Excessive cranking to start...

ssxa · #1 (**permalink**) 04-06-2012, 10:44 PM

Hi everybody...I'm new here also new and trying to learn about EFI. I have a 67' Nova. The car has a 2004 LS6 with a 4L60e trans. The setup is run by a FAST XFI, FAST Xim and EZ TCU for the trans. Here is my problem, it takes about 7-10 cranks to start my car. Usually I need to crank it 5-6 times, wait then crank another 3-5 times for it to start. Hot or cold it doesn't matter. I have had a few instances when hot, that even after the above, the car did not start. I had to wait a while then try again, then it would start. I know very little about tuning and truthfully trying to tune it myself would be WAY over my head. Can anyone point me in the right direction for a mail order tune? Or any other options I may have? The shop that installed my setup has very limited knowledge in this area also I believe. Or if anyone is taking a vacation to Hawaii anytime soon,...???

norbs · #2 (**permalink**) 04-06-2012, 10:55 PM

Whats your cranking fuel table look like? Does it help if you crack the throttle a bit while cranking or not? What size injectors? Does the fuel pump prime when you turn the key on?

ssxa · #3 (**permalink**) 04-06-2012, 11:08 PM

Hey Norbs...
Stock LS6 injectors, 28lb/hr
No, cracking the throttle makes no difference.
Fuel setup is stock 67' Nova tank, external Walbro 255 pump and corvette regulator.
I do not know about my cranking fuel table, the shop that installed everything supposedly tuned it, but admittedly are trying to learn. Thought it was a problem with the pump setup, and I posted about this over at Protouring...The guys there suggested it may be a "tune" problem. My problem is I know of nobody around (Hawaii) familiar with tuning the FAST setup. The shop said they upgraded my XFI to the newer 2.0, which I thought would self tune and learn putting everything in a "safe" state?

TurboNova · #4 (**permalink**) 04-06-2012, 11:19 PM

Cool to see some cars over in Hawaii, I used to live in Kailua, Oahu when I was a kid. We had our wedding honeymoon in Kailua-Kona some 19 years ago. Do they still race at the old airport in downtown Kailua-Kona? I have a 66 Nova drag car with XFI that is my on going project.

Ok enough of that stuff, part of your problem could be CAM sync, the XIM does not start firing the coils until it sees a cam sync to the XIM so it does not fire the spark at the wrong time. That may be the reason it does not start like the OEM ecus do for the LS engines. The other thing may be throttle blade opening, IAC position and throttle follower tables. After that stuff is setup then maybe the cranking fuel could be part of the issue.

I would not get a "mail order tune" from anyone.... they are never right for any application across any platform of ECUs. I do custom tuning over the internet and data logs by e-mail if you would like some help with your car. I would be happy to take a look at what you have now. I do have quite a few LS engine tunes that we could use as a starting point if needed.

I wish they would send me back over to Hawaii for a XFI training seminar... that would be a nice trip. lol...

ssxa · #5 (**permalink**) 04-06-2012, 11:44 PM

Thanks for the reply Brian. No drag racing at the Old Airport, I think it stopped in the 80's. There are a lot of nice cars here actually...the shop that did my car also put the FAST setup in a 65' Twin Turbo Chevelle...they have never managed to get it running right either...My car runs okay, but I get the feeling that it is not running :"right". So far I have not even been able to plug my laptop in, (need a serial port adapter) and the OS on the program is different from what I have on my laptop. I wish they would send you over too...nice trip for me too....It seems that I have a LOT to learn, just figuring out how to do data logs etc, not to mention get my laptop plugged in and compatable with the program. I will keep in touch.

TurboNova · #6 (**permalink**) 04-07-2012, 11:19 AM

The FAST program will work with any Windows computer up to Windows 7. The FAST ecu came with a USB to serial adaptor, CD with the software but you can download that from the www.fuelairspark.com website. If your USB adaptor is missing then get the one from RadioShack called Gigaware and download the driver from their website.

Not much to getting it connected, just plug in the usb to serial adaptor and find the correct com port then turn on the key.

Get enough guys together over there to share my fee and expenses and I will come over and tune. I went to Norway, Belgium and England the end of last year.... Hawaii is a piece of cake lol.

norbs · #7 (**permalink**) 04-07-2012, 12:11 PM

Have you been to Canada?

ssxa · #8 (**permalink**) 04-07-2012, 04:23 PM

I need to look into that Brian...would be worth it for me to get the Nova setup right. Problem is I know of only one other car on the Big Island running the FAST stuff...

TurboNova · #9 (**permalink**) 04-07-2012, 06:12 PM

Norbs, I have been to Tronto a couple of times a few years ago. Have bee the west coast of Canada quite a bit in BC.

SSXA if there are any stock GM Ecus, Big Stuff 3 or Accel guys we could pile them too.

ibmtech · #10 (**permalink**) 07-27-2012, 04:27 AM

With your knowledge and experience, You might be able to get several round the world vacations with all expenses paid.. LOL