Fakie J Farkerton

iTrader: (51)

Hell yeah!

Melt those faulkers!

Thanks for the comment on the video.
I have all your passes, but just uploaded the one.
I could hear you coasting through the end.
That run was great, but could have been better. Stupid plugs/Nos.

..and yeah, I remember that bad a$$ car your buddy had.

krazy6

iTrader: (5)

Dang those plugs look a little unhappy!
Hope you get it figured out soon, I know your maxima has the potential to run some awesome times!

Maybe the nitrous controller is being finicky or something? I don't know just throwing it out there. This is on E85 right?

grey99max

iTrader: (12)

That was a nice job on the video - too bad it wasn't a full pass. The 1000ft time says it would have been a 12.7 or 12.8 ET. Oh, well. Actually, stupid fuel distribution in the intake, I would say. Both center plugs were melted down and showed detonation - and only two had undamaged ground straps. Some of that damage was probably done with earlier test runs where I had backfires and bad Lambda (A/F) readings, but Oh Well...

grey99max

iTrader: (12)

Yeah - E85. And $200 bucks of plugs bite the dust - well, maybe two of them can be re-used. I'll have to use a magnifier on them.

"if you ain't breakin' sumthin, you ain't racin', boy"

grey99max

iTrader: (12)

The nitrous gurus on Yellowbullet.com report that melted ground straps are often caused by too much timing, and sometimes by a too-rich A/F. Detonation can also be part of the equation. Since I'm using the stock ECU, I can't do anything to retard advance - but I'm going to use my ECUtalk consult program and make a few NA pulls to see what my ignition curve looks like. I can run as lean as I like, with my bucket-o-jets and the adjustable FPR. I wonder if the two center cylinders show too much fuel?

It's time for a Nistune ECU, right? Something that I can set a fixed advance curve into so the timing doesn't flop around like a fish out of water. They did mention that the NGK ground straps are known to melt easier that Autolites which often prevents cylinder damage. Considering how bad those plugs appeared, the car still started and went WOT when N/A and had no cylinders missing, so I guess I have more than enough coil voltage (16 volts) from my Voltage Boosta to jump any gap in the plug.

krazy6

iTrader: (5)

I would guess that the stock ecu ignition timing is the culprit. That's a lot of nitrous on stock timing even with the E85.
Sucks that tuning options aren't that easy for our cars. I have uprev available but the 4th gen guys don't have it as easy.
Seems like our intake manifolds suck for fuel distribution. Maybe you'll just have to use the direct port only.

I couldn't agree more with, "If you ain't breakin, you ain't racin"
I've broken a lot of parts on my car lol.

grey99max

iTrader: (12)

At least my intake manifold is from a 2010 Maxima, if that would make any improvement? The injectors sit right over the intake ports, so not much room for error there. The direct port would be the way to tune the A/F for each cylinder, fer sure... but the stock ignition timing and detonation has always haunted me, because of the stock ECU.

There's gotta be somthing that will work with the 4th gen engine sensors, but so far I haven't seen anything that works that way. And... both of us have broken a lot of parts over the years...

Jime

iTrader: (10)

I had a problem a couple of years ago using an up voltage gizmo similar to yours, it melted every ground strap with a 150 shot and that was the only change I had made since previous runs. It may not be the culprit but worth looking at. I took it out and problem fixed.

ABIGBRAIN

iTrader: (1)

Would pulling the KS off and deliberately setting off the code help with your timing during a run?

Andy

Jime, good to see you still checking in on us from time to time.

grey99max

iTrader: (12)

Jim, that sounds really weird.... One difference here is that two of the plugs still looked normal, under a magnifying glass. Thinking back, the Voltage Boosta started with the 3.0 engine to make up for weak sparks, but now with the 3.5 coils, it probably isn't needed. You must have put a LOT of voltage on your coils?? Since the car was running fine with a couple of the plugs having 1/8" gaps, again it probably isn't needed.

The plug damage may not have happened all at once, since I was getting an occasional "misfire" code after running the on-ramps, but the two center plugs obviously suffered from terminal detonation - and kept running. I set my Boosta up with push-on connectors so I can easily bypass it, so I'll do that and run the ramps again.

