Finally got my stage one kit for the pt....

[tommyturbo]

I ordered this like 2 months ago it seems. Anyhow, I have an 03 PT GT, and I got the stage one kit. I also decided that the car needed to be lower, so I got a eibach spring kit, drops it an 1.5 inch in the front and 2 in the back. Hopefully filling up the wheel wells a bit better, and drop center of gravity a bit. I also got some fat front and rear sway bars, to help with the body roll, since the 03's didn't have a rear bar for some odd reason.

I'll let you know how it all turns out when it is done.

[cordes]

I can't wait to hear how this progresses. I think my next car will be a PT GT.

[8valves]

All the PT guys think it's the best bang for teh buck mod out there from th research I did when I was back up at Mopar.

It would probably be enjoyable!

[omni_840]

Keep us updated on the progress and post some pics when get it her all buttoned up :)

[Clay]

yup! pics!!

[Badger]

Tommy,
if you dont know about it already, check out PTCREW.COM

great site.

[tommyturbo]

I will check it out. Thanks!

[Keito]

you should have bought this instead
http://tunertools.com/proddetail.asp?prod=DS-U7134

[Clay]

ok, why is that diablo tuner better? besides the fact its a lot cheaper! ;)

[Aries_Turbo]

it sure doesnt look better. its only allows ranges of fuel and spark advance adjustment and only at WOT. it looks a little crude.

Brian

[cordes]

it sure doesnt look better. its only allows ranges of fuel and spark advance adjustment and only at WOT. it looks a little crude.

Brian

I wonder if they make one with more available timing adjustment. It doesn't look all that great, but for the money it looks pretty nice. +-10 of timing and +-20% fuel should be more than enough for the average person.

It definitely leaves out a few features we are all accustomed to getting for free though.

[Clay]

nlike other 'tuners', DiabloSport's programming is performed in very small increments throughout the entire RPM range, for a smoother, wider and a more predictable power delivery.

that says it is adjustable across the entire rpm range??????

[cordes]

that says it is adjustable across the entire rpm range??????

It is broken up into 3 different sections though, and it sounds like you just get to add X amount of timing to each section of RPMs from 0-8K. Certainly not ideal, but better than some of the other stuff I have seen.

The more I think about it, the more I would pass on that thing and save my pennies for a standalone or just go with the MP stuff since it has been proven so effective.

[Aries_Turbo]

i would save my pennies for the SCT setup.

standalone always means fussing around with knock detection. factory retune = factory knock detection which is good.

Brian

[cordes]

i would save my pennies for the SCT setup.

standalone always means fussing around with knock detection. factory retune = factory knock detection which is good.

Brian

What's STC?

[tommyturbo]

Don't forget on the stage one kit I got it included four higher flow injectors, which aren't exactly cheap on there own. I'd rather not have to spend the time trying to tune the car (no experience on that) and risk leaning out with too much boost, or get a bad detonation...and end up rebuilding the motor.

[Clay]

how do you like the stage 1 results? I mean is it worth the $600+ for the kit?

[tommyturbo]

I haven't had a chance to install it yet...too much going on right now, but I have some time off next week, so hopefully get it done then. I will let you know.

[rosie]

Don't forget on the stage one kit I got it included four higher flow injectors, which aren't exactly cheap on there own. I'd rather not have to spend the time trying to tune the car (no experience on that) and risk leaning out with too much boost, or get a bad detonation...and end up rebuilding the motor.

That thing a ma bobber is not better then the stage one kit. You can't add fuel for more boost with the stock (03 anyway) injectors.

Get a wide band too dude. The stock tune is a little lean in the upper ranges.

Does the stage one come with that "fixed" intake? Put that on your best bang for your buck list too.

[Aries_Turbo]

What's STC?

superchips tuning. take a look at SebringLX's threads. he posts some screenshots. its pretty $$ but you can tune alot of the ecu parameters if not darn near all. D-cal and things like it (IE free) are kinda rare these days for newer cars.

Brian

[cordes]

superchips tuning. take a look at SebringLX's threads. he posts some screenshots. its pretty $$ but you can tune alot of the ecu parameters if not darn near all. D-cal and things like it (IE free) are kinda rare these days for newer cars.

Brian

Thanks. I seem to recall that thread. I didn't realize that he was tuning the stock ECU though. I thought he just had a fancy standalone. We are fortunate to be in our tuning position for sure. :thumb:

[SoCalCSX]

That thing a ma bobber is not better then the stage one kit. You can't add fuel for more boost with the stock (03 anyway) injectors.

Get a wide band too dude. The stock tune is a little lean in the upper ranges.

Does the stage one come with that "fixed" intake? Put that on your best bang for your buck list too.

Exactly, if you check out my stock dyno you can see how high my A/F ratio is at the top end. Since he has an 03 the Stage 1 kit with the injectors is an awesome bang for the buck mod. If it's an auto, it's even better because you also get the trans adjustments in the computer with the stage one.

The SCT offers the trans tune for the auto's if you buy the SCT from the dealer that did the tune. The Diablo as of right now does not offer a trans tune but you can still use the 5 speed tune's on it, you just don't get the shift improvements of the Stage 1.

Also on the 03, since you have to remove the manifold to change injectors it's really worth saving up the extra coin to get the composite intake manifold while you're there.

Dyno....
http://www.turbo-mopar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28002

[tommyturbo]

It is an auto, but has the aluminum? intake, not the plastic ones the later cars had. Is the plastic better somehow? I haven't read read much on that.

