Thread: Dyno sadness

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  1. #1 Dyno sadness 
    Awesome Level Member chrsmi1's Avatar
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    I'm going to post this in the kills sections since it almost killed me paying hundreds of dollars for this...

    This is the story of taking a Grand Prix to a dyno operated by people who, while knowledgable and professional, couldn't get it to do right and almost messed up my favorite car.

    SO Tuesday I drove about an hour away from where I live to go to the closest place with a dyno that could get me in for some pulls. I wanted to see where i'm at and maybe add some timing or fuel to see if I could get a few more ponies out of the GP. I've been to the dyno twice before with my car, last time I got a best of around 313whp and a bunch of torque. Time before that only got up to 297whp with up to 8 degrees of knock on a crappy tune and possibly crappy E85. This time I was just going to be happy getting 300+ to the wheels and seeing what i could add via timing.

    A little background on the place I took it to. It's a spot call the Performance Factory in Concord NC. A little further away then the closest shop with a dyno but they were the only place that could get me in this month as everyone else was booked up months in advance. I made this appointment three weeks in advance and still got lucky to get in. The place specializes in AWD dsm kinda stuff. 3000 gt's, stealths, and eclipses. They do domestics as well and even had a supercharged c6 in last week as well as a new 2016 mustang gt. Their dyno is a superflow AWD unit. Cool looking but takes a bit to setup. Also it's in a little enclosed room and I was supposed to stay behind some glass while the runs were made.

    So i get there and they seem great, really nice, everyone professional, etc. They hook my car up (took 30 or 40 mins) and then call me back to the area. The guy running the dyno knows what he's doing and seems like a cool dude. We start talking and he's finishing hooking up everything. This is when it goes off track....

    He goes to set it up to read my boost. I have a mechanical boost gauge in my pillar pod so he taps into that and finishes up getting it all ready. I setup my laptop with DHP to log the runs and he gets started.

    First run I get a max of 233whp and my afr (which is normally fine and commanded to run 10.8) is in the high 13's and low 14's wide open. That 233whp was actually the best of the first three runs.

    SO I go and check the data and he says he noticed that the boost wasn't logging and I was running crazy lean. I'm like yay! But really i'm pissed as hell. I look at my data while he checks the boost setup and I add fuel to the tune all across the board. I change my skew percent from 100 to 110 and even add a little up top in the maf to be sure. I check my commanded afr to make sure it's good and load the new tune. He tells me as i'm doing it that He thinks he knows why the boost isn't reading. HE says that it looks like when he tapped into the vacuum line going to the boost gauge he pulled the line off the bottom of the MAP sensor.He plugs it back in and i finish loading the new tune and we do another three runs.

    Again, no boost showing up in either my DHP scans or on his stuff these runs. The afr gets better and goes to low 12's (still not what it normally runs or is commanded so i'm worried at this point) and get best runs of around 250whp and a bunch of torque. Still perplexed by the boost he checks his stuff again. Makes sure everything is connected right and I add even more fuel to the tune and we try again for what would be my last three pulls.

    Again, NO BOOST readings on any of his equipment. Now I do have to say that you could hear the supercharger whining but I still have no Idea how much of my normal 14-15 pounds of boost I was making, neither did he know. AFR fattened up again but still only got a best of 265whp and a ton of torque. Disappointed at having been there on his AWD dyno for 2 and a half hours and gotten 30 less WHP then I had my first time on the dyno I said F it take it off i'm done. He takes it off (takes 20 mins) I pay and he pulls it around front. This is where it gets even better.

    Gets the car around front and he gets out of it and tells me my check engine light is on. Huh. Haven't had one of those in, well, EVER. So I get out run the code and guess what, its for my map sensor. I also notice that the boost gauge lego blocks on my DIC are 3/4 of the way full sitting idle. I pop my hood check my sensor and notice right away....

    He plugged the vacuum line into the wrong sensor. Into the baro sensor. And then not even into the sensor part but had it hooked on the little clip that holds it in place...

