oldguy44
Newbie
I have given up on the 411 swap. Apparently the engine trans combo that I have is unique and if there is a pinout sheet for my van I have not found it. So if I get into it and have trouble there is probably no where to go to find help. Unfortunately my go to guy for tuning can tune the 411 to whatever I need and I know it would be one of the best running 4.3's around however he can not fix the black box. I have forwarded what I have found to Black bear to see what they think.
To be clear I am not trying to get to better than OK I would be happy with OK. If great is a 10 and OK is a 7 0r 8 I am at around a 3 0r 4.
I am well aware that I have a problem and telling me I have a problem is accomplishing nothing. I have been emailing back and forth with Andy who, no offence intended, probably knows more about how an ecm should respond than most ever will, agrees that in no world the timing backing down under the circumstances that it is can be considered correct. So just telling me that I have a problem does no good. Where do I start looking? If the accursed distributor were not computer controlled I would have fixed the problem a long time ago and we would not be having this discussion.
I am approaching 80 and for close to 70 of those years I have been around cars in one capacity or another so here is what I know to be correct.
The problem is not fuel delivery, that would show up on the plug read.
The problem is not misfire or? I would recognize that in a heartbeat.
The problem is ignition timing. I do not care if spark is controlled by points, hall effect, magnetic induction, ECM or little green men from mars, there is no way under normal operating conditions ignition timing should be backing down on the surface streets. Yes under full throttle conditions depending on circumstances the knock sensor will retard timing. This is not what we are talking about here. We are talking about stoplight to stoplight, low engine load, low throttle opening, high intake manifold vacuum. These parameters will not trigger Ping unless the timing is outrageously advanced which I have already determined is not the case. Under those conditions the timing should remain stable or advance with RPM's but never retard.
So if someone can tell me why this phenomenon is occurring please enlighten me, but don't keep telling me that I have a problem I know I do. Tell me where to look.
I know that things were weird in the 70's to 90's as the industry was desperately trying to comply with emission standards, particularly in California. The 49 state and California engines, so it is not totally out of reason if I find that this is an emissions thing which if it is a good tune on the black box is all that is needed.
My only hope in that case is that Black Bear really does know what they are doing as they seem to be the only game in town.
To be clear I am not trying to get to better than OK I would be happy with OK. If great is a 10 and OK is a 7 0r 8 I am at around a 3 0r 4.
I am well aware that I have a problem and telling me I have a problem is accomplishing nothing. I have been emailing back and forth with Andy who, no offence intended, probably knows more about how an ecm should respond than most ever will, agrees that in no world the timing backing down under the circumstances that it is can be considered correct. So just telling me that I have a problem does no good. Where do I start looking? If the accursed distributor were not computer controlled I would have fixed the problem a long time ago and we would not be having this discussion.
I am approaching 80 and for close to 70 of those years I have been around cars in one capacity or another so here is what I know to be correct.
The problem is not fuel delivery, that would show up on the plug read.
The problem is not misfire or? I would recognize that in a heartbeat.
The problem is ignition timing. I do not care if spark is controlled by points, hall effect, magnetic induction, ECM or little green men from mars, there is no way under normal operating conditions ignition timing should be backing down on the surface streets. Yes under full throttle conditions depending on circumstances the knock sensor will retard timing. This is not what we are talking about here. We are talking about stoplight to stoplight, low engine load, low throttle opening, high intake manifold vacuum. These parameters will not trigger Ping unless the timing is outrageously advanced which I have already determined is not the case. Under those conditions the timing should remain stable or advance with RPM's but never retard.
So if someone can tell me why this phenomenon is occurring please enlighten me, but don't keep telling me that I have a problem I know I do. Tell me where to look.
I know that things were weird in the 70's to 90's as the industry was desperately trying to comply with emission standards, particularly in California. The 49 state and California engines, so it is not totally out of reason if I find that this is an emissions thing which if it is a good tune on the black box is all that is needed.
My only hope in that case is that Black Bear really does know what they are doing as they seem to be the only game in town.