dcairns Posted May 11, 2003 Report Share Posted May 11, 2003 Well I went to California Speedway Saturday night. What a zoo! I got there at 3:30, and was given number 442. Six and a half hours later, at 10PM, I get my first and only run . I usually go to bed at 8:30, so I was tired and I am not sure what happened, but I only got a 15.327 at 84.79 That is almost identical to what I did stock at Carlsbad Stock/supercharged Air Temp 80* / 65* Altitude 100? / 1500 60ft 2.195 / 2.151 330 6.270 / 6.223 1/8 [email protected] / [email protected] 1/4 [email protected] / [email protected] I am not sure what when wrong, I do remember having the pedal firmly to the floor. But the kick wasn’t really there, like I get on the street. As much as I distrust “seat of the pants” dynos, I just know it has to be faster than stock. I did try and setup a bit of power braking, but I am not sure if I followed through as I focused on the last yellow light, I may have forgotten. But even from a flat start, it should have done better. I am confused. This calls for more research (trips to the track) probably at Carlsbad, even though it is a dive, at least you can get a few runs in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krambo Posted May 11, 2003 Report Share Posted May 11, 2003 Now, you know that there is something wrong...and I don't mean little stuff like full tank, a/c on, or warmer temps. You don't add over 100 RWHP and make your times worse. I mean these suggestions are just shots in the dark but here a few: 1. Belt tension on the blower (at those times it would need to be signifigant). 2. Fuel delivery, is the engine getting enough? 3. Computer program flaws. 4. At first I thought the track computer factored in your reaction time however your MPH doesn't reflect that. I am really confused also. Keep us updated after your contacts with the blower company, the install shop and reruns at the track. I highly doubt that the physical and mechanical aspects of the truck and the blower are off. I really suspect computer issues. By the way, tracks around here it isn't uncommon to get 10 - 15 runs in a night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zippy Posted May 11, 2003 Report Share Posted May 11, 2003 i thought that was 15.33 stock??? anyway, may have had spark knock problems, blower belt slipping, etc. it seems from the numbers that it was only quicker though first gear. even the 60' times aren't impressive. i'd deffinitly say it must be quicker, but might also take some more programming work from them to get it working right. i'd still say the stock exhaust isn't helping, but can't be hurting it that bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmcswain Posted May 12, 2003 Report Share Posted May 12, 2003 Dave: I know you are frustrated, confused and probably mad as H---!!!!! There is no logic to this performnce at all. You and the shop guys will figure it out and there will be much better runs ahead. Good luck and keep us posted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcairns Posted May 12, 2003 Author Report Share Posted May 12, 2003 MN C5Some of the early Lightning owners experienced the same thing. It turned out to that the bypass would open under certain conditions. Just a guess, but the fact that you MPH was so low would suggest you were in a no boost situation. Your sure to have some issues being one of the first out there to run a Radix. Sorry for your disappointment Dennis I think MN C5 might have the right idea, I read something about that on the NLOC board once. I need to go back to NLOC and seach that out again and see if it matches. As I recall, they were disconnecting some vaccum sensor to avoid this problem after doing a burn out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Posted May 12, 2003 Report Share Posted May 12, 2003 Dave, I'm really sorry to hear that. You have been very helpful to me as a newbie around the boards and I really appreciate that, buddy. I know how much you were looking forward to this run and I am disappointed for you. As the other guys said, it's probably something as simple as a loose belt. You will find it and make a kick ass run next time. Don't let this get you down, man. Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcairns Posted May 12, 2003 Author Report Share Posted May 12, 2003 I am only mad about the way the drag strip was being run. Six and a half hours for one run is ridiculous. They should have stopped letting people in a lot sooner. I would rather have been turned back than waste all that time. To make matters worse, they ran in groups, imports and domestics. So by the time I got through tech, they were running imports, and I had to wait a hour or two till domestics were called up again. What is wrong with mixing it up? Does it make the poor imports look bad? (heard them announce a 20 second time for some import ). As for my SS's performance, I am just a bit puzzled. I am beginning to think it was a driver induced problem with the bypass valve. As I reflect on it, the run felt a lot like my NA runs, so I am really thinking it is a variation of the problem the Lightning guys have. Just a quirk to work around, nothing really "wrong". I know the performance it there, just learning how to work it. So the only frustrating thing is that I spent so much time to learn so little about what the supercharger will do for my performance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChevelleSS Posted May 12, 2003 Report Share Posted May 12, 2003 Dave, Do you feel like the air-bypass valve is the problem? You mentioned driver induced. What could you have done differently? The air-bypass valve technology is new to me and I understand the theory but it seems to cause zero boost situations when you actually want it under full throttle sometimes? Please let us know what you find out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcairns Posted May 12, 2003 Author Report Share Posted May 12, 2003 Did some reading over at NLOC and found this. Some of it is specific to the Lightning, but the Magnacharger Radix is very similar to the Lightning's blower (both made by Eaton). The Lightning motor has a valve on the near the back of the blower on the drivers side that relieves or bypasses air past the blower. This valve serves two purposes on the Lightning motor. During high vacuum