Project Silver Bullet, Refining the Caliber Options

[Kazz5]

As some of you know, I had a number of mods bolted on almost two years(!!) ago and had a road-tune performed by someone famous, if not infamous, in the business with Evos. Since I commute an hour each way and the car is now not very daily-driveable, the car has mostly sat while I've put 60,000 miles on my "commuter", a 2000 Toyota Celica GT-S (2500lbs, 180hp, 30+mpg!).

Well, I'm sick of not wanting to drive it just because the tune sucked ass. So, I'll be engaging Mellon Tuning's three-month subscription tune with my laptop, some cables, EvoScan and ECUFlash to make it more driveable. Then I'll be having a few more touches finished off by OTHER THAN Mitsu. Mitsu did most of my bolt-on work and it was average work at best. Perhaps you've heard others around here that weren't especially happy with them, either.

I don't have the time and only barely have the money to have someone else do it. So, it needs to be done right. Having it done, say, in Chicago (e.g. AMS) means, when I notice something odd I can't just pull in after a phone call and have it looked at. I've known Mike Benet over the years and he purchased Kauth & Mayeur a few years back. I've decided to give his award-winning shop a try, even though they've not done much Mitsu work. I know whom I'll be dealing with and will manage it from there. We're all hoping good things, of course.

So, other than the tune, what's in order? Really, just some touch-up:

-New, ported and coated exhaust manifold
-Stainless steel O2 housing (getting the cheap knock-off with rattling heat shield off the car)
-Stainless steel brake lines
-Whiteline Center Roll adjustment kit
-Front LSD
-Rear diff upgrade from TRE
-Re-install of short-shifter w/premium lube
-all new fluids, break-in time, and new fluids once more

gauges, sound system upgrade, and perhaps seats will be coming

My auto-x rubber is old and on the stock wheels. Excsta MX rubber is on my 17x9 wheels for the daily driving I don't do. I will put dedicated snows on the stock wheels and get a new set of 17s (or 18s?) w/R-compound OR Dunlop Direzzas. I'm really not sure yet. I want to roadrace and would rather not have a 4th(!!) set of wheels.

I hope to get the tune straightened out in the next two weeks and then get it into K&M. With luck, I may be back out on the street in a month-to-six-weeks with a refreshed tune for 93 octane and, hopefully, a race-gas tune available on my laptop as well.

I'd love to put that thing through it's paces again on the strip, auto-x, road course, and the street!!

I'll keep this place updated.

My first move is getting the Innovate LC-1 installed. Just got the bung cut in. I know it doesn't sound like much, but it's not easy to make time to get this stuff done with my schedule, etc.

Peace!

[black92_tsi_awd]

I would think a good tuning shop should have no problem tuning your car even if they are not Mitsu specific.

How does the Mellon Tuning's three-month subscription work? Send them a log and they send you the tune to flash to your ecu?

[Kazz5]

How does the Mellon Tuning's three-month subscription work?  Send them a log and they send you the tune to flash to your ecu?

Basically, yes. They have a number of options for Evos on their website: http://www.mellontuning.com/

They'll want my ECU image and 3 3rd gear run logs. They'll return a new image for me to install w/ECUFlash.

The issues up front are idle, throttle tip-in, drastic drop in boost at shift, and crap gas mileage on the interstate. Also, the thing was tuned at 25psi peak (almost steady to cut-off) because the MBC wasn't working well. That's also why the current tune is based on a near-full tank of gas + a gallon or two of Turbo Blue. The MBC has already been replaced with the Hallman Rx so I can adjust boost in the cabin, assumedly after flashing in either the 93 octane or the race-gas tune.

Mellon has a good rep on EvolutionM.net without any bad raps. And I like what he's been doing with his own car as far as researching bolt-ons, etc. Seems like a VERY good guy all-around.

[Kazz5]

I know this is going to sound lame, but it's actual progress. I got the corner of the car up, the O2 bung cap off, the sensor through a floor grommet and installed into the O2 bung last night!

Woohoo! With any luck at all, I'll be trying to get my ECU image and 3 runs logged by the end of the weekend. With crap going on Saturday and Sunday nights both, I'm a bit dubious...