    Sigh. No money back, no free runs, no *****ing besides a you plugged it in wrong from me. Wondering if i should give a call back to them and say something like I paid for 3 hours on the dyno and my crap wasn't running right cause of your dude.

    Pics and a full mod list will follow. Suggestions on anything and guesses to how much boost I was actually getting as it leaked out of the open sensor and everything would be nice. Take pity on your fellow GPF dude who paid good money for nothing.
    Comp G. E85, 2.8, Headers, Tune, Intake, S1X, 105# springs, 60 # injectors, 255 walbro,etc.

    *NEW* 2002 Camaro Z28- Lid, Headers, Catback

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  2. #2 Re: Dyno sadness 
    Awesome Level Member chrsmi1's Avatar
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    Pretty full mod list:

    2004 gtp 119xxx miles

    S1x Cam
    ls7 lifters
    105# springs, new retainers and valve seals
    Speed daddy headers
    60# injectors, 255 walbro fuel pump, and rewire
    E85
    2.8 pulley
    Aeroforce, wideband and boost gauges
    Homemade intake
    Tuned by me, nice safe tune with 16* timing. NO KNOCK NORMALLY. AFR normally around commanded 10.8-11.5 wide open.

    Pics







    Comp G. E85, 2.8, Headers, Tune, Intake, S1X, 105# springs, 60 # injectors, 255 walbro,etc.

    *NEW* 2002 Camaro Z28- Lid, Headers, Catback

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  3. #3 Re: Dyno sadness 
    Awesome Level Member chrsmi1's Avatar
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    More pics









    Comp G. E85, 2.8, Headers, Tune, Intake, S1X, 105# springs, 60 # injectors, 255 walbro,etc.

    *NEW* 2002 Camaro Z28- Lid, Headers, Catback

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  4. #4 Re: Dyno sadness 
    The Blue One blueguy's Avatar
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    The blue, orange, and green sure is an interesting combo lol...

    But colors aside...that sucks. If that was me I'd at least try and make it right with a full refund.
    Sold WBody's: '03 Blue GTP/'98 Green GTP/'98 Silver GT/'05 GXP
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  5. #5 Re: Dyno sadness 
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    I am surprised your car even idled. If I lose my map sensor the car will not run and will lope really bad and die. If I rev it it instantly goes into Reduced Power and shuts you out completely. If it were me I would point out the error and persuade them to run it again. You didn't get what you paid for that's for sure.
    An engine is an engine no matter the size.... I think Dr. Seuss said that... or maybe it was Big Weld....
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  6. #6 Re: Dyno sadness 
    Awesome Level Member chrsmi1's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by J57ltr View Post
    I am surprised your car even idled. If I lose my map sensor the car will not run and will lope really bad and die. If I rev it it instantly goes into Reduced Power and shuts you out completely. If it were me I would point out the error and persuade them to run it again. You didn't get what you paid for that's for sure.
    That's what i'm worried about. Cause when i put my headers on I damaged the map then. It broke off completely and it DID go into reduced power mode and wouldn't drive. This time it just set the light. But since I was in the room and not in the car I don't even know how long the light was on for.
    Comp G. E85, 2.8, Headers, Tune, Intake, S1X, 105# springs, 60 # injectors, 255 walbro,etc.

    *NEW* 2002 Camaro Z28- Lid, Headers, Catback

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  7. #7 Re: Dyno sadness 
    Awesome Level Member chrsmi1's Avatar
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    I even tried telling the guy something wasn't right and he just kept telling me that this dyno was a "heartbreaker". I told him no way it would dyno 50 less WHP unless something was messed up.
    Comp G. E85, 2.8, Headers, Tune, Intake, S1X, 105# springs, 60 # injectors, 255 walbro,etc.

    *NEW* 2002 Camaro Z28- Lid, Headers, Catback

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  8. #8 Re: Dyno sadness 
    I live here. stealthee's Avatar
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    I know the shop you speak of. The sales side of it is called 3SX. They've been in the game since before I got my Stealth, and I have had my Stealth since 02. I've heard many, many times about their dyno being a heart breaker. The fact of the matter, the only way to get real, true, consistent results is to dyno on the same dyno every time.

