And another thing...

I asked a while back for advice on tuning ignition...but have since pretty much misplaced the answers...(forgetful)

Basically, I have a light knock bc my enigne is in need of a tune moderately bad, at idle it tick tick ticks...im just about positive it just needs to be timed.

Heres the problem...I have everything I need to tune the fuel as far as cables and laptop and the program and all, and i can plug this laptop into the fuel controller under my hood and all...only what good is that gonna do me for ignition timing right?

Is there a simple way to go about timing my vehicle and ridding it off the idle knock?

Would it be easier to find a shop with someone who has the tools to do this? Ask them to time it for me? Ive timed vehicles...in school...I personally dont own all the tools that i wish i had...

A few tips would be great...!

(please dont tell me i gotta buy another expensive piece of electronic lol)

You are not knockin at idle. There is not enough load on the motor at idle to create detonation. If you are running more than 15psi of boost at allowing the stock ECU to control timing then you are probably getting knock. Here is what you need to do, build you a set of det cans, I posted links to them on other threads somewhere. This is the cheapest and best way to see if your motor is detonating. Now, unfortunately you are going to have to buy something to control the ignition timing. Since your using portfueler you will need to run the MSD-DIS2 to control timing. I know if sucks but you dont have a choice. Check to see if your getting knock first but I will almost promise you that you are.

Ya the ticking at idle is something else. Check around the bay on where it's coming from. It could be anything like a collapsed lifter or something small. May be big. Who knows.

Or just lifter tick, thats what I would guess if the car runs fine.

Well, I have looked and looked and looked and touched and held things and spent collectively 2 hours searching for what could be something shaking together, like touching intercooler pipes, ect. It's most def. coming from the motor.

Heres what I know so far.

-The knock comes and goes. Its lasted like the last three days, and just when i crank it today, no ticking sound(just to clarify when i say knock here i mean the ticking that i hear)

-The car came from Mississippi, it was tuned there, and im wondering if it needs to be completely re-tuned bc of the completely diff. atmosphere here...

-It NEVER knocks under boost, all the way up to full boost...usually like 19psi, it runs like a sewing machine. In fact I can say that it prob runs better under boost than when just cruising around...

If anyone can make heads or tails of this situation....

I know this wasn't really the question but how do you know its not knocking under full boost? If you are just listening for knock at full boost you probably wont be able to hear it. I know my motor was knockin a good bit when MS first went in and I didn't know it did I hook the det cans up to it. From your last post it seems to me like you are expecting a loud audible knock when you get detonation.


Try and see if you can pinpoint the sound better, does it sound like its coming from the head or the bottom end. If its a tick then its more than likely lifter tick. If its a knock it could be a spun bearing. I doubt its a bearing if it hasn't thrown a rod yet after driving it like that for a few days.

Spun bearing - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNNMa_BG6dY&feature=related

Lift tick - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9UkkkT_xEY&feature=related

Didn't think about this earlier but it could be injectors to, my injectors are loud as hell when the car is idleing. If you pop the hood you can hear then opening and closing so check that also. And about retuning the car. If the elevation has changed a lot then I would retune the car. If it has stayed about the same then you may be ok.

Im going to try the det can trick and see what happens..

I just really feel like everything is a bit off with the tuning and timing, and i feel like the piston may be touching the valves sometimes...i forget the name for that condition...whats it called? and since it comes and goes....thats another thing to consider you know...its not like something permanently broken..im waiting on a part to come in from ebay so that i can completely hook my laptop up and see if i can tune it better than it is

Like i say, i will def try the det can trick, and i looked at that ignition controller box....over 600 bucks lol...that might have to wait until xmas...

but, this is all somehting fo rme to think ab out, so i do certainly apprciate it...ill repost in a few weeks and update everything if i find somehting new..

hey ive searched all over, cant find the thread about making the det can...

i did find one, but id rather use yours.. lol

:frown:
Well...the investigation continued today as to where the mysterious "tink tink tink" sound was coming from. And I found a MAJOR clue today....

I was sitting at a drive thru window, waiting to be waited on...and I was in nuetral, with my foot on the brake. Well, it was making the tink tink tinking noise the entire time I sat there, and so i made my order, and proceded to take off, I mashed the clutch pedal in, and all of a sudden, NO TINK TINK TINK lol. I was like...hmmmmmm

So i sat there a second, (much to the dismay of ppl who were waiting behind me) and pressed and released the clutch pedal in, and out, about 4 or 5 times...

So, I am positive, that with the clutch pedal pressed in, no noise. With the pedal out, tink tink tink tink tink...and its constant. If im sitting still, and the noise is being made, and i rev the engine, the tinking noise tinks faster...

Now...what do you all think it could be...

Also keep in mind ive recently had the transmission completely overhauled, new clutch and flywheel, at a reputible business, aamco transmissions. The first time they replaced some stuff and it went out completely again and i could hardly drive the thing down the road bc a broken part on the inside gummed it all up and was blocking fluid and this that and the other, the second time, EVERYTHING supposedly was replaced and fixed. I dont think theyd shit me bc like i said this isn't a silly shop with tom dick and harry working there...its a place where if they had too many problems from the same customer, they could get in trouble, so i don't think they are doing shotty work.....or maybe they are...who knows....again this isnt nec. a PROBLEM persay....but it is quite aggrivating after having spent a few thousand for a brand spanking new tranny, and then it tink tinks:banghead: