new to turbo and trying to tune it need help

I'm not a turbo guy yet, but things coming to mind include overfueling in that rpm range, intermittent electrical/ignition issue. Sounds like a wet foul to me, but losing spark sounds electrical.

Hopefully someone else will chime in here. Sorry for the problems, stick with it and you'll get it!!

Well I run at sealevel(0) to 1200ft. I have a few things for you to try, first off, is it just straight pump gas, ALL the 91 premium I get is tested on my octane tester at 86-89.... I never had any success running anything over 4.5-5 psi of boost. I would be adding some octane to the mix for security. Is it intercooled?? If not I would be definitely adding Octane, even the boondocker Air/Air is kind of shady without LOTS of airflow(Venting). Water/Air at sealevel is the way to go.

Second, gap the plugs down to .018". Run BR10EIX - Iridium, I can almost get an entire season out of one set running 50/50 pump/116 at 12ish#'s @ sealevel. Next what is the AFR's or EGT's at Wide and Part(Cruise) throttles. Mine likes a 11.8-12.3 at Wide open with boost levels of 4.5 - 6. They like a lean cruise, 13's, my stock motor was into the 14's, but I guess this was for emissions.

I also went up 4 grams of weight from what boondocker recommended, I was hitting the rev limiter all the time.... Not good on plugs and pistons. The det light will be flashing at you if this happens.

I also found my boondocker box to be inconsistent from day to day depending on Barometric pressure, I'm in newfoundland so air moisture content is high here as well. Plays with the tune, if you live in a naturally dry climate you might find it to be more consistent. I changed to a vipec for more control. You might want to varify that the timing key is working properly with a timing light, it should progressively pull timing toward the top of the RPM band. To a max of three degrees. I think... I'm sure this is how it is supposed to work...

All things to check out. Give me abit more info, I'm at work now, but my woman has my tuning bock, give me your temps, Baro pressure, and I can tell you what my settings were on that day, but again, my weather is alot different and each persons location, climate, dictates there tune will be slightly differnt then mine.

I had a steep learning curve, still learning, I never had any help with my sled, Guys like to keep there tunes and what works for them a closely guarded secret, I however do not race, and don't really have any desire to keep secrets. If I can help, I will, there are alot of knowledgable people on here, with any luck they'll pop in and give there two cents worth as well.

When you pull the plugs, are they wet, or just dont fire? Easiest way to kill a plug is overfueling. When it fouls, do you check to see if you still have spark in the old plug before changing to a new one? Try to eliminate possibility of ignition problem first. Then look at fueling.

Ok, well I think your on the right track, but there is something that I find abit wierd, your boost pressure is all over the place.... This is definitely not normal and is going to throw the tune out. I would do acouple of things, varify your wastgate spring break pressure. This can be done with a pressure pump, any automotive store should have one, I got mine at Canadian Tire. If you have a boondocker adjustable wastgate, back it off all the way, the actuator should move at around 4PSI. If it has a non adjustable wastgate, they are 7ish or 4PSI. I would unplug the EBC solenoid or just pull the two lines off and join them with a hose joiner, should also find that your local Auto store. 1/8" should do with acouple of zip ties for clamps. What this will do, is remove the EBC from the equation and allow the sled to run the wastgate spring pressure, 4 psi or 7 depending. Once you have a consistent boost pressure, you can begin to tune affectively. Lower the better to start.

You could be drowning the motor in fuel, hence when you leaned it out it started to boost erradically. You need to get that under control. With 91 Octane, non intercooled, your fuel will not support 12#'s and I would expect catastophic failure sooner then later. I have pistons to prove what excessive boost and low octane can do....

From what you said about the clutching, it sounds like the sled might have been setup for a higher altitude..... Get that boost under control then we can work from there.

Good advice.

If it was me, I would get the pump gas out of it and some race gas on it, until the sled gets happier. It might save you a catastrophic failure.

I don't run my sled over 140.... But that being said, I have pushed it to 170 before, going home, on icy days, not getting into the throttle at all... and I'm usually on empty... I recently, last year put a terra Alps thermo kit in the sled, it is alot better now, temps are stable at around 118, and I have redline water wetter in my sled as well, to help thermal transfer of heat. The sled will run hot with boost.... Well they run hot anyway in low snow.... I would be upping your octane, it is costly to build a motor..... Especially when t6hey like to crack ring laqnds and spit them out in the bottom end, or out through your turbo... Both of which I have done.... My engine is at Indy Dans now....

Well, there are acouple of ways to pressurize the bottle, in most sleds and turbo sleds, you are actually boil the coolant(turning to steam) thus pressurizing the system... Other then that, base gasket, head gasket, cracked cylinder, all of which allow combustion pressure to enter the coolant system. With a turbo sled, car, what ever, if you are running at normal temps then get into boost and can literaly watch the coolant temp rise, then you have a issue somewhere.... If you are running the sled all day and then on a icy run home she is gradually heating up, then boils over, it is likely thermal expansion/boiling of the coolant. Pretty easy to test for really, there is actually a little kit you can buy that test for combustion gases in the coolant, liquid changes color. Or there is a white creamy froth on the top of the bottle. But this is in the worst case senerio for the froth, milky stuff... If you take the sled for run and get into boost and she gets hot fast, bet on a base gasket or head gasket o-ring. Also while your at it, check your reeds, non intercooled after a good hard pull could produce 200+ deg F of intake temps.... I actually have a boondocker Air to Air intercooler with Fan. I won't lie, she got about 3600 miles on it, but it still does the job, could be interested in selling.

Woman is working, numbers are on hold till later...... But from what I seen your not far from where I used to be. Do you have the sheet that boondocker supplies with the stock numbers.... Maybe they have been played with before and are out of wack.... Might be a good idea to go back to basics...

I don't really know.... I have never had it read over temp.... There is a light I think... Not that I can ever remember seeing it on.... The sled will back down with knock, I'm sure it'll do the same for coolant... If not its pretty stupid.... I'll be honest, it has been two years since I have run the sled over 140. Kind of a rule i made... I stop and pile snow on the tunnel and cycle the coolant till it is steady at 110-118 again. Others my find that little rule stupid, whatever, my opnion is its hot for my liking.... I'm sure there is someone on here who has seen or knows when such a system will activate. My Vipec has safetys programmed for this type of event....

A/F or EGT

You have to install an A/F or EGT. You are playing with fire. Especially with no tuning experience. Things go wrong in a big hurry.

polarisrider600 said:

I was just about to start a thread on here about that... what would be more helpful in the tuning process? I'm kinda thinking air fuel myself

Click to expand...

Yes AFR

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