Canadian 1984 244 DL B21A/B6304 project log.

[DET17]

I have an EDIS wheel and sensor mount specific for the redblock. I mocked it up on a B230 shortblock and it fits.... not sure of the differences with the B21 block. If you like, I can take some pics/dims for you. You planning to run the Ford EDIS control? I understand it is quite reliable and of course your MS2 will control spark advance... doesn't it? I studied the usage of EDIS with my MS2 years ago, but those memories are getting fuzzy.

[Broke4speed]

Pictures would be great, thank you . The big difference, I'm finding, is mainly the crank pulley. The B21 crank pulley mounts completely differently, and is a multi-piece affair. I'm taking advantage of that by setting the trigger wheel to bolt up to the stock hub that the other pullies bolt to. I should have pics up tomorrow.

MS2 has progressed to the point where the EDIS controller isn't needed anymore. I'll be sending the trigger signal from the wheel straight in to the MS2 box, and I'll be able to run a nice wasted spark coil, vs the stock dizzy/single coil.

I am using a Subaru coil pack, because I had one, but I have already discovered a tweak that could have had me pulling my hair out. Subies have a different firing order than regular upright piston engines. They use 1-3-2-4, vs. 1-3-4-2, so their coilpacks have 1-2 and 3-4 grouped together. A regular waste spark coil has a 1-4 and 3-2 groups, to allow for alternating firing. I have to switch my plug wires for 2 and 4 in order to get it to fire on all cylinders...I think, lol. Time will tell .

[Broke4speed]

The wheel and sensor are mounted. I still have to brace the bracket and finish the wiring, but it might fire up tomorrow .

[DET17]

Better than a CPS flywheel! Just be sure to run a belly pan so no stray rock/stick destroys your sensor wiring. Bracket looks nice, with an aesthetic bend to it. MS2 will play well with this input? I never studied (in detail) the CPS input options, but as they can control string trimmers to Locomotives, I'm sure they have it figured out.

Are you using Tuner Studio?

[Broke4speed]

If I had been smart, I would have tapped the block and mounted a 60-2 flywheel when the engine was out...but hindsight is 20/20 (and I don't have any of those items), lol. I have done a couple crank-mounted wheels before, on various things, and they've always worked great, so I figured why not .

It's a hall sensor, which my MS2 is already modded for, so I hope it's not going to cause any trouble. I get them direct from Digi-key, as opposed to ordering them from Diyautotune.com, because Digi-key ships with one-day service, and they're cheaper too.

And yessir, tunerstudio all the way . I'm running a registered version, and it's been worth every penny.

[DET17]

I would imagine the resolution is "good enough" with the EDIS balancer (crankshaft) positioning sensor & wheel.

Indeed.... TunerStudio rocks! I love the data logs.... really helped me on my Chevelle tuning. Just protect that wiring for reliability sake. I've also read the belly pan is quite helpful in cooling the machine. Good luck!

[Broke4speed]

Well, after half a day of frigging around (because of course it wouldn't go smoothly), it runs. I had planned a video and all sorts of pictures, but after 6 hours of troubleshooting...my mood was not good, haha. Tomorrow I'll be finishing up the wiring, re-installing the alternator/water pump belts, bracing the bracket, and basically tidying up the whole thing. I'd like to say I could go for a spin...but I'm not optimistic, lol.

[Broke4speed]

Still no forward motion, but it's at least cleaner. I am going to need a slightly longer power steering belt to clear the brace I made for the hall sender bracket, but that's easy. A 1987 Dodge Aries has a nice 1100mm one I am going to try first.

[Broke4speed]

Well, setbacks all around.
The trigger wheel works, but at 4500-ish rpm, it begins to break up and backfire. I'm getting sync loss reason #2, which means missing tooth at wrong time. The sensor is as close as I can get it to the wheel, the shielded trigger wire isn't near any of the coilpack wiring (until it gets to the harness anyway, but they're logic outputs so I'd imagine the noise is minimal), the plug wires are new (GM six-banger 3.8L wires, minus two), and yet...at higher RPM brrrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaaaaaapppppppppppBANGBANGBANG. I'm free-revving too, no load, so I'm lost.

This MS2 is a DIYautotune-built box, v3.57 PCB, and the only mod I've done to it is add the second spark output for the wasted spark coilpack. I had a similar problem with the MS1 box I was using previously, but assumed it was a weak coil. I'm stumped now, because how could two different computers, two different wiring harnesses, and two different ignition types (single coil with dizzy and wasted spark with trigger wheel), both have the same issue?

Maybe I've got a bad valve spring, or they're just too old and worn, and I'm getting float? I can't see how, at such a low RPM, but at this point I have no idea. I'm very tempted to pull everything, part out the B21 stuff, and find a swap.

[Broke4speed]

Holy crap, problem solved.
I have NO idea why they bother including the hall circuit on the 3.0/3.57 boards, because it's garbage. I swapped the jumpers over to the VR input, adjusted R56 to ~2.5v, and tried again. Success .

