Fiesta ST Spark plug tech

[RAAMaudio]

This is quite interesting to say the least, I was about to get some stock plugs by tomorrow, almost $50 from the dealer, then I thought about how well Matt at Panda has dealt with the timing and how well the plugs held up with around 200 minutes of hard core abuse at the track and dozens of tuning runs......I am going to wait to see what Matt recommends as he might have to work on the tune quite a bit if I change back to stock.

 

[razorlab]

Make sure your FMIC isn't metal to metal on anything and also make sure you have enough volume change in the airflow model to account for your larger FMIC.

The first one could be more related to possible knock all of a sudden.

The bad gas argument is not valid to me unless the tune is way too aggressive or just something wrong with the car. Every car forum I have been on that comes up during the beginning stages of tuning a new car. In my opinion it's BS and just too aggressive tunes for the fuel. That's my opinion, but I have seen it come up time and time again in history. Later as tuning matures for the platform the "cases" of bad gas go down or vanish. Hmmm.

 

[Sourskittle]

It was doing this 2-3 days before the intercooler. And I hardly would call the cobb stg3 OTS tune ( the one Made 204whp on ) "aggressive".

3 things changed on the same day.
#1 cobb drop in filter installed.
#2 ngk plugs installed.
#3 filled up with gas that night.

I can take back #1 and #2.

I've never seen knock like this though. I've seen false knock from the loose motor mount, I've seen knock from too much boost, I've seen knock from too much timing. I've since knock when shifting.

I've never seen knock from 2800-3600 when a wot load is applied and boost is still just coming on. And this with a cobb OTS tune, ZERO has been touched in it. Not the cooler size, not the tire size, not the timing, not the wastegate map, not the cam phasing, not the fuel desired, not the throttle tables. Its the OTS tune 1000% the way cobb has it. I leave it in my access port because everytime i get frustrated with being a "learner" at trying to tune the car, I can always just re-flash the OtS tune and the car runs great, does +6.00 on all cylinders and i don't have to watch a thing. It maybe a little shorter on power, but its always been perfectly reliable and awesome. But even on that tune, I'm getting ugly timing corrections ( at 50% ETC at some points because the load tables are "cobb stock". ).

I did forget to change the cooler size in my newest modded tune though, lol.

Hopefully a couple of gallons of Eth with fix it tomorrow. If it doesn't, I'll be doing a compression check and oil filter inspection.

There is also a "800lbs gorilla". I have a CV boot that broke months ago at the track. It made noise and slung grease everywhere for a while. The grease has pretty much been all gone for a while. Its a little noisey at times, but its been worse in the past. Maybe now that its really down to "metal on metal" its hitting the frequency G-spot and I can't hear it ( essp with this loud ace turbo, lol ).

 

[razorlab]

See the forest through the trees. Have fun figuring it out.

 

[Sourskittle]

What a moron... "If your gonna be dumb, you gotta be tuff". I just went back by the gas station I filled up at. I def filled the car up with 89oct !!! 93oct is in the middle, 87 on the left and 89 on the right. I remember looking at the price of gas and the label was red and it was the closest option to my car door. Drove through to take some redbox movies back and looked, no doubt about it, I'm on 89oct.

Looks like a 30mile drive to the eth station for me... Arguhhh.

 

[RAAMaudio]

At least we have such a smart ECU it can take care of our mistakes as well as this did and not pop the engine

If I could get E85 less than 100 miles from me I would be tuning on it now but 200 miles and the time it takes......

And I wish I could get 93 for none track events!

 

[Sourskittle]

Spark plug tech

http://www.datazap.me/u/sourskittle/120mph?log=0&data=7

That's more like it !!
3rd 4th and 5th gear. Then.. Charge pipe left the intercooler... And it started raining, lol

 

[razorlab]

Charge pipe left the intercooler...

Now... what did I say about rolling the pipe ends on your new intercooler before you install it?

 

[Sourskittle]

Now... what did I say about rolling the pipe ends on your new intercooler before you install it?

