I've just rebuilt my Alfa boxer engine (all bearings, honed bores, piston rings etc with slightly raised CR and ported heads) and I've binned the distributor and installed the MJLJ at the same time as installing the new engine/
I've run in briefly to check that I've installed the MJLJ properly and it works (which it does). However I don't want to keep idling the engine and playing with the MAP in the garage until I've run it in properly and seated the new rings.
So my question is, when I break the engine in under load for the first twenty miles, can it harm the engine if the MAP i've installed isn't optimal? I'm configuring the map now to what should be about right, then I'll play with it once the initial break in period is over (rolling road session is planned in two days to get the map spot on).
Any ideas?
Thanks
Rich
Breaking in engine
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I'm guessing you mean an ignition curve map and not MAP Sensor.
You can only really damage the engine if you apply too much load with too much advance. Especially with a lean mixture. If the engines ignition curve is too retarded then you wont do any damage, just lose power which is safer. And obviously a rich mixture is safer.
What you could do is apply the soft rev limiter at say 4000 rpm just to be extra safe for the time being. This way you can't put the engine under high stress until you think the engine is safe to do so.
You can only really damage the engine if you apply too much load with too much advance. Especially with a lean mixture. If the engines ignition curve is too retarded then you wont do any damage, just lose power which is safer. And obviously a rich mixture is safer.
What you could do is apply the soft rev limiter at say 4000 rpm just to be extra safe for the time being. This way you can't put the engine under high stress until you think the engine is safe to do so.
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Yes, sorry, I meant ignition curve map.
I'll remember to keep the advance settings down for increased load. Max advance will be 34 degrees at 4500rpm, hich will obviously reduce with load.
It's now installed and working with the factory default setting, and I have a basic ignition map ready, but what ever I do I can't get my laptop to communicate with the MJLJ either in the car or on the bench (Vista, serial/USB adaptor). So tomorrow I'll try a different adaptor and even an old laptop with a seriel port if I can find one.
Thanks for the advice Nitro
I'll remember to keep the advance settings down for increased load. Max advance will be 34 degrees at 4500rpm, hich will obviously reduce with load.
It's now installed and working with the factory default setting, and I have a basic ignition map ready, but what ever I do I can't get my laptop to communicate with the MJLJ either in the car or on the bench (Vista, serial/USB adaptor). So tomorrow I'll try a different adaptor and even an old laptop with a seriel port if I can find one.
Thanks for the advice Nitro
Martin & Walker Porsche 550 Spyder replica with Alfa 1.7 8valve boxer engine. MJLJ V4 / TPS