Topic: 1st Drive/race engine Lnf

[Graywolf]

Got behind the wheel for first time after extensive engine rebuild. Despite letting the engine run and warm up four times on separate days I would be in for a big suprise on my 1st drive.  Since our info gauge basically stinks,no oil pressure gauge,oil temp gauge,I put the info gauge on engine temp. Thank God, the first mile 208 degrees and then as I hit mile 2 the temp start going up fast[238 degrees] and I shut her down. :gaah:Let the engine cool to 192 and started to drive her home thinking I might have to shut her down again . To my surprise the engine temp remained fine. Probably had a air bubble in system . Any way I threw a engine light shorty after but she seemed to be running fine. Checked code/blow off valve adjustment- I have a Hahn adjustable blow off valve which sticks all to often which I adjusted. No engine codes :)After putting about 40miles on the engine I got on it one time in third gear up to 7,200rpm and noted that turbo instantly went to 25lbs but mid way gradually dropped to 18lbs @ peak rpm.Funny car guys warned me my boost may drop with better flowing heads.

[perris]

this happens to be a common ussue with our engines

something about the cooling system, it has to be purged when it's exposed

I'll get the link

[perris]

this happens to be a common ussue with our engines

something about the cooling system, it has to be purged when it's exposed

I'll get the link

found it;

Subject: Engine Runs Warm, No Heat at Times or Noise From Heater Core

2007-2009 Pontiac Solstice GXP
2007-2009 Saturn Sky Redline
2007-2009 Daewoo G2X
2007-2009 Opel GT

Condition/Concern:
A technician may comment of a gurgle/knock noise from the heater core area, a low/no heat condition and or the coolant temperature gauge may read high intermittently.

Recommendation/Instructions:
These concerns may be caused by an air pocket in the cooling system. This vehicle configuration is susceptible to air pockets entering the cooling system if the reservoir cap is removed. DO NOT open the cooling system on a warm/hot car; doing so will induce air into the cooling system. Anytime the cooling system is bled, the driver’s side of the vehicle should be lifted slightly to insure the reservoir is the highest point in the system.

Air can enter into the system from the reservoir bleed port. With vehicle parked on a level surface, make sure the coolant recovery container is level in the vehicle and the bleed port is above the engine outlet port. You should be able to place your finger between the inner fender and the lower front edge of the coolant container. If you have to move the front of the container up, make sure the coolant container or cap does not contact the underside of the hood when closing.

To remedy this concern it will be necessary to use a Vac-N-Fill coolant filler in conjunction with slightly raising the driver’s side of the vehicle. This process will need to be repeated 3 times to ensure any air is removed from the system. Follow the eSI procedure found under "Cooling System Draining and Filling (GE-47716)" for the Vac-N-Fill instructions. After filling, run the vehicle up to operating temperature until the cooling fans cycle and test drive to verify the concern has been repaired.

GM bulletins are intended for use by professional technicians, NOT a "do-it-yourselfer". They are written to inform these technicians of conditions that may occur on some vehicles, or to provide information that could assist in the proper service of a vehicle. Properly trained technicians have the equipment, tools, safety instructions, and know-how to do a job properly and safely. If a condition is described, DO NOT assume that the bulletin applies to your vehicle, or that your vehicle will have that condition. See your GM dealer for information on whether your vehicle may benefit from the information.

[Kelu]

Graywolf: Do you have HP Tuners or know someone near you who can borrow it? I think a log is a great thing after a rebuilt.

Also I would take some gauges to keep an eye on what happens in the engine. Monitoring the engine is only a good thing.

I read all your posts and I wanted to thank you for sharing this experience, but I'm not sure about the turbo, you are running stock turbo?

[Graywolf]

Kelu, Great advice,do not know anyone with hp tuner that I can borrow. Same thing true about gauges. Current plans are to put 200miles on engine/change oil/filter and re-torque heads. Then I plan to have a shop put a hp tune on the engine/Dyno the engine. See what I've got and how it performs on the street. Yes I have a stock turbo and of course a bigger turbo will net me huge gains. If my seat the pants dyno feels good and I am competive on a track then I probably will not install a bigger turbo this year. Funds are tight after this rebuild as you can imagine. However, this engine is set up to handle a big T

[LatinVenom]

Why not add the bigger wheel to the OEM turbo, not a lot of money, but you get better flow and very little change on the lag vs the stocker.
Excellent throttle response, great return on investment.

