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Turbo charged STS


MARK 99STS

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Hi all, I'm back,

I've been off the boards for a long while due to various reasons. I thought I would update everyone on my car. I still have her and now she is running great. About a year ago I found out the hard way that the factory rev limiter is a fuel cut, not a spark cut and I fried 2 pistons because it went lean. It had been running great up to that point. Since the motor was toast I decided to rebuild with forged components. The cylinder walls were scored so instead of getting another block and having to time sert it all over again, I got a super deal on a Darton sleeve. I also was advised to do cams. After waiting on all the parts to get back, I finally got it back together about April of this year.

I decided to go with a Holley 950 stand alone engine management system and a stand alone transmission controller from PCS(same company I got the piggyback system from). I now have forged pistons, forged rods, Darton sleeved block and stand alones for engine and tranny. I had to completely retune the fuel map as no one has ever run a stand alone in a stock STS before so I had to start from scratch. To make a long story shorter, the cams screwed me up as I tried for the entire summer season to tune the car to run with the cams and it just wasn't going to happen. I gave up out of frustration and let the car sit for about 2.5 months. I finally decided to put the stock cams back in and we did it without pulling the motor and completely retimed it in the car. Not an easy task. That's why I was so pissed because I new it was going to be a *smurf* to replace cams with the motor in the car.

Anyway.... the cams were put in about 4weeks ago and I completely retuned the car and NOW after being down almost a year, it runs great. The tranny controller is freakin awesome. I can control every aspect of the tranny. Shift points, line pressure, torque converter lock-up,on and on and on. I took it to the track Saturday and with slicks on the front with only 13 lbs in them, I still couldn't hook because the boost came on so strong and it was only about 45 degrees out. I ran a 12.5 sec @ 114mph spinning through most of 1st gear. I have a video to prove it. I destroyed a newer Mercedes AMG. He just couldn't catch me.

All other functions of the car work fine, all guages and instrument cluster. The stock computer is controlling everything else except engine and tranny. Again never been done before, so the experiment has been a huge success. I also have an electronic boost controller with a hi and low setting. I have it at 7psi for street and about 11psi the day I went to the track.

I will post the video as soon as I get it (someone else was filming)

Mark 99 STS

MARK 99STS

TURBOCHARGED

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This sounds like a nice street setup, barring the slicks and high boost for track day. When you feel like it's a good idea, you might post a list of parts so that others can save a year or so of time.

I'm happy to hear that the Holley 950 comes for Northstars -- or did you just get the ECM and injectors? It seems to me that the Holley unit is just an OEM of the ACCEL EFI. Have you looked at them?

What cams were you using that wouldn't work for you? Is it possible that they weren't timed properly or some other installation issue?

CTS-V_LateralGs_6-2018_tiny.jpg
-- Click Here for CaddyInfo page on "How To" Read Your OBD Codes
-- Click Here for my personal page to download my OBD code list as an Excel file, plus other Cadillac data
-- See my CaddyInfo car blogs: 2011 CTS-V, 1997 ETC
Yes, I was Jims_97_ETC before I changed cars.

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Hi all, I'm back,

I've been off the boards for a long while due to various reasons. I thought I would update everyone on my car. I still have her and now she is running great. About a year ago I found out the hard way that the factory rev limiter is a fuel cut, not a spark cut and I fried 2 pistons because it went lean. It had been running great up to that point. Since the motor was toast I decided to rebuild with forged components. The cylinder walls were scored so instead of getting another block and having to time sert it all over again, I got a super deal on a Darton sleeve. I also was advised to do cams. After waiting on all the parts to get back, I finally got it back together about April of this year.

