First time out to the track in my new CSX....

[1FastCSX289]

I bought an 89 CSX from a guy on TD.com....all decked out and ready to race. Heres the specs on the car:

http://www.viplift.com/shelby.html

The only thing I have changed is the head. (Its a long story, which I wont get into now.) I changed it to a moderately ported G-head.

THe car was completely untuned at the start of the night. I was on street tires, spinning wildly and only running 9 lbs of boost. (I was trying to tune it at the lowest boost my wastegate would allow.) At the end of the night I went 14.6 @ 96.5 mph. I was expecting to see traps in the higher 90's......but I think the GT30R is kind of inefficient at 9 lbs of boost.

The tune feels pretty good, however I think I should add more timing. But, I am nervous without the knock sensor working correctly. My total timing at 9 PSI is about 28-29*. My air fuel ratio was around 11.8:1 and the EGT's didnt touch 1350. I think its a fairly conservative tune. I think the G-head wants some more timing (and boost ). I cant wait to see how it does at 20 PSI!

[87csx2.4]

Nice mph,at that boost Ive run as much as 37 total timing with 110 octane so there is definately alot more in it. Your egt's will cool off if you run more timing and you can run a little leaner at that boost,but when you go up with the boost 11.8:1 afr's wont be 1350 no more.On my setup 11.8:1 @ 22psi would be in the 1560 range or a hair higher.Sounds like you'll have no problem at hitting your goal I guess that head works ok huh.

[1FastCSX289]

Nice mph,at that boost Ive run as much as 37 total timing with 110 octane so there is definately alot more in it. Your egt's will cool off if you run more timing and you can run a little leaner at that boost,but when you go up with the boost 11.8:1 afr's wont be 1350 no more.On my setup 11.8:1 @ 22psi would be in the 1560 range or a hair higher.Sounds like you'll have no problem at hitting your goal I guess that head works ok huh.

So, you think that trap speed is pretty good for 9 lbs? Or are you saying that I need to run more timing? You ran 37 TOTAL? THats a lot of timing. What do you think would be my limit on 93 octane?

I was running 35 degrees total advance with 6-7 degrees of retard at 9 PSI. I plan on bumping it up to 16-18 PSI next time out......and pulling another 7-9degrees of timing at that boost level for a total of 20 degrees of timing. Im running pump gas (93). What do you think?

[turbovanman²]

Well you can't give it more timing if its pulling out 6-7 deg. You need to run less timing otherwise its going to pull more and more out or run higher octane gas, alky injection or a nice tune job on the dyno,

[Turbodave]

Well you can't give it more timing if its pulling out 6-7 deg. You need to run less timing otherwise its going to pull more and more out or run higher octane gas, alky injection or a nice tune job on the dyno,

Simon, he's running a SDS stand alone engine management, not a stock computer.

[turbovanman²]

Simon, he's running a SDS stand alone engine management, not a stock computer.

Sorry, didn't see that but it still stands, if its pulling timing, you can't add anymore,

[1FastCSX289]

Sorry, didn't see that but it still stands, if its pulling timing, you can't add anymore,

Its not pulling timing.....I programmed it to pull 6-7 degrees (at 9 PSI) from the base of 35*. WIth the SDS you have rpm timing (base) and then there is a table for timing retard under load. Sorry, i should have made that clear.

[turbovanman²]

Its not pulling timing.....I programmed it to pull 6-7 degrees (at 9 PSI) from the base of 35*. WIth the SDS you have rpm timing (base) and then there is a table for timing retard under load. Sorry, i should have made that clear.

Ahhhhh, gotcha,

[slasky]

Damn ricers. Maybe you should get a second roll cage just incase you hit a low 14

[1FastCSX289]

Damn ricers. Maybe you should get a second roll cage just incase you hit a low 14

You just want to weigh my car down so I dont pass you so quickly once I crank up the boost.

[87csx2.4]

So, you think that trap speed is pretty good for 9 lbs?

Looks pretty good to me considering the boost and timing level.

You ran 37 TOTAL? THats a lot of timing

Dont get me wrong ,like I said at that boost level with 110 octane try it you'll be driving a different car.

What do you think would be my limit on 93 octane?

The way you are going now is safe just keep ramping the retard about 1 deg per pound of boost I wouldnt run more than 20 without either alky or race gas in anything.I know people run more but the timing is so retarded it doesnt make much sense.Maybe dont start to pull timing until 4 psi and ramp it from there to help spooolup I would try to be about 17 to 19 total at 20 psi.Try 17 firstBy the way what was your 1/8 mile mph?

[glhs875]

That's some good power for 9psi!! What's your compression ratio? What I would probably do to help find an optimum timing curve under boost is go ahead and set your boost to 20psi, then put in some good octane, then either use a dyno or make some runs at the track increasing the timing 1 degree at a time under boost from the curve you were thinking about trying, until the car slows down and mph drops. Then retard the timing about 2 dgrees from that point. That will help you see what is going on. I think you find the G head will like alot of timing with an effiicient (low charge temps) set up. Mine sure does! Of couse when running 93 octane you need retard the timing some more from the above setting. And do like Kevin said, try pulling only a little or no retard from your 35 total timing setting until about 7psi, then start your retard ramp. You could probably run 38 degrees total under vacum from about 2800rpm up for increased throttle response and better mpg.

