2001 S281 to Twin Turbo project

[01Saleen]

Ok, it started.
Bad news is that whoever said that the RR intake would leak totally jinxed me! It has a leak on one of the runner tubes (at connection of box portion to tube). I threw some Cu-Si on there and it sealed up for now. I am going to see if they will send a new one so I don't have to take it off my car yet (4 week lead time on those manifolds). Hopefully I can get them to pressure test it too.
Other then that, idle is strong and smooth (even with the vac leak). Sounds sweet too. I am going to have it on the road by the weekend (just to see how the turbos respond (I won't be pushing it at all - just want to get a load on it to make sure everything holds up).
Only other problem was my fuel press gauge pegged. It was working fine and then it just pegged out. I think I lost my ground or something.
I am thinking I will have the front suspension back on in time for a road break in on Friday (if not tonight).

 

[Joe5.0]

NICE! Get that leak fixed up and then go get that badass Tuned.

 

[01Saleen]

Well, I finally got her out on the road! It sounds nuts! I was taking it easy (boost controler turned all the way down and not going above 4K rpms).
The only problem I am having is the tie rods hitting some of the tubing. They sent me a sway bar relocation kit but I am not seeing how that will help that much (there really isn't anywhere you could rotate the tubing to get it out of the way). I just ordered a bumpsteer kit, so hopefully those spacers will give me enough clearance.
I will keep you posted. Vacation this week, but tuning to be done when I get back. Blood never called me back about my appointment so I am thinking of going back to FAST. I talked to the tuner and I guess he has had some turbo exerience before he went to FAST.

 

[Marty98z]

I would look to Carb Connection. I have visited all three shops in question (bloods, turbo tech, and carb connection) and the only guys who i didn't think were morons were carb conn.

I was thoroughly disimpressed by bloods lack of knowledge. They kept telling me i had an lt1 (idiots) and kept telling me only to pull my car in 3rd gear.

Then turbo tech guys took about 2 hours just to figure out how to hook up the wideband to get it to read on the dyno. They couldn't figure out how to print a dyno graph based in rpm instead of mph. I didn't want to say anything to make em look like complete asses.

Carb connection is going to do my wot tuning when my hptuners arrives this week. I will have nells or the owner do it. They are both very versed in turbo cars (nells does all the imports). Give em a call.

Nate

 

[C Weil]

The bumpsteer issue is a really common complaint with the HP kit. I do not believe, though, that buying a bumpsteer kit to space the hell out of the tie rod to steering knuckle joint is the right way to do it- you'll be introducing a LOT of bumpsteer to the car, which is defintely not ideal, neither on the freeway, around town, or on the track.

It's essentially clearancing for the turbo kit by misaligning your car...I don't think that's "right".

The only real way to get around it, besides clearancing the tube itself (which I personally think is more "right", but still not) would be to get another tube made that will take account for the necessary clearance. HP has gotten a million complaints over this, and still hasn't done anything, probably because they prototyped this on a salvaged (or otherwise not straight) car. Getting the piece made after installing and setting up a properly bumpsteered suspension would be the only way to really make the whole setup tits. Any muffler shop or fabrication shop could do it. I could mention some, if you need. Otherwise, you're correcting one problem by creating another. I've seen other people do this before and didn't agree with it then, but I figured I might as well speak up in this case as well. I just don't like saying it's "close enough", especially after having spent so much money.

It's just my opinion, so feel free to use that proverbial salt. Just thought I should say something, though.

As far as dynos go, the guys at turbo tech are actually pretty decent tuners, depending on what you're doing, but i think there is better stuff that's closer. Carb connection definitely is not my first choice, though I may be going there when I get the MoTeC up and running because they have all the breakout and check software for MoTeC that my primary tuner (F.A.M.E.) doesn't have. I'll be going back to F.A.M.E. afterward for driveability, etc, tuning. Have you checked them out? They have extensive turbo tuning knowledge since it's probably 50+% of what they do. They do mostly european, etc, stuff, but have done turbo mustangs before. They're good guys, charge good prices, are very reasonable, and the tuner is one of the most knowledgeable I've met in the area.

What are you tuning with? If you're using the SCT stuff, carb connection probably isn't a bad idea since they do so much of it. I just don't like dynojets, as I've said a million times.

 

[01Saleen]

I don't like dynojets either, that is why I wasn't considering Carb. Con. Where is FAME at?
Yes, I am tuning with the SCT X2. So that also limits my choices.

As for the bump steer, my car isn't totally slammed out so the bump steer kit would be mostly to correct the 'actual' bumpsteep problem. The tie rods are at a pretty steep upward angle so I am sure it has to be pretty bad. I have my suspension cranked down pretty good though, so there is barely any movement of the front end anyway.
I adjusted the camber some last night and when I took it out, I didn't hear the tie rods banging anymore, so that helped out some. I have an exhaust guy that I have gone to before that I may get to bend the tubing. If need be, that is the route I will take (if I get my car aligned and the bumpsteer corrected and still have a problem). I think with the camber fixed and the fact that my car isn't totally slammed, the bumpsteer kit should give me plenty of clearance without going over just correcting the bumpsteer problem.
I put the bumper and headlights on last night (and the new grill delete kit). It looks nuts! The intercooler sits perfectly in the Saleen front fascia and the blow off valves are side by side next to the pony in the middle. When is the next meet?!?!? You guys have to check this thing out! Especially since I have been stinking it up on the pic posting so bad. Ha ha!