Thanks for the input. Any other suggestions are welcome.

grey99max

iTrader: (12)

I had to stop and go find 4th gen ignition curves, but I think I see what you mean. There appears to be from 4* to 8* less advance with the knock sensor disabled. The graphs I found don't show the no-knock values over about 5700, but it's about 16.5* there. The Stock ignition curve shows closer to 23* advance at the same RPM.

http://forums.maxima.org/all-motor/3...0-jwt-ecu.html

This idea may be a good one - I want to double-check what the advance curve really is, but when I tried the ECUtalk/consult package out last night, the consult cable wasn't connecting - then I couldn't find the ELM adapter for the OBD2 logging software. Time to buy replacements anyway.... I want to be sure that unplugging the knock sensor does what it's supposed to. Good idea...

EDIT: consult/serial and OBD2/USB cables have been ordered. I dug around in the garage man-cave last night, and found an old ELM adapter and serial cable, so I need to try it tonight. Too many pineapple Jose margaritas last night.

ABIGBRAIN

iTrader: (1)

http://mmg.photobucket.com/albumview...c.jpg.html?o=0

http://mmg.photobucket.com/albumview...c.jpg.html?o=0

grey99max

iTrader: (12)

Yup - that's the graph I was looking at in my last posting's link. IF the ignition is retarded like the graph shows when the knock sensor is disconnected, AND there are no codes coming up that knock me into limp mode, THEN I can run the knock sensor thru a relay connected to the trunk-mounted nitrous-system-enable switch, SO that when I switch on the nitrous I automatically retard the ignition. That would be sweet... if everything works that way.

Anyone know what really happens when the knock sensor is completely disconnected?

EDIT: I did a little Google searching, and it seems that the ECU has no direct code for defective knock sensor, but ignition timing is retarded, I should be able to switch it in or out when nitrous system is on/off. Yea...

grey99max

iTrader: (12)

Last night I dug out the lost ELM interface box and cables and dragged out my old notebook to the car and hooked things up - and still no connection from four different old OBD programs. My handheld scanner still connects to the OBD2 port. I wonder if the notebook serial port has croaked - or at least the drivers for OBD2 connections?

Well, I've got some USB cables in the mail so guess I'll wait untill they show up. I really want the consult connect to work - it's the fastest and I can log more data with the ECUTalk program. I guess I can install a relay for the knock sensor tomorrow and maybe try a little spray. Oh, and I'll jumper out the Boosta power supply as well.

grey99max

iTrader: (12)

I went to Best Buy after work and bought a Netgear WiFi WN3000RP range extender so I can get a WiFi connection in the garage and driveway. It plugs into a wall power outlet, and took a few minutes to get it set up. It bootstraps on the Netgear N-600 dual-band streaming wireless router I have in the basement and gives really excellent garage/driveway/yard coverage. So far I'm impressed with it - now I can update programs while sitting in the car - finally.

t6378tp

iTrader: (69)

just wondering r u still tuning by tape

grey99max

iTrader: (12)

I would be if needed - but the newest MAF doesn't need any tape to give a reliable 0.80 lambda when WOT, so no tape.

I got the ECUTalk consult module working this morning (took off Friday) and turned on logging and went out for a drive (after I disconnected the Boosta). I managed to get one WOT run up to 6400 before traffic shut me down, but I see that the TPS voltage never goes above 4.04 volts (.5V-4.04V) and timing is locked at 16*. Actually at WOT at 4800 timing is 12*, and hits 16* at 5175 and stays there up to 6400 when I had to back off. For some reason the MAF voltage didn't log. Hmmmm.... I like log files.

I don't think I need to mess with the knock sensor now - timing is pretty much following the no-knock-sensor curve without tweaks on that sensor. I re-jetted the single Shark nozzle to 41N/31E for a little leaner setup and I intend to go out after dark and spray a bit.

grey99max

iTrader: (12)

I returned from spraying the 75-shot, and that seems pretty normal. Jabbing the throttle from around 1500 still launches nicely and the car pulls nicely thru the gears - when I had road room, anyway. The lambda with the 41N/31E jets was 0.81 solid, so not much change there. No logging attempted - too much traffic out there, and I had to make several laps of my race course to get a chance for a hard pull. I'll check the front plugs tomorrow, before it get to 100*F again.