It now revs cleanly to the limiter without a single sync loss, I'm stoked.

[Broke4speed]

Quiet update:
My wife's car blew a brakeline, and my subaru was at the shop for a clutch replacement (no way I'm doing that on my back on the garage floor), so we had to use the Volvo to commute for a few days. It performed perfectly, and MS2 certainly does play up to my 'can't leave **** alone' obsession, so it's been fun. It's currently a bit above freezing here, and I'm still using the Volvo as my daily due to the wife's car needing some major TLC. I am in love with the amount of heat these cars produce, I forgot what it was like. I'm currently running wastegate pressure (5psi :( ) on my 16G, and it sucks. Can't afford to beat it up right now though, at least until the wife's car is done.

[Broke4speed]

This will soon be in my garage...



And yes, I'm aware that whiteblocks are terrible, leak, crack, blah blah blah. I know this engine runs well, so I'm not going to take the head off. All this is going to get is a pressure-washing, and a new power steering pump (the nipples are busted off the bottom of the reservoir). The trans fluid isn't black, and doesn't smell burnt, so I may not even separate everything...unless there's evidence of a rear main seal leak.

[Broke4speed]

The B6304 is home, and I've started stripping it. I'm going to take off most of the ancillaries, but leave the tranny on so I can check the compression. There's no gunk on the hot side of the engine, where the porosity issue is supposed to be, so maybe I lucked out.

[amerbritcan]

It's going into the 240?

[Broke4speed]

Yep. The winter project is to tidy up the engine, solve any leaks, and get it ready to go. No turbo plans, just a bit more displacement and torque to make it a bit more like I imagined it to be.

[amerbritcan]

LIKE

[DET17]

As you probably know, there are off the shelf engine mount solutions for the whiteblock in Sweden. I bought a set for my 242... they retail right above $300. There is also a TB member from Finland who has built several of these recently; he should have all the conversion details you will need.

[Broke4speed]

I've been in contact with Homer and bought a copy of his mount drawings, so I'll be heading to the jet cutters soon . For the moment I'm converting my car back to a 16T so I can drive it in the spring (or on dry winter days). The 16G is too much for the car, IMO. I'm getting older, so I guess I would rather have low-end spool/torque over top end yee-haw. I'm going to do a compression test on the B6304 this weekend, since the tranny and starter are still attached, hopefully the results are good. If not, the local yard has a 97 960 and a 2000 S80 if necessary.

[Broke4speed]

Well, the car is back down on the ground, and sporting a 16T (instead of the too-big 16G). Winter hasn't hit full force here yet, so I expect to drive it a bit longer before putting it away until spring. At least when the roads are dry anyway. The B6304 isn't going in until summer, so I figured I'd leave the car in a driveable state.

I've got to clean up some junk to make room for storage, so does anyone want a BW55 or a 1030 rear end with a 3.54 in it? They'll be going to the scrappers otherwise.

[DET17]

Considering the low miles on your 1030 rear end, do the RWD brotherhood a favor and at least keep the 3.54 R&P. Not too bad to extract if you have an impact. Get the nut mostly off, then hammer the nut to get the pinion out (free of the outboard bearing and the seal). I often see folks wishing for the 3.54....... if you had a 1031, I'd buy it today.

I probably missed it... what trans you putting behind the Whiteblock?

[Broke4speed]

I'll give it a try, wouldn't hurt to save the R&P if I could .

I'm going to use the stock 960 auto. I'll do the accumulator mod to it, and possibly control it via microsquirt...or just manualize it and run it without a TCM .

[Cwazywazy]

You should get the manifolds off an S80 T6..

[Broke4speed]

Only the early S80s have a separate turbo/manifold setup, and the outlets are teeny tiny (and unique to the dinky turbos on the S80). It's too much hassle to grab them when I can make a manifold myself if I decide to go that way .

[Broke4speed]

Welp, the 4cyl is definitely coming out in the spring/summer. I drove the car today and everything was great...except I'm still being plagued by a rev-limiter style cut at 9-10 psi. I've gone from single-coil/MS1 to 36-1 trigger wheel/waste-spark/MS2, and I just can't shake it. Under 9 psi, not a problem...but anything more than that and it rears it's ugly head. The only commonality are the engine and transmission, so I guess they'll get removed at some point.

I helped a buddy move his car to his new garage that's inside an abandoned factory, and took some pictures while there.

[Broke4speed]

Started stripping down the B6304 last night...and I have a question. Are the painted-on pink dots on my cam gears supposed to be the alignment marks? Also, a related question, aren't the cam gears supposed to have markings on them for the timing? Mine are blank, not a single mark. I've DLd as many versions of B6304 manuals as I can find...and they all say 'align the marks', lol.

I feel absolutely stupid having to ask this question, because I've been building cars for half my life, but cam gears without marks make no sense.