REPUTABLE dyno shop in Denver area

[d.a.autry]

Okay. . .so I've got a price from John at Dougherty for an SC grind, that mixed with some other mods, a '77 distributer with weak springs, etc. suggests that I should have Aaron dial in a new ignition curve.

Does anyone know of a REPUTABLE Dyno shop in the Denver area that has a good tech who can plot the best curve once these cams go in??

What should I expect to pay for this?

[Grady Clay]

Originally Posted by d.a.autry

Okay. . .so I've got a price from John at Dougherty for an SC grind, that mixed with some other mods, a '77 distributer with weak springs, etc. suggests that I should have Aaron dial in a new ignition curve.

Does anyone know of a REPUTABLE Dyno shop in the Denver area that has a good tech who can plot the best curve once these cams go in??

What should I expect to pay for this?

d.a.autry,

Using a chassis dyno for this first, is throwing money to the wind.

First step is to take your distributor out and take it to someone with a nice old Sun distributor machine. Greg Johnson at Eurosport, Ltd. (303-789-2545) comes to mind.

You want the distributor working precisely – nothing worn, weak or intermittent. With strictly mechanical advance, you can record the actual ignition timing at each dyno reading. You can adjust the overall timing for different dyno runs. Make sure you never have ‘too much’ advance for the rpm condition.

Only after you analyzing these results can you come up with a proposed ‘better’ ignition advance curve. Whoever does the re-curving, you should confirm on the Sun machine before any more dyno tests.

A second series of dyno runs with slightly different timing will finesse the curve. It may take a second re-curving. It is useful to have several differently curved distributors.

Many street cars benefit from the SC-like vacuum advance-retard as it greatly improves idle and taking off from a standstill (less clutch wear).

It’s not clear (to lame ol’ me) what engine we are talking about. Regardless, I would choose the larger-diameter-cap type, common to ’78 911SC on. (Be careful about rotation direction and compatibility with the crankshaft gear.)


Some dyno suggestions:
All the chassis dyno shops around here that I know can run cars – not tune Porsches. If you want a Porsche tech, hire one from one of the shops to accompany you.
Use the “Rubbermaid Solution” to keep the engine temperature under control.
Make sure there is absolutely NO exhaust reversion.
Use fresh, high octane race gas (unleaded if you have a cat) – better $7/gal than $3500/set of pistons.
Final confirm no change with your 'normal' fuel.
Make sure your entire ignition system is perfect.
Know your mixture.
Have cold(er) sparkplugs (and lots of spares), inspect after each run.
Dyno time is expensive – planning will keep the costs down.

Keep in mind that peak horsepower is worthless if drivability is compromised.

Best,
Grady

[d.a.autry]

So. . .in other words it may just make more $$$ sense to go with an entirely different system, such as electronically controlled ignition/advance. Then have that programmed by a good tech.

With looking at possible distributor rebuild, a possibility of two recurves and two seperate dyno sessions.

That in itself would end up well over the 1k mark. . . wouldn't you think?

Perhaps I need to back up and take a broader look at all the options available. I like your opinion on the larger diameter SC distributor. Also, looks like the Daytona Sensors "CD-1" unit will be around $700 with the necessary whistles. I haven't even began to research others yet.

Those two in themselves could probably ring in for less $$$ than the necessary distributor work alone on my original path. And it's a system that could be moved to a different platform (I'm still on a 2.7 right now) later.

Perhaps better, I should come up with the $37.50 fee for my three wishes and catch up with you one day at a local event!!

Thanks Grady.

[d.a.autry]

Hmmmm. . . . XDi @ $1169 I need to read up a bit more on that and other systems available. Do curves on the XDi need to be programmed??(they do on the CD-1) If so, do they need to be dyno'ed to BE programmed correctly?

Any input from others running distributorless (and systems in which use distributors w/o advance or in which the mech. adv. is welded up)??




Or am I simply making WAY too much out of this bs. and should simply ensure my present dist. is working well and on a stock curve deviod of any emissions deletions and SC cam grind I may use being that it's only a daily driver 2.7

[KarlCarrera]

Advice on this forum is invaluable, incredible, & unbelievable. Current prices seem reasonable as well.............:>)

Karl
88 Targa

[Matt Monson]

As usual, Grady's advice is spot on.

Once you get to a point in this process that strapping the car to a dyno is a useful thing, I suggest you talk to Harvey Epstein up here in Longmont. His business is call Boost Creep and he's been doing this for a while now. While he is not a Porsche specialist, what he does specialize in is aftermarket engine management systems, so if you go that direction with it, he is a great resource. And if you want to learn the deeper details of what's going on with your car and maybe do some of the tuning yourself, he hosts EFI101 classes in his facility a couple of times a year.

If a quick google search doesn't reveal his details, shoot me a PM and I'll put you in touch with him.

Regards,

Matt

[d.a.autry]

Thanks Matt.

Yeah, Grady gave me several points to ponder. As stated, if I'm going to end up dropping close to 1.5k just trying to get a distributor curve right. . .why not just drop 1.2k into a good management system like the XDi, then I'd have $300 towards getting (learning how to) that tuned. Plus I would think in going that route I could eliminated several other possible issues (points, cap/rotor degridation and replacement, plug life, etc.).

Then I'd also have system that would be able to adapt to other platforms. . .say a 3.0 or 3.2 later on maybe. . . or one that I could use if I wanted to go crazy with an advanced EFI (or carbs) and more radical cams on the present platform.

Thanks again. . I'll do a search for Harvey. In the meantime I'm going to make sure my current distributor is working precisely as Grady suggests, do a rough check at the pulley to ensure the advance is freakishly off, then run on that while I explore options.

$$$ are something that I have LESS of than sense right now, so I don't want to throw good after bad.

[Grady Clay]

d.a.autry,

Come out to HPR this weekend and hang out talking to
the many 911 owners who have ‘been there, done that’.

I’ll be there Friday ‘till early afternoon and Saturday as long as I hold out.
This is a RMR-PCA DE Event and everyone is welcome. It’s free to watch.

Go East on I-70 to mile (Exit) 316 ‘Byers’.
At the stop, turn left.
Go 17 miles East on US-36 to the racetrack on the left.

If you give me a ride, you get my undivided attention
for about an hour each way.
I live near I-25 & Yale.

Best,
Grady

[d.a.autry]

Thanks Grady,

Really wish I could, I've got to be a 'company man' this weekend otherwise I would.

My schedule really stymies alot of events as I work 12 hr shifts, plus I rotate days/eves every month. . . and they run over my Fri. and Sat. and leave me only with Sun - Wed. Oh the joys of 24/7 production networking!

I will keep my ear open for events that run late into Sat. evenings (if I'm not on eves) and especially Sundays.

[tcar]

The event at HPR continues on Sunday...

[d.a.autry]

Originally Posted by tcar

The event at HPR continues on Sunday...

Hmmmmm. . . .I may have to peeve the wifey off!!

[Matt Monson]

Originally Posted by d.a.autry

Hmmmmm. . . .I may have to peeve the wifey off!!

Are you a father? If so, Sunday is your day to do with as you please. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

We might be out there Saturday. I'm just trying to decide if I've got enough motivation to make the drive just to watch since I don't currently have a P-car that I would consider safe enough for track play.

[d.a.autry]

Originally Posted by Matt Monson

Are you a father? If so, Sunday is your day to do with as you please. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

That's Monty Python's version of me. . . .and my wife's foot. LOL

Actually, she and my son would be joining me.

I know how you feel. I need to get my membership, plus I need to do a few more upgrades before I have a worthy chariot. Although I'm thinking of stipping out my beater 944 and using it for track events.