03-24-07 Trip to the strip

I've been working on some bracket racing tunes for my car and made a trip out to Lonestar.

I let the car cool down for 45 minutes, as to lose some of the heat soak from the 1hr 45 min drive to the track.

First pass 63 degrees 85% humidty

RT --- .0803
60 --- 2.220
330 --- 6.184
1/8th - 9.34
MPH --78.34
1000' - 12.03
1/4 -- 14.32
MPH -98.79

I drove right back to the lanes and got a "round robin" pass in 4 minutes after the first pass.. 63 degree's 85% humidity

RT ---.0110
60'---2.210
330 ---6.135
1/8th - 9.291
MPH - 78.32
1000' -11.977
1/4 --14.26
MPH 100.69 !!! WOOT!!!!

30 minute cool down and back to the lanes!
RT --- .1048 (ZZZZ)
60'-----2.23
330'----6.17
1/8th - 9.33
MPH - 78.15
1000' - 12.02
1/4 ---14.327
MPH 98.68
Back to the lanes, 5 minutes later, round robin
62 degree's 90% humidity

RT - .-0367 - RED! OUCH!!!
60' - 2.211
330' - 6.163
1/8th - 9.327
mph - 78.30
1000' - 12.026
1/4 - 14.325
mph - 98.17

Low and behold the announcer calls for round 1 of street stock, so I head to the lanes... suddenly I realize I haddn't even been looking at my 1/8th mile times..{HAHA} since I was running 1/4 mile Test N Tune and Street Stock is an 1/8th mile bracket race.. I was going to need to take a moment and check out my 1/8th numbers.

9.34
9.29
9.33
9.32
WOW...that's pretty close!

So armed with this information I write a 9.30 on my window
I get paired up with a 96-98 mustang that is pretty well modified
Round 1
Mark VIII--------Mustang
9.30------Dial-----8.33
0.166-----RT-----.3579 (holy rip van winkle batman!)
2.3511----60----1.9008 ( I spun, he wheelied! HAHA)
6.326-----330---5.484
9.650----1/8th--8.771
64.74----mph---75.78
.4325--finish line margin
.3504--off dial---.4416
Left Lane WINNER!!!!!!!
I was 4 car lengths ahead of him and hit the brakes {see low MPH}

Round 2
Mark VIII-------Subaru WRX
9.40-----dial-----9.25
.0536-----RT----.6648
2.19-----60------1.97
6.123---330------5.844
9.482----1/8th---9.120
62.43----MPH----73.81
.3990---finish line margin
.0827----off dial---.-1295 break out
WIN LIGHT LEFT LANE!!!]

I tree'd the crap out of the scoobie and hit the brakes at the finish because I was 3 car lengths ahead of him.. {see low MPH} he never caught me and even broke out trying to overcome the severe starting line disadvantage he'd put him self into!!!

I made it down to the final 3 cars, and lady luck DIDN'T like me enough to draw the BYE run, so I would have to "WORK FOR IT".

I got paired up with the current street stock points leader and the race went as follows

Grand Marquis ------Mark VIII
9.74------dial-------9.40
.0477-----RT--------.1485 (took a nap didn't i?) HAHA
2.27------60--------2.25
6.421----330-------6.199
9.78------1/8th----9.374
73.30-----MPH------77.85
.0345 --finish margin
.0412---off dial-----.-0251 ( i broke out, redlit and never caught him)
WIN LIGHT LEFT LANE!

SO I lost in the semi's.. *shruggs*

Made a few minor changes to my tune and waited til the car cooled down and went back for alittle TNT before heading home.
Douglas------Snedden
.0875----RT----.2005
2.283----60----2.180
6.202---330---6.157
9.342--1/8th--9.420
80.06---mph---75.44
12.04--1000--12.24
14.32---1/4---14.62
.4096 MOV Left Lane

4 minutes later (round robin)
Snedden--------Douglas
.3169-----RT---.0213
2.169-----60---2.339
6.141----330--6.252
9.399--1/8th---9.397
75.60---mph---78.71
12.220--1000--12.090
14.6009--1/4--14.374
95.00----mph---98.94
.5220 MOV Right Lane

All in all I had fun, made some good passes.
got a new best 1/4 MPH 100.69 and 1/8th MPH 80.06!!!
didn't get a new best ET, but I was only .04 off my best time and my 60's were .2 almost .3 slower than my best time
SO... get a good 60 and my car SHOULD have a 13 second pass in it!!!!

WOOT!!!!

Wow, sounds like your tuning prowess is coming along and he car is responding nicely. Nice times in some dreadful humidity. :wink2-green

Kudos for making it to the semis.

I wouldn't really say I have any "tuning prowess"..HAHA, but thanks for the compliment!

I'm just taking very small steps.. "BABY STEPS".. working with known calibrations..

Without a viable means of datalogging the EEC IV it's like "taking baby steps in the middle of a game of russian roulete in complete darkeness".

I've been very careful, watching and listening for signs of detonation, so far I have added a possible of 7 degree's of timing and so far.. no detonation.

If you dont already have the proracer package.. you should GET IT.
using the PRP is almost as much fun as going to the track!!..well ALMOST!

XLRVIII said:

Without a viable means of datalogging the EEC IV it's like "taking baby steps in the middle of a game of russian roulete in complete darkeness".

Click to expand...

