Ok guys my car is really coming along excpet for a vacuum issue. Here is my problem.

I have a Haltech and a mechanical vacuum/boost gauge. When I get the car to idle (very hard to) I am realy around -1.8 pounds and the engine rpms are around 500rpm. Now I have lower compression pistions (9:1) and I did a compression check and now have redone the plenum twice now, checked for leaks and I see nothing. I was wondering if the sensor on the Haltech was bad so I bought a mechanical gauge but it is still reading the same about -1.8 pounds and I had it on all different vacuum/boost ports on the plenum. The problem is from what I understand is that when you have a car idling it should be around negative 12-18 pounds depending on your setup however I am reading negative 2 pounds about, so on a NA engine 0 pounds is the engine at WOT. So the Haltech is thinking that it is running at a higher throttle positions then I really am so it is trying to compensate with more fuel. This would explain why I am dumping so much fuel into it and going through plugs in about 5 mins and I do mean 5 mins. I have a pretty good map and I have been playing with it a little but nothing really seems to make a difference.

There is one more thing guys. I was having the same vacuum issues 2 days ago so I shut it off and went in for dinner. I came out and when I cranked it and she got idling she was at around -12 pounds if I remember correctly and she was running so beautifly and it brought the rpms up to around 800. Then I thought it was good so I turned it off (bad move i think) and I turned it on again the next morning with the same problem of too little vaccum.

I have replaced all the hoses and rechecked all the conncetions incase something got logded in there or a tear or something and nothing is getting this car to go.

If anyone has any ideas or anything please let me know. I have been beating myself up for this and I am getting really depressed and I have had some very serious depression issues, so please if you don't have anything nice to say keep that to yourself I know I am not perfect.

Thank you,
Chris

 

Send a PM to Hal@IP so he knows to look at your thread. If its a Haltech issue, he can usually troubleshoot it.

 

I have been talking to Hal on the phone so I am working on this with him but I thought I would see if anyone else had some input.

 

Where are you getting the vaccum level from?

 

Right now I am getting my readings off of a throttle body spacer but I have moved around to try different ports.

 

Sounds like your idle is too low also. With different cams it should be bumped up.

 

your mechanical vacuum/boost gauge is going to shwo the vacuum in "inches of mercury" or "in Hg." this measurement is not the same as PSI. it is about 2X the PSI equivalent. so, make sure you are consistant with your posts on which measurement your are reporting.

you mentioned a healthy engine as pulling 12-18 psi of vacuum! no way!!!!! a stock motor with stock cams will pull anywhere from 16-22 in.Hg. (approx 8-11 psi.) you haltech sensor nmay report this in psi as a negative number ( eg. -8psi). a heavily cammed motor (with alot of overlap) with have less vacuum, bu I'm sure you know this.

anyway, enough with that info.........it sounds like you have a big leak somewhere. easiest thing to do is to get yourself a length of hose (like a 3/8" vacuum hose). stick one in your ear and guide the other end of the hose around the intake manifold, plenum, TB, etc.....until you find the source of your leak. It sounds like you have a pretty big leak though. you'd think it would be very audible. some places to check are the EVAP fuel vapor line and the brake booster line. you may have a leak in one of those lines. disconnect those lines fron the plenum and cap them off so as to eliminate them from the possibilities. I have an odd feeling that it may be coming from the EVAP fuel tank vapor line........that line has a solenoid (bolted to the back of the plenum) inline. if the leak were somwhere between the solenoid and the evap canister, you'd have vacuum issues with the solenoid open, but when the solenoid is closed your vaccum would be normal.

please report back what you find.

 

what cams do you have again?

 

I'm going with a vacuum leak somewhere as well. A big one. Or maybe you have a vacuum hose running to a wrong port somewhere.

 

Another way to check for a leak is to use some carb cleaner and spray around the possible leaks.If you get an increase of rpm's you have found your leak.

 

Thanks for the replies guys, I just was going to start some of the different ideas you guys gave me but my plugs are gone AGAIN lol. So I will pick new plugs up in the morning and give some of those things a try.

I will let you guys know.

