Dyno'd my turbo VE today
11-14-2013, 05:45 PM
#1
2 VE's are better than one!
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Dyno'd my turbo VE today
Tuner had a hard time figuring out how Nistune works but finally figured it out enough to make some decent numbers for a "first tune" of sorts. We're both still unsure that he was able to figure everything out and really fine tune it. He said the maps were "backwards" from how they should look but he went with it anyway.
He spent about two hours on it. He kept re-synchronizing after each change but I thought I read you only need to synchronize once after first opening up the program, as opposed to changing a cell and then re-synchronizing. Regardless, he said any changes he made did not "stick" until each re-synchronization, and he did manage to make the changes "stick" because the numbers and AFR's kept improving.
It ultimately did 280 whp and 340 ft lbs of torque at ~7 psi. I have a high flow cat and he said that is definitely choking it a bit and that removing it could easily add 25-30 hp. This was also done on a Dyno Dynamics machine which is commonly referred to as the "heartbreak dyno" because they read "low" (many would argue they actually read correctly, and others read high since the Dyno Dynamics machine is more like real road conditions with respect to load). I would bet if this was on a Dyno Jet or something it would be in the 315-320 whp range. Definitely some nice torque though.
Anyway, I'm getting an insane amount of blow-by or something from the valve covers. My PCV system is basically stock, with a catch can in between the stock PCV valve and the intake manifold. I also added a brake booster check valve in-line as an extra attempt to keep from pressurizing the crankcase. The tuner suspects those are failing and pressurizing the crankcase hence all the crap coming out of the breather filter. It starts to happen right about at the onset of boost. The tuner said this is about as bad as they've ever seen. Definitely need to figure something out there. 'Twas all captured on video.
He spent about two hours on it. He kept re-synchronizing after each change but I thought I read you only need to synchronize once after first opening up the program, as opposed to changing a cell and then re-synchronizing. Regardless, he said any changes he made did not "stick" until each re-synchronization, and he did manage to make the changes "stick" because the numbers and AFR's kept improving.
It ultimately did 280 whp and 340 ft lbs of torque at ~7 psi. I have a high flow cat and he said that is definitely choking it a bit and that removing it could easily add 25-30 hp. This was also done on a Dyno Dynamics machine which is commonly referred to as the "heartbreak dyno" because they read "low" (many would argue they actually read correctly, and others read high since the Dyno Dynamics machine is more like real road conditions with respect to load). I would bet if this was on a Dyno Jet or something it would be in the 315-320 whp range. Definitely some nice torque though.
Anyway, I'm getting an insane amount of blow-by or something from the valve covers. My PCV system is basically stock, with a catch can in between the stock PCV valve and the intake manifold. I also added a brake booster check valve in-line as an extra attempt to keep from pressurizing the crankcase. The tuner suspects those are failing and pressurizing the crankcase hence all the crap coming out of the breather filter. It starts to happen right about at the onset of boost. The tuner said this is about as bad as they've ever seen. Definitely need to figure something out there. 'Twas all captured on video.
Last edited by James92SE; 11-14-2013 at 05:50 PM.
11-14-2013, 09:42 PM
#9
ya know for such a "easy to use tuning tool" i've been hearing a lot of pro tuners having problems with it. when you say re-sync did you mean burn?
if you close out of the software and go back in it'll ask you to resync the maps since when you have on your ECU is not the same as the computer. that's usually when i need to resync. otherwise i can bump values up/down and see the A/F values update realtime. once it's "good" then i burn to ECU.
ya know i think i have a blowby issue too but don't even know where to start. my oil gets pretty dirty pretty quickly and i suspect the blow by contaminating it. what check valves are you suppose to use and etc?
actually did some searching...
this looks right to you??
http://www.junkyardturbos.com/Turbo-PCV-Systems.php
if you close out of the software and go back in it'll ask you to resync the maps since when you have on your ECU is not the same as the computer. that's usually when i need to resync. otherwise i can bump values up/down and see the A/F values update realtime. once it's "good" then i burn to ECU.
ya know i think i have a blowby issue too but don't even know where to start. my oil gets pretty dirty pretty quickly and i suspect the blow by contaminating it. what check valves are you suppose to use and etc?
actually did some searching...
this looks right to you??
http://www.junkyardturbos.com/Turbo-PCV-Systems.php
Last edited by DanNY; 11-14-2013 at 09:50 PM.