I decided to go with a Holley 950 stand alone engine management system and a stand alone transmission controller from PCS(same company I got the piggyback system from). I now have forged pistons, forged rods, Darton sleeved block and stand alones for engine and tranny. I had to completely retune the fuel map as no one has ever run a stand alone in a stock STS before so I had to start from scratch. To make a long story shorter, the cams screwed me up as I tried for the entire summer season to tune the car to run with the cams and it just wasn't going to happen. I gave up out of frustration and let the car sit for about 2.5 months. I finally decided to put the stock cams back in and we did it without pulling the motor and completely retimed it in the car. Not an easy task. That's why I was so pissed because I new it was going to be a *smurf* to replace cams with the motor in the car.

Anyway.... the cams were put in about 4weeks ago and I completely retuned the car and NOW after being down almost a year, it runs great. The tranny controller is freakin awesome. I can control every aspect of the tranny. Shift points, line pressure, torque converter lock-up,on and on and on. I took it to the track Saturday and with slicks on the front with only 13 lbs in them, I still couldn't hook because the boost came on so strong and it was only about 45 degrees out. I ran a 12.5 sec @ 114mph spinning through most of 1st gear. I have a video to prove it. I destroyed a newer Mercedes AMG. He just couldn't catch me.

All other functions of the car work fine, all guages and instrument cluster. The stock computer is controlling everything else except engine and tranny. Again never been done before, so the experiment has been a huge success. I also have an electronic boost controller with a hi and low setting. I have it at 7psi for street and about 11psi the day I went to the track.

I will post the video as soon as I get it (someone else was filming)

Mark 99 STS

I have an LS1 pcm that will work on your car.

I have no idea why you never went the route. <_< It would have saved me a lot of time.

12.58 second Northstar with a GM/Cadillac PCM

Cadillac Technician @ Crest Cadillac Brookfield WI

Hometown Washougal WA

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Hey Mark, welcome back, I have been thinking about you and your Mortgage business, I hope all is well, Mike

The new setup sounds incredible. Is your STS website down?

Pre-1995 - DTC codes OBD1  >>

1996 and newer - DTC codes OBD2 >> https://www.obd-codes.com/trouble_codes/gm/obd_codes.htm

How to check for codes Caddyinfo How To Technical Archive >> http://www.caddyinfo.com/wordpress/cadillac-how-to-faq/

Cadillac History & Specifications Year by Year  http://www.motorera.com/cadillac/index.htm

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Hey Mark, welcome back, I have been thinking about you and your Mortgage business, I hope all is well, Mike

The new setup sounds incredible. Is your STS website down?

Yes the web site is down as I had to change my hosting and couldn't carry it forward. I am looking into putting a new site together in the future. The mortgage business has been very bad. That is why I have had to put a lot of things on hold as I have been looking into a posible career change. But I hope to come thru everything ok. Hope things are going well with you.

Mark

MARK 99STS

TURBOCHARGED

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Hey Mark, welcome back, I have been thinking about you and your Mortgage business, I hope all is well, Mike

The new setup sounds incredible. Is your STS website down?

Yes the web site is down as I had to change my hosting and couldn't carry it forward. I am looking into putting a new site together in the future. The mortgage business has been very bad. That is why I have had to put a lot of things on hold as I have been looking into a posible career change. But I hope to come thru everything ok. Hope things are going well with you.

Mark

I am curious if you considered what AJ is recommending, the LS1 PCM, did your electronics genius consider that idea? I think the LS1 is a 16 valve engine, I can't understand how it would work with a 32 valve engine. reflash?, and reflash with what? AJ has done some work with the guys on the other site and reportedly is a GM mechanic.

Based on our discussions over the years, I came away thinking that NOT MUCH could be done with the STOCK PCM, what do you recall about your testing? AJ seems to have been able to change shift points and other parameters, what was your experience. I have always been impressed with who you have consulted with to do your modifications and work, so for AJ to discount your work without details and seeing your results to me seems premature and presumptive. I am sure there is more than one way to skin a cat-allac, and to be closed to new ideas is a great way to fail.. But I guess AJ knows better being a GM mechanic. By the way AJ, Mark consulted with the GURU, who was part of the NORTHSTAR Powertrain Design team and his personal technician is sharp mechanic.

