Super Stock tech info.

[DRAGRCR]

Lots of words there. It may take a read or two for it to soak in.
When I had the BAM 1-2 shift on my '21 RE I called ********** to get what was needed to retune the TCM and was told point blank by some kid that worked there that it was a must to unlock the PCM in order to deal with the TCM. I questioned that rather thoroughly and he was adamant that the TCM couldn't be retuned without first unlocking the PCM. I even mentioned that I knew customers of theirs that said they'd done it and I was simply told I was wrong. I got off the phone..
So, to say it would be REALLY easy for a tuning customer to get confused about this a bit of an understatement.

In hindsight it's probably best to leave the name out, thus the **********.

To give him the benifit ot the doubt, the PCM is typically unlocked to do a TCM Performance tune. MOST if not all the increases that are to be had are from RAISING the RPM of the shift points. That would require a coorisponding raising of the Rev Limit and you need the PCM unlocked to do that. Even Curt was not sure about a couple things because he said it had been so long since he tuned a TCM only. SO we learned toghter with emails going back and forth.

Also I want to expand on what I wrote above. Curt asked for a copy of my Original tune. I am not sure if he specifically asked for it this way, but I gave him a combined PCM/TCM file. Keep in mind you can read just the PCM or just the TCM and save those individual Module Calibration files. Maybe I had to register the PCM in order to write my TCM purely because I was using a combination file. Maybe you can avoid this by using a TCM only file. Maybe not. Just a thought.

Also it is way easier if you have someone walk you through this the first time. I have had Friend pay for my Travel to Irwindale to sit with him and go through all this and remote tune his car. We spent all day during a Test and Tune working on this.

One other thing. You must be connected to the internet to write tunes. The Tuner registers the tune he sends you (or something similar) and the Tool queries the HPTuners server before it will write......
You do not need the internet to read though ( I think).

 

[Mike Jesse]

Ok guys. Question is how much fuel is in the tank when you are racing the car?
On my Redeye, I was trying to show up at the track with 1/3 tank showing on the gauge.

Main reason for asking is because I just bought a new set of 4 corner scales to keep track of the car weight as parts are removed/swapped.
As of right now, the car has 1/3 tank showing with the addition of the diff. brace and catch can. This will be my base line weight.

 

[jgilj]

I do 1/2 tank when I get to 1/4 I fill to half tank. No problems with starvation that’s the key. I know some do less but I’m not that guy.

 

[DRAGRCR]

Ok guys. Question is how much fuel is in the tank when you are racing the car?
On my Redeye, I was trying to show up at the track with 1/3 tank showing on the gauge.

Main reason for asking is because I just bought a new set of 4 corner scales to keep track of the car weight as parts are removed/swapped.
As of right now, the car has 1/3 tank showing with the addition of the diff. brace and catch can. This will be my base line weight.

1/3 tank is a good starting point. You can probably make 6 passes if you do not do any other driving around. Maybe 8. Keep in mind the cars run out of fuel in different ways depending on the circumstances fuel slosh etc. Sometimes it will be obvious like it cuts off and cuts on and is herky jerky. Other times it just surges in the higher gears. Typically you can make 2 passes after the low fuel light comes on but that too varies. This new to me Demon can't. It needs more fuel in it per the low light and the gauge.

If I am really really trying to set a personal best I actually add fuel to the car using a pitcher. The car will use about 1/2 gallon per run with no other driving around. So, if it runs out on a Pass, I can go back and add about 3/4 gallon and it will be ready for a PB. Simple no?

 

[Mike Jesse]

Well guys, don't know what to say except that I totaled the Super Stock today. It's a write off.
It got away from me on my test and tune road today and I could not reel it back in.
376 miles. I'm sick.

 

[GBLWRMR]

Well guys, don't know what to say except that I totaled the Super Stock today. It's a write off.
It got away from me on my test and tune road today and I could not reel it back in.
376 miles. I'm sick.

Jeez @Mike Jesse . Horrible news. Are you physically ok? nobody hurt? Cars are replaceable. Easy to say and hard to swallow, but not the end of the world.

 

[Mike Jesse]

I'm ok. The car is gone. At this point I could care less about the car. I may lose my license and get a stiff fine out of this.
Stupid Me.

 

[Smitty]

Damn! I was hoping in the next line you were going to say just joking. Hope you’re ok

 

[EricG]

Man...so sorry to hear @Mike Jesse

 

[Mike Jesse]

I'm sick to my stomach right now.
Heads up to all of you guys. These OEM Nitto's that come on the Super Stock are not meant to be out in 34 degree air temps.
They don't bite at all. I'm not placing the blame on the tires, just giving you a heads up not to be F'ing around in cold temps on these tires.
Leave the car in the garage.
Here's a bit of history....my one and only accident up until yesterday was in 1971.

 

[DRAGRCR]

@Mike Jesse I am going to ask you some things. Maybe you will not want to expand. Maybe not the time....


