Going for a re-tune.... (Round #2) Updated 10/28/13

[akoutmos]

Re: Going for a re-tune....

One simple and cheap fix you could try doin on the valves is a valve lap job.

Here is the run down on the procedure with pictures: http://www.affordablegokarts.com/valve-lapping.php

The materials are fairly cheap and it is an excellent way to get the valves and the valve seats to have a much better contact. If indeed valve sealing is your problem, this might be something you wanna explore to get them to seal better. If your problems are as a result of a bent valve this will not do much for you.

 

[hotaccord243]

Re: Going for a re-tune....

Thanks akoutmos! I'll have to try that depending on the condition and what is wrong with it!

Just ordered new headgasket from majestichonda this morning. Take the head off and apart this weekend to see what's wrong with the valve exactly (and, hopefully nothing else wrong is discovered.....)!

 

[hotaccord243]

Re: Going for a re-tune....

Well, got the head off the car tonight, checked out the cylinder walls, pistons, etc. and everything checked out just fine. Adjusted valve clearances as needed.

I also set each cylinder to TDC on the head, poured water into both intake and exhaust side of the head and no leaks at any of the valves. (Of course that's different than blasting 100psi of air into it for a leakdown test....).

None of the valves sit awkward or off kilter and seem to seal just fine. Did find a little chunk of metal from an old distributor which I didn't know snapped off until now, which i'm thinking was the cause of part of the leads on the head....specifically at the cylinder 1 exhaust valve.

I will be dropping off the head at a headshop to double check everything, clean it up, deck it if necessary, check seals and everything else just to make sure nothing needs replacement. Probably do that most likely tomorrow...


Some photos:
Cyl 1 valves (where it was leaking) it seems to be that the far exhaust valve sits up slightly higher than the other....:

Bottom of head:

Top of head:

Cylinders 1 & 4:

Cylinders 2 & 3:

Looks as if the top of the pistons are a little schorched from some of the timing being off, and predetination, but otherwise just fine condition.....

Thoughts/ideas?:

 

[AFAccord]

Re: Going for a re-tune....

Hope everything checks out good for you tomorrow man, although it might be better if they find something simple that's easy to fix, rather than finding nothing at all, huh?

 

[hotaccord243]

Re: Going for a re-tune....

Hope everything checks out good for you tomorrow man, although it might be better if they find something simple that's easy to fix, rather than finding nothing at all, huh?

Thanks AFAccord, Yeah I hope so too! I kind of hope they do find something in a way, just for the fact that it would explain the leakdown test results and why I was leaking from the exhaust valve.....

Cause if nothings found, i'm gonna be dumbfounded. ha-ha.

 

[AFAccord]

Re: Going for a re-tune....

Cause if nothings found, i'm gonna be dumbfounded. ha-ha.

That's one of the worst feelings, I know from experience.

I tore down my spare block today and hoping to get it to the machinist for a good cleaning and inspection this week. I hope everything comes back with good news and no issues so I can start piecing it together.

OT, Got a simple question for you re: oil drain. Is there a preferred/specific location to tap the oil pan for the turbo drain line?

 

[hotaccord243]

Re: Going for a re-tune....

That's one of the worst feelings, I know from experience.

I tore down my spare block today and hoping to get it to the machinist for a good cleaning and inspection this week. I hope everything comes back with good news and no issues so I can start piecing it together.

OT, Got a simple question for you re: oil drain. Is there a preferred/specific location to tap the oil pan for the turbo drain line?

AFAccord, I hear you there, I will be crossing my fingers the whole time.

The turbo oil drian all depends on how your turbo will sit and what's the easiest access point for the drain line, I have mine running straight down from the turbo down to the oil pan, just off the side at the thicker portion of the oil pan. No real science to where you put it, just as long as it get's back in there. Closer to the oil pickup is better if you can.

 

[hotaccord243]

Re: Going for a re-tune....

Just dropped the head off now at a buddies shop, he's going to run tests on it and check everything out for me as a favor which is awesome.

He agreed with me that the (1) exhaust valve was sitting out further and is gonna check on it to see if it's bent or what not. Update to follow.

 

[akoutmos]

Re: Going for a re-tune....

Could always take the flexfuel approach and tune the car for both gas and e85 and then have the ems compensate for the variability of gas and ethanol. Some peeps on the AEM forum were messing around with the idea. Here is the link if you wanna read more into it:

http://forum.aempower.com/forum/index.php?topic=27449.0
http://forum.aempower.com/forum/index.php/topic,26861.msg138235.html#msg138235

 

[hotaccord243]

Re: Going for a re-tune....

Could always take the flexfuel approach and tune the car for both gas and e85 and then have the ems compensate for the variability of gas and ethanol. Some peeps on the AEM forum were messing around with the idea. Here is the link if you wanna read more into it:

http://forum.aempower.com/forum/index.php?topic=27449.0
http://forum.aempower.com/forum/index.php/topic,26861.msg138235.html#msg138235

Thanks akoutmos! Yeah basically I will save my old tuning file on the laptop, and have a separate file for the e85 tune so I can switch back and forth for reasons such as long road trips and so forth where the e85 gas stations will be harder to come by....

It's the easiest way to do it rather than trying to wire in an ethanol content sensor into a ground switched port more or less, but I plan on still reading into it more to see what people have done and the ease of doing the latter of the two....