Show & Tell: The crap I do under a tarp

mfsuper90 said:

Your welds look fine! Sweet looking setup there, dont worry my tig welds look worse than that. Guess thats what I get for only using tig once a month.

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Most of my experience in bonding metal is by way of 5~15% silver-brazing typical copper piping in HVAC&R stuff. Else, not very often with a Dayton 100amp buzz-box ac stick-welder. My Dad had a VERY old (75years?) 400amp buzz-box. It's massive!

However, five or so years ago, a former employer sold me a slightly used Miller Maxstar 150 STL for less than $1000 IIRC. It included the wah-wah peddle. I used it to TIG the SS hot-stuff and the CRS of the exhaust plumbing. I'd never welded SS before.

That being said, the vast majority of the welds in the turbo and exhaust stuff are without filler-metal being added.
- Those pipe-to-pipe butt-joints were cut flat, then trued with a 16" disc-sander. Having the joints butt-up very well, I simply fluidized a puddle all the way around.
- The V-band flanges are of the stepped-type in that they can fit a number of size pipes. I simply used the neighboring step in the flange as filler, and flowed it down into the pipe.
- Rather than worry with purging everything with Argon along the way, I used the powder/alcohol mix stuff specifically for welding SS (I can't remember its name).
- I used my exhaust-pipe expanders to hold all the round stuff true to one another. THAT worked sweetly.

I learned how SS holds the torch heat MUCH more that comparable steel metal. :doh:
I learned the importance of jig/fixtures for holding stuff and welding in short dashes (warping). :doh:
There's to much undercutting for my liking. :doh:

I need a LOT more practice!


I'm still recovering from being burn't-out with the turbo-build. :charger:

We poked around under the truck and hood this past weekend.
- Many of the engine oil seals are weeping. I figure the 285,000 miles on the short-block have the pistons/cylinders less than parallel & true. Bringing the heap up to full boost . . . . . often . . . . doesn't help.
- Found the water-pump was weeping around its shaft-seal. Replaced it (2nd in 25 years).
- Checked/adjusted the valve-lash.
- Cleaned/oiled the air-filter.
- Checked/tightened all the fasteners in the passenger-side of the engine-bay.


The local track is suppose to open this coming Thursday with a T&T. The National Weather Service says: "No, they ain't".

Well, I was finally able to make a few passes at the local track. I'm kinda bummed with it but .. ..

It was cool between 55* ~ 60*f at night. The first pass was very early in the evening after only a few other cars. As always, I drove around the water-box as I race in 4WD.

For the last few years I've been launching with 25 or so psig. With the conditions of the evening, these tires weren't having it. VERY violent tire hop/shudder . . . ..

first pass on new tires and triple turbos - YouTube



I was only able to make a clean launch with no more than 15 or so psig. With that, the best it could do was an 8.32 in the 8th. That's about a 2 sec 60'. I'm use to a 60' of about 1.7ish.

Any suggestions?

Did you have anyone there to see if the front or rear was causing it? Or where it started as far as front or rear?

jlbayes said:

Did you have anyone there to see if the front or rear was causing it? Or where it started as far as front or rear?

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As I've been running in the T&Ts there for a number of years, I'm well acquainted with the guy holding the GO button.
In coming around for the next pass, he stopped what he does and walked over to say hello and what the Hell happened? He said the truck jumped straight up.

From my point of view, it's predominantly in the rear.

A lot of folks were having traction issues I've learned. I do specifically recall one of the track guys coming around at some point saying they were spraying the track to help.

I do have an established issue of torque-steer with the basic steering stuff of the 1st-gen straight axle. Wants to turn left when lifting the left/front of the truck.

This is looking out back of the last pass of the evening. I was interested in the smoke.
Compared to the former 3B/62, @ 80lbs/min, the 62s at 150lbs/min cleans things up nicely.
Before, it was common to be approaching/around 1600*f at the top of the 8th. With the same fueling, 1280*f all evening with the trips.

Here again, launching with 25psig, it appears things got loose with the turbos coming to full song (when the truck gets a little sideways).

Perhaps this is nothing more than learning to drive the heap all over?

