Let's start a junkyard fuel injection discussion

[Kilohertz]

Appreciate the compliment.

Yes I just wanted to confirm it was going to work before I started building the wiring harness properly and attaching it to the engine and firewall. I also need to paint the firewall and detail the engine bay before starting to attach wires. There is still lots of tuning to do as currently it is "just" running but that will all come in time. There are about 58,000 parameters that can be changed in the computer, ha ha so I am just beginning to learn. There’s a few things I need to focus on, the fuel tables and spark timing tables. I was just happy to hear it fire up, it was a very cool moment.

More later.

Cheers

[Ken Henry]

Really nice work! The engine sounds great and I'm sure you'll be cruising around in no time. What are you planning to use for an air cleaner?

[Kilohertz]

Originally Posted by Ken Henry

Really nice work! The engine sounds great and I'm sure you'll be cruising around in no time. What are you planning to use for an air cleaner?

Thanks Ken!

Cruising around...maybe 2022, more likely 2023. And air cleaner....Mmmm? That's currently on page 17 of things to do on the truck. Ha! I haven't thought about it yet but it will be something period correct (50's not 90's) I even polished the steel fuel supply and return lines, they look like chrome now, not sure how long that will last but they are only 18" stubs going to fuel hose to absorb the engine vibration before going back to steel on the frame rail, they will be easy to remove if I need to re-polish them.

Now I am starting to dive into the programming of the ECM chip which is going to take some doing, but it's all part of the fun.

Cheers

[Kilohertz]

Forgot to ask, does anybody here know what the BSFC (Brake Specific Fuel Consumption) is for the 239 Flathead? It's a different form of VE and I need it for some of the calculations for the ECM.

Thanks!

[Zeke3]

So, I come from the Diesel world and the BSFC was published along with the torque and horsepower curves for a given engine. All the curves were at full load (full throttle although there is no throttling on a Diesel engine like on a gasoline engine). The BSFC curve was usually a smile shaped curve with the low point occurring at the peak torque point and the units are lbs. of fuel consumed per brake horsepower * hour (#/bhp-hr).

Maybe JWL took some fuel consumption measurements during the dyno testing that his book is based on.

I did find a some graphs in an old text book that put the sfc for a mid 60s Buick V6 in the 0.42 to 0.50 #/hp-hr range.

Good luck with your project, the engine sounds like it idled well.

[V8COOPMAN]

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Originally Posted by Kilohertz

I even polished the steel fuel supply and return lines, they look like chrome now, not sure how long that will last but they are only 18" stubs going to fuel hose to absorb the engine vibration before going back to steel on the frame rail, they will be easy to remove if I need to re-polish them.

Back in about 1992 when I was doing a body-off restoration on our '65 Corvette Coupe, I merely applied spray-bomb CLEAR to the shiny steel brake and fuel lines. Upon closer inspection about two months ago with the car's new owner, those lines appear just about as nice and shiny today as they were 29 years ago. DD
.

[Kilohertz]

A quick update…

I have been making all sorts of tuning changes in the ECM and have it running much better. Still many changes to make, there are literally hundreds of parameters that can be adjusted.

I’ll update again a bit later. Updated video link below.

Cheers

https://www.dropbox.com/s/676w1drzmv..._1359.MOV?dl=0

[Ken Henry]

Excellent! I know what you mean about so many parameters. It can make it kind of daunting to tune, but you'll get there! Unfortunately I can't get the new video to play.

[tubman]

That link doesn't work for me either.

[Kilohertz]

Thanks for letting me know...made this post on my phone today...I just redid it...try again pls and let me know.

I can program a GM ECM but can't post a simple link...

cheers

[Kilohertz]

Originally Posted by Zeke3

So, I come from the Diesel world and the BSFC was published along with the torque and horsepower curves for a given engine. All the curves were at full load (full throttle although there is no throttling on a Diesel engine like on a gasoline engine). The BSFC curve was usually a smile shaped curve with the low point occurring at the peak torque point and the units are lbs. of fuel consumed per brake horsepower * hour (#/bhp-hr).

Maybe JWL took some fuel consumption measurements during the dyno testing that his book is based on.

I did find a some graphs in an old text book that put the sfc for a mid 60s Buick V6 in the 0.42 to 0.50 #/hp-hr range.

Good luck with your project, the engine sounds like it idled well.

Thanks Zeke,

I searched again today but still can't find any solid data on BSFC , I found one comment said "about 75% VE" but that is pretty vague.

