pulled the plugs this evening... something doesnt look right
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,635
Likes: 8
From: Enid Oklahoma
A quick note on plug reading.....When you read a plug it is telling you the last condition that your enigine was engaged in.....generally idling into the driveway or garage. That being said in order to get a true plug reading, you need to reach the condition or speed that you wish to check, shut it off, go to neutral, roll into a parking lot or side of the road and yank a plug, trust me it will look different than in the garage. If you have fouled plug it won't change much under any condition, I am referring to the coloration of a dry plug. Thats why wehn we raced the bikes we always shut it off after the traps, same with the cars, since WOT was where we wanted optimum tuning.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 8,918
Likes: 27
From: New Hill NC
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,164
Likes: 1
From: Europe, France
Try the car with no vacuum advance. Maybe you have too much, or perhaps it's stuck from time to time.
The engine shouldn't ping with 32° total ( no vacuum advance ) and a decent fuel, not even with 34°.
BUT, some ping when you floor it at a very low RPM in 4th gear is normal.
The engine shouldn't ping with 32° total ( no vacuum advance ) and a decent fuel, not even with 34°.
BUT, some ping when you floor it at a very low RPM in 4th gear is normal.
Last edited by 73StreetRace; Sep 24, 2009 at 08:30 AM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 971
Likes: 45
From: Middlesex NJ
You could have carbon build up in your combustion chamber. You can dribble a cup of water down the carb SLOWLY! while feathering the throttle. Its gonna buck and stumble just do it real slow. This will clean the carbon off your pistons and heads.
Also make sure your checking your timing with the vacuum advance hose off and plugged.
I will say pinging under heavy load is gonna happen. Up shift if the rev's are too low.
Also make sure your checking your timing with the vacuum advance hose off and plugged.
I will say pinging under heavy load is gonna happen. Up shift if the rev's are too low.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 24,160
Likes: 78
Correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't pinging under those (extreme) conditions indicate a good tune?
I mean if you back it off so much that you don't ping in that situation, then I'd think you're gonna lose some power across the board.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 4,368
Likes: 9
From: Colorado
Jumping in, but I have been battling a ping with a newly built up 350 with high compression heads and my timing is down to 11* and 32* all in around 1800 or so. 91 octane is the best I can get. One issue is I am driving at 5280 elev or higher, like close to 10,000 at times. I have put the heaviest springs from Mr Gasket in but the dist still goes all in well before 2000. There is no way to set the all in at 36* and avoid major pinging.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,164
Likes: 1
From: Europe, France
I've got a BMW 2002Ti ( 1971, 10:1 comp ratio ) which is always pinging under load and under 2000 RPM with most fuels.
She always did it, even when she was new ! But with some fuels, it's worse than with others.
She always did it, even when she was new ! But with some fuels, it's worse than with others.
Last edited by 73StreetRace; Sep 24, 2009 at 12:59 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,089
Likes: 43
From: Native Californian CALIFORNIA
Army
I know the manual calls for R43 plugs but the R45 plugs are hotter and work better for a small Block.
Also your R43S plugs have an extended tip, denoted by the (s) on the plug. Small blocks and extended plugs are not a good marriage.
Also your R43S plugs have an extended tip, denoted by the (s) on the plug. Small blocks and extended plugs are not a good marriage.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 18,640
Likes: 121
From: Farragut,TN
it seems to be happening at lower rpms, say 4th gear at 35mph with my foot to the floor. (only did this so i made sure i had a heavy load on it)
it will happen in any gear, but only if i shift out side of the power band and am hard on it going into the next gear.
im heading to a car show tomorrow and dont have time to work on the car. ill pull the vac advance before i leave and see how things go.
it will happen in any gear, but only if i shift out side of the power band and am hard on it going into the next gear.
im heading to a car show tomorrow and dont have time to work on the car. ill pull the vac advance before i leave and see how things go.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 3,775
Likes: 4
bit of an unexpected thread resurrection.
seeing as this is back, i might as well update it. the problem was actually the points. they were only 4-5 years old, but they failed. i tossed a new set of 5 dollar points in and set the dwell, its ran fine ever since. and by ever since, i mean for the 40-50 miles i put on it before i put it away for winter.
seeing as this is back, i might as well update it. the problem was actually the points. they were only 4-5 years old, but they failed. i tossed a new set of 5 dollar points in and set the dwell, its ran fine ever since. and by ever since, i mean for the 40-50 miles i put on it before i put it away for winter.