later) MeanMini got some work done at SloweSpeed.
- Engine rebuild, new block (due to low spot from running with that leaking headgasket under boost), 1/2" studs, new pistons due to heat damage, and too much timing, new R5 cam. Fuel injectors cleaned and flow checked
- Transmission got freshened and billet a904 spline input shaft, modified PTC converter, reinstalled .91 transfer gears, billet pinion support
- Brake system mods, Wilwood proportioning valve (eliminating diagonal split), line-locks
- Ignition coil conversion to later 91+ style
- Custom aluminum 4 core radiator
- new china copy Garrett Wastegate actuator with 10psi spring
Results from HRDW 2019 was average for the week of 12.8590 @ 103.650 mph. Not as well as I wanted, but at least we kept the week's average in the 12's. And we completed it without being hit by any ambulances! LOL!
And then, there was the Covid years!
(edit to add)
Around Sept/Oct of 2020 I decided to try a cam swap to Colt Cams S2+. I tried my hand at checking and installing the cam at the proper intake centerline. That was a learning curve for sure, as I had never done one before. Also, although I had a lifter that was modified to be solid, I could not adjust it to take up any lash. So, in the end, I might have gotten it close, but it may not actually be right. It has a bit less lift and a bit less duration, but also it pretty significantly caused my cal to be even more rich. I had worked on getting the cal dialed a bit better on the street.
In Oct of 2021 I decided to change fuel pressure regulators in a attempt to resolve the fuel pump cavitation issues that were still present at times. My thought there was the Accufab regulator had a much smaller return port than the popular Aeromotive regulator I wanted to try. Any restriction or orifice will cause a pressure drop and can thereby cause a generation of cavitation or micro bubbles in the fluid. My theory was they could be getting generated in the fuel return line at or after the FPR. There was also a return line size transition I wanted to eliminate also. So I replaced all the 5/16" line which was used for the return with 3/8" SS tube, and installed the Aeromotive FPR. It did seem to help significantly. However the instances of pump cavitation still happen at times. Relocating the fuel pressure transducer to the FPR away from the fuel rail also helped to provide much more stable fuel pressure readings.
So no racing at all from attending HRDW 2019 all the way up to Feb of 2022 when I had registered for Tom Baily's Sick Week 2022 in FL.
No major changes to the van except for still working on tuning, and trying to get the van working better.
The plan for Sick Week was to run like 20psi or so and just run like mid 12's all week. But, since the van hadn't been raced in so long, it had other plans!
We found out on registration day when we ran some test runs, that we had a miss around 5100 RPM which severely limited things. Shifting after the miss only netted runs around 14.3's!
It took the better part of the week to finally figure out what was causing it, which turned out to be a flakey TPS! We had tried everything and finally found the fix Weds/Thursday.
One track was cancelled due to rain, and that only left Friday for redemption. But i just couldn't deliver as I got flaked on the staging, didn't bump in, and left with a miserable low boost to a 2.2 (60ft).
The good news was since we didn't run the van hard at all, we made it through without any breakage at least.
Shortly after Sick Week I made it to my local home track and was able to throw down some mid 12's at 22 psi while still working on my racegas tune.
SDAC-31
Made it to Auburn Hills for SDAC this year and really missed not being able to attend the last few years!
The van made it to the Quick 8 again, but we did identify some issues with boost control. I couldn't maintain boost over about 23psi!
Not that I would have been able to win Round 1 of Q8 Eliminations anyway, against Mark Palleschi's bad---- SRT4!
That brings me to the latest real change with the van was to finally purchase and install a Turbosmart IWG75 twin port wastegate actuator and a 4 port MAC solenoid valve controlled by my same cheapo HDi SBC-D-SE boost controller. I had tested it out on the street and it appeared to work pretty good. I did notice it took quite a bit less position on the boost controller to make 20psi on the street for my high boost setting. I had also still be tweaking my cal from using racegas at SDAC and some testing on the street.
I was planning to go to Holley Moparty in KY, since I had never been yet, and have wanted to every year. This year I was planning to go and worked to get the van ready. Although I hadn't been able to test the new wastegate actuator at the track and dial it in, I planned to just sign up for the Test & Tune race category.
But, after finding a bunch of metal debris in my trans filter during my trans service, and after speaking with Brian, I decided to not chance going to KY, and instead plan for Cecil Country Dragway SDAC Invasion Day, and then drop the van off at SloweSpeed for an overhaul.
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Re: Intro and Update: Slugmobile and Mean Mini! (long read, but worth it)
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Re: Intro and Update: Slugmobile and Mean Mini! (long read, but worth it)
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Re: Intro and Update: Slugmobile and Mean Mini! (long read, but worth it)
Cecil County Dragway 10/15/2022
The SDAC/Turbo-Mopar Invasion Day was just a Saturday Test&Tune day at Cecil County Dragway.
Having plans to drop the van off at Brian's shop in Philadelphia after racing, I still wasn't that hopeful for anything more than trying to test and dial in the boost controller, and that the trans could hold together.
First pass was to get a baseline for boost level and the initial spike. Ran around 20.4 psi boost to a 12.377 @ 107.82 mph.