11-15-2013, 04:39 AM
#11
2 VE's are better than one!
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ya know for such a "easy to use tuning tool" i've been hearing a lot of pro tuners having problems with it. when you say re-sync did you mean burn?
if you close out of the software and go back in it'll ask you to resync the maps since when you have on your ECU is not the same as the computer. that's usually when i need to resync. otherwise i can bump values up/down and see the A/F values update realtime. once it's "good" then i burn to ECU.
ya know i think i have a blowby issue too but don't even know where to start. my oil gets pretty dirty pretty quickly and i suspect the blow by contaminating it. what check valves are you suppose to use and etc?
actually did some searching...
this looks right to you??
http://www.junkyardturbos.com/Turbo-PCV-Systems.php
if you close out of the software and go back in it'll ask you to resync the maps since when you have on your ECU is not the same as the computer. that's usually when i need to resync. otherwise i can bump values up/down and see the A/F values update realtime. once it's "good" then i burn to ECU.
ya know i think i have a blowby issue too but don't even know where to start. my oil gets pretty dirty pretty quickly and i suspect the blow by contaminating it. what check valves are you suppose to use and etc?
actually did some searching...
this looks right to you??
http://www.junkyardturbos.com/Turbo-PCV-Systems.php
"Yes you either need to sync from your last saved changed on the laptop to the ECU or from what is currently running in to the ECU to your laptop"
Which is supposed to be done each time you get started in Nistune, not necessarily after EVERY single change while tuning it. For example, the tuner would change one cell, then re-sync, over and over. I've never read any examples of people having to do that since it's real time. But he said that was the only way it let him make changes. For a good half an hour he had the same problem as me where he couldn't figure out how to edit a cell. I had that problem for a week and felt like a total idiot. Following the manual exactly, when it came to actually clicking on a cell to change values, it wouldn't change. And the stuff about disabling the 02 doesn't work like the manual says, I couldn't get it to work even turning the temp all the way up, and he couldn't either, but I guess he finally figured something out.
I felt like if there was even a YouTube clip showing where/what to click that would solve nearly all of my issues, because the written instructions and then what happens on your actual screen don't match (ie the instructions say do this or that, and you do try to do this or that and it won't let you).
Somehow allllll these guys figure it out in their driveway. I don't know how unless they have buddies who know how to use it or something. I tried for a solid week and read the manuals over and over and over and everything I could online. Then I couldn't find ANY tuners to help me. Must have called 25-30 shops in Texas. Everybody was completely dismissive of Nistune and most condescendingly claimed they've never heard of it. This guy was kind of ragging on it the whole time too, even after he figured it out a bit. So all this has surprised me, because like you I keep reading how user friendly it is. There's even a thread on the Turbo section where a bunch of 4th gen guys somehow figured it out on the spot and tuned etc.
I'm really frustrated with this PCV stuff since I spent about a month fretting over it. The problem is most setups (like the one in your link, which I had seen when researching this a couple months back) route back to pre-turbo for the vacuum. But Brad tested this and there is almost ZERO vacuum pre-turbo. I think everybody just assumes there is a bunch of vacuum and since they route the line there it all just flows back into the system anyway so they wouldn't really know. I'm going to test my own car to see what, if any, actual vacuum there is pre-turbo.
I noticed on the way home that the blow-by was not noticeable, I guess because I was moving. I wonder if a lot of guys have as much as me and just don't realize it if they're out on the street and not sitting on a dyno.
Tuner wants me to do something with it ASAP and install colder non-platinum plugs and remove the cat to go back and re-run in a few weeks.
You're on Nistune aren't you? Did you ever figure it out enough to tune it yourself?
11-15-2013, 04:46 AM
#12
2 VE's are better than one!
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Thanks, there were some guys from some other shops in the same complex, one was a Vette speciality place, who kept coming by to see about my car. I think the big blow-by show attracted them.
Anyway, one of them said the same thing about it being a sleeper and joked he'd buy it just to drive it to work and back. I told him I have the body kit, lowered, wheel, big brakes, etc so it's not a total sleeper, but I know what he meant. Just that nobody expects this bodystyle Maxima to be quick or turbocharged.
My one sleeper thing I did purposely go for is the all black intercooler and piping. I didn't want that to be real flashy, but that's mainly because I live in the ghetto and don't want to attract a lot of potential theft attention. Of course it's still pretty obvious, but at first glance people wouldn't notice it.
Anyway, one of them said the same thing about it being a sleeper and joked he'd buy it just to drive it to work and back. I told him I have the body kit, lowered, wheel, big brakes, etc so it's not a total sleeper, but I know what he meant. Just that nobody expects this bodystyle Maxima to be quick or turbocharged.
My one sleeper thing I did purposely go for is the all black intercooler and piping. I didn't want that to be real flashy, but that's mainly because I live in the ghetto and don't want to attract a lot of potential theft attention. Of course it's still pretty obvious, but at first glance people wouldn't notice it.
11-15-2013, 08:04 AM
#13
No, I'm not talking about burning it, I'm talking about the up and down green arrows to the left of the burn button. I asked Matt from Nistune about them a while back and he said:
"Yes you either need to sync from your last saved changed on the laptop to the ECU or from what is currently running in to the ECU to your laptop"
Which is supposed to be done each time you get started in Nistune, not necessarily after EVERY single change while tuning it. For example, the tuner would change one cell, then re-sync, over and over. I've never read any examples of people having to do that since it's real time. But he said that was the only way it let him make changes. For a good half an hour he had the same problem as me where he couldn't figure out how to edit a cell. I had that problem for a week and felt like a total idiot. Following the manual exactly, when it came to actually clicking on a cell to change values, it wouldn't change. And the stuff about disabling the 02 doesn't work like the manual says, I couldn't get it to work even turning the temp all the way up, and he couldn't either, but I guess he finally figured something out.
I felt like if there was even a YouTube clip showing where/what to click that would solve nearly all of my issues, because the written instructions and then what happens on your actual screen don't match (ie the instructions say do this or that, and you do try to do this or that and it won't let you).
Somehow allllll these guys figure it out in their driveway. I don't know how unless they have buddies who know how to use it or something. I tried for a solid week and read the manuals over and over and over and everything I could online. Then I couldn't find ANY tuners to help me. Must have called 25-30 shops in Texas. Everybody was completely dismissive of Nistune and most condescendingly claimed they've never heard of it. This guy was kind of ragging on it the whole time too, even after he figured it out a bit. So all this has surprised me, because like you I keep reading how user friendly it is. There's even a thread on the Turbo section where a bunch of 4th gen guys somehow figured it out on the spot and tuned etc.
I'm really frustrated with this PCV stuff since I spent about a month fretting over it. The problem is most setups (like the one in your link, which I had seen when researching this a couple months back) route back to pre-turbo for the vacuum. But Brad tested this and there is almost ZERO vacuum pre-turbo. I think everybody just assumes there is a bunch of vacuum and since they route the line there it all just flows back into the system anyway so they wouldn't really know. I'm going to test my own car to see what, if any, actual vacuum there is pre-turbo.
I noticed on the way home that the blow-by was not noticeable, I guess because I was moving. I wonder if a lot of guys have as much as me and just don't realize it if they're out on the street and not sitting on a dyno.
Tuner wants me to do something with it ASAP and install colder non-platinum plugs and remove the cat to go back and re-run in a few weeks.
You're on Nistune aren't you? Did you ever figure it out enough to tune it yourself?
"Yes you either need to sync from your last saved changed on the laptop to the ECU or from what is currently running in to the ECU to your laptop"
Which is supposed to be done each time you get started in Nistune, not necessarily after EVERY single change while tuning it. For example, the tuner would change one cell, then re-sync, over and over. I've never read any examples of people having to do that since it's real time. But he said that was the only way it let him make changes. For a good half an hour he had the same problem as me where he couldn't figure out how to edit a cell. I had that problem for a week and felt like a total idiot. Following the manual exactly, when it came to actually clicking on a cell to change values, it wouldn't change. And the stuff about disabling the 02 doesn't work like the manual says, I couldn't get it to work even turning the temp all the way up, and he couldn't either, but I guess he finally figured something out.
