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Topics - TexasT
31
« on: November 05 2017, 04:10:34 PM »
I thought there was a thread about it, but I guess it was in the shout box. I was gonna ask if they still sold shirts like this one?   I guess it has been about thirty years since I visited(where does the time go?) I'm sure we took pix but it would have been "real" film. Girl friend probably kept them. I would like to make a return visit one of these days.
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« on: October 16 2017, 09:05:36 AM »
 New hinges  Engine hoist and some nylon straps are pretty handy.  Pulling the door panels to install a new handle that broke off. The originals are pretty brittle.  Many busted off or were missing from previous panel pulls.
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« on: September 04 2017, 12:02:22 PM »
So, I'm reading up on this and did another swim through the charlief1 (RIP) thread. I don't really want to go with new control arms, too much $$$, and the one recommend over in that thread have a steel bushing and I daily mine so I don't think that is the answer for me. I found some energy suspension bushings on the rock auto, http://imagesrv.catalograck.com/imgVD/ENE/17019.pdf http://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/buick,1987,regal,3.8l+231cid+v6+turbocharged,1020957,suspension,control+arm+bushing,7532But it appears one must use the shells already in there. Also came across these http://www.spohn.net/shop/1978-1987-GM-G-Body/Suspension/Polyurethane-Bushings-Accessories/Polyurethane-Front-Upper-Lower-A-Arm-Bushings.htmlAnd they say they come with the shells Both about the same $$$ Mine are gone on the pass side by the down pipe and the inside of the tire wears rapidly. Also looked at these http://www.globalwest.net/1023.htmlThey have the grease zerk. Not sure how that is better but probably helps with squeeking and such. also more $$$ but I don't want to do this more than once. Thought about some taller ball joints. Could lower the front to get it down with the saggy back. Any thoughts on these or suggestions for others?
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« on: August 01 2017, 08:56:36 AM »
I know most just delete em. But here in Texas where it is hot a pretty big part of the year, id like to keep the cooler.
Any one know the size of the fittings and how much hose I should buy to plumb in a new set? I'm guessing they are 6an but wasn't sure.
It appears one or both have sprung a leak as it is dripping off the middle cross member under the engine. I change the oil/filter last night but didn't get a light out to investigate it.
I've never assembled any an lines but have seen some YouTube vids and it doesn't look that hard. Any tips on that are welcome also.
Thanks for any knowledge.
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« on: April 30 2017, 04:28:23 PM »
I can't say I've seen valve cover like these before. Poston maybe? Anyone know?
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« on: April 24 2017, 06:03:39 PM »
 I have been searching up a set of skinny wheels that match the 15x8" pair I bought back in the early 2000s . I look on the Craigslist and the eBay regular but last Tues night I hit on the Craigslist for a pair of 15x3.5 with the 5"on 4.75 bolt circle. These are the not street legal version but I don't thing I'd want to try and stop a 3600# car on a pair of front tires that small. Got a good deal on em. Now the question. What tires does one put on a wheel that narrow? I have looked at the 155/80-15 and the 165/80-15 They don't have to be street legal but would rather that they were and have a dot stamp. Anyone have some suggestions on a budget tire? I gotta get some longer studs and some lugs and washers for the wheels. And if I put the longer studs in I guess a set of open end lugs for the stock wheels. Couple more pix     Dreamin big  Might look good on the GS. Yeah, I have way too many projects.
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« on: April 11 2017, 04:21:13 PM »
Running into a conundrum with the windshield wipers. Dr side working. Pass side wont take a full swipe. Leaves out the middle. I bent the arm a bit to give it more tension and tried some different bows and wiper blades but it just does the edges of the wiper blade. I guess the arm has lost tension. Can I change the spring(where is that obtained)? Get a new arm and swap the spring over to the black arm?
Your thoughts.
TIA
40
« on: March 30 2017, 11:10:40 PM »
So, im not really any kind of guru but I try real hard. I was doing some reading and it recommend everyone needs more interwebz security as the fine elected leaders have deregulated and allow isp and the like to collect and sell all info they can and as they see fit. https://medium.freecodecamp.com/how-to-set-up-a-vpn-in-5-minutes-for-free-and-why-you-urgently-need-one-d5cdba361907SO, i wanted to ask am i doing it right. It sez unload the vpn and the adblocker. The ad blocker works as I got the boot from tb.com. I guess I wont be going over there any more. I went to the ipleak.net but dont know what it is telling me other than it is close to where I live so Im not sure if it is working. Any thoughts? Thanks for the input. If nothing else, this sure sped up the loading of the pages. So at least that is better.
