1G 1990 Dynatek ARC-2 installed/impression

[1cleangsx]

Hey guys! So I recently finished up an Dynatek ARC-2 install on my 1990 Eclipse GSX, with the help of some write ups on here and Marty. I now have it running great and just wanted to share my thoughts. I’m on a built 2.0, E85, gen 2 6266 with a NGK coil pack I purchased from RockAuto, Taylor Thundervolt 10.4mm wires with NGK BR9ES plugs. Last May on the stock ignition I just mentioned minus the ARC-2 the car made 701whp (corrected) at altitude on a mustang dyno at 37psi.

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Anything above 37psi it would break up. So I finally purchased/installed an ARC-2 for an ignition amplifier and couldn’t be happier. Second gear is the exact same duty cycle/timing but FEELS noticeably stronger, I don’t know how else to describe it, third gear I obviously had to add some duty cycle for fun and today it peaked at 39psi! The car is STUPID/SCARY fast .

I highly recommend this upgrade to anyone still on ECMLink looking for an upgrade to the ignition before going to a fancy standalone/sequential set up.

 

[1990TSIAWDTALON]

I know that Scary Stupid Fast feeling! Isn't it a smile maker? Glad to hear you got it all wired up and are happy with the results Jeremy!

 

[1cleangsx]

Thanks again Marty for your help

 

[1990TSIAWDTALON]

Anytime

 

[Spleen8urLSX]

I’ve never seen much good of the Dynatek ARC-2 box. Most cases I’ve seen first hand they either didn’t work right from the get go or if they worked they didn’t work long. Every one of those cases it was ditched for the M&W box and no more problems to be had.

 

[1990TSIAWDTALON]

Well, I am running one on 2 of my 3 DSMs and they have been on for years. Still kicking hot spark at 40lbs of boost. Maybe I am just lucky or maybe it's installed correctly but they are still working just fine.

 

[Spleen8urLSX]

I’m all about seeing them work! In this case it’s clearly making a difference and hope it continues to.

In one of my cases it was a good buddy dealing with it in his 90’ Talon (that I actually owned at one point), triple confirmed wiring was good and sent the box back, Dynatek admitted they sent out a junk one, got the replacement and same thing, sent it back to Dynatek, they also admitted that one was junk and he told them to not bother to send another.

After that with the stock coil and whatever parts store wires it wouldn’t see spark blowout until 34lbs on the s366 on e85 where it made a happy 660 at the wheels. After that we switched to the M&W pro with whatever 300m coils and plate and on that same set up it was good for 735 at 41lbs on e85 and 551 at 27lbs on 93 octane on the local heartbreaker. Spark blowout has not been an issue since.

Being we live in one of the birth places for these cars going fast there is a plethora of them, and everyone else that tried the ARC-2 ended up ditching it for something else.

 

[1990TSIAWDTALON]

You both are making good jam, that's what I'm happy to see too!

 

[1cleangsx]

It’s crazy how noticeable the difference is. I’ve heard of them failing and people having issues but I’ve also seen just as many having success with them. I’m a little ways out from running a standalone with a sequential/cop set up. I think my box is mounted in a good location to minimize heat and vibration. Hopefully it lasts forever , looking at the airflow curve in link I’m definitely not out of backhousing yet, I’m still just elated to have a high power dsm that’s knock wood seemingly happy and not broke

 

[1990TSIAWDTALON]

Mines BROKE.......

 

[1cleangsx]

Whaat!! From sitting outside perhaps?

 

[DreamChaser7]

No Marty just likes to break things…

 

[1990TSIAWDTALON]

No Jeremy, the dam car. The ARC-2 was working fine and dandy to 9k. Crazy trying to drive the thing at 34lbs even with slicks. You know what I mean, I am sure! I was just getting her dialed in for a "scramble" button to open up the WG as far as possible when the car said NO!

The ARC-2 on the 92 is still working great also.

No Marty just likes to break things. That seems to be a true statement but I PUSH them and I am amazed!