I felt like if there was even a YouTube clip showing where/what to click that would solve nearly all of my issues, because the written instructions and then what happens on your actual screen don't match (ie the instructions say do this or that, and you do try to do this or that and it won't let you).
Somehow allllll these guys figure it out in their driveway. I don't know how unless they have buddies who know how to use it or something. I tried for a solid week and read the manuals over and over and over and everything I could online. Then I couldn't find ANY tuners to help me. Must have called 25-30 shops in Texas. Everybody was completely dismissive of Nistune and most condescendingly claimed they've never heard of it. This guy was kind of ragging on it the whole time too, even after he figured it out a bit. So all this has surprised me, because like you I keep reading how user friendly it is. There's even a thread on the Turbo section where a bunch of 4th gen guys somehow figured it out on the spot and tuned etc.
I'm really frustrated with this PCV stuff since I spent about a month fretting over it. The problem is most setups (like the one in your link, which I had seen when researching this a couple months back) route back to pre-turbo for the vacuum. But Brad tested this and there is almost ZERO vacuum pre-turbo. I think everybody just assumes there is a bunch of vacuum and since they route the line there it all just flows back into the system anyway so they wouldn't really know. I'm going to test my own car to see what, if any, actual vacuum there is pre-turbo.
I noticed on the way home that the blow-by was not noticeable, I guess because I was moving. I wonder if a lot of guys have as much as me and just don't realize it if they're out on the street and not sitting on a dyno.
Tuner wants me to do something with it ASAP and install colder non-platinum plugs and remove the cat to go back and re-run in a few weeks.
You're on Nistune aren't you? Did you ever figure it out enough to tune it yourself?
i had a JWT ECU and i told matt that it was set for 370CC he says ok...great.
so i get it back and i see it as being set up for the stock VG maxima set up in terms of injectors...so i did the calc in the software and converted it to 370CC. i was running sooo rich that i would foul plugs after going around the block 2 times. i just couldn't figure out what's going on. so i resynced from the ECU and just ran it and hoped that nothing blows up. well guess what...it ran ok (not great). so for some reason matt thought the JWT ECU had a stock program and programed that in the ECU. it took me weeks..and i mean weeks of non stop messing with it. i didn't want to lean it out in the fear something will go boom.
you're so right...their documentation is soooo long and long. yeah i read the manual so many times (i have stacks of paper all over the car since i'm reading while i'm making adjustments). i was going out almost every day/night trying to figure it out. i think the neighbors were getting annoyed with all the noise i was making and trying to get it running. i had to recharge the battery (thanks autozone for good battery warranty) so many times since i would crank...run for 5 secs and stall. then after i get the battery charged up the plugs would be all fouled up...so getting more. i now have like a stock of 24 plugs normal and 1 step colder ready to go. oh let's not forget the USB cable i had to get since i was getting issues where the signal would drop when i'm revving the car. so i had to run a wire for a better ground...then get a heavy duty USB cable.
figure i can seek the help of a pro...i called every local place i know...people have NO CLUE what i'm talking about. they all said they don't run that stuff. emanage, AEM, megasquirt, etc etc...no nistune. it's usual "nis-what??" the response i get.
i did find a guy that knows nistune but he's about 1.5 hr drive away...that's a bit rough since i don't want to make the trip and they tell me that oh you have a leak here..fix that and come back (or they would charge me to tighten a clamp)...or your injectors are sized too low..come back. i'm thinking if i do get there and they tune it it'll be something like you had where the guy is just more or less fudging with it and tell me to fix all these things and come back.
i dont have a check valve on the pcv so i'm thinking the oil is going bad from that. the other breathers all just have filters on it...which might be good i'm dumping boost in there...more tinkering to come.
11-15-2013, 09:27 AM
#15
2 VE's are better than one!
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What is your secret? I literally couldn't ever even get a value in a cell to change, or disable the 02, or anything. Nothing I tried according to the manual actually worked like the manual says. I can't believe I'm that stupid that people with zero experience figure it out in their driveway in half an hour and I spent weeks trying to figure it out and like Dan said my car was/is covered in print-outs of the Nistune manuals, as well as tons of printed out threads I found on Nistune forums. Still couldn't ever get it.
