It just might have been.

I put the car on the dyno to see what she is making at 10 psi and it was 435rwhp. If it was consistent with my passes when I first tuned the FCON I should have been putting down around 490rwhp. I was going to turn up the boost more and see how much it took to make 500rwhp... but the way it is right now it would probably take 15 psi.

I got a few ideas of what it MIGHT be... but its probably a cracked piston. The car is still on the dyno, I am gonna change some things and try again later today.

Hopefully its something stupid but... I am running the same ignition timing, my A/F is still clean... the car is running great just not making the same power. Its felt a little weak the past 2 weeks or so.

-Charles
CJ Motorsports

 

Well, time to pull that thing apart and go for some big numbers eh?

How is the FCON setup going. I'm seriously planning on building up my engine come late next spring, and I would love to go with a 'stand alone' system like the FCON. I was thinking forged internals, APS, and the FCON. Still a ways off, but I like to (dream) start planning early.

Great job on your setup man, I look forward to more info.

 

Was only a matter of time at that HP level..but you knew that and planned for it..Good work!!

 

We will see... im not totaly sold that its a blown motor just yet... just EXTREMELY LIKELY!!

I got a few tricks up my sleeve, if they dont work... its time to put the new motor in.

All that matters to me here is that I never threw a rod, so I can still use this engine as a core for my customers.

 

Is the new motor 100% ready to drop in?

Can't wait to see it all done.

Somehow I think you are "glad" its finally toast ... time for some big numbers

 

Have you done a compression test?

 

It was only a matter of time... I'm glad you get to turn up the boost. If it isn't a blown motor I would be interested to hear what it is. Is the only thing that leads you to beleive the motor is toast is the lack of power?

 

Would a quick look at the spark plugs tell you if its a cracked piston?

 

new motor is almost done. the last of the rod bearings will be here tommarow. then i have to get the valve lash set and then i have to pull out the current engine and transfer all the stuff.

i put a boroscope in there and i cant see any cracks in the pistons, but its very very hard to see with these ****in things.

spark plugs are showing signs of either a little bit of knock, or debris from failure of the ring land above the top ring. i dont think my motor knocks... it has never shown signs of it previously.

Give me some time to play with it... havent had much time today.

 

Yeah, would a quick compression test tell you if the piston was cracked, or if the rings/lands are damaged?

 

if the compression test gave back bad numbers then of course it would be obvious. but just cause you cracked a ring land doesnt always mean you will get a bad compression test. ill go ahead and test it now i suppose... i got a few min free... plugs are still out.

 

I guess what I am saying is that if your compression is good, is there any reason you're power would be reduced as it was?

 

The boroscope.... ist hard to see any think with it . But I could barely see that the ring land was damaged . Good luck

 

good luck, keep us posted

 

My Fiat had three cracked pistons, and the car drove ok. Compression measured about 30 psi.

Boosting on the dyno at 6 psi, oil spray was coming out the dipstick tube.

 

Before my piston went . I had the oil come out of the dip stick hole once , about 250 miles later the piston ring land broke off . Couldnt figure out why the oil came out of there....maybe you just answered the mystery for me

 

It's called "pressurizing the crankcase". Not good.

 

eh its not too bad. compression was slightly lower on 1 cylinder.

i put the plug gap back up to almost stock and got 14rwhp back. hmm. im about 450 where i was 467...

tonight or tommarow im gonna play around some more and see if i can figure anything out.

i never did like how there is no fuel filter in this car (other than the screen in the tank just like stock)... wonder if something got in an injector.

i dunno... i guess its not blown... just a tad bit on the worn side.

i wouldnt blame the engine either, i would blame me. there are too many factors of my own fault that could have caused this damage but i wont go into that right now.

ill keep you guys posted... but i guess this was mostly a false alarm.

 

great news. always good to hear of problems fixing themselves!

 

hrm.....so you probably weren't making anywhere near 500whp the other night....interesting. I think it's about built motor time anyway