Padre's SS: Let the Modding Begin! (pics&vids) [COTW 10/28/13]

[Padre]

Originally Posted by 10spokess

How does the car do with the underdrive pulley do you have any problems with the battery or the belt slipping off?

No, no problem with the belt. The UDP has a similar design as the OEM, so no slippage.

We'll see how it fits today with the Meziere Eletric Water Pump going on with the L99 spacers sent from Meziere.

I did have a noticeable increase (+1 MPG) with the EWP. I also bumped up the idle by 150rpm (which is hardly noticeable and will be necessary with the cam anyway). Apparently, only the automatics need a bump in idle, and the manual LS3's are fine.

Padre

[Pro Stock John]

Cool.

Sometimes shift points are a bit of an art... On the dyno you can see where the power starts to trail off, but it might be worth buzzing the motor a little higher to improve the shift recovery.

I'll show you when I get one, looking at cars now.

[Padre]

Originally Posted by Pro Stock John

Sometimes shift points are a bit of an art... On the dyno you can see where the power starts to trail off, but it might be worth buzzing the motor a little higher to improve the shift recovery.

Of course, once I go cam with double .675 springs, I'll go as high as I like, but it will all depend on the hp/tq curves.

I'll show you when I get one, looking at cars now.

Sweet! This has come up in other threads, but if I had it to do over again, my order of mods for an L99 would be this:

- Stage I: CAI, headers/cats, wheels/DRs.
- Stage II: TC/gears (3.45's or 3.70's are a must for a high stall), tune (for mods and to kill AFM), axle-back (add some sound, lose weight, keep the stock L99 resonator).

Then enjoy that for a while, followed by:
- Stage III: EWP and UDP (before or with cam).
- Stage IV: cam/springs (with or before heads),
- Stage V: ported heads, FAST/NW 102.

Then for good measure:
- Stage VI: a 102mm plate nitrous (mounts on the TB).

BTW, we are trying the IAT sensor relocate today, along with the EWP.

Padre

[Padre]

The Meziere Electric Water Pump is in. Originally it didn't fit the L99 (they didn't account for the VVT front panel), but Meziere stepped up and designed some spacers for me. The fit is right on.



Now L99 guys can confidently pick one up.

I can't wait to see how it does at the track.

Padre

[Pro Stock John]

Good luck!

[Fireslayer]

Great journal Padre,

I'm curious on how you decided on the TSP VVT-3 cam. Would you mind sharing what the factors were in your choice over the Mast cams and the other TSP VVT cams? Thanks!

[Padre]

EDIT: I have since changed my mind and am going with a different cam. -Padre

Originally Posted by Fireslayer

Great journal Padre,

I'm curious on how you decided on the TSP VVT-3 cam. Would you mind sharing what the factors were in your choice over the Mast cams and the other TSP VVT cams? Thanks!

Thanks! I went through a lot on the cam. I have a good local shop (Atlanta Performance and Fabrication - sponsor), and they are willing to work with me on the VVT cam. I looked at a lot of other LS3-conversion cams, but all were too aggressive for my taste.

So, why TSP? 1. Sponsor here. 2. Active here. 3. Proven results with lots of feedback here.

Why their VVT cam? They provide the VVT phaser tables. Mast has an unquestionable reputation, but they're not around here and I haven't heard anything on whether they provide tuning support.

Why the VVT-3? Looking at all the factors, I decided to go aggressive, knowing that with a good tune I could still daily drive it. The VVT-3 is as aggressive as you can get. But, it still has a narrower split than others, which I've been reading up on and feel comfortable in trying.

In general, going with the VVT cam keeps me in the true L99 class (AFM delete only) and it keeps my build on the somewhat "unconventional".

That's the plan at least.

Padre

[Fireslayer]

Good stuff. I called the speed shop that has the best reputation here in KC (House of Boost) and they tried to talk me into going with an LS3 conversion. Which will be too much money for me and I like everything I've read on the low and mid range hp/torque curves--much better for a daily driver, IMO.

