Karman Sutra

[Fiatdude]

Hmmmmm

[Fiatdude]

Did a quick tune and put the E85 in the Ghia (actually winter blend so it is E70 LOL) went and got the trailer and loaded the Ghia up



So Since I can't make it to Bug-in on Sunday -- I'm gonna do the Cars and Coffee in Irvine at 6am Saturday Morning -- then going to the DKK get together at Hero's at 11am -- see if I can get through the day without doing in another trans LOL

[Fiatdude]

Ha --- Just noticed that it 2 years and 1 week since I brought the Ghia "Home" -- How time flies when you're having fun

[BeetleBug]

Thanks for sharing. Will you take it to a dyno and get it tuned soon you think? It will be interesting to see the results.

-BB-

[Rick Meredith]

Great meeting you at Cars & Coffee this morning Harold.

[Fiatdude]

Twas a beautiful day in the neighborhood ----

Cars and Coffee was great





Then the Hero's get together was off the charts

[Fiatdude]

Thanks for sharing. Will you take it to a dyno and get it tuned soon you think? It will be interesting to see the results.

-BB-

Hey BB -- I've got a big job coming up where I'll be pretty busy for the next two months --SOooooOOOOoooo I'll be draining the E85 out, then running a few gallons of the 100LL thru it (no Alcohol) and parking the car until the job is done -- but when I do get it on the dyno I'll be glad to let you know how it goes.................

[Fiatdude]

Great meeting you at Cars & Coffee this morning Harold.

Thanks for chasing us down the street and introducing yourself Rick -- great meeting you

[BeetleBug]

Hey BB -- I've got a big job coming up where I'll be pretty busy for the next two months --SOooooOOOOoooo I'll be draining the E85 out, then running a few gallons of the 100LL thru it (no Alcohol) and parking the car until the job is done -- but when I do get it on the dyno I'll be glad to let you know how it goes.................

OK. All you need to do is to drain the E85 and replace it with ordinary gasoline that you mix with a fair share of two stroke oil. Let the engine run with the mix for a while and that will keep everything ready to go when you are ready again.

-BB-

[Fiatdude]

Was giving the neighbor some friendly chit about racing his side-by-side up and down the street and how loud it was -- then about an hour later, I pull the Ghia out for a putt to the auto parts store -- I look back and there's my neighbor chasing me down -- I stop, he pulls up and yells, 'YOUR GHIA IS A LOT LOUDER THAN MY CHIT!!'

I say, 'Huh??? I can't hear you???'

[Fiatdude]

Got a phone call late last night -- job canceled until Monday morning,, cool,, So now I can go to Fontana Sunday

SOOooo -- I got off my butt and put the mirrors on -- plus installed the wink mirror too -- I know -- just how cool can I get LOL -- -- -- Now,,, I'm all dolled up for the car show here in Yucaipa for Friday night --

[Fiatdude]

Another one of those events where I wish I had taken some pictures but didn't -- -- Yucaipa had it's First Friday meet at the Von's center and there were some 200+ cars there and over 20 of them were VW's -- We took over a whole row of parting spaces and it was really cool (there were a few scattered over the rest of the event too)

It's nice to be accepted as part of the hotrodding community here at this local event -- bring you junk to the next one June 6th -- don't get there after 6 or your butt will be parked in the sticks and outside of the "show"

[Old Guy]

Hmmmmm

Rescue it.  It looks like it needs a good home.  I think it's already had all its shots.  You probably could get it for a $250.00 donation to the "Fiat Rescue Foundation".

[Fiatdude]

Don't want to say my tune was off but my tog was at 7 and now it is at 12 -- and still playing with it ------ My issue is now way too fat at idle when cold -- spent some time pulling a ton of enrichments out of it -- now just have to wait until tomorrow to try it again LOL --

Set up to go to my favorite little car show here in Yucaipa Friday night (tomorrow) -- last month we had a whole lane of VW's -- I'll take some pictures this time -- -- June last year had over 900 cars at it, can't get there late or you're parking in the booneys

[Fiatdude]

Been ignoring my own thread for a while -- been taking the Ghia out to several events and having a good time with it!!!!

Found a Electromotive guy down in Manhattan Beach that is very good -- but he doesn't know E85 -- BUT he hooked up my computer to his over the internet and spent about an hour tuning and playing and the car has really come around and is running really good, just needs some dyno time to finish it up -- been installing a wide band O2 sensor into it for the past couple of days and cleaning up some wiring issues I 've experienced since getting it on the road --

When I left the DKP meet at Garden Grove last Friday, I rolled into it about quarter throttle and the boost came up and I was onto the limiter in a heart beat -- NICE -- now this old man is gonna have to learn how to drive a hot rod all over again --

[Neil Davies]

Isn't it scary how you can connect your car to the internet and have someone else tune it from a distance? One of the UK Pro Mod racers, Andy Frost, has his 6 second street car tuned by a guy thousands of miles away! I stand next to mine and still cant work out what it's doing...

