NMRAPaul
02-10-2006, 02:42 PM
The Devil Inside
We make Vopat’s blown ’02 GT streetable again with some DiabloSport tuning.
By Greg Acosta
This is a summary of a complete technical story that will appear in the June 2006 issue of Race Pages. Check out the printed version for the full version.
http://www.promediapub.com/vbulletinimg/nmra/rp0606t6/rp0606t6w-lead.jpg
You may recall our project ’02 Mustang getting a Vortech blower along with a Power Cooler in previous issues of Race Pages. Unfortunately, the car’s owner, RP-publisher-turned-merchandising-guru Chris Vopat had the bad luck to get hooked up with a tuner who fell short of the mark. In addition to tuning the car for peak power numbers, as opposed to streetable, usable power, the car suffered from severe detonation, mid- and upper-RPM stumbling, a high idle, and would die on deceleration; the tune was just plain bad. To rectify the situation, we called up Chris Johnson of DiabloSport to help us out and get Vopat’s pride and joy running properly again.
Using the DiabloSport Predator flash tool, a DiabloSport “MAF.ia” mass airflow sensor adapter, some new 42 lb/hr injectors, a DynoJet chassis dyno and some serious know-how, Johnson not only restored the car’s street manners, but also rearranged the car’s powerband, changing it from a high-strung potential hand grenade to a car that’s actually fun to drive again. Follow along as we go through the process of making power.
http://www.promediapub.com/vbulletinimg/nmra/rp0606t6/rp0606t6w-removal.jpg
First thing we did was swap the 36 lb/hr injectors for new 42 lb/hr ones. This is a simple, 10-minute job that we took care of in GRC’s parking lot.
http://www.promediapub.com/vbulletinimg/nmra/rp0606t6/rp0606t6w-injectors.jpg
The new FRPP “green-top” 42-pounders, supplied by Pete Ricart of Ricart Ford, will supply us with enough fuel to prevent detonation at the top end. We compensated for the larger injectors using DiabloSport’s MAF.ia mass airflow sensor adapter.
http://www.promediapub.com/vbulletinimg/nmra/rp0606t6/rp0606t6w-cjcomputer.jpg
Once we got the new injectors in, GRC’s Chris Johnson went to work doing his magic. What was once done by turning screws, swapping jets, and changing springs is now done with a few (okay, a lot more than a few) strokes of a keyboard.
http://www.promediapub.com/vbulletinimg/nmra/rp0606t6/rp0606t6w-load.jpg
Once CJ finished creating the baseline tune, it was uploaded to the Predator, and then from there uploaded to the ECU via the diagnostic port. The whole upload process only takes a couple minutes.
http://www.promediapub.com/vbulletinimg/nmra/rp0606t6/rp0606t6w-datalog.jpg
Next up was the data-log setup. Since the logging was to be done on a dyno, and we had a laptop with the software, we picked and chose which of the many available parameters we were going to log, in order to make sure the tune was making all the power possible, while still being safe.
http://www.promediapub.com/vbulletinimg/nmra/rp0606t6/rp0606t6w-dyno.jpg
The main event! We strapped the Vopat-mobile to the rollers of GRC Performance’s DynoJet and made a few runs, data-logging and fine-tuning the whole way.
http://www.promediapub.com/vbulletinimg/nmra/rp0606t6/rp0606T6w-Dynosheet.jpg
The results of quite a bit of custom tuning - 356 horsepower and 362 lb/ft of torque. The most important thing about the graph is the curves; they are nice and smooth, delivering streetable power. Notice the AFR that hovers between 11.0-12.0:1 through the entire RPM range.
OWNER’S IMPRESSIONS
http://www.promediapub.com/vbulletinimg/nmra/rp0606t6/rp0606T6w-vopat.jpg
“Drivability has improved immensely! The car is fun to drive again. Before, I could count on the car stumbling and dying at every other stoplight, but now, the Thunderbolt Grease Slapper idles down like a normal car. When I get on it, in any gear, the power is there, and it comes on smoother than I could have imagined. To say I’m satisfied, would be an understatement.” – Chris Vopat
SOURCES
DiabloSport
561-908-0040
www.diablosport.com
GRC Performance
23854 Via Fabricante Suite F-5
Mission Viejo, Ca 92691
949-457-1875
www.grcperformance.com
Ricart Ford
4255 S Hamilton Rd
Columbus, OH 43227
614-836-6206
www.ricartford.com
We make Vopat’s blown ’02 GT streetable again with some DiabloSport tuning.