I am wondering what mode you were in and did you fully defeat the Stability control? The reason I ask is because it will be very helpful to the members if you are willing to talk about that. I had an email from Jim Wilder that said if the tires do not have traction the Stability control cannot help you. He said he saw a 1320 crash right in front of him at a press event on the drag strip. He said the stability control did not save it. Car was totaled.

Also, you may have seen the B5 Blue Demon in my Garage. I have TWICE not been within a hair of crashing that car. I always attributed that to the fact that the car is tuned and the Torque Management was reduced. But our current tuner said the stability control is not altered. This latest time was at 70 MPH on a street data logging session and I hit it in 4th MAN. It spun so suddenly and so hard the car pitched sideways. I guess the spinning was so sudden the Torque Management is not fast enough. Not sure. Of course, I let off but did not feel the car intervene at all. NOTHING to straighten me out. And this was on good dry pavement.

But in my first Demon that was totally stock I am certain I felt the car "helping" me a few times. Once was at around 90 MPH, I hit a big patch of oil (oil down not cleaned properly and I was the first car they sent down there) and by the time I lifted and was putting in some steering correction the car pulled straight. Without Stability control I bet I would have been swapping slides back and forth and maybe even gone around......

I am sincerely sorry about your Super Stock being ruined and the damage to your Psyche.

 

[Hpmaniac]

Mike was in track mode and did NOT turn of traction control.

 

[Hpmaniac]

I'm just glad my buddy is ok and didn't get hurt or die.

 

[Mike Jesse]

Yep, it was in Track mode. All I did was pull over and brought up the driving modes and switched it into Track mode.
Nothing else was touched.
Rolling start in second gear and let it eat.
I think it would have been ok IF the air temp. was up to at least 60 degrees.

 

[TNREDEYE]

Wow Mike. I'm sorry to hear about your SS. I'm glad to hear you're ok though.

 

[GBLWRMR]

I wonder if in Track mode, stability is removed. I know mine has kicked in on my 707. Scary moments if it's turned on on the street.

Glad that you are ok and nobody was hurt.

Thanks also for weighing in. I know it must be tough.

 

[jonx96]

I'm sick to my stomach right now.
Heads up to all of you guys. These OEM Nitto's that come on the Super Stock are not meant to be out in 34 degree air temps.
They don't bite at all. I'm not placing the blame on the tires, just giving you a heads up not to be F'ing around in cold temps on these tires.
Leave the car in the garage.
Here's a bit of history....my one and only accident up until yesterday was in 1971.

I've learned long ago performance tires are not meant for cold temps. My motorcycle would even get sketchy on hard pulls. They probably are only rated for use in weather warner than 45 or 50. I was working on my trans tune and it was 45 out right before winter and it was almost impossible for me to hook under 100. I could not floor it.
Glad everyone is ok. To bad you couldn't at least say a deer ran out in front of me and I swerved.

 

[Mike Jesse]

I should have left the car in the garage and driven the TRX.
My C7 ZO6 was not fun to drive in the winter either.
Please guys, learn from my mistake.

 

[Boris]

I'm sick to my stomach right now.
Heads up to all of you guys. These OEM Nitto's that come on the Super Stock are not meant to be out in 34 degree air temps.
They don't bite at all. I'm not placing the blame on the tires, just giving you a heads up not to be F'ing around in cold temps on these tires.
Leave the car in the garage.
Here's a bit of history....my one and only accident up until yesterday was in 1971.

Demon buyers had to sign a waiver saying something about not driving below 40 degrees.

Same tires.

Glad you are okay. And you can still order another

 

[DGatzby]

Taken a stock HC out at less than 45 degrees. Nail it at 100, and it breaks loose, we expected that It was even with regular street tires and not drag radials. I will never use a drag radial again on the street. The Redeye was busting it loose to whatever speed when the alignment was off, with dry pavement and temps above 45 degrees. This is using the most sticky and largest tires I can find. I ripped it up to 120-140 or so a few times before I absolutely was spooked and glad I figured out how to align this thing correctly.

Mike it takes big balls to confess to the world what happened. Thank you. We appreciate your information, thanks for sharing.

Us folks who live in climates where the temp swings from -25 to +105 have an advantage of being able to drive RWD cars since we were born. Some of us have been here a long time! The old folks (ha, what I did call my parents not too long ago) could never understand why we were so thrilled at taking Dad's cars into snow covered parking lots in the 70's and 80's and doing donuts, drifting, messing around, busting wheels over curbs as we were learning how these things react. The one item that none of us could anticipate or practice is with something that has 700 ft-lb of torque! They can really leap!!

I drive in Track Mode on the courses, yes, it has stability control active. But, I have leaped off the track once and into the grass, it HAS attempted to do a drift a few times if I attempt to dump my accelerator too fast coming out of corners, so while stability control is present, it is a very light presence.

Glad you are okay, good luck collecting a fair settlement and getting yourself a new ride.