2003_SuperSport
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Posts posted by 2003_SuperSport
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First of all, There is no such thing as a good camshaft without a tune LOL... As far as oil pressure, are you consuming a lot of oil? Does the check engine light come on or stop engine low oil pressure message appear? If so you may have a rebuild on your hand... Otherwise check/replace the stepper motor for that gauge especially if you already replaced the pump and have no other messages or codes..
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If I could find a way to post up my exhaust clip from my phone Id share mine... I have a video I posted on here from years ago but that was before I went with turn downs after the mufflers.
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This is a little late. I started with Gibson headers, to e-cutouts and a cat delete with true split exhaust and two Magnaflow mufflers and it sound good and like a Nascar when you hammer down with cuts open but quiet when you cruise. The only problem I had was that the true duals kept bouncing back and fourth with the drown due to being unequal pressure. I then installed a 3" Magnaflow xpipe and she quieted down just a tad and made the exhaust equal pressure and sounds amazing now with no drone and banks battling.
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Thinking about changing my pulley from a 3.2 to a 3.0. Will I have to get retuned? Living in rural Manitoba Canada makes it very difficult. Guy I bought the truck from said it was tuned at a performance shop before he bought it. The hand held tuner isn't with the truck. Has 202,000 km on it and is a weekend cruiser and sometimes daily driver. Has Kooks long tubes, high flow cats, airaid intake, msd wires, built trans. Don't have a boost gauge on the truck right now. Really cant afford to take the risk of hurting the motor.
Me personally. I would put on the next one up from the lowest pulley you can put on for max boost and tune it from there. If its a radix SC instead of a 2.75 go with a 2.8 and tune it there so you don't have to continue to get retunes every time you want a power increase. I also us my tow haul button as a performance bump for racing.
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I pop in every now and again. My truck is a time capsule not to be opened until I die LOL. I've done quite a few things and made a few mistakes along the way as well. But as it sits it is real fun to drive. Since I don't show up a lot if anyone has any questions just message me and I will see it in my email. It is always fun to talk SSS with someone. I still get people asking if its new and they are surprised when I say its an 03' with 57k. Which just turned this summer. I've put maybe 7k on it in 11 years.
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Got ya, what about the transfer case and rear end, how do they tend to hold up to that kind of power?
Honestly as far as the transfer case goes, it will handle more than you plan to put into. I wouldn't worry about it until you start hitting 800-1000hp. The only problem that is common is the bearing wearing through the case on a few trucks. I cant remember the exact fix but it wasn't much. As far as everything else I agree with a T/A cover and such. I have 4:56 gears and my front diff is doing great still. But keep in mind my truck is not a DD by far so I cant help much beyond what I have read and talked about through out the years on this forum.
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Although not a very high lift cam, I'd look into installing hardened pushrods while you're in there. And for that cam, I think you'd also benefit from a higher stall torque converter (3000 stall range?) E fans, keep it simple/reliable and pick up a set of 05+ Silverado/SUV from eBay or your local scrap yard. They're a direct fit to your radiator. You'll need an e fan wiring harness too. Sounds like a solid build plan.
I agree with monster on the stall and pushrods. Efans you can pick up cheap at a salvage yard from a grand prix or anything with dual fans in those years. I paid $100 for mine and just had to use a relay and wire it to the PCM. The stall and beefing up the tranny should be a big priority as this heavy truck will only benefit from that. Remember Horsepower is addicting so always leave room to grow. You don't want to be swapping out parts later that you can use now.
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Congrats brother... That's why I would never sell the SSS. I would regret it and buy another and it is becoming more and more rare to find one with less than 60k let alone under 100k... I am lucky enough to only have 56k on mine still and zero rust anywhere...
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Good to see you still around SSGT.
I don't ever have plans on selling the truck since it is paid off and I have more money and time into it than it is worth now LOL... I will be off and on here until the last SSS is on the road and hopefully it will be mine still.
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Still love mine but rarely drive it. 56K and still runs strong. Needs new brakes now and I wouldn't mind building more Hp. Gotta compete with all these new vehicles coming out.
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Yes many have done it. The motor should handle a 100-150 wet shot reliably if done properly. The transmission will need a shift kit and servo upgrade, minimum to lengthen the longevity because the 4l65E is a great stock setup but once you add power adders its not if but when the tranny will go out.
