[charliex]

ouch.

 

[Chris Mackey]

May I beg you for the long story?

 

[choi0706]

May I beg you for the long story?

it's actually quite short.. fuel starvation..

 

[Chris Mackey]

Low fuel...long sweeper...high gs?

 

[choi0706]

yes, not long, probably..

 

[shay2nak]

Oh sh*t!

 

[Dragon]

Wow, that was a lot of heat... Makes you wonder how a Teflon coated forged piston would hold up under the same abuse.

 

[turbophil]

Fuel starve isn't cool...I have a fix for this problem with my little surge tank I made a while back:shift:

I've been running it for a few weeks now and all is well. The install isn't too tough with the overflow line being the hardest part to plumb- which goes into the filler neck with a little adapter I made... There's some very minimal electrical work to be done, but nothing too tough... I hope to make a few more of them in the next week or so if anyone is interested...

Best,

Phil

 

[codymac]

Fuel starve isn't cool...I have a fix for this problem with my little surge tank I made a while back:shift:

I've been running it for a few weeks now and all is well. The install isn't too tough with the overflow line being the hardest part to plumb- which goes into the filler neck with a little adapter I made... There's some very minimal electrical work to be done, but nothing too tough... I hope make a few mor of them in the next week or so if anyone is interested...

Best,

Phil

Phil,

I've already instructed the owner of this car to call you. Unfortunately, I got the impression that he isn't going to.
:shrug:

 

[kverges]

You know, I fuel starve my Turbo SM race car ON PURPOSE, as it is great indication of the need to reuel in an endurance race. My gauges include fuel pressure and you can just see it drop. I will do this for lap after lap at MSR when practicing, and I can usually get 3 or more laps before the car starts to cut out everywhere. Fuel starvation has also happened from time to time on my Turbo Elise. In all cases, the power falls off completely, never any damage, so I am not sure I'd attibute this damage 100% to low fuel level around the pickup. Keep your eyes open for a bad injector or tuning issue.

 

[viacondotti]

Explanation

Would someone be so kind as to explain to the ignorant (me) what happened there?

 

[choi0706]

-turning left
-low fuel
-having forced induction
-sucking air for a split second
-engine runs uber lean
-detonation across the cylinders
-spark plugs blow
-all loss of power
-and zero compression

-----------------------------

bits of metal from the spark plugs damage the pistons/cylinder liners/supercharger/exhaust(cat) /cylinder head has craters..

 

[E.D.]

Fuel starve isn't cool...I have a fix for this problem with my little surge tank I made a while back:shift:

I've been running it for a few weeks now and all is well. The install isn't too tough with the overflow line being the hardest part to plumb- which goes into the filler neck with a little adapter I made... There's some very minimal electrical work to be done, but nothing too tough... I hope to make a few more of them in the next week or so if anyone is interested...

Best,

Phil

In combination with your TVS kit:
After installing your little surge tank, you won't need to install an upgraded fuel pump (like Walbro one) anymore? Or is that still required?
What would be the advantages/disadvantages of the surge tank vs upgraded fuel pump. I remember reading the upgraded pump being noisy.
What you do estimate install time at for the surge tank?
Pricing available?

 

[charliex]

NA cars aren't too keen on fuel starve either.

 

[xtn]

Charlie -

I've recently wondered about that issue. I figured if there is really NO fuel then it doesn't matter, because the engine just turns into a big air pump at that point. And that should be true even in an FI application. After all, traction control cuts fuel without hurting anything supposedly.

So I'm guessing the problem is when the injector puts in SOME fuel, but not as much as is called for. Right?

 

[charliex]

traction control cuts fuel and spark.

anything less than what it wants is going to be problematic.

 

[Simba]

I figured if there is really NO fuel then it doesn't matter,

If there's no fuel, it'll just stall/cut out. It'll do the same even if there is fuel, but it's too lean to ignite. The danger is in just enough fuel to ignite, yet so lean that you melt things.

That's certainly a lean out condition which holed the piston. My guess would be a momentary starve caused just enough of a drop in fuel pressure to cook it. Which piston was it? End of the rail by chance?

Swirl pot is a very good idea, or at the very least, a fuel pressure switch connected to a "bad things are happening" light.

 

[choi0706]

If there's no fuel, it'll just stall/cut out. It'll do the same even if there is fuel, but it's too lean to ignite. The danger is in just enough fuel to ignite, yet so lean that you melt things.

That's certainly a lean out condition which holed the piston. My guess would be a momentary starve caused just enough of a drop in fuel pressure to cook it. Which piston was it? End of the rail by chance?

Swirl pot is a very good idea, or at the very least, a fuel pressure switch connected to a "bad things are happening" light.

nope.. its number 3.. 1st being the crank..

 

[zuoom]

just checking. did the oil pump went bust also?