House of Boost quoted me $1450 for cam install job and a dyno tune if I brought the parts to them. Another $300 for them to put on headers and high flow cats if I don't do it myself. The $1450 makes me think they don't know what's all involved. They are a great speed shop but I have a feeling I might be there first VVT job. I will have to check it out more.

[lakers67]

Would love to hear any feedback you can give on the EWP! Very nice build you got going!

[Padre]

OK, here's a recap of last night. DA was 800ft to 900ft. Great night, lower humidity, couldn't ask for much more, except track prep. All my 60's were in the 1.8's, with spin through the 60' on each run.

This week, we installed the Meziere Elctric Water Pump for the L99. Fits great, works great. John at Atlanta Performance and Fabrication set up a "commanded-on" switch, so that I can turn it on when 1) the motor is off, and 2) the ignition is on. This enabled me to turn off the motor in the staging lanes and run the EWP.

It worked like a charm. Even when I did not command the fans on (which you can do with HP Tuners while the motor is off, ignition on).

Usually, within two minutes with it on in the staging lanes, I could get the Engine Coolant Temps below 180*. Since that's below operating temp, there was no need to go cooler. In each 12.x run, it went from 180* to 200*. Then quickly cooled back down.

Also, with it idling in the staging lanes, it would stay around 190*, which was also good. Now more starting runs at 210*+.

John at APF also relocated the IAT sensor, from the MAF to the filter. IAT's at the beginning of the run and idling in the staging lanes stayed about 90*.

From 60mph to 90mph, the IAT's moved towards ambient (66*). That's good too. It basically means that nowhere is the IAT pulling timing.

Best ET of the day was 12.381, best mph 112.88, best 60' 1.810. No great runs, but not bad.

Why am I not matching my previous best? Well, I'm not able to put it down. I see three things:

1. Track prep. Hit or miss, but usually pretty good. I could have easily gotten a 1.70 sixty with good prep.

2. My new suspension geometry: 3.45 gears, front and rear sways, differential bushings, lowering springs. Rear sway is set on firmest drag setting.

3. The Nitto 555R drag radials. Maybe it's time for MT's with the gears and power I have.

Any ideas? I think it's a combination of the 3.

Oh, and of course, the video. This time, I picked up a ContourHD cam on Amazon cheap. Attached it to my helmet, and here you go:



Padre

[Padre]

Well, I am happy again. I went to Steele after finishing up at church this afternoon. Great Sunday Drive and maybe only 25 racers, so I had the track to myself, practically. Temp was around 75* with Density Altitudes dropping from 1818ft to 1378ft.

I got in 7 passes, and I was able to tune out all of the Knock Retard. I feel real confident in the tune now. Basic lesson learned on tuning a bolt-on L99: it likes 25* everywhere but in the peak torque range, where I backed it off to 20-22.

Great news is that I'm back in the 1.6's

Since I had time, I was able to work on the launch.

Six of the runs ranged from 12.310 to 12.363. So that's a narrow 0.053s variation. Trap speeds 112.03 to 112.78 for a variation of 0.75 MPH.

All of the sixties were better than 1.732. Best was 1.677 (yay!). Three were right at 1.70x.

A nice run:


Another helmet cam:


So, with that, BOLT-ONS ARE DONE!

Final observation: after my 12.191 best ET, I added the UDP, the EWP, 3.45 gears, front and rear sways, differential bushings, and lowering springs. With all those mods, I gained NOTHING. That's a story for another post. I am happy with all those mods together, but it is an interesting observation.

Next up, cam.

Padre

[10spokess]

Do you think it is because of the lowering springs that you gained nothing?

[Padre]

Originally Posted by 10spokess

Do you think it is because of the lowering springs that you gained nothing?

I honestly don't know.

Problem is that I did the gears, UDP and all the suspension mods at the same time.

My guess is the gears. I experienced something similar on my old GTO when I went to 3.91 gears and really gained nothing. However, I love the gears, because it made the around town driving GREAT with the torque converter. It had been sluggish and rev happy with the TC alone.

Padre

[10spokess]

Yeah thats true. You just don't have the power to weight ratio to get the full benifit of the gears? I had to remove my rear springs because when I drag raced it it was just to stiff and it wouldn't squat right. Therefore all it did was spin.