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Different fuel system too. 2003 was a return style fuel system.
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Sad day if you sell her. I think we all have thought about it at one time or another. I've owned mine since 2005 and now I have too much into it to sell it. You usually never get what you have into it. So you got lucky to have someone that serious to pay for the mods. GLWS bud!
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That mechanic is either A. trying to scam you into spending more money on the truck or B shouldn't be working on vehicles if he really thinks you have to change the radiator to put in efans. I have a 2003 SSS and I got my dual Efans out of a early 2000's model grand Prix from the junk yard. I wired it up myself and used a relay wired into the PCM. Because early model SSS's were clutch fans and all SSS's use the same PCM there is a open plug on the PCM for the efan which you wire up from power supply to relay then to fans and computer. Then you program the computer to run the efans.
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I will look into that, sounds like a good alternative. There is just 4 correct? Pre/Post cats?
Can the stock ECU be tuned or do I need to purchase a piggyback? Sorry I don't know anything about this. I'll do some research
Perfect, thanks for this!
There is only 4 O2's 2 pre-cat and 2 post-cat. The rear O2's are not necessary to run and are only used to monitor that your catalytic convertor is working as it should. All four work in conjunction to communicate to your computer (PCM) in order to give you the best fuel economy and performance while being EPA friendly and quite frankly decreases performance and fuel economy to be more environmentally friendly. The catalytic convertor only hurts performance as it is a restriction of airflow but it is a EPA requirement as it sole purpose is to burn un-burnt fuel leaving the engine to keep all the happy tree huggers quiet. The front O2's are the only ones that are required as they take the exhaust straight from the engine before being re-burnt in the cats and tell your computer to adjust fuel trims and AFR in conjunction with your Map sensor and MAF sensor in order to run most efficient. Like I said previous post, old stock cats can cause running problems as the packing deteriorates or bust up or plug up inside the cat causing the rear O2's to send codes. Most of us with performance mods remove them completely and tune them out. If your state doesn't require a state inspection your best bet is to remove them or to replace them with fake straight through ones or just a exhaust pipe section.
The tune in itself will be a night and day difference in performance and you will see better gas economy as long as you stay off the skinny pedal... You can get it tuned at any dyno tune shop for $400-$600 or send it in to Zippy, Charlie Wheatley, or Black bear for $250-$350 who are the most common here. They will do just as good if not better than a custom performance Dyno shop especially for light to moderate modified vehicles. We have guys with mail order tunes running 10's in the 1/4mile from the mail tunes. Just do a little research and you will find all the info you need... If you do a mail order tune you need to remove your PCM located just under your alternator next to your battery and is held on by a snap and two bolts holding the pins into the PCM, super easy to remove and mail it to your preferred tuner. Takes 1-2 weeks turn around. If you cant have your truck down for that long they can send you pre-programmed PCM for an additional fee and all you need to do is send them your core. Once they receive your old PCM they will reimburse you the additional fee. YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED IN A CUSTOM TUNE!!!! Plus most tuners will give you free or small charge retunes for as long as you own the vehicle in case you ever want to add more go fast parts like superchargers, turbos, or even cams and heads. A stock truck will benefit from a tune but a truck with full exhaust and CAI and other bolt-on's like yours will benefit a lot more, so much you will think its a completely new vehicle. It will run smoother and be twice as responsive all while gaining 2-5mpg more... The more you add the more you will need a tune to get full potential... Here is what I would do if I were you
1st and foremost- If I were you I would get a tune setup. That way you can get the O2's deleted and unlock the true potential of these trucks...
2nd- I would get your truck scanned and find out which O2 is giving you the bad codes. If it is both the rears then I bet the cats are giving out or you are just unlucky and both went out. If the cats are shot I would just cut them out and put in a straight pipe to fill the gap or put in a new high flow cat if your state tests for it and still tune out the rear O2's as they are not needed for running anyways. If it is the front O2's going out you can use the rear O2's and swap them because the rear ones would not be needed when you get tuned. Make sure to have the bung holes welded shut or leave the old unplugged O2's in the holes so no exhaust leaks.