Can you shed any light on the "re-synch" thing? If you change a cell, lets say you change a cell in the timing map. Do you then "re-sync" for that change to take effect? I thought you only "sync" once when you first load up Nistune.
Can you shed any light on the "re-synch" thing? If you change a cell, lets say you change a cell in the timing map. Do you then "re-sync" for that change to take effect? I thought you only "sync" once when you first load up Nistune.
11-15-2013, 09:46 AM
#17
2 VE's are better than one!
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So you hook up everything, get into consult. Then you "re-sync" with either the up or down arrow based upon whether or not you are viewing "ECU downloaded maps" or a specific tune you pulled in. If you're viewing a tune that you pulled in from your desktop, for example, you then have to "sync" the map DOWN from the ECU (I guess this would be the downward facing green arrow but not certain from memory). Is that correct?
If so, are you supposed to "sync" each change UP to the ECU after each change you make in a map or a cell?
Mine is the type 3 board
11-15-2013, 10:14 AM
#19
No once you sync the map onto your ecu can make all your changes etc. When you are done you have to burn the map onto ecu with the burn button on top. Looks like a flame. If you are havu ng to resync every change I imagine you have something wrong with your consult conection.
11-15-2013, 11:10 AM
#20
2 VE's are better than one!
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I'm not sure that on my set-up you actually have to re-sync after each change. He seemed to find that was the case, but I'm not sure if it actually was the case. I think perhaps he might have been doing it thinking it was "saving" the changes even though it was unnecessary.
I do know about the burn, and we did do that at the end, and I also had him save a copy on my computer too just in case.
And Dan, I went through great effort to ensure I didn't have any consult/connectivity issues. I bought specific USB cables and adapters that were named numerous to work well with Nistune etc. I was worried about my wide-band (Innovate LC-1) as I had read horror stories about connectivity issues, but I wired it up all meticulously and had no issues connecting. That's one part of my Nistune experience that has gone a-okay, is the consult/connecting part.
I do know about the burn, and we did do that at the end, and I also had him save a copy on my computer too just in case.
And Dan, I went through great effort to ensure I didn't have any consult/connectivity issues. I bought specific USB cables and adapters that were named numerous to work well with Nistune etc. I was worried about my wide-band (Innovate LC-1) as I had read horror stories about connectivity issues, but I wired it up all meticulously and had no issues connecting. That's one part of my Nistune experience that has gone a-okay, is the consult/connecting part.
11-15-2013, 05:23 PM
#21
i think the major pain is matt screwing up the injector sizing. that really messed me up for a while. then trying to get the lay of the land with the software and how it works..that was a learning curve. finally the connectivity was a major pain for me. after a while of me getting fed up matt told me...ground it directly and run a better USB cable. after that it solved the problems.
one other small issue was that he cut a wire in the board so now my check engine light forever blinks. he said that i have to resolder it again so it'll be ok but i don't want to mess with it right now.
i was one of the first ones with nistune b/c i was soooo fed up with JWT...so maybe some kinks had to be worked out.
11-15-2013, 05:24 PM
#22
I'm not sure that on my set-up you actually have to re-sync after each change. He seemed to find that was the case, but I'm not sure if it actually was the case. I think perhaps he might have been doing it thinking it was "saving" the changes even though it was unnecessary.
I do know about the burn, and we did do that at the end, and I also had him save a copy on my computer too just in case.
And Dan, I went through great effort to ensure I didn't have any consult/connectivity issues. I bought specific USB cables and adapters that were named numerous to work well with Nistune etc. I was worried about my wide-band (Innovate LC-1) as I had read horror stories about connectivity issues, but I wired it up all meticulously and had no issues connecting. That's one part of my Nistune experience that has gone a-okay, is the consult/connecting part.
I do know about the burn, and we did do that at the end, and I also had him save a copy on my computer too just in case.
And Dan, I went through great effort to ensure I didn't have any consult/connectivity issues. I bought specific USB cables and adapters that were named numerous to work well with Nistune etc. I was worried about my wide-band (Innovate LC-1) as I had read horror stories about connectivity issues, but I wired it up all meticulously and had no issues connecting. That's one part of my Nistune experience that has gone a-okay, is the consult/connecting part.
