Some questions on tuning Dawes/Needle valves

[Hodge]

Mudski helped me big time setting this up. Fkn top bloke.
I've got another patrol now. Seriously, It literally is like another car now. I'm kicking my self for not installing this earlier. Spool up is now so smooth, with boost not being all over the place like it used to be around town. It maxes at 17, no matter what I do. The biggest difference I noticed was in my EGT's. It used to hit 450-500 with ease. I s*** you not, it hasn't gone above 350 since I started tuning it up. So for those without this portion of the NADS, you're missing out! I was gonna block the EGR today too, until I found my little issue below, so I won't touch it until I get this sorted.

At 100km/h , where it's recommended to aim for 10 or so PSI when cruising. I can't seem to make it hold around that PSI at a steady level. It's all over the shop. 15, then drops to 5, then goes to 9, then 11 then 3. I'm trying to hold my foot on the pedal as steady as possible , even tried cruise control on a long stretch of level 100km/h road and it does the same thing. At lower speeds and gears the spool up curve is very smooth, and cruising at 60km/h for example it sits around 5-6 PSI no dramas. So, if this works at lower speeds, why is it bouncing on me around at 100 or above? I've found a nice sweet spot around town for both valves, and I"m worried if I start mucking around with it, I'll lose it. Thoughts ????

The other thing is my exhaust and the snorkel. And this one you'll think I'm a nutter.
Since I began tuning and tinkering with this, I noticed my exhaust sounds different, it has a deeper element to it. Thought it was me, and the stubbies I've had, but even the bloke next door asked me today, If I've changed the exhaust or something because it definitely has more depth to it now.
The snorkel had this sound, like it's taking a breath of fresh air everytime I came off the throttle, but after the valves were fitted and adjusted, it is now completely gone. I have not heard it since.
I understand that now the system is getting more stabilized air pushed in and out through it, but I didn't think I'd actually hear it, not just feel it!

[Sir Roofy]

Lol its balls have dropped and got a deeper voice

[twisties]

I've just fitted this kit (from Mudski too) myself this week and I agree, chalk and cheese! It took a bit of fiddling around to get the right settings but my tooling around tonight I think has got it spot on finally. Can't say mine jumps around at 100kmh, when I could get a stretch of road long enough....

It definitely depends on the slope of the road I'm on, with level ground it sat pretty steady but the merest whiff of uphill and weeeeeeeee boost baby, whereas pre-DAWES/Needle it would immediately drop all pressure as soon as the throttle increased at 100kph.

Quite happy watching the pyro guage now and during heavy acceleration, it wouldn't budge over about 420.

[Hodge]

Lol its balls have dropped and got a deeper voice

Deeper voice or not, it's definitely got balls now! :D

[mudski]

Deeper voice or not, it's definitely got balls now! :D

That great to hear Eric. As for the mid range boost. Mine is similar, its hard to get it to hold at the one level. Just play around with it until your happy then set and forget. Put the egr plate in and this will probably change again.
This also goes to show the crd's can benefit alot from this aswell.

[Hodge]

Yeh i'll toy around with it a bit more. Bloody oath it benefits. It's a new car to me now. I thought it gained a bit of up and go when the exhaust was fitted, but this now took it to a whole new level. As I said, why I didn't do this earlier...
Now onto the EGR and Catch can.

[mudski]

I reckon you will find the boost will settle a little more once the egr is blocked.

[Hodge]

Dropped the EGR block in tonight before leaving work. On my way home the car stalled 6-7 times while idling at traffic lights. Starts back up fine. No engine lights or anything.
Driving-wise I noticed it spools up quicker, almost too quick. Might have to back off the needle a tad to compensate. As to why it stalls, I don't know. Too sleep deprived to think or care now. Just glad I got home so I can have a beer and KO on the couch.

[mudski]

Yer thats odd. Very odd. Never heard of stalling. If the stalling issue remains I have the same plate with the hole in it bud. Your welcome to chuck one in and try that.

[Hodge]

Well good news.
Driving to work this morning , it didn't do it once. But that was very odd.