3rd- Id probably get a new exhaust system as that one seems pretty ratty and rusted in spots and may only continue to spring leaks. But if your on a budget at least do a leak test to make sure all the welds and pipes are sealed up as well as the headers. Holes or leaks near the engine/headers or near the O2's will make the O2's read inaccurate also throwing codes. Most exhaust shops can do that for you for a reasonable price, or you can just listen and feel around with your hand for air leaks trying not to burn yourself.
Finally- According to your pictures, the cat on the passenger side looks different than the driver side. It may be your problem as it looks like it maybe getting a bit warm due to the discoloration and extra rust which is an indication it could be plugged or not working correctly as compared to the other side. I am not there to look at it or do the test so I could be wrong but it is worth looking into. Another sign you can test at home to see if they may be broke or plugged is after they have been running for awhile they may even glow red hot or much hotter then the other. Try not to burn yourself lol. Also be sure to check especially around the hanger welds as I have seen them break or crack causing leaks. I no longer weld my hangers directly to the pipe due to the welds rusting out overtime. Instead I attach an exhaust clamp to the pipe where I want to weld and weld the hanger to that. No more cracked or bust welds on my pipe
.I do like those mufflers as I run similar Magnaflow dual mufflers and they sound beastly under acceleration. Anyways good luck and I hope this helps you find the problems... Get a tune
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Little background on what's up with the truck/exhaust:
since I bought the truck 2 years ago, every so often it would give me a random 02 sensor code for somewhere between an hour to a few days, then clear itself up. No change in drivability, never bothered me.
Fast forward to 6 months ago, I have the truck up in the air investigating a "loose heat shield" that I'd hear clanking occasionally over bumps with the windows down. Turned out to be my exhaust that had rusted in half, the backside was pivoting on the hanger and bouncing on the rear end. So I figured that was the O2 sensor code from the terrible exhaust leak. Anyway, I pulled that part of the exhaust off and have been cruising around with one half my exhaust dumped right after the muffler since, with intentions of buying a new exhaust sometime soon.
Fast forward to about a month ago. Been distracted and still haven't bought an exhaust. I had to drive through some high water because it floods like a mofo here in Houston, truck is my DD. Not right away, but a few weeks later my CEL came back on and I figured it was the same, but after some driving I could tell I was down on power a little bit. Sometime when using more than half throttle at about 3600 RPM you can feel it return all the power. So I read the codes and now I have basically every O2 Sensor code... P0131, 0137, 0151, 0157 (twice, each bank) and P0101.
Did some searching on what others did to try to fix...pulled/cleaned air filter, MAF, and TB, no difference. Nothing but the air filter was particularly dirty at all, in fact they were so clean I'm rather suspicious this isn't the original motor with almost 150K miles on it. Cleaned it anyway though.
So, basically. I still have all these codes, my truck has quite a bit of rust underneath (most of it's life was in the north), so I'm fairly convinced it's further rusting/exhaust leaks in the (magnaflow maybe?) exhaust that came on the truck when I bought it. Although the MAF code (0101) has me worried it could be more than exhaust...?
Curious what yall think, is there something else I can try?
I'm going to replace the exhaust regardless, is it worth it to try and reuse the O2 sensors? I don't really wanna replace 4 (6?) at 50-100/pop
Also, any recommendations on a quiet, deep toned exhaust with dual exits (not a two pronged tip) either before or after the rear tire? I'm unsure if I need mid-pipes...would rather go catless if mine are damaged, but will pay for them if deletes are going to be raspy regardless of exhaust choice. Praying I don't have to do headers too. I'd rather save my money for my project car not my DD. This thing drinks enough 93 as it is. Sure do love it though!
Sorry for the novel ^
Once you get the new exhaust maybe get a tune for $250 and have them delete the rear O2 sensors. If you have to replace them at $100 bucks a pop might as well spend the extra $50-$100 for a tune and delete the rears... Bad cats will cause running problems as well so while your in there do high flow cats or just delete those as well and tune it...
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Did he even know you were racing LMAO... Good kill Bud...
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Congrats neighbor from Northern Minnesota... Not many nice SSS's up here. Most are rust buckets. There is a another black one in my town but it is hard to look at. Passenger brake duct barely hanging on and always filthy...
