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Hey guys,

I drove the car with the dual plane and tighter lash yesterday for the first time, and I must say there is a very noticeable difference in bottom end torque. I am currently trying to acquire a low gear set locally, and once I get that, I will be going back to the track for testing.

As far as plug reading goes, I basically threw out my own knowledge and listened to a long time racer and friend on reading the plugs...judging by how wrong I was going, im surprised how he hasn't blown his own stuff up!!! lol...That said, I ordered a fresh set of plugs, so next time at the track I will be warming the car up on the old plugs, throw in the new ones, make a pass, and then read and go from there. Im going to start with timing at 30 degrees total which I feel is conservative, then read the plugs and go from there.

As for the detonation issue, im wondering if the gasoline I pumped into my jerry cans was a true 94 octane as I really don't think I should have been getting detonation with only 30 degrees of timing, 94 octane gasoline, .039" quench and 10.5:1 cr...but who knows, maybe I am on the ragged edge for pump gas as it is right now.

All I know is that over the winter for sure this motor will definitely be seeing some changes. What those will be as of yet I do not know, but I want this fat pig to go 10.9999999999 in the heat! Not on a "good" day

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come on you are not tuning a top fuel dragster 30* timing is not even in the ball park. I would start at 36*. 30* is killing your bottom end. if you are worried about detonation throw some race gas in so you can tune that thing. really you are not even close at 30

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Hey guys,

I drove the car with the dual plane and tighter lash yesterday for the first time, and I must say there is a very noticeable difference in bottom end torque. I am currently trying to acquire a low gear set locally, and once I get that, I will be going back to the track for testing.

As far as plug reading goes, I basically threw out my own knowledge and listened to a long time racer and friend on reading the plugs...judging by how wrong I was going, im surprised how he hasn't blown his own stuff up!!! lol...That said, I ordered a fresh set of plugs, so next time at the track I will be warming the car up on the old plugs, throw in the new ones, make a pass, and then read and go from there. Im going to start with timing at 30 degrees total which I feel is conservative, then read the plugs and go from there.

As for the detonation issue, im wondering if the gasoline I pumped into my jerry cans was a true 94 octane as I really don't think I should have been getting detonation with only 30 degrees of timing, 94 octane gasoline, .039" quench and 10.5:1 cr...but who knows, maybe I am on the ragged edge for pump gas as it is right now.

All I know is that over the winter for sure this motor will definitely be seeing some changes. What those will be as of yet I do not know, but I want this fat pig to go 10.9999999999 in the heat! Not on a "good" day

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come on you are not tuning a top fuel dragster 30* timing is not even in the ball park. I would start at 36*. 30* is killing your bottom end. if you are worried about detonation throw some race gas in so you can tune that thing. really you are not even close at 30

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I agree, 34° is where I would start.

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I agree, 34° is where I would start.

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Im going to start at 30 Brian, check for detonation, and if all is well, turn it up...I would think my hesitancy to go right to 34 makes some sense at this point lol

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it doesn't make any sense

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Put some good gas in it, time it, and test it.
30* is killing it off the line.

Not meaning to beat on you, but this is exactly why I mentioned dynoing the engine months ago. All this would have been handled and you would have ultimately saved a ton of time and money in the long run, and especially your sanity!

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J.Rob

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Put some good gas in it, time it, and test it.
30* is killing it off the line.

Not meaning to beat on you, but this is exactly why I mentioned dynoing the engine months ago. All this would have been handled and you would have ultimately saved a ton of time and money in the long run, and especially your sanity!

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J.Rob

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This is a pump gas motor that is staying pump gas...period...No splash of race gas...period

Timing too low? Maybe...Could my plugs have had detonation from something earlier on possibly and just didn't clean up since they were used? sure...Will one pass at 30 degrees of timing be a waste? I dont consider it a waste if I know my motor is safe and then go from there. For some reason though it sounds like a stupid move to some, but I really dont care...I'll do what im comfortable with

Looking back I would definitely put the engine on a dyno- live and learn..But the motor isn't coming out of the car, its just not an option I had or have right now at the moment...Next time I build a motor it will definitely get on a dyno, if for nothing, just to get the converter right or closer the first time around.

I sure as hell hope I don't have an ignition issue...Mallory hyfire 6 box, MSD blaster 2 coil, locked out lean burn distributor, MSD wires, NGK plugs, and good ground for everything...But I guess that might be somewhere else to look afterwards if its still a problem.

I appreciate the insight and advice, but I have to make my own decisions too based on what I want to do and try...call me a chicken, but i'd rather be that then building another motor over the winter.

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I have found out (the hard way sometimes) what works for one guy may not work for another racer in a different part of the country A good freind of mine had done extensive dyno testing(multiple carb and intake combination that would fit six different NHRA stock classes in the same body) and tuning on his NHRA SB Stocker motor, it liked 40 degrees total timing on the dyno in the winter He put the motor in the car and went to a points race, the car went way to fast on the first qualifier for the class so he retarded the timing to 36 degrees slow it down, it picked up over a tenth ET in the 1/4 mile on the next run when it was hotter(he was in Sacremento,CA in the late spring, hot and humid) than the first run. He got hit with power anyways and ended up getting beat in the first round, bad weekend for him He later took the car to our local track and found out the car was quicker with less timing that had made the most power and torque on the dyno Hence the old adage, we don't race dynos Stay safe and learn safe