I am running JWT S1 Cams

 

How come your plugs are done again? Whats the reason, I dont think plugs are supposed to be "done" so quickly.

 

What I really mean to say is they are fouled out.

The reason from my understanding is look on it as an NA application I know I am boost but just try and see what I am saying. On an NA engine 0 psi is at WOT. I am running -1.8 to -2.0 psi. Which on an NA engine is close to WOT because there is no/little resistance. So when I am at idling speeds the vacuum will be much lower then -2.0 psi, so it will be injecting less fuel. But I am running at idle speeds with a vacuum of -2.0 psi so it is try to compensate for the what it thinks is a higher fuel input then is what actually is needed.

Quadcam, I took the line off the solenoid and capped it off as soon as I get a new set of plugs I will try that and see what it does. I have a feeling you might be right, because a few days ago there was one point where my engine had a very nice idle at regular vacuum pressure I mean it ran terrific except for the fact that is still have no throttle control ahhhhh lol. That is a whole different issue that I am also working on with Hal. Again I apologize for the mix up on the vacuum pressures and not being consistent.

 

check for leaks by doing a propane test,carb cleaner is messy.

 

I see what your saying....good luck figuring it out.

 

OK i tried blocking off the EVAP and nothing but I can't do anymore on it for like a month.

I crashed my R1 (street bike) and I am a disaster I can remember stuff or at least it takes some serious concentration to remember, and takes forever for me to think about stuff. Huge gash in my head (no helmet my dumbass fault) and everything is like torn up but my hands b/c of the gloves. Thanks for all the help guys I will report back in like a month or so and let you guys know if I got anywhere.

Thanks again.
Chirs

 

Get better man - what the hell are you doing on a bike this time of year in PA anyway? Its cold as ***** and we've had snow on the ground for at least a week.

 

hope you're OK, chris... this build has been going on a while, and I know how excited you were when you got started. just get better and i'm sure u can figure this problem out!

 

Thanks guys!

I was mad at my car and it was 35 out and I just wanted to go up the street real fast to blow some steem off, but yeah that ended real well haha.

I know this build has been going a long time I mean I cannot wait for this thing to get done it is driving me insane. I will get it and I will let you guys know what the problems are, for anyone else who could possibly have problems like this.

The thing that is bugging me is that I could see there being a problem with the engine not pulling a good vacuum for issues such as piston rings. But there was that one night when I was showing my dad and it ran beautifully had good vacuum and had an idle around 800-850 rpm. That is what really is bothering me why did it do that, but now it wont anymore after doing nothing, just letting it sit for a night.

Just for people interest here are my mods, maybe I am missing something.

Haltech EMS w/ Boost Solenoid (Custom)
Greddy TT kit
Greddy Intercooler
HKS SSQV
Greddy Upgraded Oil Feed Lines
APS Oil Pan
Custom Oil Return System
.020 Over Bore
Custom Valve Cover
Pauter Rods
Arias Extreme Duty Pistons (CR 9:1)
HKS Head Gasket
Ferrera +1mm Valves
Ferrera Valve Springs
Extensive Porting and Polish
JWT S1 Cams
Nismo Thermostat
Cosworth Race Bearings
ARP L19 Head Studs
ARP Main Studs
Rev-Up Oil Pump
Solid Motor Mounts
AAM Throttle Body Spacer
HKS DLI II Ignition
HKS Knock Amp w/ O2 Monitoring
HKS Type 1 Turbo Timer
PLX Devices (Boost, Temp, Pressure)
Koyo Oversized Radiator
Custom Radiator Fan Setup
Samco Radiator Hoses
Innovative Dual Widebands (Haltech Monitoring)
AAM 3" Downpipes w/ Open Dumps
Greddy Turbo Exhaust
CJM Dual Fuel Pump
Custom Feed and Return Fuel Lines
Cosworth Fuel Rails
RC 750cc Injectors (Upgrading to DW 850cc)
MRev 2
New Engine Harness
GTM Stage 3 Built Auto Tranny
DDS Stage 2 Half Shafts
Chiper

I think thats it lol

 

That is one hell of a mod list.