Altered Mental Status (1G AWD 5spd)

[CrackedDSM]

Just wanted to take some time to shoutout the community. Specifically @jdxnc , Robert Young @ Forced Performance, and another guy on Facebook who I'm not sure if you're a member here or not.


I reached out/made a FB post on the DSMTuners FB page about advice for launching, and received a wealth of tips and information on setups and proper launching techniques. Learning a ton and I can't thank everyone enough. I've got a ton more to learn about launching these stick shifts.

 

[DarkStalker]

Coilovers. Megan Racing ones(not the blue EZ streets, but the red ones) that are all set to the softest setting. I was tempted to make the rear shocks stiffer a little.


But, I'm pretty sure it's the tune. In a couple weeks I have four days off, and I may try again to start over on the tune and do it right. Even if I just do baby steps and go back to this tune, I really think that would help a ton. Also: I may replace my lifters soon. They're still a little loud, and I think it's causing some phantom knock.

But yeah. I think at this point it's tune related and driver error. How much % each is, IDK.

Ok i have the same ones, I was going to say it would help with your launch if you didn't have beat up stock suspension on still.

 

[CrackedDSM]

Ok i have the same ones, I was going to say it would help with your launch if you didn't have beat up stock suspension on still.

Yeah. Lol. The stock struts and tein s techs that were originally on it rubbed the tires bad on speed bumps.


But man, you guys were so right. I’m bit by the drag racing bug bad. All I can think about at work is getting more seat time in the talon and working on the launch.

 

[jdxnc]

Always glad to help

 

[CrackedDSM]

First real oil change was complete. No chunks or suspicious stuff in it, just your normal first 500 mile oil. I used Valvoline VR1 in there now. I really want to cut my oil filter open, but I don't have an oil filter cutter and I don't wanna use a cut-off wheel and catch it on fire. Lol.


Don't suppose anyone has a super duper old skool trick for cutting oil filters open do you?

Also: I installed some LED lights for the dome lights and the trunk light. Looks so much more modern on the inside of the car now. Will take pictures later when it's actually dark outside.

 

[CrackedDSM]

Feel like a genius here, fellas. I had a spare mechanical can opener, and decided hey an oil filter is kind of a can. Let's see if it works.

I'm here to confirm that it works beautiful and perfect. Easy AF, and this is just some cheap walmart can opener. Pictures for proof.

No muss, no fuss, nice and easy. No special tools required. IDK if anyone else did this before me, but man. I couldn't find anything on the interwebs. I feel like a very stable genius.


Unfortunately, I think that's the end of the good news. Got a decent amount of silver flakes in the filter element, so I think this engine is on borrowed time. It's been a long time since I've built an engine, so I can't remember what's normal vs what's not. But this oil filter has been on the engine since 0 miles. So it's got 500 miles of break-in on it. So IDK, maybe it's normal. We'll see though.

 

[CrackedDSM]

Look at these bright f*ckers. Lol. I am in love with the dome lights up front the most though. It feels like a modern cars lighting. It's bright without blinding you or being overwhelming.

Interior

Got a before and after for the trunk light too.

Before/Halogen

After/LED

So much nicer.


For anyone curious, you need 28mm DE3022 bulbs for the rear, and 31mm bulbs for the interior/dome lights.

 

[BLACK'98DSM]

Lots of glitter is normal, assuming there is truly only 500 miles since engine assembly. Large chunks are not acceptable, but glitter will be plentiful. Change it again in 1000 miles before you worry yourself to death.

 

[CrackedDSM]

Lots of glitter is normal, assuming there is truly only 500 miles since engine assembly. Large chunks are not acceptable, but glitter will be plentiful. Change it again in 1000 miles before you worry yourself to death.

Define “large”.

I’m not worried at all even if the engine is fully cooked. I’ll just build an engine myself with a 2G head like I wanna do.

This engine was assembled by a meth addict who is notorious about screw ups. So it was probably not even cleaned prior to assembly.


I’ll see how the 1000-1500 mile oil change filter looks using my super secret can opener technique. If it’s got bronze in it then we’ll call it and get a solid engine built.