[awd4kicks]

It's good to see any progress at times Kazz. Keep at it man.

[Kazz5]

ECUFlash and EvoScan with the OpenPort 1.3 cable has been achieved - never left the garage, but it all reads. Got a copy of the ROM and a short log of idle.

I need to wire in the power and grounds for the LC-1 tomorrow and get it hooked into the laptop as well.

Thanks, 'kicks!

[black92_tsi_awd]

Checked out the Mellan Tuning site should be interesting to see how it works. Glad to see you're making progress.

[Kazz5]

Thank God for mother-in-law visits! That was the motivation to get more done.

Innovate LC-1 wideband is IN with calibrate button and LED in the dash under the steering wheel. I don't have a permanent place for the LC-1 unit itself, yet. The plug from the sensor doesn't reach under the passenger seat and barely reaches under the dash/console. I think it'll end up being velcro'd to the side of the console or something 'til I come up with a better idea.

Got it all on, calibrated, and working (I believe). Ran some Evoscans. Got my wife to go out and run the laptop for me. You all have NO idea what feat that is. I told her "hit it!", waited for the audio signal from the program and hit it at 2500 or so in 3rd on the interstate. Realize this is only a 3?? hp unit, but it scared the pisswater out of her. And the "OK, stop it!", had her scrambling to refind the buttons on the keyboard. LOL.

But I got at least 5 3rd gear rips, a good minute run at 70-73, and a minute of idle in the driveway afterwards. I'll be sending them all out tomorrow with build list and wants to Mellon tuning. Chris there has been AWESOME to e-mail with. I'm hoping the experience is at least as good. I'm looking forward to more driveability, checking safety, and maybe a bit leaner highway cruise. Who knows.

I'm curious whether my 650 injectors are getting overworked, and what the A/F truly looks like. I hope to get a 100 octane tune as well. But the 93's most important for now.

I know the new O2 and exhaust manifold won't be that big of a change. But with the tranny mods, and I think a replacement driveshaft (2-piece saving like 6lbs of rotating mass!), I think a re-tune will be in order once she comes out again.

I'm not positive I'll see 400hp on race gas. But if I get bit hard enough for the next upgrade bug, I'm thinkin' 2.3, head, and a bigger snail. But, that'd be the NEXT version of the Silver Bullet, eh? LOL. Let's see what we can do just dialin' most of what's on it in a bit better first, eh? Should be a GREAT auto-x and tighter road-course car.

[ncgalant]

Got it all on, calibrated, and working (I believe). Ran some Evoscans. Got my wife to go out and run the laptop for me. You all have NO idea what feat that is. I told her "hit it!", waited for the audio signal from the program and hit it at 2500 or so in 3rd on the interstate. Realize this is only a 3?? hp unit, but it scared the pisswater out of her. And the "OK, stop it!", had her scrambling to refind the buttons on the keyboard. LOL.

We've all been there. Sounds like your project is comming along well. Keep up the good work.

[awd4kicks]

Freaking out the wife...Awesome. Carmen has actually been getting friends we know to go for rides in the Talon because she knows what their reactions will be. It's pretty cool.

[Kazz5]

As I suspected, the tune on the car sucks. Per Mellon every part of the ROM was touched and he wants to start with a stock ROM:

"In short the reason you're having so much trouble with the current ROM is because it has zero adjustment for the injectors and cam. It has the stock idle settings and injector scale and he tried to make it work with the fuel map and injector accel enrichment map instead so I imagine the gas mileage is terrible and flat runs like poo "

Gee. He nailed it. LOL. I don't think Dynoflash is going to be too excited about getting me the ROM file from before he touched it. But, we'll see.

I'm wondering whether replacing the 640s w/something larger now makes sense. He originally thought they were at 90% duty cycle but wants to ID them specifically. May have to pull one to get a real ID on it. Dunno how to do that yet, but, hey, it's all an adventure, right?

Just happy to be making progress!

[ncgalant]

LOL, what kind of moron would leave the stock multiplier in there. If you're going to have it reburned anyway, you might as well get the biggest injectors you think you'll ever use.