Second pass turned up the boost controller maybe 10%, but wasn't sure how the new wastegate would act. Launched and it pulled hard and strong and surprised me with overboost cutout 3-4 times before I could get the controller turned down during the run. Boost had spiked to 37psi! Average boost through the run (even with lifting) was 24.7 psi. Ran 12.416 @ 108.62 mph
Thought I might have blown the headgasket, but after cooling down and checking in the pits, it looked like things were ok.
Was going to call it a day, because I wasn't expecting overboost with such a small change to the controller. And with it being so busy at the track I was almost ready to pack up. But, my brother Daniel Hemingway and Brian Slowe help convince me to give it another go, since we were already there. Tried to lower the boost controller to a bit less than I had it for the 2nd run, and raised the boost cutout to about 35.5 psi in the event I didn't have the controller low enough.
So 3rd run was the money run. After nearly 6 years of trying for a new personal best, I finally did it.
The van ran 11.699 @ 114.43 mph! (My previous record was 11.77 @ 113 mph)
I was praying to God that I would keep a clear head, and get my shifts right, and have a good clean pass. And thank you God for the result!
I did also ask for Gus' help too!
I looked over my log, and my average boost was only 28psi. I thought it was going to be like 30psi when I saw that time.
DA for that run was 1198 ft.
This was the last chance racing before converting to standalone. I've been using modified factory ECU, but will be getting converted to MS3Pro most likely. So, can wait to best time when that work and tuning are complete!
Here's the video that Mike Marra took if anyone wants a look!
https://youtu.be/JGfuAld0tZI
What you don't get to see in the video, and since I never setup my GoPro in the van, is whenever I saw the timeslip, I got very emotional on the return road back to the pits. Flooded with thoughts of my buddy Gus, and how happy it made me to get a new personal best, and break the van record, but also just how much i still miss him. Luckily i had a brief opportunity to compose myself before Mike Marra and my brother Dan met me back in the pits.
Thanks for everyone's help and advice along the way.
My brother Dan Hemingway who is always there to help out, to Brian Slowe who has helped so much to build/rebuild MeanMini into what she is today. All the vendors for providing parts for us in the community. Turbos Unleashed, FWD-Performance, and Forward Motion. Brian Bucar with all the tuning advice. The MPSuite group who developed the flashable modules we have today. And everyone here that participated with advice and encouragement here.
With this being the last race for MeanMini this year, the record might be broken again before she's back out racing. But, if it does happen, it will be on as soon as we are back racing next year!
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Re: Intro and Update: Slugmobile and Mean Mini! (long read, but worth it)
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Re: Intro and Update: Slugmobile and Mean Mini! (long read, but worth it)
Congratulations again Wayne. I enjoyed the writeup and updates. It has been quite the journey.
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Re: Intro and Update: Slugmobile and Mean Mini! (long read, but worth it)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
cordes
Congratulations again Wayne. I enjoyed the writeup and updates. It has been quite the journey.
Thanks Brian, I appreciate it!
It's been a frustrating last 6 years for a variety of reasons, but tuning and setbacks and more recently, racing opportunities have been an uphill battle. It hasn't been easy to try to accomplish the goal with the factory electronics and tuning limitations either. Hopefully I can be better at the new more modern stuff. I need to finally do some of those HP Academy courses I've purchased!
(I'm going to go back and make an edit for a change I did in 2020.)
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Re: Intro and Update: Slugmobile and Mean Mini! (long read, but worth it)
Nice job wayne.
Evans Tuning has Megasquirt videos as well. They have a 50$/month subscription plan that I purchased for a month a few years ago to binge Hondata K-Pro tuning content among other things. https://www.evansperformanceacademy.com/
Brian
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Re: Intro and Update: Slugmobile and Mean Mini! (long read, but worth it)
Well done Wayne! I need to finish up these house projects so I can get rolling on car stuff again.
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Re: Intro and Update: Slugmobile and Mean Mini! (long read, but worth it)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
mopar-tech
Well done Wayne! I need to finish up these house projects so I can get rolling on car stuff again.
Thanks Gary!
Really looking forward to seeing that happen!
I'm also looking forward to getting Slug gone through so she can be back out racing!
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Re: Intro and Update: Slugmobile and Mean Mini! (long read, but worth it)
Congratulations and well deserved! Wish you could have made it to MoParty, the track was hooking, the record may have been taken there!
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Re: Intro and Update: Slugmobile and Mean Mini! (long read, but worth it)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
BadAssPerformance
Congratulations and well deserved! Wish you could have made it to MoParty, the track was hooking, the record may have been taken there!
Thanks JT! I sooo wanted to! I just wasn't sure about going all that way with a known transmission issue. But, in retrospect, I should have anyway!
I hope I can go next year. Maybe I'll have the growing pains worked out with the engine management swap.
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Re: Intro and Update: Slugmobile and Mean Mini! (long read, but worth it)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
wheming
Thanks JT! I sooo wanted to! I just wasn't sure about going all that way with a known transmission issue. But, in retrospect, I should have anyway!
I hope I can go next year. Maybe I'll have the growing pains worked out with the engine management swap.
Sent from my KB2005 using Tapatalk
Sounds like a plan!