This pass ~
R/T: .175
60': 2.002
330: 5.627
1/8: 8.688
MPH: 79.74

Reduced WOT smoke - YouTube



Out of six passes, the best for the evening was launching at around 15psig boost ~

R/T: .230
60': 1.741
330: 5.287
1/8: 8.328
MPH: 80.21


It must be noted that: With the former 3B/62, 4" exhaust, AT Radials, etc, the heap weighed-in at 6400lbs. With the trips, 5" exhaust, etc, We're up to 6600lbs.

That's 0.2 seconds in the quarter by that rule of thumb. :bang

Made a few more passes this past week. The track was notably warmer after a daytime high approaching 80*f. Further, there were a lot more cars there laying rubber on the track.

Was able to launch at a solid 25psig. As such, there was still a little wheel-spin just out of the hole.

No improvement on ET or trap-speed. :bang

032918 - YouTube

Gotta get on with sorting the various fuel pressures and then nail down the timing advance stuff.

OK, before the rear-end showed its hiney, I was addressing an ongoing issue with the IP case-pressure dropping at WOT. As the VE dynamic timing is powered by the case-pressure, a droop in pressure results in a retarding of the timing advance.

With recently upgrading the data-logger mess, I'm now able to better see what's going on in the IP.
- I'm working with a selection of timing device springs and am able to readily adjust the preload as needed.
- I'm not necessarily at a fixed static (if you will) case-pressure.
- Fixing to upgrade the lift-pump mess to assure a stable fuel supply to the IP.


At this point, I'm spending a little time with the data-logger to cypher what to try next.

This is an attempt to illustrate what I'm feeling in the seat of my pants . . .



OK, some notes beforehand:

- Time is seen from left to right. Each of the yellow vertical lines is at one half second intervals.
- WHITE: Truck speed in MPH.
- PINK: IP case-pressure.
- ORANGE: Engine RPM.
- PURPLE: Boost (at intake log).

OK. See my colored DOTS at the bottom of the image? Start at the left with the RED DOT . . .

RED Dot: 547.5 seconds.
- Just cruising at 52 MPH.
- At 1632 engine RPM.
- There's 126 PSIG case-pressure.
- There's 3 PSIG boost.
It's at this point that I start mashing the throttle to the floor.

BLUE Dot: 549 seconds.
- I'm up to 54 MPH.
- The engine is up to 2050 RPM.
- The case pressure has dropped to 113 PSIG.
- The boost is up to 10 PSIG.
It's at this point the throttle's on the floor.

GREEN Dot: 550 seconds.
- I'm up to 63 MPH.
- The engine's up to 2659 RPM.
- The case pressure is up to 122 PSIG.
- The boost is up to 36 PSIG.
At this point, the engine RPM have risen thus increasing the IP's shaft speed, thus case-pressure has risen to the point of regulation. The dynamic timing is following that pressure fall and rise.

YELLOW Dot: 551.55 seconds.
- I'm up to 66.8 MPH.
- The engine's up to 2728 RPM.
- The case-pressure is up to 136 PSIG.
- Boost is at 55.5 PSIG @ the head.
It's at this point I have just started backing off the throttle.

Notice how after I let off the throttle, the case pressure jumps (and apparently becomes a little unstable. I think that's the case-pressure regulator bouncing opener and closer). You'll also notice the truck's rate of acceleration kicks up notably (WHITE trace). It's my belief the case-pressure jumping up, is more fully advancing the timing (as compared to the recent droop) resulting in more power to the wheels as is made evident by the uptick in acceleration.






I need to have that full injection event timing advance for the duration of the WOT, in a perfect world.
- It may very well be a case of me misinterpreting the data all together.
- It may very well be a thing of adjusting the operating characteristics of the case-pressure regulator.
- May be as simple as dialing-in the IP timing-advance device spring.
- Turning down the fuel seems counter-productive in itself BUT, clearly, backing off a little appears to NET more power wound up.

This data-logging mess certainly invites a lot of consideration.

****.

There's a number of way to turn down the fuel if it HAD to be done.
- Back off main fuel screw.
- Limit WOT via the high-idle screw.
- Raise the POP-pressure of the injectors (lots of fine-print).

****.



If I were a high-school boy, I'd be frustrated to the point of giving up as there's no App to do all this mess in a couple of minutes. Damn it!

