L31 Extreme Budget Build

[Road Trip]

Who are my spark plug reading experts for a 2nd opinon? Plug looks like it is possibly too hot to me for this combination or maybe 34* is a smidge too much timing. Unless I am missing it, I do not see a heat line on any of those ground electrodes. R44LTS6 plugs currently, stock heat range for a L31. Cylinders 1-3-5-7, left to right. 1 and 5 look like they may be getting a small amount of oil on them.

You must be registered for see images attach

I for one like the porcelain color, especially the fact that there is no 'peppering' of tiny bits of melted aluminum.

(Have personally seen this firsthand, especially when the overall setup goes lean for whatever reason during extended WOT.)

Hopefully the oil showing at the end of the threaded section of the #5 plug subsides as all the engine bits continue to develop a
good working relationship between each other. The other 3 look excellent, and what I've come to expect from an engine that spends
the majority of it's time in closed loop stoich operation.

****

I watched your video, and the fuel trims look excellent. I'm assuming no misfire counts and you mentioned no KS counts either?
EDIT: You mentioned no KS installed, my bad.

SBCs are such a pleasure to drive when they are in this kind of condition & tune. Look forward to the next time the plugs come
out, for they are the closest to the action and tell us the most. Between the state of the plugs plus the overall stats kept by the
computer we can get a really good feel for the overall health & efficiency of the engine.

Looking good!

 

[Scooterwrench]

1-2 late but nice in firmness, not rubbery but not rattle the doors either. The engine is pulling a good bit of vacuum on the modulator on those part-throttle upshifts, ~8-10 in/hg.

Listen closely to the 1-2 shift. I had to play that section back a couple times but sure enough it's kinda sliding in. You will feel it a lot more if you put a loaded trailer behind it. 2-3 shift is crisp but like you say at 3800 a little(lot) late.

 

[L31MaxExpress]

Listen closely to the 1-2 shift. I had to play that section back a couple times but sure enough it's kinda sliding in. You will feel it a lot more if you put a loaded trailer behind it. 2-3 shift is crisp but like you say at 3800 a little(lot) late.

I got a quote to go through a TH400 by someone that knows what they are doing with them if need be. That is assuming I do not swap a 4L80E into it. TH400 with a new converter is $800. Far cry from those newer transmissions.

 

[Supercharged111]

Will the Edelbrock run a 4L80?

 

[L31MaxExpress]

I for one like the porcelain color, especially the fact that there is no 'peppering' of tiny bits of melted aluminum.

(Have personally seen this firsthand, especially when the overall setup goes lean for whatever reason during extended WOT.)

Hopefully the oil showing at the end of the threaded section of the #5 plug subsides as all the engine bits continue to develop a
good working relationship between each other. The other 3 look excellent, and what I've come to expect from an engine that spends
the majority of it's time in closed loop stoich operation.

****

I watched your video, and the fuel trims look excellent. I'm assuming no misfire counts and you mentioned no KS counts either?
EDIT: You mentioned no KS installed, my bad.

SBCs are such a pleasure to drive when they are in this kind of condition & tune. Look forward to the next time the plugs come
out, for they are the closest to the action and tell us the most. Between the state of the plugs plus the overall stats kept by the
computer we can get a really good feel for the overall health & efficiency of the engine.

Looking good!

No misfire detection on the aftermarket ECU either, but I feel like I would feel a misfire and mechanically there should be no reason for one.

Ditto on the oil on the plug, #8 had a bit too. It is not burning enough that it smoked at any point even before the cats went on. Also it now has ~350 miles on it, the oil level has not dropped enough to notice on the stick. Whatever it is burning currently is minimal.

The trims are very good, except for coasting at idle not in deceleration fuel cut-off. Showing -40% overall there but since it is not overly rich on the wideband, not too worried about it.

 

[L31MaxExpress]

Will the Edelbrock run a 4L80?

Nope but a P59 will.

 

[Scooterwrench]

Nope but a P59 will.

Run that fuel system better too.
That's just a used tranny you poked in there? If so then it shifts pretty good.

 

[L31MaxExpress]

Run that fuel system better too.
That's just a used tranny you poked in there? If so then it shifts pretty good.

It is the stock transmission that came in the van, it still had the OE Hydramatic filter in it when I changed it. I think it has 105K on it.

 

[L31MaxExpress]

Swapped on a brand new GM idler.....Made with modern GM quality.

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

 

[Supercharged111]

Consider the shareholder value maximized.