I'm concerned about the timing curve I see in the ECUTalk logs, because timing doesn't go over 16* unless I just let up on the throttle. That didn't used to happen - unless the knock sensor really is bad? But, no codes and I looked with three different scanners.

Tomorrow is a fresh day, with coffee from Maui on the veranda...

t6378tp

iTrader: (69)

try the ks resistor mod or ground the ks to the battery reset the ecu and see what you get

grey99max

iTrader: (12)

I think you're right - and I've pulled the battery power off the ECU until tomorrow, after our visitors are on their way home. I'll disconnect the knock sensor first, put in a temp 470K resistor across the cable, the re-connect the battery and start up a new session of ECUTalk and make some logs of WOT and normal driving.

I have some older ECUTalk logs so I'll look at those tomorrow and see what used to happen at different throttle openings. Something's wrong with ignition timing.

grey99max

iTrader: (12)

I just tracked down the knock sensor connector and measured the knock sensor directly. Wide open - no resistance at all. I checked an old knock sensor and if measures about 560K ohms. I trimmed the leads on a 470K resistor, and plugged the wires into the socket going back to the ECU, then re-connected the battery and started up. Looks like I have more timing advance now, but I fired up ECUTalk on the little notebook and I'm going for a drive right now. .

Amerikaner83

iTrader: (17)

Wide open is not "no resistance"...it's "infinite resistance"

grey99max

iTrader: (12)

Or it means that when I checked for any resistance, and didn't find any, then I had "no resistance". Smarty...

You might wonder why I just went downstairs to the "Man Cave" and sorted thru my resistor stock until I got to the 470K 1/8 watt 5% metal film resistors and grabbed one. Old gubment stock, as it were.

Anyway ol' buddy, IT WORKED! The part-throttle pep is back and part-throttle cruise can go 30*-40* advance or more, just like it's supposed to do. I love it when I can actually measure engine parameters again. I missed my ECUTalk.

Now I gotta go blend some fuel before I spray again. I used the last of my 4 5-gal jugs of mixed E85 last week, and instead of driving a good 50 miles to buy some in Lawrence KS I decided to go the one local station, that I hate, for a sample. They didn't disappoint either - my 5 gal of E85 measured out to be E70, the legal minimum. In order to bump it up to E85, I need to add 5 more gallons of E98. That's 10 gallons total, enough to play with. I keep four 5-gal cans in reserve, but I think I'll go to Lawrence and fill four more jugs and blend whatever E-number it is up to E85. Remember, this is still Much Much cheaper than race gas is today.

Plus My car runs GREAT again!

Amerikaner83

iTrader: (17)

To be correct, you found NO CONTINUITY, which is not the same as no resistance.

there's a distinction there that is quite important.



But glad the car screams again

grey99max

iTrader: (12)

If you consider "resistance" to be an object, and there is no measurable resistance found, then there is no resistance. And it's my thread, so there. Resistance is futile !!!

I mixed up the 5 gal of E70 and 5 gal of E98 and got 10 gal of E86, which went into the tank of the car. Then I went to Lawrence and filled four 5 gal fuel jugs and brought it home, then tested it and it's E87 !! No mixing needed.... and it was $3.199/gal and 87 octane was $3.649 at that station.

Speaking of resistance - the famous knock sensor replacement resistor:



And the last part of a Lamborghini at a drag strip that we will ever see:

Amerikaner83

iTrader: (17)

Ok whatever you say...the earth is flat, yep yep.



I'm an electronic engineer, when you use the term "no resistance" you refer to something shorted, not open.

Your meter would read 0 ohms if it was that way. When your meter measured and showed OL, it means open loop, which means open circuit which means INFINITE RESISTANCE.

Fakie J Farkerton

iTrader: (51)

Still his thread.

Amerikaner83

iTrader: (17)

True enough

grey99max

iTrader: (12)

You're not the only electronics designer in this barnyard, so I consider this subject "0 ohms" - a "closed circuit".

grey99max

iTrader: (12)

Back to the knock sensor subject, after finding a completely open knock sensor, and verifying that another used sensor had 560K ohms of resistance across the two pins in the sensor connector (not to the ground surface of the sensor) and not finding any codes showing any knock sensor issues, I wonder just how often the knock sensor fails, causes a pretty drastic decrease in performance, and never is diagnosed... ?