Anybody have and data on BFSC?

Cheers

[Als48]

Looking and sounding good! The video works for me.

Al Hook

[Ken Henry]

Awesome!! I can post my fuel table from Megaquirt tomorrow if that would be helpful? I’m not sure it’s 100% dialed in but runs pretty good for a stock 8BA with dual throttle bodies and no other mods. Ken

[Kilohertz]

Thanks Ken,

I think for now I will work with what is already in the ECM, it learns as it goes so once I have my data interface cable built, I can monitor the live data and make required changes. Also our injectors are different and probably fuel pressure as well, I'm finding out there are a lot of external variables that influence the tune.

Thank you for the offer.

cheers

[Kilohertz]

I have made tremendous progress this past weekend and have pretty much dialed in the idle and off idle settings. It starts right up, even when it's 5C in the shop, and warms up and idles down to a nice 700 RPM idle. I have figured out how to log the data with my laptop and can see all the parameters required for tuning. I also successfully installed a PCV setup, it's just for testing right now, I will make it out of aluminum for the final version but it's what I had on hand to test it.

Now I can pull it all off the firewall and paint the firewall, then start installing the proper wiring harness and make it look correct.

That's the current update.

Cheers

https://www.dropbox.com/s/nj7755ypdh..._1442.MOV?dl=0

[Mart]

You have done a great job getting it running and idling like that. I will be interested in seeing how it looks once you have finished the tidying up. Would it be best to wait until the vehicle is up and running before doing further tuning work?
Mart.

[Kilohertz]

Originally Posted by Mart

You have done a great job getting it running and idling like that. I will be interested in seeing how it looks once you have finished the tidying up. Would it be best to wait until the vehicle is up and running before doing further tuning work?
Mart.

Thanks Mart!

Yes, I will either look for an engine harness from an S-10 Blaser/Jimmy, which doesn't have the big ugly bulkhead in the harness, or hide this one under the dash with the computer. I am trying to locate some cloth wrap for the harness, I think that would have been period correct, if not, the split loom stuff will work. I am planning on putting the computer under the dash, very close to the heater box, and run the harness thru the pre-drilled hole in the floorboards, right under the heater box. It should give me enough length to get to the distributor, the farthest point on the engine.

For sure, further tuning will have to wait until I get it on the road, which will be spring time. I just wanted to prove I could make it work reliably and then proceed with other items, of which there are many.

Cheers

[V8COOPMAN]

.

K-Hertz ......My hat is off to you, Sir. Some parts of this are still a little over my head, but your latest video is obviously showing the rewards of your work, and mostly all with junkyard parts. Can't wait 'till you're able to sneak a ride around the block. PLEASE keep us in the loop. I'm digging this big time! DD
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[Kilohertz]

Originally Posted by V8COOPMAN

.

K-Hertz ......My hat is off to you, Sir. Some parts of this are still a little over my head, but your latest video is obviously showing the rewards of your work, and mostly all with junkyard parts. Can't wait 'till you're able to sneak a ride around the block. PLEASE keep us in the loop. I'm digging this big time! DD
.

Thank you Dave, I really appreciate the compliment, especially from one of the forums more knowledgeable flathead guys.

I made a cold start this morning, 5C in the shop, and she fired right up, sat at 1000 RPM for about 40 seconds, then dropped down to 900 after the time delay built in...then once she hit 80C temp, dropped to 700 RPM and 12* SA, just like I programmed it. One thing I noted is that right after start she was a little rough, barking out the exhaust, timing was 16* which I think is what was causing that. There are tables in the BIN file that add spark timing when cold for the original GM 350, so tonight I deleted those and will try again tomorrow morning to see if she is happier with just the 12*.

I am REALLY enjoying being able to use my electronics background to improve the running of a 70 year old engine. My Dad commented tonight that in all his years of hot rodding flatheads in the 50's, he has never seen one run so well, and been so snappy off idle, as this one. That's enough to make me happy.

It was also pretty amusing machining PVC pipe fittings on the lathe to test the PCV system...I live in the country and try to use what I have on hand to save the hour trip into town...it worked, and there is great evacuation of the engine crankcase with this setup.

I'll report back in the morning after I try the reduced timing.

Cheers

[Ken Henry]

I used ‘classic braid’ from Painless Wiring. It has a dull finish like cloth and I’m really happy with it. Unfortunately it’s not cheap and it’s best to buy a few different diameters.