First run. New motor. Looking for advice.

[Bluehaze]

Greetings all
This is my first ever post, so please be gentle.
I'm about to fire up a freshly re-built Holden 202 Cu.in (inline 6 from a 1986 Commodore) running an MSII controlling fuel and spark. (Motor is going into a 1961 Holden)
Yes, I know I should be testing the MS on a running motor, but the decision to go MS was made after the pull-down of the motor.
Fairly basic setup:
-High Z Injectors
-Coil driven by MS
-Ignition picked from VR on locked distributor
-NB o2 sensor (heated)
-Warm-up idle with fast idle valve
-Stock camshaft
The settings look OK theoretically..Theoretically. All the wiring has been done, and I have tested the MS using a signal generator as my distributor signal. Some aquarium tube and a disposable syringe shows me the MAP sensor works. The CLT and IAT sensors show correct readings, only the O2 sensor is yet to be proven. Adjusting the frequency of the signal generator gives me varying clicks from my injectors and a powerful string of sparks from the spark plug attached to the coil.
My concern is initial start-up where I need to maintain 2000 RPM for about 20 mins for camshaft lobe break-in. Most important will be keeping the timing not too advanced (the strobe will be on and ready), and keeping the fuelling not so rich as to wash the bore, and not so lean as to melt the valves!
From the way I read, (and i have done a lot of that) it appears that if I can get her to hold a steady rev range,(Prime,Crank and WUE settings) then all i need to do is adjust the active VE bins as if they are mixture screws on a carby. Use my ears and nose as a guide until I'm happy she's running on the rich side of stoich at temperature.
Any advice or tips from those of you who have actual experience would be fantastic.
Thanks
Richard
MS2 running V2.905 s/w

[trakkies]

Assuming you're starting with the default MSQ you get in TunerStudio for your code version, I'd go through setting all the constants carefully, and all the things which can be done before attempting a start. Check the base ignition setting isn't well out by using a strobe and cranking the engine.

Then follow the initial tuning instructions way of trimming the req. fuel to get it started and running well at 2000 rpm to bed in the cam. This is easier than altering the VE table by big chunks, as you would likely have to do.

But a WB O2 sensor would make things very much easier.

[Bernard Fife]

until I'm happy she's running on the rich side of stoich at temperature.

Richard,

You don't need to be on the rich side of stoich at no-load, which is what you will be for breaking in the cam. And the 20 minutes doesn't have to be continuous, so if you run in problems you can shut the engine down and restart it when you figure out the problem. The thing you don't want to do is run for any extended periods below ~2000 rpm.

If this was mine, I would:
- put a can of ZDDP (zinc additive) in the oil before starting (recommended for all flat tappet cams),
- open the throttle several turns using the stop to make sure the idle speed is nice and high (if there is no throttle stop screw, you can put a flat bladed screwdriver between the throttle plate and its stop),
- Set the hot cranking pulse width to ~30% of the req_fuel value, and the cold cranking pulse with to about 90% of the req_fuel value,
- Use the default warm-up table (or possibly increase it by 3-5%, but not much more),
- get the engine started and up to 2000 rpm using the throttle stop,
- at each current temperature as the engine warms up:
-- adjust the warm-up enrichment to get the highest engine speed,
-- adjust the throttle stop to get the engine speed back down to 2000 rpm,
-- then adjust the VE table at 2000 rpm and whatever load you see to get the minimum MAP value (in kPa). The rpm will increase as you do this, so you will have to keep adjusting the throttle stop.
- then check the timing advance with a timing light against the value in TunerStudio, and make them match using the trigger wizard.

All of this should only take three to five minutes, and the engine will never be below 2000 rpm. And you will be well on your way to having the idle and warm-up tuned. Personally, I wouldn't mess with the req_fuel value, that's not what it is intended for. A wideband sensor isn't needed or useful for tuning idle or no-load situations - you need to tune for minimum MAP.

Lance.

[Bluehaze]

Thanks Dave and Lance for your prompt and helpful advice.
Yes, this is running flat tappets, I have some moly paste which came with the new camshaft, but I will look out for the Zinc stuff,too.
The wideband O2 sensor is definitely in the future (I even welded a second screw bung in the manifold) but this may be for future fun.
I plan to take great care with both fuelling and ignition. Cranking with the strobe was definitely part of the plan, and keep an eye on the advance once running.
The throttle does have a screw stop, which will be well used during this process. I certainly look forward to finally kicking her over and running for the first time.
The EFI learning journey has already been a lot of fun, and I have yet to have an actual engine running to be tuned I certainly look forward to sharing the rest of this story and ultimately posting in the "Success stories" section.
Thanks again.

Richard

[Bluehaze]

Once again, a big thank you to the both of you.
After much cranking, swearing and learning, and a couple of false starts (a backfire inside my workshop had me checking my oxy sensor was still there! A bit of messing around getting my head around the ignition offset thing, then I was away I tell my wife that starting a motor that I've rebuilt myself is the closest thing us guys have to having babies Did the camhaft run-in in four five-minute intervals, all went well, except my radiator is a bit old-hence the breaks. Didnt touch the Reqfuel value, I checked it again and the math checks out from all angles. Seeing as how this motor type (Holden 202 cubic inch) I thought it wise to make an approximation of the timing map based on the original distributor, which was conservative, but at least safe. As for the Mixture, I kept dropping the active cells, one eye on the MAP, the other on the EGO gauges,until the PW fluttered gently at 14.7:1-nice stuff!. I'm trying to apply the same approach as I would with a carburetor, using the same principles on the effect of air/fuel ratios on engine performance across the power/RPM range.

Thanks for my 144 mixture screws!

Kind Regards
Richard

[Bernard Fife]

Richard,

Congratulations! I find tuning EFI is even simpler than tuning a carb because there aren't as many compromises (but there are many more 'mixture screws' to attend to, as you note!), and I am sure your prior experience helps a lot. There's no 'black magic', just understanding the operating principles and a dose of common sense.

People sometimes get intimidated by the tuning process, but I (and maybe you?) remember tuning many high compression, high rpm race engines before there was EFI and wide band EGO sensors, etc., and they generally didn't blow up any more than today's race engines do.

If there's one thing I wish people could take away from MegaSquirt, it's that tuning is not hard if you keep the engine's needs in mind, and understand how to fulfill those needs by studying how the controller works.

Lance.