In a 4th Gen, the cable connector is easy to get to, located at the driver's side end of the huge cable bundle that crosses the upper engine up on top of the front fuel rail, the bundle where the front three fuel injectors are connected. For anyone having a suspect performance problem, this would be easy to check with a $3.99 digital multimeter from Harbor Freight.

I went through a few ( ! ) MAFs looking for a solution but until I got ECUTalk to work again, I had no idea that I had an ignition timing problem, because there was no code! Last night I installed one of the rejected OEM MAFS - and it worked great again.

ECUTalk also makes great log files, and yesterday I identified another timing problem that was causing a momentary drop in power after the car shifted at about 6450 and WOT - when the RPMs drop post-shift and the car is still WOT, the ignition timing drops back to a few degrees until the RPMs quit dropping and begin to climb. Then the timing jumps back up to 25-26* and again climbs normally. This feels strange because my transmission shifts very fast but the engine still has a momentary bog while the gears are changing. Something else to investigate, I guess.

grey99max

iTrader: (12)

Earlier this week I had pulled the dummy Knock Sensor resistor to verify that timing does actually change back to the no-knock-sensor curve when the knock sensor is defective. Turns out that without the resistor standing in for my bad knock sensor, the ignition timing is retarded, which is useful for spraying lots of nitrous. You shut off, put the resistor back, and the ECU is happy again.

A side effect is a little confusing, though. With the resistor installed, I get no codes showing in the dash indicator or in the OBD2 scan or in the ECUTalk code scan. When the resistor is pulled, I get codes for knock sensor, IACV, Evap and EGR. This is accurate, since these functions are not totally connected - just the stepper motors. I can clear codes with the ECUTalk consult program but they come right back.

When I re-connect the dummy resistor for the knock sensor, all codes can be cleared after startup - and they stay cleared after that. No CEL light, no codes after restarts - but the idle drops about 200 RPM. There must be some ECU software running that show.

A side issue - I ordered another set of race plugs with a -9 heat range which will go in before I spray a big load again - with the knock sensor resistor take out for the retarded ignition curve.

EDIT: Fex Ex tracking says the NGK R7438-9 plugs were delivered today..

The transmission is also acting weird, sometimes locking itself in gear when cold. After a good warm-up it seems OK, but something is not right. I've been thinking about getting another one built based on a non-VLSD transmission so I can put a Quaife diffy in it along with new NAPA axles and solve wheelspin issues. Looks like some research is required to see if this combination is possible - then I can get the original IPT transmission healed and also install the welded gears to make it a real locker.

"it's always something"

ABIGBRAIN

iTrader: (1)

Sounds like the solenoid pack is acting up. Going through similar issues right now after having taken the car to the track last weekend. P0744 code

grey99max

iTrader: (12)

ECUTalk downloads can be found here:

http://www.ecutalk.com/ecutalk.aspx

And a good Consult-serial cable is here (I have one):


http://www.ebay.com/itm/NISSAN-Consult-Diagnostic-Scanner-Serial-Cable-14-pin-/251094519070?pt=Motors_Automotive_Tools&hash=item3a76664d1e&vxp=mtr
The ECUTalk program is free, very reliable and fast, logs at 20-40 ms intervals, and has a great Gauges display. ECU codes can be reviewed and reset with a couple of clicks. I still want to make an electronic dashboard with it, but since you can't have a notebook computer in the cabin at NHRA events, a hidden computer with a 15" remote display hung on the dash and wireless mouse might work.

grey99max

iTrader: (12)

Hmmm.. I don't remember seeing any codes, but I'm no longer confident which codes show if other codes are activated. I had filled the transmission after the first problem, had another locking problem, put the car up on Rhino ramps to get the car level (steep driveway) and checked the AFT level, which was way over Full. Drained out a quart or so and filled it slowly up to the HOT mark when hot, and it's worked fine since then.

