Need to know: for Vortech owners
07-20-2005, 11:46 PM
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Staging Lane
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Need to know: for Vortech owners I recently had an issue with my car. For some reason it just wasn't pulling at the top end. One one night I accidently ended up hitting 2nd gear instead of 4th and the car shut down. It ran okay after that and I had it checked for codes and knocks etc. It was fine. However the car wasn't pulling hard up top and I lost about 6 ot 7 MPH on the strip. I feared bent pushrods.
Anyways, on the dyno I was only hitting about 400HP and then leaning out. So we shut it down to fish around. Turned out the fuse for the auxiliary fuel pump had disintegrated. That's right, not blown, but disintegrated. The thing just fell apart.
I have no idea why this happened, but a 10 cent fuse almost cost me my engine. We replaced it with a new 20amp fuse and everything was fine. (496HP) Scary part is, this is the second Vortech my shop has found with this issue.
I recommend every Vortech owner upgrade their fuse to a better one. Apparently the ones with the white lettering for "20 A" are the best. I have no idea why Vortech would use junk for such a thing, when a good one costs pennies more.
Anyways - not sure if this has come up before - but it can't hurt to have this info.
Anyways, on the dyno I was only hitting about 400HP and then leaning out. So we shut it down to fish around. Turned out the fuse for the auxiliary fuel pump had disintegrated. That's right, not blown, but disintegrated. The thing just fell apart.
I have no idea why this happened, but a 10 cent fuse almost cost me my engine. We replaced it with a new 20amp fuse and everything was fine. (496HP) Scary part is, this is the second Vortech my shop has found with this issue.
I recommend every Vortech owner upgrade their fuse to a better one. Apparently the ones with the white lettering for "20 A" are the best. I have no idea why Vortech would use junk for such a thing, when a good one costs pennies more.
Anyways - not sure if this has come up before - but it can't hurt to have this info.
07-21-2005, 12:12 AM
#2
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were is this fuse located at? i see the auxilary fuel pump fuse but where is it? im new to my car and my vortech so please let me know so i can change this too. sorry to sound dumb. i have a 2001 trans am ls1
steve
steve
07-22-2005, 12:18 AM
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Staging Lane
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First off - I doubt my shifting issue was responsible for this problem, but given the violent shaking of the car, it could be. Imagine though - a fuse falling apart... what a joke.
Anyways, the fuse is located in the engine compartment. Two fuses are probably connected to your auxiliary positive terminal on the driver's side by the other fuses. There is a fuse for the water pump and another for the fuel pump. They are on 8 gauge red wires and are in line holders. Replace both and you will be sure to get the right one. It doesn't hurt to do both and it costs pennies.
Obviously a fuel pressure gauge is a good idea too.... I guess I should get one. In some ways it is nice to have two pumps - as if one dies, you can still drive home. But I found out the downside.
Anyways, the fuse is located in the engine compartment. Two fuses are probably connected to your auxiliary positive terminal on the driver's side by the other fuses. There is a fuse for the water pump and another for the fuel pump. They are on 8 gauge red wires and are in line holders. Replace both and you will be sure to get the right one. It doesn't hurt to do both and it costs pennies.
Obviously a fuel pressure gauge is a good idea too.... I guess I should get one. In some ways it is nice to have two pumps - as if one dies, you can still drive home. But I found out the downside.