By Greg Acosta
This is a summary of a complete technical story that will appear in the June 2006 issue of Race Pages. Check out the printed version for the full version.
http://www.promediapub.com/vbulletinimg/nmra/rp0606t6/rp0606t6w-lead.jpg
You may recall our project ’02 Mustang getting a Vortech blower along with a Power Cooler in previous issues of Race Pages. Unfortunately, the car’s owner, RP-publisher-turned-merchandising-guru Chris Vopat had the bad luck to get hooked up with a tuner who fell short of the mark. In addition to tuning the car for peak power numbers, as opposed to streetable, usable power, the car suffered from severe detonation, mid- and upper-RPM stumbling, a high idle, and would die on deceleration; the tune was just plain bad. To rectify the situation, we called up Chris Johnson of DiabloSport to help us out and get Vopat’s pride and joy running properly again.
Using the DiabloSport Predator flash tool, a DiabloSport “MAF.ia” mass airflow sensor adapter, some new 42 lb/hr injectors, a DynoJet chassis dyno and some serious know-how, Johnson not only restored the car’s street manners, but also rearranged the car’s powerband, changing it from a high-strung potential hand grenade to a car that’s actually fun to drive again. Follow along as we go through the process of making power.
http://www.promediapub.com/vbulletinimg/nmra/rp0606t6/rp0606t6w-removal.jpg
First thing we did was swap the 36 lb/hr injectors for new 42 lb/hr ones. This is a simple, 10-minute job that we took care of in GRC’s parking lot.
http://www.promediapub.com/vbulletinimg/nmra/rp0606t6/rp0606t6w-injectors.jpg
The new FRPP “green-top” 42-pounders, supplied by Pete Ricart of Ricart Ford, will supply us with enough fuel to prevent detonation at the top end. We compensated for the larger injectors using DiabloSport’s MAF.ia mass airflow sensor adapter.
http://www.promediapub.com/vbulletinimg/nmra/rp0606t6/rp0606t6w-cjcomputer.jpg
Once we got the new injectors in, GRC’s Chris Johnson went to work doing his magic. What was once done by turning screws, swapping jets, and changing springs is now done with a few (okay, a lot more than a few) strokes of a keyboard.
http://www.promediapub.com/vbulletinimg/nmra/rp0606t6/rp0606t6w-load.jpg
Once CJ finished creating the baseline tune, it was uploaded to the Predator, and then from there uploaded to the ECU via the diagnostic port. The whole upload process only takes a couple minutes.
http://www.promediapub.com/vbulletinimg/nmra/rp0606t6/rp0606t6w-datalog.jpg
Next up was the data-log setup. Since the logging was to be done on a dyno, and we had a laptop with the software, we picked and chose which of the many available parameters we were going to log, in order to make sure the tune was making all the power possible, while still being safe.
http://www.promediapub.com/vbulletinimg/nmra/rp0606t6/rp0606t6w-dyno.jpg
The main event! We strapped the Vopat-mobile to the rollers of GRC Performance’s DynoJet and made a few runs, data-logging and fine-tuning the whole way.
http://www.promediapub.com/vbulletinimg/nmra/rp0606t6/rp0606T6w-Dynosheet.jpg
The results of quite a bit of custom tuning - 356 horsepower and 362 lb/ft of torque. The most important thing about the graph is the curves; they are nice and smooth, delivering streetable power. Notice the AFR that hovers between 11.0-12.0:1 through the entire RPM range.
OWNER’S IMPRESSIONS
http://www.promediapub.com/vbulletinimg/nmra/rp0606t6/rp0606T6w-vopat.jpg
“Drivability has improved immensely! The car is fun to drive again. Before, I could count on the car stumbling and dying at every other stoplight, but now, the Thunderbolt Grease Slapper idles down like a normal car. When I get on it, in any gear, the power is there, and it comes on smoother than I could have imagined. To say I’m satisfied, would be an understatement.” – Chris Vopat
SOURCES
DiabloSport
561-908-0040
www.diablosport.com
GRC Performance
23854 Via Fabricante Suite F-5
Mission Viejo, Ca 92691
949-457-1875
www.grcperformance.com
Ricart Ford
4255 S Hamilton Rd
Columbus, OH 43227
614-836-6206
www.ricartford.com