41
« on: February 17 2017, 09:24:37 AM »
First race of 2017  I know the track will be nice. Might take a vacation day and head out there.
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« on: February 11 2017, 06:15:57 PM »
TEP - Thrasher Engineered Performance
ECM Secrets & Tuning Hints
Through the years, we've consistently been asked the following questions in one form or another. We thought we'd address some common questions or misconceptions on this page. This information is specifically geared toward the SFI-M ECM used in the Buick Turbo Regals 1984-1987; other GM engine computers have similar characteristic s but may not adhere strictly to these guidelines.
1. Does it take several minutes for the computer (ECM) to clear it's memory and "unlearn" everything?
No. Unplugging power to the ECM (The orange wire with connector behind the battery) immediately causes the ECM to lose it's memory - no need to wait any time at all before reconnecting it.
2. Does it take several hundred miles of driving to "learn in" the computer? Does the computer learn everything about the way I drive?
No. The ECM contains two things responsible for learning - a short term memory called the Integrator (INT) or Closed Loop Correction term (CLC), and a long term memory called the Block Learn Memory (BLM). The only thing that is stored and memorized is the BLM. There are 16 BLM cells numbered 0-15, separated into a grid by RPM and Mass Air Flow (MAF). As you rev the engine you "travel" through the BLM grid and hit various cells. 0 is the idle cell and 15 is the WOT cell. The BLM cell number is not a part of the serial data stream (in the SFI-M Turbo Buick ECMs) so scan tools are not able to indicate which BLM cell you’re in. They will however, give the value of the current BLM cell.
The O2 sensor will detect a rich/lean condition, and cause the INT to change. The BLM is simply a long term average of the INT. 128 is a normal number, signaling no change. A number greater than (>) 128 reflects a lean condition, and a number less than (<) 128 reflects a rich condition. Put another way, a number greater than 128 indicates the ECM is adding more fuel (going, or learning richer) to compensate for a lean condition, and a number less than 128 indicates the ECM is taking away fuel (going, or learning leaner) to compensate for a rich condition. The more we deviate from 128, the more correction the ECM is learning, and hence the worse the base cal is for that given condition.
Only the BLM is saved and memorized. The INT resets on start-up and is constantly changing. By clearing the ECM memory the BLMs are reset to 128. BLMs are the ONLY thing the ECM memorizes and are totally related to how the O2 sensor detects the fueling to be, thus the ECM does not learn or detect things such as driving habits. The O2 sensor considers a stochiometric air-fuel ratio (AF) of 14.7:1 to be optimum.
3. What are "good" BLM numbers to see? How far can the ECM compensate?
Generally, if the base open loop cal is correct for the size injectors used and compensated accordingly for the flow characteristic s, BLM should not deviate more than 10 points on either side of 128. This means you shouldn’t see numbers much beyond a range of 118-138, and the majority of cells should range more within 121-135. Remember that fuel pressure (FP) GREATLY affects the BLM values, and a deviation of 1 psi can throw BLMs off by a few points! If you see the majority of BLM numbers skewed in one direction, a slight tweak in FP may be warranted. Weather conditions affect BLMs drastically too, and this is precisely why they exist, and why closed loop operation with the ability to learn is preferable for part throttle driveability.
The factory calibration limited BLMs from 110 to 150, which is more than enough to compensate from any aging effects or weather conditions. In fact, it is due to this wide learning capability that some folks can passably run blue top injectors on a chip made for stock injectors, as the BLMs simply compensate for the incorrect base cal. The BLMs have limits because if a sensor malfunctioned, forcing BLMs to incorrectly skew one way or another, you’ll want to limit their authority somewhat so that the engine would still run somewhat decently. Most aftermarket manufacturers have widened this authority to 90-160. We can only guess why they’ve done this - it makes for a more forgiving calibration, as you can have the base calibration deviate from the optimum by a much larger amount and the ECM will still be able to compensate.
