Our trip was not uneventful. We didn't have extreme altitude like Jake and Bill but we got to 4300 ft. We had to deal with plenty of rain in the Northwest on the way down. The adventure started Sunday before we left.
I've run MS since 03 using the same old 2.2 board. I ran the original code and then Hi-res on a 74 Porsche 2.0 litre. With that configuration I logged almost 6000 miles with only a few small issues. I converted that to run the extra code and EDIS ignition and logged another 1000 miles. Unfortunately, I finally killed that board by hooking up 12 V to the ground. I melted the flyback circuit and took out the EDIS module. It was truely sad to see the charred remains especially since I was planning a 2000 mile trip to California in 3 days. The prospects for my son and I actually being able to make the long anticipated trip were bleak.
Fortunately, I had an MS II kit in the garage I had been looking for an excuse to assemble. Over the next 2 evenings and one extra day off of work I assembled and installed the MS II and a new EDIS module. It wasn't all smooth and graceful. We lost electrical power when I was trying to load the code on the chip and I was powering the MS with a converter. I really thought that fate was against me. However when the power came on I redid the burn, loading the 2.36 ver, and all was well. I imported what I could of the tune from an Extra .msq file and we tried out the new install on the way to fill up with gas for the trip. We literally learned and tuned the new code on the highway.
I fully expected to have to call AAA and be towed but, we made 2115 miles in 6 days and averaged 28.3 mpg on the highway and 26.4 mpg in combined city/highway. The AFR was tuned to 13.5 at the lower end of our cruising range to 13.2 at the higher end under light load on level road. With the gearing in a 914 and the wheel tire combo we cruised at 3200 to 3800 rpms.
CHT never exceeded 325 0n #3 even on 6% grades in 5th and stayed consistantly under 300 degrees on level road. Oil temps were a different story and we found that we will need a remote cooler in addition to stock one. Many times we had to slow to let the oil cool.
For any of you that are familiar with 914's. This engine combo is the way the car should have come from the factory. It finally has the guts to back up the name.
Dave
