Project LookOwt: Saving a piece of 3.0 history

[jayspartanburg]

Hey Rob, I'm hoping to pass by Tuesday, but if you need help with anything I'm off Monday. Btw, doesn't it suck to be stuck on something and everyone says"check your timing"? Lol

[Reaper1]

You forgot the spray too

No I didn't I left it off on purpose because I know he's not going to spray it right away. With spray it'll be a rocket :O

[Ondonti]

Visual of the Distributor is not really enough on these 3.0's. I have seen my distributors look very different from each other when it comes to setting timing. Usually my "guesses" end up well over 20 degrees base or around 0 degrees.
When my big cams are at 110 degrees with adjustable cams using the degree wheel, the distributor is super far over to the passenger side with almost no play left while my stockers are closer to the driver side. Its confusing when I look at it and remember things looking very differently.

[Force Fed Mopar]

I'll stick the light on it and see if I can get it set to 12* (that's stock right?), but I doubt it will make a difference. I have already had it set at nearly every position within the adjustment slot. I'll also rewire the distributor, IAC, TPS and CTS wires that got burned in the fire, but I doubt that will make any difference either, as it acts exactly the same as it did before. But that needs doing regardless.

There does not seem to be a IAT plug on the harness anywhere, although there is one in the TB neck of the intake that was wired to the Haltech. Did '91 3.0's have an IAT sensor?

[Reaper1]

No. The IAT was only for the Haltech.

[c2xejk]

When you check timing, make sure that only one (the TDC) notch is painted in on the pulley.

[Ondonti]

When you check timing, make sure that only one (the TDC) notch is painted in on the pulley.

I need to fix that on my pulleys. It is still a great idea to know you are troubleshooting with a solid foundation. I just fixed the timing offset on my Megasquirt car and it was amazing how the idle got happy as I bought things closer to where they should be. Then with timing true, I started messing with other things. If the timing was off then everything else I change becomes hard to comprehend since I don't know where I started.
Of course even while setting my timing I found that I couldn't physically back off the distributor as much as I wanted because timing became erratic. I considered removing the distributor and reclocking it until I realized I was just misunderstanding the method of setting base timing in MS2. That said, there seem to be physical limitations on timing and I don't understand them at this point.

[Force Fed Mopar]

Well from what I've calculated and been told on SpeedTalk, it probably has at least 11:1 compression. Using the calc on wallaceracing I've been coming up with 12.5-13:1, but with the stock cam gears on it, I dunno where the intake centerline is at. I'll have to bring my degree wheel home I guess and see if I can determine that on the car.

I did empty the tank (was almost empty again anyway) and go get a couple gallons of 100 octane unleaded and put in it. Definitely likes that better, but still wants to backfire sometimes. I got it to run enough to get it all the way into the shop though. Won't idle though, still needs more fuel, have to pad the gas to keep it running. However it definitely is happier on 100 octane. I'm gonna try and get a couple gallons of real race fuel soon and put in it and see if it gets better still.

[Ondonti]

Have you tried bumping the idle up over 1000 rpms? Stock AIS is unable to compensate for big cams on the 3.0 from my experience. Even with the idle screw turned way in I still had to pad the gas until the Duster warmed up on stock ecu.

[Force Fed Mopar]

I can't even keep it revved up w/o padding it. It just doesn't get enough fuel. If I can get another low-impedence 33# 3800SC injector to complete my set, I'd try them in there to get it. Otherwise I gotta wait until I get the computer modded. I think if I keep it running long enough it may idle, as I have got it to idle before. It really weird though, cause if I unplug the CTS it will flood it right away.

[Ondonti]

sure you can't just open the idle to 2000 rpms? I know that the idle screw will do more then that.

[bakes]

I thought 3.0l were 19# injectors?

[Force Fed Mopar]

They are. That's what's in it now. I figure if I put 33# injector in it it'll do about the same thing as adding fuel.

[Vigo]

Why not just put that adjustable fuel pressure regulator back on and bump the pressure to see what happens? Are you looking at the stock o2 sensor readings?

[Force Fed Mopar]

Why not just put that adjustable fuel pressure regulator back on and bump the pressure to see what happens? Are you looking at the stock o2 sensor readings?

I'm thinking of doing that, it's just that the return line is smaller than I can fit on the fittings for it. I'm gonna look at it again today and see if I can make something work.

[Reaper1]

If I'm not mistaken the return is 1/4". You might have to look at a hardware store or something, but you should be able to find a reducer so you can get 1/4" fittings to work.

[Vigo]

You could make it out of brass fittings at the hardware store if necessary.

[Force Fed Mopar]

It'd be nice if I could buy a piece that bolts in the rail in place of the stock FPR.

[Vigo]

If all you're trying to do is raise pressure you can just stick another regulator in the return line and crank it up. I've done that with both my spirit and my caravan. No need to mess with the stock one if you dont want to, it can stay there.

[Reaper1]

just stick another regulator in the return line and crank it up

I'm fairly sure this is how it was set-up when I originally got it.

There was an aftermarket BMW part I found a LONG time ago that was exactly that...an adapter that bolted on to the stock rail with a mail AN fitting made into it. Crap, I'm thinking about it now and I know it'll work for the 4-cylinder guys, but I can't remember if the 3.0 rails used the same set up.