New Heart

[KZJonny]

On 2/1/2024 at 10:07 AM, Scottydunno said:

why not upgrade to top feed injectors? 07+ cars have them and finding them is an inexpensive thing

Did you get this done pre Green Speed? This was easier when deleting TGVs was simple. It isn't any more, and there is an entire thread about how you can't really make the actuators work between pre and post facelift. The engineering is understood, but nobody has a simple solution for doing it. (other options out there with hard-to-find WRX and FXT intakes, yeah... but expensive and not easy to find.)

If you know someone that will e-tune for a TGV delete now, please find a way to discretely share. I am starting to see mine fail, and there is no real good option for me: go Open Source and learn how to delete the CEL code for them myself (then delete the TGVs...) or find someone who can. Or, continue to replace expensive and not-super useful parts to prevent a real problem.

Even tuning for upgraded side feeds now is harder than it should be if you are on COBB, no ability to feed AFR data to the ECU and read live. You need to set up a freaking camera on the AFR readout and do a manual comparo. Stupid.

Edited February 2 by KZJonny

[Scottydunno]

37 minutes ago, KZJonny said:

Did you get this done pre Green Speed? This was easier when deleting TGVs was simple. It isn't any more, and there is an entire thread about how you can't really make the actuators work between pre and post facelift. The engineering is understood, but nobody has a simple solution for doing it. (other options out there with hard-to-find WRX and FXT intakes, yeah... but expensive and not easy to find.)

If you know someone that will e-tune for a TGV delete now, please find a way to discretely share. I am starting to see mine fail, and there is no real good option for me: go Open Source and learn how to delete the CEL code for them myself (then delete the TGVs...) or find someone who can. Or, continue to replace expensive and not-super useful parts to prevent a real problem.

Even tuning for upgraded side feeds now is harder than it should be if you are on COBB, no ability to feed AFR data to the ECU and read live. You need to set up a freaking camera on the AFR readout and do a manual comparo. Stupid.

I haven't done it yet. I didnt know that was even an issue. I thought it was specifically all about the flex fuel kits only. I'll contact my local tuner and see what he says. I have a strange feeling I may have screwed myself in waiting so long to do the conversion. At this point all I'm waiting on is finding a decent looking deal on a vf52 or slightly larger, install it all and get tuned. However, if said tuner is willing to e-tune, I'll see what I can do.

[KZJonny]

21 hours ago, Scottydunno said:

I haven't done it yet. I didnt know that was even an issue. I thought it was specifically all about the flex fuel kits only. I'll contact my local tuner and see what he says. I have a strange feeling I may have screwed myself in waiting so long to do the conversion. At this point all I'm waiting on is finding a decent looking deal on a vf52 or slightly larger, install it all and get tuned. However, if said tuner is willing to e-tune, I'll see what I can do.

Do keep us informed. In the interest of not having a sustained threadjack of Jaylews rebuild, PM, or move it over to the recent thread on being able to swap top-feeds into 05/06. Any information that can be added to that discussion would be welcome, including any tuner who wants to do a bunch of business with folks looking to do a TGV delete, etc...

Edited February 3 by KZJonny
¡informatino!

[BoozeRS05]

I read about an interesting work around for the TGV issue. Literally have them wired up and functioning, but located somewhere in the trunk of the car.  The car will think they’re present and functional, bc they will be technically, but just not in the engine bay. At which point you can run whatever TGV and top feed setup you wish. 

[KZJonny]

7 minutes ago, BoozeRS05 said:

I read about an interesting work around for the TGV issue. Literally have them wired up and functioning, but located somewhere in the trunk of the car.  The car will think they’re present and functional, bc they will be technically, but just not in the engine bay. At which point you can run whatever TGV and top feed setup you wish. 

Hundo. BUT, you lose the ability to use the I/O at the ECU to feed other data directly to your tuning computer/log it/ make that I/O useful. So, it gets you a TGV delete, but it's kind of half as useful.

[rhino6303]

Cobb has a workaround to be able to use the tgv wires for data and the tgvs. Their new flex fuel module has it and I'm curious how they've done it.