11-15-2013, 07:47 PM
#24
2 VE's are better than one!
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Man I wish the paint/body on mine looked like that one. My whole roof is full of Bondo so I'm gonna have to re-skin it. I need to go cut a good roof off the junkyard one of these days. I got the car for $200 so I guess I can't complain. Once this turbo stuff is totally sorted out/finalized tune I'll start on the paint and body.
For some reason I don't remember your car above, but then again I have an amazingly terrible memory. I can't even remember what maintenance I've done or parts I've bought for my own cars half the time. When was that from?
For some reason I don't remember your car above, but then again I have an amazingly terrible memory. I can't even remember what maintenance I've done or parts I've bought for my own cars half the time. When was that from?
11-16-2013, 03:03 PM
#25
that picture is probably from 2005, got my first 3rd gen in 03 and sold it to buy that VE5spd. e36 projectors with the amber corners. i think we might be the only 2 to rock the amber corner lights..
11-17-2013, 10:35 AM
#26
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pretty sick stuff you got going on here James. hope you can sort out the bugs to finalize your turbo set up. as per our conversation earlier; i can't wait to reinstall my lip kit and get new fogs and replace my bad injector and then its finally done exterior wise. then i have to hit up the interior and then maybe just maybe pull my motor again and beef it up with the turbo and manifolds that have been sitting in the garage collecting dust. i should have updated pics on my 3rd gen progress thread by the end of next week.
11-18-2013, 02:47 PM
#29
2 VE's are better than one!
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I painted some eBay clear corner lights. The part that sucks is I guess you can't even get well-made clear corners anymore. The ones I painted fit like crap and I had to even re-drill one of the screw holes. I'm gonna try painting OEM ones but I'm not sure how those will turn out since they already have the amber section. I may try taping off the amber section and painting only the clear part for a few coats, then going over the whole thing
11-18-2013, 07:20 PM
#30
I painted some eBay clear corner lights. The part that sucks is I guess you can't even get well-made clear corners anymore. The ones I painted fit like crap and I had to even re-drill one of the screw holes. I'm gonna try painting OEM ones but I'm not sure how those will turn out since they already have the amber section. I may try taping off the amber section and painting only the clear part for a few coats, then going over the whole thing
11-19-2013, 01:55 PM
#32
11-19-2013, 02:03 PM
#33
HI'd be surprised if you couldn't pull more power out of that engine.
Regarding the blowby, I'd just disconnect your PCV system (filter at both covers) and see if that helps. Also, make sure there is NO LINE on the presurized side that routes back into the valve covers. The VG has 3 lines: PCV on rear into the intake manifold, second and third on the intake right before the throttle body. The one connects to the front valve cover. The second routes around the engine and into the rear valve cover. I originally mistakenly connected the one that routes around to the rear cover, naturally I was pressurizing my crank case. Definitely a "duh" moment for me - completely missed it.
Of course the junkyard page addresses pretty much what I would say. Here is a PCV check valve as an option.
http://www.modernperformance.com/pro...o_oilcatchcans
Regarding the blowby, I'd just disconnect your PCV system (filter at both covers) and see if that helps. Also, make sure there is NO LINE on the presurized side that routes back into the valve covers. The VG has 3 lines: PCV on rear into the intake manifold, second and third on the intake right before the throttle body. The one connects to the front valve cover. The second routes around the engine and into the rear valve cover. I originally mistakenly connected the one that routes around to the rear cover, naturally I was pressurizing my crank case. Definitely a "duh" moment for me - completely missed it.
Of course the junkyard page addresses pretty much what I would say. Here is a PCV check valve as an option.
http://www.modernperformance.com/pro...o_oilcatchcans
Last edited by Chris Gregg; 11-19-2013 at 02:22 PM.
11-19-2013, 03:50 PM
#34
2 VE's are better than one!
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Way back in the day on amber lights I would use that stained glass paint in those little spray cans. It would dull after a few months and kind of come off in your hands. This stuff holds up a lot better
HI'd be surprised if you couldn't pull more power out of that engine.
