Edelbrock E-force Owner's thread and FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

[shiumai]

@86fun - man, that sucks. i've been following your posts, hoping to see a resolution as well. still hoping with ya!

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by 86fun

Finished reinstalling the SC with two new gaskets. This time I put the SC in place first and then installed the gaskets afterward and I only set the SC down in perfect alignment with the corresponding bolt holes in the head after the gaskets were in, no chance of damage.


It was all pretty quick, just bleeding the IC coolant takes some time.


I reflashed the ECU back to the original CARB tune provided, cleared DTCs/etc.


Took a drive.... and..... still has the problem, so far it seems just as prominent as before the gasket was fixed. I kind of figured this might not help because the damaged gasket still had quite a bit of height to it, despite what the pics look like, it would have been clamped down really well. I guess my suspicion was correct... so much for that hope.


I guess I won't be bending over for that beating after all....


I'll go out in a bit and do some more logging. Maybe the problem is related to the ECUTek disconnects, who knows... I'm really tired of this whole thing right now.

How about you come by CSG (with an appt) so we can do some logging? On the house, as I'm curious as to what's going on too.

[86fun]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

How about you come by CSG (with an appt) so we can do some logging? On the house, as I'm curious as to what's going on too.

That would be awesome but I'm like 500miles from there! I can do the logging, when it's not acting up, that's easy. Looking at the logs and figuring out what's not working right seems to be the hard part.

[BigFatFlip]

Originally Posted by 86fun

That would be awesome but I'm like 500miles from there! I can do the logging, when it's not acting up, that's easy. Looking at the logs and figuring out what's not working right seems to be the hard part.

I think at this point people should be lining up trying to figure out your problem just for bragging rights. I'm pulling for ya buddy!

[86fun]

Here are the logs for tonight.


I tried to log the entire 40min or so of driving, but ECUTek would not stay connected for the first 15-20min. You'll see the logs are very short where it kept disconnecting, mostly when I would give it a slight bit of throttle.


Later it started lasting longer and longer, and then I got a few runs with quite a bit longer logs.


It's a similar story to the usual hesitation/bucking behavior, it started out ok, but not great, and then got drastically worse by the end, bucking me hard enough to send my head rocking front to back... like riding a wild bull!


I notice the tell tale signs where I was having trouble are when the advance multiplier goes below .5 and the ignition timing starts spending time in negative territory under load, especially just light/moderate load.


Fuel trims mostly stayed inline, I guess, I don't understand them completely yet.. .but they stayed around +/- 20 for the most part.. getting to about -25 once.


Not sure what to do now, open for suggestions!

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by 86fun

Here are the logs for tonight.


I tried to log the entire 40min or so of driving, but ECUTek would not stay connected for the first 15-20min. You'll see the logs are very short where it kept disconnecting, mostly when I would give it a slight bit of throttle.


Later it started lasting longer and longer, and then I got a few runs with quite a bit longer logs.


It's a similar story to the usual hesitation/bucking behavior, it started out ok, but not great, and then got drastically worse by the end, bucking me hard enough to send my head rocking front to back... like riding a wild bull!


I notice the tell tale signs where I was having trouble are when the advance multiplier goes below .5 and the ignition timing starts spending time in negative territory under load, especially just light/moderate load.


Fuel trims mostly stayed inline, I guess, I don't understand them completely yet.. .but they stayed around +/- 20 for the most part.. getting to about -25 once.


Not sure what to do now, open for suggestions!

Check all the wires on your tmap and maf harness. Make sure they are completely undamaged, unfrayed, and are not near any sources of interferance. Your MAP and MAF readings do not correlate. You're getting crazy fuel trims because the AFR and the MAF readings are not lining up, which is causing your bucking.

Also check your MAF sensor. Clean it off with MAF cleaner. Make sure the o-ring is intact and the orientation of the MAF is proper.

[86fun]

It's interesting you say my fuel trims are really far off. I've shared logs with another person with this kit and they have very similar fuel trims. Perhaps there is a bigger issue going on here? or a bad MAP sensor was sent out with the kit? Or the tune is not good?


The first thing I did was check the O-rings on those two sensors when I had this problem, as I've experienced similar issues in past cars with those sensors being off. I will check these again anyway. Does anyone have the electrical testing values for these sensors handy? Maybe one is heating up and misbehaving....

One thing is really clear to me, the more people I talk to with this kit they explain a very similar experience with the low RPM hesitation, I'm beginning to believe mine is not just a fluke anymore.

[NotSoJDM]

Originally Posted by 86fun

One thing is really clear to me, the more people I talk to with this kit they explain a very similar experience with the low RPM hesitation, I'm beginning to believe mine is not just a fluke anymore.