[1FastCSX289]

Thanks guys. Good info. I will set the timing for 35-36 degrees under the rpm map after 2800 rpm. Then I will pull one degree of timing for every pound of boost past 4-5 PSI. Then, if I can get a knock sensor to work, will try ramping it up a bit more.

I would like to see the turbo spool faster....im not used to lag. Im used to the T2 that gives you that nitrous-like midrange spool. THis turbo gives much less of a quick "ramp" up on boost and seems to come in much later. Im shifting at about 5800 rpm......do you think thats too low?

Again, I dont intend to play around with race fuel, because I want to tune it for street first. Later, I will put some high octane to it and play. So will the above timing curve work on 93 octane?

I will have to get back to you on the 1/8 mi. mph.....I dont have my slips here at work....

[glhs875]

Thanks guys. Good info. I will set the timing for 35-36 degrees under the rpm map after 2800 rpm. Then I will pull one degree of timing for every pound of boost past 4-5 PSI. Then, if I can get a knock sensor to work, will try ramping it up a bit more.

I would like to see the turbo spool faster....im not used to lag. Im used to the T2 that gives you that nitrous-like midrange spool. THis turbo gives much less of a quick "ramp" up on boost and seems to come in much later. Im shifting at about 5800 rpm......do you think thats too low?

Again, I dont intend to play around with race fuel, because I want to tune it for street first. Later, I will put some high octane to it and play. So will the above timing curve work on 93 octane?

I will have to get back to you on the 1/8 mi. mph.....I dont have my slips here at work....

I think that should work fine as a starting point for 93 octane. Just don't get to crazy on the boost until you get a good grasp as to what is going on with your combo. Keeping the boost at say 22psi and less I would think you will be fine. I have successfully run 26psi on 93 octane with stock T2 Mahles and with a G head for a long period of time in my Daytona. After I tried 28psi a few times I cracked a piston!! I couldn't pull any more timing out at that time with the stock electronics. And I only had a 2 bar cal. Once the engine rpm's are past the peak torque range, the chances of detonation are reduced. That's probably going to be be in the 4000rpm to around 5200rpm range with that turbo on a 2.2. Maybe even a little higher with a larger than stock cam and a good flowing head. After peak torque, the timing could actually be bumped up 2 or 3 degrees for maybe a little more top end power and lower EGT's.

[1FastCSX289]

I think that should work fine as a starting point for 93 octane. Just don't get to crazy on the boost until you get a good grasp as to what is going on with your combo. Keeping the boost at say 22psi and less I would think you will be fine. I have successfully run 26psi on 93 octane with stock T2 Mahles and with a G head for a long period of time in my Daytona. After I tried 28psi a few times I cracked a piston!! I couldn't pull any more timing out at that time with the stock electronics. And I only had a 2 bar cal. Once the engine rpm's are past the peak torque range the chances of detonation are reduced. That probably going to be be in the 4000rpm to around 5200rpm with that turbo on a 2.2. Maybe even a little higher with a larger than stock cam and a good flowing head. After peak torque, the timing could actually be bumped up 2 or 3 degrees for maybe a little more top end power and lower EGT's.

Great info.....thanks. Im soaking it up.

[Subliminal]

It's nice to see that car finally hitting the pavement. That thing's been around as long as I have, and I've never even heard of the engine starting before today.

[1FastCSX289]

It's nice to see that car finally hitting the pavement. That thing's been around as long as I have, and I've never even heard of the engine starting before today.

Ive been driving for about a month now. I had it shipped out of Cali in July. It was totally untuned and had some other problems (that I wont get into now because Josh is supposed to be taking care of me). I just got it out to the track and started tuning the fuel curve that day. So, its got a ways to go. But, yea, its up and running. Another week or so and I will be upping it to 16 or 18 PSI. I will run that for a while until I go to 22 PSI and nitrous so.....we'll see.

How do you know of the car?

[20w/ashelby]

I think calling a GT30R inefficient at 9PSI is an understatement.

[BadAssPerformance]

I will run that for a while until I go to 22 PSI and nitrous so.....we'll see.

How do you know of the car?

You got slicks? yer gonna need 'em.

Who doesnt know of it? It was for sale forever!

[1FastCSX289]

You got slicks? yer gonna need 'em.

Who doesnt know of it? It was for sale forever!

Yea, Ive got slicks, but I didnt run them that day. I was really just looking to dial in A/F ratio and timing....looking at trap speed for an indicator of how well it ran.

I guess it was for sale for a while! He finally got realistic with the price and I happen to be getting ready to build a street/strip TD. I figured, why spend more money and build it myself if I could buy it all done and just have to clean it/finish it up?