 

[1cleangsx]

I’m goin into my 3rd year now on this build/set up and couldn’t be happier, but I wouldn’t say I’m hard on the car, sure I do my fair share of rips but I mostly granny shift 2-3rd, never launched it, just check plugs, change fluids and keep doing little upgrades here and there

 

[1990TSIAWDTALON]

UPussy....
Just teasin ya man! Your car runs great!

 

[1cleangsx]

Hahaha

I wanna be like you when I grow up

 

[DreamChaser7]

Ditto

 

[Spleen8urLSX]

This brings up a valuable point though. Findings are clear results that when the ARC 2 works it does work and damn good, so it makes me wonder why so many failures (aside from faulty ones from Dynatek), are they moisture sensitive perhaps?

 

[1cleangsx]

I would guess too much heat/vibration? Faulty wiring harness

 

[evil_eagletalon]

Nice.
I had a faulty arc-2 straight out the box before. Was chasing my ass for dayssss

 

[bastarddsm]

I never had issues with the ARC-2. i think most that do are because of user error or shoddy wiring. Ditch the ptu and tach adapter and they are mint. I just can't say that I noticed much improvement in spark. Even with the big Taylor wires I had to gap the plugs down a to about 0.022ish to keep it clean It's been a long time ago and I might have had to gap down further without can't remember. But what I do remember is it ran like ass cruizing. Had a lot of low load miss fire that just couldn't get tuned out. I had it wired so you could almost hotswap between PTU/stock and ARC-2. Was mint with stock, missed with ARC-2.

I always had the coils mounted to the strut tower and not to the engine. A ground wire from the engine to the coil pack fixed it. Anyway I've long been back on stock ignition. Not sure what changed but it's faster than ever and stock coils/PTU/10yr old Taylor wires.

ARC-2 is on my all motor car now, only cause with methanol and no alternator I was worried about spark with a low battery. ARC-2 should not be affected by that. I'm gonna do some dyno testing on it at some point, but I doubt I'll find much difference.

 

[1cleangsx]

That’s funny I also notice low load misfires here and there, specifically in the 2500-3500rpm range, I re adjusted my plug gap from .020 to .023 to hopefully correct it but haven’t driven the car yet since Saturday, the literature it came with suggests running a factory plug gap but says each car will vary depending on set up. I had the same misses here and there without the arc2 but that was at a .014 plug gap, which is the same gap that allowed 37 psi clean pulls on stock coils, Taylor wires and NGK br10’s. However in boost the car feels stronger, and I’ve hit higher psi than the dyno with no misfires, over all I’m happy so far, just trying to fix the low load misses here and there

 

[jed344]

We never have had issues with arc2 box's either honestly, one is on a 6466 10:1 car stock coils, ngk 7mm stock wires at 37psi right now. Myself and a buddy both use them with 300m coil on plug and have been happy too. I have noticed some low rpm misses like others have said i suppose but nothing we worried much. We also always add a second ground off the head to. These are on car's that are always stored in heated garages and are not driven much so maybe with heat and vibration it becomes more of a issue.

 

[Pjj]

Hey guys! So I recently finished up an Dynatek ARC-2 install on my 1990 Eclipse GSX, with the help of some write ups on here and Marty. I now have it running great and just wanted to share my thoughts. I’m on a built 2.0, E85, gen 2 6266 with a NGK coil pack I purchased from RockAuto, Taylor Thundervolt 10.4mm wires with NGK BR9ES plugs. Last May on the stock ignition I just mentioned minus the ARC-2 the car made 701whp (corrected) at altitude on a mustang dyno at 37psi.

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

Anything above 37psi it would break up. So I finally purchased/installed an ARC-2 for an ignition amplifier and couldn’t be happier. Second gear is the exact same duty cycle/timing but FEELS noticeably stronger, I don’t know how else to describe it, third gear I obviously had to add some duty cycle for fun and today it peaked at 39psi! The car is STUPID/SCARY fast .

I highly recommend this upgrade to anyone still on ECMLink looking for an upgrade to the ignition before going to a fancy standalone/sequential set up.

with the arc-2 what are you gapping your plugs to?

 

[1990TSIAWDTALON]

Mine are still at .018" on both cars with HX40 compressors.