SkinnyG's '61 Chevy Apache 10

The 2007 Express Van TAC module arrived. I had to re-pin the van like a truck to make it work, but it did not drop carrier.  Well, there was an issue with some aggressive throttle, where it popped a P0068 code which turned out to be the computer was seeing a lot more air than it was expecting, and went "nope!"  I added 15% to the Calculated Airmass and that went away.

Took it for a decent drive around town. I didn't see much boost, but did get some blow-off-valve flutter which is cool. The datalog shows the computer is pulling a lot of timing at higher throttle. I suspect this is part of the Torque Management and Traction Control. Since there is no Traction Control, I zero'd the TCS Method table. and we'll have a go tomorrow.

Lots of leaks I need to fix.

Added one-way check valves to the PCV system so boost doesn't puke past all the seals.

And having still more quality control issues with the LS A/C Adapter I bought off Amazon.

Took the truck to deal with some items in dad's condo.  Dump run, mostly.  LOTS of thumbs up; the truck really stands out.

Cool having 4psi boost at half throttle. And giggles with the "choo-choo-choo-choo" of the blow off valve.

I owe y'all some video....

This just in:

I think I have successfully scaled the tune for a better spark table at 14psi boost.  I'm not at 14psi of boost yet.  Yet.

Also,

The AAW headlight switch cannot feed four Hella H4's. That took some finding.

Also,

Somehow I or AAW themselves wired the "Front Light Plug" wrong.  I had to re-pin the front light wiring in order to get high and low beams to work correctly.

Also,

The cheap fuse/relay block I had bought had decided to disconnect with the fuel pump relay.  In the dark. With headlight problems. Luckily I could walk home and jumper the relay and get it home to fix it.

Well done............what's next?

Taking a break.

2004 to 2006 was building the Lethal Locost

2008 to 2018 was building the Fiendish Firefly

2010 to 2012 was starting Lethal Locost 2 (to resume 2025)

2015 to 2017 was building my shop

2018 to 2023 was building the '61 Apache

I need a break.

In reply to SkinnyG (Forum Supporter) :

You have earned it, my friend!

Greased the cab mount bushings.  Surprisingly, they squeak something awful.  I was not expecting squeak there.

Did some datalogging with the new scaled tune. Sure runs fine!

Took a load of prunings to the dump:

OK, the idea that you were going to put anything but velvet feather pillows in the back of this vehicle never crossed my mind. "Truck things" with a truck.  Color me Gobsmacked.

Edit. Guess that means that I should be doing "Station Wagon" stuff with the Molvo? Off to notify the wife...

Wow! Is that photoshopped ;)

Such a trickster you are ....and nary a scratch on that emaculate show quality bed.....amazing 

That show bed is Trex composite lumber.  You'll never see the scratches.

And second full fill-up (about 50gal so far, 224 miles). That's less than 5mpg, but it's been a lot of idling and tuning. It's pretty freakin' silly in the rain.

I just discovered that if you don't TELL HPTuner's VCM Scanner that you're running 2-Bar, it won't know you're running 2-Bar, even though it's getting a 2-bar signal.  Nice.

Bravo, sir!

With your hydraulics, can you independently raise the bed to help deal with a full load?  I'm guess so?

Yes.  It's 4-corner adjustable air ride.  I normally run around 50psi in the rear bags at ride height.  With the full load of branches, I ran 75psi.

I don't know why I had to do what I did, but I now have a working parking brake.

9" Ford axle, aftermarket 5x5 axles

90's Caprice rotors

90's Z/28 calipers

Fabricated my own adapters.

For some reason, I had to remove the parking brake levers, and build up quite a bit of metal so that they would apply without "over-centering" and becoming inoperable.  I did discover there is an adjusting screw for one side of the brake pad, which I had to replace with a longer one, but it didn't all want to play nice with me.

But I have a welder and a grinder, so I won.

Wastegate running off intake manifold pressure is much better than off than off the compressor outlet. I don't know what I was thinking earlier.  As I'd give it some stick, it would spool up to 5psi darn near instantly, then slowly drop down to about 2psi as engine speed increased.  My epiphany was that I was losing 3psi in the intercooler/piping.

Also, latest video:

Took my sweetie out today.

Oh, and the truck:

Finally got my knock retard logging to work, so I can refine the spark table a bit better.  Where the PCM pulls a degree, I'm pulling two just to be safe.

Oh my!

There is a table I can mess with that decides the amount of throttle you actually get when you move the gas pedal.

I increased some values. This could be fun!

Installed a new blow off valve spring, as I had tried to alter mine to work better, and ended up making it.... interesting.  Its replacement is the same wire thickness as the one I cut up, but the coil spacing is different.  Have to give it a try and see how it works.

General GMAX RS sure like to flat spot from sitting.

C'mon, man, we need some driving video!

Agreed.  It just hasn't been convenient yet, and with winter coming on up here in Canada, increasingly less so.

I do have this video:

In reply to SkinnyG (Forum Supporter) :

Outstanding!

I cracked up when you climbed up the ladder to talk into the camera.