No Start Condition - Megasquirt, MAC-14, MC-1 - Resolved

[Ben Swann]

Thanks Scott - I like how you put the PVC sentiment into perspective.  However
this is regarding the no start condition you observed when you visited this
spring.

I did not explain what the no start culprit was publicly since I did not
really find any good reason.  As you recall I had no notable combustion even
when showing good ignition(spark), timing(ign. And valve) and all the other
engine criticals.  We got no fire even using ether and seems everyone I ran
this by ended up scratching their head. 

So Fast forward to a few weeks ago.  I had pulled out my home built harness -
nothing wrong with it that I know, but decided to get the one from
RS-AutoSport since it had all wires labeled every ft. and just cause I like
doing things over(NOT!) Really I wanted this to look great and felt it was
worth the extra time to use a harness that follows what is essentially the
Megasquirt convention and was tidier to boot plus allowing me to use the newer
versions.

I also sourced the coil from a MAC-14 and re-wired using MAC-14 connector.
Since the distributor had a loose connector, I replaced that with a perfect
one.  New cap and rotor.  Re-checked wiring, plugs, etc.  

I made some changes to Megasquirt settings and provisionally installed TPS and
CTS and some other things that were left dangling.  

After I had gotten to that point, I decided to try again - no go at first with
MS alone, but shot ether in and - VROOM!  Played with the MS Fuel and warmup
settings and got it to start and run on MS.  At this point it is a matter of
changing table values to tune MS for the engine, but I have it running fairly
good right now and am able to drive around - thanks to Cody who pre-empted his
vacation just to help me with basic tuning and other JNR ventures!

So don't know what was fixed if anything was broken and I know - make one
change at a time when trouble shooting.  Already went down that path and glad
I redid things the way I did.  Once I get it all tidied up, I plan to post
details on my website www.gtquattro.com .

Ben

-----Original Message-----
From: QSHIPQ at aol.com [mailto:QSHIPQ at aol.com] 
Sent: Tuesday, September 04, 2007 8:58 PM
To: quattro at audifans.com; urq at audifans.com
Cc: benswann at comcast.net
Subject: Re: Too much Crankcase ventalation?

Ben
Congrats on getting it running, missed the actual fix, since I was  perplexed 
staring at the non-run status on my visit earlier this  spring...  [SNIP]
 
HTH and my .02
 
Scott Justusson
QSHIPQ Performance Tuning
Chicago
 
Earlier Ben Wrote:
I am finally able to drive the Ur Quattro that has  the new engine with
Megasquirt - Yeah!.  Engine is balanced MC-1 with NF  head.  I am now tuning
it, so it will get better and better, but  starting way rich, and trying to
figure creative ways to tune since I don't  have ready access to a dyno.  I'll
probably need to have someone drive  as I make changes to the VE tables, etc..
Ideas?

Anyway, after  my first extended tuning session and the engine was on the warm
side, I  noticed a nasty squeal almost like a loose belt when the engine  was
idling.  I feared the worst as it seemed to be coming from the head  and
sounded a little like a metal machining noise, but went away when I  gunned 
the engine.  Oil level was good - still on the Havalone break-in  crap.

I pulled the oil cap and the noise went away with a release  of some serious
vacuum.  I repeated this experiment only to conclude  that there is so much
vacuum on the head at idle, that it is probably  evacuating the cam bearing or
something to that effect.  If I left the  cap loose, the noise did not come
back, each time I tightened the oil cap,  the noise cam back in a few seconds.
I have the UrQ PVC hose setup, but so  much is removed of the CIS stuff, there
is fairly much a direct draw into the  Intake manifold and the engine is
pulling a good 18-20 lbs of vacuum at  idle.

So just seeing if there is any solution to this.  I  would expect I should 
Have some ventilation in the cam area, but this is too  much.  Ideas?



Ben
 



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