[funatic]

Took my 86 Le Baron T1 Mark Cross Special to the smog shop last week.

After it failed the smog test I took out the FWD Stage II computer and put the original stock computer in. They tested it again and to our surprise their was no difference at all. Same fail #'s.

I made an appointment to leave the car with them when we all had more time to work on it and then drove off with the stock computer still hooked up.


Curious about how the car would run with the stock computer v/s the FWD Stage II that I had just removed I did a couple of speed runs.

To my complete surprise the car ran exactly the same as it has been running with the Stage II computer! This I do not understand.


I remember that when I first hooked up the Stage II computer a few years ago it had made a big difference in my car's performance.

Since then I have had the motor professionally rebuilt, balanced, mild valve and mild porting work, installed a ported polished exhaust manifold, 2 1/2"
swing valve, down pipe and 2 1/2" mandrel bend exhaust all the way out.

Also installed a reduction pulley, vacuum block with new vacuum lines, wide band and boost gauges, alki/water injection, had the turbo rebuilt, new s/s turbo lines...

The car runs smooth and pretty fast - it's really fun to drive - but I have always thought that with all the modifications it should be or could be quicker.

[Wide band reads 10.5 at WOT. Dawes Device reads blue light at WOT]

Well it is only a T1, no intercooler, so only so much can be expected.

But what is up that the car is running exactly the same with the stock original computer as it has been with the FWD Stage II computer???

Should I have Cindy at FWD do a new calibration now after all of the performance upgrades that I have done?

Any other thoughts or ideas?

Thanks for reading all this. TD FUNATIC

 

[NAJ]

After reading on the stage 2 for 86 everything is designed for higher boost and better fueling/advance curves probably in boost.
Since you did not add an intercooler you do not want to use the added 14 lbs of boost capabilty at this time.

Failing emissions and running rich @ WOT are probably caused by normal/basic problems that have not been addressed and have nothing to do with the controller or its calibration.

 

[glhs727]

The stage 2 for a non-intercoled car is fine to run 14 psi of boost. It is meant for that! Simce the OP has meth, he can run even more boost like 16-17. The problem is a/f at 10.50. He is running way too rich. He should use less meth or no meth or turn down fuel pressure a little and get the car at 11.5 at WOT. Going from 10.5 to 11.50 a/f will make the car run better.
We have tested all our cals and ALL pass emissions here in Texas, so Im not suprised that if his FWD cal didn't pass, neither would his stock one. Why did it fail? what were the numbers? You may other issues that contribute to both why the car failed and why it is running less than spectacular. If anyone ever has a question about an FWD cal, feel free to call us up at 281-288-4411 and we would be happy to answer any questions.