Tuning Tips for a Crate Motor

[Weldo]

I have 2 main questions about tuning that extra bit of giddy-up out of a new crate motor. 

My first question is about timing.  Right now I'm set at 5 degrees advance at idle which is the stock setting for a 22re.  LC Engineering (they built the motor) recommends total timing be around 30-32 degrees advanced for performance motors.  So how do I tell when my I have 30 or so degrees when my timing tab only goes to 15?  I read somewhere that the stock ignition has 20 degrees of advance built in to it that ramps up around 3000 rpm.  If that's true, I could set initial timing at 10 or 12 to get a total of 30-32, right?

My next question is about the AFM.  LC also suggests that on motors that flow better than stock (eg. bigger valves, ported head, header) the AFM should be adjusted to richen up the mixture a bit.  They say that the black cover siliconed onto the AFM can be removed and the small gears inside can be skipped 2 to 5 teeth clockwise or counter clockwise to richen or lean the mixture.

I realize there's some trial and error on my part here, but if any of you guys tried this stuff and can give me a good starting point, I'd be grateful.

[socal85sas]

what crate motor did you o with? i had a 2.7 stroked 10.2mm and i forget over bore but its less than 2 sizes over, 22re stroker built with a rockcrawler cam forged everything stock style head and valves and it was a bear to tune. first off go buy an air fuel geage, a wideband is better but if you dont have the money a stoich guage will do. start with 3 clicks looser on the afm (air fuel meter spring) under the black cover. if you have to go more than 5 clicks your stock fuel system is maxed out and you need bigger injectors or more fuel pressure witch is not that great of an option. it causes pre mature fuel system failure now the bad thing about adjusting the afm is that it only changes cruise fuel delivery and tip in, if its too lean at wide open you need bigger injectors. also a little tuner trick is to buy a poteniometer (spelling waay off) baisicly an adjustable resistor that you tap into the coolant temp sensor to fool the motor into going ritcher by thinking the motoe is still warming up. its a long and pain of a process i ended up 2 clicks tighter on the afm running honda 240cc injectors 3 psi over stock fuel pressure, and a very small adjustment on the resistor. truck put a whopping 137hp and 198 ftlbs to the wheels with 33's and 4.56 gears it will spin the tires all the way through first gear just by stomping on from idle with no clutch dump! or you could just run a carb setup and forget all that but tuning is a whole nother nightmare lol

[BigMike]

30 DEGREES AT TDC????????????????????????????????????????????????? THEY ARE OUT OF THEIR MINDS


And for your 2nd question, please see my post here: Air Flow Meter Tuning, reply #7. Its everything you ever wanted to know.

[BigMike]

total timing be around 30-32 degrees

ahhhhhhhhhhhh ok, I just realized they said "total" timing. You will need a scope to see where your timing is at full advance. I think stock timing on a 22R/R-E is 0 degrees, right? If you want to be as careful as possible, then do what I did with my MR2 and get a MSD Knock Alert monitor:


MSD P/N:  8964

And then just set the timing as far as pump gas will safely allow.

BigMike

[Weldo]

I went with the EFI Pro longblock.  2.5L valves are a little bigger, head was ported and polished, EFI Pro camshaft.  I also got equalized injectors.  They claim 135 HP.

I did plan on buying an air/fuel gauge.  LC sells one for around $399 that includes a wideband O2 sensor and a digital readout.  They also have a kit that includes a small round gauge and a small box with a knob where you can lean and richen the mixture on the road.  Which would be a better investment?

As far as timing, I think I'll just have to invest in a good timing light and go as far as I can like Mike said.  I'm gonna guess that the MSD piece you got is a little safer than relying on the stock setup, huh?  I should also note that I had to relocate my knock sensor downward on the block about 4 or so inches.  LC recommends this because they used forged pistons in the motor and they make a slight knock when the motor is still cold right after start-up.  Relocating the sensor is supposed to keep the computer from sensing the normal piston noise, but still allow it to sense actual detonation.

I know there's more power in this motor, I just have to find it!  (with your guys' help, of course.)

[socal85sas]

their enritchment knob is the same thing you can build with stuff from radio shack for less than 20 bucks but yeah thats the same deal. good luck! if you got the bucks some dyno time would guarentee you sefely get your motors potential

[Weldo]

I noticed that when I hold the motor at a constant 3000 rpm (or any rpm really) in neutral it makes a light putting sound.  I can even feel the vibration from each putt in the shifter handle.  I turned my AFM to 5 clicks counter clockwise and at 3000 I still get the putting but its much less than the original setting.  My timing is still stock 5 degrees BTDC at idle.  Also, with 5 clicks counter clockwise my idle speed hasn't changed at all.  My idle also seems to be inconsistent, that is, I'm driving along and push the clutch in and it will settle down to 1000 rpm, but a few miles down the road I push the clutch in and it settles to 600 rpm.  This is with the engine at normal operating temp.  Any thoughts?