I know. Problem is... I don't build intercoolers or own a pipe-bead roller, lol. I put spray adhesive on the pipes, but once they got hot, POP.

We actually had to use a trailer ball to bend a bent piece of the cooler pipe back round that got bent during shipping, but it wasn't bad.

 

[razorlab]

Why anyone would sell anything that sees positive pressure without bead rolled ends is beyond me.

You could place some welds around the lips if you are good at alum welding. Or call around to metal fab shops to see if anybody can bead roll them for you.

 

[Hijinx]

I know. Problem is... I don't build intercoolers or own a pipe-bead roller, lol. I put spray adhesive on the pipes, but once they got hot, POP.

We actually had to use a trailer ball to bend a bent piece of the cooler pipe back round that got bent during shipping, but it wasn't bad.

A pipe was bent during shipping?! They must have been tossing that thing around with reckless abandon.

 

[Sourskittle]

A pipe was bent during shipping?! They must have been tossing that thing around with reckless abandon.

I didn't mention it because it was easily fixed no harm, no foul.

Anyone happen to look at the datalog I posted ? It has ambient and charge temp on it.

One thing i can say... Enough of the stock rubber charge pipe covers the cooler pipe by so much that I could put 6 clamps on it, lol.

I've fixed it 6 times today
Adding more clamps tomorrow

 

[razorlab]

Put some beads on it. Like I said before, it will save you headaches.

I did look at the logs, +30F seems a bit extreme in only 70F weather but I'm sure that turbo is making some heat.

 

[RAAMaudio]

I have a bead roller but it is not the right type to work on pipes, just sheet metal so I did as already explained and have hit 26.5PSI and not blown it off, it cannot come off and is probably better flowing than bead rolled with the ends still straight

 

[BoostBumps]

http://www.datazap.me/u/sourskittle/120mph?log=0&data=7

That's more like it !!
3rd 4th and 5th gear. Then.. Charge pipe left the intercooler... And it started raining, lol

very nice...and congrats! Looks like your tuning and upgrade efforts are finally coming together for you now...its exciting to see...

I'm kinda surprised though to see your charge temps raised by 30F and I see you did just install the new FMIC? Is that because your also now pushing boost levels well past +20psi in the upper rpm range as a result of the turbo upgrade? Have you found the point where raising the boost levels past 5500~6000rpm are starting to produce diminishing returns yet? Or are you still in the discovery phase of tuning and haven't gotten to that point yet? Sorry for all the questions...just interested in hearing more details...

All good stuff though and thanks for posting all your efforts!

 

[RAAMaudio]

I forgot about the log, dang impressive

Was the IC cool before you started the log or had you been on boost a bit and warmed it up?

One thing that will help is to seal the top against the bumper and the sides and bottom as well.

 

[Sourskittle]

As razor would say... Delta detla detla. ( I have like 15 logs before that one on the stock cooler ).

The cooler is sealed from the top and the bottom. The only small area air can get around its the top corners where the endtanks tapper, buts its actually such a tight fit, its hard not to seal it.

 

[RAAMaudio]

Great!
I had to make new parts all around to seal mine up, it took quite a bit of time.

 

[BoostBumps]

One thing that will help is to seal the top against the bumper and the sides and bottom as well.

Is this what your referring to? This would probably help to further improve the Panda / TR IC's ambient air flow-through, reduce temp deltas seen, and reduce susceptibility to heat soak by improving recovery times between pulls...


Panda/TR FMIC installed (below):

 

[RAAMaudio]

Yes, exactly, and the top if the stock part does not work and the bottom as well.

It will force more air through the core.

It will give up a bit of cooling on the tanks and elbows but if that is a concern then at least use a vertical section dividing the air, it will not be very deep but will force more to the core and still let some hit the tanks and elbows though it will create more drag and tubulence where it exits.

---------------

My J-Line install works great but I need to drop some weight off the front of the car so looking into a CF hood and Cobb IC, $$$$$$.

---------------

Back on topic

My tune is going very well with the NGK plugs and I gave away the stock ones but I might get another set and see if any major changes.