4. I’ve been told that I should drive fast and accelerate hard to learn in the computer.
No. By always accelerating hard you’ll never learn in the computer. This is because you’ll be in Power Enrichment (PE) mode. Once you’re in PE, Learn-mode is turned off. About 10 minutes of normal, easy driving in stop & go traffic is sufficient to learn in the majority of the BLM cells.
5. What is Power Enrichment (PE) mode? How do I know I’m in PE mode?
PE mode is where additional fueling is given to run a richer AF mixture than stochiometric. The system remains in a "Closed Loop" mode but ignores the O2 sensor, essentially running "open loop" under a "Closed Loop" mode for lack of a better term. On a scan tool, the "Closed Loop Mode" indicator will still indicate closed loop, however, the INT will be reset to 128 and Learn-mode will be off. The BLM value displayed will be the value used in the fueling calculations, and will usually, but not always, reflect BLM cell 15 (depending on RPM and MAF). It is the last value learned in before entering PE.
6. What does it take to enter PE mode? Do I need to set the Throttle Position Sensor (TPS) to read 4.8v at WOT? I've been told from what I believe to be reliable sources that it took a MAF reading of 255 and TPS of 4.8 volts or so to enable PE mode.
That is an old wive's tale that's been propagated through the years and has unfortunately been taken as gospel. We believe we know how that rumour got started, but we won't go into that now! PE mode is actually entered quite easily. A certain throttle position is required based on RPM and a certain load must be reached, or given enough TPS, PE will enable regardless of RPM or load. Basically, about 20% TPS is needed to enter PE under most conditions.
The subject of max TPS reading is a sticky one, as there are folks that are convinced that they have seen an increase in performance by adjusting it higher. While we do not refute this, and can come up with some possible explanations as to why, these are the facts from the ECM software point of view:
For the 86-87 controller, there is no need to exceed 80% TPS in the stock chip. All PE fueling multipliers are identical after 75% and above, and for those of you racing with the AC on, the AC will shut off after 80% TPS. There is *nothing* in the cal that does anything beyond 80% TPS. For EFI Performance chips, there is no need to exceed 75% TPS.
For the 84-85 controller, there may be reason to go as high as 87.5%TPS as the PE fueling leans out slightly at that level in the stock factory chip. Again for our chips, 75% is fine.
Note that we are quoting values from the stock chip or ours. We have yet to see any other manufacturers raise these TPS boundaries, but it’s possible some may have, although we have no idea why anyone would. Note also these are percentage based, and we assume a 5v reference. If by some chance this reference was higher on a particular car, then the TPS voltage would have to rise too. We suspect this to be the reason some folks have successfully raised TPS voltage to achieve gains, if these gains could definitely be attributed to the increase in TPS alone.
7. OK, what is Closed Loop, Open Loop, and Learn mode?
On a cold start, the engine starts out in Open Loop. This means that there is no feedback mechanism (from the O2 sensor) in place, and the ECM is not correcting or learning to try to achieve a stochiometric AF ratio. It is simply running off some preset tables in the chip. A carburated engine, or any engine without an O2 sensor, operates in open loop mode.
On a cold start, we have to run quite rich as a cold engine will not vaporize fuel very well so additional fuel is thrown in to offset the small percentage that vaporizes and does work - ultimately, this extra fuel is wasted. This open loop cold start fueling is responsible for how well the engine operates cold. A correct calibration for the injector size and characteristic s is important to achieve good seamless cold starts with a minimum of stumbles and hiccups. Factory engineers have an additional responsibility of meeting cold start emissions, which at times will hinder good driveability.
Closed loop operation occurs when the O2 sensor is used for feedback to adjust the AF ratio. Under most circumstances, when a preset coolant temp is reached and the O2 sensor heats up sufficiently to provide good signal, the ECM goes into closed loop mode, and the INT will begin to function. There is an additional coolant temp criteria that must be reached for Learn-mode to enable. This is when the BLMs begin to learn. Beta-tester Carl Ijames stated it particularly well - using a scan tool, "the Closed Loop flag is indicating that closed loop operation is now permitted but not necessarily in effect." Circumstances where closed loop is permitted but not in effect include PE mode and in the case of our chips, lean-cruise mode.