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My truck looks 10X better underneath and I live in Northern Minnesota... ( I don't drive it in the winter, or cloudy days in the summer LOL). On a more serious note. I think it may be a bit much surface rust for spending its whole life in Florida. Generally that is what our daily drivers up north look like after 2-3 years of driving in the snow, salt, and sand of winters... I wouldn't be surprised if that truck lived up North for a winter or 2 before making its way to Florida. If anything it is a selling factor. No way Id buy it for 16K. Id say 13-14K with the miles and rust... If the miles were below 80K Id consider 16K. My 2003 has 56K and I have had a guy several times stop buy offering me 15k cash money. But my truck is in mint shape. Just needs a good buffing 13 year old paint and all LOL...
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Transmission tuning requires 2 parameters to be met before it shifts. The 2 parameters are the speed (MPH) at which you want it to shift and the rpm. First time adjustments just try little steps at a time. Here is a good instruction to give you a basic idea to use when doing so that I have used in the past when learning. Otherwise go to the HPtuners forum and they have lots of good info and how to's... This is not my write up but will give you a general idea...Keep in mind this is not for our trucks or transmission so the rpms and speed they use wont be the same and some of the options will be different. A lot of trial and error just do small increments. Do so at your own risk... Baby steps I repeat small baby steps
Speedometer Check:
In this section we make sure the speedo is in check. Most of the trans settings rely on MPH input in order to function so we need to make sure your current rear tire height is in on par with reality. First go to your tire manufactures website and notate the exact height of the tire you use. For me this is a Nitto 555R 275/45/17 DR that is 25.63''. So we need to click the "Speedo" button on the toolbar and enter the correct tire size into the box, correct rear end gear ratio into the box (stock is 3.46) and click "Commit". This will help to dial in your speedo correctly so that your MPH values reflect real world numbers.
Shift Point Tuning:
In this section we will deal with shift point tuning. This can be very hit and miss. Just because you set a certain value does not guarantee that the trans will shift at those EXACT values. It usually varies a hundred or so RPM and a MPH or two. The goal here is trial and error (without going to jail trying to dial it in!). Set it, test it. If its fine then great. If not, adjust accordingly to your taste. First off the A4 needs to satisfy TWO variables before the shift is made. 1) RPM 2) MPH. Lets say you have a 1>2 (meaning 1st to 2nd gear shift) set at 6,400 RPM and 40MPH. When the engine gets to 6,400 RPM then trans will generally wait until it hits 40MPH before commanding the shift and vise versa. You'll want to give yourself a smidgen of room here since it takes time for solenoids to activate, springs to move, fluid to flow...etc. I.E If you want out at 6,500 at 40MPH try setting it at 6,350 and 37MPH, it might just bang out right where you need it. If not, readjust. A common mistake people make in this area is just addressing the WOT shift points. It is important to increase/decrease the part throttle values by the same % as the WOT values
. Computers can be finicky and if everything isn't set up right you may just find yourself banging the limiter searching for that perfect shift and all the while the problem is in the part throttle tables. Something to use that usually gives good luck on predicting where to set shift RPM so it correlates with MPH is the VCM scanner. First do a few log runs with the car with the VCM Scanner. Full pulls into 3rd (don't go to jail! legal areas only! Mexico seems to be a nice place to get away with this stuff
). Notate where your trans is shifting out at: (This pic is from a modified tune with built trans and DRs, not stock)
Now lets apply our new found info to the tune. Click on the "Trans" tab on the toolbar and under the "Auto Shift Speed" tab find "Full Throttle Shift Speed Normal" and click the "Normal" tab and you'll see something like this (stock file in this pic):
I like to set the MPH low, and let the RPM be the trigger spot for the shift and you'll see this in my tune. Meaning, I like to get the MPH variable satisfied so that the TCM just waits for the RPM to hit and then bang (remember, 2 variables needed, RPM and MPH) A good 4-5 or so below actual MPH is a good buffer for MPH variables. Don't set it too far off though. If its too far off it may miss the shift. I.E. if you have the MPH set at 70 and the shift should occur at 86 its too much of a discrepancy for the TCM to decipher. Try to keep it close +/- 4 or 5MPH max. Remember it probably wont hit dead nuts spot on either RPM or MPH due to the things I mentioned before (internal part actuation...etc). Now lets change that variable to reflect what we need. We will need to do this in "Normal" and "Performance" or "Pattern B" (if using 2.23 Beta).
