Fuel Economy + Power • 3100 GP Project

[Futures Passed]

Last time I was at work, I hung around for a while after my shift ended to browse what the store's system had for my car, and I found that Bullydog apparently makes a full tuning set for my car (trim level and everything) for under $300. With my 20% employee discount, it'll be less than half the price of the HP Tuners one I was looking at.

I also replaced the PCV valve, grommet, bypass hose, and I put some fuel system cleaner in. I usually made about 80 miles on a quarter of the fuel gauge, but this time I made over 100, which seems too drastic for what little I did, so I'll have to check how far it gets in the next quarter.

you would either need a radiator with the ports on it already or get an external heat exchanger.

Until I saw the pictures of the LQ1 oil cooler, I actually thought the only type of oil cooler out there was a small radiator-type one with oil running through where the coolant would normally be. I didn't know there were coolant-based ones.

I'll check to see if my radiator has the extra ports on it tomorrow. Are there any common cars with that bolt-on one? I'll try to find one in a you-pull-it yard.

[robertisaar]

a lot of 91-93 LQ1 cars got it.... especially ones sold in southern states. beyond that, no idea.

EDIT: also, bullydog = boxed tune, right? i wouldn't bother.

[Futures Passed]

Update: June 10, 2013

It's been a while since I've posted here! I've been busy fixing minor things like my heater core leaking under high RPM (I assume high pressure), wiring issues, suspension mod problems, and some other stuff. I also replaced my water pump on a whim (it's only $20 before discounts) and turns out the old one had a slight leak, too, and was the original factory pump; the new one had a design change.

The suspension, however, is one of the things I have upgraded quite a bit. I have GM Performance anti-roll bars, Eibach springs (a tasteful 1 inch drop all around), and Monroe Sensa-Trac struts now. It is very fun around the corners, though I think the struts are a weak point due to not being designed for those springs.

I've been sticking to easy stuff like that since I found a way to get stuff pretty much 40% off at Advance Auto Parts (using online coupon codes), but I'm running out of upgrade parts I can get through them.

I'm not sure if there is anything to be gained with performance coil packs, though. Have any of you used these Accel ignition coils before?

I'm also wondering what kind of oxygen sensors you guys use so I can avoid any potential returns.

bullydog = boxed tune, right? i wouldn't bother.

I looked into it a while back, and yeah, that was the case; I'm not interested in a rigid tune like that either.

[Purple pit]

Avoid Bosch O2's. I don't know why but I'm a freak when it comes to coils. They are always my first upgrade. I have MSD coils and found out they are made in China, they are doing just fine though. Accel are made in Mexico and lol I'd trust them more.

[pocket-rocket]

I want to say it was Accel, but I could be wrong. Either way, one of the aftermarket coil makers coils were junk shortly after install for more than one person. Ben was one of them, along with one of the other long time Z34 owners, but I can't remember which one. It could have been Shane.

Stock ignitions are fine for performance be it economy or a power build (as long as you aren't blowing the spark out from boost). I know I've seen stock coils jump from tower to tower, which is pretty impressive in my book.

[robertisaar]

http://www.kronjaeger.com/hv/hv/msr/spk/index.html

the coil towers are about 1.5 inches apart IIRC. using a "ball" model, since the terminals aren't exactly sharp, the smallest ball is a 2.5cm unit, which is 1", so actual voltage will be a bit different.

interpolating a bit, expect somewhere between 65 and 70 thousand volts needed to jump a 1.5" gap from 2 1" spheres.

note how much further of gaps needlepoints can handle.... this is why spark plugs have been moving towards smaller and sharper electrodes, they'll complete the spark with much more reliability with less power.

[SappySE107]

accel sucks. I got a set with 2 miles on them for sale, $20. Seriously, if you want backfires and poor performance, they are hard to beat. Stock coils are all I will use.

[Futures Passed]

Avoid Bosch O2's.

Dang, I've been happy with their products so far. Was it a universal fit one that you had bad results with? I see those come back in fairly often on anything, GM or not.

Spark plugs have been moving towards smaller and sharper electrodes, they'll complete the spark with much more reliability with less power.

I've noticed that on a lot of the mid-range plugs I've sold, but I've also noticed the recommended gap is the same on them, high end, and low end plugs, assuming they're not pre-gapped. Can they be gapped a little wider so the ignition point is larger, like those Pulstars I got advertised as a benefit?

Stock coils are all I will use.

Any experience with BWD or their Select line?

[pocket-rocket]

Sadly Pulstars are snake oil. It would have to be one healthy sized capacitor to withstand 70k volts all day long day after day.

If you want to go with any kind of capacitor discharge ignition, get an MSD box. It helps with idle quality and fuel economy if I remember correctly, but it does not give a noticeable increase in power. There is one meant for our DIS ignition, even.

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2

[SappySE107]

msd box gained me 1 MPG back in 2001, before I really knew enough to scan and compare with it and see. The gap was able to go a little larger with it compared to without but I find that useless these days. I gap the plugs at .045 like the older engines. Stock replacement coils have worked very well for me. I would use them or GM coils over any "performance" variation.

[Purple pit]

No it was a stock fit O2. Many people have had problems with them. Get a Denso if you can find one.