Oh, as for the turbo sound - yes, I love it. I actually don't go into boost all that often. It's just fun to hear that thing spool up

 

I know it is hard to capture it on video but try to make one... You'll be the first person to complain about compressor surge especially on 0-1psi. Maybe changing the BOV Spring may help or you probably have the wrong spring in there...

 

I'll have to get a friend to help me get it on video. As for the BOV spring - I took it apart last night and I do have the -11 psi (un-painted) spring. No wonder these things are $30 - they are much bigger than I imagined.

 

Yeah, when I replaced my Wastegate Spring I thought I'll be the size of my thumb... lol I had to sit on it just to get the spring installed...

Edit: By they way did you try to clean the BOV or lubricate it a little? Tial sometimes get stuck especially when cold and sometime a little lubricating help.. Ask Washwiz coz he had this problem before...

 

It was plenty clean, but I guess I could have tossed some silicone spray on the guide inside of it :-/

 

Well, I realized I'm only pulling like -10 psi at idle after warm-up. My UTEC MAP sensor calibration might not be on, but that's probably about right. I will be buying the -9 psi spring.

 

that is about right... My Utec also read about -10 psi on idle..

 

Got the car back...it is louder for sure. Roads are still wet so power is hard to determine on the street as wheel spin is an issue......I do note that peak power seems to last longer in taller gears (not running out of breath I guess). Happy with the set-up so far. -Jim

 

This is with the Motordyne XYZ pipe and HFC option?

 

Yes. Although I did not use Motordynes HFC....THe shop used all steel HFC fabricated into the XYZ set-up.

 

Why did you choose to go this route, instead of using the Motordyne HFC? I believe Motordyne's HFC is metallic as well.

 

cost...shop could do it cheaper for me.

 

Got it.

Are these the "solid steel blow-proof" CATS you mentioned two pages ago?

Also, when you said this setup was louder, I guess you meant your current XYZ-Pipe + Custom CAT setup is louder than your OEM Y-Pipe + OEM CAT setup. Did you notice any significant changes to AFR after the XYZ Pipe + Custom CAT installation?

 

^ +1 very interested to see how the XYZ pipe does

 

These are the same CATS...I don't think anything is blow proof though . AF ratios are the same 11:1 full boost and 14.9 to 15.1 at cruising speeds. Yes, louder with the XYZ and Steel CATs. This is not my DD but I have put in a little more seat time since yesterday and I starting notice a power improvement as the roads dry out a bit. I also through a code this AM on the way to work so I need to find if the new CATs are responsible or just another FI gremlin.....Since I went FI I throw lame codes about once every 2 months that result in nothing. I to the point on not panicking unless I every see a blinikng Check engine light.

 

/\ were you getting mis-fire? Have you changed your spark plugs? When I was using the copper spark plugs that came with the STS I was getting mis-fire ones a month but only on cold start. After switching to iridium spark plug (1 step colder) now I only got a mis-fire code 1-2 in 7 months...

 

Speaking about plugs, here's a question I've been meaning to ask for awhile.

I have the same experience as you. My setup was first running on the one-step colder NGK copper plugs and misfiring a lot. I switched to one-step colder Denso iridium plugs, and that decreased the misfiring frequency significantly.

Most recently, I received several recommendations to change out plugs again. Denso themselves said to go one step colder for each 100CHP you produce above factory specs. So now, I'm running three-step colder Denso iridium plugs. (And no, I don't think I'm making 500-600 CHP) I have no misfires. However, are there any drawbacks to running plugs that are somewhat too cold for your application?

 

I am running colder plugs but not sure which ones.....The shop installed the STS kit and I assume they used the kits plugs but I did have the iridium plugs still in the car from my previous Vortech set-up. I'll have to check with the shop.. Thanks fellas- Jim

 

I'm not a spark plug expert but with your power I think 2 step is more than enough.. I think the Gap is also important since you are boosting 14+psi.

 

Code was a "lean bank one".....Same as always. seems to happen more in cold weather.