ls_stag

Thanks @Trex and @V28VX37. Those wood blocks sound like a smart idea. I might put it into 4wd diagnosis mode (pull the green plug in the kickplate) and do the 5 brake pedal stabs to force the car to run in RWD. Will do that and drive a little so that it's definitely doing it before jacking it up.

Sounds good thanks @V28VX37 I'm a little sketchy on running it on stands, but as its 4WD, I would need to have it on stands on all 4 corners? I would love to be able to see the drivetrain running. I have a vibration issue I've been trying to eliminate for a while now and the mechanic has told me to take it to a driveline expert. I'd like to have some knowledge going in.

Thanks guys. Gonna get under it this weekend and do a visual plus moving things to see if I can reproduce. Definitely happening quite a bit today. Doesn't seems to affect driving.

Thanks @Trex - hadn't found a lot through the site search.

C34 rear end clicking at slow speed Hey guys, having some noise from the rear end of my '99 RS4S with LSD (I think its a 2-way), seems to be happening more but the weather here has got really cold lately (a high of around zero C and a low of minus 5 C) so that might be related. At slow speed, I'm hearing a clicking/snapping/metallic click noise coming from the rear. Sounds to me like it's rear left, but my wife thinks its rear center/left/right. It is not rhythmic as far as I can tell. ie if I'm going along it doesn't happen at a regular interval. Has been happening a bit lately around 40kph and even 60 kph once or twice. I don't notice any movement or jerks/etc, just the noise. Really want to address it if its something wearing out, etc. Doesn't seem to be tied to bumps in the road surface, so I don't think its the coilovers but who knows. Sounds really similar to a frontend noise that turned out to be the sway bar link, but it's not as predictable with the rocking of the car like that problem was. In case its related, theres some vibration in the drivetrain from time to time which could be front end but could be rear end related too. Cheers!

@YangLIUdidn't get around to saying thankyou for your post. Going to rip out the old EVC and replace with electronic unit. Considering doing a Nistune upgrade on my ECU in the future, so going to leave the SAFC/wideband AFR gauge for now. Seems like I could get the Nistune + tune + wideband o2 sensor for only a few hundred more than the SAFC + AFR gauge setup.

Hey all, With a couple mods on my Stag, I'm thinking I could be doing better fuel economy/power if I did some fuel tuning. Originally I was thinking a Nistune, but looking into it, I think this is probably a little premature. Honestly, not going to upgrade much more mechanically for a while - current have a catback, K&N drop in air filter, BOV, EBC. it's gonna be a while before I look at FMIC/turbo/injectors/fuel pump. That lot would need a Nistune, in my opinion, but for now I'd like to run a good clean setup at around 10/12psi. Have done some searching and reading and it seems like some folks are using SAFC for fuel maps. But I'm wondering how people actually tune their maps? Doing it DIY on the road? On a dyno? Using a datalogger? Laptop connection? Really interested, as I can see units on ebay for under $250 but keen to know what the best course would be for tuning it. I've read about folks pulling up to -35% off the top end of the map but I'd be concerned to hit a knock at that level, without seeing an AFR data log. Cheers

Thanks for the tips! Having done some digging last night, I have figured out that I have an -ancient- HKS EVC 1/2. So it is very, very simple. After playing around and doing some runs in 3rd last night (driving), I have figured out that with the EVC turned off, I have constant 6.5psi, with it turned on to Low, I have constant 10psi, and I used the 'Manual' dial to achieve a constant 12 psi. I'm now very interested in getting my hands on a GFB G-Force II (http://www.gfb.com.au/products/boost-controllers/electronic-boost-controllers/g-force-ii-electronic-boost-controller-by-gfb), having seen a couple videos about tuning it. Looks like a great unit at a reasonable price. Also, planning to get a Super-AFC II off ebay and do some fuel adjustments as I assume it's running rich, especially in the top end. Driving it with 3/4 throttle on high boost actually feels far more responsive, and changing through gears without redlining results in faster acceleration - feels like its running leaner and faster. Wondering if anyone has had success doing their own SAFC mapping without using a dyno? Saw a guy using a Zeitronix kit online, but that's another $300USD for the data logger/laptop software. It looked The Biz, but I'm wondering if it's possible to get a good map without such a heavy AFR logging system. Cheers!

I figured that'd help a lot. Going to be tricky to find a tuner here in Vancouver, BC I think, and I'll have to wait a little while for the budget. In the meantime, I just want to have a consistent setup if possible!

Good point, tonight I will dig up a manual for the EBC online, and see what I can find. Low boost seems to be yielding a consistent .7 bar max boost. Car pushes far harder when set to high, but I will check settings tonight. EBC also has a 'manual' control with a little turnable knob. Will check that out as well (and obviously avoid overboosting). I'd like to be seeing 12 psi / 0.82 bar on the high setting. From what I've read, that sounds reasonable, running premium fuel, BOV and the cat-back.