[utc_pyro]

I believe they are ether muxing the left/right channels together to free up an input, or flat out spoofing the position in software on the ECU side. The former makes the most sense to do, as you can combine the sensors with passive components and we have fuel temp sensors in the tank already so that value is kind of pointless.

[m sprank]

I might know someone who can tune what you all want. I say, MIGHT.  I have not spoken to him in a while and do not know his current employment status/contractual obligations. I will make a call and report back privately if I get any positive traction. 

[KZJonny]

So @jaylew when does the wagon go under the knife?

I think it’s probably safe to assume the coal-rolling tune has done in your rings? Tho we’d all be happy to see the leakdown and compression figures.

[KZJonny]

On 1/23/2024 at 12:37 PM, jaylew said:

- Refreshed heads (send off existing ones to machine shop)

           to what extent, idk. I am all ears for what to do to heads that have 265k on them.

SO, having just kind of done a head refresh on mine (maching shop decked the mating surface) I did a valve lap + polish, valve seals, general cleanup, carbon removal and will have to adjust at least all exhaust valve buckets, upon reassembly. Intakes all measure up fine etc....

All that to say, for an experienced DIY'er but not someone who has done much work on heads, that was a solid 3-4 evenings, all night to get that done.

Since you've been burning heaps of oil for quite a long time, I would expect (based on what I just learned) that a DIY job for you is going to be a maximum effort kind of thing, assuming the carbon buildup is pretty bad. The possibility of damaged seats and burned valves from carbon deposits is most likely a real thing.

 

You won't know until you open things up, but it might not hurt to get those compression/leakdown numbers sooner than later and if they don't look good, consider keeping your eyes open for a spare set of heads. Either as parts donors, or potentially to get rebuilt in advance of the refresh project, just so you have them ready to go, and are not waiting on a maching shop to assess and repair your current ones. Or, one worse, to find they are not easily salvaged and then have to go looking for another set when you'd rather be putting your engine back together....

[jaylew]

It has been a minute. I wish had been able to take all the feedback and build a shopping list by now but that is not the case.

@KZJonny thank you for the feedback! That is good to know. Maybe someone going to the ECM 2024 will be able to help out with a spare set of heads. I have assumed that the heads will be a lot of work and more than just a routine decking haha (see your comment about oil consumption). Good info to keep in mind. Thanks!

[KZJonny]

Yeah man! I know you do most things DIY as well, so in this particular case, I figured maybe you can learn from my recent experience. If I were to do it again, I might go the full monty and have the seats cut or replaced and the valves matched. At least if I were doing a new SB, I definitely would.

I spent hours going over the pros and cons of home grinding an lapping, and decided that for what at worst would be having to either

A) readjust lash sooner than normal because hand lapped valved seem to bed in faster and a little more than machine cut valves

and/or

B) get a shorter life out of the headwork and have to pull it again at some point down the road becuase the seat surfaces aren't perfect, etc....

These are consequemces I am willing to live with, given that my bench testing suggets that the valves are sealing better now than when I removed the heads, and I did not grind the seat area to wider than specs. Lots of people have been doing worse things to engines for a long time and running trouble free without having everything done at a machine shop.

I have 1 x set of spare heads, but I am now a little paranoid and think they are going to be my basis for a longer term project to get them back to like-new condition, new seats + seals + valve matching etc... So that when the day does come I need to do anything further with my current ones, I will have a fully dressed set sitting on the shelf totally ready for install.

There is another EJ255 in the bone yard just across town from me. If you decide you DO want a set of heads as spares, reach out, DM, whatever. If there is nothing closer to you, or nobody coming to the ECM has some they can spare, I would be willing to go pull them and pass them along at cost. + maybe some beer from your neck of the woods or whatever.

Pricing in CAD: (+tax etc...)

NAME

PRICE (STARTING AT)

CORE

Console - Overhead (no electronics) / Console - Plafond (pas d'electroniques)

$34.99

$0.00

Cylinder Head / Culasse

$121.79

$23.50

[boxkita]

if you can't get a set from @KZJonny, i've set already machined in my shop. i'll dig up pics and specs.