situations (when you are not requiring high power), air leaks around the blower to avoid wear on the blower drive and heat. Once the motor gets to 0 vacuum on it's way to boost, the valve is designed to close and allow the motor to build boost. The other function that this valve is designed to do is protect the motor from over-boost when the motor hits the rev limiter. The problem is that when this boost bypass is energized, it remains in that position for quite some period of time. This only seems to happen when doing tire warming at the track and the first time you find out that the bypass is in 0 boost mode is about 30 ft from the start line on your way to a 17sec @ 78 MPH pass. This mod is the 10 min and $3 solution to this problem. Note: I have heard that the boost bypass my come in with an over-heat situation and may also come in with the torque reduction if still active in your chip. The Lightning's computer is aware of the blower, so it interacts more with it, so the modification mentioned probably won't work for me, but the basic problem with the bypass valve seems to fit my problem. It can by avoided by not energizing the bypass valve just before the run, as I did when I started power braking, and then backed off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilleniumSS03 Posted May 13, 2003 Report Share Posted May 13, 2003 WOW, Dave you got some pretty technical stuff going on there. I hope everything turns out ok b/c you are the SSS.com guinea pig and IF YOU DONT LOOK GOOD, WE DONT LOOK GOOD! LOL, keep us updated. Are you sure those local Furd owners arent messing with your truck Happy Driving, Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schmidty77 Posted May 13, 2003 Report Share Posted May 13, 2003 Maybe since you were sitting there for six hours you left the parking break engaged and in your state of lethargy didn't here the parking brake alarm sounding. Damn Dave that scares me. Hope you get er figured out my man! There is obviously a problem. I've seen the escalade supercharged e.t.'s and that thing is slightly heavier than the SS. Good Luck! I have a picture of Dave at the track right here-> Six Hours=One Run. What a joke! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSilverado60 Posted May 13, 2003 Report Share Posted May 13, 2003 I didnt even get into the track!!! I was ready to go get my 14 second time slip and the people wouldnt let me in, maybe they should have turned away a few hundred of the 17 second imports that were there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knightsport Posted July 23, 2003 Report Share Posted July 23, 2003 Did some reading over at NLOC and found this. Some of it is specific to the Lightning, but the Magnacharger Radix is very similar to the Lightning's blower (both made by Eaton).The Lightning motor has a valve on the near the back of the blower on the drivers side that relieves or bypasses air past the blower. This valve serves two purposes on the Lightning motor. During high vacuum situations (when you are not requiring high power), air leaks around the blower to avoid wear on the blower drive and heat. Once the motor gets to 0 vacuum on it's way to boost, the valve is designed to close and allow the motor to build boost. The other function that this valve is designed to do is protect the motor from over-boost when the motor hits the rev limiter. The problem is that when this boost bypass is energized, it remains in that position for quite some period of time. This only seems to happen when doing tire warming at the track and the first time you find out that the bypass is in 0 boost mode is about 30 ft from the start line on your way to a 17sec @ 78 MPH pass. This mod is the 10 min and $3 solution to this problem. Note: I have heard that the boost bypass my come in with an over-heat situation and may also come in with the torque reduction if still active in your chip. The Lightning's computer is aware of the blower, so it interacts more with it, so the modification mentioned probably won't work for me, but the basic problem with the bypass valve seems to fit my problem. It can by avoided by not energizing the bypass valve just before the run, as I did when I started power braking, and then backed off. There are a couple of different ways to correct that I can think of off the top of my head. 1. Place a large Farad rating capacitor across the leads to the energizing unit in order to give a stall effect to the soelenoid. This way, you can powerbrake and the soelenoid won't have time to charge since the capacitor has to charge first. This is the easiest and safest way to go about that and still keep the factory fail-safes intact. 2.You can place a simple on/off dipswitch in parralel with the energizing unit so you can simply toggle that feature on/off. I haven't seen a schematic for the set-up but I am assuming a BOV would work inline to relieve blow back pressure to prevent boost creep when the throttle is closed and air is still rushing towards the throttle butterflies. I am assuming at this point that this is what the blow-by valve does, only electronically. Also, if you are worried about fuel delivery, place a BDFPR in place of the stock FPR. A RRFPR is the same thing just in case someone calls it by that name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knightsport Posted July 23, 2003 Report Share Posted July 23, 2003 I didnt even get into the track!!! I was ready to go get my 14 second time slip and the people wouldnt let me in, maybe they should have turned away a few hundred of the 17 second imports that were there Ya'll go easy on imports now. They're not all 17sec. beasts. The one's that are, don't belong at the track. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSilverado60 Posted July 23, 2003 Report Share Posted July 23, 2003 I didnt even get into the track!!! I was ready to go get my 14 second time slip and the people wouldnt let me in, maybe they should have turned away a few hundred of the 17 second imports that were there Ya'll go easy on imports now. They're not all 17sec. beasts. The one's that are, don't belong at the track. agreed, i know there are fast ones, and obviously youve got 2 of the best examples of that, but the slow ones with the extra 500lbs worth of body kit shouldnt be there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.