Few Questions

[Midnightride]

1) how much room is needed between the front upper strut bar and the + cable on the battery? I have about 1/2-1" of room before the touch. Just want to make sure not spark/arching is going to happen. Also, when I installed it I did accidently touch the bar and a spark created, will that damage the battery?

2) did some logging this morning and need you input:
a) coolant temp was 210 at crusing on high way at 65mph. Normal?
b) timing advance read below 10 at idle and in the 20+ when cruising at 65. Normal?

thanks for any help.

 

[FORMONTOYA]

If you damaged the battery, you would know it by now, but more than likely you have NOT. If you're worried, take it down and have it checked.

1. That's about normal. Use the battery tie-down so it doesn't move around, plus a positive terminal "boot"/cover will not hurt anything if you're worried.

2a. 210 is fairly normal, mine hits 206 under the same conditions.

2b. At idle and cruising under moderate to no real load the timing will bounce. The numbers you have are within range.

 

[Midnightride]

Thanks for the reply.

Should I look at getting a thermostat that runs cooler? Or keep the one I have since that is normal?

As for timing, under load I just gotta make sure I dont get lower that 14-15 right? Thats what I have gathered from reading other posts.

 

[nuclearpenguin]

Wow, granted it's freezing cold here, I haven't broken above 170 degrees coolant temp since I started driving my car again last week. I used to do around 190-210 in the hot summer though. So that's reasonable I suppose, just seems hot for the winter months.

The best (and most useful) logs come from WOT pulls.

You don't wanna go below 15 deg of timing on a WOT pull. Don't forget what all factors go into your timing; knock, coolant temp, intake temp so working to improve any of those can help.

 

[Defiant]

Wow, granted it's freezing cold here, I haven't broken above 170 degrees coolant temp since I started driving my car again last week. I used to do around 190-210 in the hot summer though. So that's reasonable I suppose, just seems hot for the winter months.

That sounds like a leaking thermostat. A 190º thermostat should hold near that temperature anyplace you'd be driving.