Stage 2 - High Octane problem

[Hitman]

This is a question for Stage 2 owners. I've been having a problem when running in Boost Setting 3. I get a hesitation when trying to accelerate. It's been happening for the last 6 months. I took it to the dealer and they told me that I can't run in Setting 3 without high octane gas and that they've had a few stage 2 cars come in with the same problem. I was under the impression that the High Octane switch was used for high octane gas and that I could run in all 3 settings with normal pump gas. Anyone else have any input??

[Broken5hift]

i thought setting 3 was 100+ octane only. i could be wrong

[Hitman]

Well, a few weeks after it was installed, I ran at the track on all 3 settings with pump gas and no problems like I'm having now.

This is the second time I took it in and they told me the same thing.

[psi chick]

i thought setting 3 was 100+ octane only. i could be wrong

you are wrong. setting 3 is all boost all gears, has no affect on HOM or anything.

first thing to check is plugs and wires. when is the hesitation happening? (as in what gear/rpm/psi) but let me take a guess.....all gears but more pronounced in 2nd, right around 7-10psi and 2500-3krpms or so......?

[Hitman]

you are wrong. setting 3 is all boost all gears, has no affect on HOM or anything.

first thing to check is plugs and wires. when is the hesitation happening? (as in what gear/rpm/psi) but let me take a guess.....all gears but more pronounced in 2nd, right around 7-10psi and 2500-3krpms or so......?

I'd say that's pretty close. For example, pulling out from a toll booth and trying to accelerate to merge into traffic. So you think it's the plugs? I switched my stock wires with the crane wires a few years ago. I'll take a look to see how they are. Thanks for your input. :thumb: :thumb: :thumb:

[hozay09]

What octane are you using? That plays a factor. We've had shop car's that run great on HOM on any DAB setting using 100 Sunoco GT. They they try a higher octane and the car falls on it's face. And vice versa.

[Broken5hift]

you are wrong. setting 3 is all boost all gears, has no affect on HOM or anything.

first thing to check is plugs and wires. when is the hesitation happening? (as in what gear/rpm/psi) but let me take a guess.....all gears but more pronounced in 2nd, right around 7-10psi and 2500-3krpms or so......?

this is stage 2 not stage 3 in case you didnt know that. if you did then i will be quiet now

[psi chick]

i did know that, and it doesn't matter anyway as dab functions the same on either stage (remember - i had both).

hozay - the issue is not with holding HOM itself, only with DAB setting 3 when not in HOM.

yea it's the plugs and wires. you said you changed the wires out a few YEARS ago? :lol: damn i wish....plugs/wires are only good for around a year max on these cars, so swap them out! when i was on s2 i had ngk 4306's w/msd wires and the car ran perfect!

[Broken5hift]

*Picks balls up off ground*

[hozay09]

ahh i see.

[Hitman]

any gap recommendations for Stage 2?

[DJ2]

how much boost are you running?

[Hitman]

around 17psi

[DJ2]

.038 - .040 should be fine on the 4306's

[blackbird]

Let me take a wild guess. Are you running NGK 4306's and get the miss worst when first getting into boost and in the mid-range, under load, and after the miss if you accelerate (revs go higher) it isn't as bad? Some people can run them great, but those plugs have had a problem on a lot of S2 cars that I've know. If you don't mind spending $6-8 troubleshooting, pick up a set of Champion 570's and gap them at .040 (also check your plug wires and make sure you're using dielectric grease in the boots).

[psi chick]

champions suck big fat hairy monkey balls. his problem is that he hasn't changed his plugs/wires in a few YEARS and it's stumbling!

[Hitman]

update! Replaced the plugs and wires. The plugs weren't that old, it was just the wires that I've had for a while. I did notice when I took out one of the spark plugs that it was slightly loose and had a yellowish coating on the threads and ceramic. I just took it out for a ride and it seems back to normal. Thanks everyone!!!!! My car is once again fun to drive.

[Pr3mium Brewed]

Good! Now go buy stage 3. :lol:

[wannasupra]

when you get new plugs, get the ngk LTR7IX-11's. 2 heat ranges colder than stock, the gap is perfect right out of the box.

[psi chick]

screw ngk or champions.....denso's are the only plug that don't die on me in 6 months....

[DJ2]

someone in this thread is quite opinionated...

[psi chick]

i've been there and done that with just about every plug and wire combo on my car, so i know what works and what doesn't. my car eats champions even faster than it does ngks. champtions last me maybe 3k, i can get 6k out of ngk's. denso's last me about 9k and don't give me a break up issue and smooth out the idle a ton.