I need some serious help, not sure what Im doing wrong?

[Spoolin98]

Ok guys, I posted this on the link forums but not many people know me over there because Im barely on it. I figured maybe someone from here could help me out with my tuning issues.

Heres a link to the thread on the link forums for those of you who have DSMlink and you can view my logs. Anyone who doesnt and is willing to help me out, just PM me your email address and Ill send you the logs
DSMLink User Group Forums

So here I go...

Well its been months since Ive gotten my car running and I STILL havent gotten it tuned. Im trying and not getting anywhere...

First off, my fuel trims are constantly out of whack. A friend noticed my 02 sensor wasnt cycling, so I bought a new one, now is cycling. But I still cant seem to get my fuel trims right.
I have followed JeffGST's pages on GMAF calibration, it seems so simple, yet isnt working for me? I get them all somewhat close to 0% and then within a couple hours of driving they are all out of whack again. So I readjust and the same thing happens all over again, this has been going on for months. I really dont think it should be this hard, either Im doing something wrong or something else is wrong.
Ive been sending logs to a friend who is attempting to help me. He even thought it was weird how one small adjustment to say the 50hz slider throws everything out of whack.
Ill post a log of my idle, just a few days ago it was near perfect, now its not.

Another problem Im having is my ignition timing. I have to retard it alot over 4k (-10* or more) so I dont knock. If I advance it even the slightest bit from where I have it, I start to knock. Ill post a log of a 3rd gear pull I did until it started to knock and I let off.
I verified base timing twice now with 2 different timing lights. I also verified Im setting the base timing to the correct timing mark on my Fluidamper pulley by holding a stock pulley up to my fluidampler pulley. My base timing is right on the mark between the T and 10* on my timing cover. Whats going on here? Why do I have to retard my timing so much?

Im running out of ideas and I could really use some help...thanks in advance.

 

[snowborder714]

Have you tried a different GM MAF yet?

 

[Spoolin98]

Have you tried a different GM MAF yet?

No I havent, no one I know really deals with DSM's. All my friends are into WRXs and Hondas.
Do you think that could be my problem?

I have really been debating going back to the stock MAS but its going to cost me a couple hundred dollars for a new UICP and intake with filter. The GMmaf im using I bought brand new and its barely used, only a couple thousand miles on it.

 

[jking29]

Try rotating the mas to a different position and see if it clears up.

 

[Spoolin98]

Try rotating the mas to a different position and see if it clears up.

How exactly would this affect anything, if you dont mind me asking?
Clear what up? My fuel trim problem im assuming?

 

[jking29]

Yes try rotating your mas 90 degrees. One of the guys in my local club was having problems with his being inconsistent too, and one of the techs from fullthrottlespeed.com told him to try and rotate his mas. He explained that sometimes you can get turbulence in the airflow coming into the mas that will mess with the hotwire signal and that rotating the mas should move the hotwire out of the turbulence. He rotated his and his inconsistency went away.

 

[Spoolin98]

Yes try rotating your mas 90 degrees. One of the guys in my local club was having problems with his being inconsistent too, and one of the techs from fullthrottlespeed.com told him to try and rotate his mas. He explained that sometimes you can get turbulence in the airflow coming into the mas that will mess with the hotwire signal and that rotating the mas should move the hotwire out of the turbulence. He rotated his and his inconsistency went away.

Ill give it a try next time I have time to work on my car.

Anyone have an idea why my timing is retarded so much?

 

[snowborder714]

What does your timing read in DSMlink if you ground it while idling? And also what does it cycle between/around at idle without being grounded?

 

[Spoolin98]

What does your timing read in DSMlink if you ground it while idling? And also what does it cycle between/around at idle without being grounded?

With it idling around 1100 rpms it goes between 11*-15* without being grounded. I never looked at it while being grounded, but I can let you know next time I drive my car.

Yes try rotating your mas 90 degrees. One of the guys in my local club was having problems with his being inconsistent too, and one of the techs from fullthrottlespeed.com told him to try and rotate his mas. He explained that sometimes you can get turbulence in the airflow coming into the mas that will mess with the hotwire signal and that rotating the mas should move the hotwire out of the turbulence. He rotated his and his inconsistency went away.

A member on the link forums said the GMmaf should be installed with the sensor plug facing downward, which is how I have it. I remember reading this awhile back also.

Well I have a whole new problem now, I cant get DSMlink to connect. snowborder714, i wont be able to let you know what the timing reads grounded at idle till I fix this connection problem.

 

[turboglenn]

As i recently learned (the hard way) someimtes knock can be a failing engine component. I hydrolocked my car recently (sept 15th) and since then i can't go over 4500 or into any boost past 10 psi or so and i was even running alcohol (e-85 solely).

As for the tuning problem, if it was on a haltech or AEM i'd have some better advice, but i don't get to play with a lot of DSMlink cars as the only friend i have with one is now living in tennesee.

 

[Spoolin98]

As i recently learned (the hard way) someimtes knock can be a failing engine component. I hydrolocked my car recently (sept 15th) and since then i can't go over 4500 or into any boost past 10 psi or so and i was even running alcohol (e-85 solely).

As for the tuning problem, if it was on a haltech or AEM i'd have some better advice, but i don't get to play with a lot of DSMlink cars as the only friend i have with one is now living in tennesee.

I cant see it being a failing engine component since its a new motor, it only has 3300 miles or so on it. It drives strong and doesnt feel like anything is wrong with it.
It has some piston slap on cold start ups but once its warmed up it goes away.

I still havent received any help with my ignition timing problem so any advice would help me out. All I have been told is that my base timing is probably off.
Like I previously stated, I checked my base timing 2 times now, with two different friends of mine who are both certified mechanics. One who is into DSM's also.

 

[snowborder714]

Have you checked your timing like this?
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/art...-timing-without-using-lower-timing-cover.html

Just a different way to do it to verify.

Other than that, I'm still out of ideas.

 

[Spoolin98]

Have you checked your timing like this?
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/art...-timing-without-using-lower-timing-cover.html

Just a different way to do it to verify.

Other than that, I'm still out of ideas.

No I havent tried that way. I was going to but I couldnt find anyone who owned an adjustable timing light and I didnt feel like buying one. I guess I could double check the cam gears without the timing light like showed in the second video.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Spoolin98]

What does your timing read in DSMlink if you ground it while idling? And also what does it cycle between/around at idle without being grounded?

I finally got a chance to do this, I have having problems with my DSMlink.
Grounded it reads 5.2* at idle.

 

[Spoolin98]

Well I bought a wideband and I took the car for a drive. Its pegs at 10.0 under boost and just stays there, so I know im running real rich. The AEM only goes to 10.0 so I could be running richer than that, no way of telling.

So Im planning on following this
maftcalibrationbywbo2 [ECMTuning - wiki]
to finish calibrating my MAFT since it seems easier than using my MAP sensor.

Any thoughts on this?
Could this be why im detonating? Rich knock?
Maybe if I take some fuel away ill be able to add some timing?
Could this be why my timing sliders are so far negative?