2G DSM "new" mods

[Spoolin98]

I put this here because I feel like a newb, even though I do have a lot of experience with DSMs.

Been out of the DSM game for about a decade, picked up another one that I plan on having some fun with.

I've been reading and a lot has changed over the years when it comes to these cars.

I plan on going "all out" with this build, street able, I am just wondering what others think are a "must have" for a built DSM nowadays.

Everything is so different now compared to when I owned my last one.

I guess im just looking for some friendly advice from some DSMers who never got out of the game. As you can see, I've been on this site for awhile.

Step one is to get the mil spec harness installed and figure out which stand alone/digital display to go with. I am leaning towards Link at the moment.

Any suggestions? On anything and everything. I care more about having the latest and greatest, then building a car specific to that time era.

 

[jdxnc]

One of the main things I can think of is just don't bother with low impedance injectors, go right for high, they idle better, tune easier and cost just slightly more.

We have a lot of good options for ECUs these days, good ol' Ecmlink, Fueltech, Haltech, LinkG4 etc, I'm currently switching over to Fueltech, the amount of added features is mind boggling, not to mention building a new harness eliminates all the issues of a 30 year old wiring harness.

Many great turbo options with newer technology and several companies, Morrison Fab, BSF and Archer off the top of my head that all make top notch manifolds.

Volk makes so much nice suspension stuff, not much point in using oem parts at this point.

If you're a stick guy, Fatboy racing makes a beautiful billet shifter with upgraded cables that fits under the stock console.

I'm sure there's much more I can't think of right now.

 

[pauleyman]

I'm still of the opinion that people need to define what the car needs to do first. If you're set on engine management or certain parts in the end it's your car. Even when faced with a sub par harness I'm not sure I would redo the whole thing just to add a standalone. You listed it as first thing. Just curious why.

 

[FIBA M - EC17PSE]

Streetable but daily comfort or some autox or drag events?

So much has changed in the last 8 odd years. The 2G chassis has been worked on by many of us to bring parts upto a better and newer age! We now have alot more 2G racers these days in autox and hill climbs / time attack so chassis wise its being well worked on and keep growing strong!

We have many community members doing 3D printed parts. CNC, electronics parts etc etc
The DSM has now become where you are now not limited by parts selection / options but is about your budget/wallet

We got so many fabricators that work on the DSM chassis or 4G63 engines. Everything in general has grown so much its amazing to keep these chassis alive and bring them to a modern era vs newer cars

 

[CrackedDSM]

Get ready to struggle to find some weird and seemingly random OEM parts though. And some aftermarket. Like downpipes for 1G AWDs are nigh impossible to find. Same with random driveline and trim parts. Just don’t be shocked is all. It’s a different world.

 

[Spoolin98]

One of the main things I can think of is just don't bother with low impedance injectors, go right for high, they idle better, tune easier and cost just slightly more.

We have a lot of good options for ECUs these days, good ol' Ecmlink, Fueltech, Haltech, LinkG4 etc, I'm currently switching over to Fueltech, the amount of added features is mind boggling, not to mention building a new harness eliminates all the issues of a 30 year old wiring harness.

Many great turbo options with newer technology and several companies, Morrison Fab, BSF and Archer off the top of my head that all make top notch manifolds.

Volk makes so much nice suspension stuff, not much point in using oem parts at this point.

If you're a stick guy, Fatboy racing makes a beautiful billet shifter with upgraded cables that fits under the stock console.

I'm sure there's much more I can't think of right now.

The info you provided me about injectors is exactly what I am looking for. When I was in the DSM game, impedance wasn't even a thing that people spoke of. It was purely how man CC's your injector flowed.

I planned on ordering Volk suspension parts, just trying to do my research first.

I also found that Fatboy racing shift you spoke of. The car is manual, and for now I plan on keeping it that way. This shifter is on my list.

If you think of anything else, please respond, I appreciate your input!

I'm still of the opinion that people need to define what the car needs to do first. If you're set on engine management or certain parts in the end it's your car. Even when faced with a sub par harness I'm not sure I would redo the whole thing just to add a standalone. You listed it as first thing. Just curious why.

