cam

iTrader: (9)

Anyone successfully tuned one of these yet? What did you use for your base tune?

cam

iTrader: (9)

Im going to update this thread with VVT info that i find along the way and would seriously appreciate any input from anyone if you see me straying down the wrong path.

So what i've found thus far is that I can make the engine run with the t56 no problem at all but I know bupkiss at this point on whether or not I can basically turn the e38 into an ecm instead of a pcm so flying blind on that one but it looks like I have to start with the stock L92/auto base tune as there is no 6spd VVT factory tune to start with. I've also discovered that for some reason or another efilive WILL NOT wipe out VATS on the e38 so it WILL NOT START with efilive which is a major bummer to me as this is the suite I was going to get. HPtuners seems to be able to do this fine however so HP it is unless efilive comes up with something new and proven over the next couple weeks.

A couple interesting tidbits about GM's VVT is that the cam starts in full advance and can only be retarded. Not sure if all variable valve systems work this way but this is how the L92 VVT works. I've also learned that the stock VVT phaser is not the most stout piece on the planet and when adding a cam to one of these engines you have to be very careful with your valvespring selection. Im going for the PAC 1518 behhives with a eps custom grind cam.

cam

iTrader: (9)

Having more tuning suite issues... It seems HPtuners doesnt tune VVT but efi-live does. This is pretty damn unfortunate as I clearly need to tune the VVT system and also need to get it started and running first which seems to be an issue with efi-live and e38 VATS not being able to patch it. Not going to buy two tuning suites thats for sure. Does anyone know of a mail order tuning shop that does e38's?

I posted up over at the tuning forums and so far have come up with nada. No one at all seems interested to help me out on this. Makes me lose faith in the tuning software providers too as I know if I put a post up like

"Whats better efi-live or HP?" I'd have both vendors chiming in within seconds trying to sell me why there stuff is better blah blah.

Instead I do my research, start this thread looking for some discussion on these matters instead and what happens?

Patrick G

iTrader: (14)

Geoff Skinner at Engine Power Systems can get you a mail order tune for your E38 VVT project. Call him at 225-751-8500.

cam

iTrader: (9)

Yes Im sure he could but a mail order tune is not ideal. Plus I want to tune this one myself I went for a dyno tune last time and even that wasnt up to my standards. I am an ever seeking perfectionist and stop at nothing to make things work and work how I think they should and the only way to do that is with proper logging and tuning. I have an LM2 already etc. Tunercat experience etc. Anyways initially I spoke with Geoff about this and at that time was convinced to purchase efi-live from him as he is a dealer and I was sold on the VVT tuning ability. That was until i found out about the dang VATS issue. So now it looks as if my options are to either

1. buy HPtuners and hope the 2.23 beta works out for me

2. buy efi-live and do a mail order Hptuners VATS patch.

Problem with option 2 is there is no way in hell Im paying $250.00 to have someone click off the box that says VATS and so far thats all i found for pricing on mail order e38 stuff.

If I was within driving distance to you, Geoff, Frost or Bluecat or any of the other great tuners then the decision would be cake I could just bring the car by when its ready but this is not an option being that i am in Canada.

Regardless I need a tuning suite for this thing. I am just frustrated as hell that there isnt one system out there that can do all of what i need. If I have to buy anything more than one suite then Im abandoning ship on the e38 completely and switching to a stand alone like the 882 as this will end up being cheaper and superior as there is no issues with VVT control and manual transmission etc.