Hey all, I have an occasional situation when I drive very hard in my S2 NEO Manual 4WD Stag - boost pressure loading up, and all of a sudden dropping very low, then bouncing back up again. Drop and surge, it seems. Not consistent and doesn't happen that often, but has happened more than a handful of times. Seems to happen more when my boost controller is set to high boost. Things I'm wondering about; - fuel delivery issue - spark issue (coilpacks?) - boost limiter? Some extra context; car has cat-back, BOV, EBC, boost gauge - none of which I installed. It's possible the EBC is set too high at 'high' mode. On one full boost run that didn't result in the boost dropping, I saw (to my shock), the aftermarket boost gauge go to 1 bar. Normally I see it going to about .7 bar. I don't have an OBDII reader or else I would check codes. I'm thinking it's just set to boost too high, but interested if anyone has experience with something similar (I've read in another thread and it sounded like the factor boost limiter kicking in). If it is boost limiting that's to blame, my guess is that I should be thinking about bigger turbo, fmic, injectors, fuel pump, nistune/safc. Would that be the right way of looking at it? Alternatively I'm wondering if I could add a SAFC as the next thing, to control how rich it's running due to the EBC. Thanks

Quick follow up - the mechanic thinks it is the tension rod bushings/bushes. Also, tires were out of round, so they put the worst ones on the back. Also, had a 4 wheel alignment and the toe was f&%ked at the front. Also got the wheels balanced. So the bushes are going to be replaced with Whiteline KCA332's. Car is driving a bit better already after the alignment. Considered replacing with adjustable rods but aiming to keep budget for some other items at this stage and after reading up, I don't really see the advantage in having more adjustability.

Thanks zoomzoom - any idea who sells the subframe collars? That sounds like a smart upgrade. Do you have a reliable ebay source for ball joints and bushings (any specific name for the bushings you replaced)? Thanks again!

Wow ok good to know. Sounds like they will be top of my 'to replace' list then. Cheers.

Thanks zoomzoom - I'll ask my mechanic to do a careful inspection of all those items. Any ideas on how the cause of a problem is usually identified? Is it a random sort of replace one piece at a time and see if that helps situation? My guess is that there is a specific part that's got a problem, and is making the occasional metal 'clunk' noise/impact that I feel in the floor from time to time (not constant and not associated with bumpy roads specifically).

Hey everyone, Really hoping some folks can point me in the right direction here. I'll try to include all the details in case things are related. I'm having a really hard time diagnosing things, and not sure my mechanic will be able to. I bought a 1999 Stag RS Four S turbo manual recently, and the test drive went well, as did mechanic's inspection. Came with loads of receipts for work done. Mechanic came up with worn out Tension Rods. It felt like it needed a wheel alignment (pulling right) but other than that drove well. Tension rods have not yet been replaced. Here's where I'm at: The seller recently added big wheels, stretched rubber (ie slightly less wide than very wide wheels), EBC, turbo timer, new coilovers (adjustable), exhaust, BOV, HICAS defeater. Seller told me there was a clutching type LSD in the back. Mentioned that it 'grips' a little when making low speed turns. HICAS light is always on, I assume from the HICAS defeater. Issue 1 - Driving at around 30-45km/h - feels something like a lumpy progression - like a wheel or two is not round. Feels more from the back ie the whole car is either push-pulling back and forth a bit, or it sometimes feels like it's wobbling side to side a little bit as I move along. It rocks me in my seat at times. Issue 2 - Steering feels loose - like it wanders at times, and other times just feels a bit floaty. Sometimes it feels like the back end is floaty, other times it feels like the front end. But I can keep it in a straight line holding on to the wheel, and can turn and change lanes somewhat predictably/can adjust as things move around a bit. Turning one side to the other doesn't really feel like there's a deadspot in the middle. Seller had replaced right front tie rod end. My mechanic diagnosed a new tie rod end needed for the left front, which has been done now. Issue 2b - Occasionally, when driving slowly, around 20-40km/h, I get a pretty chunky metallic clunk/click from the front (it seems). Really feels bad, like there's something massive that's loose. But steering functions the same way. Issue 3 - Also feeling a really strong wobble at a higher speed - this is the most familiar, with other cars I have owned. Feels like a wheel balance and wheel alignment issue. Violent shaking at times felt through the steering wheel. Issue 4 - When driving up a hill especially, if I give it a lot of accelerator in 2nd or 3rd, around 2100-2800rpm, when doing 40 or 60km/h, the whole car has a full on vibration/shudder to it as it puts down the torque, and this eases as the RPMs of the engine go up and faster speed in achieved. Issue 5 - Just recently, every now and then the Check Engine light comes on for a few seconds, then goes off. Mechanic inspected all driveline recently and said it was a-ok. Not sure how true this is at all. Any thoughts on the above? Here is my list of things under consideration: - Tire issue/something triggering an issue with ATTESSA-ETS (all tires are the same side) - tires are 245/45R17's stretched onto wheels that are 'Silver SC Style Mustang Wheel - I think 17x10 at the rear, not sure if they're 10 or 9" on the front. - Engine mounts - Gearbox mounts - LSD/driveshaft issue - Wheel alignment - CVs - Front prop shaft - Universal joint - Tension rods I don't think it has had a proper alignment since the outer toe ends were replaced at the front - this could be a part of what I've been experiencing. There's a mysterious comment on a mechanic's invoice about 'RE & RE both front CV Shafts. Replace inner boots." It's 3 hrs of labour. Not sure what 'RE' stands for in this case. But do have receipts for CV boots from Febest Parts. Any thoughts much appreciated!! Worth noting I'm an Aussie living in Canada.. so I'm lucky to have a decent mechanic here but Stagea's are pretty much never seen on the road. Thanks so much, Luke