[Fiatdude]

too true Neil -- My problem is I know what it wants, but don't know the program well enough to get it to do it LOL

Gonna take it for a run downtown and make a data log for the tuner and then send it to him -- he says its better than a dyno that way ? -- At least I'll give it a couple of good rips just to make me happy!!!!!

need a roll bar mount for my camera so I can take you guys along for the ride

[Chip]

Been ignoring my own thread for a while -- been taking the Ghia out to several events and having a good time with it!!!!

Found a Electromotive guy down in Manhattan Beach that is very good -- but he doesn't know E85 -- BUT he hooked up my computer to his over the internet and spent about an hour tuning and playing and the car has really come around and is running really good, just needs some dyno time to finish it up -- been installing a wide band O2 sensor into it for the past couple of days and cleaning up some wiring issues I 've experienced since getting it on the road --

When I left the DKP meet at Garden Grove last Friday, I rolled into it about quarter throttle and the boost came up and I was onto the limiter in a heart beat -- NICE -- now this old man is gonna have to learn how to drive a hot rod all over again --

You never had a wideband installed? What were you thinking!?

[Fiatdude]

http://youtu.be/m52kBy7a6fc

[Fiatdude]

WELLLLLLLLLLL -- -- First of all,,, Let me thank Marty Skaggs for taking my call while I was on the dyno and helping me unidiot myself and trouble shooting the boost controller that I had pooched somehow and figuring out where I had screwed up (I had the duty cycle at zero) -- THANKS A TON MARTY I owe ya big time!!!!!

OK,,, Back to the POS -- The numbers off the dyno was 242HP at 5800 and 239 torque at 4400 @ 15# boost (Yeah,,,I wasn't very impressed either) -- Got home and Checked everything out and other than one intake valve being just a little bit tight, there was nothing wrong with the engine -- -- But the tune that had came off the dyno just wasn't making anything very happy --- I had a long talk with the engine builder, then had a long talk with Billy Shears and everybody came to the same conclusion -- that if I had any  freaking luck at all, it wouldn't be good luck LOL

So I sent Billy a copy of the dyno run and he was scratching his head over what the guy was trying to do -- Billy's conclusion ,,,, he needed to do some drinking on it ,,, fair enuff LOL -- -- So,,,, I started thinking (ooops there I go again) -- --  I had really learned some stuff about the Electromotive tuning program with my 2 sessions watching this guy ,,,,, SOOOO, I decided I'm going to give it a try...............

I had one program, that started cold really good,,,, another one that had good midrange pre-boost,,, and the one from the 'tuner' that was OK when the engine was HOT and up on boost (but was still lean in mine and Billy's estimation),,, So I did some digging into the programs and found out what the injector pulses were during the 'good times' and started manipulating the VE table, the cold start, and a couple of other tables to get the timing and injector pulses into the 'good' ranges -- -- And yes,,,,, I'm kinda pleased with the way things have gone ,,,,,, .. .. ..  

Still needs some love on the cold start, I have to keep my foot on the throttle just a touch during warm up,,,, mid range pre-boost is pretty good and going onto boost is very good ,,,still leaning out (popping) a little at the very end of the high rpm/high boost (need to do a flight record to figure out if it is lean or going up onto the limiter)  -- -- --

WHAT I DO KNOW --
(1) That I can't shift this damn thing fast enough when it is on boost and I'm trying to do the 1-2 and 2-3 shifts
(2) Third gear doesn't give me enough time to get caught up with my thinking either before I have to shift to 4th (OUTTA MY WAY MAN lol)
(3) I'm needing to get a pre-cleaner for my undies,,,, so the washer doesn't have to remove the extra large deposits during the pre-rinse --  (I don't think the neighbors are approving of me getting the hose out and squirting them down in the driveway) --
(4) If this thing is making only 241 HP,,,, it is enough ,,,, more than enough,,,

I was so disappointed on the dyno when these numbers kept coming up, that I was ready to strike a match to the POS -- -- But after driving the Ghia tonight on this pieced together tune,,,, ,,, I'm happy, very, very happy.......

And to you guys that are running cars out there with more HP than this -- --

You're hangy down thangs probably clang when you walk

[Fiatdude]

Going to the R.A.C.E. event at Fontana Jul 15th --- They will be running the infield course at this event and a car show -- Got my entry in too late to get a slot to run on the track so figured to just sit my butt into the car show and try for the "old School/old fart" sympathy trophy LMAO -- HOWEVER, if a slot does open up ?!?!?!?, you never know LOL -- Had to take some photos for Hagerty to finish the insurance application -- So I'm now road legal and plan on burning up some of it LOL -- gonna share the photos

[Fiatdude]

Been looking for that edge to take the car to the next level -- -- and today I think I've finally added the final piece to the puzzle

[Fiatdude]

Man,,,,,, I need to start going to more Ricer events -- -- there was a big difference between them and the blue haired weeny roasts I've been going to at the ACVW drag races LOL