 

[BLACK'98DSM]

I'm not sure what kind of bearings were used, but next time you do an oil change install a magnetic drain plug. That will (hopefully not) collect the particles you should be worried about. I've never run a turbocharged engine without one.

 

[CrackedDSM]

I'm not sure what kind of bearings were used, but next time you do an oil change install a magnetic drain plug. That will (hopefully not) collect the particles you should be worried about. I've never run a turbocharged engine without one.

I’m not sure but I’d probably hazard that they’re King XP bearings. They’re a favorite of methhead.

 

[DSMPT]

I know this might be a big ask, but does anyone have any tips for the launch for me? FP Green, stock 2.0L. Clutch is fully broken in and grabbing great. Full-face ceramic. 235 wide all season tires, and Megan Racing coilovers that are all set to the softest setting(still pretty stiff).


Right now I've got the two-step set to 5250. I come up on the two step for a few seconds, then rapidly slip the clutch. I don't side-step it, and I don't baby it(thankfully broke myself of that habit). It launches better...but not like my old Auto did. I know I can do better than 1.9 60' on the streets.


Does anyone have any tips? I feel like right now it spins when I launch(a little bit at least, nothing crazy) and that might be killing the 60' a bit. I'm gonna go out in a few minutes and try lowering the launch limit 500RPM but changing nothing else launch technique wise. But any tips and tricks from you guys with plenty of racing experience is much appreciated!!

Isn't 5250 a bit low?
If I were you, I would try to set the 2 step limiter higher, and I wouldn't care much even if it spins a little more. Anyways it would spin a bit and tires would squeak if they are usual street tires, also the street condition affects. But your car is not FWD, it's AWD. The car keeps going forward even the front tires spin as long as if the rear tires still grip.

I would share my old video, embarrassing though This may give you some idea or encourage you. You can see that the front tires squeaking a lot at launching by lifting the front a bit but the rear tires still had grip and the car kept moving.
This moment was probably when the AEM series 2 got newly released since I can see the AEM's anti-lag and the crappy tuning. Many years ago, so I may miss some info. But as far as I remember, around that moment I was setting the 2 step at somewhere between 6500~7000rpm, a bit higher than for a steel flywheel since I had a Fidanza aluminum flywheel.

In the video, the turbo was a 16g or 18g (I don't remember for sure which one I had at that moment), 2.0L, 91 pump gas with W/M injection, HKS 264 cams, ACT 2900, the boost pressure at launch by anti-lag was about 8-10-ish psi in the first video and 18-ish psi in the 2nd video.

It had very cheap street tires with ghetto spring mod by cutting the stock springs to lower, the car had full weight.
I was slipping the clutch a lot to control the engine speed and babying the drivetrain. As you can see I am using the clutch and even let the gas pedal off while shifting. Absolutely I am not drag racer nor pro tuner. But even with this crappy driving and tuning on this setup, you can go somewhere 12s-11s constantly.
I remember when I switched the tires with drag radials, the ET got about half a second lower with the same setup and tuning, just with replacing the tires.

Only I can say is I am sure you would find better setting for you with many trial and errors

 

[BLACK'98DSM]

Isn't 5250 a bit low?
If I were you, I would try to set the 2 step limiter higher, and I wouldn't care much even if it spins a little more. Anyways it would spin a bit and tires would squeak if they are usual street tires, also the street condition affects. But your car is not FWD, it's AWD. The car keeps going forward even the front tires spin as long as if the rear tires still grip.

I would share my old video, embarrassing though This may give you some idea or encourage you. You can see that the front tires squeaking a lot at launching by lifting the front a bit but the rear tires still had grip and the car kept moving.
This moment was probably when the AEM series 2 got newly released since I can see the AEM's anti-lag and the crappy tuning. Many years ago, so I may miss some info. But as far as I remember, around that moment I was setting the 2 step at somewhere between 6500~7000rpm, a bit higher than for a steel flywheel since I had a Fidanza aluminum flywheel.