[Lemo79]

Hey hodge,
I put the EGR block in and fitted my Dawes yesterday, wasn't going to put a needle valve in. I to now have similar problems at 100 as yourself. Boost will settle at 12 flat road no throtle change, then boost will drop to 5, egt will rise to 400 then will go back to 12 egt drop and so on. Was thinking I may need to go the needle valve. Will play a bit more first.

Lemo.

[Lemo79]

Oh, also happy with the quicker spool up since blocking the EGR, much more pleasant around town to drive and I thought I was happy with it before.

[Hodge]

Hey mate good to hear it made a difference. I strongly suggest you get a needle valve too, for more control of the spool up rate. Since I blocked the EGR, I had to come off my needle valve a little but because it was pooling up way too quick. And YES what you described, is exactly my car at the moment. Cruising at a 100, boost bounces everywhere, and with each change, EGT's also change when boost drops. I'm trying to now fine-tune it using very minor adjustments, but it'll take time to find it's sweet spot.
But I repeat again, overall dawes/needle valves changed my car entirely. It's an absolute must.

[mudski]

Put the needle valve in and you will know about quicker spool up.

[Hodge]

Well this morning car began shutting down again while idle. Just like it did after blocking off egr. I've touched and changed nothing and it ran fine. However my Max boost now soared past 17 and it hit low 19s, even though I haven't touched touched any valves for days.
No engine light or anything. I checked for codes and nothing came up.
Hmmm .

[Lemo79]

Going out on a limb here, but did you inspect the throtle body when you done the EGR block, and if so is there a chance you may have swapped the vacuum lines to the two butterflies in the body, so when the ecu is trying to activate the swirl butterfly at idle it is actually activating the shutdown butterfly? Like I said out on a limb, but just a thought.

Lemo.

[mudski]

So it wasnt doing this priorto egr block? Grab the egr plate I have with the hole in it. Sounds very strange but this may be the issue.

[Hodge]

Definitely wasn't doing this prior to egr block. It wasn't doing it prior to Dawes and needle valve either, or after for that matter.
Egr plate in, and kept stalling on idle. No rev change, or any warning at all. Just turns of, it's as if I turn the key.
Then starts back up no dramas.

Funny thing is it began doing it the evening I put the plate in. Then the next day and yesterday it didn't do it. But this morning it's stalling again.

[Hodge]

And yes sorry forgot to mention as per my earlier post. Fort the first time since setting the valves it's boosting above 17 which was my initial Max. And I haven't changed a thing.
Don't know if that may or may not have anything to do with it. I doubt.
Will see how it his this arvo on the way home.

[mudski]

Come past and grab the other plate bud if you want...As Lemo said you haven't changed any of the vac hose at the throttle body. No holes in them or one come off???

[Hodge]

Come past and grab the other plate bud if you want...As Lemo said you haven't changed any of the vac hose at the throttle body. No holes in them or one come off???

Definitely not. Haven't touched a single thing other than the 2 bolts for the egr plate. I'll see how it goes tonight mate. Then I might see you about the other plate. I was just gonna drill this one but don't wanna destroy a perfectly good plate.

[mudski]

If only I kept my Scangauge from my Dmax I had we cold have plugged it in and it would have shown us what the issue is...Just come over and get a plate...

[Hodge]

Drove home via the scenic route, so I could test the car on an extended drive, and it didn't stall once ! I drove it gently, then I pushed it, idled for short, idled for long... No trouble at all. Just thought about it then, and the only common thing about the period the car does stall, is the fact it was much cooler. The evening it began happening, and early this morning. I don't know whether that has anything to do with it or not. I'll give it a few more days and see what happens.
My Scangauge should be here this week too, so I'll plug it in and keep an eye on it.

[Hodge]

Just took it for a good heavy duty run to see if it will stall again since it's nice crisp cool air outside at the moment. Didn't stall. Can rule out cold weather.

[mudski]

Hey stupid question. When you were over my place did I take the electrical plug off for the maf at all? I don't think so but just check. Also with the boost sensor, Just make sure they are on proper.

[Hodge]

Nah you didn't touch the MAF. I checked all that even cleaned the MAF and nothing. Also if you remember my boost adapter at the MAP sensor, how we thought it wasnt sealing properly I sealed that up too. But this morning she ran like a beast! So fingers crossed it doesn't come back.