There was this dude that had a posse of four young ladies that were dressed to kill in their LITTLE black nothing dresses and their 6" stilt shoes -- They were cruising the car show and for a sum of money exchanging hands between a car owner and the photographer -- the girls would start slithering all over the car in ways that I couldn't even come close to describing in a family setting and the dude would be taking 8x10 color glossies for the car owner to buy-- -- --

Let me say that I learned a few things by watching the activities of these young ladies -- --

They worked their way up and down the rows of cars and the kid next to me decided to dropped some coin to have the full treatment done to his car -- -- NICE -- -- So, I'm talking cars with a guy and keeping an eye (OK Both eyes) on the activities on that are going on next to me -- -- when suddenly, one of the girls with the stilt shoes, slips or trips or whatever and literally falls at my feet -- -- I mean this was a big piece of eye candy sprawled at my feet  -- -- So I casually help her to feet and make a side comment that those shoes should come with some sort of training wheels or something -- -- OMG, did I offend her -- -- she went off on me, telling me she wore those shoes everyday and if it hadn't been for a rock or something she would of never of fallen -- --  I must of looked like deer in the headlights there for a second or two -- WELLLL EXCUSSSSSSE ME,,, I wasn't the one working the parking lot was I?  -- -- and then I started laughing, I mean it was funnier than hell, me getting chewed out for her falling,,, AND then she really got pissed and started screaming at me  and the more she yelled, the more I laughed -- I couldn't help myself -- ---

well, needless to say, they didn't offer to lather up my car, but I did get another good laugh at her trying to stomp off in those crazy shoes

[Rick Meredith]

I can just picture you doing that Harold 

[Fiatdude]

Told a work buddy the story today -- He wondered why I didn't invoke the 5 second rule, about getting to eat something after it hit the ground

[Fiatdude]

Received this tonight --

I would love to see your VW on the salt.  Unfortunately I cannot allow E85 fuel.  I understand that it is readily available in your hometown.  But it is not in Utah.  And the current fire/safety, and course officials.  On the 130/150 mph track, are not equipped or have the training to deal with E85 fuel. If a incident was to occur.

 I'm sorry for the upsetting news. I do hope to see the Ghia one day on the salt. Thank you BJ Burkdoll.



-- -- -- I would really like to know the difference in dealing with E85 vs. gasoline in an emergency situation

I'll be canceling my reservations -------

[Fiatdude]

So I started thinking about it and got pissed and sent this in reply -- ooops LOL

Mr Burkdoll -- --


Emergency services have been training since 2007 -- ALMOST TEN YEARS --on how to deal with E85 in an emergency situation. The only difference between E85 and gas is the use of an alcohol resistance foam, which most departments have switched to, probably without your knowledge..... Did you know that most gasolines out of the pump is E15. What special training has you fire/safety crews done to deal with this hazard? You and your safety crews should realize that gasoline is far more volatile than E85, and your crews should be welcoming it with opened arms vs. having your head in the salt... Thanks for really looking into the situation.... Here is some information for you.....


 http://www6.montgomerycountymd.gov/content/firerescue/psta/inservice/inservicetrainingminutes0705.pdf

[Fiatdude]

ooops I did it again -- --


Mr Burkdoll -- I've done a bit more research -- There are 4 Stations currently selling E85 in the state of Utah

 

In Utah, you'll find 4 local gas stations in 4 cities that you can fill up your Flex Fuel vehicle with E85 Ethanol. Below you'll find a handy list of these E85 pumps, as well as links to more information on alternative fuels.

Clearfield Draper Orem
Provo

 

 

and 11 in the state of Nevada -- So E85 is all around you if you look

[Fiatdude]

Note to EVERYBODY -- --

Burly is the man -- -- He has supported me all through my build since I first mentioned I was thinking of taking the car to the salt.... He has personally taken up the torch to get me there and is going to be meeting with the USFRA and SCTA/BNI guys in the near future..... I know I've probably made him cringe with a few of my replies to BJ,,,,  but he is still in there fighting for me and I really appreciate it...... No greater advocate for our little cars on the salt!!!!!!

[Fiatdude]

Wellll,,, in my further adventures of finding new and different things to do and try with my Ghia -- --

I have found Adams Motorsport Park (AMP) in Riverside Adams Motorsports Park | Southern California Race Track ..... On Tuesday night they have time attack runs and since I'm between jobs and I've got a little mid-week time on my hands, I'm gonna go -- -- And to add to the excitement,,,, it is the finals for the Ford vs. Chevy this Tuesday Aug 5th -- I think I'll go try and throw a Ghia into their fun

BuHahahahaha --

Hopefully I'll be able to remember how to carve a corner in anger as it has been a few million years (and I sure was a Weak-ass.com when I drove the stock car at Fontana) .... They have 3 sessions 6-7pm, 7-8 pm and 8-9 pm at $20 for each session with 6 timed laps in each session (I think) -- $5 to get in the gate -- I'll probably do a couple of the sessions just for the fun of it..... Somebody come out and take a picture of me embarrassing myself -- -- -- LMAO