EDIT the above post:
"Notice how after I let off the throttle, the case pressure jumps (and ap"

Should read: "Notice how AS I let off the throttle, the case pressure jumps (and ap".


I think I need to dial-in the timing device spring and its preload. Perhaps start with a lower full stroke pressure. . . . . maybe . . . . with a higher preload . . . . . maybe.:bang

Turned the fuel up a little and oiled the throttle linkage. Aired down the tires 3psig.

Nice improvement. From 8.32 down to 8.27. MUCH better launch.

04192018 - YouTube



Still working on it.

Nice! Good to see you are making steady progress and improvements. I know you have a traction bar setup for the rear axle, but I was wandering if a similar one for the front might be in order at this point? I recall reading multiple times that the
4wd first gen chassis can do some funky stuff when a truck is making good power and makes a good hit. “Caltrack” type traction bars would work best for purely preventing axle wrap I’d imagine, but I’m not sure how they would affect on road driving/ride. I know, one thing at a time right?

Also, thanks for sharing the data logs. It’s cool to see the real time data on what is going on with/within these old VE pumped 12v motors, and takes seat of the pants feeling to tangible data that the truck can be tuned with. Good work man!

Thanks for sharing your data and results. I don’t have much to offer for diagnosing purposes, but am sure gland when you post what your finding are.

Good progress.

Well, dang-it.

I'd like to say I've actually done something with the truck other than just drive it but . . .

I'm still spending money on the stupid thing. :doh:

In addition with starting and actually completing the lift-pump upgrade, and the under the truck electric upgrade (trans, fuel, lift-pump), etc., I need to refresh the transmission, at a minimum.

I'm soliciting some things I might miss in the "refreshment" of my trans.

Context: To this day, I've run a NON lock-up converter. In the beginning, I thought staying NON lock-up would perhaps help me keep from breaking stuff. Yeah, well. LOL I've managed to break all three shafts in one form or another, primarily IMO due to sloppy OEM bushings, bearings, and such.

So, at this moment, I've got a 280K mile 46RH (A518) case, with a full billet/alloy 2007 48RE rotating assembly less the NON lock-up input-shaft and converter. (The input-shaft is still billet/alloy). The 3-speed section has increased clutch & steel counts in the clutch-packs. The overdrive section has the 18(?) count clutch. All the planetaries are steel carrier/6-pinion units.
The current custom converter is one of two (Brad with Suncoast runs the other).

And then a 47RH case and engine/trans adapter showed up on the back porch recently. :doh:

When the case showed up, I thought, "Cool! I'll use that when I refresh the trans here shortly, and take advantage of the increased meat, etc".
- The Lock-up trans/engine adapter stood up and said: "Liar liar, pants on fire".

So, I reckon in the near future I'll be looking into a different converter.

Anyhoo, the current trans, other than normal expected wear for a trans that's beat on with moderate power, has the typical goodies . . . .

A 48RE 3-speed section:


That shell is the OEM, thinner 46RH. Is there any real advantage to replacing that with the thicker OEM shell from the later 47 & 48s? It's thinner thus lighter. I've never seen any pounding of the tabs where they engage the next component.





All the planetaries are steel carrier 6-pinion units:







In the case of the planetaries, I've upgraded all the associated thrust-bearings/washer to the 48RE version.





Again, all the shafts are billet/alloy:



Can't find a pic of the other shaft.




All the clutch-packs have increased steel/disc counts:






All the thrust bearings/washers, ball & sleeve bearings, etc have been renewed throughout:






Perhaps it's all overkill for my power level, But then I can beat the crap out of it on the Thursday TNT, and then drive it round-trip to the coast the following weekend.


Can anybody think of something to pay particular attention to with switching over to lock-up?

Thanks guys.

Thicker belview (sp?) spring in the forward clutch pack to handle higher line pressure is about all I would suggest. I’ve replaced the factory thickness one after each refresh from getting flattened at roughly 180-210psi.


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YOUNG GUNS15 said:

Thicker belview (sp?) spring in the forward clutch pack to handle higher line pressure is about all I would suggest. I’ve replaced the factory thickness one after each refresh from getting flattened at roughly 180-210psi.

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That's exactly the kind of info I'm looking.

Thank you, Sir.

Very nice work.