 

[ccjcobra99]

Fame Automotive In Redmond.

I have heard of them but have no experience with them.

I want to add that my dad's experience with Bloods (although good) was probably 5 years ago.

Thought I would add that FAME is quite close to where I work and I never knew they were back there.

 

[01Saleen]

99- My girlfriend is from Sammamish. Crazy.
Anyway, I checked out FAME on some forums. Mostly they come up for STI's and imports.

 

[C Weil]

Thought I'd also add that, in my experience, the guys at Blood's aren't idiots, and I think that they are one of the better tuners in the area. They have their issues, yes, and I wouldn't take just anything to them (honestly, I'd prefer not to use them for what I'm doing given their bias towards Accel), but for what they do they do it well.

FAME does mostly european stuff, and the Subaru stuff comes from the fact that the head tuner is a Subaru guy. That doesn't really matter as much, though, as long as you are comfortable with them and their knowledge and capability with various tuning software. What they use it on mostly beside the point, imo.

Let us know how it goes!

 

[Joe5.0]

01Saleen, Were you on 405 in Renton on Friday?

 

[01Saleen]

Well, bad news. Something wrong with the fuel system. I was driving it around to get the water off after I washed it and I lost fuel pressure. No leaks anywhere and it threw two DCT codes. One was the fuel pressure sensor - which I replaced but it didn't help. The other code was P1223 (I think - it happened right before vacation and I lost a lot of brain cells at the post wedding partying). Anyway, the code is "Fuel System Offline". I need to figure out what the deal is. I had it on several drives with zero problems. The only thing that has changed is the fuel level. So, I am thinking it may have something to do with the pumps.
There was an open port on the pump and I thought it looked like it should go somewhere (or have something attached to it) but there was no hose attached. It may have to be below the fuel level or something??? Other then that, the diagnostics for the DTC talks about line shorts. I never changed any of the wiring so I would be surprised if that is what it was.
It is kind of weird because if the car sits for a while, pressure will build back up and it will start, the pressure drops again though after a few seconds.


MORE:
Background info: I did an '03 cobra tank and pump swap.

I lost fuel pressure on the last of probably 5 or six (seperate)trips around the block. No fuel leaks anywhere. It is throwing 2 DTC's (P0190, P1234) one is the fuel pressure sensor but I replaced it and the issue was not resolved. The other is "Fuel System Offline" If you let the car sit for about 10 mins or so and then restart, you have pressure for a few seconds, then it loses it again.
The only thing that changed between the test drives was the fuel level, so I am going to try to put some more gas in and if that doesn't work, I am guessing it is something electrical. Kind of weird though because I didn't mess with any of the wiring at all. Plus, it was working fine for several trips (longer distances).
Any help here would be greatly appreciated.

 

[RickSvt]

email me, I have something that will help you out

rick

 

[RickSvt]

Also, check your fuse that supplys your FPDM in the engine bay, and check your FPDM connector and fuel pump cutoff switch

rick

 

[C Weil]

I also got something for you about that.

 

[01Saleen]

Well, I put gas in last night and it started fine. I think the tank may have been empty. I am not sure what the problem is there (gauge said I had just over 1/4 of a tank of gas). I may end up pulling the pumps again because there was an open ended fitting (looked like there should have been something (tubing) attached to it but there wasn't) and I am thinking that may need to be below the gas level (submerged). I wasn't thinking though and I didn't knock on the tank to see if it was actually empty or not.
I checked the inertia shutoff and it wasn't tripped. I cleared the DTC's and I am not throwing any codes now. I pulled it out, let it idle for a while, reved it a bit and took a short trip down the driveway and back. I think I am going to run it down (the gas) again to see if the tank is actually empty when it happens.
Would you have to recalibrate your gas gauge??? That doesn't seem like it would be necessary??

 

[01Saleen]

Dynoing very soon.

I am just having some problems getting a new rear brake caliper mount. Ford Dealer can't seem to find the right part.

 

[Joe5.0]

Is the car actually Running the way its supposed to yet?

 

[01Saleen]

It runs sweet. It is just a base tune though so I can't really stomp on it. I have been keeping it under 4K rpm and I turned down my boost controller. I am only seeing about 4-5 psi max.

 

[team23jordan]

how much boost can you run with your turbo?

 

[01Saleen]

Most I have seen being run on these is 20 psi (producing 700-800 rwhp)
On my stock block, I am not going over 8 psi. I am planning on getting a built engine next summer. When I do that, I may experiment a little with the boost - maybe throw on a few different tunes (8, 10, and 15 psi).