Cars, Computers, Society in General
All things automotive
It’s been awhile, but there’s been a lot going on, and I’ve either not had time to write, or I’ve been unable to because we had to keep some stuff on the down-low. But the embargo is pretty much lifted and things are in motion that can’t be stopped, so here’s an update. Back during …
Did it work? No. Longer answer: Nooooooooo. I took the car down to NCM for a big double weekend. The DriveAutoX event on the pad on Saturday, and an SCCA Time Trial regional on Sunday. My E-dash didn’t survive the first autocross run. It would randomly reboot. The little Pi3 just couldn’t hack …
Since, and actually before, installing the ECUGN in my car, I have had issues with data. The Buick’s dash is very spartan. I have a speedometer, odometer, trip odometer, tachometer, boost gauge, and an array of idiot lights that cover what could be covered. That means water temp (light comes on at 225 degrees), oil …
We’ve reached a milestone: I ran an event, and I have nothing significant about broken parts to talk about. So I’ll talk about Match Tours for a bit. The Match Tour format was devised to bring a Champ Tour-esque environment, but cram it into a single day, with a shootout on the second day. The …
Followers of this blog will know I periodically send samples of my engine oil to Blackstone Labs for analysis. It’s the only way outside of a teardown to really see what’s going on inside your engine. For instance, after using the Period Correct Tow Pig to tow my car to Las Vegas and back last …
Read More “Engine health update (and the transmission, too!)”
When I rebuilt the engine back over the winter of 2017/2018, I selected things with an eye towards eventually getting back to E-85. I had run it for a few years back, while still on the stock turbo. Once I upgraded my turbocharger, I no longer had enough pump or lines to run E-85. But …
Read More “Swilling the corn juice (E-85/Flex Fuel install)”
This post should have been a recap of the 2019 Midwest Muscle Car Challenge hosted by Bowler Performance Transmissions. This event is a ton of fun, hugely supported by sponsors (which means awesome door prizes and a fantastic swag bag), and all the money left over goes to a fantastic charity. But that is not …
Last year I installed a TurboTweak ECU-GN in my Grand National. I had really reached the limit of what could be done with the original ECM. Even with a Powerlogger added on, I didn’t have enough inputs for all the sensors I needed. And mailing chips back and forth to deal with changes to the …
Read More “An episode in the life of living with a TurboTweak ECU-GN”
Racing season has sprung! This past weekend, the Period Correct Tow Pig hauled the Buick and myself to Charlotte, North Carolina, for the 2019 SCCA Champ Tour/CAM Challenge in the parking lot of ZMax Dragway. Unlike last year’s event, which was a Match Tour format, this was a full-fledged Champ Tour. Two hundred ninety eight …
Well, I have a composite front bumper now. The stats: Material: Fiberglass impregnated resin Weight: 7.3 pounds naked Aluminum bumper support weight savings over stock bumper shocks: 3 pounds Total installed weight savings over stock bumper (also weighed naked): 46.7 pounds I could drone on about how to refinish a fiberglass part, but I’ll just …