Strings of bad luck.. It happens man.. The car ran like a champ a few ago running 9.1's all day.. It can only get better now.. Youll get it fixed and hauling *** i guarantee it..

Mike

 

Hate to hear about the issues. I had to replace mine a few weeks back while experiencing some RPM noise while logging. I am glad to see you knocking on the 8's keep up the killer work.

 

Sorry to hear Dave. Thanks for keeping us in the loop.

I have two questions though... first is, do you still recommend cheap NGK plugs for customers or do you recommend a more expensive plug now? I've never had to change a plug using expensive densos and made 40+ psi on stock coils with them.

Second question, do you think it's plausible the AEM is doing something dumb to cause this issue? I don't technically knows what happens when a cam sensor stops working, but you'd think it might be plausible a smart ECU could realize based on the crank sensor signal and other params that something was not right about the cam sensor signal and just cut fuel? Just a thought.

 

From page 1.

My header is no where near the cam sensor, not even remotely close to it. I am using our aluminum shield on it. I am starting to wonder if vibration is causing the failures. There is no way heat caused a failure in my car. Hard to say what caused it. As for prevenitive maint., this sensor was new a year ago and that's only been about 1,000 miles at most. So I'd say, not don't replace it just to do it.

GST, WOW! That's a good one! haha. Same thing happen on that car? I've seen them that bad. My head was hurt but barely, problem is it's been fixed/milled too many times and just isn't worth trying to salvage again.

The block/pistons were not damaged at all, or I am assuming they were not. I'm not taking the shortblock out or apart. The block is perfect for sure and the piston appears to be. No time or desire to take it all apart.

 

Yes, I still recommend the "cheap" NGK plugs as you call them. I wanted to try NGK's race plug, they are about $25 PER PLUG and that is what was in the car. I've had the best luck from them compared to any plug I ever ran BUT, at $100 for 4 plugs I don't recommend them. Throwing a set in the garbage nearly kills me!

As for a "smarter" ECU, no idea. The one thing that is discouraging to me is when this happens there is absolutely NO extra noise from the knock sensor that I have ever seen. That is disturbing.

 

I'm curious to know what the stock ecu does in this situation does anyone know?

 

Would be interesting to put that bad cam sensor in a car with a different ECU.

Thanks for the answer about the plugs Dave. The Denso IW's are that price too. I've stuck with them because they've never given me a problem but I always wondered whether my car would be fine with a cheaper plug.

 

sorry for the bad luck there dave. how much is a new cam sensor??

 

We just had one of our NASA Time Trial guys kill a cam sensor at the track last weekend. I thought the same thing about the heat as he isn't running non-shielded tubular headers or anything. We later found out he lost a bolt from manifold to turbo and it burned the gasket out and was basically blowing hot exhaust gasses straight onto the cam sensor.

The driver kept his foot in it for one more flyer lap at the track, I wish I could have had a camera in that cylinder to see the flame front for that lap. The crazy part is that the logs showed no crazy temp changes, (which is one of the reasons the driver kept his foot in it) just a gradual overheat through the lap. I would have thought the temps would have gone through the roof...


- Bryan

 

what does the cam sensor do? iirc only tells ecu of induction stroke for sequential injection
so if it fails can't the ecu default to batch fire signalled via the crank sensor
timing should remain unchanged! ?

 

Sorry to hear about it david...but this line "walked off disgusted" had me laughing

 

Its cool that Dave keeps us in the loop. It has to be something on the high HP cars that causes it to go bad? Aem, vibration, or heat?(not heat in your case) I wonder if the the mild setups on the stock Ecu are having them fail.

 

1 would think the crank senser would do it all. and only the cam senser would help indenify TDC for start of injection on start up... thats how it is on a VW anyway.

These damn forigen cars

 

Sucks dude, sorry to see that thing down.


Curious about the racing plugs, what is the part # for an Evo VIII?

 

David, I KNOW you've seen one similar to GST's. I just wish I could blame it on something besides me. Remember this one?