Mark, with your current setup, what has happened to the rest of the car's electronics, it works fine standing alone? The reason you piggybacked your PCM was to retain functionality of the car. How are you handling the traction control, the same way as before? Thanks, Mike

Pre-1995 - DTC codes OBD1  >>

1996 and newer - DTC codes OBD2 >> https://www.obd-codes.com/trouble_codes/gm/obd_codes.htm

How to check for codes Caddyinfo How To Technical Archive >> http://www.caddyinfo.com/wordpress/cadillac-how-to-faq/

Cadillac History & Specifications Year by Year  http://www.motorera.com/cadillac/index.htm

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I ran a 12.5 sec @ 114mph spinning through most of 1st gear. I have a video to prove it. I destroyed a newer Mercedes AMG. He just couldn't catch me.

I will post the video as soon as I get it (someone else was filming)

Mark 99 STS

Congratulations on the hard fought victory.

Your STS's time in the 1/4-mile is better than both the CTS-V and STV-V despite spinning tires. I hope to see some video of you racing down a track showing us what your STS can do.

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Hey Mark, welcome back, I have been thinking about you and your Mortgage business, I hope all is well, Mike

The new setup sounds incredible. Is your STS website down?

Yes the web site is down as I had to change my hosting and couldn't carry it forward. I am looking into putting a new site together in the future. The mortgage business has been very bad. That is why I have had to put a lot of things on hold as I have been looking into a posible career change. But I hope to come thru everything ok. Hope things are going well with you.

Mark

I am curious if you considered what AJ is recommending, the LS1 PCM, did your electronics genious consider that idea? I think the LS1 is a 16 valve engine, I can't understand how it would work with a 32 valve engine. reflash?,and reflash with what? AJ has done some work with the guys on the other side and reportedly is a GM mechanic.

Based on our discussions over the years, I came away thinking that NOT MUCH could be done with the STOCK PCM, what do you recall about your testing? AJ seems to have been able to change shift points and other parameters, what was your experience. I have always been impressed with who you have consulted with to do your modifications and work, so for AJ to criticise your work without details and seeing your results to me it premature and presumptive. I am sure there is more than one way to skin a cat-allac, and to be closed to new ideas is a great way to fail.. But I guess AJ knows better.....by the way AJ, Mark consulted with the GURU, who was part of the NORTHSTAR Powertrain Design team and his personal technician is sharp...

Mark, with your current setup, what has happened to the rest of the car's electronics, it works fine standing alone? :o The reason you piggybacked your PCM was to retain functionality of the car, Thanks, Mike

As you know my original goal was to turbo the car and use the stock computer and have no codes so everything else in the car would fuction properly. That alone was a big experiment because no one had ever tried it and I was told it couldn't be done. As it turned out we were able to do a lot of modifications and had no codes, but when the motor blew for the very reason I wanted to try it (stock computer), I decided to go a different route. Alan at CHRFAB has been using the Holley for years and has adapted it to his applications of the Northstar so I figured I would have a good starting point at least for the base map and timing and he had designed a custom harness just for the N*. That is why I went with the Holley, no muss no fuss and you can program it on the fly. No flasing involved. Same with the PCS tranny controller. They have a program specifically for the 4T80E. If I was going out of stock into stand alone territory I wanted something that was already proven to work and CHRFAB and PCS have that. Granted neither had tried thier applications in a stock STS application so I was still in uncharted waters, but with a few modifications everything works fine.

ALL functions of the car work. I do have a "service engine" on constantly, but I expected that since the computer dosen't see an engine or tranny to control so I am sure it is freaked out. I am just glad everything else works. I am going to pull the bulb and just check for other codes occasionally. Unfortunately all monitoring of the tranny and engine are up to me thru datalogging of both stand alone computers, but that is what I used to do before the age of computerized cars.(showing my age here)

MARK 99STS

TURBOCHARGED

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The second year I had my car I asked my dealer (and many others) about a chip for my ETC. While it was in for a scheduled service, the service manager told me that they "reprogrammed my PCM" with lowered head, raised eyebrows, a very slight nod, and a knowing look -- all very much out-of-place. Yes, the performance improved, and I lost all interest in a chip until posts here and on the other Cadillac forum got me interested in seeing what's up.