Let me give you some back story on the car. I've been looking for a clean awd for years, posted a WTB ad on here a few years ago. Guy never put the car up for sale, found my ad, contacted me, I bought the car the next day. The car came with no wiring in it, not running. But he did provide me with a custom harness and fuse panel. I finally committed to the shop I want to do the electrical work for me. I told the owner, I don't want to sink any more money into it, until I see it move under its own power. I paid a lot for this car, probably more than I should have, for a car that does not run. The car has ECMlink already. I informed the guy installing the wiring harness that I plan to upgrade to a full stand alone, digital display, and different gauges. It was his suggestion to go with a LINK ecu right off the bat and wire everything correctly the first time around, instead of doing it twice. He said it would be cleaner and cheaper, the second route. Thats why I am starting with the harness.

Get ready to struggle to find some weird and seemingly random OEM parts though. And some aftermarket. Like downpipes for 1G AWDs are nigh impossible to find. Same with random driveline and trim parts. Just don’t be shocked is all. It’s a different world.

I have noticed that. Parts that used to be given away for free are now worth something. The good thins is this car came with new headlights, glass, trim, etc. The guy I bought it from planned on making it something special, I'm going to make it special.

 

[CrackedDSM]

I have noticed that. Parts that used to be given away for free are now worth something. The good thins is this car came with new headlights, glass, trim, etc. The guy I bought it from planned on making it something special, I'm going to make it special.

For real. The 1GB clear corner and crystal clear headlight combo that you could buy for like $140? Goes for almost $1000 as a total package these days.

 

[Spoolin98]

For real. The 1GB clear corner and crystal clear headlight combo that you could buy for like $140? Goes for almost $1000 as a total package these days.

The car I bought has parts on it I've never seen or heard of...
For example, a clutch master and brake master reservoir combined into one.
Has a FF fuel cell I've never seen before. It's crazy how so many things changed in just a few years.

 

[pauleyman]

Let me give you some back story on the car. I've been looking for a clean awd for years, posted a WTB ad on here a few years ago. Guy never put the car up for sale, found my ad, contacted me, I bought the car the next day. The car came with no wiring in it, not running. But he did provide me with a custom harness and fuse panel. I finally committed to the shop I want to do the electrical work for me. I told the owner, I don't want to sink any more money into it, until I see it move under its own power. I paid a lot for this car, probably more than I should have, for a car that does not run. The car has ECMlink already. I informed the guy installing the wiring harness that I plan to upgrade to a full stand alone, digital display, and different gauges. It was his suggestion to go with a LINK ecu right off the bat and wire everything correctly the first time around, instead of doing it twice. He said it would be cleaner and cheaper, the second route. Thats why I am starting with the harness.

that kind of changes things a little bit. no wiring at all you have choices you can make and it appears you have. More power to you.

 

[turbosax2]

Welcome back to the game

 

[Vegas Smith]

Big technological changes would be better injectors (hi-z as previously mentioned), speed density instead of GM MAFs, and better ecus.

With the ecus, you can buy stuff with built-in wideband sensors that can enable WOT lambda correction. For example, on your next pull the car with be running 3% lean during the pull so the ecu shoots in 3% extra fuel ......during the pull, so you always have safe/accurate fueling. Also you can do constant datalogging so when you take the car out to the gym and on the way it was acting weird you could potentially go in and get a log of that instead of being in the dark. Lots of fail-safes with oil pressure, wideband, coolant pressure sensors etc that make tuning and operating the car safer so you don't blow up the engine.

 

[chrysler kid]

Since when is throwing a credit card at a shop considered "being back in the game"

 

[CrackedDSM]

Since when is throwing a credit card at a shop considered "being back in the game"

Kinda curious when the buck stops. Almost no DSMer tunes their own car anymore, does this count as not being in the game too? Almost no one rebuilds their transmission, does their own machine work, hell most DSM guys don’t even build their own engine anymore.

If I had the money to drop my car off at Boostin Performance and just say “make it x whp and make it clean AF” I probably would. Different strokes for different folks.

 

[chrysler kid]

Kinda curious when the buck stops. Almost no DSMer tunes their own car anymore, does this count as not being in the game too? Almost no one rebuilds their transmission, does their own machine work, hell most DSM guys don’t even build their own engine anymore.

If I had the money to drop my car off at Boostin Performance and just say “make it x whp and make it clean AF” I probably would. Different strokes for different folks.