8. What good is the BLM during Open Loop, or PE mode? Are they being used or ignored? Learn mode is off under those conditions isn’t it?
Yes, Learn-mode is off during PE or Open Loop, but this only means that the ECM is not currently learning under existing conditions. However, whatever was previously stored in the BLM cell whenever Learn-mode was enabled is still being used! For example, if the BLM cell at 1500 RPM and 15 g/sec airflow learned to 130 under closed loop conditions, then 130 is still used to modify the fueling at that RPM/load point even under open loop or PE conditions. In other words, the stored values of the BLM cells are always in effect and will always affect fueling.
9. But I’ve seen improvements / steady losses just by running down the track a few times with no other changes. Isn’t the chip "learning in"? How can it be learning if I’m at WOT in PE mode?
Maybe. Remember the ONLY thing learning in the chip is the BLM, and at WOT you’re only concerned with BLM 15. And that’s correct, the BLM is not changing during PE mode. However, with the stock BLM boundaries, BLM 15 is being learned at roughly 30-45 MPH with slightly heavy throttle, just before PE mode is entered. This is roughly the conditions seen while returning down the access road from the end of the track. Note we say stock BLM boundaries as it is possible to alter these, although we have not seen any other manufacturer do so.
What we feel is happening is that BLM 15 is being learned each time on the return road after the run! In fact we’ve seen this happen on our development cars. Remember also that throughout the entire run, whatever has been learned into BLM 15 is being used to affect fueling. This means that you can never count on having consistent fueling from run to run as BLM 15 has potential to learn on the return trip.
*** Warning - Blatant Advertising Ahead !!! ***
10. Is there a solution to this problem of inconsistent fueling from run to run? Also, why is it sometimes I tweak fuel pressure and get no noticeable changes?
Of course we have a solution! (Actually we have two solutions, but the second is much more expensive and has some additional drawbacks.) The problem of varying fuel pressure with no effect has been quite thoroughly investigated by Carl Ijames, one of our beta testers. Basically, by increasing fuel pressure to get more fuel at WOT, while cruising in normal closed loop learn mode, the BLM will adjust to this increased fuel pressure and lean out, thus effective negating your changes in fuel pressure (FP). As a result, you would need to keep increasing FP until the BLM hit it’s limit and stopped adjusting, and by then you’ve drastically affected part throttle driveability.
We have solved this problem by rewriting the code to reset the BLM to 128 in PE. Your BLM cell 15 used in WOT was actually learned under a non-WOT condition, not representative of WOT at all. Always keeping the WOT BLM neutral eliminates that variable, resulting in consistent fueling run after run. The only other variable affecting WOT fueling is MAF. Now you’re able to totally control WOT fueling with the fuel pressure without having the BLM potentially negate your changes.
Currently the only other available option is an aftermarket computer. They have a rather limited learning ability that has little affect on fueling, and will not cause the aforementioned problems. But they cost much more and are much more difficult to use. Actually there is a third solution, and that is to clear the ECM memory immediately before each run, thus resetting the BLMs to 128, and we know knowledgeable racers who have resorted to doing this with conventional chips.
11. Why did the stock factory calibration have this obvious flaw?
It’s unfair to the original engineers to consider this a flaw. No factory calibration is ever designed with racing in mind, and therefore it is not optimized for this sort of application. The factory cal was designed and optimized for the lower fuel pressure of the Bosch 233 regulator, lower levels of boost, and to still meet the stringent EPA emission standards for manufacturers. Under those conditions it performs extremely well.
On this subject, we should point out that EPA emission standards for vehicle manufacturers are much more stringent than even the California state emission inspections that we as owners must pass, which is why even some heavily modified vehicles do not have trouble passing as long as they have a cat - vehicle manufacturers could never get by so easily. Vehicle manufacturers must contend with federal drive-by noise level regulations too, which result in the more restrictive and quieter stock exhaust systems.
12. Is it necessary to clear the ECM memory every time I change a chip? Is there any special procedure for changing the chip?
