Raven

Hi guys,

here's my situation:

I just had a Vig 2800 TC installed (along w/ Trans Go shift kit & tranny cooler). My other engine mods are basically all the usual bolt-ons, and a Hot Cam. I drive my car daily (about 25 mi/day to work and back in mostly rush hour traffic - I live and work in Chicago).

Until the installation of the Vig, I have had no driveability problems with my setup. The car ran great.

Now, I've had the Vig in my car for a couple weeks, and I can't go one day without having the engine die on me if I release my foot from the accelerator too quickly coming to a stop or a turn. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Frown]" src="gr_sad.gif" /> Three times my car died on me in the middle of a turn <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="gr_eek2.gif" /> It's not like I am racing around constantly either - I'm just driving with the flow of traffic - mostly rush hour traffic, so no one is really going anywhere fast. My car just doesn't like stop and go traffic now with the Vig installed.

I've had my car back in the shop twice to try to resolve my engine issues (reflashed/reprogrammed PCM the first time, the second time I believe they enlarged the TB idle hole slightly), and things are a little better than they were, but my car will still die on me fairly regularly and predictably (like today on the way to work in stop and go traffic on Lake Shore Drive <img border="0" title="" alt="[Frown]" src="gr_sad.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Mad]" src="gr_images/icons/mad.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Confused]" src="images/icons/confused.gif" /> )

Has anybody else had this kind of engine stalling issue after a TC install? If so, what have you done to resolve it? Is there a solution to it, other than going back to the stock converter? I drive too many miles in too much traffic to deal with this on a daily basis.

I want to make this mod work, but so far it is just not "streetable" enough for me to deal with.

Anyway, please post with any advice or feedback or alternatives. Thanks in advance <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" />

-Bradster

Dave Carney

It's your cam in my opinion, not a great one for A4, with the converter now your engine spools up way fast (or in this case, tries to) compared to stock, looks like that is an issue with this combination.

Colonel

What are you IAC counts with engine fully warmed and at idle?

Where is your idle set?

Do you have or plan to get LS1Edit?

Raven

Wow, lot's of good info <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="gr_stretch.gif" /> Yes, I have been using Speed Inc for all of my installs and tuning. They are really nice and I am sure they doing the right thing, it just hasn't worked out so far. Please forgive my ignorance of these issues - until now I have never had any tuning problems after an install.

I do have custom programming (performed by Speed), which included a raised idle - I just don't know the exact rpm the idle is currently set at - it could be set at 850rpm already. I believe Speed Inc has used LS1 Edit to adjust things, I guess I'll contact them again and just keep working with them on it.

Thanks for the good feedback everybody - I'll print out everything and bring it with me for reference the next time I bring my car in. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" />

-Bradster <img border="0" alt="[cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_cheers.gif" />

Raven

I had a feeling the cam had a part in this, Dave. Do you know of another cam that I could go to that would not have this issue with the torque converter?

Really, if push comes to shove, I would rather keep my hotcam and ditch the converter at this point, but I am willing to consider all alternatives for now.

Colonel, I do not know the specifics of where my idle is set or the IAC counts at idle <img border="0" title="" alt="[Embarrassed]" src="gr_emb.gif" /> I suppose I could maybe find out if I ask the tech who has been programming my car if he remembers what they were. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Roll Eyes]" src="images/icons/rolleyes.gif" /> I do know that the idle surges moderately to severely during cold starts. It settles down after a few minutes as the engine gets warmer, and once warm the idle is pretty steady at around 750rpms (indicated - I do not know the actual idle speed). I don't know if the surging issue is directly related to my stalling problem or not.

I do not have LS1 Edit either <img border="0" title="" alt="[Frown]" src="gr_sad.gif" />

Should I just go back again (for the 3rd time in 3 weeks) to the shop and have them try to adjust things more? It seems like they have done all that they can do. <img border="0" alt="[cry]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_cry.gif" />

-B

Colonel

You need to check the IAC counts with a diagnostic scanner such as Autotap. My guess is they're too high. Drilling the idle air hole in the throttle body a little bigger would help this but I wouldn't do it much without first knowing my IAC counts. You could also raise your IAC park position with LS1Edit if you had it.

It always helps the idle to raise it up a bit too. 750 might not be quite high enough for that cam. Programming is the only way to raise the idle. LS1Edit or custom programming would do this.

Setting your idle at 850 and getting the IAC counts down to about 30 with the engine warm will probably cure your problems.

If I were to choose between the cam and the converter I'd take the converter any day of the week. It's doing ALOT more for you than the cam.

JAS

It's NOT normal to have an A4 die even with a Hot Cam. It's just easy to pick on the Hotcam. LOLs

Even without programming I never had dieing issues with the Vig2800 & Hotcam. But a drilled TB was needed.

Check the basics, set idle to 850rpm. Just because your tach reads 750rpm doesn't mean squat. If my tach read 750rpm, the actual idle would be 550rpm or less. Heck my idle is 800rpm right now and my tach is a tad over 1000rpm. It's the great GM gauges. LOLs

Do as Colonel suggested with the IAC counts and TB hole if you haven't already. Hopefully it'll solve your problems

Pro Stock John

iTrader: (34)

Have you gotten LS1 Edit tuning?

You need to raise your idle and have it adjusted more. I bet your IAC count is over a 100. You want it in the <40 range, ideally like 25-30. Surging on startup means you are running too rich at startup/need more air in there.

You using Speed Inc. for these adjustments, usually they are very good at them.

My 244/244//112 cam idles just fine.