In the video, the turbo was a 16g or 18g (I don't remember for sure which one I had at that moment), 2.0L, 91 pump gas with W/M injection, HKS 264 cams, ACT 2900, the boost pressure at launch by anti-lag was about 8-10-ish psi in the first video and 18-ish psi in the 2nd video.

It had very cheap street tires with ghetto spring mod by cutting the stock springs to lower, the car had full weight.
I was slipping the clutch a lot to control the engine speed and babying the drivetrain. As you can see I am using the clutch and even let the gas pedal off while shifting. Absolutely I am not drag racer nor pro tuner. But even with this crappy driving and tuning on this setup, you can go somewhere 12s-11s constantly.
I remember when I switched the tires with drag radials, the ET got about half a second lower with the same setup and tuning, just with replacing the tires.

Only I can say is I am sure you would find better setting for you with many trial and errors

That was fun to watch. Makes me want those sounds and feelings again.

 

[CrackedDSM]

Isn't 5250 a bit low?
If I were you, I would try to set the 2 step limiter higher, and I wouldn't care much even if it spins a little more. Anyways it would spin a bit and tires would squeak if they are usual street tires, also the street condition affects. But your car is not FWD, it's AWD. The car keeps going forward even the front tires spin as long as if the rear tires still grip.

I would share my old video, embarrassing though This may give you some idea or encourage you. You can see that the front tires squeaking a lot at launching by lifting the front a bit but the rear tires still had grip and the car kept moving.
This moment was probably when the AEM series 2 got newly released since I can see the AEM's anti-lag and the crappy tuning. Many years ago, so I may miss some info. But as far as I remember, around that moment I was setting the 2 step at somewhere between 6500~7000rpm, a bit higher than for a steel flywheel since I had a Fidanza aluminum flywheel.

In the video, the turbo was a 16g or 18g (I don't remember for sure which one I had at that moment), 2.0L, 91 pump gas with W/M injection, HKS 264 cams, ACT 2900, the boost pressure at launch by anti-lag was about 8-10-ish psi in the first video and 18-ish psi in the 2nd video.

It had very cheap street tires with ghetto spring mod by cutting the stock springs to lower, the car had full weight.
I was slipping the clutch a lot to control the engine speed and babying the drivetrain. As you can see I am using the clutch and even let the gas pedal off while shifting. Absolutely I am not drag racer nor pro tuner. But even with this crappy driving and tuning on this setup, you can go somewhere 12s-11s constantly.
I remember when I switched the tires with drag radials, the ET got about half a second lower with the same setup and tuning, just with replacing the tires.

Only I can say is I am sure you would find better setting for you with many trial and errors

Thank you brother! That helps a lot.


I'm gonna try upping the launch control a bit before I mess with anti-lag. See what happens!

 

[CrackedDSM]

I’ve got a mystery here fellas.


The car isn’t smoking anymore. I’ve been really ripping on the car hard and now there’s no more smoke at idle no matter how long I let it sit.


Uh..wtf? How would this happen? Would a valve seal work itself loose and then high revs push it back down?

Stuck ring? I’m confoozled.

 

[dwb]

I’ve got a mystery here fellas.


The car isn’t smoking anymore. I’ve been really ripping on the car hard and now there’s no more smoke at idle no matter how long I let it sit.


Uh..WTF? How would this happen? Would a valve seal work itself loose and then high revs push it back down?

Stuck ring? I’m confoozled.

Good for him (her?)! It finally realized that shit causes cancer.

 

[Justin DuBois]

I’ve got a mystery here fellas.


The car isn’t smoking anymore. I’ve been really ripping on the car hard and now there’s no more smoke at idle no matter how long I let it sit.


Uh..WTF? How would this happen? Would a valve seal work itself loose and then high revs push it back down?

Stuck ring? I’m confoozled.

It's a mystery when thing are working correctly?

Like myself - I had smoke with a new head and turbo - wasn't sure which one was the source. Then it stopped. I suspected turbo. Maybe something just worked itself where it needed to be.