If you’re changing chips from different manufacturers, it is advisable to clear the ECM memory. This is because manufacturers differ in their base fueling cal, resulting in possible incompatibilit ies in what is learned in the BLM cells. It is advisable to start "fresh" with neutral 128 BLM values and let the ECM learn in the direction the chip forces it. However, if you’re changing from a race to street chip (or vice versa) from the same manufacturer it MAY be OK to not clear the memory as hopefully the same base cal will be in place. Switching between various EFI Performance chips made for the same injectors is fine without clearing the memory. In fact, with a 16 position thumbwheel that is exactly what you are doing. Likewise, for those of you with a PromPaq switching between manufacturers could create problems.
There are no particular procedures to follow when changing the chip. It is advisable to do so with the engine not running; however, we have changed "on the fly" so to speak with the engine idling (no - not driving on the road or doing a WOT blast! We’re crazy, not stupid.) but we don’t really advise this. Basically the system goes into backup fuel mode without a chip, and when you insert one it usually continues on its merry way. Depending on circumstances, the BLMs may be reset, but occasionally something odd happens in the transition and the engine doesn’t run correctly or dies.
13. I’ve been told I need to raise the fuel pressure at the track and lower it while I’m out cruising, or my driveability/gas mileage will suffer.
This might have been true if you run into the scenario described above where the BLM was continually negating any change in FP until it was turned so high that the BLM were at the rails. This would definitely cause a rich condition during cruise and affect driveability and gas mileage. However, if the BLMs were not at the rails yet and could compensate, then driveability/gas mileage should not have been affected.
A common mistake is to run fuel pressure very high. Some folks seem to swear by this and love the way their car drives. While it’s true that running rich makes for very smooth engine operation, it also can result in very lethargic performance and slow turbo spool-up.
We have calibrated our chips to operate at 45 psi (vacuum off) so driveability/fuel economy is optimal with this pressure. Less pressure will simply cause the BLMs to learn richer to compensate, however, our open loop idle - optimized for 45 psi, cannot learn and will definitely suffer. This is the one disadvantage of our smoother open loop idle in that it cannot compensate for unstable fuel pressures! Increasing FP much beyond 45 psi is not recommended as that is about the limit at which most injectors can operate with a consistent spray pattern. Additionally, fuel pressure is inversely related to volume, so the higher the fuel pressure, the less volume the fuel pump is able to supply. Therefore, running less fuel pressure is often advantageous to running more. Our race chips run static (max) BPW. If you need more fuel, it’s probably time to move up in injector size!
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« on: February 09 2017, 06:14:06 PM »
All Right! As we know I wrench on mine. You can too if you want, or not, up to you. I had the brakes become not doing well. I had lost some pedal and it was having much more travel before it would start to have a pedal feel and the brakes would apply. I had this type thing happen but the pedal would come back as soon as I pumped it. But this didn't happen the last time and the pedal had a lot of travel. and it wasn't stopping well. I hit the brakes hard at high way speed and saw smoke out the rear so it was locking up the rear , not good. I decided we would need a new proportioning valve as we were still running the original. I got on the interwebz and settled on a "new" valve from nos4gn http://www.highwaystars.net/brake-proportioning-valve-replaces-gm-25509419-front-disc-rear-drum-brake-systems/They offer one for disk/drum and another for four disk. They were on sale for $31.95 plus shipping The new brass looks quite different than the original but the ports were in the correct places for a direct replacement.     It was kinda crundgy in there so I'm pretty sure it was stuck. I went ahead and rotated the tires since I took the fronts off to make it easier to bleed. I had never done a gravity bleed before but decided I'd give it a whirl today. What a mess. I needed bigger catch things. It did make bleeding three out of four much easier. In the end I'm glad that I was able to get her back to braking well, and a Big shout out to the lovely(At least to me) MRS. TexasT for the help bleeding. I bought a new wagner master cylinder. I wasn't sure what the prob was and a mc swap is pretty easy. At least it usually is. I manged to get the hboost thing stuck on the mc snap ring, I pushed the pedal down and it wouldn't come back up. I had read about this but now I know it is the case so If you decide on a hydroboost the mc needs to clear the mc snap ring. I swapped the mc I had on it back on.  bent it up On a side note what are people doing for lugs, studs and such for a weld wheel that needs a shank type lug nut and washer? I had the back wheels off, so I pulled out these wheels I bought a few years ago(OK, eleven yrs but whose counting?)  Looks like they will fit  I guess they aren't hub centric.  Looks like they were made in 01
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