Are these guys for real?!?!?

[griemar]

I was just browsing through Cooper Fuels website and was reading their "break-in" procedure. At the very end of the article it says, and I quote:

"There is no need to worry about what the engine temp is since that is dependent on so many variables it is not even worth discussing in a break-in or tuning article. Just do not worry about it, if its running crisp and clean without sagging or fading at full throttle it is not too lean and therefore not too hot. If the transition off idle is crisp and clean it is not too rich or too lean. Either case, the temp is a meaningless break-in and tuning tool".

Am I missing something here? I was always told that your temps are a key indicator of how your engine is running and also a key part of tuning. Am I the only one that thinks this site is full of BS? Here's the link to the full article:

http://www.cooperfuels.com/Break-in.htm

 

[SMaxxin]

I agree but would never recommend it. You eventually get to a point that you know what the engine is doing by sight/sound.

 

[MrClean]

For a newbie like me I think the temp is a critical part of it. But like SMaxx said, these guys have probably tuned more engines than I will see in my lifetime and know what it's doing without checking the temps. I think that's silly advice to publish. I do like the idea of documenting the air temp and humidity on the day you tune. If it's 20 degrees cooler the next week your engine temp should go down about that much too.

 

[hpinitromt]

same here, i usually can tell how the engine is by sight/sound but i still always take the temp, just to double check, i would tell someone not to worry about the engines temp

 

[Brushlessboy]

I'm the same. I tune by sound mostly, but I still find myself with my hand on the heatsink everytime the car is in front of me.....

 

[beason]

taking the temp also helps to stop useless damage. if you develope an air leak the mill could get hot very quick and burn up before you realized it was running different. i temp mine alot during initial tuneing for the day, then periodically as i run, and each time i bring it in for fuel

 

[psunitro]

While I usualy tune to sound and a good smoke trail, there is something to be said for taking temps. It can't hurt, right? I use it for a baseline,all other things being about equal,I find what temp the mill runs best at, and it just gives me the baseline.

 

[beason]

i have began to question the whole tune to temp thing myself.

with the radio i have, i have a real time temp readout on the controler. at idle the truck will run at the "sweet spot" 240-250ish. but when I'm driving around it drops to about 175 which is supposed to be to cold. but as soon as i stop it instantly goes back to 240. (faster then i would be able to temp it with a hand held.)

now, if you do tune to temp, do you tune at idle, or running temp?

this also brings into thought, when using a break in stand, do you tune to running temp? (which would be to hot at idle) or do you tune to idle temp (which would be alot cooler when running...) they say the engine needs to get above 200 for proper breakin, but when your driving it dives back down below 200..

not trying to confuse anyone, just an observation.

 

[griemar]

i have began to question the whole tune to temp thing myself.

with the radio i have, i have a real time temp readout on the controler. at idle the truck will run at the "sweet spot" 240-250ish. but when I'm driving around it drops to about 175 which is supposed to be to cold. but as soon as i stop it instantly goes back to 240. (faster then i would be able to temp it with a hand held.)

now, if you do tune to temp, do you tune at idle, or running temp?

this also brings into thought, when using a break in stand, do you tune to running temp? (which would be to hot at idle) or do you tune to idle temp (which would be alot cooler when running...) they say the engine needs to get above 200 for proper breakin, but when your driving it dives back down below 200..

not trying to confuse anyone, just an observation.

This brings 2 questions to mind now. 1) What radio are you using? I like that feature. 2) Your temps drop when driving? Mine always raised when I drove and dropped when at idle. Idle was normally 210-220 and after a good WOT run it would peak at about 260-270. I always thought that temping during a good thrashing was better because that's when the engine would be at it's hottest. Now I'm wondering if I threw the piston due to my own ignorance/overheating.

 

[psunitro]

Those temps are a LITTLE high on a .12-.15. My old Force .26 LOVED it around 270-275.

ALWAYS tune after running the truck! The truck must be warm to start a good tune.

 

[beason]

This brings 2 questions to mind now. 1) What radio are you using? I like that feature. 2) Your temps drop when driving? Mine always raised when I drove and dropped when at idle. Idle was normally 210-220 and after a good WOT run it would peak at about 260-270. I always thought that temping during a good thrashing was better because that's when the engine would be at it's hottest. Now I'm wondering if I threw the piston due to my own ignorance/overheating.

1 i have the nomadio sensor radio. its bi directional so you can get info from the truck like batt voltage, engine temp, and speed.

2 you would think so, but the air flow over the head pulls the temp down fast. even just a slow drive around the yard makes a big difference from idle. but it would instantly jump back to the 250 range when i stoped, faster then i could reach down and temp it with my handheld. but running hard then coming to a stop i assume would result in a higher idle temp for a short time. the reason i haddent brought this up already is because I've only ran about 2 tanks in the truck since installing the temp senser. dont have alot of data to go by.

 

[psunitro]

The temps should be lower at idle.
Just as you can idle for a few mins, the temps usually go to around 200, then when running even with the airflow, they should get higher. Is your low speed needle or idle lean? Thats really kinda weird?

 

[Rolex]

I agree with SMaxxin. When you're a total pro at tuning, you MIGHT be able to get away with it, but temp is a critical part of a heat cycling process.
When it's broken in and tuned for performance, you might have good punch off the line, and good top end, but you will never know if you're just a hair too lean without a double check by temp. Run it lean, it will outrun the rest, but it will be a limited life for the mill.

 

[Racer 1966]

This is one area where I differ from most of you on this site. I tune by sight and sound and run a little leaner than most of you. When I first got my Savage, I used a friends temp gun and he helped tune it by temp. I've rarely checked it since and when I do it usually is running in the 290-300 range.
Every engine I've had since has run about the same. Maybe I'm just lucky,maybe my tuning isn't all that bad but the Savage has 6+ gal through it and still a tight pinch. Don't get me wrong though, you can and I have seen engines that were ruined by running too lean and overheating.