    I've only ever heard of one "horror story" regarding their dyno tuning and it was way worse than you experienced.


    2011 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS - DD mode
    1991 Mitsubishi 3000GT - Many mods to come
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  9. #9 Re: Dyno sadness 
    Awesome Level Member chrsmi1's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by stealthee View Post
    I know the shop you speak of. The sales side of it is called 3SX. They've been in the game since before I got my Stealth, and I have had my Stealth since 02. I've heard many, many times about their dyno being a heart breaker. The fact of the matter, the only way to get real, true, consistent results is to dyno on the same dyno every time.

    I've only ever heard of one "horror story" regarding their dyno tuning and it was way worse than you experienced.
    Was it when the tire blew? Guy told me about that.
    Comp G. E85, 2.8, Headers, Tune, Intake, S1X, 105# springs, 60 # injectors, 255 walbro,etc.

    *NEW* 2002 Camaro Z28- Lid, Headers, Catback

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  10. #10 Re: Dyno sadness 
    I live here. stealthee's Avatar
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    No, they basically melted a guys engine down by dynoing it several times back to back. I can't seem to locate the thread talking about it, but if I do I'll post the story here.


    2011 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS - DD mode
    1991 Mitsubishi 3000GT - Many mods to come
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  11. #11 Re: Dyno sadness 
    GrandPrix Junkie SgtMarshal's Avatar
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    It sounds like they are a reputable shop and might be willing to work with you if you talk to then, otherwise, tell all your friends of their failure
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  12. #12 Re: Dyno sadness 
    I live here. ericspecullaas's Avatar
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    i think he did by posting it on here
    im a cookie again yay me
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  13. #13 Re: Dyno sadness 
    Awesome Level Member chrsmi1's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by SgtMarshal View Post
    It sounds like they are a reputable shop and might be willing to work with you if you talk to then, otherwise, tell all your friends of their failure
    The really sad part is that they were very professional and really seemed like they knew what they were doing. That's why I didn't make a huge stink about it then. Seems like the guy just made an honest mistake.

    Unfortunately, I got 9 runs on the dyno with little to no boost and pretty much useless info. So the whole reason I went there was to get some info and advice about maybe squeezing out more power. Instead all I got was advice about fattening up my afr when if the map was plugged in it would have been fine.

    So yeah. Sadness.
    Comp G. E85, 2.8, Headers, Tune, Intake, S1X, 105# springs, 60 # injectors, 255 walbro,etc.

    *NEW* 2002 Camaro Z28- Lid, Headers, Catback

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  14. #14 Re: Dyno sadness 
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    Talk to them about it and tell them after you figured this out: This is the reason why everything wasn't lining up as it should. Talk to the owner and be nice at first. Make them a bet. Tell them "I'll tell you what, you put my car back on the dyno and if the first pull is where you would expect it then they do EVERYTHING over again. If it pulls and makes the same power as before then you'll gladly pay them for their time and move on." If that doesn't work then threaten to dispute it with the credit card company.

    Jeff
    An engine is an engine no matter the size.... I think Dr. Seuss said that... or maybe it was Big Weld....
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  15. #15 Re: Dyno sadness 
    Donating Users Bronco Boy's Avatar
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    I'd call them out. They messed up and you paid for it. That ain't right.
    Chris B
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  16. #16 Re: Dyno sadness 
    GXP Level Member Grimsin's Avatar
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    If it was there techs fault I don't see why they wouldn't give you some free runs

    3.8l N/A POWA! :4'' HAI\L67 HVTB\HV3\ER Rockers\WP underdrive pulley\Headers\cat delete\91 octane overkill incar tune.3.69 gears, Trans go shift kit.
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  17. #17 Re: Dyno sadness 
    GXP Level Member Turbocharged400sbc's Avatar
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    Ask why their technician saw two air pressure sensors and did not research which one was the map and which one was the barometric.
    That sort of **** could lead them to blow up a $100,000 car.... they would probably want their employees to double-check something like that from here on out
    ~James~ Psychotic Gearhead
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