That's exactly the reason I'm not tuning my car. I don't really trust myself and would prefer to leave it to a professional. Not only do I fear going to far and grenading the engine but I could also be too conservative leaving a lot on the table.

I would still love to be able to datalog to give the tuner more to work with.

I know what you mean, but the baseline tune comes relatively safe and leaves alot on the table performance wise...But it is a good starting point.

So long as you dont make drastic changes and stick to known good adjustments you should/would be fine.

One thing I am working on in "very small increments" is leaning out the "extra fuel" Lincoln has put by default in their PCM, working on 1-2% ratio changes at a time.

So far I have removed 3% on the "big end" and the car is responding well.

I wont go any further until I can get a "good handle" on my A/F ratio.

I'm quite sure there is MORE than 3% that can be gleaned but without a trip to the dyno I am reluctant to remove any more.

And I've been daily driving these tunes for as much as two weeks before I take them to the track, making sure they are "good mannered tunes".. rather than "changing the tune and going RIGHT TO WOT"...if that makes sense.

The additional timing is in the knock sensors rather than a global adder or a WOT adder and it depends on the knock sensor not activating in order to "add timing".. seems relatively safe.

Spoke with SCT tech and they said IF the car knocked and the knock sensor didn't pull timing that I WOULD be able to hear it... like when I got my first chip {from an unamed vendor} it detonated, audibly.. there was no mistaking it.. and no ignoring it.

I wouldn't be doing it if I thought for a second that I was going to "hurt my motor" but the same goes for drag racing... "poop occurs"...

Good thing about PRP is, you pick the "pro of your choice" and in some cases they will sell you the actual tuning file they used for your tune, so you can make minor adjustments to the tune per your personal preferences.

Verify this with your "pro of choice" before the purchase, some are "willing to share" and "some keep their tunes close to their vest"...

I wont put any of the tuners "on the spot" publicly, but there are a few that "share" their knowledge.

Alot of shift schedule/TC lock up points and ratios can be moved around without worry of "hurting anything"... AND.. since shift feel and schedules are "so subjective to opinon" it is very hard for a "third party" to do it "like you want it to be".

JP, just from looking at your spreadsheets and how you "think" things thru.. PRP has your name written all over it. YOU would LOVE IT.. I can assure you.
I spend countless hours just "looking at the tables and scalars"....
your a "number cruncher".. and PRP has GOBS of "numbers".

It makes "rain outs" not so painful as well.. and downtime between rounds is easily whisked away without boredom.

If you had PRP then we could bounce stuff back and forth, as I have been with other PRP/SCT users...(just a thought)

RESISTANCE IS FUTILE!!!
You must comply, and your uniqueness will be added to the collective!

You've got a point. With the knock sensors in charge and taking incremental steps, it's likely quite safe to be doing one's own tuning.

Believe me, I have seriously considered it. The learning curve doesn't scare me, the numbers intrique me and the cost is not prohibitive. I like delving into the inner workings of complicated subjects. Persistance is really the key, that and being able to track results and change accordingly.

My problem is usually tunnel vision. With such focus and concentration on the task immediately in front of me, I fail to see the frieght train coming from the blind side about to T-bone me. LOL :laugh:

What I really want right now is real time data logging, both off and on the track. I'm on the list for SNEEC-IV which has been delayed and now has a mid-May shipping date. Once I see what really happens in the dungeons of EEC-IV, who knows what may be next... JP Tuner Extraordinaire... :lolgrin003:

Keep me posted on the SneecIV deal.. how much is that going to wind up costing.. since it's pretty much the "ONLY" alternative...

One thing I noticed "right off the bat" with the stock calibration
{which is included IN your PRP package}

-20 degree's of "tip in retard" (YOWZA!)

knocks sensors are allowed to "clip timing" but not allowed to "Add any timing back"..

which is probably why peoples cars "run better" after resetting the battery/KAM.

which would explain the very "soft" pedal feel under acceleration..

As you "tip in" the PCM pulls 20 degree's of timing... that sucks!

just THIS alone made HUGE CHANGES in "part throttle" performance and overall driveability.

Throttle response is 1000 times better than before.

locking the TC in second gear was another HUGE improvement..

most of these changes are very easy and PRP removes ALOT of the "voodoo" surrounding PCM calibrations.

The PRP learning curve is nearly VERTICAL...but it flattens out quite a bit once you get "your feet wet".

If I were you.. I would get PRP now, and use the baby steps procedure until you get the SNEEC... that way you have plenty of time to get familar with PRP..

and by the time you get SNEEC.. you should have a very good starting point tune, so then you can work on "making more power"..

There is ALOT of stuff you can do in there that are just "driveabilty" things, that dont require datalogging to be safe.

I KNOW you would become quickly IMMERSED in PRP...as I have become.

just noticed that round 1 I typo'd my RT against the mustang..
Should have read .016 (.5016) instead of 0.16 (.660)

Congrats on the 100mph pass... welcome to the 100 mph club in a Mark VIII...

46callaway said:

Congrats on the 100mph pass... welcome to the 100 mph club in a Mark VIII...

Click to expand...

Thank you sir!

Now to get into the 13 second club..
MPH shows the HP is there.. gotta get the 60' foots to coincide.

Last time at the track I was cutting 2.10's-2.15's and ran 14.21@98.8
Made some changes to the tune, and got the HP to pick up a bit.. now the 60's are suffering..dangit!

Will know more on the next trip to the track though.

Thanks again

Tommy