Maybe he was saying dash 8... But I could see the hoses on mine, then he showed me the ones he liked to use and they were quite a bit bigger. Then he showed me one size larger still that another guy was using for something else... My numbers might just be off.

In my line of work I do know about resistance to flow and friction loss so I can appreciate the value in even small diameter increases. I'm used to larger diameters, but ultimately the principals are the same. So when he showed me the line sizes it did make sense... But it does sound like a bit of a job to accomplish as well. I think I'll do the ATF temp sensor and larger cooler first and see where I end up. If they can get the lines done right then well I might as well- but if it's a whole other job then at least I'll have a baseline pre / post larger lines and we can evaluate the benefit from there.

What are standard operating ranges for our transmissions?

 

Safe operating range is under 240 degF. I have taken it to 290 deg F transiently on a mountain run but I have never entered limp mode. I changed the ATF (drain/fill) asap after that. The key concept that most folks promote is that every 10 degrees over 220 degF, ATF life (usually 30k miles) gets cut in half.

The key to a long lasting transmission is heat control, but also more frequent ATF changes, particularly under high load conditions. I do a drain/fill every 6k miles (5 qts).

 

Okay! Well this is definitely a step in the right direction.

We're going with the bigger heat sink, keeping the same lines and getting an ATF temp gauge installed tomorrow AM. I will then be able to monitor the temps and see if that's in fact what has been causing my limp mode issues...

Shop said it IS possible that my stock MAF is causing my issues as well. Words to the effect "If it's only shutting down when you're getting on it, then that could be the MAF. If it's shutting down at other times then it would be another issue."

Will report!

 

you are on a stock MAF? it was my understanding that the stock MAF is only good for around 350hp... this is engine HP not at the wheels. I think they said the stock MAF voltage maxes out so the ECU cant read any more air coming in and it becomes a safety issue for tuners.

def. a possibility of why you are having issues.

 

The shop I went to replaced the stock MAF with their upgraded version so that might be your problem.

 

Yeah... I was supposed to get that done while I was there but it didn't happen. Thinking back on it I probably should have just brought it back with me and had it installed but it sounds like getting it put in required a retune anyway... hence why I left it.

Okay, so maybe that is the problem after all?

Then again if it IS in fact engine horsepower then we're probably well over that- that certainly explains why it only happens when I hit on it.

Popular opinion is now that it's the stock MAF... probably causing that pending misfire code. So that should be easy enough to fix considering I've already bought the HPX upgraded MAF and it'll be installed when I go down again for the final tune.

 

What? You are using the stock MAF - that's only good for 5-6 psi. :/

 

MAF itself won't cause cylinder specific misfire.

 

Okay- keep in mind the code came up as generic cylinder 5 misfire (pending)... so I suppose there's not really enough information there to nail it down entirely- I was just parroting back what was on the reader.

I'm sitting at MNR right now- they're tinkering in the back with my car- there are 2 other 350s sitting out there, a couple of other lesser cars (BMWs... haha!). I'm on "the big comfy couch" right now and they've let me hook in to their wireless. They also have a PS3 sitting out and asked if I wanted to play around with one of a number of games or watch the 32" or so flat panel they have out front. All nuthugging aside, everything I've heard about these guys so far is SQUARE on. They have a nice floor space in the back with 3 hoists and lots of area behind them for the number of projects they have going on.

Anyway, suffice to say I think I found my local shop. Anyone in this area would do well to check it out.



They figured out what my rattle was in the back that I was worrying about- it was my muffler... was a bit loose in the back end and just rattling there. They said they're going to tighten that up and sort it out. ATF gauge is in and they found a similar depo gauge so that everything was all nice and uniform the way I like it (multi colour analog style) and recalibrated my AFR. They also put in a very large (the 11x11x1.5 at least as we talked about before) in on the passenger side and took the aftermarket cooler originally used for my ATF and it's now being used for my power steering I believe it was.

 

I've seen a lot of 400whp VQ's all using the stock maf, including mine before it was built with absolutely no problems. There's no need to run the HPX for a break in tune as you shouldn't be pushing that much hp, and its a lot more work for the tuner to set up and tune. Also I know of some tuners that like to keep the stock MAF during the initial break in as an added safeguard to overboosting, if for some reason it overboosts the maf is going to blow out instead of something going boom.

 

That sounds like a pretty good safeguard. Coincidence I wonder?

Got the oil changed as well. 5w40 motul 8100 xcess. Again. Got their last drops so was happy about that!

These guys are uprev tuners as well- so they can help me out with any glitches.

 

The stock MAF isn't going to blow out and protect the car in any way shape or form. It will peg at 5V, fuel will stay constant, air will continue to increase and you will run lean while you overboost and blow the motor. The 700bb tuner kit has wastegate springs of 8-11 psi depending on your exhaust. It's real easy to go over 400 at that boost level.

 

that is exactly as I was told... never heard of them "blowing"

 

On another note about the MAF... All this time I'd heard HPX so I was thinking that was the upgraded MAF I was getting. As it turns out, what with the scaling issues guys were telling me about a low loads with the HPX map, uprev developed a new MAF I believe they're calling the Uprev GT. Because this is their own MAF, it doesn't have the problem with rough idling and lower RPMs. This is a good thing.

What I'm coming into now is that there is nobody officially certified by uprev to tune in this area- though the guys at MNR are saying they can do it and have been for a long time. I'm not sure where that's going to end up but for now I'm going to stick to my original plan and get the GT installed by Intec. I guess it's a start from scratch situation- so while it is awesome, if you don't have pre-existing files to work from then you have a lot of work ahead of you.

I talked directly to Richard from uprev as well and he was very helpful in sorting out some of the issues I was having in sorting out what was happening.

 

Eh guys.

Well the driving experience so far has been really good. Did that Poker Run on the island that Ddonovan was talking about in my350 and here in the Canada section and had a great drive. About 30 cars were there, maybe a few more. There was just mine and another G there- (last couple pics) but all worked out nicely. No hiccups for me at least! Like I mentioned before, the shifting is just like stock and all other system seem to be pretty good- except for one small detail.

A few days ago I got in the car after a few days away and couldn't turn the steering wheel. I looked down under the car and there was a big puddle under the passenger side behind the front wheel. The boot was wet on the bottom and there was red fluid dripping down off the skid plate between the test pipes. (first pic) I put out an APB in the canada section hoping for some guidance on possible problems and Dustin (red35) indicated he had a similar problem with his car at about the same time... basically low pressure steering line rubbing against a compressor housing.

Sure enough, I limped the car over to MNR after topping up the fluid and made it there (20-25 minute drive) just as the pump started to whine again. Close! Had a couple smokey scares on my way but it was just fluid spraying on the test pipes from the wind... as I expected but I got a few worried glances from passing motorists.

Anyway, in the hoist they took a close look and sure enough- exactly as Dustin had indicated (shown in second pic). Third pic is the actual line pulled out. They fixed this with a similar diameter line and just bent it according to OEM but then just modified where it was bent near the compressor housing so that it would clear it by a larger margin.

The car went in to MNR last night for a few additional upgrades. If the MAF and boost controller show up (they shipped last week express) from Intec then those will be installed and tuned up at Racing Greed. The rear coilovers are being adjusted slightly and the car will be corner balanced as well. I've got some H1s going in my driver / fog light as well (something I won over at that Poker Run)... figured they might as well throw them in while the wheels are off and it's on a hoist.