Sykopny

I own a 1991 Mustang that I just installed a 331 C.I. into. It has a set of TFS Twisted Wedge heads with upgraded springs to support .600 lift also. I am also using a F303 cam which has a .512 I .512 E lift, BBK 255 LPH fuel pump in the tank, BBK fuel pressure regulator set at 44 PSI, 77mm C&L mass air meter with 30lb injectors, C&L air tube, K&N air filter, TFS Intake with a 75MM TB and spacer. The bottom end is a forged SCAT crank with SCAT h-beam rods connected to Probe pistons. There is also a D.S.S. main girdle with windage tray, aluminum flywheel and Fluid dampener balanced to 50 oz. I am running the smog pump and the cats due to the California emissions and the camshaft is installed straight up. I was going to advance 4 degrees, but the local race shop said it was unnecessary. I have a MSD Billet distributor with a MSD 6AL spark control computer and a Screamin Demon coil, and 9mm plug wires using Accel U-Groove plugs that I tapered the edges on and set to .035 gap. I am also running the timing at 13 degrees right now until I get 500 miles on it for break in. I also have a Mezier electric water pump with pulley, aluminum 3 row radiator with 2 bottles of Redline water wetter and water, Dual 11" cooling fans set to come on at 195 degrees. It has a 180 degree t-stat. The exhaust is a pair of Ceramic coated BBK equal lengths running through the high flow cats and out to 3 chamber flowmasters. Whew. Sorry for all of that, but I want someone with a vehicle close to my mods or a tech that could clue me in.

Here is the problem. Like I said above, 13 degrees timing and fuel pressure at 44 PSI, under full throttle and the temp gauge at 190 degrees and ambient temp outside 95 degrees, it pings. I've asked the local shop if I need a chip and he said no. Where should I set the pressure, or do I really need to take it and get it chipped. Any help would be great. It has a lot of low end torque, but I really feel no difference compared to the 180,000 mile 302 I took out, and it didn't have the electric waterpump and fans installed either. Thank you for any input & help.

rchull@adelphia.net

roundman

dyno tuning it would be a good idea to maximize the HP and torque available with the combination of parts you listed. you don't say if you're using 93 octane fuel or not, so I can't tell if your timing is too high or not. if you arent' using 93, try some and see if it still pings. if you already are using 93, then get it dyno tuned so they can eliminate the pinging. A custom chip dyno tuned to your combination would be worth the time and money involved since you have already invested a lot in your engine and you don't want to damage it now.

Sykopny

I only use super unleaded fuel, which is 91 octane here in calif. Here is the another thing, and let me know if I did it wrong. When I was building the motor, I used a dial indicator on the number 1 piston and found TDC, then I bolted on my fluid dampener and set the timing pointer to 0 on the balancer. Did I do this correctly? Maybe my timing is not where I think it is. This was my first ford engine build. Thanks for the help.

Stinger

Did you use a Book? You need higher octane in my opinion.Where is ur idel? all i do is put the nymber 1 piston up top then on timing chain there are 2 dots they need to be align together. One on top of the other. I used a 12 inch steel ruler to make sure it was striaght. Also with those mods you should be screaming.

roundman

not the most accurate way to find TDC as the piston will stay at the top and not move down although the crank will move through several degrees.
try this method instead. take an old spark plug and break out the insides so you can insert a bolt or other metal rod through the metal so that it sticks out about 1/4" more than the regular plug extension length does. make sure the rod is tight and cannot move, tack weld it if you can. turn the crank clockwise with a wrench until the #1 piston is coming up on the compression stroke but not all the way up to TDC. with the #1 piston down in the bore some, insert this piston stop into the spark plug hole snugly. now very carefully with a wrench turn the crankshaft clockwise until you feel the pistion just touch the stop. using the pointer as a guide mark, make a scribe mark on the damper at this position. now slowy turn the crank in the opposite direction until the piston comes back up and just touches the stop again. make another mark on the damper where the pointer is now. remove the piston stop and replace it with the regular spark plug. rotate the crank with a wrench so that the two marks you made are visible, usually on the bottom with you laying on your back. measure the distance between the two marks and make a third mark in the exact center between the first two marks. This final mark is now TDC. set your engine timing using this mark and see how it runs now. If you can't get anything better than 91 octane, you will have to lower the timing until the engine stops pinging under a load at WOT.
Hope this helps you out! First time building an engine is a lot of fun buy scary, ain't it?

mdvaldosta

class dismissed!

roundman

Thank ya, thank ya very much! (in my best Elvis voice!)