PCM Diagnostics & Tuning HP Tuners | Holley | Diablo

Engine surge

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Old Feb 3, 2018 | 10:16 AM
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Default Engine surge

Engine surges at part throttle while cruising, WOT is good with plenyt of power,
what can I check on my own to see what might be causing it.I don't see any surging at the fuel pressure gauge but don't know if that means anything.

Forged 5.7
243 ported heads
Fast 90/90 intake with TPIS throttle body with stock IAC and TPS
1 7/8 headers
Cam 242/248 .608/.612 110 lsa
ANy suggestions would be appreciated.
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Old Feb 3, 2018 | 10:20 AM
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Did it happen after the car was tuned by chance?
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Old Feb 3, 2018 | 06:27 PM
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No it has been like that since i have owned it, it is also on an SD tune.
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Old Feb 4, 2018 | 07:28 AM
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Vacuum leak possibly?

Rick
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Old Feb 4, 2018 | 09:58 AM
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I've been thinking that, what is a good way to finding a vacuum leak?
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Old Feb 4, 2018 | 10:46 AM
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starting fluid. spray all the areas a leak might be. the ether will cause it to rev like crazy when it finds a leak.
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Old Feb 4, 2018 | 05:39 PM
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Yes, starting fluid aka "Explosion In A Can" is a good way to find a vacuum leak. Using an unlit propane torch with the valve open and flowing is also good - wave it over and near the potential leaky areas.

Rick
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Old Feb 5, 2018 | 11:13 PM
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Sounds pretty normal for a cam that size. Try pulling a few degrees of timing while it's surging (with the scanner) and see if that helps out. That and lean it out, slightly. I'm guessing this happens around 1500-2000 rpm range, right?
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Old Feb 6, 2018 | 08:19 AM
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Originally Posted by ChopperDoc
Sounds pretty normal for a cam that size. Try pulling a few degrees of timing while it's surging (with the scanner) and see if that helps out. That and lean it out, slightly. I'm guessing this happens around 1500-2000 rpm range, right?
Correct, it's that RPM exactly, I'll try your suggestions, thanks for the advise.
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Old Mar 12, 2018 | 08:09 PM
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Turns out it was the tune, had a good tuner get rid of the surge, it's fun to drive now.
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Old Mar 12, 2018 | 09:00 PM
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Originally Posted by qweedqwag
Turns out it was the tune, had a good tuner get rid of the surge, it's fun to drive now.
I had similar issues with surging and my cam is smaller (232/234 lsa 112). All in the tune.
I'm glad you got your issue worked out!
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Old Mar 12, 2018 | 10:28 PM
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Glad to hear that you got it figured out. Fuel and timing can and will cause surging on a big cam, especially with the MAF enabled. I know you had yours in SD, but if not tuned right it will surge too, and worse if the STFT's are enabled in OL. I've been through a few rowdy cams in my cars, and pulling timing and fuel is the only way to calm them down sometimes.

In fact, with a lot of overlap, the O2's will read a false lean condition at low RPM, specifically idle, because unburned air and fuel enter the exhaust during overlap. O2 sensors don't care about fuel in the pipe, only air. So that small amount of unburned air skews them into thinking it's running lean. So if STFT's are being used, the PCM will add fuel, which then overshoots, goes rich, and then switches back, etc... Which is what we call "surging".

On my wideband, I shoot for about 15.5-16.5 AFR at idle tapering off to 14.6 up to 1600 RPM, or somewhere between those depending on overlap. The car won't surge that way, and will idle and drive great. Because those readings are again, false lean. You can rest assured that the actual AFR is much lower.
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