Also, we need to adjust the downshift MPH by the same percentage that we adjusted the upshift MPH. Although, the uphift MPH has to remain higher than the downshift MPH. You'll see how I modified those variables as well. Notice I added about 2-3MPH to each upshift point except for the 3>2 downshift. This is where further custom tweaking comes in. For me, I dont want my trans downshifting into 2nd gear at 79 MPH if I go WOT or manually pull down because I feel it is too close to the shift out point and dont want the engine screaming for a second before it shifts. It generally feels like its holding back and slower when the downshift is really close to where the upshift is. Id rather just stay in the gear Im in (this case 3rd) and continue to climb. Adjust to your tastes.
Now we need to go into "Part Throttle Shift Normal" to adjust a few things:
Now we need to copy over the 100 (WOT) values from the Full Throttle Shift Speed area to the Part Throttle Shift Normal. In my readings, this isnt 100% mandatory, but many good tuners like to make them match up so the TCM doesnt have any variance issues and I like to follow suit with that idea so here goes:
Now that we have that squared away its time to tackle RPM. This one is pretty straight forward and if you've set up your MPH correctly and have given it a 4-5MPH buffer before actual you should be able to get your RPMs to hit pretty close. If not, like anything else, adjust accordingly. Lets start off by opening the "Full Throttle Shift RPM Normal", "Normal" tab and the "Performance" or "Pattern B" (if using 2.23 Beta) tab as well:
Now adjust the values to your liking:
Now I usually punch out of first around 6,300 and 2nd and 3rd at around 6,450-6,500. This is where that variance stuff comes in. Since I know I'll have a small but of time before actual shift, since I want the 2nd and 3rd out at 6,500 I've set them to punch in the tune at 6,300. This mixed with my MPH settings have worked for me. You will need to test and tune them to your flavor. That pretty much wraps it up as far as shift point tuning. If I've left anything out of this section feel free to comment and I will add it in.
Shift Pressures:
As far as shift pressures go I leave them at stock levels and so do many of the major builders/tuners out there. The stock levels in the GTO are max @ 90psi and are plenty fine for quick shifts. The correct way to increase shift pressures is mechanically with a shift kit. The kit will include pieces that are built to handle the increased pressure such as different springs and metal parts that replace plastic parts I.E. the boost valve. Beyond this people who boost up the pressure through the tune are risking mechanical failure for no great reason. If torque management is gone 90psi is plenty of pressure even in a stock trans to make a quick shift. Remember: its not about how HARD the trans shifts, its about how QUICK it does it. That old school nonsense about a trans that slams the tires in every gear and hits hard on shifts is just that. Nonsense. My trans is very smooth and while it definitely hits and lets you know its there, its emphasis is on speed rather than force. -
I put in over $1500 in parts in my trans and labor ourselves and my trans has been through the ringer... Transmission shops are getting harder to find these days who know their stuff rather than guessing and throwing parts at things... For $2500 you could get a level 3 performance raptor transmission that comes complete up to a 2800 stall and withstand 600HP which is plenty for daily use driver and a small Maggie like the mp112 plus a warranty... The mega raptor level 4 is a more race ready transmission NEW!!! for $4000. You got boned on the price buddy... Check them out... https://transmissioncenter.net/product-category/gm/?swoof=1&product_tag=transmissions&really_curr_tax=7941-product_cat
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I agree with all said above! That transmission shop is garbage... I am supercharged, cammed, and other go fast parts... My stock tranny fried the clutches and bands and my father and I rebuilt it with a beast reaction shell alto red eagle clutches, kevelar bands, reverse input drum, raptor servos, transgo HD shift kit, and a phoenix transmission 3000 stall TQ converter and it has lasted over 8 years of hundreds of hard launches and no problems yet... The 4l65E is a good transmission if built right. If it is just thrown together no matter what is done will not last... But like said by DOORMAN a 4L80 will be nearly indestructible but will suffer slightly due to gearing and weight...
Lovin it.
Engine help...
in My New Truck
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If its not consuming oil then maybe you got a bad pump. Also change the oil filter just in case. You can also do a compression on all the cylinders.. Find someone to check your codes as well.