Sometimes I make my own problems....

grey99max

iTrader: (12)

Went out for a little fresh air after dark in the Shark, with a warm bottle, and discovered the transmission is definitely having problems. When clearing the transmission controller, which should drop into first, the tranny instead goes to third then when I tap the throttle it drops into first - with a Clunk. This doesn't always happen, but once is too much. Twice is a sign of impending death.

I also sprayed a 75-TB-nozzle-shot and the WOT 1-2 gear change is not solid anymore - kinda like stock shift works, instead. It stiil bangs into 3rd gear hard. Partial-throttle shifts still bang in very hard from 1-2 and 2-3. Sure runs good, though, with the bad knock sensor bypassed.

I've opened a conversation with QuaifeUSA about finding a reliable retailer for the QDF8L differental and with IPT about building another transmission for the Quaife. The IPT builder said they would do it and would even install the Quaife and shim to factory specs, then rebuild the one I have now back to their specs. Haven't heard from QuaifeUSA yet.

Yet another step on the path to building a nitrous-proof drag racer Maxima.

grey99max

iTrader: (12)

As of today QuaifeUSA says that there are no QDF8L Maxima differentials in the USA, but they are checking the shelves in England to see if one is sitting there in the Quaife factory. Funny because there are several big-name parts suppliers advertising them, so far not one of them want to fess up to say if its really available.

If this unit is not available, then Plan B kicks in - another built 2001 VLSD RE4F04W and a welded cross will do the job, then I'll get this installed transmission re-built and do the same thing when it comes back home. I'll still buy a low-milage core in New Jersey and have it shipped to IPT. Their builder says he can handle anything I send him.

grey99max

iTrader: (12)

Looks like there are none in the US of A.

Quote:

"Not in US warehouse would have to come from Quaife direct. 4-6 week lead time.

HorsepowerFreaks.com"

And:

"I did receive your email yesterday and am trying to confirm if we have any on
the shelf in England.

This unit typically isn't stocked here in America and requires a purchase of a
10 unit run. If we have one or two on the shelf it would be available for
special order and take around 3 weeks to receive.

I will let you know as soon as I have confirmation from Quaife."

Looks like nobody is making or buying the differentials anymore.

Time for Plan B. -- unless there is a used one floating around here somewhere ???

grey99max

iTrader: (12)

Transmission: I found a couple of the RE4F04W VLSD trannys within two hours of home, so I'm going to buy one of them, bring it home (along with a driver's axle for a welding guide) and dissect it to remove the differential so I can weld up the 4-pinion cross, then ship things to IPT in New Jersey. They have offered to make the shipping arrangements for me!

Saturday I took out the -8 plugs and installed the -9 plugs, gapped to .032. This always takes a while. I also replaced the VTC solenoid on the right bank because it had a definite oil leak showing up on the pavement after the engine had run for a while.




Plug Pix. (heat range -8) Notice that none of the ground straps show any heat, because they were only sprayed with a 75-shot. A couple show some dark marks at the tip of the shell - that is from using too much anti-sneeze on the threads and getting some of the extra burned onto the plugs. Didn't use any more this time. A cool day and the new plugs started right up with E85.

ABIGBRAIN

iTrader: (1)

Are you going to have IPT try the FD swap? Now would be the perfect chance to get it done.

grey99max

iTrader: (12)

Dang it - you're right. I refreshed myself on those gear ratios, and going from a 3.8 to a 4.4 final drive would really be worth the extra $$. I checked and found the ring, pinion, and speedo gear at Courtesy Nissan. I then checked for local used transmissions for the 2005-2006 Altima 2.5L and found quite a few for around $400 - roughly the cost of new gears.

I emailed my guy at IPT and explained what I wanted to do, attached the links for the Final Drive and Transmission Gears and asked nicely if he thought that he would install a new final drive gear set when he built the transmission. This is a few steps beyond my original plan, but a fully-built RE4F04V tranny with locked differential and a 4.4:1 final drive gear could be .... interesting at the strip.

Should be better for the 1/8 mile, too. Then I can show up at YellowBelly 1/8 mile outlaw drag strip in Dallas and not totally embarass myself. That's on my bucket list of things to do.

I'm also looking for a driver's side LSD axle to use as an alignment fixture (just the splined end) to align the 4-gear pinion cross for welding of the steel wedges. This got a little more complicated.