Regarding the blowby, I'd just disconnect your PCV system (filter at both covers) and see if that helps. Also, make sure there is NO LINE on the presurized side that routes back into the valve covers. The VG has 3 lines: PCV on rear into the intake manifold, second and third on the intake right before the throttle body. The one connects to the front valve cover. The second routes around the engine and into the rear valve cover. I originally mistakenly connected the one that routes around to the rear cover, naturally I was pressurizing my crank case. Definitely a "duh" moment for me - completely missed it.
Of course the junkyard page addresses pretty much what I would say. Here is a PCV check valve as an option.
http://www.modernperformance.com/pro...o_oilcatchcans
Regarding the blowby, I'd just disconnect your PCV system (filter at both covers) and see if that helps. Also, make sure there is NO LINE on the presurized side that routes back into the valve covers. The VG has 3 lines: PCV on rear into the intake manifold, second and third on the intake right before the throttle body. The one connects to the front valve cover. The second routes around the engine and into the rear valve cover. I originally mistakenly connected the one that routes around to the rear cover, naturally I was pressurizing my crank case. Definitely a "duh" moment for me - completely missed it.
Of course the junkyard page addresses pretty much what I would say. Here is a PCV check valve as an option.
http://www.modernperformance.com/pro...o_oilcatchcans
Unless I'm blind, the VE PCV just has the PCV on the rear head that routes to the back of the IM. Then each valve cover has a breather port, with both ports joining together at that pipe that runs along the front of the engine which plumbs right back into the intake pipe pre-throttle body.
You're not the first to suggest just deleting the PCV system. I have been hard headed in not wanting to do that, as 99% of the time the car is being driven out of boost so it seems wasteful to not get all that blow-by out of the engine with a PCV system.
Thing is since I'm not planning to re-dyno soon, I won't know what affect any changes I make now will have on the car since I don't notice the smoke on the street.
And at this point I'm beginning to think I have problems with the rings or something and not just crankcase pressurization problems. I have no other symptoms of crankcase pressurization, the dipstick hasn't been pushed out or anything.
11-20-2013, 05:41 AM
#37
2 VE's are better than one!
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I've thought about that, they'd probably look pretty darn good. Thing is I don't want to ruin mine by painting them. About a year ago I picked up a few sets of aftermarket Aussie/NZ corners, so I might try painting one of those sets. Hopefully they're not as ill-fitting as our aftermarket stuff. I've yet to test fit them
11-25-2013, 05:18 AM
#39
Feelin' this VE man...the amber corners look right on the darker colored 3rdgens(black, dark green, dark blue) and the clear corners look better on the white/pearl/champagne. I'd kill for a clean body like that since my pearl white will never be the same. I had good fitting clear corners that didn't leak and clean euro clear lenses that were ready for retro fits. Can't seem to find any good used front end body parts for my '89 GXE...the front end is still straight and she runs great. Had to exchange the 6 month old battery, guess the impact damaged the core. I was looking at a 93 VE5 but couldn't see just wasting my perfect running VG with all the mods that can't swap over to the VE. Got any more pics of this VE's engine and interior?
11-26-2013, 09:46 AM
#40
2 VE's are better than one!
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I've done one highway pull since that first drive home and got a lot of spark blowout or something. It felt like it hit a brick wall up in the higher RPM range, can't remember exactly but want to say about 5k or so. It felt a lot like fuel cut, I mean it was that drastic.
A couple more street pulls since then and have gotten a few more internittent spark blowout issues. One instance on back to back run all the way through first it was fine, then once shifting into second it had the brick wall type sensation at about 4800 RPM or so. Next run it was fine except for a little bit of hesitation up near 6k in 3rd.
At least I'm hoping this is all just spark blowout. I've never personally experienced spark blowout previously but mentioning these symptoms to friends that is everyone's first reaction and it seems to fit some descriptions of it I've read online. I already gapped down to .035 on the plugs so maybe I'll go a little lower and see. Problem is it seems to be pretty intermittent so it may be hard to pin down a cure.
I noticed the tuner left the 02 feedback temp all the way up. Do I need to turn that back down? I'm not sure of some of the stuff he's done. Would you be willing to look at my .BIN file if I email it to you and see if anything jumps out at you?