DigitalSynthesis

Hey guys, I'm seriously contemplating a stock to haltech E6X upgrade for my 1989 TurboVert (see sig for details). My stock ECU is busted and I'm so fed up with stock crap breaking or needing constant adjustment (*cough* tps *cough*) or just a pain in the *** (*cough* air control valve *cough*) that I'd like to switch. Here's what I realize I can get rid of... note that I still must pass emissions but I have an excellent, brand new cat to go on the car (bonez 3") and I know it can be done with nothing but that. So here's my list:



- The cursed AFM

- The stock pressure sensor

- Stock water temp. sensor gets replaced by haltech one

- Stock air temp. sensor also gets replaced

- Air control valve and vacuum rack go, block off plates for those go on.

- Stock ECU (duh)



Questions I have:



- Do I lose the current "main relay"?

- What do I do about an air feed for the cat

- What other non-obvious stock parts can be tossed after this conversion

- How do I handle the stock FPR - there is some solenoid that controls whether or not its connected to the manifold or vented or something for (I think?) increased fuel pressure at idle?? How do most people handle that?

- Which vendors are known to offer solid post-purchase support for a complete haltech setup in a timely and knowledgable manner?

- Can the E6X use the stock CAS and presumably stupid ignitors?

- Are there any disadvantages to losing an AFM and going with a MAP-based system that I should take into consideration?

- Are there any other factors I should be aware of before I purchase and do this upgrade?



Thanks a LOT guys... I need some good solid info here. I'm probably going to post this on at least one other forum too just to get as much info as possible before I spend ~$1500 and yet another month getting this car driving. *ugh*

RETed

You can use the turbo one as a "2bar" MAP sensor.

K2RD website has the write-up on how to wire this in on their website.



You can use the stock one, but replacing it is also a good idea.



Yes, this needs to be done.



If you're going to keep the stock coils and their wiring, you should keep it. The stock coils get their power from this relay.



Are you trying to keep emissions???



Anything that has to do with engine control can be removed.

If you have questions, just ask.



Remove that stupid solenoid and run a vacuum hose straight from the FPR to a vacuum source DOWNSTREAM of the throttle body on the intake manifold.





Hard to say.

If you're talking about 24 hour phone support, I doubt many would do this.

I will try to give you as much support online through the forums if you're willing to do this. There is a Haltech Support Yahoo Groups that has very good people on it.





YES.





Yes, for any mods you do to the car / engine, you need to retune the maps. MAP sensor load based ECU can only "see" vacuum / pressure, and this is not a very good indication of airflow (increase) through the engine. Going to a bigger turbo will *require* retuning the fuel maps (minimum), for example.







-Ted

j9fd3s

i dont know how tight your emissions are, but here in ca we are having a hard time getting 100% working stock cars to pass smog, the problem is the test rpm is higher than before (2800ish) and at that rpm we are having to manually hold the acv so that it is injecting port air with a vacuum pump. note these are cars that pass the old non dyno test with flying colors.



you need to keep the airpump, and acv at least for testing, the rest of the time you can 'toss it into the woods' as we used to say

DigitalSynthesis

I'd rather lose the stock one... mine is iffy at best. Along with the other stock sensors (I don't mind popping the waterpump and retapping, but I heard there was a sensor which actually fit the stock threads - is this true?) ...





Yes... *sigh* I know its not likely, but I have heard of many '7s passing the 15/15 and 25/25 dyno tests on a haltech and cat alone... well with some alcohol as additional "insurance"... one friend has had a turbo '7 pass with NO cat and his haltech setup. I need to pass emissions or be able to prove I spent over $650 "trying". That last part should be simple.



Regardless, for some of the time (one week a year max, most likely) I will be running a cat and will thus need some form of air supply to it. Atlanta doesn't do visual inspections (thank God)...





Hmmm... can I use an electric air pump for these rare occasions? How much air should the cat get and in what RPM range to avoid destroying it on the way to/from the station?

j9fd3s

yes there is a metric water temp sensor!





um i'm not sure how much air it needs, an electric pump should do fine though.



on my 12a giving it port air dropped the co from 3% to almost 0%, failing was .8%

hc's were around 100ish, without the air pump the hc's are generally in the 250 range, 120-150 is usually passing. without the cat the stock ecu is like 2000ppm at idle, you can clean this up a bit with the haltech, but you cant go too much leaner; at idle; because lean misfire raises the hc