Guest bastaad525 Posted February 12, 2004 Share Posted February 12, 2004 Wanna contribute to the "Let's see if X mod really makes more power" fund? I'm in this campaign starting mood right now Don't know about you guys, but I know that so many times, I have had this burning question, about any number of bolt ons and mods, and actually I know I'm not the only one... you see guys coming in here almost every day asking "hey if I do this, how much power will it make?" well, I kinda want to put the questions to rest... for myself... for the search archives... definate answers of what works and what doesn't Okay I'm making it sound a little more grand than it really is... I'm not nearly $$$comfortable$$$ enough to really make a mission out of this... but still.... Started with this fuel pump thing... the common school of thought on here saying how the stock pump just doesn't cut it... and a baseline dyno showing my car running way lean on top... all the 'evidence' pointing to the stock fuel pump, that it just couldn't keep up. So... upgraded the fuel pump, immediately went and dynoed again, and found that... it didn't help one darn bit. Exact same hp and torque numbers, same fuel curve, same lean top end. Now, granted my setup is mild as far as turbo Z's go, pushing 10, non intercooled psi of boost, on a 90% stock setup... probably pretty close to the limits of that stock pump, but, within it's limits none the less. Well... now that urge is coming up again. I just finally today went and bought another MSD 6A ignition box to replace the one that burned out and was removed some 4 mos ago. Now, I have seen many people say that MSD or similiar ignition boxes make NO difference in the power an engine puts out, and some people say they really offer no increase in performance in ANY respect over stock ignition systems. Personally I find this hard to accept, myself. Looking at the difference in brightness, color, and size of the spark generated by the stock system and the MSD, with my own eyes, tells me it's definately doing SOMETHING... much hotter spark with the MSD... and I can't help but think their claims that this hotter spark really helps with more complete combustion in the cylinder, resulting in more power. I already know for a fact that it helps to smooth out the idle (if, like me, you're car has some misfiring going on there) and seems to also improve throttle response. And the butt dyno says it does pull harder.... So... being the only mod performed since dynoing the last time, now would be the perfect time to go put the debate to rest. Only problem is... $$$$$$ I've talked the shop owner down to $60 a session, three pulls on the dyno... but... that's still a lot of money to spend if I'm makin a habit out of this. Anyways... ROFL okay so I know I know... no one's gonna contribute... well anyways... had to amuse myself typing this But I probably WILL head to the dyno tommorow... see if the MSD really does what it says it does. But... don't worry guys I'm not just throwing money away, I will also take the opportunity I SHOULD have taken last time to play with the AFM spring tension and see how that helps with the super rich mid range, see if leaning it increases power or whatever. I just hope all these 'findings and facts' will be put to future good use by board newbies who want to know "hey man how much more power will this mod give me?". Next mods most likely to be dyno tested? Adjustable FPR, and finally, my I/C install... REALLY want to see this one... how much more power will a good I/C make... this is gonna be fun... 'spensive... but fun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted February 12, 2004 Share Posted February 12, 2004 Well unfrotunately there aren't enough high HP Zcars out there to really support this. In the Mustang and Vette groups there are a BUNCH of guys with serious $$$ who dyno every mod. So you pretty much know going into a purchase of an item the exact amount of gain you could expect from a bolt on part or other modification. IF I get the chance to build the shop I really want to build, it will have a DYNO... One of the things I'd like to see tested is a baseline 383 stroker Chevy motor with cast manifoilds, Large diameter block huggers, Tr-Ys, then different design step and long tube headers in differing primary tube and collector sizes... That would help make my life simpler right now! Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bastaad525 Posted February 12, 2004 Share Posted February 12, 2004 well that's what I'm trying to do, anyways. Going on how cool this guy has been with me thus far, having only been there twice, I'll bet if I get to a oint that I'm really going there on a 'regular' basis I can probably get him down in price even further. He also hinted that if I send friends to him that may affect my price... not that I have any friends who have cars worth dynoing! But now that I've found a dyno shop close by (silly how it took so long for me to do this) that is reasonably priced (ditto) I really want to take advantage of it... not only to test parts, but to test tuning techniques as well. Another thing I really want to try is to test how much effect spark plug gap has on power and torque. I'd also like to get my hands on a Gtech and see how it's numbers compare to the dyno numbers. Little stuff like that. Anyways, amazingly, the wife gave the okay for hitting the dyno today... she's gonna go with me for the first time, think she's just really curious to see how it works. So I SHOULD come back knowing a) does an MSD ignition make more power anywhere in the rev range, and how much effect on power and air/fuel ratio does adjusting the AFM really have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted February 12, 2004 Share Posted February 12, 2004 OK Bryan!: Either you don't consider me a friend , or you don't consider my car worth dyno'ing You pick! Either way: :malebitchslap: Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ON3GO Posted February 12, 2004 Share Posted February 12, 2004 OK Bryan!: Either you don't consider me a friend ' date=' or you don't consider my car worth dyno'ing You pick! Either way: :malebitchslap: Tim[/quote'] oooooooooooowhhhh.... OWNED! Tim get that thing dyno'ed... lets see some nice numbers out of it. mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted February 12, 2004 Share Posted February 12, 2004 OK Bryan!: Either you don't consider me a friend ' date=' or you don't consider my car worth dyno'ing You pick! Either way: :malebitchslap: Tim[/quote'] oooooooooooowhhhh.... OWNED! Tim get that thing dyno'ed... lets see some nice numbers out of it. mike Sorry Mike, I don't have any 'friends' with dyno contacts ha ha Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bastaad525 Posted February 12, 2004 Share Posted February 12, 2004 huh? okay I know you're jokin around with me but I don't get it You are joking around right? Would definately like to see what your car puts down So... you trying to say you want to bring it to this place or what? The guys at this dyno shop are BIG camaro fans, that's usually all they have around that shop are camaros and firebirds (actually that's ALL I've seen there minus my own Z!!), so they'd probably get a real kick out of your car. Last time I was there they were working on a supercharged camaro, around the same year as yours... thing wasn't even tuned right and it put down over 400hp!!I guess I never really considered you'd want to dyno yours, if only because it's mostly stock except for the exhaust and you seemed to already have a really good idea of what it'd be putting down. so whaddya mean I don't consider you a friend? that hurts! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted February 12, 2004 Share Posted February 12, 2004 so whaddya mean I don't consider you a friend? that hurts! Let me quote you: not that I have any friends who have cars worth dynoing! Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bastaad525 Posted February 12, 2004 Share Posted February 12, 2004 He also hinted that if I send friends to him that may affect my price... not that I have any friends who have cars worth dynoing! oh man LOL I just figured that out.... dude I'm sorry heh oh man... okay well yeah you're the only one then! Sorry dude I just been saying that 'line' for so long but truly I did not think of you when the subject came up... dont know why really but I never considered you'd really want to dyno your Z... also because you kinda live far away but then again you do work right up the street dontcha! Anyways... bring it on down just be sure and let me know when you're going I'd like to be there. Shoot me an email or if you'd like to call them here's the #: Strictly Dyno 818-345-3121 And talk to Dan. I can't say for sure but if you say I sent you he may or may not give you a discount, regular price is $75 for three pulls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted February 12, 2004 Share Posted February 12, 2004 Where are they? and yes, I'm just yanking your chain! I really don't give a shite if you consider me a friend or not Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bastaad525 Posted February 12, 2004 Share Posted February 12, 2004 *gonna feel bad all day now* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted February 12, 2004 Share Posted February 12, 2004 *gonna feel bad all day now* ha ha ha ..... sissy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bastaad525 Posted February 12, 2004 Share Posted February 12, 2004 pfffffffft since when does being considerate make you a sissy... heh don't answer that so what's up dude ARE you gonna come dyno your car? *is definately NOT gonna feel bad... so there!* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted February 12, 2004 Share Posted February 12, 2004 ha ha ha...just winding you up Dude. So where is this place!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lockjaw Posted February 12, 2004 Share Posted February 12, 2004 Well I can tell you a little bit about this subject. I have an HKS twin power which is essentially the same thing as an MSD. On my car, with an MSD oil filled coil, and the twin power working, I get misfires above 18 psi, I might get an extra psi or two out of the TP ignition. However, if I run a 300ZX coil, I can run upwards of 23 PSI without the tp, with no missfires. And I am running a bosch twin electrode plug, with Jacobs wires. So I know there is a difference between the coils, and an MSD coil sucks. I would encourage you to run the 300ZX coil and see if you notice a difference. My personal opinion is you won't see more the 5 hp out of the MSD, unless you are having misfire issues, and it corrects them. Save your money on the Dyno and MSD, spend it on stuff like a good mandrel 3 inch exhaust with a straight thru muffler if you don't have one, that is the absolute best bang for the buck mod you can do to a turbo Z car. Seriously. I ran mid 13's on my car until I swapped to the 3 inch mandrel. You can see how much it has come down since. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bastaad525 Posted February 12, 2004 Share Posted February 12, 2004 On my car, with an MSD oil filled coil, and the twin power working, I get misfires above 18 psi, I might get an extra psi or two out of the TP ignition. I get misfires at idle and low rpm, no noticeable miss at high rpm though, one thing I noticed, in the instructions with the MSD, is that it specifically says that the blaster coil or any oil filled coil should be oriented with the 'tower' (where the coil wire goes) facing upwards... whereas on a Z the coils are always oriented sideways. Dont know enough about this to know so I"m asking... could this cause any problems like what you're mentioning? Which year 300zx coil are you talking about? I'd be glad to try one of those.... are they also oil filled though? So I know there is a difference between the coils' date=' and an MSD coil sucks. I would encourage you to run the 300ZX coil and see if you notice a difference. My personal opinion is you won't see more the 5 hp out of the MSD, unless you are having misfire issues, and it corrects them. [/quote'] actually, you hit the nail on the head, when I first installed my MSD, it was for the sole purpose of curing my idle and low rpm misfire, not to get any more power out of it. It worked wonderfully smoothing the operation of the engine, and did seem more powerful to boot, the first time I installed it. Unfortunately it burnt out a short time later (the unit was 3 years old, and I have no idea why it fried) so I went back to running w/o for the last four mos., dealing with the idle and low rpm miss, and have always wanted to replace it for that reason. I know it's sort of a bandaid... however I've already spent so much time and money tryign to figure out where the misfire is coming from, to no avail, so I'll take what I can get. So I dont consider it 'wasted' money, and as for the dyno... heh well you've given me some pause there, I may not go after all, but again, the main reason I wanted to go was to see the effects of playing with the AFM spring, and trying to fine tune the car this way. Hoping to get rid of some of that super rich midrange. But now I may just hold off on that and wait til I get an adj. FPR... use that to richen up the top end, and THEN tune out the mid range and cruising richness with the AFM. Tim - They are just off of reseda, about 2-3 blocks south of Sherman Way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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