 

[CrackedDSM]

It's a mystery when thing are working correctly?

Like myself - I had smoke with a new head and turbo - wasn't sure which one was the source. Then it stopped. I suspected turbo. Maybe something just worked itself where it needed to be.

I probably shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth, but I have a curious mind. I can’t help but wonder why it fixed itself.

Maybe it just doesn’t like cruising around. Maybe it likes it rough.

 

[BLACK'98DSM]

Not that new engines should smoke, but perhaps your piston rings weren't properly seated with the cylinder walls yet. It could have been a rough honing stone used and it took a little longer to wear in. That would also explain what you presumed to be excess glitter in the oil.

 

[CrackedDSM]

Not that new engines should smoke, but perhaps your piston rings weren't properly seated with the cylinder walls yet. It could have been a rough honing stone used and it took a little longer to wear in. That would also explain what you presumed to be excess glitter in the oil.

Still weird though, right?


I'll keep the build updated just in case it ever comes back though.

I also did switch to 10w30(VR1) from 15w40(rotella for break in only). I would think with bad seals the thinner oil would've made it worse. IDK. Lol. I'm thankful though, the smoke at idle was so embarrassing.

 

[DSMPT]

Maybe it just doesn’t like cruising around. Maybe it likes it rough.

As for the smoke at cold start for few min, besides worn valve stem seals, this may also happen after cranking for long or starting the engine very often only for idling or very short period of driving especially on a loose built engine or an engine that has worn cylinder wall or oil control rings. In this case, sometimes you also see milky oil on oil filler cap or oil dipstick.

Like what I said earlier ^. Like this happens while you are having oil in intake side in some circumstances and keep smoking until you burn all of it.
My first guess is recently you drove the car more and you may have burnt most of oil it was staying in intake side.
If the smoking would come back, then you may have something else.

 

[CrackedDSM]

Like what I said earlier ^. Like this happens while you are having oil in intake side in some circumstances and keep smoking until you burn all of it.
My first guess is recently you drove the car more and you may have burnt most of oil it was staying in intake side.
If the smoking would come back, then you may have something else.

I remember when you commented this, and I meant to comment something along the lines of "I'm sorry you keep having to tell me this" but I'll say it now. Lol. I think you're right because that definitely was what was happening(long cranking, short idles/trips, etc). And it has the same milky stuff in the catch can too, and very occasionally under the oil cap.

I guess the WOT/full pull passes is enough to keep any extra oil in the intake side of it. But, yeah. As always, I very much appreciate it!


Either way, I need to start taking longer trips with it. Gotta enjoy it while I can! It'll be summer before I realize it.

 

[Justin DuBois]

Only I can say is I am sure you would find better setting for you with many trial and errors

Driving into a dark tunnel at breakneck speed... Deaaaaaaaaamn.

 

[DSMPT]

Makes me want those sounds and feelings again.

Yeah I know that feeling. Actually that's recently happening to me motivated to drive my 1g more often.

I remember when you commented this, and I meant to comment something along the lines of "I'm sorry you keep having to tell me this" but I'll say it now. Lol. I think you're right because that definitely was what was happening(long cranking, short idles/trips, etc). And it has the same milky stuff in the catch can too, and very occasionally under the oil cap.

I guess the WOT/full pull passes is enough to keep any extra oil in the intake side of it. But, yeah. As always, I very much appreciate it!


Either way, I need to start taking longer trips with it. Gotta enjoy it while I can! It'll be summer before I realize it.

Whatever the reason if it stopped smoking then that's great!! Now to enjoy is the most important thing.

Driving into a dark tunnel at breakneck speed... Deaaaaaaaaamn.

haha yeah actually that track is old and kinda scary. But still safer than public streets. I think they fixed it recently.
We have a new track and it's pretty good. but I haven't run in there yet. I am recently thinking maybe I would take the 1g to have fun.

 

[jesse12345]

Either way, I need to start taking longer trips with it. Gotta enjoy it while I can! It'll be summer before I realize it.

Is summer no good in Florida? That's what I'm waiting patiently for right now.