How long will the engine last?????

[BeRad]

I've had my RL a month and I've been doing quite a bit of reading on these forums, I've read lots of posts that talk about the RL running lean right from the factory. My RL has 3000mi and yesterday I pulled one of the plugs to have a look, correct this car does runs very lean, I've owned on last count 40+ cars so I've looked at LOTS of sparkplugs.
Gas engines that run lean will normally not have the life span of a engine that is tuned to the slightly rich side, which is how I have the 426 hemi in my 66 Charger tuned.
I've read lots of posts about opening up the intake on the RL and changing SC pullies to increase the psi going down the throat and also reducing exh backpressure by mods to the exh, both of which will on any gas engine cause a leaner condition. Not a problem with a carbed engine, just kick up the jet size to suck in more gas. But with a efi system if the injectors aren't enlarged and the fuel psi increased to the injectors max then the result is a even leaner condition. I don't think a CAI mod would add much leaness, but changing the SC pulley for more boost will for sure.
It's going to be interesting to read the posts over the next couple of years to see how long the engines will last with the differing levels of mods everyone chooses to do. Berad

[goofyguy]

the boost is not controled be the pulley size but a bypass valve. You can put a tiny pulley on there but it will still only make 12psi just a whole lot sooner. SO porting the head and intake would make no differnce at all except efficency. So unless you add an electronic controler on the bypass system it will always stop you at 12psi.

[BeRad]

Oh I'm sure there will be people modding the bypass.

[Sp00ner]

It's not quite that easy... I'm sure people will, but...

[shaneathan]

Originally Posted by Sp00ner

It's not quite that easy... I'm sure people will, but...

Apparently psi-fi didn't have too much trouble making 18 psi. . .

[Sp00ner]

Originally Posted by shaneathan

Apparently psi-fi didn't have too much trouble making 18 psi. . .

Hasn't been a cakewalk either... did he ever mention how that was done? Did anyone ask him? I don't remember...

Edited: The boost limiter, that is...

[MrCleanY0]

Boost isn't my main concern right now. I'd just like to see when the power starts dropping off after the Rev Limiter.

[slt]

This engine isn't even breaking a sweat. IMHO, reading sparkplugs is close to pointless, unless maybe you kill the car at WOT at whatever rpm you're trying to read AFR. The AFR's for the RL are lean down low, but go pig rich as the RPM's rise. I would say that the engine would be healthier if you leaned it out even more in the higher rpms and at the very least, you would see more HP. People wring out 400 hp all day long on 4-bangers and they look good even in the long-run. It's all about a good tune, and the factory one is very conservative.

[goofyguy]

agree completly with SLT. the engine will hold up I will be getting closer and closer to the 300 mark if Psi-Fi would just hurry up. I will order they day they have it. Im also looking at smaller pulleys than what they are going to use and an electronic contoller I mostly want the fuel system. I have paced and Evo and soon I want to beat one. Quick cars only fuel my need to be faster. And from an inside source if we destroy the Supercharger there is no diagnostics if its broken they just replace.

[haunter]

Originally Posted by BeRad

I've read lots of posts about opening up the intake on the RL and changing SC pullies to increase the psi going down the throat and also reducing exh backpressure by mods to the exh, both of which will on any gas engine cause a leaner condition. Not a problem with a carbed engine, just kick up the jet size to suck in more gas. But with a efi system if the injectors aren't enlarged and the fuel psi increased to the injectors max then the result is a even leaner condition. I don't think a CAI mod would add much leaness, but changing the SC pulley for more boost will for sure.

not as long as you don't over run teh injectors, the MAF will see more air and add more fuel accordingly, unless you run th einjectors past 100% capacity