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C&L 76mm meter - TUNING PROBLEMS - please help!

2K views 7 replies 5 participants last post by  Wurf 
#1 ·
Ok guys - need some help resolving some issues with C&L meter. Takes 5 to 6 tries to start the car. Idle surges and almost dies repeatedly until temp gauge starts to read something. After it warms up, it idles better, but any jabs of the throttle cause a bog, then a backfire after it revs up. Stinging vapors to the eyes from the exhaust as well.

Motor is a rebuilt 88 302, E303, GT40P heads, 24lb injectors with proper sample tube in the C&L, A9L EEC, 12deg base timing, Trick Flow street intake, 65mmtb, and the FP is set at 32lbs with the hose on at idle.

Should I try more FP? SEVERAL other guys I know have the same issues with this new meter. Any similar experiences here?

A couple of guys have gone to ProM and resolved the problems immediately.

Thanks for any help you can provide.
 
#2 ·
Well what you describing does not sound like a mass air problem, but a problem with your intake-air temp sensor or engine coolant temp sensor. That and possibly 02 sensors.

The first thing to do, always, is to pull diagnostic codes. That should give some clue as to where to look.

Secondly, if you really suspect the maf, then put the stock one on, with 19lb injectors, and see what happens.

But your symptoms to me do not sound like the mass air meter itself.
 
#3 ·
<font color="blue">When you set your fuel pressure, do it with the vac. line disconnected. Set it to 38#s then reconnect the line. As for the injectors, 24's are alittle big for you application. You can use 19# injectors with more than you have. Try the fuel pressure 1st, if that doesn't help, then switch sample tube and reinstall the 19's. Just did this for someone who had a similar problem. Good Luck!</font>
 
#4 ·
Thanks guys,
I kept the 19lb injectors and I know somebody with a stock meter so I can give that a shot. You really think 24's are too big for this combo? I bowl ported the P heads, tapered the guides, polished the chambers, and port matched them to the TF intake. I also gasket matched the exhaust ports, bowl blended them, and then ported the MAC header openings, which had tons of weld sticking into the port. The heads are from Central Coast Mustang with the better valvetrain, SI valves, and I had a fresh 3 angle valve job put on them at racing engine shop after I finished the port work.
There's trophy stock combo's similar to my setup except for the cam, running 24's and even 30's so I figured they would be fine.

By the way, this motor is in a Factory Five Racing 427 Roadster with no cats - just shorty headers connected to 2 1/2" "J" shaped connector pipes then to the sidepipes. Without the cats, you smell everything coming out the exhaust.
 
#5 ·
nah, 24's are not too large imo. i run 30's in mine, and both our cars use the same amount of fuel at idle...
here is what i see.
the eeEk cam has a tight lsa for use with small port poor flowing heads, you probably dont have alot of intake vacuum at low rpm. i would disconnect the IAC and set the hard idle to about 800. then, rest the tps back to below 1.0v if it went above it. set the fuel pressure to 39-40 psi vacuum off. reconnect the iac, clear the KAM by leaving the battery disconnected over night.
set the timing to 13*, but not much more at all, p heads dont need much total timing.
then, give it a shot, if it still surges real bad, try rotating the maf in 45* increments and restart the car in between. make sure your IAC valve is perfectly clean, and triple check for vacuum leaks! if you have one available, get a vacuum guage on it asap. it should be pulling at least 12-13" of vacuum at idle.
that really should cure the problem, but i also recommend you check for codes, and list any that come up. i wouldnt be suprised to see a code 31 or 32 at all judging my the symptoms.

good luck!
 
#6 ·
I should have given you this information too. EGR is blocked at the heads using gaskets without holes for the passage. The EGR valve is still hooked up to the harness, but I have a plate blocking it on the EGR spacer. I also do not have the fuel purge canister solenoid or the vapor line connected. In addition, there's no power brakes - I'm running a Jeep MC. The only vacuum connections are the PCV and the FP reg.

The other connections on the intake have threaded plugs in place of the fittings. The vacuum tree has a couple of caps on it and I routed the line normally used for the brake booster to the PCV.



Thanks for all the tips guys. I'll try them and see what works. If I come up with anything, I'll post it here.
 
#8 ·
REPORT - I think I figured it out. It was about 55 degrees yesterday so I fired up the motor. I decided to crank up the FP and see what happens. I didn't even hook up the gauge to the schrader valve, just cranked it a full turn and started the car. Took a few tries to get it started. Once I got it idling ( poorly ) I put my hand on the air filter and WHAMO the idle went up and smoothed right out. I cranked the FP another half turn and the motor started running great. I had to reduce the idle speed a little afterward due to having it cranked up to make it run before. Throttle response is now VERY crisp and the exhaust doesn't stink as bad anymore. So far this looks like the solution.
Thanks for the help gentlemen!

Wurf
 
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