The work of AJxtcman tells me that the stock PCM can be reprogrammed using the Tech II, and that dealer mechanics and Cadillac know how to do it. Congratulations to AJXtcman for ferreting out the secrets.

I'm not surprised that the stock PCM won't work with supercharging or turbocharging, because the algorithms that compute the mixture control from MAP data and other inputs aren't designed to work with negative vacuum, and the mixture for a pressurized manifold is worse than uncontrolled, it's unpredictable. Even the people who designed the PCM wouldn't likely hazard a guess before they went back and analyzed their own software. And, the stock MAP probably doesn't have good output for a pressurized manifold. Perhaps AJxtcman can shed some light on how he does it.

CTS-V_LateralGs_6-2018_tiny.jpg
-- Click Here for CaddyInfo page on "How To" Read Your OBD Codes
-- Click Here for my personal page to download my OBD code list as an Excel file, plus other Cadillac data
-- See my CaddyInfo car blogs: 2011 CTS-V, 1997 ETC
Yes, I was Jims_97_ETC before I changed cars.

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The second year I had my car I asked my dealer (and many others) about a chip for my ETC. While it was in for a scheduled service, the service manager told me that they "reprogrammed my PCM" with lowered head, raised eyebrows, a very slight nod, and a knowing look -- all very much out-of-place. Yes, the performance improved, and I lost all interest in a chip until posts here and on the other Cadillac forum got me interested in seeing what's up.

The work of AJxtcman tells me that the stock PCM can be reprogrammed using the Tech II, and that dealer mechanics and Cadillac know how to do it. Congratulations to AJXtcman for ferreting out the secrets.

I'm not surprised that the stock PCM won't work with supercharging or turbocharging, because the algorithms that compute the mixture control from MAP data and other inputs aren't designed to work with negative vacuum, and the mixture for a pressurized manifold is worse than uncontrolled, it's unpredictable. Even the people who designed the PCM wouldn't likely hazard a guess before they went back and analyzed their own software. And, the stock MAP probably doesn't have good output for a pressurized manifold. Perhaps AJxtcman can shed some light on how he does it.

He used a piggyback computer to fool the stock PCM and had it working

Pre-1995 - DTC codes OBD1  >>

1996 and newer - DTC codes OBD2 >> https://www.obd-codes.com/trouble_codes/gm/obd_codes.htm

How to check for codes Caddyinfo How To Technical Archive >> http://www.caddyinfo.com/wordpress/cadillac-how-to-faq/

Cadillac History & Specifications Year by Year  http://www.motorera.com/cadillac/index.htm

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I think they moved up my shift points and adjusted the torque control or something of that nature. Torque-steer fishtail became a lot more evident in low gear after that.

CTS-V_LateralGs_6-2018_tiny.jpg
-- Click Here for CaddyInfo page on "How To" Read Your OBD Codes
-- Click Here for my personal page to download my OBD code list as an Excel file, plus other Cadillac data
-- See my CaddyInfo car blogs: 2011 CTS-V, 1997 ETC
Yes, I was Jims_97_ETC before I changed cars.

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Hmm, it must be done with a Tech 2. I think the speed limiter can be removed also, as we have mentioned here before. The dealer won't do it because of the liability.

Pre-1995 - DTC codes OBD1  >>

1996 and newer - DTC codes OBD2 >> https://www.obd-codes.com/trouble_codes/gm/obd_codes.htm

How to check for codes Caddyinfo How To Technical Archive >> http://www.caddyinfo.com/wordpress/cadillac-how-to-faq/

Cadillac History & Specifications Year by Year  http://www.motorera.com/cadillac/index.htm

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