[awd4kicks]

That's a hell of a find Kazz! Getting that fixed will make a world of difference.

[Kazz5]

Slow movement if not progress:

Due to the hack tune and ongoing developments in the tuning world we decided to wait for some testing on a different ROM type than the one that was on my car. While that was going on, I stewed over my injector situation. Should e85 really catch on (which, honestly, I don't think it can what with how corn and food prices have reacted to it) I'm going to want something larger.

So, I ordered some Precision 880s from Buschur.

Therefore, the new injectors, stainless O2 housing, ported and polished exhaust manifold, and BLOX front motor mount are going on. I've just received the initial tune to test. I should be going through that late next week.

Apparently, the first thing we want to do is get the mid fuel trims to set. First I'm to log 10 minutes of warm idle. Then 3500-4000 rpm cruise in 5th 'til mid trim settles, dropping to 3000-3500 if necessary. All of that cruising is to be logged as well. Then send the logs off to Mellon.

I've certainly not engaged in this science of tuning yet, but there are clearly a lot of Evo enthusiasts and tuners going nuts with it.

I'll admit I have some really high hopes. Again, I'm just glad to be driving it a bit again! Sucks to have missed Slo Pny day at Cordova, but I intend to get some runs up there before this summer's over. Perhaps on 93 and 100 or better as well!

[JMoushon]

This thread is amazing if you look at it in the context of 6 years ago, which is when I joined this board... the advances in OEM engine tuning have made the old stuff look like a Commodore 64, and the aftermarket and enthusiast community continue to push the modifications to their limits. I love it. Makes me wish Mitsu would produce a new gen GSX...

Excellent tech material, excellent car, this thread makes me happy.

When I go to other boards and see all the drama, this is the subject matter I'm looking for and never find

[Kazz5]

Got the family crap put down for now. So now we have the 880s installed along with the SS O2 and ported/coated manifold. She's much more prone to stalling when lifting off the go pedal.

Got the laptop all hooked back up. Double-checked the WB02 and tactrix cable could log. Then uploaded the new ROM.

Turn-turn-fire-die. Turn-turn-fire-die. I did it twice more just to be sure. Re-uploaded the ROM with the same outcome. She fires but won't stay running.

I'll try prodigious use of the throttle to see if I can keep it running. Put the old ROM back on to double-check. Put the new on and try it again.

I don't know much about the ROMID families, but what was on my car from Dynoflash was the 0008. The new, tephra-modded 0014 and 0015 are supposed to be compatible with that and many others. I've tried to get my original, stock ROM from Works with no call-back yet.

Ah, well. I've hired a tuning expert so he'll figure it out, right?

Just thought I'd update w/status. I'll be beating either it or the wife and family again tonight!

[awd4kicks]

Yeah, sounds like a corrupt program. I had the same problem when I had a bad chip or made one . No program...No running. I'm excited to see you get the bugs worked out Kazz. That thing was hauling a$$. I can only imagine how much better it will be with a good tune.

[Kazz5]

Thanks, kicks!

Drama and Progress:

While I was trying this thing again, Mellon went back to the Dynoflash ROM that was on the car and compared every byte, putting in his modificiations to fuel and timing and unf*cking some things Dynoflash did - like modifying the knock filter!

Anyway, I had - well, I made - time this AM before work, slapped it on and she fired up. She didn't sound real happy, but I sat there for 10 minutes letting her heat up and getting logs.

The best news is that when blipping the throttle, when she would fall back down, she didn't sound like she wanted to die. That's progress in and of itself.

I'm sending off these idle logs and will be out tonight, on the road, running around 3000 RPMs waiting for mid-fuel-trims to settle. Of course, if there's anything he wants to change prior, I may be on a 3rd ROM by then.

Progress: inch by inch!

[turbohcar]

Nice! Looks like you're on the road to recovery. Are you going to be handing out mustache rides once the tune is dialed in???

[Kazz5]

Nice! Looks like you're on the road to recovery. Are you going to be handing out mustache rides once the tune is dialed in???

I need to get timeslips, once the tune is dialed in, and get on the autocross/road course schedule! LOL!

Still arguing about the drivetrain upgrades before I do those, though, or wait 'til winter...