[Graywolf]

Great idea  Latin Venom Where do I find such a product

[kennysabarese]

I do not agree about the turbo wheel. Your engine will be able to handle massive amounts of power. If you put in a bigger turbo wheel, then decide you want more, that investment is completely shot (of course you can sell it, but the market for used kappa big wheel turbos is probably not too hot)

the way to ease into the big turbo is to get the turbo you need for your end goal, then add the supporting mods, such as charge tubing, IC, manifolds etc, at a later date.

Yes you will have lag, but if your focus is road racing and drag racing, you have a gearbox. keep it in the high revs and lag shouldn't be a big deal. Also I see you started a "which turbo to buy" thread where Kelu has given you some great advice already in the first post.

The big wheel upgrade is excellent if your goal is under 400 crank HP. But I assume you invested all that money because you want to go higher.

[LatinVenom]

I respectfully differ with your statement about the big wheel.
With what he has done to his engine already, the big wheel will put him over 400 BHP.
Graywolf you can get it from Werks and also from DDM.
The original vendor was BoldTurboFreak but he is no longer a supporting vendor, although he has a web site where he sells it.
I can guaranty that if the boys from DDM or Werks were to add a big wheel upgrade to your car and do the tune, it will easily go over 400 bhp.
One thing though they would insist you add will be a new IC.
I agree a turbo(s) like Kelu recommended would increase the BHP much higher but it would cost him a lot more money than the upgraded wheel.
My car is about 330 bhp and it is totally stock except for the upgraded wheel and the NEW DDM TUNE.

[Kelu]

LatinVenom what is the maximum airflow of upgraded wheel?
I know stock one is around 30-32 lbs-min which means around 300-320 crank hp.
The turbine side of our turbocharger is the limiting factor and will be a big bottleneck in Graywolf's engine, even he might gain more than a stock engine with upgraded wheel I don't think he will be near 400hp.

Even he is somewhere between 320hp and 400hp his tq will be hitting a maximum very early in rpm and from there will drop off like hell. On the other side a proper turbo like those mentioned above will not run out of breath and keep flowing for a constant tq till the readline and everyone knows what that means in terms of hp .

[kennysabarese]

Well I guess let's just find out.

What are your power goals?

[LatinVenom]

The upgrade wheel flows at 38 lbs per min.
He is cash strap at the moment, if he was able to invest more money into the car I would not have brought up the Upgraded wheel.
The Turbo's you mentioned are definitely the way to go, however it seems he does not have the money.

[shabby]

The stock turbo can reach that high too, i've seen 37lbs/min before so its plenty capable, all in the tuning. You should be able to easily go over 40lbs/min on that bigger wheel, just doesn't seem like anyone is pushing their turbo's that high.

[Kelu]

37 lbs/mins from stock turbo? that's something new to me, still learning

[Graywolf]

Put 200miles on the engine. Changed oil ,went with Redline 5/30 Liked the idea that it has ZDDP in it for better lube of the solid lifters[posts]. Re-torqued the head. Car is scheduled to go in for hp tune/Dyno run in about a week. Added some octane booster to the shell 93 octane gas. Currently the car has a BSR tune on Gm perfomance tune MAP sensors. 1st and 2nd Gear running 25lbs boost through out rpm range [7,200rpm] however its 3rd gear and beyond that you see the boost drop @5000rpm down to 18lbs. Turbo needs some Viagra ,Your comments are very helpful,   Thanks

[LatinVenom]

Shabby:
At one time BoldTurboFreak said 41 lbs but then when I requested specific information he said 38 lbs.
Maybe Dave or Randy can tells us what they programed for me with their updated DDM TUNE for the larger wheel.
I know my car is running much stronger since the new upgrade DDM tune.

[shabby]

Specs on paper can say one thing but in the real world you get a totally different result, you'd have to log the car during some pulls to get an idea on how much that turbo is flowing.