If I could back up the clock I would have bailed on the VVT stuff altogether and just run the Lingenfelter conversion box and stuck with my LS1 harness. This e38 business is proving overly difficult

buddyholly

Just FYI I went with HP Tuner and the beta has the ability to tune the VVT.
Is this what you are talking about?

cam

iTrader: (9)

Thanks for the pic that does help. I've been boiling over here at work lately and thats not helping my attitude hahaha but I have been thinking about this stuff as much as possible. At this time I think HP is the only way to fly for the first while. If it doesnt work out as well as I hope I can sell it and step up to efi-live but if the beta is stable and working well then I see no reason not to try it. At least it will get me started

I'll be sure to update my findings as I go. Thansk Buddy

pillagenburn

iTrader: (2)

I'm getting my ECU back from Geoff hopefully tomorrow (if he overnights it to me... which I REALLY hope he does or else my car gets towed ). After I get that back from Geoff I'm going to take the car to the dyno ASAP... I just REALLY hope he sent it today..

anyway, he is apparently the authority on extracting power out of VVT for these motors... so we'll see pretty soon how well it turned out ..

cam

iTrader: (9)

I dropped the hammer and bought HPtuners pro simply for the VATS concern. Besides tuning suites dont lose value aside from credit cost so if I decide down the road I want to jump to efi-live this is a win win. If I went for efi-live now I'd still need a mail order tune to disable VATS which is senselessly wasteful.

I may end up with an EPS mail order tune anyways to start from for power tuning depending on how well I make out with HP initially.

All in all I wouldnt mind a few days to be able to work on this thing though... Work has been exceedingly busy although Im very pleased about that I am also chomping at the bit to get this project up and running its getting warmer everyday now....

pillagenburn

iTrader: (2)

well, I think the latest version of HPTuners has what I need... but since I got my ECU back from Geoff, holy crap was it worth it... I can understand his claims of 30rwhp from cam phaser adjustments

kballs

iTrader: (1)

Good info. I've been just leaving my project on hold until this stuff has all been sorted out. Few months ago, all i'd hear from everyone was to scrap the vvt and run ls3 parts.

cam

iTrader: (9)

Its human nature to shun that which we dont understand

-TheBandit-

iTrader: (1)

What was your experience like working with Geoff? Were you doing a stock LY6 or something else?

pillagenburn

iTrader: (2)

stock LY6 with full bolt-ons (going to port the intake at some point soon which should hopefully net another ~10-20 at the wheels). His mail-order tune made a HUGE difference in the performance and overall feel of the car. It's no dyno tune, but if you're like me and in a black hole for dyno shops, I'll take whatever I can get.

edit: oh, and Geoff is great to work with - very straight forward kinda guy.

-TheBandit-

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for the added feeback. When you say "full bolt ons" what exactly are you talking about?

*EDIT* I talked to Geoff for a while over the phone and he sounded easy to deal with. I told him I was interested in a package price for a cam, phase limiter, valvesprings and mail order tune to get me started. We'll see where it takes me!

RWDCelicadude

Just out of curiosity how did you get the OBD2 port to work? I have a L92 swap with the stock ecu (not sure if that's a E38 or not) and there is no normal signal output for the OBD2 port, all the info is sent via high speed CAN to the bcm and goes from there to the port. The car is almost ready to run but I need to get VATS tuned out and don't have a functioning OBD2 port to work with.

buddyholly

You will have to get a OBDII plug and wire it in. Not hard to do, just search the forums and there are a few good diagrams floating around.

Old Geezer

iTrader: (3)

VATS shows as tuneable in my version of EFILIVE...

RWDCelicadude

I have an OBDII plug but unless I can add a pin to the ecu there is nowhere to wire it, that's the problem. I'm also guessing that if I did add a pin I'd have to program the ecu to output to it instead of to the BCM. Either that or I can wire the can high and low wires straight to the plug but I don't know if that'll work.

Edit: got it sorted, I just have to make sure I have a scanner that will read the can system and older scanners be damned.

cam

iTrader: (9)

Its running! But the tunes a mess and I didnt have enough time to seriously look at it. The dang VATS disable wasnt enough to convince it to fire I had to also disable starter diag and clutch interlock to get all 8 cyl working. But as soon as I turn it off with the ign key it will only start again on 3 cyl and the gas pedal becomes dead. Strange but thats it for today. I'll update as I go

Sounds MEAN though