One fix leads to another problem...

[agencyone0one]

So I've been working really hard lately to get my DSM running and working how I want it. Its been brutally difficult to remain patient through the process because I'm running into the typical car-mod/DSM bugs. Let me give you a break down.


I decided to swap out the most likely E-gay monster huge 23047 trim turbo the PO put on the car b/c he thought it was cool with a nice tidy 14b set-up. I like to do things once and do them right. The PO already had a WB 255 HP set up, but no AFPR. So I buy a fuel-lab AFPR and all the necessary hardware and piping to install a 14b on a 2nd gen DSM. So after taking my time and methodically swapping the turbo (my first time doing work like that), I discover I have a coolant leak .

I finally fix that after 3 days of tracking it down, drive the car around for a few days taking it easy, and sure enough a week later, cruising down the highway my car decides to magically make a few fingers on my ACT 2600 pressure plate disappear...

Then I took it to a reputable DSM shop to get it fixed. This took much longer then I anticipated because I kinda just dropped it off spur of the moment and they had some problematic cars in line before me (My parents moved out of state literally 2 days before, so I lost my driveway space and fathers tools, or else I woulda done the clutch myself).

Fast forward 3 weeks and I get my car back, I'm happy as a clam. I decide its time to start upping the boost to max out my stock injectors and learn I have to tighten my Greddy Type-S down (yes it is real). I start turning the adjustment screw clockwise and too my utmost surprise it starts coming out instead of going in!! Egastd!!! I examine the screw and hole, and sure enough, there are no threads in the BOV top anymore. JB weld to the rescue!! I JB welded that biznatch back in there to stop the damn vacuum leak and at least get me up and running till I get a new, better, 1G BOV

This lands us at about Monday of last week. The same day I begin my epic battle with clutch pedal pump up. I honestly had no idea what this was when it first started happening (DSMtuners and RRE were big helps for research). So I discover there are a few adjustments I have to do. I figured I may as well flush the hydraulics while I'm at it. Since I have no tools I decide I'm going to ask a few of my friends from back home in Sussex if they can help me out; they said they could.

I go up to my Aunt's house the night before, and sure enough I get some text messages the next morning about how my friends have family parties to attend and they won't be able to help me out. Well off to Sears for a few wrenches! Good thing my mom is living with my Aunt until the end of the month before she goes out of state with my dad; or I wouldn't have had a clutch pedal buddy!! Finally get the hydraulics bled, and one pedal adjustment done. On my way back from Sussex Co. to New Brunswick guess what started happening?? You got it, pedal pump.

Fast forward to this morning I'm in a Rutgers parking lot with half of my interior in the parking space next to me while I'm upside down under my dashboard cursing at my clutch pedal. Oh yea, this was in my work (business) slacks, shoes, and shirt. Two hours later, and another trip to Sears, I finally got this pig driving proper . That b*stard of a pedal hasn't pumped up a bit.

So to end this gruesomely long story, I feel that every time I've fixed something, something else has broken. I'm now trying to figure out what else can possibly break that I haven't fixed/replaced already, I'm going mildly insane lol

Now us being a collection of car tuners I'm sure there are some guys and gals out there that have had similar sagas, lets hear what you have to say.

[mckpat03]

I didn't read the whole thing, but from what I read, it sounds about right. A wise man once said, "You can't spell disappointment without DSM."

[Got Insulin?]

Originally Posted by mckpat03

I didn't read the whole thing, but from what I read, it sounds about right. A wise man once said, "You can't spell disappointment without DSM."

And then that wiseman likely walked your Fox.

DSMs are a labor of love. Buying pre-modded is tough because everyone and their mother has has a beet DSM at some point, myself included. I've spent the better part of 2 years attempting to debug and unnewb mine. Good luck with it

[dcwiker05]

Sounds like my Nissan 300ZX... I don't even want to go back down that road... that was a love hate relationship right there, I owned that car for a year and I con honestly say I am not sure if it spent more of that year apart or together and when it was together how much of that time it was actually running...

[Sberk06]

just throwing it out there.. before even clicking this thread, i knew it was about DSMs because of the title.

[agencyone0one]

Its really a love hate thing. I've wanted one since I was 16, 5 years later I get one. I'm in love everytime it works for a week, and want to sell it every time it breaks haha

[jpalamar]

I've never had any issues with the 3 DSMs I've owned. I baselined all of them when I made the purchase though, timing service, all fluilds, filters, gaskets, ect. Then I never had issues because I knew where I stood.

