J&S Vampire Detonation
Safeguard System

This is a quick introduction to a product that should be on every high performance car. Whether NA, or Power Adder, we run our cars as close to the edge on timing as we dare to get the most horsepower out of them. We do this "whistling in the dark" knowing any hick-up could push our car into detonation and pre-ignition with disastrous results. That's why they call it the "edge", right? Nothing like playing chicken with your checkbook!

  The control box

The supplied hardware is very complete

If we go over the edge, now there is a parachute.

J&S has provided knock detection systems for Imports and even pushrod Fords for a number of years. In my research I've read post after post of where this system saved motors. Even Matt Snow of Snow Performance has used this on his 5.0 Cobra and told me he swears by the unit and it's saved his car on several occasion. John, owner of J&S, has worked developing a proprietary sensor hardware and software who's logic improves his systems' ability to differentiate between knock and engine noise. It is even capable of differentiating between cylinders and pulling timing only from that cylinder. There are a lot more details on it's operation that I'll include in a complete installation and operation article I intend to do at a later date after I'm able to do additional testing. I was impressed enough at this point to put some information out immediately.

 First Impression: It works!!

Yesterday I installed the complete system in about an hour. The hardest parts were running the wires through the firewall and the sensor mounting. You only have to land one wire on each of the COP wires using a cool connector J&S sends. (The install hardware is very complete and even includes ty-wraps) then land a switched hot wire, a ground wire, two detonation sensor wires and a vacuum/boost hose to the manifold and you're done. They even send a nice brass compression tee to accomplish that. I'll go into the sensor location and mounting later. John also included the indication meter that is a series of LEDs that show when the unit is seeing and controlling spark. It has it's own cord and simply plugs in at the gauge and the control box and fits the normal gauge holes we all know, love and have too few of. I've already talked to John about an option on this arrangement that wouldn't require a full gauge hole for the indication light array.

Tony at HP Performance in Orange Park, FL allowed me some dyno time yesterday but he was very busy, so I just did some initial testing to see if the unit was capable of sensing noise and controlling the timing on the car. On the first pull, with the sensitivity turned up all the way to force it to see enough noise to attempt to pull timing, the car made 540rwhp SAE. That was down at least 70 hp from where my car generally is in hot conditions and no intercooler ice. That told me it was pulling some timing, but I wanted to be sure it would REALLY be capable of major control so I set-up the units boost retard curve to max slope and range where it would be pulling 20 degrees of timing at 10psi. That pull registered 470rwhp and the car didn't miss-fire or show any bad tendencies at all. It was absolutely able to control the motor in a big way. If pulling 20 deg isn't enough to save your motor, then you have more troubles than that! I'm satisifed it's range is more than enough protection and it's control scheme works perfectly.

At that point Tony needed the Dyno back for his customers. Let's just say it stays busy at his place. Yesterdays there were two GT-500s there being upgraded and two Ford GTs including Joe Cermin's twin-turbo version. My little Bullitt goes somewhat unnoticed there, to say the least. After we pulled the car off the dyno I took it on a street test. The driveabliliy was totally unaffected by the Viper unit. It just sits there ready to save your checkbook at a moments notice.

Next I want to get the unit back on the dyno and dial in the sensitivity. I then intend to add-in timing until it indicates the unit is seeing detonation and get it to control the events. Basically, I want to go to the edge and see if I can produce more horsepower safely. You KNOW I have to have confidence in this piece of hardware to do that. Stay tuned, there is more information and results to come. Go to the link below to learn more about the product.

J&S Electronics   Vampire System Information