Is car safe to drive with low Advance Multiplier?
 

I'm struggling to figure out the problem with the Edelbrock kit and CARB tune on my car. I've been assured I'm not going to blow my motor with all the beating on it I have to do to get logs for them to retune it over and over again. My Advance Multiplier is less than one more than half the time and it spends a lot of time around 0.2, 0.4, and 0.7, sometimes it's 1 when running ok, which is not very often. I'm not trusting these guys have very much experience with this car or tuning in general (based on their inability to fix my problem after so many tuning adjustments) so I want to know if my car is safe to drive, and how hard can it be driven? Is it really as safe as they say?

If your advance routinely multiplier goes below 0.5, that's not a good thing. Especially when you are boosted. With FI, it's normal to see IAM fluctuate a bit. But what you are describing is an awfully large range. I would talk to Edlebrock.

But first you may want to try running a tank of octane boost (Lucas Oil octane boost works great). See if that stabilizes your IAM closer to 1.0. If it does, then you know the problem is due to marginal CA fuel quality.

Thanks Shiv, they have run a number of tunes on my car over the past weeks and we've not resolved my power loss issue, I just want to know if I can trust them when they say I'm not risking my motor blowing in this state. It sounds like it's in a dire situation to me based on the low IAM? So they are either lying to me or not knowledgeable enough to know it's in a high risk state? I have run three different tanks of gas, nothing has changed...

Definitely give the octane booster a try. That will bump your octane up a bit. And see if that has any effect on IAM behavior.

I've been reassured it's safe. The power loss gets worse with less timing, so the issue doesn't appear to be actual knock. We're still searching.

OP I do not mean to insult your intelligence however, you are running 91 right?? The only reason I ask is just recently there was an individual on the forum who was running 87.

I had the same issue in summer (fluctuating between 0.4-0.7), stage 1, running 91 Shell/Esso in Toronto. In winter, I'm getting around 0.9+ all the time. Will have to see this summer.

Heh, I'm not always intelligent, it's ok! ;)
I always intend to get 91 octane, as long as my brain talks to my body correctly that's what I get LOL. I filled up from three different high volume stations with a full tank of 91 after using almost all of the previous tank, the problem never changed. At some point I might make the trek to the race track and get a little 100 unleaded to see if it changes much.

Are you running the edelbrock kit?

:lol: Jab to @RichardsFRS

No, pretty much just aftermarket catback, Q300.

Have you tried re-flashing (id think that would reset the IAM) the tune and running Esso 93 or PC94? Its really weird for it to be so low on a 91 tune running Esso 91.

What other mods? I would pull logs to see if you're running lean causing more knock.

Yeah, but if there is knock the IAM will drop back down anyways. So far in winter it's fine, always 0.9-1.0. I did also notice I get higher at one Esso 91 station in Etobicoke vs Esso 91 @ Yonge/Steeles.

I'll most likely put on a header this summer, will try Esso 93 then.

That's all I've done, cat-back and the mid-pipe that comes with it.