I also don't understand why you are complaining in the first place. You turn the boost up, more stuff wears out and or breaks. Its common sense.

[Elliott18t]

i liked the part where you JB welded the BOV

[mckpat03]

Originally Posted by Got Insulin?

And then that wiseman likely walked your Fox.

Lol, Actually. Yes. My two friends that have DSM's make my car look like a baby back b***h, haha.

Believe me, I have nothing but 110% love and respect for them.

I'm actually going to the shootout with them this year.

[TalonTsi97]

DSM Ridley park picnic meet this sunday, hope to see you make it out there

[agencyone0one]

Originally Posted by jpalamar

I've never had any issues with the 3 DSMs I've owned. I baselined all of them when I made the purchase though, timing service, all fluilds, filters, gaskets, ect. Then I never had issues because I knew where I stood.

I also don't understand why you are complaining in the first place. You turn the boost up, more stuff wears out and or breaks. Its common sense.

Ahh yes, I clearly had no idea where I stood when I bought the car with $6K+ in receipts from ATX motorsports from June-July of 2009; including everything you mentioned, as well as the ACT 2600 that took a dump. Basically every mod done to the car by the PO was installed by them except the front mount and BOV. I think I knew where I stood with the car when I bought it.

And I wasn't complaining, I didn't once say I was mad about the situation, I just thought some might enjoy reading about my follys; and see if I have been struck by the infamous DSM curse .

If you paid attention through the read, you would have also noticed that the clutch failed BEFORE i turned up the boost and everything thereafter isn't a boost related problem.

I was clearly very unaware that the threads on a Greddy BOV top were not sufficiently designed to tighten the adjustment screw down to hold 15psi. I guess that must have been my "upping the boost" wear and tear problem....

[Got Insulin?]

Originally Posted by mckpat03

Lol, Actually. Yes. My two friends that have DSM's make my car look like a baby back b***h, haha.

Believe me, I have nothing but 110% love and respect for them.

I'm actually going to the shootout with them this year.

I was just poking fun at you, brotha. East coast SO, or the OG Burshur SO?

[mckpat03]

Originally Posted by Got Insulin?

I was just poking fun at you, brotha. East coast SO, or the OG Burshur SO?

Ha I know. But seriously, they would put bus lengths on me in any scenario haha.

Headin' out to the Buschur shootout. It's my first time. They've gone for about 5 years now. I'm so stoked for it.

[agencyone0one]

Originally Posted by mckpat03

Ha I know. But seriously, they would put bus lengths on me in any scenario haha.

Headin' out to the Buschur shootout. It's my first time. They've gone for about 5 years now. I'm so stoked for it.

Lucky man. How far is the ride out to there??

[i_ride_fieroGT]

This kind of stuff comes with having an older preformance car. a lot of people do there own thing with them and only they really know what they have done. My buddys DSM has been giving him minor troubles here and there and everytime we work on it i find somthing rigged about it. just comes with the terrotory. just be thankful your not into working on my kind of cars.... Wrenches get thrown.

[mckpat03]

Originally Posted by agencyone0one

Lucky man. How far is the ride out to there??

From the very center of PA its about 5.5-6 hours... approximately.

My posts haven't been completely on topic, so to add... like said above, all the problems definitely become more prevalent with older performance cars. You're almost always going to be chasing your tail.

[agencyone0one]

Originally Posted by i_ride_fieroGT

This kind of stuff comes with having an older preformance car. a lot of people do there own thing with them and only they really know what they have done. My buddys DSM has been giving him minor troubles here and there and everytime we work on it i find somthing rigged about it. just comes with the terrotory. just be thankful your not into working on my kind of cars.... Wrenches get thrown.

I feel whatever those wrenches hits pain. I guess your right. I'd imagine the DSM aftermarket and parts support is much greater then the Fiero's no??

[i_ride_fieroGT]

Originally Posted by agencyone0one

I feel whatever those wrenches hits pain. I guess your right. I'd imagine the DSM aftermarket and parts support is much greater then the Fiero's no??

The fieros actuley have a pretty strong backing through fierostore.com and the fiero forum but there a very difficult car.. there much like a woman there never happy with anything you do for it i fix one thing on it somthing else goes i fix that it blows an ICM on me its one thing after another. but DSM I dont know a whole lot about but i would imagin they have a pretty good backing to them.