He meant F series engines. F, 2F, 3FE and such. There has to be a standard indexing value for at least each engine, so what is yours?
DirectHits system = interesting (1 Viewer)
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GLTHFJ60 said:He meant F series engines. F, 2F, 3FE and such. There has to be a standard indexing value for at least each engine, so what is yours?
Bingo. Knowing how to index is great, which way do I do mine now!
After checking out their site and reading your post I'm convinced. When put the '88 back together they will be my first upgrade. 5,000,000 watts of power per spark, hot damn!
That indexing sounds like a good idea too, but if you are using washers won't that make the plug not as far down into the chamber? I guess the orientation of the gap is more important than the depth. Just thinking out loud.
Hildy
That indexing sounds like a good idea too, but if you are using washers won't that make the plug not as far down into the chamber? I guess the orientation of the gap is more important than the depth. Just thinking out loud.
Hildy
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- #24
GLTHFJ60 said:He meant F series engines. F, 2F, 3FE and such. There has to be a standard indexing value for at least each engine, so what is yours?
Oh I get ya. X as the variable
I index mine so that the point where the electrode is attached to the plug is on the bottom. Basically pointing the gap up.
Hildy, I'm sure the depth of the plug placement in the cylinder will affect ignition, but I don't think it's enough to offset the benefit of indexing. I'm looking at it as the indexing is giving me a smooth running engine (well, contributing to it anyway), and the ignition upgrades are giving me the extra performance.
I'm also working on a fairly extensive writeup for upgrading 3FE ignitions using what I've learned as I went.
Any word on how this affected your mileage yet? I'm sure a lot of us are curious...
How many/ how thick were your indexing rings? Makes it easier for us lazy bums.
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- #27
ballardcruiser said:
To be honest, I haven't even gone through a tank yet
I'm trying to run my durrent tank practically dry so I can drop it and find out the right fuel pump I need and get one ordered from Dan. At the latest, I'll have an idea when I drive back to Spokane next Sunday.
GLTHFJ60, I honestly can't remember what thicnkesses on what cylinders I used. I have a feeling it'll differ from engine to engine though. Each time I change out my spark plugs I have to use new indexing washers and redo the whole job. Granted that's also because of the antiseize that's built up on 'em from installation...
Sounds cool. You need to post pics of this rig, Spook! It sounds like you're really overhauling it.
Jason
Jason
BlueCruiser84
SILVER Star
I looked at the website but i couldnt really tell. Do you just screw the Direct Hit "thing" onto your spark plug and install the new wires? Or do you have to buy their special spark plugs?
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- #30
BlueCruiser84 said:
Order the kit for your truck, and not just the capacitors. It'll come with non-resistor spark plugs (you need non-resistor plugs to see any benefit), the capacitors, and 8mm wires.
Ballardcruiser, I'm taking pics as I go, though on the outside it looks mostly stock (all you really see is the new seats and Tuffy console when you look in). The engine is looking MUCH different than what it used to, and I'm working on getting pics for the ignition writeup. I'll take some as I go for the sound deadening too, in case that also warrents a writeup
HOT!!!!
Keep us updated.
Keep us updated.
Update? You should be back by now
I second that motion!
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- #34
WALoeIII said:Update? You should be back by now
It's a quarter to 9 and I haven't even left my folks' place yet ;p
- Thread starter
- #35
Mileage Update
Well my mileage for the trip across the state this time was overall pretty crappy. Not horrendous, but certianly lower than the 14MPG average I get when making the drive. This time it was 12.5MPG. There are three factors that I think contributed to this, which I'm going to correct before pulling out the DirectHits system:
1) Bypassing the throttle body coolant may have had a negative effect on mileage. I'm not totally sure how much (if at all), but I'm going to hook the coolant lines back up to it for my next drive home in a week.