I'm not looking to make it into a crazy track car, just looking for a bit more power simply and realiably over stock. I'm planning on installing the kit monday so I'll let you know how it turns out then. Probably will do the suspension stuff shortly after.

[SoCalCSX]

Yeah the later intakes are one of the best bang for the buck mods you could ever do to a PT. It runs about $100 and gives 8-10 whp from what I've found. It just makes sense do do it with the stage 1 since you have to pull the intake manifold apart anyways to get to the injectors on the 03's

[SoCalCSX]

Yeah the later intakes are one of the best bang for the buck mods you could ever do to a PT. It runs about $100 and gives 8-10 whp from what I've found. It just makes sense do do it with the stage 1 since you have to pull the intake manifold apart anyways to get to the injectors on the 03's

[tommyturbo]

So finally got this installed! I wasn't sure what to expect but I like it. At lower rpms and light throttle it feels just like stock, but once you get on it, it feels quite a bit stronger. The trans seems to downshift more quickly to make use of the power, seems to spool faster too.

The plugs were original and were really loose, and infact had alowed exhaust to get out around them. Mine is an early build and I had the tsb and issue with the high rpm misfire when it was new, wonder if that had anything to do with this.

With new plugs and wires, stage 1 it is really smooth and sounds much nicer at higher rpms. I gapped the plugs at .042 after reading tons of posts on pt forums.

Tomorrow we are doing the lowering springs (eibach kit, drops the rear to get rid of the awful space there) koni struts / shocks and adding the mopar performance sway bar kits that add the rear sway bar.

[johnl]

Can't wait to see it Tom

[tommyturbo]

Thanks, can't wait to see your rides too! I'll have to stop by one of these days after new years...after you get back from Vegas.

[Clay]

So the stage 1 kit is just the injectors and computer correct?

couple more quick questions: is it common for guys to just lower the back end of the PT? I hate that gap on ours as well.

Transmission: How stout is the auto in the PT turbo?? I mean the stage 1 is probably ok on the stock trans, right?

Lastly: any increase in MPG with the stage 1 vs stock?

I guess I need to sign up on a PT forum somewhere and start doing some research!

[tommyturbo]

I don't know about mileage yet, let me go through a few tanks and I will let you know. I have heard it is the same or slightly better.

I got an eibach spring kit because it lowered the back more so than any other spring kit I found, 2 inches. The front drops too an inch, but most of the other kits dropped the front a lot and not at all on the back.

Yes it is the new computer and 4 higher flow injectors.

As for the trans, I have heard it is fairly strong. It's a 41TE, which is an update A604 Ultradrive which has been around since it first showed up in the minivans and other eeks in 1989. Most fwd transmissions just need more maintinance than rwd. Alot of the bad publicity on the A604 was because people and dealers used the wrong fluid, which kills clutch packs very quickly...and it was a very advanced all electronic design when it came out, and some bugs just had to be resolved. Fords electronic trans of the same time had their issues too. I'll just have to wait and see I guess.

[SoCalCSX]

So the stage 1 kit is just the injectors and computer correct?

couple more quick questions: is it common for guys to just lower the back end of the PT? I hate that gap on ours as well.

Transmission: How stout is the auto in the PT turbo?? I mean the stage 1 is probably ok on the stock trans, right?

Lastly: any increase in MPG with the stage 1 vs stock?

I guess I need to sign up on a PT forum somewhere and start doing some research!

If you end up getting an 03 the Stage 1 comes with injectors, if you get a later model the injectors are already on there and you save about $200 on the Stage 1 kit.

As for the tranny, as long as you don't boost it up in OD it will be fine with the Stage 1+ bolt ons as long as it's maintained properly.

[bill2]

it sure doesnt look better. its only allows ranges of fuel and spark advance adjustment and only at WOT. it looks a little crude.

Brian

The diablosport is a pcm reflash or factory retune. Once reflashed it allows the user fuel and spark adjustments for WOT and boost control in addition to the reflash. The reflash is setup based on the cars modifications, things like injectors can be rescaled, map and tip slopes changed.

I'm not saying its better than a mopar staged computer (used them in the srt and was impressed), but considering s1 for an 03 pt/srt4 is near the 800$ mark I'm thinking I'll buy a set of 04+ injectors and the diablosport once the kinks are worked out.

[tommyturbo]

So I finally got all the suspension done, and WOW what a difference! The car feels so neutral now, it doesn't plow and understeer any more, the body roll is almost totally gone, and it is defintly firmer and no more rear end bouncyness. Also with the drop it fills the wheel wells up very nicely, I'll take pictures as soon as I can.

The odd thing i have noticed with the stage I kit is I have a weird stumble sometimes. I never had this problem before, but when I go to take off from a stop, sometimes the engine will bog really bad and then pick up and pull really hard. Never had this issue before the swap. Sometimes it will idle ruff too, but other times is as smooth as glass. Any ideas? No codes other than the P0633 which has something to do with the sentry key .

[bill2]

"The p0633 is a key code.when you buy a stage pcm from mopar or get one flashed from flight systems you will have the p0633.the only way to get rid of it is to update the vin number in the skim module" - cut and pasted from NeverTooMuchBoost 's post on srtforums.

The stumble isn't related to the p0633. I'd look at your plugs and wires, and try to make sure you don't have pieces of intake gasket poking out around the lower manifold sucking air in.

[tommyturbo]

plugs wires are brand new and installed correctly. The manifold gasket is fine. I checked all vacuum lines and electrical conectors taken apart during instal. All are fine.

The bog issue still is there, and sometimes it kills the engine as I come to a stop. I'm starting to wonder if it is a trans issue. Any ideas?