Valet Mode
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Discussion

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

77 months

Sunday 28th September 2008
quotequote all
I know you can use EFI live to turn it on but does anyone know of a key/switch-type installation that will stop Vauxhall/QuickFit garage monkey-types taking it for a spin when I'm not looking?

Years ago my Dad's mate had a very rare Lancia Integrale that he took in for a service. The goons took it out for a "test drive" and wrote it off. I'd hate the same thing to happen to mine if I chose to trust the keys with anyone I didn't know?

ringram

14,701 posts

271 months

Sunday 28th September 2008
quotequote all
As you say efilive uses a physical switch to ground on older ECU's with the VXR8 its a couple of button presses to enable. So if you are asking about a physical switch, then thats how it works anyway. Maybe ask Mark to fit it when he does your other stuff. I think the switch likes being switched to the PCM ground, not chassis ground FWIW.
With the VXR8 you can also "detune" it by pulling say 5-10* timing out as well as the normal max RPM and max road speed limits.
Hope that helps a little smile

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

77 months

Sunday 28th September 2008
quotequote all
Thanks Rich as ever!

Bonnie and Clyde

11,701 posts

215 months

Sunday 28th September 2008
quotequote all
In learning mode as i am i looked up EFIlive. You can buy these things but do you have to get a professional in to work it( obviously i would as i struggle with a toaster) or can you do it yourself at home. Is this what Stig and Rich have done?
If its as simple as hooking a EFIthing to your ECU(or whatever) to give more power why isn't it done in the production stages?
I mean how long does it take?

MyM8V8

9,468 posts

218 months

Sunday 28th September 2008
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I can imagine what the vauxhall mechanics are going to say....

"Het mate these Holdens are really st you know".biglaugh

ringram

14,701 posts

271 months

Sunday 28th September 2008
quotequote all
Dangerous territory now Bonnie... If you thought it was technical so far..
Its a steep learning curve for the first week or two, then it gets better.

Yes quite a few guys do this. The benefit is you get to tune the car to your tastes. You can change auto shift points like Gareth has, or just make the throttle more responsive to the pedal. On later models its an electronic link, not direct, so you can tell it to move faster or slower etc.
Also the factory is very conservative, they want zero issues for the 3 years of warranty, so they tune it down to ensure thats the case.

If you know what you are doing there is a lot to be had. The initial LS1 was rated as 220KW in the Holden and ended up rated at 285KW thats about 86bhp different
Some is exhaust and intake changes, but the tune helps a lot.

Look up "Minimum Best Timing" for an idea. Basically you want your engine at this point all the time. From the factory it normally isnt, then add mods and its even less likely to be at this optimal. Thats just spark, the same applies for fuel there is an optimal fuel ratio and more or less than that will reduce power.

Efilive and similar products let you have full control over the engines running and optimise it for how you want it to drive and perform. If you want to see what you can tune you can actually download the software for free and open a tune file for your car. You will see the kinds of things you are able to change.
You can download it from www.efilive.com and tune files are included or you can get some more from www.holdencrazy.com






Bonnie and Clyde

11,701 posts

215 months

Sunday 28th September 2008
quotequote all
That's amazing. If you cant do it yourself can you pay someone to do it for you?
How long does it take? and is it better to wait to get the mods were having done first?

ringram

14,701 posts

271 months

Sunday 28th September 2008
quotequote all
Yep Wortec bundle their products with a tune as do most tune shops.
Best to do all your mods at once, then tune at the end.

If you do it yourself it will never be finished, its like home improvements, there is always something else you want to do or try.

MyM8V8

9,468 posts

218 months

Sunday 28th September 2008
quotequote all
ringram said:
Yep Wortec bundle their products with a tune as do most tune shops.
Best to do all your mods at once, then tune at the end.

If you do it yourself it will never be finished, its like home improvements, there is always something else you want to do or try.
Mark at RapidGB does a tune for about £350 on its own.

Bonnie and Clyde

11,701 posts

215 months

Sunday 28th September 2008
quotequote all
MyM8V8 said:
ringram said:
Yep Wortec bundle their products with a tune as do most tune shops.
Best to do all your mods at once, then tune at the end.

If you do it yourself it will never be finished, its like home improvements, there is always something else you want to do or try.


Mark at RapidGB does a tune for about £350 on its own.



Cheers for thatthumbup

Well_Fans

4,193 posts

247 months

Monday 29th September 2008
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Mark @ Rapid did tell me he has a customer who has his valet mode controlled through buttons on the stereo on his Monaro, guys a bit of an electronics fiend though so Mark wasn't entirely sure how it was done.

MyM8V8

9,468 posts

218 months

Monday 29th September 2008
quotequote all
Bonnie and Clyde said:
MyM8V8 said:
ringram said:
Yep Wortec bundle their products with a tune as do most tune shops.
Best to do all your mods at once, then tune at the end.

If you do it yourself it will never be finished, its like home improvements, there is always something else you want to do or try.
Mark at RapidGB does a tune for about £350 on its own.
Cheers for thatthumbup
A word of warning. Unless you make significant changes i.e cam , heads or both, you may well not notice the difference in performance. I had headers/exhaust which should be worth about 25HP, then a tune and I've got to say, when you put your foot down its marginal. You do see it in the 1/4 mile times though, the tune was worth over 4 tenths . That's big.

But then people only do exhaust for the noise
If you do want to see some improvement to your car which you will notice, I can recommend the Urethane suspension bush kit fitted by Monkfish, ask Stig:hehe

Well_Fans

4,193 posts

247 months

Monday 29th September 2008
quotequote all
I had significant change when I went for exhaust/mafless tune/throttle body at LSV in my 04 CV8 - older cars seem to benefit more as less highly tuned to start with.