Wish I could do the same, shops like that dont exist in the south. I wish I could buy my problems a solution

It wouldn't be the internet if I didnt give some one a hard time. Regardless if you do a build yourself it is still just a game of spending time and money

 

[enriquez2000]

For real. The 1GB clear corner and crystal clear headlight combo that you could buy for like $140? Goes for almost $1000 as a total package these days.

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So these are worth something...

 

[CrackedDSM]

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So these are worth something...

Rob Fig on FB sold a set with no clear corners for $750. Got his asking price too.

 

[Spoolin98]

Welcome back to the game

Thanks man, much appreciated.

 

[Spoolin98]

Since when is throwing a credit card at a shop considered "being back in the game"

Well, if you're going off the idea that I need to be able to build motors, build transmissions, tune, fabricate, weld, and wire things, then yes, I guess you are right, I'm not back in the game. If that's your theory, I was never in the game in the first place. It's sad that you have to make a negative comment about this post. I came here, instead of facebook, so I wouldn't get comments like this.

Wish I could do the same, shops like that dont exist in the south. I wish I could buy my problems a solution

It wouldn't be the internet if I didnt give some one a hard time. Regardless if you do a build yourself it is still just a game of spending time and money

Now this post made it all make sense. You're just a hater who can't afford to pay someone to do work or transport your car to someone to do the work for you. Like you said, you "wish" you could do what I can do. Keep hating.

 

[Spoolin98]

Kinda curious when the buck stops. Almost no DSMer tunes their own car anymore, does this count as not being in the game too? Almost no one rebuilds their transmission, does their own machine work, hell most DSM guys don’t even build their own engine anymore.

If I had the money to drop my car off at Boostin Performance and just say “make it x whp and make it clean AF” I probably would. Different strokes for different folks.

Exactly.

 

[enriquez2000]

Anyone who lives these cars and takes care of them is in the game for my point of view.

Not everyone can do everything needed to build a dsm on their own... i cant weld for example... i also choose to balance my shortblock with a company that specializes in that instead of trying to weigh each part and hope I got it right.

I will however pull and assemble everything else because I love to do the work. Its satisfying to me to pull my own motor and trans and put it back in

Call me crazy!

 

[CrackedDSM]

I came here, instead of facebook, so I wouldn't get comments like this.

There's a few rotten apples here, but most are cool. For the few rotten apples, there's always the "ignore" option under their profile. It's amazing how the abrasive assholes just...disappear.

Anyone who lives these cars and takes care of them is in the game for my point of view.

Not everyone can do everything needed to build a dsm on their own... i cant weld for example... i also choose to balance my shortblock with a company that specializes in that instead of trying weight each part and hope I got it right.

I will however pull and assemble everything else because I love to do the work. Its satisfying to me to pull my own motor and trans and put it back in

Call me crazy!

Agreed. Too many people these days caring way too much about how other people spend THEIR OWN money.

 

[Spoolin98]

There's a few rotten apples here, but most are cool. For the few rotten apples, there's always the "ignore" option under their profile. It's amazing how the abrasive assholes just...disappear.

Thanks for that helpful tip!

 

[habitatguy187]

There's a few rotten apples here, but most are cool. For the few rotten apples, there's always the "ignore" option under their profile. It's amazing how the abrasive assholes just...disappear.

It’s no secret that some of the assholes provide some of the best knowledge and advice too (however abrasive it may be). Create a safe space for yourself if you want though. I guess it’s cool that we have that choice

 

[CrackedDSM]

It’s no secret that some of the assholes provide some of the best knowledge and advice too (however abrasive it may be). Create a safe space for yourself if you want though. I guess it’s cool that we have that choice

"safe space" . As if there is any kind of thing. It's a running joke on the ambulance we use a lot. "need your safe space?" Good stuff.

And there's knowledge all over the web, in multiple different forums. The big time assholes don't have a monopoly on knowledge.


Even better though, there's an option to "show ignored content" on a thread where it seems good advice is being dished out.

 

[chrysler kid]

Now this post made it all make sense. You're just a hater who can't afford to pay someone to do work or transport your car to someone to do the work for you. Like you said, you "wish" you could do what I can do. Keep hating.

Opposite.

Ive paid people and found that the only person who cares about putting in good work is myself, that sometimes you cant buy a mechanic who cares about anything but doing the job quickly and being paid quickly.



I hope you wont have to experience that, but its been far too common for me.