2) I gapped the plugs higher than my typical setting of .040, even though DirectHits recommends leaving the gap the same when installing their system. For the record, I gapped 'em at .045 (but I think it ended up at .055 because of the gapping pliers I use not being totally accurate. I didn't have a gapping tool to verify the gap so I couldn't remember which way the pliers erred).
3) My cruise control s*** the bed, so I've got to troubleshoot that and get it working again. It works for about 10 minutes, then just shuts off. I think I bumped a connector or something when I had everything apart.
So I'll hopefully get all that fixed tomorrow and drive the truck throughout the week, then when I drive home again next Friday I'll post another update.
Well my mileage for the trip across the state this time was overall pretty crappy. Not horrendous, but certianly lower than the 14MPG average I get when making the drive. This time it was 12.5MPG. There are three factors that I think contributed to this, which I'm going to correct before pulling out the DirectHits system:
1) Bypassing the throttle body coolant may have had a negative effect on mileage. I'm not totally sure how much (if at all), but I'm going to hook the coolant lines back up to it for my next drive home in a week.
2) I gapped the plugs higher than my typical setting of .040, even though DirectHits recommends leaving the gap the same when installing their system. For the record, I gapped 'em at .045 (but I think it ended up at .055 because of the gapping pliers I use not being totally accurate. I didn't have a gapping tool to verify the gap so I couldn't remember which way the pliers erred).
3) My cruise control s*** the bed, so I've got to troubleshoot that and get it working again. It works for about 10 minutes, then just shuts off. I think I bumped a connector or something when I had everything apart.
So I'll hopefully get all that fixed tomorrow and drive the truck throughout the week, then when I drive home again next Friday I'll post another update.
Hey spook, how has your mileage been since the trip? I thought this system gave you better mileage if you keep your foot nice and light. Also, wouldn't a hotter spark be bad for an engine? It is alot hotter, right? I know with a 2 stroke dirtbike you can burn a hole right thru the piston just running to hot of a plug.
The capacitor inline just charges and it helps maintain the same energy spark.
Did the directions say anything about changing your timing? It seems like the added capacitor and electronics might cause a small delay vs. the orginal plugs and wires. It probably is so small though you don't have to worry about it.
Sounds cool.. Thanks for the writeup and information. I will have to check out the website.
Did the directions say anything about changing your timing? It seems like the added capacitor and electronics might cause a small delay vs. the orginal plugs and wires. It probably is so small though you don't have to worry about it.
Sounds cool.. Thanks for the writeup and information. I will have to check out the website.
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- #39
Well the system ran like a champ for about a week, then my engine started bogging down and hesitating bigtime on idle and under load. Felt like a cylinder would randomly miss. I pulled the DirectHits plugs and caps out and reinstalled OEM spec NGK plugs, and the problem went away. I talked to a guy at Enerpulse and explained my symptoms, and he suggested that one of the caps might've went tits up. So since it's under a lifetime warranty I'm going to send my set back (along with the plugs, which I left untouched since I pulled them) and give another set a try. I never got a chance to get through another tank of gas since fixing everything that might've also been contributing to my bad mileage on the last run.
Something else that I found interesting too, was that on my way back to Spokane last time (while running the DirectHits system), my cruise control would only work for about ten minutes at a time, then just shut off as if I had hit the brake pedal (which automatically turns it off). I'm not sure if the loose vacuum hose connecting it to the engine was the culprit, or if it was a result of EMI from the DH system, or even if it was a sign of a cap going bad (or bad in the first place, I just don't know).
Anyway the more I delve into it the more intrigued I get, so I'll try a different set and see what results I get.
Something else that I found interesting too, was that on my way back to Spokane last time (while running the DirectHits system), my cruise control would only work for about ten minutes at a time, then just shut off as if I had hit the brake pedal (which automatically turns it off). I'm not sure if the loose vacuum hose connecting it to the engine was the culprit, or if it was a result of EMI from the DH system, or even if it was a sign of a cap going bad (or bad in the first place, I just don't know).
Anyway the more I delve into it the more intrigued I get, so I'll try a different set and see what results I get.