There is a big difference between the hesitation I have experienced, and the issues you are having. I am willing to bet this is the same for others who have commented with low RPM hesitation as well.


Having an advance multiplier that drops down <.20 is definitely a fluke, so I wouldn't bank too much on this being a widespread concern. Even on my CARB tune, my IAM was north of 0.70, and with my DT tune it is 1 all the time.


You have an underlying issue that needs to be addressed, as it is not normal user experience to have the drivability issues you describe to the severity you describe. Looking at you're logs, there is obviously something very wrong.


You can always try a DT flash to see if it really is the CARB tune at fault. But that is $395 chance you'd have to be willing to take. If you get their flash, and still have the problem, then at least you know it isn't the CARB tune, and can cross that off the list.

[86fun]

I guess without actually seeing everyone's logs under similar conditions to confirm, it is inconclusive to actually make a board statement that the kit is ok for everyone. Based on contacts I've made by posting my experience with the kit so far I am definitely not the only person having this trouble with the kit.

[NotSoJDM]

Originally Posted by 86fun

I guess without actually seeing everyone's logs under similar conditions to confirm, it is inconclusive to actually make a board statement that the kit is ok for everyone. Based on contacts I've made by posting my experience with the kit so far I am definitely not the only person having this trouble with the kit.

I was a very early adopter to this kit (possibly the first kit installed that wasn't a proto), and have been following this thread ever since. I've been in 1on1 contact with just about every owner that is active in this thread (including you), and your kit is the first I've seen any issue that was to the level of severity that you describe.


I documented tip in knock on the CARB tune (using a catless header) and even that was never more severe than -2.1 knock feedback and never an IAM below 0.7. Your logs are showing over -5 degrees of knock feedback, and at part throttle with an IAM consistently less than 0.5! That is a HUGE red flag that something is very wrong. I have yet to hear from any other owner that they are experiencing this level of knock correction. If you know of someone else with this condition, can you ask them to post a comparable log showing similar issues so we can have a look between the two?


If anyone else has logs from their kits, I would welcome them to post them as well for review. Consistency from log to log in regards to partial throttle position is next to impossible, but I will try to take a log for you of mine tonight. Just let me know gear, rpm to rpm, and throttle % you want.

[86fun]

Unfortunately some people are not on the forum, but I'll ask them to post.


My standard test is to go from 2-3k RPM at 20-30% throttle. If you go up a hill while doing this it will allow the logs to capture the event for a longer period of time. Looking at my logs you can see what I was doing and what the vehicle speed was. I'm usually in 3rd or 4th gear to make the problem more apparent in the logs. The trouble spot goes by faster in 1st and 2nd but is still very apparent there too by feel.


Mine usually starts out with an Advance Multiplier of 1 and normal Ignition Timing, but after a spirited run or two or maybe just driving around for 30-40min it will start misbehaving... although sometimes it just does it right off the bat from startup.

[86fun]

Originally Posted by NotSoJDM

I was a very early adopter to this kit (possibly the first kit installed that wasn't a proto), and have been following this thread ever since. I've been in 1on1 contact with just about every owner that is active in this thread (including you), and your kit is the first I've seen any issue that was to the level of severity that you describe.


I documented tip in knock on the CARB tune (using a catless header) and even that was never more severe than -2.1 knock feedback and never an IAM below 0.7. Your logs are showing over -5 degrees of knock feedback, and at part throttle with an IAM consistently less than 0.5! That is a HUGE red flag that something is very wrong. I have yet to hear from any other owner that they are experiencing this level of knock correction. If you know of someone else with this condition, can you ask them to post a comparable log showing similar issues so we can have a look between the two?


If anyone else has logs from their kits, I would welcome them to post them as well for review. Consistency from log to log in regards to partial throttle position is next to impossible, but I will try to take a log for you of mine tonight. Just let me know gear, rpm to rpm, and throttle % you want.

I see you're in North Carolina, so that means you're using way different fuel than us in California. That could be a major factor in our different experiences with the kit.

[NotSoJDM]

Originally Posted by 86fun

I see you're in North Carolina, so that means you're using way different fuel than us in California. That could be a major factor in our different experiences with the kit.

It definitely could be, and that is why someone mentioned adding octane booster to your car to see if that alleviated your issue. I believe that was in your thread in the Software Tuning sub forum. Did you try what they suggested?

[86fun]

Edelbrock has a new tune for me today, after I test that I think I'll make the trek over to the race track to mix in some 100 unleaded and see what happens.






We've been making a lot of changes and I haven't wanted to throw an unknown factor into the mix during those changes. It's also not a real solution, even if it does help... it might just mask the real problem. It also takes a long time to dilute the fuel back to regular 91 and driving the car kind of sucks at the moment.